Wastewat

er
Treatment

TOPIC OUTLINE:

I.

Introduction to Wastewater

II. Wastewater Constituents

III. Wastewater Characteristics
and Methods of Wastewater
Testing
IV.

Wastewater Treatment

About two-thirds of the water we use at

home occurs in our bathroom.

A short 5-minute shower uses between 25

50 gallons of water. Thats a lot of water.

Thats comparable to washing a load of clothes.
About

97%

of

the

Earths

water

is

undrinkable. And another two percent is tied up

in glaciers and ice caps. And the remaining one
SOURCE (Website):
http://www.castagra.com/2014/02/fun-facts-aboutwater-and-wastewater/

percent is left for our own needs.

1. Introduction to
Wastewater
Objectives:
To define wastewater
To determine the
wastewater

types

and

sources

of

Wastewate
r
Wastewater (from Business Dictionary) is spent or
used water with dissolved or suspended solids, discharged
from

homes,

industries.

commercial

establishments,

farms,

and

Wastewate
r
Wastewater, also written as waste water, is any water
that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic
influence. Anthropogenic influence refers to environmental
pollution and pollutants originating in human activity (Clescerl
et al, 2008).

Wastewate
r Sources
Residential Sources (Domestic Wastewater)
Although the word sewage usually brings toilets to
mind, it is actually used to describe all types of wastewater
generated from every room in a house.

Types of
Wastewate
r

EXAMPLES

Waste from Society

Waste generated
internally in Treatment
Plant

Domestic Wastewater

Thickener Supernatant

Industrial Wastewater

Digester Supernatant

Stormwater

Reject water from sludge

Leachate

Drainage water from

drying beds

Wastewater from
Institutions

Filter Wash Water

Septic tank Wastewater

Equipment Cleaning
Water

Types of Wastewater Use

Two Types of Domestic Sewage

Blackwater
-wastewater from
toilets

Wastewate
r Sources
Graywater
-household wastewater
from all sources except
toilets

Wastewate
r Sources
Nonresidential Sources (Industrial Wastewater and Stormwater)
Nonresidential wastewater in small communities is generated by
such diverse sources as offices, businesses, department stores,
restaurants,

schools,

hospitals,

farms,

manufacturers,

commercial, industrial, and institutional entities.

and

other

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Is URINE an example of wastewater?

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

(Answer)
YES!
Urine accounts for only 1% of the total volume
of wastewater, but it contains up to 80% of all the
nutrients. Separating urine from other wastewater can result in a highly efficient waste water
treatment facility.

Urine is an aqueous solution of greater than 95% water, with the remaining constituents, in order of
decreasing concentration urea 9.3 g/L, chloride 1.87 g/L, sodium 1.17 g/L, potassium 0.750 g/L,
creatinine 0.670 g/L and other dissolved ions, inorganic and organic compounds (proteins,hormones,
metabolites).
Source: Boundless. Chemical Composition of Urine.Boundless Anatomy and Physiology. Boundless,
21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 29 Dec. 2015 fromhttps://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundlessanatomy-and-physiology-textbook/the-urinary-system-25/urine-241/chemical-composition-of-urine1177-2149/

2. Wastewater Constituents
Objectives:
To define constituents
To determine the types and examples of
constituents
To define and explain several Unit Operations for
Constituent removal

Wastewate
r
Constituen
t

Wastewater Constituent is anything that is present in

wastewater that may or may not affect the quality of the water.

Contaminants are substances that decrease the

potability of water.

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition

Unit Operation
Needed

Examples

Screening

Suspended Solids

Suspended
solidsrefers
to
smallsolidparticles which
remain in suspensionin
water as a colloid or due
to the motion of the
water. It is used as one
indicator of water quality.

Grit removal
Sedimentation
High Rate Clarification
Floatation
Chemical
Precipitation
Filtration

Sand, Silt and Sediment

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Unit Operation
Needed

Examples

Aerobic Growth
Variations

Biodegradable
Organics

Biodegradable
Organics are organics
that can be utilized for
food
by
naturally
occurring
micro
organisms
within
a
reasonable length of
time.

Anaerobic Growth
Variations
Lagoon Variations
Oxidation
Filtration
Physical-chemical
Systems

Food, Rotten vegetables

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Unit Operation
Needed

Examples

Chlorination

Pathogens

Apathogenor
infectious
agent
is
a
biological
agent
that
causes disease or illness to
its host.

Ozonation

Ultraviolet Radiation

Bacteria, Virus

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Unit Operation Needed

Suspended Growth
Nitrification and
denitrification

Nutrients

Phosphorus and nitrogen

are the main nutrients
encouraging the growth of
organic matter and algae
which cause eutrophication
in water bodies.

