GERMAN ATV STANDARDS

WASTEWATER - WASTE

STANDARD
ATV - A 201 E

Principles for Dimensioning, Construction

and Operation of Wastewater Lagoons
for Communal Wastewater

October 1989
ISBN 3-934984-33-9

Marketing:
Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Abwassertechnik e.V. (GFA)
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 17
D-53773 Hennef
Postfach 11 65 . 53758 Hennef
 ATV - A 201 E

These Principles, in their original form, were prepared by Working Group 2.6.3
"Wastewater lagoons" within the A1V Specialist Committee "Aerobic Biological
Wastewatet Treatment Processes".

To this Working Group 2.6.3 belong:

RBioD Dr. rer. nat. Weller, Karlsruhe {Spokesman)

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bischofsberger, München
BDir Dipl.-Ing Bucksteeg, München
BOR Dipl.-Ing. Ebeling, Braunschweig
LRDir Dr. rer. nat. Huber, München
Prof. Dr. E.h. Imhoff, Essen
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kayser, Braunschwei9
MR Dipl.-Ing. Rothe, Düsseldorf
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Teichmann, München
BDir Dipl.-Ing. Voss, Kiel

The matching of the Working Sheet to new developments was carried out by the ATV
Specialst Committee 2 10 "Small Sewage Treatment Plants".

To this specialist Committee belong:

Dipl.-Ing. Albrecht, Essen

Dr. Ing. Baumgart, Essen
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h. c. Böhnke, Aachen
LBDir Bucksteeg, München (Chairman)
BioOR Dr. Kollatsch, Hildesheim
LBDir Schweizer, Rottweil
RBDir Tiedke, Münster
Dipl.-Ing. Tuttahs, Bochum
BDir Voss, Kiel
Dr .-lng. Zerres, Stuttgart

The Work Sheet presented here has been prepared within the framework of the ATV
committee work, taking into account the ATV Work Sheet A 400 "Principles for the
Preparation of Rules and Standards" in the Rules and Standards Wastewater Wastes, in
the October 1986 version. With regard to the application of the Rules and Standards, Para
1 of Point 5 of A 400 includes the following statement: "The Rules and Standards are
freely available to everyone. An obligation to apply them can result for reasons of le9al
regulations, contracts or other legal grounds. Whosoever applies them is responsible for
the correct application in specffic cases. Through the application of the Rules and
Standards no one avoids responsibility for his own actions. However, for the user, prima
facie evidence shows that he has take:n the necessary care.

October 1989 2
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Contents

Foreword ............................................................................................................................4
1 Area of Application.....................................................................................................4
2 Description of the Systems .......................................................................................4
2.1 Sedimentatiort Lagoons.........................................................................................4
2.2 Nonaerated Wastewater Lagoons ........................................................................5
2.3 Aerated WaStewaterLagoons................................................................................5
2.4 Polishing Ponds.....................................................................................................6
3 Dimensioning, Construction and Operation ............................................................6
3.1 Sedimentation Lagoons.........................................................................................6
3.2 Nonaerated Sedimentation Lagoons .....................................................................7
3.3 Aerated Wastewater Lagoons ...............................................................................8
3.4 Polishing Ponds.....................................................................................................9
3.5 Infonnation for Bottom Sealing .............................................................................9
3.6 Detennination of Discharge Values .....................................................................10
4 Stormwater treatment...............................................................................................11
5 Summary of Dimensioning Values..........................................................................13
6 Concluding Remarks................................................................................................13
7 Syrnbols and Units ...................................................................................................14

All rights. in particular those of translation into other languages are reserved. No part of
this Work Sheet may be reproduced in any form by photocopy. microfilm or any other
process or transferred or translated into a language usable in machines in particular data
processing machines. without the written approval of the publisher.

@ Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Abwassertechnik e. V. (GFA).

St. Augustin 1989

Produced by: Druck Carl Weyler KG; Bonn

October 1989 3
 ATV - A 201 E

Foreword
Wastewater lagoons are large volume wastewater treatment systems and can be designed
to match nature. As the terms and descriptions in specialist literature are applied differently
a general structure and arrangement of the various types and application cases for
wastewater lagoons are included in this Work Sheet.

