By Thomas Kavookjian
Like many municipalities, Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority (CSA) faced challenges in improving its ability to meet discharge permit limits. CSA, located in Cinnaminson, NJ, is a 2 mgd designed plant with a daily average flow of 1.2 mgd. It is a conventional activated sludge process with a 2 million gallon equalization tank, six primary settling tanks, two sets of aeration tanks fitted with surface aerators, six secondary clarifiers (which includes a 13,000 gpd bypass back to the primary tanks), and a chlorine contact tank that discharges to the Delaware River.
CSA was experiencing pH issues and needed to add caustic soda to the system to maintain proper pH. This was accomplished with a sensor mounted in the plant flow stream which operated a metering valve that regulated the flow of caustic soda based on the pH levels. The authority was also adding polymers to the secondary clarifiers to improve settling.
After looking for alternative solutions to accomplish the same tasks with organic materials, CSA decided to add Biological Activity Enhancer (BAE)® to the system at the rate of one part per million or 1 gallon of BAE for every 1 mgd of plant flow. BAE is a peat humic substance manufactured by Prodex, a JSH International Company, which uses a patented extraction process that stabilizes these substances into an organic, liquid formula.
Wastewater treatment is a series of biochemical reactions created by a complex population of indigenous microorganisms that occur naturally under controlled conditions. The success of the process is dependent upon establishing a mixed community of microorganisms that will remove and consume organic waste material.
This task can become difficult at times because of the nature of the entering waste stream and the level of toxicity. Chemicals can be used to correct any disruption or ongoing challenges but also may disrupt the natural balance of the treatment system by deterring the growth of microbial cells such as ciliates, bacteria, fungi, and amoebas.
