1. Constructed Wetlands Treatment of an Automotive Bedliner Manufacturer’s Wastewater
Art Kuljian, P.E., BCEE, Kevin Olmstead, Ph.D., P.E., Tammy Rabideau, CPG, Jamie Meikle
WEFTEC October 14, 2009

2. Outline Background Timeline Construction and Startup
System Description
Treatment Cells and Lagoons
Wetland Plantings
Tertiary Filtration
System Performance
System Observations
Summary

3. Background Truck bedliner manufacturing operation in Lapeer, Michigan
Mixed sanitary and process wastewater from plastic extrusion and thermoforming operations
Previous unlined lagoon system ineffective
Restrictive groundwater discharge limits
Switched to wetland wastewater treatment
“First-in-the-State” in Michigan for an industrial application

4. Constructed Wetlands Advantages
Passive, self-regenerative treatment process, given proper harvesting of dominant plants
Low environmental impact
Little need for operator attention
Large buffering capacity to accommodate system variances
Habitats for wetland species
Short implementation schedule

5. Timeline Characterization – June 1999 Pilot Study – August 1999
Design/Build Proposal – January 2000
Begin Construction – April 2000
System Startup – August 2000
Phase 2 Expansion – April 2006
Phase 2 Commissioning – October 2006
In continuous operation since November 2000

6. Relative Removals During Pilot Testing

7. Construction and Startup
Wetland comprised of over 27,000 native plants
Installed over 160,000 ft2 PVC liner and earth bed
Seeded startup with activated sludge from POTW
Temporary winter storage of wastewater in HDPE lined lagoons underlain with bentonite-sand layer
Final polishing in 150 ft2 tertiary sand filter building
UV disinfection prior to surface water discharge

8. System Description
20,000 gallon/day (gpd) design flow rate, 90 day HRT
4 acre lined wetland treatment system
- 2 winter storage lagoons (900,000 gal.each)
- 2 primary cells (0.6 acre capacity)
- secondary treatment cell (2.5 acre capacity)
- tertiary treatment cell (0.9 acre capacity)
Continuous downflow sand filter rated at 5 gpm/ft2
Disinfection w/ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Flow monitoring structure and discharge to Plum Creek

9. Process Flow Diagram

11. Plantings—Primary Cells
SPECIES
COMMON NAME
QUANTITY
Nuphar lutea
Yellow Lilly
1,700
Eleodea Canadensis
Broad water weed
500
Typha latifolia
Broad leaf cattail 50

12. Plantings---Secondary Cells
SPECIES
COMMON NAME
QUANTITY
Typha latifolia
Broad leaf cattail
5,000
Carex lacustris
Lake Sedge
3,000
Scirpus acutus
Hard-Stem Bulrush
1,500
Scirpus validus (tabernaeontani)
Soft-Stem Bulrush
2,200
Sagittaria latifolia
Broad-Leaf Arrowhead
4,500
Alisma plantago-aquatica
Water plantain
Pontederia cordata
Pickerelweed
750
Sparganium eurycarpum
Giant Bur-reed
3,500
Polygonum hydroperiodes
Smartweed
500
Polygonum amphibium
2,000
Eleodea Canadensis
Broad water weed

14. System Performance Significant treatment occurs in the primary cells:
- BOD and TSS are reduced ~ 60% to 70%
- NH3-N is reduced ~ 85% to 95%
- Total P is reduced ~ 60% to 70%
Flowthrough, facultative treatment occurs in the primary cells, with an HRT of ~ 12 days
Vegetative growth in the secondary and tertiary cells results in mass removals for all target parameters of 90% to 95%

15. System Removal Performance
Parameter
Influent
Primary Cell Discharge
Final Discharge
BOD5 (mg/l)
12 to 248
9 to 66
1.5 to 7.1
TSS (mg/l)
54 to 122
16 to 80
4 to 20
NH3-N (mg/l)
16 to 46
0.2 to 7.4
0.14 to 2
TP (mg/l)
3.4 to 8.6
0.4 to 5.5
0.1 to 0.5

16. Effluent BOD

17. Effluent TSS

18. Effluent NH3-N

19. Effluent P

20. Original Site

21. Lagoon Preparation

22. Cell Preparation

23. Sand-Bentonite Underlayer

24. Lagoon Liner Installation

25. Treatment Cell Liner Installation

26. Flow Distribution Berm Construction

27. Initial Planting

28. Water Plantains and Bulrushes in Secondary Cell

29. Acclimated Plantings

30. Winter Storage Lagoon
This is the wastewater storage lagoon (lined)

31. Artistic Shot of Storage Lagoon

32. Secondary Cell

33. Your’s Truly on the Berm

34. Tertiary Cell with Water Depth Gauge

35. Tertiary Cell

36. Final Treatment Building

37. Volcano™ Continuous Downflow Sand Filter

38. UV Disinfection and Flow Monitoring

39. Toad on Top of Things at the UV Chamber

40. Site Observations
Nutrient uptake in wetland vegetation was poor during the winter months and good to excellent remainder of the year
Operations labor minimal - <2 hours/8 hour shift
Normal operation requires no chemical addition
Maintaining water operating depth of <18” is vital for emergent vegetation to occur
Presence of wildlife indicative of a healthy habitat

41. Performance Summary
95% removal of BOD5, TSS, NH3-N and P is achievable
Effluent NH3-N of 0.5 mg/L and P of 0.2 mg/L
Primary cells provide equalization and treatment prior to discharge to secondary and tertiary cells
Effluent BOD5 has averaged 3 mg/L and TSS has averaged 5 mg/L since installation of the sand filter

42. Lessons Learned
Ensure C:N:P ratio of 100:5:1 is available in wastewater feed
Maintain wetland water temperature >50°F (10°C); otherwise, winter storage may be needed
Backwash of sand filter at 2% to 5% of flow aids insoluble nutrient removal
Periodic lamp cleaning via citric acid and/or sodium hypochlorite every 2 to 3 months
Annual harvesting of dominant plants (e.g., cattails) helps ensure variation and quantities of all species
Harvest duckweed before winter die-off to keep total P inventory in check

43. Contractor/Supplier Acknowledgements
Ms. Joanne Michael, Southern Tier Consulting – West Clarksville, NY
Mr. Dave Bury, North American Lining Services – Kalkaska, MI
Mr. Mark Fisher, Lighthouse Filters – Dahlonega, GA
Mr. Todd Desloover, Debarr Construction – Greenwood, MI
Mr. H. Blair Selover, Tetra Tech – Ann Arbor, MI

44. Questions?