ATV Working Group 2.6.3, based on the Working Report "Wastewater Lagoons for
Communal Wastewater" (published in Korrespondenz Abwasser, Vol 8, 1979). has
prepared this Work Sheet in order to provide an aid for the practical engineer for planning,
construction and operation of wastewater lagoons. The matching to new developments
was undertaken by ATV Specialist Committee 2.10. More extensive jnformation is to be
found in the Manual of Wastewater Engineering.

1 Area of Application
The following recommendations apply to wastewater lagoons for. the treament of mainly
domestic wastewater or comparable commercial wastewater. Wastewater lagoons for
industrial wastewater are not dealt with in this Working Sheet. The dimensioning rules for
wastewater lagoons mentioned in this Work Sheet are not generally transferable to
combined solutions with nonaerated wastewater lagoons and intermediate connected
mechanical; stages such as, for instance, biological filters or biological contactors. The
special information for the constructional arrangement of the lagoons as weIl as a few
selected dimensioning values can, however, also be taken over for combined plants. ATV
Work Sheet A 257 ..Principles for the Dimensioning of Wastewater Lagoons and
Intermediate Connected Biological Filters or Biological Contactors" is referred to for details
on this.

2 Description of the Systems

2.1 Sedimentatiort Lagoons

Sedimentationlagoons serve for the separation of the depositable substances contained in

raw wastewater and for the digestion of the deposited sludge. In general, they are
employed as a preliminary stage only. With combined sewer systems they can, at the
same time, take on stormwater treatment (see also Sect. 4).

Dimensioning criteria are hydraulic retention time, sludge quantity and frequency of
clearance. Due to the normally present high organic loading such lagoons are mainly
anaerobic. Odour emissions can therefore not be excluded. The digestion process in
wastewater lagoons runs similar\y to that in Imhoff tanks.

October 1989 4
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2.2 Nonaerated Wastewater Lagoons

Nonaerated wastewater lagoons, ie. wastewater lagoons without mechanical aeration

facilities, are large area and flat. they are employed for the b.iological treatment of
wastewater. Insofar as no sedimentation lagoons are placed upstream for desludging they
also serve at the same time for the removal of depositable substances. Oxygen is
introduced into nonaerated wastewater lagoons by normal means; the input is thus
dependent onclimatic and meteorological factors respectively. Dimensioning criterion is the
solids loading. The upper water layer is, as a rule, aerobic. From time to time, however,
aerobic zones can form in the inflow area or on the bottom in deep lagoons. They are
therefore also known as "Optional Anaerobic" lagoons. Their inclusion in the stormwater
treatment is des.cribed in Sect. 4.

The area of application of nonaerated wastewater lagoons lies, as a rule, with connection
values below 1000 total inhabitants and population equivalents.

2.3 Aerated WaStewaterLagoons

In aerated wastewater lagoons oxygen is introduced using mechanical aeration

installations. Through this the .Iarge area requirement, as is necessary with nonaerated
wastewater lagoons, is reduced. They are fed with raw wastewater or mechanically
pretreated wastewater and serve for biological treatment. For aeration, in general, aerators
specially designed for lagoons are employed; at the same time they effect a circulation.

The contact zone water/ground sludge, the biologically effective growth and the freely
swimming bacteria and microorganisms are signifjcant for the treatment efficiency. A
smoothing zone or a downstream lagoon is necessary for the separation of suspended
solids.

Dimensioning criteria forsatisfactorily thorough mixing are either the BOD5 volumetric
loading or the BOD5 solids loading. Their employment for stormwater treatmemt is, as for
nonaerated lagoons, possible (see Sect. 4).

Lagoons with sludge return flow are dealt with in this Work Sheet; they are, from a
technical process point of view, to be classed with activated sludge plants with combined
sludge stabilisation (see ATV Work Sheet A 126 "Principles for the Treatmentof
Wastewater in Sewage Treatment Plants According to the Activated Sludge Process for
Connection Values between 500 and 10.000 Total lnhabitants and Population
Equivalents".

The area of application of aerated wastewater lagoons lies, as a rule, with connection
values below 5000 total inhabitants and population equivalents.

