Sludge Watch ==> Hattiesburg Mississippi - Buy Ancient Microorganisms for Sludge?

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Here is a note that toxic metals and chemicals aren't the only problems for 
the way cities manage sewage.  Industrial discharge of yeast is thought to 
be causing problems for this Mississippi plant.
Its a great chance to read up on Archaea: ancient one celled organisms that 
were formerly thought to be an ancient form of bacteria.

They have interesting properties: their role in biofilms, and methane 
production.
Are there negative impacts from putting these into sludge?  Might it make 
pathogenic bacteria more thermotolerant, for instance?  Don't know.

It would make more sense not to mix industrial waste with human fecal wastes 
in the first place.  We source separate our trash these days. The one big 
sewer solution to liquid wastes should give way to systems that do 
separation as well... like dry toilets, composting toilets, and industrial 
reuse of industrial liquid wastes.


Interesting read on ARCHAEA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea

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Delgado doubts sewage solution
By TERRY L. JONES • May 20, 2008

Hattiesburg City Council's decision on whether it should spend approximately 
$100,000 for a bacteria treatment for the city's south lagoon pitted 
Councilwoman Deborah Denard Delgado against Director of Public Services 
Bennie Sellers on Monday.


Council is expected to vote today on whether it will approve the purchase of 
archaea, a microorganism to help decompose sludge that has built up in the 
lagoon.

Environmental experts attribute the buildup of sludge to a bevy of problems 
for the city - including a foul odor that has permeated much of the city 
recently.

Sellers told the council that archaea, a natural organism, would help reduce 
the amount of sludge in the lagoons and better decompose wastes flowing into 
the city's south lagoon from USA Yeast.

The city will have to pay Georgia-based Archaea Solutions almost $35,000 for 
each monthly treatment.

Sellers said the archaea treatments would also help control the odor, reduce 
the lagoon's biochemical oxygen demand and reduce electrical costs, which 
has more than doubled in the past year from use of the city's 152 aerators 
at the south lagoon.

"I have an issue with purchasing this substance for $30,000 a month for 
three months," Delgado said.

Sellers' recommendation to treat the lagoon with the organism was called 
into question Monday by Delgado after Sellers told the council a 2007 study 
by United Water of Indianapolis failed to list solutions to better treat the 
city's waste waters.

Delgado, who received a copy of the study following the May 6 meeting, 
disputed Seller's claim.

"I went through it (the report) and picked out those recommendations this 
company made in this report," Delgado said.

According to the Dec. 19 report, United Water recommended that the city 
replace lagoon aerators, lift station pumps and generators, conduct a flow 
tracer study on each lagoon cell and immediately dredge the lagoons to 
remove sludge blankets.

The report also highlighted that the high strength of waste the city 
receives from USA Yeast has had "noticeable effects" on the lagoon.

"They specifically indicated that one of our major problems is the 
substances being put in our system by USA Yeast," Delgado said.

Delgado and other councilmen want USA Yeast to absorb some of the costs to 
address the problem.

"I think USA Yeast has to take the same type of risks," Councilman Carter 
Carroll said.

"We know they are the ones causing it. If we're putting up our money they 
need to do the same thing."

Sellers said the city has conducted numerous meetings with USA Yeast and the 
company has agreed to pay half the costs for the treatment.

As far as the recommendations in the United Water report, Mayor Johnny 
DuPree said the city is addressing many of them.

"Most of what they requested to do we're already in the process of 
evaluating for this upcoming budget," DuPree said.

DuPree said he was told the lagoons hadn't dredged since the 1960s.

Sellers said it would cost between $2 million and $4 million dollars to 
dredge the lagoons now.

Delgado asked that Sellers present the council with a report analyzing how 
archaea has worked in other communities before today's meeting.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/NEWS01/805200306