Waste stabilisation ponds in extreme continental climates: a comparison of design methods from the USA, Canada, northern Europe and the former Soviet Union

Abstract

The paper presents a brief review of the application of WSPs in extreme climates where ice formation occurs during winter. Design standards and methods are compared and different systems are described. Design equations developed by the US EPA and normative standards from the former Soviet Union are compared in a simple example using typical wastewater and performance characteristics. The results are similar except at low temperatures, where the Soviet method can give pond depths outside the prescribed limits. The paper examines construction and operational aspects of extreme climate WSPs, comparing North American, Northern European and Russian standards. It considers why WSP systems have not been widely adopted in Russia and the NIS, and looks at the advantages these systems may have in countries in economic transition.