Constructed Wetlands Treatment of an Automotive Bedliner

Manufacturer’s Wastewater

Art Kuljian, P.E., BCEE, Kevin Olmstead, Ph.D., P.E., Tammy Rabideau, CPG, Jamie Meikle

WEFTEC 2009 October 14, 2009

Outline

Background

Timeline

Construction and Startup

System Description

● Treatment Cells and Lagoons

● Wetland Plantings

● Tertiary Filtration

System Performance

System Observations

Summary

Background

Truck bedliner manufacturing operation in Lapeer, Michigan

Mixed sanitary and process wastewater from plastic extrusion and thermoforming operations

Previous unlined lagoon system ineffective

Restrictive groundwater discharge limits

Switched to wetland wastewater treatment

● “First-in-the-State” in Michigan for an industrial application

Constructed Wetlands Advantages

Passive, self-regenerative treatment process, given proper harvesting of dominant plants

Low environmental impact

Little need for operator attention

Large buffering capacity to accommodate system variances

Habitats for wetland species

Short implementation schedule

Timeline

Characterization – June 1999

Pilot Study – August 1999

Design/Build Proposal – January 2000

Begin Construction – April 2000

System Startup – August 2000

Phase 2 Expansion – April 2006

Phase 2 Commissioning – October 2006

In continuous operation since November 2000

9590

9690

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

BOD5 TSS NH3-N Phosphorus

Ma

ss R

em

ova

l (%

)Relative Removals During Pilot Testing

Construction and Startup

Wetland comprised of over 27,000 native plants

Installed over 160,000 ft2 PVC liner and earth bed

Seeded startup with activated sludge from POTW

Temporary winter storage of wastewater in HDPE lined lagoons underlain with bentonite-sand layer

Final polishing in 150 ft2 tertiary sand filter building

UV disinfection prior to surface water discharge

System Description

20,000 gallon/day (gpd) design flow rate, 90 day HRT

4 acre lined wetland treatment system

- 2 winter storage lagoons (900,000 gal.each)

- 2 primary cells (0.6 acre capacity)

- secondary treatment cell (2.5 acre capacity)

- tertiary treatment cell (0.9 acre capacity)

Continuous downflow sand filter rated at 5 gpm/ft2

Disinfection w/ultraviolet (UV) radiation

Flow monitoring structure and discharge to Plum Creek

Process Flow Diagram

SPECIES COMMON NAME QUANTITY

Nuphar lutea Yellow Lilly 1,700

Eleodea Canadensis Broad water weed 500

Typha latifolia Broad leaf cattail 50

Plantings—Primary Cells

SPECIES COMMON NAME QUANTITY

Typha latifolia Broad leaf cattail 5,000

Carex lacustris Lake Sedge 3,000

Scirpus acutus Hard-Stem Bulrush 1,500

Scirpus validus (tabernaeontani)

Soft-Stem Bulrush 2,200

Sagittaria latifolia Broad-Leaf Arrowhead 4,500

Alisma plantago-aquatica Water plantain 2,200

Pontederia cordata Pickerelweed 750

Sparganium eurycarpum Giant Bur-reed 3,500

Polygonum hydroperiodes Smartweed 500

Polygonum amphibium Smartweed 2,000

Eleodea Canadensis Broad water weed 500

Plantings---Secondary Cells

System Performance

Significant treatment occurs in the primary cells:

- BOD and TSS are reduced ~ 60% to 70%

- NH3-N is reduced ~ 85% to 95%

- Total P is reduced ~ 60% to 70%

Flowthrough, facultative treatment occurs in the primary cells, with an HRT of ~ 12 days

Vegetative growth in the secondary and tertiary cells results in mass removals for all target parameters of 90% to 95%

System Removal Performance

Parameter Influent Primary Cell Discharge

Final Discharge

BOD5 (mg/l) 12 to 248 9 to 66 1.5 to 7.1

TSS (mg/l) 54 to 122 16 to 80 4 to 20

NH3-N (mg/l) 16 to 46 0.2 to 7.4 0.14 to 2

TP (mg/l) 3.4 to 8.6 0.4 to 5.5 0.1 to 0.5

Installation of Sand Filter

End AlumAddition

05

1015

2025

3035

4045

Oct-00 Feb-02 Jun-03 Nov-04 Mar-06 Aug-07 Dec-08

BO

D (

mg/l)

Monthly Average BOD BOD Ave Limit

Effluent BOD

Installation of Sand Filter

End AlumAddition

05

101520253035404550

Oct-00 Feb-02 Jun-03 Nov-04 Mar-06 Aug-07 Dec-08

TS

S (

mg

/l)

Monthly Average TSS TSS Ave Limit

Effluent TSS

Installation of Sand Filter

End AlumAddition

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Oct-00 Feb-02 Jun-03 Nov-04 Mar-06 Aug-07 Dec-08

NH

3-N

(m

g/l)

NH3-N Ave Daily Max Daily Max Limit (May-Sept only)

Effluent NH3-N

Installation of Sand Filter

End AlumAddition

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

Oct-00 Feb-02 Jun-03 Nov-04 Mar-06 Aug-07 Dec-08

P (

mg/

l)

Monthly Average P P Ave Limit

Effluent P

Original Site

Lagoon Preparation

Cell Preparation

Sand-Bentonite Underlayer

Lagoon Liner Installation

Treatment Cell Liner Installation

Flow Distribution Berm Construction

Initial Planting

Water Plantains and Bulrushes in Secondary Cell

Acclimated Plantings

Winter Storage Lagoon

Artistic Shot of Storage Lagoon

Secondary Cell

Your’s Truly on the Berm

Tertiary Cell with Water Depth Gauge

Tertiary Cell

Final Treatment Building

Volcano™ ContinuousDownflow Sand Filter

UV Disinfection and Flow Monitoring

Toad on Top of Things at the UV Chamber

Site Observations

Nutrient uptake in wetland vegetation was poor during the winter months and good to excellent remainder of the year

Operations labor minimal - <2 hours/8 hour shift

Normal operation requires no chemical addition

Maintaining water operating depth of <18” is vital for emergent vegetation to occur

Presence of wildlife indicative of a healthy habitat

Performance Summary

95% removal of BOD5, TSS, NH3-N and P is achievable

Effluent NH3-N of 0.5 mg/L and P of 0.2 mg/L

Primary cells provide equalization and treatment prior to discharge to secondary and tertiary cells

Effluent BOD5 has averaged 3 mg/L and TSS has averaged 5 mg/L since installation of the sand filter

Lessons Learned

Ensure C:N:P ratio of 100:5:1 is available in wastewater feed

Maintain wetland water temperature >50°F (10°C); otherwise, winter storage may be needed

Backwash of sand filter at 2% to 5% of flow aids insoluble nutrient removal

Periodic lamp cleaning via citric acid and/or sodium hypochlorite every 2 to 3 months

Annual harvesting of dominant plants (e.g., cattails) helps ensure variation and quantities of all species

Harvest duckweed before winter die-off to keep total P inventory in check

Contractor/Supplier Acknowledgements Ms. Joanne Michael, Southern Tier Consulting –

West Clarksville, NY

Mr. Dave Bury, North American Lining Services – Kalkaska, MI

Mr. Mark Fisher, Lighthouse Filters – Dahlonega, GA

Mr. Todd Desloover, Debarr Construction – Greenwood, MI

Mr. H. Blair Selover, Tetra Tech – Ann Arbor, MI

Questions?