WASTE WATER POLLUTION

What is water pollution?

• Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes,
rivers, oceans and groundwater), very often by human activities.

• Any change or modification in the physical, chemical and biological

properties of water that will have a detrimental consequence on living things is
water pollution.

• It occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into

water bodies without enough treatment to get rid of harmful compounds.

• Pollutants get into water mainly by human causes or factors.

• Water pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern

along with air pollution.
Sources of Water Pollution

The traditional aim of wastewater treatment is to enable

wastewater to be disposed safely, without being a danger to
public health and without polluting watercourses or causing
other nuisance.
There are various classifications of water pollution.
The two chief sources of water pollution can be seen as
1) Point source
2) Non-Point source
Sources of Water Pollution
Point source
Those sources which discharge water pollutants directly
into the water are known as point sources of water
pollution.
Oil wells situated near water bodies, factories, power
plants, underground coal mines, etc. are point sources of
water pollution.
Non-Point source
Those sources which do not have any specific location for
discharging pollutants, in the water body are known as
non-point sources of water pollution.
Run-offs from agricultural fields, lawns, gardens,
construction sites, roads and streets are some non-point
sources of water pollution.
 Sources of Water Pollution
Types of sewage: There are three types of wastewater, or sewage:

 Domestic Sewage- carries used water from houses and

apartments; it is also called sanitary sewage.

 Industrial Sewage- is used water from industrial processes.

 Storm Sewage- or storm water, is runoff from precipitation that

is collected in a system of pipes or open channels.

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 Types of water pollution
1. Nutrients Pollution
•Some wastewater, fertilizers and
sewage contain high levels of
nutrients.
•If they end up in water bodies,
they encourage algae and weed
growth in the water.
•This will make the water
undrinkable, and even clog filters.
•Too much algae will also use up
all the oxygen in the water, and
other water organisms in the
water will die out of oxygen
starvation.
Types of water pollution
2. Surface water pollution
•Surface water includes
natural water found on
the earth's surface, like
rivers, lakes, lagoons and
oceans.
•Hazardous substances
coming into contact with
this surface water,
dissolving or mixing
physically with the water
can be called surface
water pollution.
Types of water pollution
3. Oxygen Depleting
Water bodies have micro-organisms including aerobic and
anaerobic organisms.
 When to much biodegradable
matter end up in water, it
encourages more
microorganism growth, and they
use up more oxygen in the
water.
 If oxygen is depleted, aerobic
organisms die, and anaerobic
organism grow more to produce
harmful toxins such as
ammonia and sulfides.
 DO Model: Discharge and Mixing

• Initial DO deficit (D0) in combined flow is the saturation value

minus the actual DO.
Do not confuse DO with D 0

Qw (DOw )  Qr (DOr )
D0  DOsat 
Qw  Qr
 Oxygen Depletion in Rivers

√ Oxygen Depletion in Rivers

• River health is directly related to DO concentration profile.
• The critical level for DO is ~3 mg/L.
• No fish will survive if DO < 1 mg/L.
• Lower DO: floating sludge, odors and fungal growth
• Factors Affecting DO profile:

Sources Sinks
Atm. Reaeration Discharge (BOD) respiration

Photosynthesis Nitrification

Advection (confluence) Benthal O2 demand (sediments)

• Temperature also a factor (less DO at high T)

Types of water pollution

4. Ground water pollution

•When humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they
are washed deep into the ground by rain water.
•This gets to underground water, causing pollution
underground.
•This means when we dig wells and bore holes to get water
from underground, it needs to be checked for water
pollution.
6. Chemical Water Pollution
•Many industries and farmers work with chemicals that
end up in water.
•These include chemicals that are used to control
weeds, insects and pests.
•Metals and solvents from industries can pollute water
bodies.
•These are poisonous to many forms of aquatic life and
may slow their development, make them infertile and
kill them.
WATER POLLUTION: SOURCES.

The day to day activities of man is mainly water dependent and

therefore discharge ‘waste’ into water. Some of the substances
include body wastes (faeces and urine), food scraps, fat, laundry
powder, fabric conditioners, toilet paper, chemicals, detergent,
household cleaners, dirt, micro-organisms (germs) which can make
people ill and damage the environment.

Wastewater treatment is the process and technology that is used to

remove most of the contaminants that are found in wastewater to
ensure a sound environment and good public health. Wastewater
Management therefore means handling wastewater to protect the
environment to ensure public health, economic, social and political
soundness

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 WATER POLLUTION: SOURCES AND TREATMENT

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 Effects of Water Pollution
The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on what
chemicals are dumped, many water bodies near urban areas are
highly polluted. This is the result of both garbage dumped by
individuals and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally dumped
by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools and market
places.
1) Health Effects
 Consumption of polluted water is a major cause of ill
health in India.
 Polluted water causes some of the deadly diseases like
cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, tuberculosis, jaundice, etc.
 About 80 per cent of stomach diseases in India are caused
by polluted water.
Effect of Nutrients- Eutrophication
• Water supports aquatic life because of the presence of
nutrients in it.
• Excess fertilizers from agricultural fields may mix with surface
water and may get drained into water bodies (surface runoff).
• The enrichment of water with nutrients such as nitrates and
phosphates that triggers the growth of green algae is called
eutrophication.
• This fast growth of algae followed by decomposition depletes
the water body of its dissolved oxygen.
• As a result aquatic animals die of oxygen shortage.
Effect of Nutrients- Eutrophication
(Contd.)