October 1989 5
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2.4 Polishing Ponds

Polishing ponds are fed with biologically or equally treated wastewater. Witli poor
performance lakes or rivers or. with particularly high demandson the waters quality,
polishing ponds are a simple and reliable system in order to improve the discharge of a
biological sewage treament plant with regard to suspended solids, organic residualloading,
inorganic nutrients and hygienic characteristics. Their buffer properties effect a
concentration balancing. They are, asa rule, operated without artifjcial aeration.
Dimensioning criterion is hydraulic retention time.

3 Dimensioning, Construction and Operation

With the dimensioning of wastewater lagoons, as a rule, the following guidance values are
to be assumed:

Specifjc BOD5 load 60 g/(I.d)

Quantity of domestic and industrial wastewater 150 g/(l. d)

Sewer infiltration water is, according to local conditions, to be additionally included.

3.1 Sedimentation Lagoons

Sedimentation lagoons are to be dimensioned with V1+PE ≥ 0.5 m3/1; in this there is
included a sludge volume of 0.15 m3/1. With high sewer infjltration water a hydraulic
retention time of at least one day is to be maintained. With sedimentation lagoons a
reduction of organic pollution for domestic wastewater of, on average, 50 % can be
reckoned with. The quantity of digested sludge referred to inhabitants is to be set at 0.3
Vd. For the design the follow!ng are to be observed:

Inclined retaining wa1ls according to reinforcement ≥ 1 : 1.5

Length to width (on the surface) ≥3:1
Depth for sedimentation and sludge zone ≥ 1.5m
Freeboard ≈ 0.3 m

A simple method of construction can be seleGted for sedimentation lagoons. Retaining

slope reinforcements are sensible (eg. paving or concrete slabs). The bottom of the lagoon
should have a slope to a low point from which to pump out the sludge. Bottom
reinforcement can. with regard to certain clearance processes, be I an advantage. The
necessity of sealing off the subsojl is to be examined on an individual case basis (see
Sect. 3.5 for this).

Distribution installationsshould be fitted at the lagoon inflow (eg. downflow baffle. deflector
plate, deflector box). Floating matter is to be held back in the discharge, eg. by a scum
board. It should reach some 0.3 m below the lowest and at least 0.20 m above the highest
water level.

October 1989 6
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In order to be able to carry out the sludge clearance a wastewater diversion pipeline and
drivable paths are to be arranged around the lagoon. Insofar as the sludge can not be
removed from the side, fixed ramps (max slope 1 : 5) are necessary to drive in clearance
equipment.

The placing of screens and grit chambers in front of sedimentation tanks was, in generali
up until now not considered to be necessary. The increasing proportion of floating plastic
substances and hygiene articles in communal wastewater can make the fitting upstream of
an automatica1ly cleared facility for coarse removal necessary. It is to be protected against
the elements.

The regular servicing tasks on sedimentation lagoons are limited essentailly to the
cleaning of the inlets and outlets and the skimming of floating substances; weed growth is
to be removed. The sludge from sedimentation lagoons is, according to requirement,
normally clearedonce a year.

3.2 Nonaerated Sedimentation Lagoons

Nonaerated sedimentation lagoons ar.e to be dimensioned with Al+PE ≥ 2: 10 m2/L This

value can be reduced to 8 m2/l if inflows from agricultural discharges (liquid manure. silo
leakage fluid)can be excluded with certainty. According to the type of stormwater treatment
additions up to Al+PE = 5 m2/l can be necessary on both dimensioning values (see Sect.4).
The hydraulic retention time tR in nonaerated wastewater lagoons must be ≥ 20 d with dry
weather.

With dimensioning values AI+PE = ≥ 5 m2/l ammonium nitrogen to a varying degree is

nitrified in nonaerated wastewater lagoons and a part of the formed nitrate is denitrified.

Nonaerated wastewater lagoons are to be designed with a depth of some 1.0 m. With
plants without sedimentation lagoons a depression for the collection of deposited sludge
can be useful in the inflow regions of the first lagoon.

