TYPES OF WASTEWATER

► Water pollution is caused by various

materials from the following types of
effluents:
DOMESTIC
► Domestic
'L 1 AKAGI

► Commercials
► Industrial
► In many cases is the source

DOMESTIC WATERS
important.
► Comes from homes, institutions
educational,recreational facilities, hospitals,
etc
► Of the water that reaches homes, a small portion is
consumed, the rest is discharged into the sewage system.

► Climate:
Demography:

Water Use: ► Socio-economic factor :

Per capita demand depends on several Urban Development:
factors, including the following:
► Non-revenue water:
Rationalization in use:
► Quantification:
COMMERCIAL WATERS
► This includes businesses such as b Commercial blackwater
stores, offices and small industries, as flows result from
well as establishments
commercial as
restaurants, laundries, ► Sanitary equipments
residences and hotels.
► Processe
s
► Cleaning
► The information about the
► Refrigeration
consumpti of waters
on
commercial is more detailed than
that referring to domestic water.
 INDUSTRIAL WATERS
► The estimation of a wastewater discharge flow
rate for industries varies greatly according to the
type of industrial process.
Wastewater effluent can vary in quantity
and quality due to several factors:
► Starts and stops in industrial processes
► Work schedules
► High water discharge
temperature
► Industry size
► Water recirculation
► Production needs
 Water contamination
Wastewater, due to the large amount of substances (some of them toxic) and microorganisms they
carry, can be a cause and vehicle of pollution, in those places where they are evacuated without prior
treatment. Water pollution can be defined as a modification, generally caused by man, of the quality of
water, making it inappropriate and dangerous for human consumption, industry, agriculture, fishing,
recreational activities, as well as for animals. domestic and natural life.
The main drawbacks of wastewater are listed below.

► Bad smells and flavors

They are a consequence of the diversity of substances they carry, and above all, the products of their
decomposition, especially in those processes, especially anaerobic, in which organic matter
decomposes, with the release of gases. To this we must add the natural causes of odors and flavors:
proliferation of
microorganisms, decomposition processes, the presence of aquatic vegetation, molds, fungi, etc., and
the reduction of sulfates to sulfides, under anoxic conditions.
► toxic action
It is the effect and impact that some waste has on the natural flora and fauna of the receiving water
masses and on the consumers who use those waters, or who are affected by the accumulation of
these toxic substances in the food chain. In this regard, it is important to keep in mind that on
numerous occasions wastewater is used, without prior treatment, to irrigate vegetable crops, with the
enormous risk that this entails, since man can consume it raw, contamination by toxins or
microorganisms directly passes to it.

► Organic compounds from domestic and industrial effluents:

They represent the oldest problem of water pollution. Initially, the effects of domestic waste were
prioritized over industrial waste, due to the potential for acute health effects of human waste,
compared to the belief that industrial waste produced only indirect effects. But as new chemical
compounds from industries appeared, greater attention began to be paid to the effects of industrial
waste on health and its impact on the environment.
► Inorganic and mineral compounds:
They come from mining and inorganic chemical products industries. Among them we can mention
ammonium, cyanides, fluorides, sulfides, sulfites and nitrites.

► Compounds from agricultural effluents:

Agricultural waste contains high levels of nitrates, phosphates, ammonium and sulfides, and silo
drainage can be toxic due to its low pH levels. But the most toxic compounds in these effluents are
fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

► Compounds that are formed during water treatment, associated with the chlorination
process:
trihalomethanes, of which one of the most dangerous is chloroform, due to its possible carcinogenic
nature. The formation of trihalomethanes is accentuated when the water has a high content of organic
matter, as a consequence of the explosive growths of algae in the summer months.
► Water as a vehicle of infection
Water that is contaminated by wastewater or man or animal excreta can intervene, directly or indirectly, in
the spread of diseases, favoring the development of arthropods or mollusks, which are links in their
epidemiological chains, or by spreading infectious agents from of excreta from patients and carriers,
which through it can reach drinking water, or vegetables, which are irrigated with this water, without prior
treatment.

► Action on the environment

In addition to the ecological and health problems mentioned above, the discharge of wastewater into
rivers, lakes and seas produces another type of pollution called psychosocial, since it affects man's
natural environment, modifying the aesthetics of his landscape and making it increasingly inhospitable.
 Sources of water pollution :
Water pollution can come from natural sources or human activities.

