Michigan Rural Water Association
BioAugmentation Research Program
Sludge Volume Reduction Study using Mystique Microorganisms
at Kalkaska, MI municipal wastewater pond.

R E S U L T S = 17% reduction in sludge volume

For further test information, contact:

Mike Engels
Wastewater Training Technician
Michigan Rural Water Association
517-539-4111
www.mrwa.org

Craig Wood
DPW Superviser
Village of Kalkaska
231-258-9191

Objective of study:
The purpose of this research was to monitor and evaluate the bio-augmentation process when used for sludge reduction in wastewater lagoons. It was also the attempt to determine the cost effectiveness of bio-augmentation compared to manually removing sludge from lagoons. In addition this research looked for factors that influence the effectiveness of bio-augmentation and what affect bio-augmentation has on lagoon effluent and over all pond quality. The goal of this program was to accomplish this in a nonbiased fair and just manner. A twelve member committee consisting of people who work in the wastewater field oversaw the research program. The people who served on the committee were selected by their own piers in a voting process. In essence the committee were servants of the people elected by the people.

Background:
The Village of Kalkaska submitted an application stating their municipal lagoon system had a sludge depth in areas as high as 40". From this fact, they wanted to take part in the study.

Approach and Application
On July 9th, 1998 a 2 year program of adding the product Mystique was started to cell #4 of the Kalkaska lagoon system. This program consisted of adding four (4) quarts of Mystique per day, five days per week for two weeks, this is the product charging period. On the third week the amount of Mystique added to cell #4 was reduced to two (2) quarts per day, on a five day per week schedule.

Pond Sludge Measurements
(Sludge Judge used)

					8"
				12"
					9"
			24"	14"
					10"
		38"	34"
		39"		16"
19"	38"		40"
24"	33"	42"			8"
29"	35"		29"	12"
27"	31"	33"

---

Pond is triangle shaped

4	4	4	4	4	4	No. of samples
100'	200'	300	400'	500'	600'	Length of lines
25'	50'	75'	100'	125'	150'	Sampled every
4	8	12	16	20	24	No. section/line

For each sample point to represent a proportionate area - divide by the smallest increment.

---

							Avg. In.	Avg. Ft.
24.75	34.3	38	31.8	13.5	8.8	151.0	25"	2.1'	Avg. dpth./this line
4	8	12	16	20	24	84			x by No. of sections
99	274	456	508	270	270	1817	22"	1.8'	Total inches per line

This portrays a more representative volume of sludge


Summary:
A 17% sludge volume reduction was observed over a 15 month period

Pond age - 27 years
21.6 average depth inches of sludge.
0.80 inches of sludge per year accumulates.

If 30 inches of sludge accumulation is required before manual hauling,
then 8.4 inches of sludge is left to accumulate -
or until the sludge volume interferes with the treatment.

Pond dimensions across top of bank -
600 Ft. wide x 800 Ft. length (pond is triangular in shape)
Slope = 1:4, every four feet out, the bank goes down one foot.
10 Ft. - Total pond depth
4 slope
40 Ft. out from top of the bank to get to the bottom of the pond.
Subtract from length & width dimensions on both sides.
600 - 72 = 528 Ft. across the width/bottom of the pond.
800 - 72 = 728 Ft. across the length/bottom of the pond
= 384,384 Sq. Ft. divided by 2 (because the pond is triangle) = 192,192 Sq. Ft. bottom area of pond.
192,192 Sq. Ft. x 1.80 depth of sludge in Ft. = 345,946 Cu. Ft. of Sludge
345,946 Cu. Ft. x 7.48 = 2,587,673 gallon of sludge in cell #4

COST FOR MANUAL SLUDGE REMOVAL
0.05 cents per gallon for disposal of sludge.
$129,569 would be the cost to remove the sludge.

The Village of Kalkaska has 467 customers on it's system.
The cost for sludge removal would be $277.45 total cost per customer
Over 10 years the costs would equal -
$26.56 per year per customer,
$2.21 per month per customer.

COST FOR BIO-AUGMENTATION REDUCTION OF SLUDGE
If bio-augmentation reduces the sludge volume by 40% over a 3 year period,
the cost would be $12,000 or $4,000 per year for Kalkaska.

If there is 2,587,673 total gallons of sludge in the pond and Mystique can reduce it by 40%, then
1,035,069 gallons of sludge can be removed in 3 years.
Which leaves 1,552,604 gallons of sludge left to remove after the first three years.

The study shows that 1,035,069 gallons of sludge can be removed in 3 years.
3 years of Mystique for the city of Kalkaska would cost $12,000 to treat the pond,
or a cost of removal that equals $0.012 per gallon of sludge.

In conclusion:
If there was 21.6 inches of sludge before the product addition, and 8.6 inches or 40% of the sludge was removed,
then 13.0 inches of sludge would be remaining.

If 30 inches of sludge accumulation is required before manaul hauling, then the pond would have 17.0 inches
to fill after the 3 years of product addition. 0.80 inches of sludge per year accumulates, therefore this would
give about 21 years left before manual hauling is required or until the sludge volume interferes with the treatment.

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