Sewage Treatment Plant

An Overview

Introduction:
In addition to possessing the typical characteristics of domestic sewage, effluent from hospitals
also contain chemicals (pharmaceuticals and other chemicals from x-ray processing, ultrasound,
laboratories etc.) and microbial agents in the form of contaminants (see below) in addition to
possessing the domestic sewage characteristics

Chemicals: antibiotics, cytostatic agents, anesthetics, disinfectants, platinum, mercury,

rare earth elements, iodinated contrast media, estrogens; Propagules: antibiotic-resistant
propagules

The common methods of wastewater treatment are:

Activated Sludge Process(ASP)

Membrane Bio Reactor(MBR) System
Fluidized Media Reactor (FMR)
Submerged Fixed Film Process(SAFF)
Decentralized Water Treatment System(DEWATS)
Reed Bed Sewage Treatment System

Activated sludge process

This is the most widely used, suspended growth process where the micro-organisms
metabolize the organic contaminants
Most of the plants either use ASP exclusively or in conjunction with other methods or an
evolved form of this process
It is an aerobic process where air is pumped through the sludge, activating the microbes
which digest the pollutants
It has the following stages:
o Primary treatment raw sewage is screened to remove large debris
o Secondary treatment Air is pumped using diffusers to activate the microbes to
consume the pollutants to form sludge (biomass) Sludge is dewatered and used
as manure + water is pumped to a clarifier(clear water tank)
o Tertiary treatment Clarified water filtered in pressure sand and activated sand
filters to remove suspended impurities along with substantial reduction in BOD

and COD Final disinfection using chlorination, ozonation or UV treatment

water depending upon the standard of outflow needed
Most of the plants in India are ASP very susceptible to input fluctuations(frequent in India)
resulting in problems in operation

MBR system

Superior system very compact

Treatment Train:
Screening > Grit Removal > Fine Screening > Flow Equalization > Membrane Bioreactor

Biological decomposition + Membrane separation of sludge

Drawbacks:
o requires skilled operators
o very high automation required
o the cost of membrane and operation are expensive
o Membrane clogging if not screened properly (upto 2mm)
o Bio-fouling and trasmembrane fluxes

DEWATS

Developed for the need of developing economies

Anaerobic + Aerobic treatment system
Low-cost system + minimal operator intervention
No mechanical equipment required entirely gravity-based
Methane can be extracted for cooking or other purposes
Requires tertiary plant for re-usable water

Reed Bed

Entirely eco-friendly
Sewage left into a water body with aquatic plants which naturally introduce oxygen into
the water thereby digesting the pollutants
Space-intensive

Capacity Calculation:

Number of
consumers

Unit consumption
(liters per capita)

Total
discharge

Beds in hospital
Medical College
Hostel

750
600
600

500
50
150

375000
30000
90000

Quarters
Employees
Visitor/Outpatients
Kitchen/Canteen

255
250
1000
2000

Item

Capacity of STP:

Approx. 700-900 KLD

Average Run-time:

20-22 hours

150
50
50
20
Total Discharge:

153000
12500
0
40000
700500
700

Remarks
Includes operations, OP wards, staff
and visitors
Total Number of students = 1200
Assumed 50% strength as
residential
Avg. persons per house = 4
Included in Item No. 1
Assumed to serve 2000 meals a day
Litres per day
Kilo Liters per Day (KLD)

Typical Process:

Stages in an STP:
Bar screen chamber
Coarse bar screens to prevent entry of debris
Components: epoxy-coated bar screen(2 in Nos. in each chamber), retention
tank/chamber to allow passage of 2.5-3 times the avg. flow rate @ 1m/s
o Grit/grease trap
To separate grease/oil/fatty substances
Components: baffles, long tank/chamber
Retention time: 5-20 mins at peak flow
o Equalization Tank
First collection tank in the process
o