The necessary total area of the lagoon should be distributed over at least three, with a
sedimentation lagoon upstream, at least two more or less equally large units; through this
the hydraulic retention time relationships and the treatment efficiency are improved. With
large lagoons the hydraulic relationships must be improved för an as even as possible
flow, if required. by design measures (eg. stretched construction methods, installation of
directing dams or walls).

With favourable terrain conditions the connections between lagoons should be designed
as free discharges. In order to reduce directed flows distribution installations, eg. deflector
plates, are to be planned. For the retention of swimming or floating substances downflow
baffles and/or filter dams are to be installed. In .order to reduce the movement of algae It is
recommended that additional or. taking account of necssary total surface area, a further
lagoon with proportional specific surface areas of Al+PE = H 1 m2 /l should be included
downstream as planted wet biotope (regulatable water depth of some 10 – 40 cm).

October 1989 7
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The servicing requirement with nonaerated lagoons is small. Connecting and discharge
facilities are to be controlled weekly and, if required, cleaned. The degree of sludge
depositing is to be determined at least annually through dipping. Sludge clearance is
necessary at intervals of several years; at the latest if the sludge height achieves one
quarter of the original water depth.

3.3 Aerated Wastewater Lagoons

For the dimensioning of aerated wastewater Lagoons a BOD5 volumetric loading of

BR ≤ 25 g/(m3 · d) is to bo applied. If measurement is carried out according to area loading
then the equation

BA = BR · h
applies for normal water depths h = 1.5-3-5 m. The hydraulic retention time with dry
weather must be at least five days.

As OC load OB ≥ 1.5 kg/kg and. for the circulaticn according to the system employed and
the hydraulic d1ar3cteristic of the lagoon, a po~ver per unit volume of reactor WR = 1 -3
W/m3 are to applied. It is sensible to divide the total volume into two series connected
units. The secondary treatmeht zone or a downstream nonaerated lagoon are also to be
provided wrth at least one day's hydraulic retention time.

With the above given dimensioning values the nitrification is small. If it is required, aerated
wastewater !agoons with fixed bed installations, eg- biological filters, biological cont3Ctors
or integrated growth surfaces can be combined together.

The wastewater lagoons are to be matched to the local conditions and, in shape, to the
aeration equipment employed.

It is recommended that the maximum 1: 1.5 stoped retaining walls should be reinforced,
eg. through grass checker bricks. bank stabilising growth or stone filling, due to the watef"
movements resulting from the aerator and to ease servicing t2Sks. in any event at least in
the area of water level variations. In addition, the information given under Sect. 3.1 applies
in the same manner for the operation of automatically cleared facilities for the removal of
coarse material as does the information given under Sects. 3.1 and 3.2 for the
constructional design of lagoons.

Apart from the regular control of the operation and servicing of the mechanical installations
only the normal cleaning and maintenance tasks such as, for instance, the skimming of
floating substances, cleaning of the inflows and outflows repair of darnage to the retaining
walls, are to be carried out- According to the aeration system there are, for the clearance
of sludge, intervals of from four to ten years. Sludge production should be set at 0.3 l/(I.d).

October 1989 8
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3.4 Polishing Ponds

Polishing ponds are dimensioned, in .general. with a depth of 1 to 2 rn and a hydraulic

retention time of 1 to 5 days. Shorter hydraulic retention times still have a good effect due,
primarily, to the retention of depositable substances and concentration balancing. If a
retention of nutrients and reduction of the number of germs is sought longer hydraulic
retention times than two days are to be selected.

If undesired algae development is to be countered the hydraulic retention time is to be

limited to two days. Care is to be taken, using favourable design, that as few as possible
unflowed through zones occur in which. due to the there unplanned extended water
standing time, algae can nevertheless develop in great density.

Effective measures against the formation of badly circulated pond zones, and thus an
undesired partial increase in the water standing time, are:

• division of the overall pond area into several, hydraulicalfy separated ponds,
• inflow arrangements with distribution of the inflow over the complete pond width, eg.
with the aid of baffle plates
• directing facilities to guide the wastewater stream and to counter the influence of wind,
• discharge arrangements with run-off channel and series downflow baffles or with
separated, planted flat water zone.

In addition, a suitable bank planting, eg. trees with large crowns such as alders or weeping
willows, can contribute, through partial shadowing of the lagoon surface, to a reduction of
the algae development.

