A company is using 2 outdoor ponds to reduce organic material from a 500. gallons/hour wastewater stream. In the current situation, the ponds have a surface area of 1 acre (first pond) and 3.1 acres (second pond) (1 acre = 43,560 ft2) and both have an average depth of 6.0 ft. Arranged in series with the outflow from the first pond feeding the second pond, the system removes 95% of the organic material by mass. Evaporation of water is 25 gallons per acre per hour. Since the reaction is highly dependent on oxygen levels, both ponds are aerated, and the bubbling thoroughly mixes the water in each pond. The chemical decay reaction is first order. a. (4 points) Estimate the decay coefficient of the organics in the existing pond set. b. (6 points) The EPA has just lowered the release criteria, and the company must improve treatment until 98% of the organic material is removed. You resolve to reach this new level of treatment by increasing the pond size. An excavator is ready to start digging new pond volume, but digging costs money, based on the volume of dirt removed. For geological reasons, any new pond volume may not be dug deeper than the existing 6.0 ft. For the lowest cost solution, should the excavator: