Cost Saving Solution

For a typical wastewater treatment plant serving one million people, net cost savings of incorporating the Ostara process can exceed $1 million per year.

Wastewater treatment plants, particularly plants that practice biological nutrient removal, concentrate large quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus in their sludge streams.  These dissolved nutrients combine with magnesium to form struvite scale in piping, pumps and valves.  This scale has an appearance and strength similar to concrete and must be removed either mechanically (using chisels or jackhammers) or by flushing the affected pipelines with strong acids.  Plugging of the piping systems leads to pumping inefficiencies, reduced system capacity, high operating costs, maintenance shutdowns and pipeline failures.

Cost savings are achieved by:

• Preventing plant downtime and saving maintenance costs of cleaning clogged pipes, pumps, and other equipment;
• Reduced sludge volumes and reduced disposal costs;
• Improved overall system reliability through reduced nutrient loadings and discharge; and,
• Revenues from Crystal Green® fertilizer produced by the Ostara process.