Improving aeration for better treatment

Air is diffused into the wastewater. (Red lighting used for emphasis)

Effective treatment of polluted water requires that air be mixed with the water. Air provides an aerobic environment and promotes the treatment of organic matter. At the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant, the aeration tanks:

Supply the necessary oxygen to microbes to degrade organic pollutants
Mix the wastewater so the microbes can contact the organic pollutants.

In 1998 the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection (WEP) undertook a full upgrade to the aeration treatment system at the plant. Workers have installed new high-efficiency air diffusers, modern air blowers, and new controls. Over five thousand diffuser disks were installed in each aeration tank. Eight tanks were retrofitted for the new sytem. The project began in 1998 and cost $6.8 million. This improvement in treatment has corresponded to lower levels of ammonia in Onondaga Lake, a benefit to water quality.

The new diffusers and controls are fully operational. They are more efficient than the previous system in transferring oxygen to the wastewater. They have improved water quality and reduced energy consumption.

Return to “Upgrading treatment.”

Return to “Projects to improve water quality.”