Low Cost Phosphorus Removal at Reno-Sparks, Nevada

In an effort to comply with phosphorus discharge requirements, the Reno-Sparks Joint Water Pollution Control Plant incorporated a new biological process for phosphorus removal. Comparisons with conventional techniques revealed the process to be capable of achieving greater than 90 percent removal of phosphorus with an estimated savings of $600 000 to $800 000 a year in operation and maintenance costs. It also showed the process enhanced the overall operation and performance of the activated sludge process to produce a more stable, better settling activated sludge than conventional processes.