Strategy for Effective Industrial Effluent Monitoring and

Management
M. Mnguni, G. Mulder, S. Ntaka, T. Blose and P. Thompson
Umgeni Water, P.O Box 9, Pietermaritzburg, 3200. mluleki.mnguni@umgeni.co.za
Wastewater treatment plant design criteria specify the maximum hydraulic and organic load the plant
can treat. Overloading the process by either of the two often results in effluent non-compliance and
ultimately, environmental pollution. The risk of non-compliance due to process overloading is higher
for wastewater works that receive industrial or trade effluent. Industrial effluent comprises of heavy
metals, lipids, high COD and extreme pH ranges which are toxic to biological processes. Allowing
uncontrolled discharge of industrial effluent into a waste water works can result in total process failure.
It is thus critical that a waste water service authority develops and implements an industrial effluent
monitoring and management strategy.

This paper outlines a strategy that has been developed and implemented in the Msunduzi area. It
incorporates the enforcement of by-laws as set by the Municipality and is aimed at controlling the
amount and characteristics of industrial effluent arriving at the wastewater works (WWW). The
strategy includes an evaluation system for determining the impact of the industrial effluent on the
waste water works as well as a tariff system that is directly linked to the flow and concentration of the
effluent. Lastly it discusses an innovative communication strategy designed to encourage industries to
comply with the by-laws.
Keywords: Trade Effluent Monitoring, Industrial Effluent