► Domestic and industrial waste is dumped onto surface waters through sewage
systems.
► In some cases, industrial waste is released directly into rivers and seas.

► The quality of wastewater depends on the contaminants that are present in the water
and the extent to which this water is treated before being released into other
waterways.
 Industrial sectors

Human discharges
Humans Navigation

Agriculture and Livestock

Pollution
sources
He mercury that HE
finds in the bark
Natural land; the biosphere with
acid rain and hydrocarbons
 • They constitute a mixture of domestic waters
together with those for irrigating the land and
Waters managing livestock; due to employment of various
Agricultu substances that
ral They cause water damage indirectly.
Product of processes
Waters carried out in factories and
industrial industrial establishments

• From human
feces, personal
Waters
and household
domestic cleanliness
 Domestic
Industrial
wastewater
waste

They are varied and

They consist mainly depend on the specific
of paper, soap, processes of the
urine, feces and plants from which they
detergents originally come.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF WASTEWATER

Smell and Flavor : depend on

Color : by presence th presence of
of compounds compounds chemical
organic and/or mineral such as sulfides, phenols ands
dyes, as well as industrial organic matter and/or
organisms in
effluents .
decomposition.

Conductivity : Low
PH : Its variation alters the
water conductivity
reactions that happen
due to large amount of
in the dissolved solids
water
Temperature : depend
from climatic factors, to
chemical compounds, to
effluents with positive
temperature gradients, which
modify the ecological balance.
pH scale
 Pollutants
organic

compounds whose chemical structure is

fundamentally composed of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and nitrogen

products food. Are

Proteins: they come mainly from human
excreta or biodegradable waste, which are Pollutants
unstable and responsible for bad odors. inorganic
Carbohydrates: we include sugars, starches
and cellulosic fibers in this group. They come,
They are of mineral origin and of varied
like proteins, from excreta and waste.
nature: salts, oxides, inorganic acids and
Oils and fats: highly stable, immiscible with bases, metals, etc.
water, they mostly come from food waste, They appear in any type of wastewater,
exception of mineral oils. although they are more abundant in
discharges generated by industry.

The inorganic components of wastewater

will depend on the contaminating
material as well as the nature of the
contaminating source.
 • Chlorophenols • are dumped into the
and with sea in large
fungicides the of barrels in ca
pasta the order to keep bb
factories, with them away ag
insecticides
the industry from eth
chemistry urban centers,ofe
Mining Waste
and radioactive
Foundry

Waste They are applied to water to

Pesticides
Industrial control aquatic pests,
nitrates and phosphates in
• oil extraction and plantation irrigation end up in
extraction of groundwater and then in the
manganese they sea.
usually
to provoke to slight
waste pollutants
directly in the sea
 Effects on the ecosystem
• There are large suspended solids in wastewater that when they reach natural
channels can lead to the appearance of sludge sediments at the bottom of said
Appearance of mud channels, seriously altering aquatic life at this level, since it will make the
and floating transmission of gases and nutrients to the organisms that live at the bottom.
Depletion of • Aquatic organisms require oxygen dissolved in water to live. When waste that
oxidizes easily is dumped into bodies of water, either chemically or biologically,
contained in oxidation will occur with the consequent consumption of oxygen in the environment.
oxygen
• Discharges of residual effluents into public waterways can encourage the
Damage to
spread of viruses and bacteria that are pathogenic to humans.
health
public • A high supply of nitrogen and phosphorus in aquatic systems promotes massive
development of the primary consumers of these nutrients; zoo and phytoplankton and
Eutrophicatio higher plants. These populations end up exceeding the capacity of the aquatic
n ecosystem, and the body of water may disappear.
• They can be very varied and will be a consequence of very specific contaminants,
such as pH values above or below tolerable limits, presence of toxins that directly
Other effects affect living beings, etc.
 WATER USE

Per capita demand depends on several factors, including the

following:
Climate : This can affect the patterns of
water consumption, which tends to be greater when the
climate is hot and dry.
Demographics : In homes belonging to very large families,
per capita consumption is much lower than in ordinary
places.
 WATER USE
□ Socio-economic factor : The demand for water has a great relationship
with some socio-economic indicators such as the type or value of the
home. This can be related to the water consumption of certain types of
goods and accessories (appliances) present in some socioeconomic
strata.

