WASTEWATER TREATMENT TERTIARY TREATMENT

PROCESS AND STABILIZATION PONDS

DR. SUDIPTA SARKAR

STABILIZATION PONDS

Waste or Wastewater Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) are artificial man-made

lagoons in which blackwater, greywater or faecal sludge are treated by
natural occurring processes and the influence of solar light, wind,
microorganisms and algae.
These are natural or semi-engineered processes for cost-effective
wastewater treatment where required degree of treatment is achieved with
minimal use of mechanical, civil and electrical facilities. These are popular
for small communities because of their low construction and operating
costs.
These are essentially biological treatment processes with natural facilities
spread over a vast area of land.
The effluent still contains nutrients (e.g. N and P) and is therefore
appropriate for the reuse in agriculture (irrigation) or aquaculture (e.g. fishor macrophyte ponds) but not for direct recharge in surface waters.
The ponds can be used individually or in series of an anaerobic, facultative
and aerobic (maturation) pond.

TYPES OF STABILIZATION PONDS

1. Anaerobic Ponds
Anaerobic Ponds

2. Facultative Ponds

3. Aerobic Ponds 4. Maturation Ponds

Anaerobic Treatment Ponds are deep ponds (2 to 5 m) devoid of dissolved

oxygen, where sludge is deposited on the bottom and anaerobic bacteria break
down the organic matter by anaerobic digestion, releasing methane and carbon
dioxide.
BOD Loading:
400-3000 kg/(ha.d)
Detention Period: 5 -50 days
BOD removal efficiency: 50-85%

Volume can also

NH3 80 mg
be calculated
considering organic loading
in the range of 100 to 350 g
BOD/m3/day
The anaerobic pond serves to:
a)Settle undigested material and non-degradable solids as bottom sludge
b)Dissolve organic material
c)Break down biodegradable organic material
NH3-N/L

Aerobic Ponds
These are shallow earthen basins for
natural treatment systems using both
algae and bacteria

New Algae

Algae

Sunlight

CO2, NH3
PO4, H2O

Two types of aerobic ponds are used: Organic Matter O2

1. Maximize algal growth; depth is
New
provided 150 to 450 mm
Bacteria
Bacteria
2. Maximize oxygen concentration;
Symbiotic relationships
depth is up to 1.5 m
between algae and bacteria

The algal production of oxygen occurs near the surface of aerobic ponds to the
depth to which light can penetrate (i.e. typically up to 500 mm). Additional oxygen
can be introduced by wind due to vertical mixing of the water. Oxygen is unable to
be maintained at the lower layers if the pond is too deep, and the color too dark to
allow light to penetrate fully
BOD5 conversion efficiency is around 95%. Soluble BOD5 are removed, but can
result in suspended matters in the effluent containing algae and bacteria
Typical BOD5 loading is 40-120 kg/(ha.d). Contents need to be periodically mixed in
order to avoid formation of anaerobic zones and to obtain best results.

Facultative Ponds
It functions aerobically at the
surface but anaerobic conditions Facultative= aerobic + anaerobic
prevail at the bottom. The aerobic
zone kept at the top is effective
against release of odorous gases. It
is most suited pond treatment
method.

Facultative

There is a diurnal variation in the

concentration of dissolved oxygen.
At peak sun radiation, the pond
will be mostly aerobic due to algal
CO2+NH3+CH4
activity, while at sunrise the pond
will be predominantly anaerobic.
Daytime pH is high, as algae use bicarbonate ions to convert to new algae. NH3
produced due to anaerobic digestion volatilizes out to atmosphere. pH above 9 also
ensures killing of pathogens and E. Coli present in wastewater.
FPs help to: a) treat wastewater through sedimentation and aerobic oxidation of
organic material b)Reduce odor c)Reduce some disease-causing microorganisms if
pH raises d) Store residues as bottom sludge

Maturation Pond
These are essentially designed for pathogen removal and retaining suspended stabilized
solids.
The principal mechanisms for fecal bacterial removal in facultative and maturation ponds are
HRT, temperature, high pH (> 9), and high light intensity. Fecal bacteria and other pathogens
die off due to the high temperature, high pH or radiation of the sun leading to solar
disinfection
Maturation ponds are shallower (1 to 1.5 m), with 1 m being optimal. The recommended
hydraulic retention time is 15 to 20 days. If used in combination with algae and/or fish
harvesting, this type of pond is also effective at removing the majority of nitrogen and
phosphorus from the effluent.

