Nutrient Removal Engineering Phosphorus and Nitrogen in Wastewater Treatment

Learn the important principles, trends, and technologies to effectively remove phosphorus and nitrogen in wastewater treatment. 

This course includes: 

• Nutrient regulations and discharge permits
• Nitrogen and phosphorus principles
• Detailed technologies and processes
• BNR process models
• Extractive phosphorus recovery
• Adaptive management and pollutant trading
• Plant upgrades and retrofits
• Case studies and costs
• Design exercises
• Site visit to a state-of-the-art nutrient recovery facility

• Wastewater engineers, operators, and managers
• Consulting engineers
• Federal agencies and military bases
• Regulatory staff

Overview of Nutrients and Nutrient Removal

• Why are nutrients an issue?
• Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles
• Challenges for today’s treatment plant

Nutrient Regulations and Discharge Permits

• Current status and trends

Fundamentals and Principles of Nutrient Removal

• Raw wastewater characteristics
• Nitrification, denitrification, anammox
• Biological and chemical phosphorus removal
• Sludge settling characteristics, biological selectors

Processes and Technologies for Nutrient Removal

• Nitrogen and phosphorus removal processes
• Conventional nitrification
• Wuhrmann, Ludzak-Edinger processes
• Bardenpho processes, 4-stage, 5-stage
• Variations to conventional processes
• A/O, A2/O, Johannesburg processes

Application of BNR Process Models

• Impacts of temperature, alkalinity, carbon
• Impacts of SRT, RAS, mixed liquor recycle rates
• Wet weather treatment performance

Advanced BNR Processes

• IFAS/MBBR
• Biomag
• Nereda

Retrofitting Plants for Nutrient Removal Technology

• Converting conventional plants to BNR
• Impacts on bioreactor volume, equipment, and controls

Sidestream Treatment Technologies

• Phosphorus removal – chemical and struvite precipitation
• Nitrogen removal – Sharon, Anammox, Anitamox, Demon processes

Nutrient Resource Recovery and Harvesting

• Technologies and developments
• Benefits, costs, efficiencies
• The food-water-energy nexus
• Struvite recovery
• Ostara, Airprex, other technologies

Nutrient Trading and Adaptive Management Practices

• Control of non-point sources
• Arrangements between POTWs and landowners 

Case Studies and Examples

Tour of Nutrient Recovery Facilities at the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

• Transportation to and from the plant is provided.

• “Speakers were exceptional. Great diversity, knowledge, and presentational skills.”
• “Great presenters, networking, and update about what is going on in the industry.”
• “Best program in the country for professional development."

Jim McQuarrie

Jim McQuarrie’s professional career is evenly split between engineering consulting and public utility roles. His career in wastewater began as an entry level operator working at a small wastewater treatment plant. As an operator, the exposure to wastewater treatment and the service it brings to society fueled his passion to learn more. After graduate school he moved to engineering consulting and specialized in wastewater process design and in particular application of biofilm processes to achieve intensification of processes to reduce footprint. He returned to the public sector for 10 years serving multiple roles at Metro Water Recovery in Denver Colorado where he was tasked with helping to develop and support a culture of innovation and formalizing establishment of a successful Technology and Innovation Department. Today, Jim serves as the National Wastewater Market Sector Lead at AECOM and now calls Philadelphia, Pennsylvania his home city.

Glen Daigger

Dr. Daigger is currently Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan and President and Founder of One Water Solutions, LLC, a water engineering and innovation firm.  He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for CH2M HILL (now Jacobs) where he was employed for 35 years, as well as Professor and Chair of Environmental Systems Engineering at Clemson University.  He has authored more than 200 technical papers, five books, and several technical manuals and has advissed many of the major cites of the world, including New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Detroit, Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Beijing.  A Past President of the International Water Association (IWA), he is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineers and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Adrienne Menniti

Adrienne Menniti, PhD, PE is a Principal Process Engineer in the Research and Innovation division of Clean Water Services, a public utility serving Washington County Oregon. After receiving her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Adrienne spent 5 years as a consultant before moving to Clean Water Services in 2014. She currently leads the Process Engineering group at CWS. She also manages the biological phosphorus removal research program for the utility and has extensive applied experience operating CWS treatment facilities to achieve stringent effluent phosphorus and ammonia limits.

Adib Amini

Adib Amini, Ph.D., PE, ENV SP, BCEE serves as Program Director in the College of Engineering’s Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, with a focus on Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, and Sustainability. Dr. Amini also works with cities and industries as an engineering consultant, with experience in both drinking water and wastewater treatment. Dr. Amini has expertise in sustainability, engineering design, technology innovation, and renewable energy. Dr. Amini’s work has included the design of novel technologies, including on-site energy systems at facilities. He spearheaded the designs for the first wastewater treatment facilities in Iowa that are 100% powered by on-site renewable energy systems. Dr. Amini invented a novel system for ventilation of rated spaces, such as wastewater headworks buildings, for which he holds a provisional patent. Dr. Amini also has performed award-winning research in technology innovation and sustainability. Dr. Amini has spoken widely at conferences on topics related to water/wastewater treatment, sustainability, PFAS, on-site energy systems, and resilient infrastructure.

Leon Downing

Dr. Leon Downing is the Global Practice and Technology Leader for Nutrient Removal and Recovery for Black & Veatch from Madison, Wisconsin.  A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, Leon received his post-graduate degrees at the University of Notre Dame.  Downing provides technology leadership in support of Black & Veatch process engineering and applied research projects globally. 

Alan Grooms

Alan Grooms, PE, is the Operations Manager at Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District. He has more than 26 years of experience in wastewater treatment plant operations and design. He is a licensed Wisconsin professional engineer and a licensed wastewater operator and has participated in and overseen planning, design, construction, and operation of numerous wastewater treatment plants and other municipal projects.