Sewage and/or fertilizer run off from fields

↓
Enriched nutrient content in lakes (Eutrophication)
↓
Algae multiply to produce an ‘algal bloom’
↓
Algae use up oxygen and begin to die
↓
Decomposers (bacteria) multiply and use more oxygen
↓
Organisms (such as fish) die due to lack of oxygen
 Effect of Toxic Pollutants (Contd.)

• Toxic pollutants mainly consist of heavy metals, pesticides and

other individual xenobiotic pollutants.
• Some metals e.g., Mn, Zn and Cu present in trace quantity are
important for life as they help and regulate many physiological
functions of the body.
• Some metals, however, cause severe toxicological effects on
human health and the aquatic ecosystem.
 Effect of Toxic Pollutants (Contd.)
 Biomagnification
 Non-biodegradable pesticides, such as DDT are widely used
for crop protection.
 Once they enter the food chain, their concentration keeps on
increasing with each trophic level (steps of a food chain).
 As a result, accumulation of these compounds takes place in
the body of top consumers over a period of time.
 Entry of harmful non-biodegradable chemicals in small
concentrations and their accumulation in greater
concentrations in the various levels of food chain is called
biomagnification.
 Effect of Toxic Pollutants (Contd.)

• Water → Algae → Fish → Pelican bird (top consumer)

• DDT used in small quantities to kill mosquitoes can enter the food chain
and may get concentrated in large concentration due to its non-
biodegradable nature in the body of birds (top) consumer.
• This causes adverse effects, such as weak egg shells, resulting in decreased
population.

0.2 ppm 77 ppm 500-600 ppm 1700 ppm

DO Sag Curve and Aquatic Wildlife
 How Do Humans Affect Eutrophication

√ Result of eutrophication:

• Algae blooms
 Odor & taste problems
 Algal toxins (e.g., microcystin)
 DO consumed with algal decay
• Low dissolved oxygen may drive out fish
• Anaerobic conditions – odor (H2S), dissolution of heavy metals
pH drop due to fatty acids
 Control of water pollution
• Treating industrial effluents before discharging into rivers,
separate channels for river and sewage water
• Avoid contamination of rivers, lakes and ponds by washing
clothes, bathing. etc.
• Not throwing waste, food materials, paper, biodegradable
vegetables and plastic into open drains.
• Qualified and experienced people must be consulted from
time to time for effective control of water pollution.
• Public awareness must be initiated regarding adverse effects
of water pollution using the media.
• Laws, standards and practices should be established to
prevent water pollution and these laws should be modified
from time to time based on current requirements and
technological advancements.
Objectives of wastewater treatment

Reduction of biodegradable organic substances in the

environment: Organic substances such as carbon, nitrogen,
phosphorus, sulphur in organic matter needs to be broken down
by oxidation into gases which is either released or remains in
solution.
Reduction of nutrient concentration in the environment:
Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater in
the environment enrich water bodies or render it eutrophic
leading to the growth of algae and other aquatic plants.
These plants deplete oxygen in water bodies and this hampers
aquatic life.

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COMPOSITION OF WASTE-WATER

 Wastewater, also called sewage, is mostly water by mass (99.9%)

The contaminants in wastewater include suspended solids,
biodegradable dissolved organic compounds, inorganic solids,
nutrients, metals, and pathogenic microorganisms.
 The suspended solids in wastewater are primarily organic
particles, composed of : Body wastes, Food waste, Toilet paper.
Inorganic solids in wastewater include surface sediments and soil
as well as salts and metals.
 The removal of suspended solids is essential prior to discharge in
order to avoid settlement in the receiving watercourse. The
degree to which suspended solids must be removed from
wastewater depends on the type of receiving water into which
the effluent is discharged.
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 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Temperature: Under Indian condition the temperature of

the raw sewage was observed to be between 15 to 35
degree Temperature affects chemical reactions during the
wastewater treatment process. Oxygen solubility is less in
warm water than cold water.
 Color and Odor: Fresh domestic sewage has a slightly
soapy and cloudy appearance depending upon its
concentration. As time passes the sewage becomes stale,
darkening in color with a pronounced smell due to
microbial activity. Odor is produced by gas production due
to the decomposition of organic matter or by substances
added to the wastewater

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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Solids Though sewage contains only about 0.1 percent solids

the sewage solids may be classified into dissolved solids,
suspended solids and volatile suspended solids. Solids are
classified into three main types:
1.Total Solids (TS): All the matter that remains as residue
upon evaporation at
103oC to 105oC.
2.Settleable solids: That can be removed by primary
sedimentation.
3.Suspended solids (SS) and Filterable solids (FS) .
 CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Organic matter : 75% SS (Suspended Solids) are organic & 40% FS

