Page 5 - Simplified Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals_Ponds and Lagoons PT2

Stabilization Ponds & Sludge Lagoons

Pond Short Circuiting

The flow of water does not naturally flow straight. As a Stabilization Pond loses its

capacity due to accumulated sludge, influent wastewater will have less room to

disperse and will seek a path of least resistance, known as Short Circuiting.

Extremely high sludge blankets can result in forming a channeled wastewater flow

resembling a river through the Pond flowing straight to the effluent weir. Ponds can

have baffles designed to discourage wastewater flow from short circuiting. This

condition could result in minimum treatment and possible permit violations.

Cold wastewater is dense (or heavier) than warm wastewater. During colder months,

when warm influent wastewater enters a Pond, the warm wastewater will flow on top

of the cold layer of deeper water and in doing so can short circuit to the final effluent,

losing valuable detention time for the wastewater to be treated. In this condition 2 or

more Ponds may need to be operated in parallel,