The final dischargeis to be so integrated that equipment for the sampling of water and for
flow measurement can be employed. The servicing resources for polishing ponds are very
small. The ..extent of sludge sedimentation is to be determined annually by dipping. The
sludge is to be removed as required. The quantity of sludge produced depends mainly on
the treatment efficiency of the upstream sewage treatment plant. As a rule one can reckon
with a sludge sedimentation of a few centimetres onlyand the necessity for sludge
clearance at intervals of from five to ten years. For this, polishing ponds Qre also to be
kept easily accessible and operable, in particular the firstpond of a flowed through chain,
as weIl as the installations, described in Sect. 3.1, planned in the ponds.

3.5 Infonnation for Bottom Sealing

Whether a lagoon bottom is to be artificially sealed depends, in particular, on the existing

ground properties and the distance to the water level at the respective location. The
follovJing guidelines can apply for the necessity of an artificial sealing:

• fissured subsoil and soil properties with permeability values kf ≥ 10-8 m/s
fundamentally require sealing measures.

October 1989 9
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• with soil properties with permeability values kf ≤ 10-8 m/s sealing can, as a rule, be
done without
• with soil properties with permeability values of kt of around 10-7 m/s it must be
carefully assessed whether, due to local conditions, the requirement of § 34, Sect. 1 of
the Water! Resources Law {WHG) can be met without sealing or whether, sealing
measures are necessary .

Concrete or asphalt sealing 1s expensive, above all if, due to the I exist!ng soil, special
foundation measures are necessary. Soils with small bearing ability or heavy sensitivity to
settling can exclude the employment of such types of sealing for practical and cost
reasons.The advantage of concrete and asphalt sealings lies in the fact that the bottom
can be driven on without problem, eg. for the purposes of sludge clearance.

Plastic sealing requires the employment of at least 3 mm thick strips or sheets. Insofar as
these are subjected to sunrays UV-resistant material must be included. With lagoons
which, for clearance purposes, must be driven on, it must first be clarified whether and, .if
require:d, how th.e sealing material can be protected against displacemerit and tearing by
vehicles. With the employment of plastic strips for the sealing of lagoons which are aerated
with surface aerators, the strips on the bottom and retaining walls are subject to eddying
and thus possibly to flexing loads. Such loadings lead to damage. The choice of the most
suitable sealing material and the securing of the sealing is thus to be assessed carefully.

Sealing with artificially applied covering layers of cohesive soil require a material with
permeability values kf < 10-8 m/s. The material is to be applied in layers of some 30 cm and
to be sealed to at least 95% Proctor Density. With soils with good permeability at least two
layers are to be planned. With lesser permeability in individua( cases, one layer can
suffice, in particular in the last lagoons of a lagoon chain or in polishing ponds. The lowest
sealing layer can also be replaced by a suitable. soil-mechanical conditioning of the upper
layer of the existing soil. Cohesive covering layers or conditioned soillayers can be heavily
damaged by clearance vehicles.

3.6 Detennination of Discharge Values

Discharges from lagoons. in particular those from nonaerated; lagoon plants can. from
time to time, contajn increased amounts of plant and animal plankton organisms. If a
sampie is clearly discoloured by algae the treatment efficiency can only be as, sessed 1fa
BOD5 and COD determination precedes a separation. 'n accordance with the 1 st
Administrative Ordinance (1. VwV) the discharge values for BODs and COD may therefore
be determined from the algae-free (filtered) sampie. The stricter values for the filtered
sampie in comparison with the original discharge sampie take into account that the floating
substance which are not due to the plankton are separated with the filteringof the sampie.

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4 Stormwater treatment
Small localities drained with combinedsystems have, in general, o no stormwater
overflows within the drainage network. In part stormwater overflows are erected at the
boundary of the locality after collection of all wastewaters. The discharge which is further
fed to the sewagetreatment plant can then be ofthe order ofup to 50 QDW due to the
necessary minimum diameter of the throttle pipeline. In part. the total combined
wastewater is fed to the sewage treatment plant unrelieved. These largeinflows can be
treated in wastewater lagoons without particular difficulty by damming in accordance with
the principles of the ATV Work Sheet A 128 "Standards for the Dimensioning and Design
of Stormwater Overflows in Combined Wastewater Sewers". The following three cases
meet the water quality management requirements.