(Filterable solids) are organic. Organic matter is derived from
animals & plants and man activities. Proteins (40-60%),
Carbohydrates (25-50%), Fats, Oils, and Grease (10%). 1.
 Nitrogen : The principal nitrogen compounds in domestic sewage
are proteins, amines, amino acids, and urea. Ammonia nitrogen in
sewage results from the bacterial decomposition of these organic
constituents. Nitrogen being an essential component of biological
protoplasm, its concentration is important for proper functioning
of biological treatment systems and disposal on land.
 Phosphorus : Phosphorus is contributing to domestic sewage
from food residues containing phosphorus and their breakdown
products. The concentration of PO4 in raw sewage is generally
observed in the range of 5 to 10 mg/L.
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 CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Chlorides: Concentration of chlorides in sewage is greater than

the normal chloride content of water supply.
 pH: Generally the pH of raw sewage is in the range 5.5 to 8.0. The
acidity or alkalinity of wastewater affects both treatment and the
environment. The pH of wastewater needs to remain between 6
and 9 to protect organisms. Acids and other substances that alter
pH can inactivate treatment processes when they enter
wastewater from industrial or commercial sources.
 Gases:-The following are the main gases of concern in wastewater
treatment:N2, O2, CO2, H2S, NH3, CH4

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 BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Bacteria:-Types: Spheroid, rod curved rod, spiral, filamentous. Some

important bacteria: Pseudomonas:-reduce NO3to N2, So it is very
important in biological nitrate removal in treatment works.
a) Sphaerotilus natuns: Causes sludge bulking in the aeration tanks.
b) Psedomonas-spp: Stores large amounts of phosphate under aerobic
conditions and release it under an – anaerobic condition so, they
are useful in phosphate removal.
c) Nitrosomonas: transform NH4into NO2, d)Nitrobacter: transform
NO2-to NO3,
e) Coliform bacteria:-The most common type is Echerichia coli,
(indicator for the presence of pathogens).

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 BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Fungi: Fungi are important in decomposing organic matter to simple

forms. Ex: Saprolegnia, Leptomitus, etc.
 Algae: Cause eutrophication phenomena. (negative effect), Useful in
oxidation ponds. (positive effect), Cause taste and problems when
decayed.
 Protozoa: Feed on bacteria so they help in the purification of treated
waste water. Some of them are pathogenic. Ex: Entamoeba
histolytica, Giradia, etc.
 Viruses: Viruses are a major hazard to public health. Some viruses can
live as long as 41 days in water and wastewater at 20o C. They cause
lots of dangerous diseases. Ex: Enterovirus, Adenovirus, Hepatitis A,
etc.

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 BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE

 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): The BOD of the sewage is

the amount of oxygen required for the biochemical
decomposition of biodegradable organic matter under aerobic
conditions. BOD5 is the oxygen equivalent of organic matter. It is
determined by measuring the dissolved oxygen used by
microorganisms during the biochemical oxidation of organic
matter in 5 days at 20 o C.
 Chemical Oxygen Demand: It gives the measure of the oxygen
required for chemical oxidation. It does not differentiate between
biological oxidizable and non oxidizable material. The chemical
oxidants such as potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) or potassium
permanganate(KMnO4) are used to measure the oxidisability of
the organic matter of water where the oxidants oxidize the
constitute.
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 Methods of Removal

The contaminants in wastewater are removed

by different unit processes:

 Physical (sedimetation, flotation, screening,

filtration)
 Biological (trickling filters, RBC, activated sludge)
 Chemical (chemical precipitation, ozonation,
chlorination)
FE SCIENCES
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF

Wastewater Treatment – Processes

Primary Secondary

Remove
nutrients and
pathogens

Tertiarary

34

Sludge treatment
www.umb.no
 TREATMENT STEPS

Primary- 1) Removal of insoluble particulate materials by settling,

2) screening, addition of alum and other coagulation
agents, and other physical procedures.

Secondary 1)Biological removal of dissolved organic matter

2)Trickling filters Activated sludge Lagoons
3) Extended aeration systems
4) Anaerobic digesters

Tertiary 1) Biological removal of inorganic nutrients

2) Chemical removal of inorganic nutrients Virus
removal/inactivation
3)Trace chemical removal

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NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Methods of Removal
Physical Unit Processes (mainly primary)
Treatment methods in which the application of physical forces predominates
are known as physical unit operations. Typical unit operations are:

Screening
Sedimentation
Floatation.

36 Salsnes
filter

www.umb.no
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Methods of Removal (Contd.)

Biological Unit Processes (mainly secondary)
The treatment method in which the removal of contaminants is brought
about by biological activity are known as biological unit process. Some
examples are:
– aerobic processes - presence of dissolved oxygen
• Biofilters
• Trickling filters
• Activated sludge

– anaerobic processes – absence of dissolved

oxygen
• Denitrification (tertiary)
• Septic tanks
37 • Ponds

www.umb.no
Typical steps in modern wastewater treatment
plant

38
 Preliminary Treatment:

 The aim of preliminary treatment processes is to remove large

and/or heavy debris which would otherwise interfere with
subsequent unit processes.
 Typically preliminary treatment includes screening and grit
removal steps. Screening: Screening is the first step of
treatment in a wastewater treatment works. The objective of
screens is to remove large floating debris, such as rags (~60%),
paper (~25%), and plastics (~5%). The materials that are
removed from the water by the screens are referred to as
screenings.

