1. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Created by Josh Appleby, MAEAP Verifier, MDA

2. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Minimize water use in cleanup procedure. Milking Center Wastewater 13.1 Water is the transport mechanism for moving contaminates. Less than 20 gallon per cow per milking is ideal. More than 50 gallon per cow per milking is excessive.

3. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Wash water Example 10 gallons per day 200 cows = 2000 gallons/day for 365 days = 730,000 gallons per year 25 gallons per day 200 cows = 5000 gallons/day for 365 days = 1,825,000 gallons per year Milking Center Wastewater 13.Milking Center Wastewater 13.1

4. Milking Center Wastewater 13.2 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Chemical, disinfectant and antibiotic storage Chemical, disinfectant, and antibiotic stored in partitioned off, protected area. Storage is away from drains to allow recovery of spills.

5. Plate coolers utilize water to exchange heat with the milk. Used to pre-cool warm milk before putting it in the milk cooler. Plate cooler water is often used to water cows. Milking Center Wastewater 13.1 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Collection of water from plate coolers Discharged to surface water with permit from DEQ. (non- contact cooling water) Safe discharged onto ground that does not flow to surface water is allowed.

6. Common collection systems Manure pit Underground storage tank emptied daily to weekly. Milking Center Wastewater 13.1 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Wastewater collection system All wastewater directed to a designed storage area and waste applied to fields at agronomic rates.

7. Analysis or book value for wastewater nutrient content is available and used. Application rate should be calibrated with the crop to be grown. Written records of applications are kept. Application to land at agronomic rates Milking Center Wastewater 13.1

8. ► Traditional septic system ► When this system fails, it poses a surface and groundwater quality threat. Milking Center Wastewater 13.5 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Septic system

9. Milking Center Wastewater 13.5 Septic system needs to be designed to handle the volume of wastewater. Under size system do not allow time for break down of waste and cleaning materials. Local health department can determine leach field design and size. Size of septic system Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Septic system

10. What happens if a septic is not properly sized? Failure of system leads to potential groundwater contamination. Failure of system allows material to percolate to the surface causing foul odors and potentially allowing runoff to reach surface water. Failure can cause a backup of the system causing damage to milking parlor. How can you tell if the system is not properly sized? Look for signs of system failure. All wastewater is treated or stored. It is illegal for drains to lead directly to a tile line or drainage ditch. Milking Center Wastewater 13.7

11. Removal of solids from the septic system Septic tank is pumped every 3 to 4 months or more often if needed. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Septic system

12. Milking Center Wastewater 13.7 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Septic system All wastewater needs to be directed to septic system or storage. Historically dry wells or tiles leading to surface water have been illegally used to dispose of some wastewater while the septic is used for other water.

13. Milking Center Wastewater 13.8 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Parlor cleanup practices for septic systems or filter strips First pipeline rinse captured and added to barn manure. Waste milk never poured down drain. Manure and excess feed removed from parlor before wash-down.

14. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed Infiltration System ► Definition: discharging wastewater uniformly onto a sloped grass filter strip. ► Poses little chance of surface or groundwater contamination if properly constructed. ► Works best on well-drained sandy loam soils with at least three feet to bedrock or water table ► Harvest vegetation to remove nutrients. Milking Center Wastewater 13.9

15. Pretreatment for a designed, vegetated infiltration area. Properly sized settling tank, lagoon or other pretreatment system. Reduces nutrients/contaminates in waste water. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Designed Infiltration System

16. Milking Center Wastewater 13.9 A settling tank removes settable and floatable solids and reduces treatment problems where liquid waste are treated on soil surface. Settling tank requires regular service to prevent overfilling with solids. Lack of regular emptying of pretreatment tank leads to premature failure of surface treatment systems. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Designed Infiltration System - Pretreatment

17. Milking Center Wastewater 13.10 System designed to handle the capacity of wastewater generated. Infiltration area effectively treats the quantity of wastewater generated. Infiltration area shows no evidence of: Ø erosion Ø wastewater Ponding Ø burned vegetation. Milking Center Wastewater Treatment- Designed Infiltration System

18. Milking Center Wastewater 13.11 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed Infiltration System Infiltration System maintenances. Vegetation regularly harvested. Accumulated solids removed if needed.

19. Milking Center Wastewater 13.12 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed Infiltration System – Soil type. Sandy soils with high water tables are more likely to pose a threat to groundwater contamination. Heavier soils with slow infiltration pose a higher risk for water to run-off the surface and impact surface water.

20. Milking Center Wastewater 13.13 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed Infiltration System – Distance to water well The greater the distance between Infiltration area and water well the better: Longer amount of time for break down of pathogens. Greater area for crop uptake of nutrients. 300 ft. between infiltration area and water supply well is preferred. Greater than 75 feet is required for Type 3 water supplies (dairies and farms with hired employees).

21. Milking Center Wastewater 13.14 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed Infiltration System

22. Milking Center Wastewater 13.15 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Designed infiltration system: a poor concept for protecting water quality. Rapid infiltration system disperses waste water over sand or sandy loam soils where it quickly infiltrates. Rapid infiltration system does not provide time for adequate treatment or adsorption of contaminants. These systems are not suitable in Michigan for treatment of milking center waste. If system must be used infiltration area is at least 150 feet (300 ft preferred) from surface water or drainage ditches.

23. Milking Center Wastewater 13.16 Milking Center Wastewater Treatment Rapid surface infiltration system Milk parlor and milk house wastewater is managed in a manner to prevent discharge into surface water. Wastewater cannot be directly discharged to a lake, drainage ditch, stream or field?

24. Questions ? Thank You! Created by Josh Appleby MAEAP Verifier, MDA and Lyndon Kelley, MSU Extension Milking Center Waste