Many businesses deal with wastewater issues, but some don’t realize the benefits of hiring a reliable wastewater treatment service to help them solve problems, reduce waste, comply with legal standards, and even save money over time. Ecologix has helped clients in a wide variety of industries to address wastewater issues and improve their operations as a result.
One such client, a large-scale ice cream processor in Florida, was facing a myriad of issues related to their wastewater treatment, or lack thereof. Luckily, they contacted Ecologix and got the expert assistance needed to turn things around.
The Problem
The client’s processes created excessive fats, oils, and grease (FOG). Although they already had a biological treatment system in place, it was outdated and undersized for the scale of their operation, leading to additional problems.
Not only was their wastewater system producing offensive odors that caused neighboring businesses to complain, but the FOGs in their wastewater created a problem for the county’s lift stations, where wastewater is pumped to treatment facilities. As a result, the county gave them a 6-month time frame to solve the problem, after which the creamery would be shut down for failure to comply.
An otherwise successful business found itself in dire straits because their wastewater treatment system wasn’t performing as they needed it to. This is when they called Ecologix for help.
The Solution
Ecologix assessed the situation and designed a plan to help the creamery upgrade their system and come into compliance within the time frame outlined by the county. First, they needed proper permits to construct and operate a new wastewater system, which Ecologix helped them to obtain.
From there, Ecologix worked with the client to create a feasible solution, starting with designing a state-of-the-art physical and chemical treatment system suitable for their needs. This was followed by the fabrication and installation of an entirely new system, including equalization and chemical reaction tanks, a dissolved air flotation system, and sludge dewatering.
A New Outlook
The new equipment was designed to continuously remove free floating fats, reduce suspended solids, and reduce FOG levels. Following the demolition of the old system and the introduction of the new system, FOG levels dropped from approximately 1,290 mg/L to under 10 mg/L; levels of total suspended solids (TSS) were reduced by an astonishing 99%; and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) dropped by nearly 45%.
With only the implementation of this new primary system, the creamery was able to meet its goals within the imposed 6-month window, and their plans to incorporate secondary and tertiary systems will do even more. This client’s partnership with Ecologix not only allowed them to improve operations and neighbor relations, but it brought them into compliance with the county, keeping their doors open in the process
Initial (Pre-Treatment) influent composition results
| Test Method | Analyte Name | Result | Units | Det. Limit | Analysis Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA160.2 | Total Suspended Solids | 1940 | mg/L | 2 | 2 Apr 2015 |
| EPA1664 | Oil & Grease | 1290 | mg/L | 3 | 7 Apr 2015 |
| EPA405.1 | Biological Oxygen Demand | 6190 | mg/L | 1 | 2 Apr 2015 |
Post-Treatment effluent composition results
| Test Method | Analyte Name | Result | Units | Det. Limit | Analysis Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA160.2 | Total Suspended Solids | 6 | mg/L | 2 | 2 Apr 2015 |
| EPA1664 | Oil & Grease | 8 | mg/L | 3 | 7 Apr 2015 |
| EPA405.1 | Biological Oxygen Demand | 3560 | mg/L | 1 | 2 Apr 2015 |
If you are facing similar issues with your waste water treatment at your industrial or commercial plant, Contact Us Today! to discuss your needs. You may be surprised how affordable a fully engineered solution may be! We have special expertise with all food related industries as well as most industrial wastewater problems.