Collects the inflow at fluctuating rates over a period of time and homogenizes a batch
of sewage to treatment
This reduces the load on the STP
Components: Tank, pumps to carry water to the aeration tank, aircompressor(common/attached)
Capacity: to hold 4-6 hrs of average hourly flow in the peak hours
Diffusers (Air volume per hour required): 1.2-1.5 x volume of tank or 2.5-3.0
Cum/Sqm
Raw sewage lift pumps
2 Nos.
Capacity: delivers sewage at a rate slightly higher than actual flow rate of STP
Aeration tank
Function: to maintain high population of microbes mixture is called MLSS(Mixed
Liquor Suspended Solids)
Components: tank, inlet/outlet and recirculation pipes, air-compressor, internal baffles
Air: 50-60 cum/hr for every kg of BOD
Secondary Clarifier/Settling tank
Purpose: to thicken the sludge an produce clear supernatant water
Components: Inverted-funnel tank, center-feed well/influent well, launders, pumps
2 x Direct-suction electric pump to remove sludge settled a the bottom every 30
mins(using timer circuit)
Mechanized Clarifier tank
Mechanically enabled for large projects
Components: circular tank, motors to run squeegees, sludge transfer, pumps to deliver
sludge and water
Sludge recirculator
Activated sludge biological treatment system = Aeration tank + Settling tank + sludge
recirculation system
Optimum desired age of microbes = 25-30 days. This is maintained using this system
Components: 2 x Pumps, valves and pipes
Clarified water sump
Buffer tank between secondary and tertiary treatment stages - Handles overflows
from the clarifier
Non-potable water in a well-run STP, water from here can be directly pumped to be
used for irrigation/gardening reducing the load on tertiary treatment system
Minimum retention: 30 mins
Tank to be aerated to keep the microbes alive
Should hold enough water to backflush the filters fully
Filter Feed Pumps
Purpose: take water from the clarified water sump and pass it through pressure sand
and activated carbon filters installed in series
Capacity based on hours of operation of the filters and in conjunction with the
capacity of the intermediate clarifier sump

Discharge head of the filters: 1.5 2.0 kg/cm2 to overcome the pressure differential
across the filters
One pump on standby like others
Open impeller type or non-clog, solid-handling (NC-SH) type of pump selected for
raw sewage lifting
o Disinfection of Treated Water
Most common methods
1. Chlorination
2. Ozonation
3. UV radiation
Sodium Hypochlorite(Hypo) available in 10-12% strength commercially used for
chlorination
Contact period: 20-30 mins
Components: tank, electronically-metered dosage pump
o Excess Sludge Handling
Excess biomass is bled out to be treated
Five step process:
1. Sludge removal through sludge recirculation pipeline
2. Storage stored under aeration
3. Conditioning mixed with polymers and chemicals to condition it
4. Dewatering in a filter press/sludge-bag/centrifuge
5. Disposal
o Miscellaneous Equipment
Electric Generator-sets on stand-by
Trained operators and thorough supervision
Civil Structures
Comprehensive ventilation system
Laboratory
Valves, Meters and monitors

Calculations for an STP:

Avg. sewage generated = 800 KLD (Say)

Capacity of collection sump = 90 Cum
Area of the sump = 30 40 Sq.m
Size of bar screen required = 4 Sq.m area with 1700mm width
Volume of aeration tank = 260 Cum
Area occupied by the tank = 72 Sq.m
Hydraulic retention time = 10 hrs
Sludge generated per day = 150 200 kg/day
Time taken to dry the bed = 7 days
No. of sludge drying beds required = 5

Area for sludge drying beds = 35 Sq.m

No. of pumps (25HP min.) = 2
No. of diffusers = 100 min.
No. of Pumps (5HP min.) = 4

Cost Estimate(approx.):
Cost in Rs.
(Approx.)

Cost Head
Civil and construction work
Including works in RCC-M25, tanks, material, labor, etc.

40-45 Lakhs

Plumbing, pipes, fittings etc.

4-5 Lakhs

Electrical, panels, cable, etc.

2-4 Lakhs

Mechanical items
Including pumps, diffusers, scrappers, filters, etc.
Total Cost: (Approx.)

20-25 Lakhs

66 - 79 Lakhs

DEWATS Decentralized Water Treatment System

Components of Cost
o Human resource cost = 42%
o Cement, bricks, sand, gravel = 38%
o Steel = 8%
o Pipes, fittings, planks, poles = 10%
o Others = 2%
Area requirement and cost heads

Component

Area requirement
in Sq.m

Capacity of the
Component in Cum

Approx. cost of the component

Settler

350 - 500

700 -

1000

Rs. 25,00,000 - Rs. 35,00,000

Reactor

700 - 900

1050 -

1500

Rs. 8,00,000 - Rs. 15,00,000

Planted filter

3500 - 5000

1400 -

2000

Rs. 60,00,000 - Rs. 80,00,000

Storage sump

0 - 0

350 -

500

Rs. 25,00,000 - Rs. 30,00,000

650 - 850

308 -

440

Polishing
Pond
Misc

Total :

0 - 0

5200 - 7300

0 -

Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 15,00,000

Rs. 12,00,000 - Rs. 18,00,000

1,40,00,000 - Rs.2,20,00,000