Wastewater 1reatment Methods

D|sposa|
SaLlsfacLory dlsposal of wasLewaLer wheLher by surface subsurface meLhods or dlluLlon ls dependenL on lLs
LreaLmenL prlor Lo dlsposal AdequaLe LreaLmenL ls necessary Lo prevenL conLamlnaLlon of recelvlng waLers Lo a
degree whlch mlghL lnLerfere wlLh Lhelr besL or lnLended use wheLher lL be for waLer supply recreaLlon or any
oLher requlred purpose
WasLewaLer LreaLmenL conslsLs of applylng known Lechnology Lo lmprove or upgrade Lhe quallLy of a wasLewaLer
usually wasLewaLer LreaLmenL wlll lnvolve collecLlng Lhe wasLewaLer ln a cenLral segregaLed locaLlon (Lhe
WasLewaLer 1reaLmenL lanL) and sub[ecLlng Lhe wasLewaLer Lo varlous LreaLmenL processes MosL ofLen slnce
large volumes of wasLewaLer are lnvolved LreaLmenL processes are carrled ouL on conLlnuously flowlng
wasLewaLers (conLlnuous flow or open sysLems) raLher Lhan as baLch or a serles of perlodlc LreaLmenL
processes ln whlch LreaLmenL ls carrled ouL on parcels or baLches of wasLewaLers Whlle mosL wasLewaLer
LreaLmenL processes are conLlnuous flow cerLaln operaLlons such as vacuum fllLraLlon lnvolvlng as lL does
sLorage of sludge Lhe addlLlon of chemlcals fllLraLlon and removal or dlsposal of Lhe LreaLed sludge are rouLlnely
handled as perlodlc baLch operaLlons
WasLewaLer LreaLmenL however can also be organlzed or caLegorlzed by Lhe naLure of Lhe LreaLmenL process
operaLlon belng used for example physlcal chemlcal or blologlcal Lxamples of Lhese LreaLmenL sLeps are shown
below A compleLe LreaLmenL sysLem may conslsL of Lhe appllcaLlon of a number of physlcal chemlcal and
blologlcal processes Lo Lhe wasLewaLer


Some hys|ca| Chem|ca| and 8|o|og|ca|Wastewater 1reatment Methods
hys|ca|
SedlmenLaLlon (ClarlflcaLlon)
Screenlng
AeraLlon
lllLraLlon
lloLaLlon and Sklmmlng
uegasslflcaLlon
LquallzaLlon
Chem|ca|
ChlorlnaLlon
CzonaLlon
neuLrallzaLlon
CoagulaLlon
AdsorpLlon
lon Lxchange
8|o|og|ca|
Aetoblc
AcLlvaLed Sludge 1reaLmenL MeLhods
1rlckllng lllLraLlon
CxldaLlon onds
Lagoons
Aeroblc ulgesLlon
Aooetoblc
Anaeroblc ulgesLlon
SepLlc 1anks
Lagoons


