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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading

Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading

Published on: March 6, 2014

Integrated nutrient removal design for very low phosphorus levels.

Bruce R Johnson¹, Glen T Daigger

¹CH2M HILL, Inc, 9193 South Jamaica Street, Englewood, CO 80112, USA. bruce.johnson2@ch2m.com

Water Science and Technology : a Journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research

|November 11, 2009

Summary

Washington State mandates reduced phosphorus discharge into the Spokane River. A new water recovery facility will use advanced treatment, including chemically enhanced primary treatment and membrane bioreactors, to meet stringent nutrient limits.

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Published on: May 18, 2018

Area of Science:

Environmental Engineering
Water Quality Management
Wastewater Treatment

Background:

The Spokane River is classified as DO impaired by Washington State, necessitating reductions in phosphorus inputs from dischargers.
Spokane County is constructing a new water recovery facility to meet a strict effluent total phosphorus target of 50 µg/L (seasonal average).

Purpose of the Study:

To detail the integrated design approach for a new wastewater treatment facility addressing stringent nutrient removal requirements.
To evaluate and select the most effective treatment technologies for phosphorus removal under conditions of limited historical operating data.

Main Methods:

Evaluation of advanced treatment options including membrane bioreactors (MBRs) and tertiary membranes for the primary liquid treatment.
Consideration of chemical and biological phosphorus removal strategies.
Selection of chemically enhanced primary treatment, MBR with metal salt addition, and specialized dewatering liquor treatment.

Main Results:

The selected treatment train includes chemically enhanced primary treatment, a membrane bioreactor process enhanced with metal salts for phosphorus precipitation, and a dewatering liquor treatment stage.
An innovative post-aerobic digestion step was incorporated for dewatering liquor treatment to manage nutrient-rich side streams.

Conclusions:

An integrated design approach was crucial for selecting appropriate technologies to meet stringent phosphorus limits.
The chosen treatment strategy balances technological risks and benefits for effective nutrient removal in the Spokane River watershed.