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 Preliminary Treatment:
 Grit Removal: The second step of preliminary treatment
immediately downstream of screening is normally grit removal.
Grit includes heavy inorganic particles such as sand, gravel, and
other heavy particulate matter (e.g. corn kernels, bone
fragments, coffee grounds).
 For design purposes grit is normally considered as fine sand,
with a diameter of 0.2 mm, specific gravity of 2.65 mm, and a
settling velocity of 20 mm/s.
 Grit removal is an important preliminary treatment process for
several reasons: To protect mechanical equipment and pumps
from abrasive wear, Prevent pipe clogging by deposition of grit,
Reduce accumulation of grit in settling tanks and digesters.


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 Primary Treatment: Septic tank
 Septic tank: A septic tank is a sewage settling tank designed to
retain the solids of the sewage entering the tank long enough to
permit adequate decomposition of the sludge. Thus the unit
accomplishes two processes: sedimentation and biological
degradation of sludge.
 Septic Tanks separate into one of three layers:
1)The Scum Layer consists of soaps, greases, toilet paper, and
other organic solid materials that float to the surface to
decompose and eventually join the liquid layer.
2)The Liquid Layer consists of fairly clear water, separating the
scum layer and the sludge, which flows through the opening in the
dividing wall and into the second compartment, also known as the
liquid side, for further filtration.
3)Sludge consists of heavy, inorganic, solid materials that sink to
the bottom of the tank, and continue to build-up until cleaning
06-02-2025 41
takes place.
Primary Treatment: Septic Tank

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 Primary Treatment: Imhoff tank
 Imhoff tank:
Named for german engineer
Karl Imhoff, is a chamber
suitable for the reception
and processing of sewage. It
may be used for the
clarification of sewage by
simple settling and
sedimentation along with
anaerobic digestion of the
extracted sludge.

06-02-2025 43
 Primary Treatment: Sedimentation
 Sedimentation: Wastewater contains impurities which in flowing water will
remain in suspension but in quiescent water will settle under the influence of
gravity. The sedimentation process, also called ‘settling’ or ‘clarification’,
 Most sedimentation tanks are divided into these separate zones:
1) Inlet Zone The inlet or influent zone should distribute flow uniformly across
the inlet to the tank.
2) Settling Zone The settling zone is the largest portion of the sedimentation
basin. This zone provides the calm area necessary for the suspended particles
to settle.
3) Sludge Zone The sludge zone, located at the bottom of the tank, provides a
storage area for the sludge before it is removed for additional treatment or
disposal.
4) Outlet Zone The basin outlet zone (or launder) should provide a smooth
transition from the sedimentation zone to the outlet from the tank.

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Primary Treatment: Sedimentation

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 Primary Treatment: Sedimentation
Forms of sedimentation used in the water industry are:
1. Tube and plate settlers;
This technology relies on the theory of reduced-depth sedimentation: particles
need only settle to the surface of the tube or plate below for removal from the
process flow. The typical angle of inclination is about 60 degrees, so that settled
solids slide down to the bottom of the basin

06-02-2025 46
 Primary Treatment: Sedimentation
2. Solids contact clarifiers, sludge blanket clarifiers, and contact
clarifiers;
They consist of a basin similar to that used for a conventional
clarifier, but with a sludge recycle system to promote
development of a dense sludge blanket that captures floc.

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Primary Treatment: Sedimentation with
Coagulation.
 COAGULATION - Coagulant chemicals with charges opposite
those of the suspended solids are added to the water to
neutralize the negative charges on non-settlable solids (such as
clay and color-producing organic substances).
 A high-energy, rapid-mix to properly disperse coagulant and
promote particle collisions is needed to achieve good
coagulation. Over-mixing does not affect coagulation, but
insufficient mixing will leave this step incomplete. Contact time
in the rapid-mix chamber is typically 1 to 3 minutes.
 FLOCCULATION Flocculation, a gentle mixing stage, increases
the particle size from submicroscopic microfloc to visible
suspended particles. Microfloc particles collide, causing them
to bond to produce larger,
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Primary Treatment: Sedimentation with
Coagulation.
Jar testing.
It mimics full-scale operation, system operators can use jar
testing to help determine which treatment chemical will work
best with their system’s raw water. Jar testing entails adjusting
the amount of treatment chemicals and the sequence in which
they are added to samples of raw water held in jars or beakers.

The sample is then stirred so that the formation, development,

and settlement of floc can be watched just as it would be in the
full scale treatment plant.

The operator then performs a series of tests to compare the

effects of different amounts of flocculation agents at different ph
values
06-02-2025 to determine the right size floc for a particular plant. 49
 CONCEPT OF WASTE WATER ‐ DOMESTIC TREATMENT

Jar Testing

Frequency of Jar Testing Jar testing should be done seasonally

(temperature), monthly, weekly, daily, or whenever a chemical is
being changed, or new pumps, rapid mix motors, new floc
motors, or new chemical feeders are installed. There is no set
requirement for how often jar testing should be conducted, but
the more it’s done the better the plant will operate.
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 Secondary treatment:
 Effluent from primary treatment usually undergoes aerobic
biological treatments such as stabilization ponds, activated
sludge, aerated lagoons, etc.
 The aim of biological treatment is to transfer dissolved organic
soluble form into suspended matter in the form of cell
biomass, which can then be subsequently removed by
particle-separation processes (e.g. sedimentation). The most
effective biological processes for removing dissolved organic
matter.
 Typically oxygen must be added to the wastewater to support
the aerobic process, either through bubbling air into the
water or through mixing.

