By Wade Stafford, Vice President, Wastewater Services
Hog farming is integral to the global value chain, supplying food products to feed the public and skin for leather clothing, books, and accessories. It’s common for operators to keep swine in pens or fenced-off areas, but this practice increases the likelihood that animal waste will be carried into surface water bodies and the surrounding environment during rainstorms.
If your facility does not have a sustainable water management program in place today, it is highly likely that you are not compliant with local and national regulations. Safeguard the pigs in your care and your business with help from AQUALIS. Our sustainable water management services are tailored to suit your application, preserving your assets and environmental compliance.
Why Does Hog Retention Pond Maintenance Matter?
Most swine-raising operations keep animal waste from flowing into surface water bodies by building retention ponds. Also called anaerobic lagoons or storage ponds, they’re human-made earthen basins that collect manure and other byproducts. When operating correctly, organic matter decomposes and the resulting liquid, called effluent, can be recycled or used for fertilizer.
Without sound water management practices in place, however, issues impacting hog health and business performance may pop up. Animal waste from animal feeding operations may contain pathogens like E. coli, hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, and heavy metals.
-Sludge Accumulation
-Smells
-Unwanted Bacteria Growth
-Overflows
-Inorganic Materials Buildup
-Surface Water Contamination
These occurrences will likely hurt pig retention pond performance and get you into trouble with local and federal regulators. That’s why it’s a sound decision to bring in the stormwater and wastewater experts at AQUALIS to manage your assets.
Your Hog Farm Water Management Partner
With AQUALIS on the job, your swine retention pond will operate effectively and comply with local, state, and federal requirements. Whether you’re looking to regulate the temperatures and pH levels of an existing pig retention pond or build a new one to boost operational effectiveness, we can take care of everything on your behalf.
-Hog Pond Maintenance
-Hog Pond Repairs
-Hog Pond Consulting
-Stormwater Credits
Turnkey Hog Retention Pond Waste Management Solutions
As a swine farm owner or manager, you’re legally responsible for ensuring your property’s stormwater facilities are properly maintained and functioning as intended. Understanding exactly how to comply with the many requirements, rules, and regulations at federal, state, and local levels can be challenging, though.
When we’re managing your hog retention pond, you’ve nothing to worry about. Our experts thoroughly understand the regulatory environment and engage with appropriate parties. They’re also happy to maintain your lagoon over the long haul.
If you need a new pond built, our team can make it happen. We’ll assess your property, considering outside factors like proximity to drinking water sources and neighboring communities, and determine the optimal location and construction method. It’s best to locate a pond downslope and away from the pig-containing area, so the connecting sewer line flows by gravity at the correct slope.
In a perfect world, all materials entering the lagoon are biodegradable. In reality, items like metal containers, plastic, glass, and other nondegradable material will likely enter the lagoon. They can lower the lagoon's functional life and damage effluent removal equipment. Our team can stay on top of this problem, removing items as they build up or building fencing and other safety measures. It’s also a snap to check salt, bacteria, and pH levels.
On Your Side
When it comes to environmental regulations, compliance hinges on evidence. AQUALIS can collect design criteria and performance data for retention purposes. Examples include the volume of effluent pumped monthly and pH, sludge, and seepage levels.
This data can be used to achieve environmental compliance and troubleshoot issues. With teams stationed throughout North America, we can respond to your situation quickly.
Contact us to learn more about our hog retention pond waste management services.