Disruptive microbiological technology can accomplish amazing things in wastewater treatment (WWT) environments — with astonishing results for FOG and sludge reduction, aeration energy savings, reduced operational costs, and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) prevention. Overcoming these four fundamental challenges is the collective goal of wastewater treatment. Naturally derived, trained microbiology, delivered with turnkey technology, is a complete WWT solution.
So, how does trained microbiology lend itself to the efficiency and efficacy of each of these WWT challenges?
Sludge reduction
When microbes are specially cultivated and trained to feed on the wastewater of a particular treatment environment, they’re extremely efficient at reducing sludge. Sludge reduction is a catalyst for superior efficiency throughout the bulk of WWT, enabling faster wastewater processing times and better results.
Trained microbiology attack and consume the bacteria that contribute to heavy flocculation. For example, it’s possible to create a microbiological profile that feeds on Eikelboom filaments — specifically Types 0675 and 0041, known for contributing to sludge bulking events. By culling these bacteria and others, WWT operators can reduce the amount of sludge produced, which accelerates wastewater solids processing without a protracted aeration process.
Aeration energy savings
Speaking of aeration, conserving energy during WWT contributes to a more effective and efficient process. Cultivated and trained microbiology that consumes bacteria with or without the presence of oxygen doesn’t require expensive aeration.
The chief benefits of trained microbiology in the aeration environment are the reduced time it takes to break down sludge, less intervention from wastewater operators — since the microbes self-manage and work efficiently — and an increase in energy efficiency accompanied by a significant reduction in energy costs. In addition, formulated bacteria proliferate in the environment where they’re introduced, feeding on and adapting to the organic profile of sludge.
Instead of relying on increasingly outmoded forms of aerobic biodegradation, bioaugmentation streamlines sludge processing to create significant energy savings. And, when you consider that aeration accounts for up to 60% of WWT power requirements, it’s easy to identify the cost savings created by an optimized bioaugmentation approach.
Reduced operational costs
While sludge and aeration reduction account for tremendous operational results, the cost savings of continuous bioaugmentation go even further. The continued efficiency of a cultivated microbiological solution over time means reduced maintenance and other operational issues for WWT operators.
What exactly does this mean? No more recurring “bug in a jug” treatments. No sludge bulking setbacks. Mitigated costs associated with equipment upkeep. In real terms, these can, depending upon the size of the operation, amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual savings for wastewater treatment plants.
Bioaugmentation delivers enhanced output with lower operational costs and more efficient wastewater treatment in general. It’s money back into the pockets of municipal WWT operations, ratepayers, and taxpayers.
SSO prevention
The beauty of cultivated microbiology in WWT is they are trained to become part of the entire wastewater environment. After they’re introduced, they reproduce quickly and can travel both up- and downstream in pursuit of the “food” they’ve been taught to consume — contaminants indigenous microbiology can’t effectively mitigate, including pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and other complex pollutants.
The beneficial impact of these microbes is most visible within sanitary sewers. Here, trained microbiology attacks, removes, and replaces biofilm caused by fats, oils, and greases (FOG) and other contributors that build up within sewer infrastructure. They also nullify the damaging effects of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which produce the sewer gas Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). H2S is detrimental to both sanitary sewers and the health and safety of workers required to maintain them.
The result is continuous reduction and prevention of odor, FOG, and SSO events that cause damage, fines, health hazards, and environmental contamination.
A single solution with far-reaching benefits
Done right, with the EBS-Di microbial generator, wastewater bioaugmentation is nothing short of disruptive. EBS-Di, from EnBiorganic Technologies, is a deviation from energy-intensive modes of WWT and improves on traditional, less efficient bioaugmentation efforts. And it’s a turnkey solution capable of addressing all the unique demands of each WWT environment.
When all four main problems of wastewater treatment are addressed with one solution, the wastewater environment stabilizes, and trained microbes continue to thrive, reproduce, and adapt to environmental demands. This makes them more efficient and increases the return on investment for each of these challenges. For wastewater treatment, optimized bioaugmentation is the gift that keeps on giving.
Learn more about innovative microbiological solutions, and the technology poised to disrupt the wastewater treatment industry, at enbiorganic.com.
