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sketch of a two-pond lagoon system for animal waste - UTAH SMALL ANIMAL WASTE LAGOONS AND PONDS

Lagoons for Onsite Wastewater Treatment
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  • A guide to use of septic lagoons or effluent ponds for septic system wastewater treatment
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Lagoon septic systems: also known as "pond septic systems" for onsite wastewater treatment are less often found in use for single family residential wastewater treatment. A residential lagoon system may use a conventional septic tank, but effluent from the tank flows to a storage pond or lagoon for further treatment. The illustration at page top is from "Utah Small Animal Waste Lagoons and Ponds" published by the Utah state government.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers welcomed and are listed at "References." This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Lagoons or Ponds for Onsite Waste and Wastewater Treatment

What is a Lagoon Septic System for Onsite Waste or Wastewater Treatment?

Lagoon systems: also known as "pond systems" for onsite wastewater treatment are less often found in use for single family residential wastewater treatment. A residential lagoon system may use a conventional septic tank, but effluent from the tank flows to a storage pond or lagoon for further treatment. (Some states such as Missouri may permit a lagoon without a septic tank.)

Lagoon systems require comparatively large land areas and are more likley to be found therefore in rural areas or where a common wastewater treatment system has been designed to serve multiple dwellings. For example lagoons are used for effluent disposal on small farms and for animal waste treatment/disposal on small and large farms or livestock operations.

Aerobic Lagoon Wastewater Treatment System Design

The lagoon or pond holds septic effluent where treatment may be enhanced by using an aerobic design to a shallow pond of effluent (adding air to the water, perhaps by an air pump or a fountain system).

Anaerobic Lagoon or Pond Septic System Designs

Anaerobic lagoon or pond designs are deeper and work more like a conventional septic tank, processing waste into settled sludge and treated effluent, and not making use of oxygen-requiring microbes nor of sunlight to treat the effluent.

Effluent from a pond septic system, except for its portion which is removed by evaporation, is commonly permitted to flow through a wetlands for further treatment before discharge to the environment.

The site and construction requirements for a lagoon septic system will require additional clearance distances from wells, property lines, etc. Lagoons are constructed in high clay soils (or lined) so that effluent does not drain into the soil directly from the lagoon.

A Typical Residential Wastewater Lagoon Design Specification

North Dakota State University offers some basic design specifications for a lagoon system for treating wastewater: "The lagoon surface area should be sized at about 500 square feet per person. A lagoon serving a four-person household would then have a surface area of about 2,000 square feet. The lagoon should have a depth of 3 feet with a minimum freeboard of 2 feet.

Shape the sides of the lagoon to a 3:1 slope. A 2,000 square foot lagoon with 3 feet working depth and 3:1 side slopes would have a 50-foot diameter at its working depth and a 62-foot diameter at the top of the dike.

The lagoon may also be square or rectangular. A 2,000 square foot lagoon would be 45 feet square at its working depth and 57 feet square at the top of the dike." --quoted from North Dakota State University - www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ageng/structu/ae892-3.htm#Lagoons.

The design specs for a lagoon septic system will vary widely depending on its use and the effluent flow rate involved. However the basic concepts of lagoon system operation and protection will be consistent.

Lagoon Wastewater System Safety and Protection

For safety the edges of a lagoon should be fenced to protect children and animals. Protection may also be needed to keep burrowing animals such as groundhogs from digging holes which inadvertently drain the pond.

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SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
  Wastewater Treatment Levels
  Wastewater Dispersal Methods
  Master List of Septic System Types
  AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  CESSPOOLS
  DOSING SYSTEMS GRAVITY/SIPHON
  DOSING SYSTEMS PRESSURE
  DRYWELLS
  SEPTIC EFFLUENT DISINFECTION SYSTEMS
  EVAPORATION-TRANSPIRATION SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  FIXED-FILM PROCESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  GREYWATER SYSTEMS
  HOLDING TANK SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  LAGOON SYSTEMS
  MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  SEPTIC & GREYWATER FILTERS
  SEQUENCING BATCH SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  RAISED BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  SAND BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
  STEEP SLOPE SEPTIC DESIGNS
  TOILET ALTERNATIVES
  VEGETATED SUBMERGED SEPTIC BEDS
  WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  ALTERNATIVE SEPTIC DESIGNERS
  ALTERNATIVE SEPTIC PRODUCTS

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