Abstract

Saskatoon is home to Canada’s first full scale nutrient recovery facility.  In 2009, the Saskatoon Wastewater Treatment Plant was plagued with struvite formations that were damaging to the operation of the sludge handling facilities. In 2012, the WWTP commissioned Ostara’s innovative nutrient recovery technology that recovers phosphorous removed during treatment for reuse as an environmentally responsible fertilizer. Since opening, over 500 tons of fertilizer product have been recovered for commercial sale by using “Waste Activated Sludge Stripping to Remove Internal Phosphorous”. This presentation details the formation of struvite, and the adverse effects its can have on wastewater treatment plant.  The phosphorous cycle will be discussed from the influent of the wastewater, removal in the activated sludge process, and recovery in the nutrient recovery facility.

About the Presenter

Mike Sadowski is the Operations Superintendent at the City of Saskatoon, Wastewater Treatment Plant.  He completed his degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in 2011 and obtained his Professional Engineer designation from APEGS in 2014.  While working at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, he has been involved with commissioning and optimizing the nutrient recovery process, while working to overcome the challenges struvite formation has caused to the treatment process.