No More Odors Here In Bakersfield California: Replacing Calcium Nitrate With SulFeLox®

Faced with increasing costs for controlling hydrogen sulfide in its wastewater collection system, the City of Bakersfield, California commissioned an evaluation of its program in 2019. The existing program using calcium nitrate dosing stations was becoming cost-prohibitive, particularly in sensitive areas where chemical demands and community sensitivities were highest. A consultant recommended evaluating the use of a more efficient treatment, such as ferrous chloride, in place of certain Calcium Nitrate dosing stations to reduce costs and improve the system’s overall performance.

The City commissioned a study in 2021 to evaluate the performance of ferrous chloride dosing using SulFeLox®, a low-hazard form of ferrous chloride that is less corrosive than other ferrous chloride products. The study consisted of 12 days of monitoring the baseline Calcium Nitrate scenario, followed by 60 days of SulFeLox® dosing at different feed rates, and concluding with 14 days of no chemical dosing to establish the true baseline scenario