The effects of in-basin storage of sludge on the iron, manganese, and TOC removal of water treatment plant (WTP) clarifiers and on the dewatering characteristics of sludge were examined. The use of chlorine dioxide as a preoxidant to retard observed detrimental effects was also investigated.

Sludge samples that were stored over a period of 120 days were found to release up to ten times the original supernatant concentration of iron and manganese from the sludge into the overlying supernatant liquor when sludge redox potential values decreased below +100 mV. Organic carbon also increased in the supernatant but to a lesser extent. Sludge dewatering characteristics as measured by specific resistance and capillary suction time were found to improve when sludge redox potential readings remained over 100 mV but varied greatly when readings were below this level.

Field monitoring and sampling of the clarifiers at Lee Hall WTP and Harwood's Mill WTP from April to July showed that the removal efficiencies of the clarifiers was not related to in-basin sludge storage. This conflicted with a later portion of the study and was thought to be due to the lack of standardized sampling techniques.

The final phase of the investigation dealt with the use of chlorine dioxide to retard the negative effects of in-basin storage of sludge. Sludge accumulation in clarifiers resulted in decreased iron and manganese removal efficiencies when chlorine dioxide was not used. Addition of chlorine dioxide improved the iron and manganese removal efficiencies of the clarifiers. Sludge dewatering characteristics were found to improve with the use of chlorine dioxide as a preoxidant.