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Secondary treatment:
 Primary treatment reduces the suspended solids and the BOD of the
wastewater.
 From the primary treatment tanks water is pumped to the trickling
filter for secondary treatment.
 Secondary treatment will further reduce the suspended solids and
BOD of the wastewater.
 Secondary treatment is a biological process
 Utilizes bacteria and algae to metabolize organic matter in the
wastewater
 In Cape Girardeau secondary treatment occurs on the trickling filter

52
Secondary treatment: trickling filter
 Trickling Filters
The key components of a trickling filter
1. A dosing system for applying the wastewater
2. A bed of randomly packed solid media
3. An under drainage system for collection of the treated effluent
4. A ventilation system for supplying oxygen to the filter
5. A system for separating the detached biofilm (also called humus) from the
treated effluent

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 Secondary treatment: trickling filter
 the trickling filter does not
“filter” the water
 water runs over a plastic media
and organisms clinging to the
media remove organic matter from
the water
Modern trickling filters use synthetic media
which are specially designed to have large
surface area and porosity and typically made
of plastic. Traditional media include crushed
stone, typically with 25-100 mm diameter and
a maximum 2 m bed depth

54
 Secondary treatment: trickling filter

From secondary treatment on

the trickling filter water flows to
the final clarifiers for further
removal of sludge.
The final clarifiers are another
set of primary sedimentation
tanks.
From the final clarifiers the water
is discharged back to the river. The final clarifiers remove
additional sludge and
further reduce suspended
solids and BOD.
55
Secondary treatment: trickling filter
 The advantages of trickling filters are:
 Generally able to meet a 20:30 effluent standard, with
nitrification at lower rates
 No / low power requirements
 Relatively simple operation
 Quiet and does not foam.
 Quicker recovery to changes in influent BOD and flow
(compared to activated sludge).
 Easier secondary clarifier design due to good settling of
humus.
The disadvantages of trickling filters include:
 Higher space requirements than activated sludge
 Possible fly and odor problems
 Possibly clogging problems.
56
 Secondary treatment: Rotating Biological
Contactors

Rotating biological contactors (RBCs), consisting of a series of

closely packed plastic discs of a shaft, rotating and partially
submerged in wastewater. RBCs use the same principles as a
trickling filter except now the media rotates and the wastewater is
stationary.

57
 Secondary treatment: Rotating Biological
Contactors

 The rotation of the discs also removes excess solids by shearing

and maintains the sloughed material in suspension for removal
in a downstream clarifier.
 RBCs are a more intensified process than trickling filters, with
higher concentrations of organisms in the biofilm.
 RBCs can easily achieve a 20:30 effluent, with typically greater
than 90% removal of BOD. It should also be remarked that a
fully submerged operation is possible in the case of anaerobic
operation.
 The discs are made of wood, metal or plastic. They are typically
up to 4 m in diameter and rotate on a shaft up to 7 m long at a
rotational speed of 1-2 rotations per minute, with 40% of the
discs immersed in wastewater
58
 Secondary treatment: Rotating Biological
Contactors

The advantages of RBCs include:

 Compact size (small land requirement compared to equivalent
treatment by trickling filters)
 Ease of operation
 Low power consumption relative to activated sludge (no need
for aeration)
 Usually no need to recycle the sludge.
The disadvantages of RBCs include:
 Must protect from weather (heat, cold, intense sunlight)
 High capital cost
 Potential for mechanical failures.

59
Secondary treatment: stabilization pond
A stabilization pond or "oxidation pond" as it is often called, is
usually a shallow earthen basin of controlled shape, which is
designed for treating wastewaters from small communities or
industrial plants.

60
 Secondary treatment: stabilization pond
The ponds are usually 2 to 4 feet deep,
although much deeper ponds have been used
quite successfully. Stabilization ponds have
been applied singly as part of a treatment
scheme or as the sole process, providing
complete treatment.

The stabilization ponds

are classified as
1. Anaerobic ponds
2. Facultative ponds
3. Maturation ponds

61
 Secondary treatment: stabilization pond
Advantages Disadvantages.
 High reduction in (50-60%)BOD  Requires expert design and
and pathogens. supervision.
 Can be built and repaired with  Variable capital cost
locally available materials. depending on the price of
 Construction can provide short- land.
term  Requires large land area.
 No electrical energy required.  Effluent/sludge require
 No real problems with flies or secondary treatment
odours -Simplicity in design and  Sludge accumulation will be
construction -Low production of higher in cold climates due
biological sludge to reduced microbial activity
 Low capital, operation and -Mosquitoes and other
maintenance cost insects can breed if
vegetation is not controlled -
Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
Activated Sludge System An aerobic activated sludge system
involves the horizontal flow of materials with recycling of
sludge—the active biomass that is formed when organic
matter is oxidized and degraded by microorganisms.
Activated sludge systems can be designed with variations in
mixing.
 A low rate system (low nutrient input per unit of microbial
biomass), with slower growing microorganisms, will produce
an effluent with low residual levels of dissolved organic
matter.
 A high-rate system (high nutrient input per unit of microbial
biomass), with faster growing microorganisms, will remove
more dissolved organic carbon per unit time but produce a
poorer quality effluent
63
 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
The combination of waste water and biological mass is commonly
known as mixed liquor. In all activated sludge plants, once the
waste water has received sufficient treatment, excess mixed liquor
is discharged into settling tanks and the treated supernatant is run
off to undergo further treatment before discharge.

