The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1963-08-09

with the main trunk from the
Virginia and South Street lires.
The remainder of the intercept
tor sewage upstream from the
South Street outfall will be in
cluded in the second stage to be
constructed at a later date.
The new lagoons will be SINH
lar in most respects to the eX-
listing lagoons at the airport
property, which We're construct
ed in 1859 to serve those on the
western end Of town.
The lagoons will be broad
shallow ponds with water depth
varying from three to five feet.
BY constructing the separate
two lagooEs they can be built at
different levels to reduce the
earthwork required. and also TO
permit the lagoons to be oper-
ated either in series or in paral.
lei. The lagoons will be equipped
with a splitter tank. IN which
the sewage flow car be divided
between tie two lagoons either
equally or III other proportion.
The outlet structures will be- de-
signed so the water level in the
ponds can be varied for Opt
mum treatment conditions.
III a report TO the town Of
Farmville, the consulting engi-
neering firm of Wiley and Will
son gave the following review:
In 1899 the first sewage la.
COON to be constructed in the
State Of Virginia was developed
to serve that area of Farmville
which drains toward the Buffalo
River. Extensive tests conduct
ed by the State Water Control
Board and the State Health De
partment at the existing lagoonS
at F'armVllle have proven that
the lagoon method of sewage
treatment is effective and prac-
teal, ard the very satisfactory
results obtained at the Farm
vile lagoon have been response
bic for the very rapid spread of
this method Of sewage treat
ment. In the relatively short
period since the first lagoons
were constructed at Farmville
many lagcons have been built or
are b2ing planned throughout
the Stae and neighboring states.
Certainly, the Town of Farm
Vile can take credit for intro
ducing this new method Of sew
age treatment to the eastern
United States and for the con
siderable savings in costs which
have accrued to those communi-
ties adopting this method Of
treatment.
Treatment of sewage by the
lagoon method is accomplished
by Sunlight and The growth Of
algae ard other plants in the
liquid. The Sterilization process
consists primarily Of sedimenta-
ton. precipitation Of organic
salts, and the action Of bacteria
and algac. Bacteria digests ana
oXidizes sewage. and the soluble
material, principally carbon di-
oxide and ammonia, is utilized
by algae. In its growth process
the algae produces oxygen by
photosynthstlc actor. which in
turn is used BY the bacteria.
Thus the plant lifc in the lagoon
feeds on the pollution or solid
matter IN the sewage converting
it to inoffensiva material
The SIZE Of the laeoons is
based on the population of the
areas served. When Ia g 0oN s
were first introduced the ratio
was or acne per 100 persons.
After initial tests at Farmville
The rate was incleas~ I b. 0as
acre per 200 persons. Because of
The successful resU'ts obtained
in the original Farmville la
goons in extensive tests over a
two-year period. the ratio has
now been increased TO one acre
of lagoon for 400 persons in
some cases. The design criteria
is based or the size Of the
stream to which the effluent
will be discharged and the uses
made Of that stream below tho
paint of discharge. Taking
these factors into consideration.
the F'arnvilla lagoons will serve
approximately 5000 people.