CHAPTER 4 (Wastewater Treatment)

Part A: Characteristics and System

Part B: Primary and Secondary Treatments
Part C: Advanced Wastewater Treatment & Sludge Management
 CHAPTER 4A
Wastewater Treatment:
Characteristics and
Systems
 Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning session students should be able to:

1. Understand what causes water pollution
2. Recognize the sources of wastewater
3. State the characteristics of wastewater
4. Appreciate the importance of w/w treatment
5. Apply systems used to treat the wastewater
 What Is Water Pollution?
Water pollution is any chemical, physical or
biological change in the quality of water that has a
harmful effect on any living thing that drinks or uses
or lives (in) it.

When humans drink polluted water it often has

serious effects on their health.

Water pollution can also make water unsuited for the

desired use.
 The Sources of Pollution

Water pollution occurs when a body of

water is adversely (badly) affected due
to the addition of large amounts of
materials to the water.

When it is unfit for its intended use,

water is considered polluted.
 Sources of Water Pollution

Domestic and Industrial Sewage

Decomposable organic matter and pathogenic agents

Industrial and trade wastes

Toxic agents ranging from metal salts to complex synthetic organic
chemicals

Agricultural pollutants
Fertilizers and pesticides

Physical pollutants
Thermal pollution and radioactive substances
A heavily polluted stream in Guiyu, China. Along side domestic
rubbish the water is badly polluted with toxic waste from the e-
waste recycling yards in the town.
Example of water pollution
Citarum River (West Java) Most
polluted river in the world
Polluted River in India
Kyoto River
 Clean River and
Drainage Channels in
Kyoto (Aug 2004)
Cheonggyecheon River
Murky Klang River in KL
River in KL, Malaysia
 What is Wastewater?
Wastewater is any water that
has been adversely affected
in quality by anthropogenic
influence.
Comprises liquid waste
discharged by domestic
residences, commercial
properties, industry, and/or
agriculture (encompass a wide
range of potential contaminants
and concentrations).

Municipal wastewater contains a

broad spectrum of contaminants
resulting from the mixing of
wastewaters from different
sources.
 Wastewater Contaminants
Suspended solids
Cause sludge deposits and anaerobic
conditions in the environment
Biodegradable organics
Cause anaerobic conditions in the environment
Pathogens
Transmit disease
Nutrients
Can cause eutrophication
Heavy metals
Toxicity to biota and humans
Refractory organics (non biodegradable)
Toxicity to biota and humans
Dissolved solids
Interfere with water reuse
 Characteristics of Wastewater
1 Physical
The physical characteristics of waste water include its solid
content:
1. Suspended organic matter
2. Floating matter
3. Dissolved matter
4. Temperature
5. Color
6. Odor/smell
7. Density
8. Conductivity
9. Specific gravity
10. Transmittance
11. Specific weight
 Characteristics of Wastewater

2 Chemical
Inorganic substances (from domestic and industrial sources),
Toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Zn, etc).
Organic substances (carbohydrates, lignin, fats, soaps,
synthetic detergents, proteins and their decomposition products)
as well as various natural and synthetic organic chemicals
from the process industries.
Number of chemicals found in wastewater is limitless.
Measure of wastewater strength is often based on COD and
BOD contents.
 Characteristics of Wastewater

3 Biological
Pathogenic bacteria will be present in wastewater
at much lower levels than the coliform group of
bacteria, which are much easier to identify and
enumerate (as total coliforms/100mL).
E. coli are the most widely adopted indicator of
faecal pollution and they can also be isolated and
identified fairly simply, with their numbers usually
being given in the form of faecal coliforms (FC)/100
mL of wastewater.
Characteristics of Domestic Wastewater
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems

Pretreatment
To remove materials that can cause operational
problems.
Flow equalization facility also usually provided
(optional)

Primary treatment
Remove ~ 60% of solids and ~35% of BOD

Secondary treatment
Remove ~ 85% of BOD and solids

Advanced treatment
Varies: 95+ % of BOD and solids, N, P
Pretreatment of Industrial Wastewaters

Industrial wastewaters must be pretreated

prior it is being discharged to municipal sewer
system.
To remove materials that will not be treated
by municipal system.
Local authority must monitor and regulate
industrial discharges.
Pretreatment requirements set by the law.
 Primary
PrimaryTreatment
Treatment EQUILIZATION

Secondary
Treatment
Sewage Tunnels
in Developed
Countries
Treatment Plant
Screens
1 Coarse screens
Function to remove
large objects such
as pieces of wood,
plastic bottles, rags,
textile etc
Size of opening up to
75-100 mm
Cleaned either
manually or
mechanically
Screens
2 Fine Screens
To remove fine
contaminants (e.g.
debris, plastics) that are
not hang on coarse rack
screen.
Opening size small up to
only 13 mm.
Most fine screens are
mechanically cleaned
Grit Chambers

To remove inert dense

material (sand, broken
glass, silt and pebbles)
These materials is called
grit.
Grit will cause abrasion
of pumps and other
mechanical devices if
not removed.
Grit chambers can be of
(1) rectangular or (2) Note : All design and calculation are the
circular shape (vortex) same as water supply grit chamber
 Vortex Grit Chamber
The screened influent enters
tangentially and flows around
the upper chamber
Adjustable, rotating paddles or jet
of air augment the spiraling flow to
create an induced vortex which
settles the grit, transports it to
the center opening of the fixed
floor plate for collection in the
lower chamber.
The grit solids are removed from
the lower chamber by an air lift or
recessed impeller pump for
further washing and dewatering.
END OF CHAPTER 4A