hoLo CredlL vlrglnla ueparLmenL of
PealLh
hys|ca| methods lnclude processes where no
gross chemlcal or blologlcal changes are carrled
ouL and sLrlcLly physlcal phenomena are used Lo
lmprove or LreaL Lhe wasLewaLer Lxamples would
be coarse screenlng Lo remove larger enLralned
ob[ecLs and sedlmenLaLlon (or clarlflcaLlon)
ln Lhe process of sedlmenLaLlon physlcal phenomena relaLlng Lo Lhe seLLllng of sollds by gravlLy are allowed Lo
operaLe usually Lhls conslsLs of slmply holdlng a wasLewaLer for a shorL perlod of Llme ln a Lank under qulescenL
condlLlons allowlng Lhe heavler sollds Lo seLLle and removlng Lhe clarlfled effluenL SedlmenLaLlon for sollds
separaLlon ls a very common process operaLlon and ls rouLlnely employed aL Lhe beglnnlng and end of wasLewaLer
LreaLmenL operaLlonsWhlle sedlmenLaLlon ls one of Lhe mosL common physlcal LreaLmenL processes LhaL ls used
Lo achleve LreaLmenL anoLher physlcal LreaLmenL process conslsLs of aeraLlon LhaL ls physlcally addlng alr
usually Lo provlde oxygen Lo Lhe wasLewaLer SLlll oLher physlcal phenomena used ln LreaLmenL conslsLs of
fllLraLlon Pere wasLewaLer ls passed Lhrough a fllLer medlum Lo separaLe sollds An example would be Lhe use of
sand fllLers Lo furLher remove enLralned sollds from a LreaLed wasLewaLer CerLaln phenomena wlll occur durlng
Lhe sedlmenLaLlon process and can be advanLageously used Lo furLher lmprove waLer quallLy ermlLLlng greases
or olls for example Lo floaL Lo Lhe surface and sklmmlng or physlcally removlng Lhem from Lhe wasLewaLers ls
ofLen carrled ouL as parL of Lhe overall LreaLmenL process
ln cerLaln lndusLrlal wasLewaLer LreaLmenL processes sLrong or undeslrable wasLes are someLlmes produced over
shorL perlods of Llme Slnce such slugs or perlodlc lnpuLs of such wasLes would damage a blologlcal LreaLmenL
process Lhese wasLes are someLlmes held mlxed wlLh oLher wasLewaLers and gradually released Lhus ellmlnaLlng
shocks Lo Lhe LreaLmenL planL 1hls ls call equallzaLlon AnoLher Lype of equallzaLlon can be used Lo even ouL
wlde varlaLlons ln flow raLes lor example Lhe weL well of a pump sLaLlon can recelve wldely varylng amounLs of
wasLewaLer and ln Lurn pump Lhe wasLes onward aL more unlform raLes
Chem|ca| treatment conslsLs of uslng some chemlcal reacLlon or reacLlons Lo lmprove Lhe waLer quallLy robably
Lhe mosL commonly used chemlcal process ls chlorlnaLlon Chlorlne a sLrong oxldlzlng chemlcal ls used Lo klll
bacLerla and Lo slow down Lhe raLe of decomposlLlon of Lhe wasLewaLer 8acLerlal klll ls achleved when vlLal
blologlcal processes are affecLed by Lhe chlorlne AnoLher sLrong oxldlzlng agenL LhaL has also been used as an
oxldlzlng dlslnfecLanL ls ozone
A chemlcal process commonly used ln many lndusLrlal wasLewaLer LreaLmenL operaLlons ls neuLrallzaLlon
neuLrallzaLlon conslsLs of Lhe addlLlon of acld or base Lo ad[usL pP levels back Lo neuLrallLy Slnce llme ls a base lL
ls someLlmes used ln Lhe neuLrallzaLlon of acld wasLes
CoagulaLlon conslsLs of Lhe addlLlon of a chemlcal LhaL Lhrough a chemlcal reacLlon forms an lnsoluble end
producL LhaL serves Lo remove subsLances from Lhe wasLewaLer olyvalenL meLals are commonly used as
coagulaLlng chemlcals ln wasLewaLer LreaLmenL and Lyplcal coagulanLs would lnclude llme (LhaL can also be used ln
neuLrallzaLlon) cerLaln lron conLalnlng compounds (such as ferrlc chlorlde or ferrlc sulfaLe) and alum (alumlnum
sulfaLe)
CerLaln processes may acLually be physlcal and chemlcal ln naLure 1he use of acLlvaLed carbon Lo adsorb or
remove organlcs for example lnvolves boLh chemlcal and physlcal processes rocesses such as lon exchange
whlch lnvolves exchanglng cerLaln lons for oLhers are noL used Lo any greaL exLenL ln wasLewaLer LreaLmenL
8|o|og|ca| treatment methods use mlcroorganlsms mosLly bacLerla ln Lhe blochemlcal decomposlLlon of
wasLewaLers Lo sLable end producLs More mlcroorganlsms or sludges are formed and a porLlon of Lhe wasLe ls
converLed Lo carbon dloxlde waLer and oLher end producLs Cenerally blologlcal LreaLmenL meLhods can be
dlvlded lnLo aeroblc and anaeroblc meLhods based on avallablllLy of dlssolved oxygen
1he purpose of wasLewaLer LreaLmenL ls generally Lo remove from Lhe wasLewaLer enough sollds Lo permlL Lhe
remalnder Lo be dlscharged Lo a recelvlng waLer wlLhouL lnLerferlng wlLh lLs besL or proper use 1he sollds whlch
are removed are prlmarlly organlc buL may also lnclude lnorganlc sollds 1reaLmenL musL also be provlded for Lhe
sollds and llqulds whlch are removed as sludge llnally LreaLmenL Lo conLrol odors Lo reLard blologlcal acLlvlLy or
desLroy paLhogenlc organlsms may also be needed
Whlle Lhe devlces used ln wasLewaLer LreaLmenL are numerous and wlll probably comblne physlcal chemlcal and
blologlcal meLhods Lhey may all be generally grouped under slx meLhods
1 rellmlnary 1reaLmenL