The activated sludge process

involves
 Aerobic digestion
 Anaerobic digestion

Activated sludge process 64

 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
1) Aeration tank
Monitoring of the following process control parameters is
required to optimize the treatment process:
1. MLSS/MLVSS
2. residual DO
3. pH and total alkalinity
4. Specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR)

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
1) MLSS/MLVSS
 MLSS concentration is a measure of the total concentration of
solids in the aeration tank.
 Typical MLSS concentrations for conventional plants range from
2,000 to 4,000 mg/L.
 MLVSS is an indirect measure of the concentration of
microorganisms in the aeration tank and should be between 70
and 80 percent of the MLSS.
2) Residual Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
 Microorganisms in the aeration tank require oxygen to oxidize
organic waste.
 A DO concentration between 2 to 4 mg/L is usually adequate to
achieve a good quality effluent.

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
3) pH and Total Alkalinity
 In general, the optimum pH level for bacterial growth ranges
between 6.5 and 7.5.
 Low pH values may inhibit the growth of nitrifying organisms
and encourage the growth of filamentous organisms.
 The optimum pH range for nitrification is 7.8 to 8.2
4) Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR)
 SOUR is a measure of the quantity of oxygen consumed by
the bugs and is a relative measure of the rate of biological
activity.
 As microorganisms become more active, the SOUR increases
and vice versa. SOUR is measured in mg O2/g MLVSS-hr.
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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.

5. Color
 If there is white, crisp foam present on the surface of the
aeration tank, decrease the sludge wasting rate as needed.
 A thick, dark brown or gray, greasy foam indicates the
presence of a slow-growing filamentous organism, usually
of the Nocardia genus.

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
Key Process Control Parameters in ASP
 Mean Cell Resident Time (MCRT)
 Food-to-Microorganism (F/M) ratio
 Sludge Volume Index (SVI)
 Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR)
 Sludge (Solids)Wasting

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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
1) Mean Cell Resident Time (MCRT)
 It is an average measure of how long the bugs remain in
contact with the substrate (food source) and is also known as
solids retention time (SRT).
 Used to control the mass of MLVSS in the aeration tank.
 The desired MCRT is achieved by adjusting the sludge wasting
and return rates.
 MCRTs ranging from 3 to 15 days are typical for conventional
activated sludge plants.
 MCRTs less than 3 days will produce a sludge that is young and
slow settling and produce a turbid effluent.

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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
Mean Cell Resident Time (MCRT)
MCRT, days = SS in aeration system, lbs
SS lost from the aeration system, lbs/day

OR
MCRT, days = SS in aeration tank, lbs
SS in the effluent, lbs/day + solids wasted, lbs/day

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.
2. Food-to-Microorganism (F/M) ratio
 It is a measure of the mass of food available in the primary
effluent per unit mass of MLVSS per unit time and has units
of lb BOD or COD/lb MLVSS-day.
Food-to-Microorganism (F/M) ratio is calculated as follows:
F/M = Influent BOD (or COD) lbs/day
MLVSS in aeration, lbs/day

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.
2. Food-to-Microorganism (F/M) ratio
 The MLVSS represents the concentration of organisms in the
aeration tank.
 COD is often used instead of BOD because test results are
available four hours after sample collection instead of five
days for BOD test results.
 The F/M ratio can be used to control the concentration of
MLVSS in the aeration tank.
 To maintain a MLVSS concentration, the sludge wasting rate
will need to be adjusted.

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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.

3) Sludge Volume Index (SVI)

 It is the volume in mL occupied by one gram of MLSS after 30
minutes of settling in a 1,000 mL graduated cylinder and has
units of mL/g.
 The SVI is a measure of the settleability of the activated sludge
in a secondary or final clarifier.
 Lower values of the SVI indicate better sludge settleability.
 The preferable range for the SVI is 50 to 150 mL/g.
 SVI, mL/g = % settleable solids x 10,000
MLSS (mg/L)

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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.

4)Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR)

 SOUR is a measure of the quantity of oxygen consumed by
microorganisms and is a relative measure of the rate of
biological activity.
 As microorganisms become more active, the SOUR increases and
vice versa.
 SOUR is determined by taking a sample of mixed liquor,
saturating it with oxygen, and measuring the decrease in oxygen
with a DO probe with time.
 The results of that test, Oxygen Uptake Rate (OUR), measured in
mg O2/L-min, is divided by the MLVSS to yield the SOUR,
measured in mg O2/g MLVSS-hr.
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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.