Fixed-Film Nitrification
Air stripping
Ion Exchange
Chemical Treatment
Biological Phosphorus
Removal

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Unit Operation Needed

Examples

Membranes
Colloidal and
Dissolved Solids

Colloidal and dissolved

solids are particulates that
do not mix in water. It may
cause clogging.

Chemical Treatment

Carbon Adsorption
Ion Exchange

Detegent and
Soap

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Volatile Organic
Compounds

Volatile organic
compounds (VOCs)
are organic chemicals
that
have a high vapor pressure at
ordinary room temperature.
Their high vapor pressure
results from a low boiling point,
which causes large numbers
of molecules to evaporate or
sublimate from the liquid or
solid
form
of
the compound and enter the
surrounding air.

Unit Operation
Needed

Examples

Air Stripping

Carbon Adsoprtion

Advanced Oxidation

gasoline, benzene,
formaldehyde, solvents
such as toluene and
xylene, styrene, and
perchloroethylene

Types of Wastewater
Constituents

(from Wastewater Engineering

by Burton)

Definition and Effect

Unit Operation
Needed

Examples

Chemical Scrubbers

Odors

Odor is the property of

water perceived by the
olfactory
system
of
human body.

Carbon Adsorption

Bio & Composite

Filters

Petrichor, Rotten Egg

Wastewater Constituent

Wastewater Constituent

3.Wastewater Characteristics
and Methods of Wastewater
Testing
Objective:
To determine the physical, biological and other
characteristics of wastewater
To determine the significance of test result of
different Characteristics of constituents
To determine the testing method for turbidity,
odor, Suspended Solids, Total Nitrogen and
Conductivity

Characteristi
cs of
Wastewater
Physical

Organic
Inorganic
Chemical

Biological

Characteristics of Wastewater

Physical Characteristics

Abbreviation

Total Solids

TS

Total Volatile Solids

TVS

Total Fixed Solids

TFS

Total Suspended Solids

TSS

Volatile Suspended Solids

VSS

Fixed Suspended Solids

FSS

Total Dissolved Solids

TDS(TS-TSS)

Volatile Dissolved Solids

VDS

Total Fixed Dissolved Solids

FDS

Uses of Test Results

To access the reuse potential of

wastewater and to determine the
most suitable type of operation
processes for its treatment

Characteristics of Wastewater
Physical Characteristics

Abbreviation

Settleable Solids

Uses of Test Results

To determine if those solids will settle by
gravity
To access the performance of treatment
Process

Particle Size Distribution

PSD

Turbidity

NTU
(nephelometri
To access the quality of treated water
c
turbidity
unit)

Color
Transmittance
Odor

To access the condition of wastewater

%T
TON
(threshold
odor number)

Temperature
Conductivity

EC

Used to access quality of wastewater

Important in designing and operation of

biological processes in treatment plants
Used to access the suitability of treated

Characteristics of Wastewater

Inorganic Characteristics

Abbreviation

Free Ammonia

NH4

Organic Nitrogen

Org N

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

TKN (Org N + NH4)

Nitrites

NO2

Nitrates

NO3

Total Nitrogen

TN

Inorganic Phosphorus

Inorg P

Total Phosphorus

TP

Organic Phosphorus

Org P

Uses of Test Results

To access the reuse potential of

wastewater and to determine the
most suitable type of operation
processes for its treatment
To determine if those solids will settle
by gravity

Characteristics of Wastewater
Inorganic
Characteristics
pH
Alkalinity
Chloride

Abbreviation

Uses of Test Results

pH=-log[H+]
Measure of buffering capacity of
the wastewater
To access the suitability of
wastewater for agricultural use

Sulfate
Metals
Specific Inorganic
Elements and
compounds
Various Gases

Trace amount of metals is

necessary for biological
treatment

Characteristics of Wastewater
Organic
Abbreviation
Characteristics
Five-day
Biochemical
CBOD
Oxygen Demand
Ultimate Carbonaceous
Biochemical
Oxygen
Demand
Nitrogenous
Demand

Oxygen

Chemical
Oxygen
Demand
Total Organic Carbon
Specific
Organic
Compounds and Classes
of Compounds

Uses of Test Results

A measure of oxygen required to

stabilize a waste biologically

NOD

A measure of the amount of

oxygen required to oxidize
biologically the nitrogen in
wastewater to nitrate

COD

Serves a substitute for BOD

TOC
Often used a substitute for BOD
methylene blue
To determine the presence of
active substance
specific organic compounds
(MBAS)

Characteristics of Wastewater

Biological
Characteristics

Abbreviation

Coliform Organisms

To access the presence of

Most
probable pathogenic
bacteria
and
number (MPN)
effectiveness
of
disinfection
process
To access the presence of specific
microorganism for water reuse

