Sewage Treatment

Sewage may be defined as a combination of the liquid (or water) carrying wastes removed from residences, institutions, and commercial and industrial establishments, together with such groundwater, surface water, and storm water as may be present.

Origin of Sewage
Residential areas Institutional establishments Commercial areas Industrial areas

Composition of Sewage
Component
Micro-organisms Biodegradable Organic Materials Other Organic Materials

Special Interest
Pathogenic bacteria, viruses and worms eggs Oxygen depletion in rivers, ponds and other water bodies Detergents, pesticides, fat, oil and grease, coloring materials, solvents, phenol, cyanides Nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, sulphur compounds Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, As Sand, grit Water at higher temperature than ambient Hydrogen sulfide Pd-210, 212, 214; K-40; Mn-54; Ru-106

Nutrients
Metals Inorganic Materials Thermal Effect Odour Radioactvity

Cpcb standards Sl.No. Parameters Concentration not to exceed, limits in mg/l (except pH,temperature and bioassay test) 1. 2. 3. Mercury (Hg) pH Suspended solids 0.01 5.5 - 9.0 250 150 Shall not exceed 5C

4. Biochemical oxygen demand 5. Temperature

6.
7. 8.

Free available chlorine

Oil & grease Cu (total)

0.5
10 3.0

Determination of Degree of Treatment Treatment objectives

Applicable regulations

Unit Operations Sewage Treatment

and

Processes

in

Physical Unit Operations: Screening, mixing, flocculation, sedimentation, floatation, filtration.

Chemical Unit Processes: Coagulation flocculation, precipitation, adsorption.

Biological Unit Processes: Aerobic and anaerobic treatment processes .

Stages in Sewage Treatment

(A)Preliminary Wastewater Treatment

consists solely of separating the floating materials (like dead animals, tree branches, papers, pieces of rags, wood etc.) and the heavy settleable inorganic solids.
also helps in removing the oils and greases, etc. from the sewage.

this treatment reduces the BOD of the sewage, by about 15 to 30%.

(B) Primary wastewater treatment

removal is usually accomplished by physical operations such as sedimentation in Settling Basins. principal function of primary treatment is to act as a precursor to secondary treatment. organic solids, which are separated out in the sedimentation tanks (in primary treatment), are often stabilized by anaerobic decomposition in a digestion tank or are incinerated.

(C ) Secondary Wastewater Treatment

removal of biodegradable organics and suspended solids through biological decomposition of organic matter, either under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

Aerobic biological units: treatment reactors, in which the

organic matter is decomposed (oxidized) by aerobic bacteria. Filters (intermittent sand filters as well as trickling filters), Aeration tanks, with the feed of recycled activated sludge (i.e. the sludge, which is settled in secondary sedimentation tank, receiving effluents from the aeration tank), and Oxidation ponds and aerated lagoons.

Anaerobic

treatment reactors, in which the organic matter is destroyed and stabilized by anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic lagoons Septic tanks Imhoff tanks
Organic solids/ sludge separated out in the primary as well as in the secondary settling tanks is disposed off by stabilizing under anaerobic conditions in a Sludge digestion tank.

biological

units:

(D) Tertiary/ Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Reclamation

Advanced wastewater treatment, also called tertiary treatment is defined as the level of treatment required beyond conventional secondary treatment to remove constituents of concern including nutrients, toxic compounds, and increased amounts of organic material and suspended solids and particularly to kill the pathogenic bacteria.
Adsorption Ion exchange

Reverse osmosis
Coagulation flocculation Sedimentation followed by filtration and chlorination

Factors Affecting Design and Selection of Sewage Treatment System

Engineering Factors
Design period, stage wise population to be served and expected sewage flow and fluctuations. Topography of the area to be served, its slope and terrain; Tentative sites available for treatment plant, pumping stations and disposal works. Available hydraulic head in the system upto high flood level in case of disposal into a river or high tide level in case of coastal discharges. Groundwater depth and its seasonal fluctuations affecting construction, sewer infiltration. Soil bearing capacity and type of strata to be met in construction. On site disposal facilities, including the possibilities of segregating sullage and sewage and reuse or recycling of sullage water within the households.

Environmental Factors
Surface water, groundwater and coastal water quality where wastewater has to

be disposed after treatment

Odour and mosquito nuisance which affects land values, public health and well

being.
Public health considerations by meeting the requirements laid down by the regulatory agencies for effluent discharge standards,

permissible

levels

of

microbial

and

helminthic

quality

requirements and control of nutrients, toxic and accumulative substances in food chain.

Process considerations Wastewater flow and characteristics. Degree of treatment required. Performance characteristics. Availability of land, power requirements, equipments and skilled staff for handling and maintenance.

Cost considerations Capital costs for land, construction, equipments etc. Operating costs including staff, chemicals, fuels and electricity, transport, maintenance and repairs etc.

Flowsheet of Sewage Treatment

Thank You