Quantifying the Efficacy of Wastewater Alkalinity Enhancement on mCDR and Acidification Mitigation in a Large Estuary

PI: Jeremy Testa, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES)
Start Year: 2023 | Duration: 3 years
Partners: UMCES, University of Delaware, Planetary Technologies, Inc.

Project Abstract:

This project will add alkalinity at a single wastewater treatment plan in the Hampton Roads Sanitation District in Virginia. In the first year, a 1-week test will ensure the safety and rigor of the dosing method. The team will closely monitor and control alkalinity dosing rates within the facility and then concurrently monitor the receiving tidal waters for carbon removal and environmental impacts. During the second year, the researchers will perform a 4-week test. This longer test will help identify other natural factors that modify the potential effect of carbon removal, such as the phase of the tide, the amount of algal growth in the water, and weather. During both tests, the team will monitor oyster growth and other environmental parameters like total suspended solids, nutrient concentrations, metals, and carbon chemistry variables. The results of these two tests will inform an ocean model to better understand the benefits and impacts of a scaled-up version of these small field tests.