An integrated industrial management facility for biological treatment of high nitrate and carbonaceous wastewater

Biological wastewater treatment is not typically used for wastewater with high nitrate and carbonaceous content. Hence, facilities demonstrating effective treatment are of interest to the worldwide environmental community. DuPont's Nylon Intermediates manufacturing plant at Victoria, Texas, started operating such a wastewater facility approximately three years ago. The new wastewater management facility features an innovative anoxic/oxic (A/O) biological treatment plant, a constructed wetland, and land application pilot area for demonstrating beneficial reuse of the biosolids. The wastewater treatment process is working well, with Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal above 99%, complete removal of nitrate and nitrite, and 100% permit compliance, since start‐up. The wetland has exceeded expectations for polishing, buffering, and community value. Land application has demonstrated beneficial reuse of biosolids by producing excellent quality hay, which is being fed to animals in a non‐human food chain pathway. The waste treatment facility has won numerous awards including the 2001 Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) Award for Wetland Education, the 2000 Water Environmental Federation (WEF) Industrial Water Quality Award, the 2001 WEF Award for Education, and the 2002 DuPont Sustainable Growth Award.