5.Sludge (Solids)Wasting
 Solids in waste activated sludge (WAS) come from two sources.
1) The primary source of WAS is from the growth of new
bacterial cells in the aeration tank.
2) The second source is from organic and inorganic solids in the
raw wastewater that pass through the primary clarifiers.
 Sludge is wasted to maintain the desired mass of microorganisms
in the aeration tank. It’s typically wasted when the actual MCRT
is higher than the target value.

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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge Process.

5.Sludge (Solids)Wasting
 Typical secondary clarifiers thicken the activated sludge to three
to four times the concentration in the aeration tank.
 WAS (and return activated sludge, RAS) MLSS concentrations may
range from 2,000 to 10,000 mg/l (0.2 to 1.0 percent).
 Waste sludge on a continuous basis, changing the WAS rate as
needed by no more than 10 to 15 percent from one day to the
next.
 Two means of wasting sludge are through the primary clarifier or
through a solids thickener.
 WAS is typically wasted from the return activated sludge (RAS)
line to either the primary clarifier or a solids thickener to reduce
the water content prior to anaerobic digestion, as shown in the
next slide.
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 Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.

B) Secondary clarifier
 Monitor the thickness of the sludge blanket to avoid wash-
out of solids from the clarifier.
 The sludge blanket level must be determined by experience
and must provide adequate settling depth and sludge
storage.
 Typically, secondary clarifiers allow for 2-3 ft of depth for
thickening, 3 ft for a buffer zone between the thickened
sludge and the clarification zone, and 8 ft for clarification

78
Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
B) Secondary clarifier
 Monitor the thickness of the sludge blanket to avoid wash-
out of solids from the clarifier.
 The sludge blanket level must be determined by experience
and must provide adequate settling depth and sludge
storage.
 Typically, secondary clarifiers allow for 2-3 ft of depth for
thickening, 3 ft for a buffer zone between the thickened
sludge and the clarification zone, and 8 ft for clarification.

79
Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
B) Secondary clarifier
 floating solids on clarifier surface are an indication of a
problem called “rising sludge.”
 Rising sludge occurs when the DO concentration in the
secondary clarifier drops resulting in an anoxic, or oxygen
deficient, condition.
 Under anoxic conditions, nitrifying bacteria convert nitrate to
nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas bubbles adhere to floc particles,
causing them to rise to the surface.

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Secondary treatment: Activated Sludge
Process.
Ultrasonic Automated Sludge
Blanket Monitor

Manual Sludge Judge

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 Secondary treatment: Anaerobic sludge
digestion
 Anaerobic sludge digestion: The purpose of the anaerobic process
is to convert sludge to end products of liquid and gases while
producing as little biomass as possible. The process is much more
economical than aerobic digestion.
 The anaerobic process is made up of two basic types of bacteria.
The acid formers and the methane formers.
 The acid formers are facultative and anaerobic bacteria and
include organisms that solubilize organic solids through
hydrolysis.
 Soluble products are then fermented to acids and alcohols of low
molecular weight. The methane formers are strict anaerobics that
convert acids and alcohol along with hydrogen and carbon
dioxide to methane.
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 Secondary treatment: Anaerobic sludge
digestion
Anaerobic digestion is accomplished in
following four stages:
1. Hydrolysis: large polymers are
broken down by enzymes.
2. Fermentation: Acidogenic
fermentations are most important,
acetate is the main end product.
Volatile fatty acids are also produced
along with carbon dioxide and
hydrogen.
3. Acetogenesis: Breakdown of volatile
acids to acetate and hydrogen.
4. Methanogenesis: Acetate,
formaldehyde, hydrogen and carbon
dioxide are converted to methane
and water

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 Disposal of Sludge or Bio solids

The residue that accumulates in sewage treatment plants is

called sludge (or biosolids).
 in the past, the disposal of the sludge done by landfill or
incineration
 landfill disposal discontinued to the threat of leachate
incineration discontinued because of the ineffectiveness and cost
 Disposal of Sludge or Bio solids

Disposal of Sludge or Biosolids

Treatment and disposal of sewage sludge are major factors in

the design and operation of all wastewater treatment plants.
Two basic goals of treating sludge before final disposal are to
reduce its volume and to stabilize the organic materials.
Stabilized sludge does not have an offensive odour and can
be handled without causing a nuisance or health hazard.
Smaller sludge volume reduces the costs of pumping and
storage.
Wastewater Treatment Thickening of sludge
Wastewater Treatment Drying beds of sludge

87
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, P.D. Jenssen

Methods of Removal (Contd.)

Chemical Unit Process (tertiary)
Treatment methods in which the removal or conversion of contaminants
is brought about by the addition of chemicals or by chemical reactions
are known as chemical unit processes. Some of the most common are:
– Precipitation (lime, Fe- of Al salts, Struvite
formation)
– Adsorption
– Disinfection

88

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NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Methods of Removal (Contd.)