2 rlmary 1reaLmenL


3 Secondary 1reaLmenL


4 ulslnfecLlon


3 Sludge 1reaLmenL


6 1erLlary 1reaLmenL


uegrees of LreaLmenL are someLlmes lndlcaLed by use of Lhe Lerms prlmary secondary and LerLlary LreaLmenL
1erLlary LreaLmenL properly would be any LreaLmenL added onLo or followlng secondary LreaLmenL
re||m|nary 1reatment
AL mosL planLs prellmlnary LreaLmenL ls used Lo proLecL pumplng equlpmenL and faclllLaLe subsequenL LreaLmenL
processes rellmlnary devlces are deslgned Lo remove or cuL up Lhe larger suspended and floaLlng sollds Lo
remove Lhe heavy lnorganlc sollds and Lo remove excesslve amounLs of olls or greases
1o effecL Lhe ob[ecLlves of prellmlnary LreaLmenL Lhe followlng devlces are commonly used
1 Screens rack bar or flne
2 CommlnuLlng devlces grlnders cuLLers shredders
3 CrlL chambers
4 reaeraLlon Lanks


ln addlLlon Lo Lhe above chlorlnaLlon may be used ln prellmlnary LreaLmenL Slnce chlorlnaLlon may be used aL all
sLages ln LreaLmenL lL ls consldered Lo be a meLhod by lLself rellmlnary LreaLmenL devlces requlre careful deslgn
and operaLlon


r|mary 1reatment
ln Lhls LreaLmenL mosL of Lhe seLLleable sollds are separaLed or removed from Lhe wasLewaLer by Lhe physlcal
process of sedlmenLaLlon When cerLaln chemlcals are used wlLh prlmary sedlmenLaLlon Lanks some of Lhe
colloldal sollds are also removed 8lologlcal acLlvlLy of Lhe wasLewaLer ln prlmary LreaLmenL ls of negllglble
lmporLance
1he purpose of prlmary LreaLmenL ls Lo reduce Lhe veloclLy of Lhe wasLewaLer sufflclenLly Lo permlL sollds Lo seLLle
and floaLable maLerlal Lo surface 1herefore prlmary devlces may conslsL of seLLllng Lanks clarlflers or
sedlmenLaLlon Lanks 8ecause of varlaLlons ln deslgn operaLlon and appllcaLlon seLLllng Lanks can be dlvlded lnLo
four general groups
1 SepLlc Lanks
2 1wo sLory Lanks lmhoff and several proprleLary or paLenLed unlLs
3 laln sedlmenLaLlon Lank wlLh mechanlcal sludge removal
4 upward flow clarlflers wlLh mechanlcal sludge removal


When chemlcals are used oLher auxlllary unlLs are employed 1hese are
1 Chemlcal feed unlLs
2 Mlxlng devlces
3 llocculaLors


1he resulLs obLalned by prlmary LreaLmenL LogeLher wlLh anaeroblc sludge dlgesLlon as descrlbed laLer are such
LhaL Lhey can be compared wlLh Lhe zone of degradaLlon ln sLream selfpurlflcaLlon 1he use of chlorlne wlLh
prlmary LreaLmenL ls dlscussed under Lhe secLlon on rellmlnary 1reaLmenL
Secondary 1reatment
Secondary LreaLmenL depends prlmarlly upon aeroblc organlsms whlch blochemlcally decompose Lhe organlc
sollds Lo lnorganlc or sLable organlc sollds lL ls comparable Lo Lhe zone of recovery ln Lhe selfpurlflcaLlon of a
sLream
1he devlces used ln secondary LreaLmenL may be dlvlded lnLo four groups
1 1rlckllng fllLers wlLh secondary seLLllng Lanks
2 AcLlvaLed sludge and modlflcaLlons wlLh flnal seLLllng Lanks
3 lnLermlLLenL sand fllLers
4 SLablllzaLlon ponds


1he use of chlorlne wlLh secondary LreaLmenL ls dlscussed under Lhe secLlon on Secondary 1reaLmenL
Ch|or|nat|on
1hls ls a meLhod of LreaLmenL whlch has been employed for many purposes ln all sLages ln wasLewaLer LreaLmenL
and even prlor Lo prellmlnary LreaLmenL lL lnvolves Lhe appllcaLlon of chlorlne Lo Lhe wasLewaLer for Lhe followlng
purposes
1 ulslnfecLlon or desLrucLlon of paLhogenlc organlsms
2 revenLlon of wasLewaLer decomposlLlon

