Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Watershed Access Lab Projects Watershed Access Lab 2008 The Effect of the Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Water Quality of the Nemasket River Recommended Citation Apponequet Regional High School, Lakeville, Massachusetts (2008). The Effect of the Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Water Quality of the Nemasket River. In Watershed Access Lab Projects. Project 83. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/wal_projects/83 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
The Effect of the Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Water Quality of the Nemasket River Stephen Bissonnette Garrett Brune Stacey Bechtel Adam Beard
Nemasket River Name means place of fish in the Wampanoag language Discovered by Europeans in 1853 Early settlers and Native Americans used the river for: Food and water Early industries: grist mills, saw mills, furnaces and forges. Later industries: cotton mills and shovel works The Nemasket river begins at Lake Assawompsett (largest natural body of fresh water in MA) in Lakeville and flows through Middleboro into the Taunton River The river was also called the Canal River and the land, lowland, and swamps through which it flowed were called the Canal Swamps.
Nemasket River Anadromous fish: Alewife, Blueback, American Shad, Gizzard Shad, Lamprey Supports largest coastal river herring population in MA, with more than 1 million fish/year Subbasin Area: 10.9 square miles Length: 11.2 miles Stream order: 3 Confluence with the Taunton River The Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges effluent into the river, and we thought it would be interesting to observe the effect it has on the river s quality.
Vaughn Street low traffic levels and low density housing little canopy with seasonal aquatic vegetative blooms Upstream from the Vaughn site is an expanse of wetlands. The wetland area impedes the flow of the water This is our reference site and runs under Vaughn Street. Route 105 medium levels of traffic and surrounded by urban setting partial canopy covering and has vegetation on banks This site also has an auto-body shop located near the bank of the river and a house with a garden directly on the banks of the river. This is also reference site and is located beneath Route 105. Murdock Street low levels of traffic crossing it, and low housing density partial canopy, with vegetation growing on the banks This is our impact site, which flows underneath Murdock Street.
Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant Built in 1950 Building of advanced plant took three years (1974-1977) Cost: 5.6 million dollars (25 million dollars today) Processes about 1.3 million gallons of waste a day and is designed to hold up to 2.16 million gallons The treatment plant operates under a very strict NYPDES permit as it empties its effluent close to the NMK headwaters.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Facts Plant s capacity: 2.3 million gallons/day Discharges effluent constantly throughout the day Uses 15% sodium hypochlorite (bleach) as disinfectant This creates a ph of 11, however, the plant does not adjust ph
Wastewater Treatment Plant The plant does not process storm water The plant does process Ocean Spray even though the plant was not originally designed to do so Chlorine is removed with sodium bisulfate Utilize ferric chloride to precipitate out the phosphate Remove ammonia, not nitrate
Future of the Wastewater Treatment Plant The plant anticipates stricter changes in state regulations, such as adding regulations for the removal of nitrate Will need to utilize denitrifying bacteria to convert nitrate into nitrogen gas by adding a carbon food source Concerned about the proposed casino in Middleboro This will significantly add to the plant s load and nutrient levels
Discharge (cfs) Discharge (2007-2008) Nemasket River 200 180 160 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 Date
N/NO3 (mg/l) Concentration of Nitrogen as Nitrate (N/NO3) (mg/l) Nemasket River 5.00 4.50 4.00 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 Date
Load of N/NO3 kg/day Load of Nitrogen as Nitrate (N/NO3) (kg/day) Nemasket River 160.000 140.000 120.000 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 100.000 80.000 60.000 40.000 20.000 0.000 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 Date
RP (mg/l) Concentration of Reactive Phosphorous (mg/l) Nemasket River 0.16 0.14 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 0.12 0.1 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 Date
Rp (kg/day) Load of Reactive Phosphorous (kg/day) Nemasket River 4.500 4.000 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 3.500 3.000 2.500 2.000 1.500 1.000 0.500 0.000 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 Date
Temperature (øc) Nemasket River Temperature vs Time 10/11-10/12 Rt. 105 Murdock 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 0.042 0.083 0.125 0.167 0.208 0.25 0.292 0.333 0.375 0.417 0.458 0.5 0.542 0.583 0.625 0.667 0.708 0.75 0.792 0.833 0.875 0.917 0.958 0 0.042 Time (hour)
Temperature (øc) Nemasket River Temperature vs. Time 4/3-4/4 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:00 11:00:00 12:00:00 13:00:00 14:00:00 Time (hours) 15:00:00 16:00:00 17:00:00 18:00:00 19:00:00 20:00:00 21:00:00 22:00:00 23:00:00 0:00:00 1:00:00
DO (mg/l) Nemasket River Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time 10/11-10/12 Rt. 105 Murdock 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:00 11:00:00 12:00:00 13:00:00 14:00:00 15:00:00 16:00:00 17:00:00 18:00:00 19:00:00 20:00:00 21:00:00 22:00:00 23:00:00 0:00:00 1:00:00 Time (hour)
DO (mg/l) 12 Nemasket River Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time 4/3-4/4 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 11 10 9 8 7 6 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:00 11:00:00 12:00:00 13:00:00 14:00:00 Time (hours) 15:00:00 16:00:00 17:00:00 18:00:00 19:00:00 20:00:00 21:00:00 22:00:00 23:00:00 0:00:00 1:00:00
ph Nemasket River ph vs. Time 10/11-10/12 Rt. 105 Murdock 7.2 7 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.2 6 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:00 11:00:00 12:00:00 13:00:00 14:00:00 15:00:00 16:00:00 17:00:00 18:00:00 19:00:00 20:00:00 21:00:00 22:00:00 23:00:00 0:00:00 1:00:00 Time (hour)
ph 7.2 Nemasket River ph vs. Time 4/3-4/4 Vaughn St. Rt. 105 Murdock St. 7 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.2 6 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:00 11:00:00 12:00:00 13:00:00 14:00:00 Time (hours) 15:00:00 16:00:00 17:00:00 18:00:00 19:00:00 20:00:00 21:00:00 22:00:00 23:00:00 0:00:00 1:00:00
Macro invertebrates of Route 105 AVERAGE COUNTS Ephemeroptera baetidae 7 Ephemeroptera heptageniidae 48 Ephemeroptera tricorythidae 3 Plecoptera perlidae 1 Tricoptera glossosmatidae 1 Tricoptera hydrosychidae 327 Tricoptera odontoceridae 1 Tricoptera philopotamidae 62 Diptera chironomidae 1 Diptera simuliidae 3 Diptera tipulidae 1 Odonata calopterygidae 1 Coleptera elmidae 3 Coleptera psephenidae 10 Amphipoda 46 Decapoda 1 Gastropoda 3 Pelecypoda 3 Oligochaeta 1 Total number of bugs: 523 Total number of tolerant bugs: 54 Percentage of tolerant bugs: 10.33% Total number of intolerant bugs: 393 Percentage of intolerant bugs: 75.14% Route 105 had a total of 19 species of macro invertebrates. Hilsenhoff Biotic (10-max) Index (HBI): 4.5 Indicates Good water quality
AVERAGE COUNTS Ephemeroptera baetidae 7 Ephemeroptera heptageniidae 12 Plecoptera perlidae 1 Plecoptera perlodidae 2 Plecoptera taeniopterydidae 4 Tricoptera hydropsychidae 279 Trichopter odontoceridae 1 Trichoptera philopotamidae 18 Diptera chironomidae 4 Diptera simuliidae 1 Odonata calopterygidae 2 Odonata lestidae 1 Coleoptera elmidae 2 Amphipoda 9 Isopoda asellidae 1 Decapoda 1 Gastropoda physidae 18 Gastropoda planorbidae 6 Oligochaeta 1 Hirudinea 2 Macro invertebrates of Murdock Street Total number of bugs: 372 Total number of tolerant bugs: 41 Percentage of tolerant bugs: 11.02% Total number of intolerant bugs: 305 Percentage of intolerant bugs: 81.99% Murdock street had a total of 20 species of macro invertebrates. Hilsenhoff Biotic (10-max) Index (HBI): 5.16 Indicates Fair water quality
HBI values HBI: Hilsenhoff Biotic Index 5.4 5.2 5 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.2 4 Route 105 Sites Murdock
Fecal Coliform Tested sites on Rte 105 and Murdock St. Fecal coliform is found in the intestines of animals and is expelled in their waste Grows best at 44.5 C May be present due to effluent in the river from wastewater treatment plant We tested using MFC Broth method
Fecal Coliform Results Rte 105: Murdock St: 100 ml 100 ml 54 colonies 15 colonies 57 colonies 9 colonies 10 ml 10 ml 8 colonies (80/100 ml) 1 colonies (10/100 ml) 7 colonies (70/100 ml) 0 colonies
Rte 105 Fecal Coliform Colonies
Murdock St. Fecal Coliform Colonies
Conclusion Indeed the Wastewater Treatment Plant has an effect on the Nemasket River The plant successfully removes fecal coliform bacteria The plant does not, however, completely remove nitrates and phosphorus Macro invertebrates are affected down stream from the plant at Murdock St. 5.16 HBI compared to 4.5 HBI at Rte 105
Documentations Behar, Sharon. Testing the Waters. River Watch Network: Portland, Oregon, 1997.
Accreditations A Special Thanks to: Kim McCoy for her much appreciated help in the field and with the fecal coliform testing. Mr. Joseph Ciaglo for his informative tour of the Middleboro Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The End Thanks for watching!