VitaStim Sludge Reducer – Lagoon Sludge Removal

VitaStim Sludge Reducer Case Studies

48 Acre Lagoon System

Challenge

A three lagoon system  in central Illinois receiving 25,000 gpd was getting bad odors every spring during “turnover.”  Turnover is when the water warms in the spring, lifting the compact sludge up.  Their large lagoons were about 6ft deep with around 2ft of sludge.  They have no aeration but enough wind action to give it white caps.  They need to minimize the sludge buildup, but like every city they were on a budget.  Hank, the public works director, began with skepticism, but that quickly turned around as his lagoons did.

Solution

They began adding 1 lbs a day of VitaStim Sludge Reducer per cell. (VitaStim Polar in the winter)

Results

After a couple of months the odors started to subside, and within the first year they reduced 40% of sludge buildup, and equivalent to 3000 truck loads.  They continued the treatment with another 1000 truck load reduction the following year.  They continue to produce a superb effluent and have done a phenomenal job turning the system around.

6 Acre Lagoon System

Challenge

Dave and Mike operate a pond system with one 4 acre and two 1 acre lagoons in a town noted for its famed Italian restaurants.  A manufacturer in town that produces frozen dinners and the manufacturer’s discharge is about 110°F. These high temperatures create low D.O. conditions that cause odors in the lagoon. Under further investigation, we found the industry was sending loads of cheese to Dave and Mike.

Solution

VitaStim Sludge Reducer was added daily into the lagoons and Qwik-Zyme P was metered into right at the factory’s effluent to pretreat before the lagoon system.

Results

Qwik-Zyme P heavily broke down the proteins in the cheese making it significantly easier for the VitaStim Sludge Reducer and natural bacteria to reduce the   sludge buildup.

10 Acre Lagoon System

Challenge

Greg and his team have a 3 cell system of one 6 acre and two 2 acre lagoons that were becoming inundated with sludge. The ponds were about 30 years old, not aerated, and have never been dredged or treated to remove sludge.

Solution

They began using VitaStim Sludge Reducer to add new cultures and to stimulate existing bacterial cultures.

Results

The combination of new cultures and existing bacterial cultures produced a rapid and progressive decline in their sludge levels. During the progress Greg kept saying, “The ponds keep taking on more water, but we never had to discharge.” VitaStim Sludge Reducer worked to degrade the sludge and create more capacity. Progress of sludge removal was measured by performing sludge depth measurements prior to treatment and then again one year later