Stationary clarifier eliminates costly settling pond management, conserves water resources, and streamlines reclamation.

by Carol Wasson

Cleaning out the settling pond and hauling away the muck was a labor-intensive, season-long drain on the bottom line for Wissota Sand & Gravel – one that owner Christopher Larson was no longer willing to settle for. As such, Larson ultimately settled on “sustainability” with the installation of a stationary water clarification system that he says “has already paid for itself” by eliminating costly pond cleanout and conserving valuable water and energy resources – capping the latter to a miniscule fraction of past levels. And the positive environmental impact is a plus he is proud of. “It proves that we are a good, proactive producer – and a good neighbor,” he says.

Previously, Larson had a four-man crew, a backhoe with a bucket, and a haul truck dedicated to daily pond cleanout throughout each summer at his Richfield, Wis.-based site. “Only the top 2 feet of the pond would dry out with everything under that being ‘soup.’ The muck was nearly 70-percent water and when we tried to haul it out, it would come out the back end of the truck. It was just a mess,” he says.

Prior to the installation of a new wash plant several years ago, Larson knew that it was time to eliminate the labor and fuel costs associated with settling pond management. “Our new plant produces up to 800 tons per hour, so we knew we needed to clarify and clean the water coming off the plant, so that we could use it more rapidly and manage our fines more effectively,” he says.

Customized clarification

Wissota Sand & Gravel installed a stationary water clarification system manufactured by Milwaukee-based Clearwater Industries, which provides turnkey solutions, site and water analysis, chemical selection, and complete systems that are custom-designed for each specific sand and gravel application.