WDM Section 05 STP r3

WASTEWATER DESIGN MANUAL
Section 05 – Sewage Treatment Plants
Document No: AM-ENG-WDM-05
Issue Date: x/x/2016
Revision: 03
The content of this document material is a property of Haya Water. No part of this document in whole or in part,
may be reproduced in any form, by photocopy, microfilm, scanning or any other means, or incorporated into any
information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of Haya water Management.
i Revision History
The following is a brief summary of the most recent revisions to this document. Details of all revisions
prior to these are held on file by the issuing department.
Revision
Date Scope / Remarks
No.
0 13/04/2006 Document approved and issued
01 01/06/2008 To incorporate Tender Board and Veolia comments
02 31/12/2010 To incorporate latest changes as per current International standards.
03 xx/xx/2016 Updated as part of the Haya Water Technical Standards Upgrading project
ii Current Revision: 03 dated xx/xx/2016
Document Prepared by Document Reviewed by
HAYA Water
M/s Halcrow on Behalf of Haya Water Asset Management / Projects / O&M
iii Document Authorisation

This document is authorised for issue.
Document Approval Authority
General Manager Asset Management
Suleiman Al Qasmi
Document No: AM-ENG-WDM-05 Issue Date: 29/09/2016
Classification: Restricted Revision: 03
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................10
1.1. Purpose ....................................................................................................................10
1.2. Scope .......................................................................................................................10
1.3. Objective ..................................................................................................................10
1.4. Distribution/Target Audience ..................................................................................10
1.5. Review and Improvement........................................................................................10
1.6. Definitions ................................................................................................................10
1.7. Abbreviations........................................................................................................... 11
2. Sewage Treatment Plants ...........................................................................................15
2.1. Sewage Treatment Plant Location ..........................................................................15
2.2. Raw Sewage Characteristic ....................................................................................15
2.3. Treated Effluent Quality ..........................................................................................18
2.3.1. Treated Effluent Quality as per Concession Agreement ...................................18
2.3.2. Treated Effluent Quality as per MECA Standard ................................................18
2.3.3. Treated Effluent Quality for Marine Discharge...................................................20
2.3.4. Treated Effluent Quality Discharge to Wadi’s ....................................................22
2.4. Design Considerations ............................................................................................22
2.4.1. Hydraulic Design .................................................................................................24
2.4.2. Organic Design ....................................................................................................25
2.4.3. Design by Analogy...............................................................................................26
2.4.4. Shock Effects .......................................................................................................26
2.4.5. Flow Equalisation ................................................................................................26
2.4.6. Conduits and Piping ............................................................................................26
2.5. Plant Arrangement ...................................................................................................27
2.5.1. Arrangement of Units ..........................................................................................27
2.5.2. Flow Division and Control ...................................................................................27
2.5.3. Location Plan .......................................................................................................27
2.5.4. General Layout.....................................................................................................27
2.5.5. Detailed Drawings and Calculations ..................................................................27
2.5.6. Unit Bypasses ......................................................................................................28
2.5.7. Unit Dewatering, Flotation Protection, and Plugging ........................................28
2.6. Essential Facilities...................................................................................................28
2.6.1. Power Failure .......................................................................................................28
Page 3 of 121 Standard Specifications

Controlled version of this document is available in CMS. Any printed copies are uncontrolled.
2.6.2. Water Supply ........................................................................................................29

2.6.3. Flow Measurement and Location........................................................................30
2.6.4. Monitoring and Sampling Equipment .................................................................31
2.6.5. Laboratory Facilities ............................................................................................31
2.6.6. Instrumentation, Control, and Automation ........................................................35
2.7. Health and Safety ....................................................................................................35
2.7.1. General .................................................................................................................35
2.7.2. Hazardous Chemical Handling ...........................................................................36
2.7.3. Protective Clothing and Equipment ...................................................................36
2.7.4. Warning System and Signs .................................................................................37
2.7.5. Dust Collection ....................................................................................................37
2.7.6. Eyewash Fountains and Safety Showers ...........................................................37
2.7.7. Hazardous Chemical Container Identification ...................................................37
3. Preliminary Treatment .................................................................................................38
3.1. Function and General Requirements .....................................................................38
3.2. Screening Devices ...................................................................................................38
3.2.1. Selection Considerations ....................................................................................39
3.2.2. Coarse Screen......................................................................................................39
3.2.3. Fine Screens ........................................................................................................42
3.3. Screenings Handling ...............................................................................................44
3.4. Grit and Fats, Oil, and Grease Removal Facilities .................................................45
3.4.1. Grit Removal ........................................................................................................45
3.4.2. Selection Criteria .................................................................................................47
3.4.3. Design Considerations ........................................................................................47
3.4.4. Fats, Oil, and Grease ...........................................................................................51
4. Pre-Aeration and Flocculation ....................................................................................51
4.1. Pre-Aeration .............................................................................................................52
4.2. Flocculation .............................................................................................................52
4.2.1. Detention Periods ................................................................................................52
4.2.2. Stirring Devices ...................................................................................................52
5. Flow Equalisation ........................................................................................................52
5.1. Objectives ................................................................................................................52
5.2. General .....................................................................................................................52
5.3. Location ...................................................................................................................52
5.4. Type ..........................................................................................................................53