Chemical Unit Process (tertiary)
Treatment methods in which the removal or conversion of contaminants
is brought about by the addition of chemicals or by chemical reactions
are known as chemical unit processes. Some of the most common are:
– Precipitation
– Adsorption
– Disinfection (chlorination, UV-light, Ozone)

89

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 Membrane Filter Technology (tertiary)

90

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NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Membrane Filter Technology

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 Membrane Filter Technology
Ultra Filtration:
The membranes used, polymeric or mineral, allow
dissolved salts to pass while they reject high molecular
weights selectively.
a. Selectively filters only
molecules of a
specified size and
weight.
b. Removes e.g. various
viruses.
c. Used for sterilization,
clarification,
wastewater
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treatment.
d. Membrane size 1 _ –
0.01 µm. is used www.umb.no
 Membrane Filter Technology
Nano Filtration:
 The Nano filtration technique is mainly used for the removal of
two valued ions and the larger mono valued ions such as heavy
metals.
 This technique can be seen as a coarse RO (reversed osmosis)
membrane. Because Nano filtration uses less fine membranes,
the feed pressure of the NF system is generally lower compared
to RO systems.
 Also the fouling rate is lower compared to Ro systems.

93

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 Membrane Filter Technology
Removal of Dissolved Solids: The dissolved solids are of both
organic and inorganic types. A number of methods have been
investigated for the removal of inorganic constituents from waste
water.
Ion exchange:
Alternatively synthetic ion-exchange resins composed of organic
polymer with attached functional groups such as (strongly acidic
cation exchange resins), or – COO – 3 -SO H+~ H+ (weakly acidic
cation exchange resins or -N + (CH3)3OH~ (strongly basic anion
exchange resins) can be used.
In the water softening process, the hardness producing elements
such as calcium and magnesium are replaced by sodium ions. A
94cation exchange resin in sodium form is normally used.

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 Membrane Filter Technology
Reverse osmosis:
 In the reverse osmosis process, de-mineralization water is
produced by forcing water through semi permeable
membranes at high pressure.

95

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 Membrane Filter Technology
Reverse osmosis:
 The application of reverse osmosis for wastewater treatment is
significantly different from general process water purification.
 This is primarily due to the fact that wastewater generally
contains higher levels and a more diverse range of
contaminants.
 The most important factor in treating industrial wastewater
with RO is the against organic fouling, mineral scaling and
chemical degradation.
 Reverse Osmosis process generates high TDS waste stream
reject. Approximately 25-40% of waste reject with high TDS
concentration will be generated from feed water. This waste
96 needs to be evaporated in forced evaporation systems to

concentrate and remove the in organic impurities from it.

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 Membrane Filter Technology
Thermal Evaporation:
 Evaporation can take the form of vacuum distillation,
atmospheric evaporation, and thermal evaporation.
 Vacuum distillation is accomplished by drawing a vacuum on a
chamber and evaporating water at reduced temperatures.
 Atmospheric evaporation involves spraying the wastewater
across a high surface area medium and blowing large volumes of
air across the medium.
 This type of evaporation is characterized by moderate energy
cost, moderate capital cost, high manpower requirements due to
the tendency for fouling and reduced throughputs caused by
changes in atmospheric conditions.
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 Membrane Filter Technology
Thermal Evaporation:

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 Difference between MBR vs
MBBR
MBR MBBR

BR systems use ultrafiltration or MBBR reactors use a moving bed of

microfiltration membranes to separate support material to grow microorganisms.
solids and liquids,
MBR systems can remove smaller MBBR systems can remove than MBBR
particles than MBBR reactors reactors

MBR systems require higher power MBBR systems require lower power
consumption for operation. consumption for operation than MBR.
MBR systems more expensive to operate MBR systems Less expensive to operate
and maintain is that the membranes and maintain.
require regular maintenance to ensure
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their performance.
MBR systems are suitable for high load MBBR reactors may be less effective in
applications. high load applications.
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 Difference between SBR vs MBBR

MBR SBR

MBR water treatment plant uses the sequencing batch reactor plant uses the
membrane bioreactor for Wastewater activated sludge to treat the wastewater.
Treatment Plant Design that is the
combination of the biological waste-
water process and membrane process.
MBR requires less space than SBR SBR requires large space than MBR

MBR systems require higher power SBR has lower power as compared to the
consumption for operation. MBR water treatment plant.
MBR is continuous Process. SBR is batch process.
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MBR requires less sludge retention time SBR requires High retention time than
than SBR MBR
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The Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) process is a combination of activates sludge
process and membrane separation process. Low pressure membrane membranes (
Ultrafiltration, microfiltration) are commonly used. Membranes can be
submerged in the biological reactor or located in a separate stage or compartment
and are used for liquid-solid separation tank and disinfection facilities are not
process. Pre treatment, screened influent enters membrane bioreactor, where
biodegradation take place. The mixed liquor is withdrawn by water head
difference or suction pump through membrane modules in a reaction tank, being
filtered and separated into bio solids and liquid. Surface of membrane are
continuously washed down during operation by the mixed flow of air and liquid
generated by air diffusers installed at the bottom of the reaction tank.
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NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Removal efficiency %

Parameter Primary Secondary Tertiary

SS 50 - 80 80 - 90 >90

BOD 20 - 40 70 - 90 >90

P <10 30 >90

N <10 30 70

E. Coli 1 log 2 -3 log 3 - 5 (7)* logs

*with disinfection
102

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