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Oregon Natural Treatment Systems for Wastewater

Natural Treatment Systems – A Water Quality Match for Oregon’s

Cities and Towns

June, 2014

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

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Natural Treatment Systems

• Excellent match for meeting the wastewater treatment needs of Oregon communities

• Effective– Often easier to maintain– Cheaper to operate

• Good match for much of rural Oregon– Work in urban settings also

• Collaborative process– ACWA/DEQ

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What is a Natural Treatment System?

• Constructed wetlands• Recycled water

– Irrigation– Commercial uses

• Tree farms – Hybrid poplar

• Indirect discharge• Water quality trading• Wastewater ponds

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Why Natural Treatment Systems?• Derive value from treated

wastewater• Build upon rural Oregon skill

set– Agriculture and forestry skills

• Minimize chemical use• Lower energy costs • Simpler to install and operate

– Minimal dependence on mechanical processes

• Can be less expensive to operate

• Meet environmental requirements at lower costs

• Provide multiple benefits to meet a number of community needs

• Some can be designed to have a simpler State-Only water quality permit

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Natural Systems - Science Based

• Bacterial decomposition• Natural aeration & cooling• Settling of particles• Metals decrease through

uptake by plants & soil• Nutrient uptake by plants• Filtration by gravels and

other media

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Illustration

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Wetland Treatment

• Free Water Surface– Visually resemble

natural marshes

• Vegetated Submerged Bed– No standing water

• Benefits– Wildlife habitat– Recreational

opportunities– Environmental education– Park like setting

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Phyto Treatment

• Recycled Water – Effluent used to irrigate

fields, golf courses• Pasture, fodder

– Plants uptake nutrients, soil filters out particles

• Tree farms – Effluent used to grow

poplars– Sale of wood can offset

costs

• Benefits– Uses treated water– Conserves potable water

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Indirect Discharge

• Infiltrate treated effluent into the sands and gravels near the riverbed– Mimics the natural

processes of side channel and floodplain discharges in a river system

• Additional treatment• Naturally cools

• Benefits– Additional treatment

through natural systems– Keeps flow in river– Treats a variety of

pollutants

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Water Quality Trading• Restoration of natural areas

– Riparian restoration generates water quality trading credits

• Improved environmental performance– Riparian restoration decreases

temperature AND reduces a number of other pollutants

• Sediment• Nutrients

• Oregon utilities using water quality trading – Improve environmental outcome– Save ratepayer dollars

• Benefits– Multiple

environmental benefits– More cost effective

than mechanical systems for temperature and nutrient removal

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Wastewater Pond Systems

• Natural treatment• Recycled water use in

summer– Some discharge in

winter

• Good match to marry with other natural systems

• Benefits– Lower energy and

chemical costs– Lower maintenance and

operations costs

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Example Treatment Systems in Oregon

• Wetlands– City of Salem

• Golf Course Irrigation– City of Newberg– City of Prineville– City of Bend

• Poplars– City of Woodburn– MWMC/Eugene/Springfield

• Variety of Natural Systems– Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority

• Water Quality Trading– Clean Water Services – City of Medford

• Wastewater Ponds– City of Yoncalla– City of Gervais

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Salem Wetlands

• Wetland treatment system– Installed in 2002

• Water quality improvement and community asset

• Effectively treats ammonia– Cost of $80 per day

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MWMC Eugene/Springfield Poplars

• Biocycle Farm– Poplar plantation

• Irrigates with treated wastewater

• Fertilized with biosolids

– 400 acres planted with 88,000 hybrid poplar trees

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Golf Course Irrigation

• Prineville• Bend• Newberg

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RUSA – Variety of Systems

• Discharging to the South Fork of the Umpqua River, RUSA faced many water quality challenges

• Blended a number of natural systems

• Meeting all DEQ requirements

• Fraction of costs– Installation and on-going

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Water Quality Trading

• Clean Water Services– Community & Agriculture

Partners– 10 years of success

• Planted over 1 million native plants

• Restored over 25 miles of streamside

– 95% cost savings compared to conventional technology

• Saved more than $100 million since 2004

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Water Quality Trading

• Medford– Restoring 25 miles of

streamside riparian vegetation

– Options• Chillers

– $16 million• Vegetation restoration

– $6 million

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Wastewater Ponds

• Variety of Oregon communities use ponds including:– Yoncalla– Gervais– Dufur– Wedderburn– Condon

• Opportunity to use treated water for irrigation– State Only WQ permit

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Design Considerations/Challenges

• A mix of natural treatment systems a good match for many Oregon communities – Rural and urban

• Hire knowledgeable, experienced experts • Tour similar systems• Involve regulatory agencies early• Involve and educate

– Elected Officials– Community

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Design Considerations/Challenges

• Work carefully with neighbors

• Focus on life cycle system costs – Especially for energy and

chemicals

• One size doe not fit all– Find the right match for

your community• Site, community, location,

etc.

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Summary

• Natural Treatment Systems– Good match for Oregon

communities facing stringent water quality permits

• Especially in rural Oregon

– Many existing natural treatment systems in Oregon

• Tour and learn

– Oregon DEQ is a willing partner

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Promoting Natural Treatment Systems