A relatively new technology, automated bioaugmentation, is emerging in California. It involves selectively introducing beneficial bacteria at lift stations or further upstream in the collection system, either on a regular schedule. This approach enhances the breakdown of pollutants like FOG, odors, and sludge, leading to more consistent wastewater treatment, regulatory compliance, energy savings, and cost reductions.
As the Bacillus bacteria are released, they displace the existing biofilm, which harbors odor-causing bacteria. The Bacillus bacteria become dominant in the system, effectively transforming it into a pre-treatment facility, reducing or eliminating fats, oils, and grease (FOG), corrosion, and decreasing solids entering the treatment plant by 20 to 30 percent. At the treatment plant, they lower BOD, COD, TSS, and sludge by 80-100%, and reduce aeration energy costs along with operational and maintenance expenses.
New technologies sometimes emerge that significantly affect various industries. When these technologies are disruptive, it’s common for them to face some initial pushback. In this discussion, we’ll look at a technology that uses a natural method to treat wastewater. Unlike chemical methods, which can have harmful side effects, this solution is both safe and sustainable because it relies on natural processes that have been used to treat waste since ancient times.
Most of us struggle to comprehend the vastness of our universe, with its estimated two trillion galaxies spread across 93 billion light-years. Equally astonishing, however, is the microscopic world right here on Earth.
Bacteria are the most abundant organisms on the planet, thriving from the highest atmospheric layers to the deepest ocean trenches. It’s estimated that there are 5 million trillion (5 × 10^30) bacteria on Earth. If stacked together, they would form a chain extending over a trillion light-years.
Visualizing the size of these microscopic organisms is challenging. For example, a human hair is generally between 70 and 100 microns (μm) thick, while a bacterium is only about 1.5 μm long. Our bodies host approximately 37 trillion cells and at least that many bacteria, each playing a vital role in maintaining our health and environment.
One of the most essential functions of bacteria is waste elimination, a role critical to our survival. From the earliest days, bacteria have broken down human and animal waste in nature. This is why we don’t find scat or carcasses littering forests—they are broken down efficiently by bacteria. In fact, time-lapse videos show bacteria decomposing a dead rabbit in just a week.
In the 1800s, scientists discovered that bacteria could remove pollutants from wastewater. By allowing wastewater to filter through gravel, they produced a nitrified effluent. The gravel provided a large surface area for microbial growth, which broke down sewage. This led to the development of trickling filters.
So, where do the bacteria used in treatment plants come from? Surprisingly, it originates from our own gut bacteria. Each time we flush waste, we introduce roughly half a pound of gut bacteria into the wastewater system. However, gut bacteria are not highly efficient; otherwise, we wouldn’t need to eliminate waste daily. This inefficiency in wastewater treatment plants leads to the use of chemicals.
Chemicals, however, come with a range of issues. For every ton of chemicals used, an additional ton of solid waste is generated, increasing transportation and disposal costs. Chemicals also require safe storage, can lead to the buildup of harmful compounds such as struvite and vivianite, and can accelerate corrosion.
But there’s a better alternative—a natural one that’s been right under our feet all along. Soil bacteria, which have been recycling organic matter for eons, offer a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. These bacteria are abundant, act as probiotics, and effectively break down cellulosic compounds, fats, oils, and grease. They eliminate odors by outcompeting odor-causing bacteria and can rapidly populate wastewater systems, doubling their population every 20–120 minutes.
Unfortunately, bioaugmentation—the process of adding specific bacteria to improve wastewater treatment—has developed a bad reputation due to improper use. Simply pouring a few gallons of bacteria into a water stream with hopes for immediate results is unrealistic. Bacteria in jug or powder form need time to “wake up,” activate, and identify a food source; by then, they’re often too diluted or have washed too far downstream to be effective.
To address this challenge, a technology known as Autonomous Bioaugmentation with Dispensing intelligence has been developed to release precise quantities of beneficial microorganisms at an affordable cost. A single unit of this system can dispense over 30,000 gallons or 240,000 pounds of active bacteria each month, without increasing the wastewater volume.
The unit is installed at an upstream pump station, where it releases Bacillus bacteria in optimal intervals and amounts that are active and acclimated to their food source. This targeted process ensures the bacteria dominate the system, significantly enhancing treatment efficiency.
The dispensing system is designed to adjust as needed to achieve targeted results, enabling specialized microbes to quickly dominate and enhance wastewater treatment processes. In sewer systems, these microbes integrate into biofilms, displacing conventional bacteria and improving overall system performance. This service is offered as an all-inclusive monthly package that includes equipment setup and 24/7, year-round remote monitoring.
This approach offers multiple benefits for collection systems, including the elimination of fats, oils, and grease (FOG); prevention of low-flow clogs; odor control; corrosion reduction by eliminating H2S-producing bacteria; reduced cleaning frequency due to lower organic solids; and reduced infrastructure wear and tear.
In wastewater treatment plants, the advantages include odor and corrosion elimination, up to 65% reduction in aeration energy use, lower pump wear and power costs, improved plant performance and effluent quality (exceeding EPA standards), up to 80–100% reduction in biosolid (sludge) disposal costs, and a two- to threefold increase in treatment capacity due to more efficient microbial formulations.
In conclusion, leveraging the power of naturally occurring bacteria offers a sustainable, effective, and environmentally friendly solution to wastewater treatment. By moving away from chemical-intensive processes and adopting bioaugmentation with soil bacteria, wastewater treatment plants can significantly reduce operational costs, minimize harmful byproducts, and improve overall treatment efficiency. As we face increasing environmental challenges, adopting solutions rooted in nature’s own recycling mechanisms may be key to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Embracing automated bioaugmentation technology represents not only an innovation in wastewater management but a return to nature’s time-tested methods—one that holds immense promise for industries and communities alike.
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