Clogging of sewage Lagoon aerators

The Lagoon method of waste water treatment was introduced into Canada in the mid 1950's. At present, of the 2019 waste water treatment systems in Canada, 1163 are Lagoon systems and 265 of these include aeration equipment. Continuing difficulties associated with the plugging of the aerators have led to a study of this maintenance problem. Physical factors have been identified as the major cause of the plugging of large bubble aerators; whereas chemical solution and deposition under high algal growth conditions have been set forward as the causes of fine bubble aerator plugging. Selected field investigation data collected indicate that the proposed push-pull system of precipitation of calcium carbonate and silica dioxide may in fact be responsible for the plugging of fine bubble aerators with these materials.