Treated water is disinfected with sodium hypochlorite and detention in a contact tank. After disinfection, the effluent can be either stored in the 32 million-gallon effluent storage lagoon or pumped to the land application system. Inc. Corn, barley, soybeans, and wheat are grown on the irrigated land. The system uses naturally occurring microorganisms to purify wastewater in a series of lagoons. The reclaimed water is then recycled onto cropland.
Soil provides final filtration and crops uptake the remaining nutrients.
The renovated water returning to the ground water exceeds EPA drinking water standards. Through this natural recycling process, nutrient laden wastewater is productively used on farmland instead of flowing to Delaware s environmentally fragile inland bays and waterways.