Special microorganisms
Toxicity

Uses of Test Results

Toxic Unit (TU)

Turbidity Testing

Odor Determination
Threshold Odor Numbers are whole numbers that indicate how many
dilutions it takes to produce odor-free water.
How They Are Determined?
Source: Civil Engineering Department of Virginia Tech
FORMULA:
TON = (A + B)/ A
A - Volume of Sample with odor
B - Volume of Pure Water with no odor Added

Odor Determination
Odors

Example:

Rotten-Egg Odor Smell Musty Odors Smell

Earthy, musty, grassy, fishy, vegetable and
cucumber

Hydrogen Sulphide, sulfate-reducing bacteria,

Softwater reactions in electric water heaters,
algal by-products, bacteria, algal by-products,
surfactants

Oily Smell

Methane Like Gas Smell

Phenolic Smell
Chemical Smell

Gasoline or oil
nuisance bacteria

contamination,

possibly

Organic decomposition - note natural gas has

no odor, but the natural gas delivered to your
home hasmercaptans(sulfur -compounds)
added that create a strong odor to help
detect leaks.
Industrial or gasoline contamination
Organic chemicals, Industrial

Total Suspended Solid

Testing

Total Nitrogen Testing

Conductivity
Determination

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Can waterlilies live in industrial
wastewater; why or why not?

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

(Answer)
YES!
Last year, a pilot experiment was established at the Haifa municipal waste water treatment plant to test the
purification capabilities of the water lily. Results showed a marked reduction of the amount of cadmium in the sludge
following exposure to the water lilies. Other experiments with industrial sludge also showed promising results in
removing
heavy
metals
such
as
cadmium,
mercury,
nickel
and
cobalt.
Experimental work is still going on by the Hebrew University researchers to improve and optimize the purification
techniques.
(from
WATER
LILIES
USED
FOR
WATER
PURIFICATION
BY HEBREW UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS)
SOURCE: Website: http://www.agri.huji.ac.il/research/english/3e.html

4.

Wastewater Treatment

Process
Objectives:
To determine the different operations in
wastewater treatment
To determine the Wastewater Treatment
Process

Raw Materials for

Wastewater Treatment
Raw Wastewater (Influent)
Beneficial Protozoan for Biological Treatment
Chlorine for Disinfection
Alum for Chemical Treatment

Equipment for
Wastewater Treatment
Bar Screens
Grit Chamber
Primary and Secondary Clarifier
Aeration Basin and Air Blowers
Chlorination and Dechlorination Basin
UV Light System

Wastewater Treatment Process

Primary
(Physical)

Secondary
(Biological
)

Tertiary

Wastewater Treatment Process

Primar
y

Screening

Physical processes are the first step in the wastewater treatment. This means that
things are physically removed from the wastewater. In fact, it removes about 60 percent of
the suspended solids in the influent.

Grit
Removal

Primary Clarification

Wastewater Treatment Process

Secondar
y

Digestion

The use of biological processes to provide further treatment is

referred to as secondary treatment. It removes more than 90 percent of
suspended solids from the primary effluent.

Aeration

Secondary Clarification

UV Radiation

Dechlorination

Chlorination

Wastewater Treatment Process

Tertiar
y

Chemical Precipitation

Some wastewater treatment plants provide a higher level of

treatment before the effluent is disinfected. This higher level of treatment is
called tertiary treatment. It can remove more than 99 percent of all the
impurities from the wastewater, producing an effluent of almost drinkingwater quality. This treatment can be chemical, physical, or biological.

Carbon Adsorption

Lagoon Variations

Wastewater Treatment Process Sugar,

Pulp and Paper and Petroleum Industries

Schematic Diagram of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (source:

Ohio State University)

Petroleum Industry Wastewater

Treatment

Source:Yokogawa Corporation

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

What's the difference now between a
water and wastewater treatment
plant?

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

(Answer)
Generally, its the type of water that comes in--a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) generally takes
water from ground, surface, or rainwater sources, makes it drinkable and distributes it to water storage
tanks or directly to people; a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) generally collects sewage and other
waste water (and insomecases stormwater) from various sites, cleans it and releases it back into the
environment at a safe level for humans, fish, and plants to be around.
WTPs generally are smaller operations than WWTPs, because of the water quality coming in.
Generally WTPs just need a bit of cleaning and disinfection (because the water is generally clean
already). WWTPs take pretty nasty sewage water (from industries and homes and businesses and
schools) and get rid of most of the nastiness. This is why WWTPs are much larger and more elaborate.
The solids generally end up going to landfills, the liquid (water) is cleaned and purified until it is safe
for humans, animals and plants.

Thank you!