The Integrated Approach to Regulating the Water Quality of Low Flow Water Bodies (the Balandinsky Pond of the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant is an Example)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to improve the effectiveness of reducing the environmental hazards of low-flow artificial reservoirs (ponds, reservoirs, technological ponds). Materials and methods. Three approaches are known for its solution. 1. Biological treatment of reservoirs. This approach has a disadvantage, which is the low rate of biological treatment. 2. Hydro-mechanical removal of bottom sediments. At first glance, this method suggests a quick and cardinal solution to the problem. But the researches carried out by domestic and foreign scientists, including in this article, have shown all the shortcomings of the "revolutionary" approach to the ecological problems of the system "water – man-made sediments – bottom sediments of water bodies". It has been proved that dredging works destroy this system. It is only useful if the discharge of untreated wastewater into such a body of water stops and further biological treatment results in a new and improved ecological system. However, such an approach requires significant economic costs. Otherwise, the combination of untreated wastewater discharge and dredging results in increased entropy of the ecological system and its imbalance with a variety of random system pathways and the impossibility of further rehabilitation of such water bodies. 3. «Evolutionary» approach with regulation of quantity and quality of discharged wastewater with its regular biological treatment. This approach preserves the existing ecological system with a predicted level of ecological hazard. However, it is not applicable for technological water bodies with high level of wastewater and bottom sediment pollution. Results and discussion. A review of the efficiency of the known methods of wastewater treatment with the identification of their disadvantages is made. A comprehensive approach combining parallel dredging and biological treatment in a sequentially small area with control of the treatment process is proposed. Conclusions. With the help of the developed new approach, it becomes possible to eliminate disadvantages of the widely known approaches to rehabilitation of low flowing water bodies. It doesn't require costly wastewater treatment, and the treatment results in a new ecological equilibrium, providing water quality that meets the regulatory requirements approved by the regulatory acts of the Russian Federation.