Reducing Grease and Solids in Lift Stations and Sewer Lines
The City of Cody began using BioLynceus® biological wastewater products at a lift station that had experienced recurring grease accumulation.
According to Steve Thull, Wastewater Operator III for the City of Cody, the lift station was initially selected as a test location to evaluate how biological treatment could help manage grease, solids, and other organic material within the wet well.
Visible Results After Two Months of Treatment
The lift station was initially treated by hand.
After approximately two months of treatment, the wet well was cleaned and inspected.
According to Thull, the operators found that the accumulated solids and paper products that had previously been present were no longer visible.
“In two months, we found that all of the solids and paper products were gone.”
Steve Thull
Wastewater Operator III, City of Cody
The jet truck operator normally cleaned the wet well once each year and had historically encountered accumulated solids during the process.
At the time of this inspection, approximately 11 months had passed since the previous cleaning, yet operators reported no significant accumulation of solids or paper products.
Grease Was Easier to Remove
Some grease remained in the wet well, but Thull reported that its characteristics had changed.
Previously, accumulated grease had to be scraped from surfaces during cleaning.
Following treatment, the remaining grease could be washed away using the jet truck.
This made wet well cleaning easier and reduced the amount of manual removal required.
Expanding Treatment to Lift Stations and Sewer Mains
Based on the initial results, the City expanded its biological treatment program to additional lift stations and selected sewer mains with recurring grease problems.
When operators later jetted the treated sewer lines, they reported less grease accumulation than they had observed before treatment.
According to Thull, the biological program appeared to help break down organic grease and reduce its tendency to adhere to sewer infrastructure.
Moving From Hand Dosing to Pump Injection
As the program expanded, the City transitioned from manual applications to metering pumps that injected the biological treatment into the wastewater system.
This made routine application easier and allowed operators to maintain more consistent dosing.
Treatment rates were checked approximately once each week and adjusted as needed.
Potential Benefits for Lagoon Sludge Management
Following the results observed in the lift stations and sewer mains, the City also became interested in whether biological treatment could help reduce organic sludge accumulation in its wastewater lagoons.
Mechanical lagoon sludge removal can be expensive, so extending the period between dredging projects could provide significant operational and financial benefits.
At the time of this testimonial, the City was conducting sludge profiling to evaluate whether similar biological reductions were occurring within the lagoon system.
Biological Treatment for Collection System Maintenance
The City of Cody's experience demonstrates how biological treatment can be incorporated into a broader collection-system maintenance program.
Reported benefits included:
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Reduced wet well solids
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Reduced paper accumulation
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Less grease buildup
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Easier grease removal
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Cleaner sewer mains
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Reduced manual cleaning requirements
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Simplified treatment through pump injection
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Potential support for lagoon sludge management
For wastewater operators managing recurring fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in lift stations and sewer lines, biological treatment may provide an additional tool alongside routine cleaning, jetting, and collection-system maintenance.
Steve Thull
Wastewater Operator III
City of Cody
The results described above reflect observations from this specific wastewater system. Performance may vary depending on FOG loading, wastewater characteristics, temperature, retention time, application rates, system design, and other operating conditions.