An article by Heather Jennings, PE, Director of Probiotic Solutions®, has been published in Tri-State Seminars Magazine, the proceedings of the 36th Annual Tri-State Seminar, held on August 9–12, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nev. Ms. Jennings was a featured presenter at the seminar, which provides training and certification classes to educate water professionals from Arizona, California, and Nevada.
In her presentation and the resulting published article, titled “Lagoons, Under the Surface,” Ms. Jennings discussed the results of an in-depth investigation of bioremediation and biological factors involved in reducing sludge at a municipal wastewater treatment facility lagoon system.
A one-year bioremediation plan was implemented for a municipal wastewater treatment facility with 2 primary lagoons in which sludge depths had reached 5–7 feet. The lagoons were at risk of upset and wastewater processing capacity was reduced. Sludge levels were reported for baseline and quarterly sludge judging, supplemented with ATP and DNA analyses of the microorganism biomass. The results of the ATP and DNA analyses pointed out the often-misunderstood fact that wastewater treatment facility lagoon sludge is not inert: it is the most biologically active layer of the water column and can be efficiently controlled and reduced through proper bioremediation interventions. Sludge depth was biologically reduced by an average of 45%. This represented 17,800 dry tons of sludge that did not need to be mechanically removed and hauled to a disposal location, a potential savings of over $6 million.
The complete article can be found on pp. 28–31 of the 2-2021 issue of Tri-State Seminars Magazine at https://www.kelmanonline.com/httpdocs/files/Tri-State-Seminar/issue2-2021/index.html.
Related Posts
Moving Closer to Farmers
Just as all politics are local, all farming is local. Terrain, soils, weather patterns, market access and cultural production practices vary dramatically across the Fruited Plain, as do the issues and concerns shaping ag policy. So it only makes sense for the entity that combines politics and farming to go local. Because in an urbanized city located on the banks of the Potomac, run by elephants and donkeys, you don’t see many cows, pigs or chickens, much less corn, wheat or almonds.
BHN Article on Micronutrients in CropLife Magazine
CropLife Magazine currently features an article written by BHN staff, “Micronutrients Are the Key To Better Yields.” The authors provide an overview of micronutrients and their relationship to the soil, common deficiencies, application methods, and the importance of following the 4Rs of Nutrient Stewardship. The article concludes by discussing the importance of developing a Micronutrient Plan
This Week in Ag #62
Last week my wife and I frequented a rather posh coffee shop in Gilbert, AZ. I was wearing my “God Made a Farmer” t-shirt, likely not common attire for such a place. Yet the number of compliments I received about it was astounding. The well-to-do clientele ranged from fancy-iced-coffee-drinking twenty somethings to retired couples. But the tenor
