Biological Removal of Manganese
Abstract
Manganese is a significant problem in groundwater fed municipal water supplies at a number of locations in New Zealand. The presence of manganese often results in consumer complaints associated with black particulates that cause staining and generally lowers public perceptions of water quality.
Waimakariri District Council in conjunction with Sinclair Knight Merz trialled and developed a biological filter to significantly reduce manganese concentrations in the Woodend water supply.
The biological filter was chosen as an alternative to conventional physico-chemical treatment processes traditionally used for manganese removal.
The development of the full-scale biological treatment system followed a staged implementation process. A review of potential treatment options, a literature search on biological manganese removal and evaluation of the manganese deposits and water chemistry in the Woodend water supply identified the potential of this process. Pilot trials then confirmed that biological treatment was feasible and provided the design data necessary to proceed with full-scale treatment.
This paper provides a summary of the processes undertaken in developing and implementing an operational filter that has very high manganese removal efficiencies, uses no chemicals and has a lower capital and operational cost than conventional removal processes. Performance characteristics of the filter are presented and discussed.
Authors
Matthew Sheppard, Peter Baudish & Gary Boot