Wastewater Treatment Pond Designs: Options for Your Built Area Needs
Treatment of wastewater should not come at the expense of environmental degradation. The design of the system should not render land and other natural resources useless. Instead, the design should work for the good of the natural environment and the existing ecosystem. When you adopt this line of thought, your wastewater treatment solutions drive you towards one thing. Ponds! The natural designs of wastewater treatment ponds provide a set of different conditions that allow ecosystems to thrive. From bacteria to other types of plants and animals, ponds are the correct answer to dealing with wastewater in built areas. Here are the options you need to consider in this case.
Aerobic Wastewater Treatment Ponds
Aerobic wastewater treatment ponds are also referred to as high-rate aerobic or oxidation ponds. These ponds hold dissolved oxygen throughout their depth, and the aerobic bacteria present in the pond need this action to break down the toxic elements contained in wastewater. Usually, aerobic wastewater ponds will range from thirty to forty-five centimetres in depth. The range is suitable for the penetration of light to the bottom of the pond, accelerating the action of the bacteria in the pond. Algae sit at the top of the pond to maximise photosynthesis and prevent the formation of an anaerobic layer as the depth progresses. Meanwhile, the aerobic bacteria use the available light and oxygen to stabilise the wastewater biomechanically for safe disposal or further treatment and reuse.
Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment Ponds
Anaerobic ponds are the opposite of aerobic ponds. There is no oxygen because of the heavy organic loading and extensive depth that can go as far as four and a half metres. Therefore, the conditions facilitate the biological formation of bacterial acids and fermentation of methane as the breakdown of wastewater happens. The bi-products of the process are neutral and harmless to the environment. The only downside of having such ponds is the odour that comes from the compounds produced. However, you can manage this by recirculating the water to create a thin aerobic layer at the top. The layer will contain the odour.
Facultative Wastewater Treatment Ponds
Facultative ponds are preferable because they combine the aerobic and anaerobic processes. Anaerobic processes happen at the bottom section of the pond where denitrification and sludge digestion break down wastewater. Aerobic processes occur at the top section for odour control. These ponds are ideal for both cold and warm climates. All you must do is vary the holding time of the wastewater in the pond. Learn more about wastewater design today.
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