Bioaugmentation for Water Treatment

Nature’s Selection, Optimized Solutions

Bioaugmentation wastewater treatment is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable process in which naturally-selected microorganisms are used to degrade target compounds under optimized conditions.

How Does Bioaugmentation Work?

Bioaugmentation relies on the biological degradation of mineral or organic compounds by specific microbes.  This process is governed by three crucial elements:

• A carbon source,
• A nutrient source, and
• A microbial source (most often bacteria)

However, to ensure sufficient degradation rates to remove the target compound(s) of concern, optimization is required; this is done by complementing the wastewater with the most suitable microorganisms and the right blend of nutrients. Bioaugmentation in water treatment uses the most appropriate microbes selected by a process of accelerated natural selection under optimized growth conditions, to obtain only those microbial populations with a very high metabolism for the compound(s) of interest.

What is Bioaugmentation used for?

The versatility of microorganisms to adapt to and thrive in the harshest environments, from the depths of highly toxic ocean vents, to irradiated soils, is behind the broad range of bioaugmentation wastewater treatment applications.

Upon thorough problem assessment and solution design, G-C’s proprietary blends of bioaugmented bacteria and nutrients allow for cost-effective treatment of diverse compounds of concern in various industries:

G-C’s proprietary blends of nutrients and bioaugmented bacteria can be used to solve wastewater issues across the industrial landscape.

To discover how G-C tailored the most appropriate bioaugmentation solution to help one of our clients address odor issues and reduce maintenance costs for its grease traps and drain lines, read this Case Study.

Benefits of Bioaugmentation 

Bioaugmentation, as a wastewater treatment alternative, offers many advantages over its other chemical or mechanical treatment options:

• Cost Effectiveness
  Facilities using G-C’s bioaugmentation solutions can enjoy significant reduction in wastewater-related issues and treatment costs, thanks to lower requirements in energy, chemicals, and training.
• Regulatory Compliance
  Since it relies on naturally occurring microorganisms, bioaugmentation treatment has a long track record as a proven, safe, and less invasive treatment alternative, favorably viewed by regulators across the United States and beyond.
• Sustainability
  Lower energy requirements and fewer required applications translate to a more sustainable solution with a reduced carbon footprint.
• Public Acceptance
  Communities where bioaugmentation is used to treat wastewater tend to favorably consider this alternative thanks to its lower cost, quieter treatment operation, reduced community impact, and reduced offensive odors.

Connect With Industrial Water Treatment Expert

Garratt-Callahan’s industrial water treatment experience started with servicing the boilers in the steam engines that powered the industrial revolution. Our tradition of service continues today in facilities that use high-efficiency boilers, cooling towers, and water management systems to enable the data centers powering the information age and the cloud storage revolution. Our water treatment expertise, chemical applications, equipment maintenance, and customer service are more than just 100+ years of field experience.  We strive to build trusted partnerships and long-lasting relationships.