COST AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF NUTRIENT REMOVAL AT SMALL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

摘要

Nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) loading from wastewater sources is a major waterquality concern in the Florida Keys because of observed degradation of canal andnearshore waters. Some 300 small (2,000- to 100,000-gallon-per-day capacity)wastewater treatment plants, as well as numerous onsite disposal systems, dischargewastewater directly or indirectly to surface waters and have been implicated in thisdegradation.Water quality concerns in the Keys led the Florida Department of EnvironmentalProtection to fund this study of the effectiveness of nutrient removal by small WWTPsin the capacity range of 2,000 to 100,000 gpd. Nutrient removal technologies currentlyon the market were reviewed and ranked with respect to costs, performance, and otherfactors. Included in the performance assessment was the development ofrecommended Best Available Technology effluent limitations for a number of differenttechnologies. Information was derived from equipment suppliers, FDEP and U.S.Environmental Protection Agency databases, technical literature, review of plantmonitoring records, discussions with plant operators, and direct observation ofoperating facilities.