Small System Nutrient Removal: Practical Lagoon Technologies for Ammonia and Total Nitrogen Compliance
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 12:45 PM to 2:15 PM · 1 hr. 30 min. (US/Central)
New Orleans Convention Center
Technology Spotlight
Hall H Booth 7249
Information
Small wastewater lagoon systems continue to serve thousands of rural and small communities due to their simplicity, low energy consumption, and operational resilience. However, increasingly stringent ammonia and total nitrogen (TN) discharge limits are pushing many lagoon facilities beyond the treatment capabilities of conventional passive operation. This Technology Spotlight presentation will examine practical approaches for achieving ammonia and TN removal in lagoon systems through scalable secondary and tertiary treatment technologies designed specifically for small systems.
The presentation will provide an overview of the biological processes responsible for nitrification and denitrification in lagoon environments, including how oxygen transfer, mixing, temperature, alkalinity, and hydraulic retention time influence nutrient removal performance. Attendees will learn how modern lagoon enhancement technologies-including aeration and mixing and moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes-can be incorporated into existing lagoon infrastructure to improve treatment efficiency while maintaining the operational simplicity valued by small communities.
Special attention will be given to total nitrogen removal through recirculation strategies that utilize baffles in existing lagoon cells to create aerobic and anoxic treatment zones. The presentation will explain how nitrate-rich water can be recirculated to promote denitrification in low dissolved oxygen environments, optimizing for TN removal while maximizing the value of existing lagoon infrastructure. Key design considerations will include cold-weather nitrification, dissolved oxygen control, recirculation rates, process redundancy, sludge accumulation, and flow variability.
The session will also discuss typical automation requirements, operator attention levels, startup considerations, and ancillary equipment such as blowers, recirculation pumping systems, and monitoring instrumentation commonly associated with lagoon nutrient removal upgrades.
Rather than serving as a product demonstration, this session is intended to provide attendees with a practical learning opportunity focused on the science and operational principles behind nutrient removal in lagoon systems, to illustrate how lagoon upgrades can help facilities meet tightening nutrient limits without converting to complex mechanical treatment plants. Attendees will gain insight into emerging technologies that scale effectively for smaller systems, helping communities preserve existing infrastructure while improving effluent quality and operational reliability.
The presentation will provide an overview of the biological processes responsible for nitrification and denitrification in lagoon environments, including how oxygen transfer, mixing, temperature, alkalinity, and hydraulic retention time influence nutrient removal performance. Attendees will learn how modern lagoon enhancement technologies-including aeration and mixing and moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes-can be incorporated into existing lagoon infrastructure to improve treatment efficiency while maintaining the operational simplicity valued by small communities.
Special attention will be given to total nitrogen removal through recirculation strategies that utilize baffles in existing lagoon cells to create aerobic and anoxic treatment zones. The presentation will explain how nitrate-rich water can be recirculated to promote denitrification in low dissolved oxygen environments, optimizing for TN removal while maximizing the value of existing lagoon infrastructure. Key design considerations will include cold-weather nitrification, dissolved oxygen control, recirculation rates, process redundancy, sludge accumulation, and flow variability.
The session will also discuss typical automation requirements, operator attention levels, startup considerations, and ancillary equipment such as blowers, recirculation pumping systems, and monitoring instrumentation commonly associated with lagoon nutrient removal upgrades.
Rather than serving as a product demonstration, this session is intended to provide attendees with a practical learning opportunity focused on the science and operational principles behind nutrient removal in lagoon systems, to illustrate how lagoon upgrades can help facilities meet tightening nutrient limits without converting to complex mechanical treatment plants. Attendees will gain insight into emerging technologies that scale effectively for smaller systems, helping communities preserve existing infrastructure while improving effluent quality and operational reliability.