Wastewater
The Cridersville Wastewater Treatment Plant is a Class II Activated Sludge Plant that was constructed in 1983 replacing a facility that was built in 1965. The plant is designed for 800,000 gallons of wastewater per day and has a current average dry weather flow of approximately 300,000 gallons per day.
The plant utilizes both physical and biological processes to break down and reduce the organic waste carried in the water from homes and businesses in the village. Wastewater is delivered to the plant through a series of several miles of gravity and force main sewers.
Treatment Process
The process begins with the removal of large debris when the wastewater flows through a bar screen. Then inorganic materials like stone and sand are removed when the wastewater flows through a grit channel. The wastewater then flows through a device called a “Muffin Monster”. This machine is a grinder that reduces larger organic particles into smaller ones so that the process downstream functions more efficiently.
The wastewater is then pumped into a Primary Sedimentation Clarifier where most of the settleable and suspended solids settle to the bottom. These solids are drawn off as sludge. This sludge is then pumped to a tank where it is biologically degraded using a process called Aerobic Digestion. Air is added to the sludge causing bacteria to reduce the volatile organic content of the sludge to acceptable levels.
The sludge is then pumped to sand drying beds where the excess water percolates and evaporates from the solids. After drying, the sludge is removed from the beds and paced in a storage facility where it is held until it can be applied to farm ground for fertilizer. For more information on the land application of sludge, please visit the Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Waters web page at the OHIO EPA.
Once the bulk of the solids have been removed in the primary clarifier, the wastewater, which contains some suspended but mostly dissolved organic pollutants, flows into the Activated Sludge portion of the process. This consists of a tank where the wastewater is added to vast numbers of microorganisms in a mixture called “Mixed Liquor.” Air is added to this mix to sustain the aerobic condition of the bacterium and to insure that the bacterium comes in contact with the waste particles. After mixing for several hours, in which time the bacterium feed on the organic waste and multiply, the mixed liquor flows from the aeration tank into a secondary clarifier. In this clarifier the bacterium bunch together to form what is called “Floc.” This floc formation becomes heavier than the surrounding waters and settles to the bottom of the clarifier as sludge where it is pumped off and returned to the headwaters of the aeration tank to start the process all over. A certain portion of this return sludge is wasted to the aerobic digester to maintain a balance of microorganisms to the amount of waste entering the system. The clear water, called “Effluent,” flows from the secondary clarifier into 2 Tertiary Lagoons that reduce pathogens in the water and act as a buffer between the plant and the receiving stream. The process is constantly sampled and monitored to produce an effluent that consistently meets all requirements set forth by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Wastewater Savings Tips
The water we use every day in our homes, offices and factories becomes wastewater. Most of this wastewater is treated to separate and process the liquids and solids, which are returned to the environment. Wastewater treatment protects public health by destroying disease-causing organisms that may be in the wastewater. Treatment also safeguards water quality by preventing pollution in our lakes, rivers and oceans.
Outdoor Cleaning
By using a broom and sweeping, you avoid creating any wastewater. If you do use water for outdoor cleaning, much of the wastewater produced will probably run-off into the storm water system that drains to a nearby creek or will evaporate. If possible, you should reuse some of the wastewater onto your landscape. Be sure and use a non-toxic biodegradable soap if you intend to reuse water for plants.
Bath Wastewater
Filling a bathtub uses a fixed volume of water and hence equates to fixed volume of wastewater. Reducing the flow rate has no impact on the amount of wastewater generated from taking a bath. Consequently, there are few conservation measures directed at bathtub use.
Below are some tips to maximize efficiency in your bathtub:
- Only fill the bathtub as much as you need.
- Bathing babies and small children requires much less water and it is often easier to bathe small babies in a sink.
- Make sure that your bathtub drain plug doesn’t leak.
- Replace the plug or plug washer if necessary.
- Replace the tub diverter valve (that routes water to the shower) if it leaks.
- In a drought, don’t let the used bathtub water go down the drain!
- Reuse bath water outdoors on your landscape.
Dishwasher
Running a full load of dishes in a dishwasher should save water and wastewater over washing the same dishes by hand. A typical dishwasher uses between 8 and 15 gallons per load of dishes with an average of about 9.3 gallons per load (Mayer, et. al. 1999).
Some manufacturers do offer high-efficiency dishwasher models. These dishwashers use less water and more significantly, less energy than the standard models. A high-efficiency dishwasher can wash a load of dishes using 5 to 7 gallons of water.
A family that replaces a 12-gallon per load machine with a 6-gallon per load machine, and runs their dishwasher 4 times per week will save about 1,250 gallons of water and wastewater per year.
Hazardous Waste Disposal
All of the storm water catch basins and drains in the village eventually flow to a stream or pond.
No storm drains flow to a treatment plant to be processed.
Never pour used motor oil, antifreeze, or fuel of any kind into a storm drain.
It is both illegal and hazardous. These items can be disposed of at the local recycle site.
Remember to dispose of hazardous waste properly.
All of the storm water catch basins and drains in the village eventually flow to a stream or pond. No storm drains flow to a treatment plant to be processed.
Hazardous household wastes such as cleaners, paints, and solvents should never be disposed of by dumping on the ground or down the drain.
They should be stored in a safe place until they can be taken to a hazardous waste collection site.
Please Recycle
Do your part to conserve natural resources by recycling anything that can be recycled after use such as plastic milk jugs, newspapers, magazines, and glass bottles and jars just to name a few.
The Cridersville Police Auxiliary and the Lions Club sponsor a recycle day the first Saturday of each month at the recycle center in Tower Park. Hours are 9:00 am to Noon.