Many wastewater systems experiencing high infiltration
and inflow (I&I) have issues with hydraulic overloading
which impacts biomass stability. I&I can impair the
capacity of the wastewater collection system and
wastewater treatment infrastructure.1
Increased flows in the collection system contribute
to hydraulic overloading at wastewater treatment
facilities. This disrupts the biological treatment process
by diluting the organic carbon supply to the biomass at
the plant. Without a high strength organic food supply,
the growth and metabolism of wastewater processing
microorganisms are inhibited.
Wastewater treatment facilities may struggle to stay in
compliance with state and federal water quality standards
due to high I&I. The following case study details the
application of Candy Carbon® at an activated sludge plant
(ASP) to improve biomass stability after I&I washouts.
Figure 1. Google Earth Image of the 2 MGD ASP experiencing washout
events due to I&I.
1 National Small Flows Clearinghouse West Virginia University. (1999,
spring). Infiltration and Inflow can be Costly for Communities. Pipeline,
10(2), 1-8.
A 2 MGD ASP in a mountainous area in Arizona was having
trouble processing wastewater after large precipitation
events and during spring snow melt. After a surge of
storm or melt water entered the system, the organic
carbon levels would decrease and starve the biology in
the treatment process. The facility operators suspected
that their system was experiencing increased I&I
following these events. In order to sustain the biological
treatment at the plant, the facility staff added an organic
carbon source to their returned activated sludge (RAS)
stream. The first product they used required a very high
application rate and had minimal impact on increasing
the biomass in their system. Seeking a new organic
carbon supplement, the Plant Supervisor contacted the
wastewater experts at BioLynceus®.
The ASP began injecting CC into their RAS during periods
of increased I&I. After the first two applications of CC, the
facility operators were impressed with how quickly their
biomass recovered from the washouts. They needed to
add less product than ever before to get their biological
treatment up and running.
The head wastewater operator at the plant explained that
they applied 75% less CC than the previous product used.
Because of this, injecting CC was much easier and less
time consuming than implementing the prior treatment.
BioLynceus® helped minimize storage space, application
time, and treatment recovery time. CC provided the
wastewater system with an adequate organic carbon
source to support the biomass in instances of elevated
I&I. The facility continues to use CC in the winter and
spring months to improve the efficiency of their
biological process.
BioLynceus® Candy Carbon® provides organic carbon to support wastewater biomass.