Breaking the Upset Cycle:

A California water recycling facility reduced ammonia upsets by 90%, cut ammonia concentrations by 67%, and increased effective treatment capacity by ~20% with Moleaer NanoShield.

The Challenge

At the Henry N. Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility (WRWRF) in Yucaipa, California, seasonal nitrification upsets had become an annual challenge.

Each winter, colder temperatures disrupted biological treatment performance, leading to:

• Biomass die-off and loss of nitrification
• Elevated ammonia concentrations
• Emergency operator interventions
• Increased energy consumption
• Regulatory compliance risk

Despite ongoing operational adjustments, the facility continued to experience recurring process instability and lengthy recovery periods.

The Solution

To improve process stability, WRWRF installed Moleaer's NanoShield nanobubble pretreatment system upstream in the treatment process.

Unlike solutions that target a single unit operation, NanoShield conditions wastewater before it reaches downstream biological processes, allowing benefits to cascade throughout the entire treatment train.

The installation required no major infrastructure modifications and was integrated into the existing facility footprint.

Results

90% Fewer Ammonia Upsets

During the cold-weather season (November-April), ammonia upset days fell from 39 days to just 4 days.

90% reduction in upset days

90% Faster Recovery

Historically, nitrification failures required more than 10 days to recover.

Following NanoShield installation, recovery times were reduced to approximately one day, allowing operators to restore stable treatment performance significantly faster.

67% Lower Effluent Ammonia

Average effluent ammonia concentrations decreased from:

• 0.18 mg/L → 0.06 mg/L

• 67% reduction in effluent ammonia

24% Lower Aeration Energy per Pound of Ammonia Removed

Blower power consumption per pound of ammonia removed improved from:

• 3.3 kWh/lb-N → 2.5 kWh/lb-N

• 24% improvement in energy efficiency

Approximately 20% More Treatment Capacity

By improving biological treatment performance and reducing process instability, WRWRF unlocked approximately 20% more effective treatment capacity from existing infrastructure.

Consistent Title 22 Compliance

Throughout the evaluation period, the facility maintained consistent compliance with California Title 22 water reuse requirements.

See How NanoShield Can Improve Your Plant's Performance

NanoShield helps wastewater facilities stabilize biological treatment, improve nutrient removal, reduce energy consumption, and unlock additional capacity from existing infrastructure.

Schedule a consultation with a Moleaer wastewater specialist to learn more.