□ Urban development : The type of construction affects the consumption of

drinking water. For example, houses with large gardens can consume
more water than apartments or other simple buildings.
 WATER USE
Unaccounted for water : In companies where drinking
water consumption is accounted for, users are charged
according to the amount consumed in a given period. As
a consequence, the production of sewage is controlled in
some way.
Rationalization in use : This translates into a reduction in
the demand for water and consequently in the production
of sewage.
 WATER USE
Quantification : Water consumption per person is
very varied. This can be divided into three equal parts.
The relationship between the drinking water consumed and the black
water discharged into the sewer by a person can be estimated as
follows:
G´= xG
G': Black water generated per person (l/inhab.d)
G: Drinking water consumed per person (l/inhab.d)
x: Return factor <75% - 90%>

A large percentage of the water demanded by homes returns to the

sewage system. This return factor is determined according to the
factors explained above.
The quantity and quality of wastewater varies in the short and long term,
according to the consumption of drinking water.
V Long term : Increase due to annual population growth.
V During the year : variation in consumption due to the presence of seasons
v Weekly : Greater water consumption on weekends.
v Daily : Variation according to consumption patterns.
Consumption peaks in the morning, afternoon and night.
So the composition of the physical, chemical and bacteriological contents vary:
COD, BOD, OD, S. Suspended, S. Sedimentables, S. Totals.
The production of black water is directly related to the type of device
and the reference of use.
The estimation of a wastewater discharge flow rate for industries
varies greatly depending on the type of industrial process. It is
estimated according to the volume of water spent per unit of mass of
the product (Paper production 50-150 m3/Ton)

The effluents of wastewater can vary in

quantity and quality due to several factors:
i. Starts and stops in industrial processes
ii. Work schedules
iii. High temperature water discharge
iv. Industry size
v. Water recirculation
vi. Production needs
COMPOSITION OF THE WATERS
BLACK
> Wastewater is basically
composed like this:
 WATER CONTAMINATION
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION
This is due to organic and inorganic products.
The main consequences are:
■ Reduction of dissolved oxygen, as a consequence of its
consumption in the degradation processes of organic
matter.
■ Increased water toxicity due to inorganic compounds.
Chemical contaminants can be divided into:
■ c I m MIMI mc
 SPECIALS

1. Oils and fats

2. Detergents
3. Sulfides : The concentration of sulfides gives an idea of the degree of septicity.
4. Cyanides : Pollution of highly toxic industrial origin
5. Fluorides : Found in discharges from the aluminum industry and phosphate fertilizers.
6. Phenols : They are found in industrial effluents from refineries, steel industries,
pharmaceuticals, etc.
7. Pesticides
8. Hydrocarbons
 HEAVY METALS

Some metals are essential for life (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn).
- Iron is part of blood hemoglobin and cobalt is part of vitamin B12, and is also an
activator of enzymes, such as manganese.
- Copper and zinc participate in the synthesis of enzymes. Molybdenum participates in
the electron transfer process.
The rest of the heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, nickel, chromium, etc. They are
non-essential metals that have toxic effects on the body.
 INDICATORS OF
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Dissolved oxygen (DO): The presence of dissolved oxygen is essential to maintain

aquatic life and water quality. Oxygen deficiency occurs as a consequence of pollution.
The DO concentration is an indicator of: the state of septicity, the potential to produce
bad odors, the quality of the water and the estimation of photosynthetic activity.
 INDICATORS OF
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Biological oxygen demand (BOD): It is the most used organic pollution

parameter. It is the result of the degradation of three types of materials:
> Carbonaceous organic materials (heterotrophic aerobic microorganisms)
> Oxidizable nitrogen (nitrosomes and nitro bacteria)
> Reducing chemicals (they oxidize with DO)
 POLLUTION INDICATORS
CHEMISTRY
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): It is a measure of the amount of
biodegradable and non-biodegradable organic matter. In some cases it can be related to
BOD5, therefore its determination becomes more difficult.
 INDICATORS OF
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Nutrients: These elements are essential for the growth of plants, but in
excessive quantities they cause Eutrophication, which is the excessive growth of
green cyanophycean algae that results in a decrease in oxygen levels in the water.
The most common nutrients are:

