Tutorial: Equalization Tanks Optimize The Performance Of Wastewater Treatment Systems

By Mark Eklund, PE

The story is a common one. A processing plant builds a wastewater treatment facility to accommodate its production capacity. The plant operates adequately for several years. Then production increases. The demands on the wastewater treatment plant exceed the capacity for which the plant was designed. The wastewater processes are not optimized. The plant considers adding additional clarification and/or aeration capacity to accommodate the increased volume, but the cost is enormous. Is there another option?

Instead of adding more treatment capacity, a simpler and more costeffective solution would be to add influent flow equalization. Adding an influent flow equalization (EQ) tank simply optimizes a system by removing peak flow times, allowing a processor to work with existing equipment and systems.