Sludge Reduction, Wastewater Odor and Landfill Odor Control

KAW Wastewater Treatment is in Kansas City, Kansas near the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. They pride themselves in the protection of the public health of Kansas City and Wyandotte County citizens and in safeguarding the environment through wastewater and stormwater management. As such, when H2S levels were causing concerns and sludge levels were getting costly, a fortunate introduction to SciCorp was all it took.

It was the latter part of 2016 when Scicorp was contacted by KAW. The local landfill company was unable to accept the sludge being delivered from the KAW plant due to the landfill odor control issues, and KAW was in dire need of finding a solution. A SciCorp representative established the initial contact followed by on site meetings and full-scale testing.

KAW processes approximately 35 million gallons a day through their wastewater treatment plant. The key in evaluating the proper solution was to identify the best point of application and the ideal volume of BIOLOGIC™ SR2 to be applied within this infrastructure. Initial tests were done to add the product in the feedline to the sludge dewatering centrifuges. The results from that application proved to be less than ideal, so the next tests focused on adding the product to the sludge holding tank. By adding BIOLOGIC™ SR2 to the holding tank the impact was immediate and pervasive.

What made this application the perfect solution was that the centrate from the centrifuges gets sent back to the head end of the plant where the BIOLOGIC™ SR2 is able to inoculate the entire 35 million gallons of daily wastewater. BIOLOGIC™ SR2 accelerates the digestion process and resulted in substantial sludge reduction. The result has been a 25% reduction in the sludge volumes produced by the plant and the elimination of wastewater odor from the sludge cake being sent to the landfills, and from the sludge processing building.

By producing lower amounts of sludge, the KAW plant is now benefiting from a 70% cost recovery of the odor solution cost through the reduction of tipping charges and haulage fees to the landfill. Tests are ongoing to measure the energy and manpower costs as well.

The results were so successful that the organization has implemented the solution in their second plant, which processes 12 million gallons a day, and they are now enjoying similar benefits there.

Key Benefits for KAW Wastewater: 

• Significant H2S reductions in biosolids
•  Elimination of all wastewater odor complaints related to the sludge processing operation
• Sludge reduction 25 – 30% reduction in biosolids sent to landfill
•  Eliminates the need for odor control system – scrubbers in the sludge processing building exhaust
•  70% of BIOLOGIC™ SR2 costs are immediately covered by plant operation savings

References available on request