Wetlands for Industrial Wastewater Treatment at the Savannah River Site
The A-01 effluent outfall, which collects both normal daily process flow and stormwater runoff from a industrial park area, did not meet the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits for metals, toxicity, and total residual chlorine at the outfall sampling point. Copper was the constituent of primary concern and the effluent consistently failed to meet that NPDES limit. Installation of a constructed wetland system including a basin to manage stormwater surges was required to reduce the problematic constituent concentrations to below the NPDES permit limits before the effluent reaches the sampling point. Both bench-scale and on-site pilot scale physical models were constructed to refine and optimize the preliminary design as well as demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach prior to construction, which was completed in October 2000. The constructed treatment wetlands system has prov en its ability to treat industrial wastewaters containing metals with low O and M costs since there are no mechanical parts. With an anticipated life of over 50 years, this system is exceptionally cost effective.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-96SR18500
- OSTI ID:
- 799674
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-2002-00161
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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