Case I: At the edge of the locality there is a possibility for relief via a stormwater
overflow (SO).

In this case the lagoon plant is to be so designed that the total critical combined
wastewater discharge (Qcrit) is treated. If the first lagoon is a sedimentation lagoon one is
to use the here available storage volume purposely to throttle the dischargeinto the second
lake. If the storage volume of the sedimentation lagoon is filled up, the inflow can be fed to
the next series lagoon via a flow-dividing structure (FDS).

Case II: A stormwater overflow tank (SOl) 1s situated at the edge of the locality.

The discharge (Qd) from the SOT flows through all lagoons one after another.

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Case III: All collected combined wastewater is fed to the lagoon plant unrestricted

CASE III:

In this case there are three possible methods of operatjon to be differentiated:

the complete combined wastewater discharge (Qmax) flows through al1 the lagoons one
after another, whereby the connection between the lagoons has a throttfing effect and
causes damming.

If the first lagoon is a sedimentation fagoon then the following method of operation is to be
selected:

• only the critical combined wastewater discharge (Qcrit) is treated and fed to the
sedimentation lagoon; the upstream overflow structure in this case acts as stomwater
overflow (SO). The reduced combined wastewater can be fed into the receiving water
or fed to the following lagoons.

• The first part of the total combined wastewater inflow is fed. unthrottled. with the
pol1utant surge into the sedimentation lagoon. By throttling the lagoon discharge a
damming in the sedimentation fagoon is effected and this establishes the necessary
stormwater tank first flush retention volume. The re duced combined wastewater can
be fed. via the tank overflow (TO). into the receiving water or to the next following
lagoon.

The storage volume to be established in the first lagoon is derived from the difference
between the position of the water level with dry weather operation and the dammed water
level at which an overflow. placed in front of the lagoon. comes into action. This damming
height depends on the highest permissibfe water level in the inflow channel. It is. as a rufe.
subiect to design and is some 30 to 60 cm.

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5 Summary of Dimensioning Values

6 Concluding Remarks

The area of application of wastewater lagoons can be divided as follows based on the
various treatment processes:

Sedimentation lagoons as independent plants for short term provisional

solution only, otherwise as preliminary stage for a
further treatment.

October 1989 13
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Nonaerated lagoons for biological treatment of wastewater from mostly
small towns and villages; due to the large area
requirement their area of application. as a rule. lies
with connection values below 1.000 I.

Aerated lagoons for the reduction of area requirement in

comparison with nonaerated lagoons and to
increase the treatment efficiency applied; aerated
lagoon plants are, as a rule, employed with
connection values up to 5.000 I, in particular with
the connection of seasonal operations.

Apart from cliinatic or meteorological preconditions the wastewater inflow and

characteristics as weIl as the dimensioning and constructional design of the lago.ons
determine the degree of treatment efficiency.

The advantages of wastewater lagoons are:

- possibility of an almost natural design
- simple, cost-saving method of construction
- smaller or less mechanical resources
- apart from regular control of operation only slight servicing resources
- sludge clearance in one to several year intervals
- large buffer volume. therefore possibiljty of combined treatmentof stormwater.

Disadvantages are:
- the relatjvely high area requirement
- varying treatment effjciency due to seasonal and weather variations
- occasional heavy algae development and undesired algae drifting
- Possible odour emissjons with sedjmentation and nonaerated lagoons

7 Syrnbols and Units

Af+PE m2/l lagoon surface area per inhabitant and population equivalent
BA g/(m2 .d) BOD5 area loading
BR kg/(m3. d) BOD5 volumetrjc loading
I+PE I Total inhabitants and population equjvalents
OB kg/kg OC load; quotient of specific oxygen input capacity and BOD5
volumetric loading
tR d hydraulic retention tjme
Vl+PE m3/l lagoon volume per inhabitant and population equivalent
WR W/m3 power per unit volume of reactor: installed performance of the
circulation or aeration installation, referred to lagoon volume.

October 1989 14