DESIGN OF A FACULTATIVE POND (AS PER IS 5611)

Step 1. Find out the surface
area of the tank based on the
rate of application of BOD5
influent to the stabilization
pond
Step 2. Find out the detention
period using the formula:

Le
e k1t
Li
Le
1

Li 1 k1t

For plug flow

For continuously
mixed system

Le and Li are effluent and influent BOD5, t is the detention time, k1 is BOD rate
constant
Natural and constructed systems do not exactly follow either plug flow or
completely mixed systems, hence corrections in the form of dispersion numbers
are to be incorporated.

Step 3. Find out the surface area and the depth. The optimal depth is 1.5 m. If the
calculation shows less than 1 m depth, minimum depth to be provided is 1 m.
Step 4. calculate sludge accumulation based on the design data of accumulation
rate of 0.07 cum/ person/ year. The desludging period is normally taken to be
equal to 6-12 years. Add depth for accumulation of sludge.
Step 5. Find out the sizes of the stabilization pond. Take length as double the
width. Provide a free board of 0.5 m to 1 m.

DESIGN OF A FACULTATIVE POND

Consider that desludging interval is equal to 6 years. Consider that the pond is exactly in
between a plug flow and completely mixed flow reactor

Bar Screens

Screenings

Grit Removal

PRIMARY

Filter Press

O2

Secondary Nutrient
Clarifier
Removal

Aeration
tank

Grit

PRELIMINARY

Dewatered
Sludge to
landfill

Primary Clarifier

Anaerobic
Digester

SECONDARY

D
I
S
P
O
Advanced
S
Treatments A
L
TERTIARY

Gravity Sludge
thickener

SLUDGE PROCESSING

Typical Process flow Diagram Different Treatment Blocks

Treated Wastewater Effluent Still Contains

A portion of initial organic load (residual BOD)
Carbon matter, depletes O2, causes biomat growth
TSS (total suspended solids)
Depletes O2
NH3 (ammonia)
Toxic to fish, depletes O2, a nutrient that promotes biol. growth
NO3 (nitrate)
Toxic to babies, drinking water regulated, a nutrient
Total P (total phosphorus)
A nutrient
Pathogens (bacteria/viruses)
Disease causing
There is a need of tertiary treatment to tackle the contaminants still remaining
in the treated effluent
To better protect public health and environment from creating a potentially
hazardous condition such as eutrophication
To provide additional treatment when soils or receiving waters cannot
naturally degrade the small amount of contaminant released.

Nutrients Removal

Basic nutrients present in the domestic wastewater are

Nitrogen (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)
Phosphorus (soluble and insoluble)
Sulfate

Other compounds of nitrogen & phosphorus

Problems associated with nutrients presence in wastewater are
accelerate the eutrophication
stimulate the growth of algae & rooted aquatic plants
aesthetic problems & nuisance
depleting D.O. concentration in receiving waters

Toxicity towards aquatic life

increasing chlorine demand
presenting a public health hazard
affecting the suitability of wastewater for reuse

Control and Removal of Nitrogen (Biologically):

Removal of Nitrogen by Nitrification/Denitrification Processes:
It is a two step processes
Conversion of Ammonia to Nitrite (Nitrosomonas)
NH4+ + 2 O2 Bacteria (Nitrosomonous) NO2- + 2 H+ + H2O
Conversion of Nitrite to Nitrate (Nitrobacter)
NO2- + 0.5 O2 (Nitrobactor) NO3-

Nitrification
Process

Denitrifying bacteria obtain energy from the conversion of NO3to N2 gas, but require a carbon source
NO3- + CH3OH + H2CO3 C5H7O2N + N2 + H2O + HCO3(organic matter)

(cell mass)

Denitrification
Process

Nitrification Processes
The following factors affect nitrification:
a) Conc of NH4+ and NO2-, b) BOD/TKN ratio (BOD should be gone/removed) ;
c) Dissolved oxygen conc (need oxygen); d) Temperature; e) pH (7.5 to 8.6)

Suspended
Growth Separate
Stage Nitrification

Single State Nitrification

Denitrification

Need low (no) oxygen (< 1 mg/L)

Need carbon source (BOD in Wastewater)
Neutral pH (pH 7)
Conc of nitrate
O2

Effluent
Denitrification
clarifier

Return sludge
Carbon
source

Media

Effluent

Separate-stage denitrification process using a separate carbon source

Phosphorus Removal
Chemical Precipitation
Calcium (lime) addition at high pH (>10)
Reacts with alkalinity
Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) precipitation
Iron precipitation