Having a wastewater lagoon can be a tremendous asset, however it’s not something that doesn’t come without a need for maintenance and repairs. In fact, one of the most common hindrances of a wastewater lagoon is the buildup of excess sludge that can quickly create compounding problems for the site. In such cases, sludge needs to be physically removed, which is no easy process and often one that can takes days to accomplish.
In this blog, which is part one of two, we’ll be going over the correct approach to wastewater lagoon cleaning in Bethel, OH and what needs to be done to ensure the restoration of the lagoon to a cleaner, more manageable state of operation.
Assessing the lagoon
The first step to any lagoon cleaning operation is to assess the situation of the lagoon itself. This is done to gauge the scope of the cleaning project at hand, and to see if there are any radical variables that need to be taken into account to ensure the safety of the people working on the job or for the environment surrounding the lagoon.
Some things that a septic or water treatment professional will be looking for are higher effluent levels of BOD, TSS and ammonia—all of which can pose health problems in a myriad of ways. Once the lagoon and the worksite have been assessed and the appropriate measures taken, the actual cleaning process can begin.
Cleaning option I: dredging the lagoon
One common way to deal with excess sludge in a lagoon is to physically remove it, via a process of dredging. This is an extremely time and labor intensive way of going about things and can cost a tremendous amount at the end of the job. In fact, the cost per ton of sludge removed can number in the hundreds of dollars (averaging $350 per ton)—and, estimating that the average wastewater lagoon contains 2,500 to 5,000 tons of sludge when the time comes for cleaning, costs can easily surmount a million dollars.
Why choose this highly expensive and tremendously intensive method of lagoon cleaning in Bethel, OH? Because it produces some of the best results. Dredging can clear out a lagoon to a finer degree than other methods and results in a better start towards reoperation, with the next cleaning further in the future than most other methods.
Cleaning option II: sludge treatment
There are two main ways to alleviate a sludge problem in wastewater lagoons without having to go through the complicated process of dredging them. In part two of this series on lagoon cleaning, we’ll outline both of them: aeration and mixing, and bio augmentation.
Be sure to view our next post for continued information regarding wastewater lagoon cleaning in Bethel, OH so that you’re able to get a better understanding of exactly what needs to happen to ensure the continued form and function of your lagoon!