Many potato processors require on-farm washing of potatoes, creating large quantities of wastewater that requires treatment, starting in the fall until the end of the potato storage period in mid-summer. We studied the treatment of wastewater from a potato farm in Ontario, Canada, using a system of pretreatment (sedimentation, aeration) followed by a surface-flow wetland with a dense growth of cattails (Typha sp.). The raw wastewater had high average concentrations of 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ; 1113 mg¨L´1), total suspended solids (TSS; 4338 mg¨L´1), total nitrogen (TN; 311 mg¨L´1) and total phosphorus (TP; 42.5 mg¨L´1). Due to high influent loads, the pretreatment was enlarged during annual sediment cleaning at the end of Year 1 (Y1), which increased the hydraulic retention time and delayed the seasonal onset of wetland loading from winter in Y1 to spring in Year 2 (Y2). Total concentration reduction for the treatment system (pretreatment + wetland) in Y2 was 96% BOD 5 , 99% TSS, 86% TN and 90% TP; and in Y1 was 79% BOD 5 , 97% TSS, 62% TN and 54% TP. Overall, the best treatment in both the pretreatment and the wetland was seen in spring months. The enlarged pretreatment system enabled seasonal loading of the wetland during the spring and summer, which facilitated improved treatment performance.
This study examined sand filtration as a component of a potato farm wastewater treatment system. Two different sand filter designs, saturated flow and unsaturated flow, were evaluated at three different loading rates: 34, 68, and 136 L m(-2) d(-1). Filter design had a significant effect, with unsaturated flow sand filters having significantly (p < .05) better total suspended solids (TSS) removal (89%) than saturated flow sand filters did (79%). Loading rate also had a significant (p < .05) effect, given that the lowest loading rate had higher mass removal for TSS than the higher loading rates did. Overall, all sand filters removed TSS, 5-d biochemical oxygen demand, and total phosphorus well (62-99%). Total nitrogen removal was twice as high in unsaturated flow filters (53%) than in saturated flow filters (27%), because of the recurring cycle of aerobic and anaerobic conditions during sand saturation and drying in unsaturated flow sand filters.
Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is described as a holistic approach to manage water efficiently, equitably, and sustainably. This paper presents a case study where cooperative strategy building among diverse stakeholders (researchers, potato farmers, and government regulators) resulted in significant water conservation for the on-farm washing of potatoes on a large potato operation (31% reduction per unit of potatoes sold). Water was reduced by applying modified IWRM methods, including (i) goal setting, where common goals with all three parties were outlined; (ii) initial assessment, where farm water use was monitored in detail for one year; (iii) cooperative strategy building, where monitoring results were presented and potential water-use reduction strategies were brainstormed; (iv) implementation, where strategies were put into place on the farm; and (v) final assessment, where water use was monitored for a second year, after conservation strategies were in place, and the efficacy of the strategies was determined. This case study demonstrates the value of IWRM, through cooperation among researchers, farmers, and the regulators, for improving water management in agriculture.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.