What action should you take if your RBC is organically overloaded and the slough is turning pale white?

When an RBC (Rotating Biological Contactor) is organically overloaded, it indicates that the microbial population is stressed and is unable to effectively process the organic material. A pale white slough indicates a potential loss of active microbial biomass and can signify that the attached biological film is not thriving, possibly due to insufficient oxygen or nutrient levels.

Placing additional units in service directly addresses the problem of organic overload by increasing the surface area available for microbial growth. This additional capacity allows for more biomass to process the increased organic load, helping to restore the health of the biological treatment process.

While reducing influent flow might seem like a viable option, it may not be practical or effective if the influent volume is necessary for meeting treatment needs or if the degradation of organic matter remains high. Increasing aeration time can benefit oxygen transfer but does not effectively increase biomass capacity. Lowering the tank temperature is generally not advised, as it could further stress the microorganisms, negatively impacting their activity.

Adding more RBC units thereby enhances treatment capacity and promotes the revival of healthy microbial populations, making it a sound strategy for addressing organic overload in the system.