If your facilities are operating with out-dated effluent storage, you are needlessly throwing away time and money. Selecting the right type of storage for your application will ensure effective, safe, and compliant storage that allows for on-going maintenance to be carried out. Depending on the volume of effluent being produced currently and leaving room for foreseeable growth, choosing the right type of storage will be either the best decision you ever make or a disaster that is difficult and expensive to rectify.

Lined Pond or Above Ground?

Whether you are starting from scratch or considering the adequacy of your current effluent storage, it is essential to hire a professional to check your storage volume calculations. A storage need miscalculation can have long lasting and costly implications so make sure your choice of effluent storage accounts for all your current and future needs and then some.

Of course a lined pond can likely better accommodate the size and contour of your property but excavation cost and weather conditions need to be carefully considered as they both will have a serious effect on the construction and operation of your storage. In most cases a lined pond will incur much less of a cost than an above ground storage silage effluent tank which can be seen as a huge advantage. But if your property is highly contoured and also depending on your soil content, it may make more sense to go above ground. It should be stated again that hiring a professional to create an analysis of these factors will be essential to both the build process and the long term operation of your storage.

Lining Options

Selecting the right liner will be essential to making sure your storage stays in compliance. A properly implemented storage pond should be sealed so that the effluent does not leak into the groundwater.

Clay is one of the more common substrates used and has many advantages. Often times there is suitable clay on site at the time of the pond’s construction. If you have plenty of clay on your property you will already have to have had testing done by a professional in order to achieve the best possible sealing of your pond. A big disadvantage here is that you will likely have to re-line your pond periodically as the clay degrades over time, especially when the pond empties out.

Synthetic liners as well as concrete composite liners are of course better in many ways but they will also incur a significantly higher cost when compared with clay. With a wide range of materials and comprehensive warranties offered, a synthetic liner is the best choice if your budget allows for it. Researching the different synthetics available in your area is essential as there is significant variation in quality from one type to the next.

The bottom line is that tackling the challenge of effluent storage is not to be taken lightly and should never be something you do on your own. The help from a qualified professional during the many stages of planning and implementing your storage facility will give you the peace of mind that you’re making all of the right choices.