(a) odor conLrol and
(b) proLecLlon of planL sLrucLures
3 Ald ln planL operaLlon

(a) sedlmenLaLlon
(b) Lrlckllng fllLers
(c) acLlvaLed sludge bulklng
4 8educLlon or delay of blochemlcal oxygen demand (8Cu)


Whlle chlorlnaLlon has been commonly used over Lhe years especlally for dlslnfecLlon oLher meLhods Lo achleve
dlslnfecLlon as well as Lo achleve slmllar LreaLmenL ends are also used Among Lhe mosL common ls Lhe use of
ozone ln vlew of Lhe LoxlclLy of chlorlne and chlorlnaLed compounds for flsh as well as oLher llvlng forms
ozonaLlon may be more commonly used ln Lhe fuLure 1hls process wlll be more fully dlscussed ln Lhe secLlon on
dlslnfecLlon
S|udge 1reatment
1he sollds removed from wasLewaLer ln boLh prlmary and secondary LreaLmenL unlLs LogeLher wlLh Lhe waLer
removed wlLh Lhem consLlLuLe wasLewaLer sludge lL ls generally necessary Lo sub[ecL sludge Lo some LreaLmenL
Lo prepare or condlLlon lL for ulLlmaLe dlsposal Such LreaLmenL has Lwo ob[ecLlves Lhe removal of parL or all of
Lhe waLer ln Lhe sludge Lo reduce lLs volume and Lhe decomposlLlon of Lhe puLresclble organlc sollds Lo mlneral
sollds or Lo relaLlvely sLable organlc sollds 1hls ls accompllshed by a comblnaLlon of Lwo or more of Lhe followlng
meLhods
1 1hlckenlng
2 ulgesLlon wlLh or wlLhouL heaL
3 urylng on sand bed open or covered
4 CondlLlonlng wlLh chemlcals
3 LluLrlaLlon
6 vacuum fllLraLlon
7 PeaL drylng
8 lnclneraLlon
9 WeL oxldaLlon
10 CenLrlfuglng



ackage Un|ts1he Lerm package unlLs ls used ln Lhe fleld Lo descrlbe equlpmenL whlch has been puL on Lhe
markeL by a number of manufacLurers LhaL ls lnLended Lo provlde wasLewaLer LreaLmenL by Lhe use of
prefabrlcaLed or modular unlLs ackage unlLs can also refer Lo a compleLe lnsLallaLlon lncludlng boLh mechanlsms
and prefabrlcaLed conLalners 1hls Lerm ls also applled Lo lnsLallaLlons where only Lhe mechanlsms are purchased
and Lhe conLalners consLrucLed by Lhe purchaser ln accordance wlLh plans and speclflcaLlons prepared by Lhe
manufacLurer
1hough speclflc llmlLaLlons have noL been esLabllshed lndlvldual package unlLs have ln general been small
lnsLallaLlons servlng a llmlLed populaLlon
ackage unlLs have been adapLed Lo pracLlcally all Lhe LreaLmenL devlces elLher slngly or ln varlous comblnaLlons
LhaL have been menLloned


1ert|ary and Advanced Wastewater 1reatment
1he Lerms prlmary and secondary LreaLmenL have been used Lo generally descrlbe a degree of LreaLmenL for
example seLLllng and blologlcal wasLewaLer LreaLmenL Slnce Lhe early 1970s LerLlary LreaLmenL has come lnLo
use Lo descrlbe addlLlonal LreaLmenL followlng secondary LreaLmenL CulLe ofLen Lhls merely lndlcaLes Lhe use of
lnLermlLLenL sand fllLers for lncreased removal of suspended sollds from Lhe wasLewaLer ln oLher cases LerLlary
LreaLmenL has been used Lo descrlbe processes whlch remove planL nuLrlenLs prlmarlly nlLrogen and
phosphorous from wasLewaLer
lmprovemenL and upgradlng of wasLewaLer LreaLmenL unlLs as well as Lhe need Lo mlnlmlze envlronmenLal effecLs
has led Lo Lhe lncreased use of LerLlary LreaLmenL
A Lerm LhaL ls also someLlmes used Lo lndlcaLe LreaLmenL of a wasLewaLer by meLhods oLher Lhan prlmary or
blologlcal (secondary) LreaLmenL ls advanced LreaLmenL 1hls degree of LreaLmenL ls usually achleved by chemlcal
(for example coagulaLlon) meLhods as well as physlcal meLhods (flocculaLlon seLLllng and acLlvaLed carbon
adsorpLlon) Lo produce a hlgh quallLy effluenL waLer