■ Total and ammoniacal nitrogen

■ Match
 BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION

There are a large number of organisms. Generally, pathogenic organisms are not
investigated, but rather indicator bacteria, which allow establishing the presence of
contamination of fecal origin. These bacteria are:
■ Coliforms: present in the intestinal tract (Escherichia Coli)

■ Fecal Streptococcus
It is the combination of liquid waste from both residences and public institutions and
industrial and commercial establishments to which they can be added.
The accumulation and stagnation of wastewater can generate bad-smelling gases due to
the organic decomposition it has.
 1. TYPES OF TREATMENTS:

Treatment methods in which physical phenomena predominate are known as unit operations, methods in
which the removal of contaminants is carried out based on chemical or biological processes are known as
unit processes.

Preliminary Treatments.- serve to increase the effectiveness of primary, secondary and tertiary
treatments. Wastewater that flows from sewers to wastewater treatment plants is highly variable
in flow and contains a large number of objects.
 1. TYPES OF TREATMENTS:
SIEVED GRILL MICROFILTRATION
S
• They are self-cleaning and are • They are used to separate • They work at low load, with very
built with meshes that allow objects larger than simple little unevenness, and are
water to pass through and force particles that are carried by the based on a rotating screen
the retained solid matter to current of water. made of steel or plastic material
slide. The objective is to protect the through which water circulates.
• Needs a • equipment mechanics With steel meshes they can
unevenness and • have lights of the
important between the water facilities
supply point and the outlet • They are made of with bars or order of 30 microns and
point. metal 6 thick more mm meshes get with polyester
• HE clean yields are good with
through sizes
rakes. up to 6 microns.
• For small heights of the water
flow, curved bars are used and
for higher heights
greater bars
longitudinal willing
almost vertically.
1.1Primary Treatments

of one

cylindrical where 60 to 65% of the solids are removed

sewage water.
A primary sedimentation tank has depths that
The main objective is to remove contaminants that can settle, such as settleable solids.
One can speak of primary sedimentation as the last treatment or preceding a biological
treatment, coagulation when physical-chemical treatments are chosen.
Primary Sedimentation: It is carried out in rectangular or settleable tanks
and 30 to 35% of the suspended solids in them range between 3 and 4m
and detention times between 2 and 3 hours.
1.2 Secondary Treatments

The objective of this treatment is to remove the biological demand for soluble oxygen that
escapes a primary treatment.
Secondary treatment attempts to reproduce the natural phenomena of stabilization of
organic matter, which occurs in the receiving body.

The
The advantage is that in this process the phenomenon occurs more quickly to facilitate the
decomposition of organic contaminants in short periods of time.
Microorganisms convert biologically degradable organic matter into CO2 and H2O and new
cellular material. To carry out the above process, several mechanisms are used such as:
activated sludge, biodisk, lagooning, biological filter.
 1.2 Secondary Treatments
• Muds activated • Biodisc
It is a biological type treatment in which a mixture of wastewater and It requires much less space, is easy to operate and has lower
biological sludge is agitated and aerated. As the microorganisms grow, they energy consumption. It is formed by a plastic structure of special
agglutinate, forming activated sludge; These plus the wastewater flow to a design, arranged around a horizontal axis.
secondary sedimentation tank.

It is formed by a reactor, in which a filling material has The treatment can be carried out in large lagoons with long
been placed on the retention times (1/3 days) that makes them practically insensitive
which grows a film of microorganisms aerobics to load variations, but which require very extensive land .
slime-like
• Biological • Lagoon
Filter
1.3 Tertiary Treatments:

Its objective is to remove specific contaminants, usually toxic or non-biodegradable compounds,

or even the complementary removal of contaminants not sufficiently removed in the secondary
treatment.
Sand, anthracite gravel or a combination of them can be used as a filtration medium. Fine sand
filters are preferable when chemically formed flocs must be filtered and although their cycle is
shorter they can be cleaned with less water.
Adsorption with activated carbon is used to eliminate residual organic matter that has
undergone biological treatment.