5.5. Basin Size ................................................................................................................53

5.6. Operation .................................................................................................................53
5.6.1. Mixing ...................................................................................................................53
5.6.2. Aeration ................................................................................................................53
5.6.3. Controls ................................................................................................................53
6. Sedimentation..............................................................................................................54
6.1. General Considerations ..........................................................................................54
6.2. Design Considerations ............................................................................................54
6.2.1. Inlets .....................................................................................................................54
6.2.2. Dimensions ..........................................................................................................54
6.2.3. Channels ..............................................................................................................55
6.2.4. Freeboard .............................................................................................................55
6.2.5. Baffling and Scum Removal ................................................................................55
6.2.6. Submerged Surfaces ...........................................................................................55
6.2.7. Weirs .....................................................................................................................56
6.2.8. Detention Time .....................................................................................................56
6.2.9. Surface-Loading Rates ........................................................................................56
6.2.10. Solids Loading Rate ............................................................................................57
6.3. Sludge ......................................................................................................................57
6.3.1. Sludge Collection ................................................................................................57
6.3.2. Sludge Handling and Withdrawal .......................................................................58
7. Biological Treatment ...................................................................................................60
7.1. Activated Sludge .....................................................................................................61
7.1.2. Specific Process Selection .................................................................................61
7.1.3. Pre-Treatment.......................................................................................................61
7.1.4. Design Basis ........................................................................................................61
7.1.5. Aeration ................................................................................................................62
7.1.6. Aeration Tanks .....................................................................................................63
7.1.7. Return and Waste Activated Sludge ...................................................................65
7.1.8. Measurement .......................................................................................................67
7.2. Sequencing Batch Reactors ...................................................................................67
7.2.1. Process Selection ................................................................................................67
7.2.2. Pre-Treatment.......................................................................................................67
7.2.3. Design Basis ........................................................................................................67
7.2.4. Aeration System ..................................................................................................68

7.2.5. Tanks ....................................................................................................................69

7.2.6. Control ..................................................................................................................69
7.2.7. Sludge Removal ...................................................................................................70
7.3. Moved Bed Bio-Reactors ........................................................................................70
7.3.1. Process Selection ................................................................................................70
7.3.2. Pre-Treatment.......................................................................................................70
7.3.3. Design Basis ........................................................................................................70
7.3.4. MBBR Bio-Carriers Media ...................................................................................71
7.4. Aeration Equipment General ..................................................................................71
7.4.1. Diffused Air Systems ...........................................................................................72
7.4.2. Hyperbolic Mixer/Aerator System .......................................................................73
8. Tertiary Filtration .........................................................................................................75
8.1. Rapid Sand Gravity Filters ......................................................................................75
8.1.1. Design ..................................................................................................................75
8.1.2. Media Selection....................................................................................................75
8.1.3. Under Drains ........................................................................................................76
8.1.4. Backwash .............................................................................................................76
8.1.5. Surface Wash .......................................................................................................76
8.2. Media Cloth Disc Filters ..........................................................................................77
8.3. Granular-Activated Carbon Filters .........................................................................78
8.3.1. Applicability .........................................................................................................78
8.3.2. Design Considerations ........................................................................................78
8.3.3. Contact Time ........................................................................................................78
8.3.4. Hydraulic Loading Rate .......................................................................................79
8.3.5. Depth of Bed ........................................................................................................79
8.3.6. Number of Units ...................................................................................................79
8.3.7. Backwashing ........................................................................................................79
8.3.8. Valving and Piping ...............................................................................................79
9. Membrane Bioreactor Systems ..................................................................................80
9.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................80
9.2. Design Basis ............................................................................................................81
9.3. Clean Water Act 15897: 2008 and Pre-Standardisation .........................................82
9.4. Pre-Treatment and Influent Quality ........................................................................82
9.5. Treated Effluent Quality ..........................................................................................82
9.6. Membranes ..............................................................................................................82

9.7. Required Membrane Area .......................................................................................83

9.8. Membrane Flux ........................................................................................................83
9.9. Membrane Integrity Testing ....................................................................................83
9.10. Membrane Modules .................................................................................................84
9.11. Membrane Tanks......................................................................................................84
9.12. Mixed-Liquor Suspended Solids ............................................................................85
9.13. Aeration ....................................................................................................................85
9.13.1. Biological Aeration ..............................................................................................85
9.13.2. Coarse-Bubble Aeration ......................................................................................85
9.14. Mixing .......................................................................................................................86
9.15. Membrane Backwashing and Chemical Cleaning .................................................86
9.15.1. General .................................................................................................................86
9.15.2. Membrane Cleaning .............................................................................................87
9.15.3. Air Scour System .................................................................................................87
9.16. Membrane Permeate Pumps, Blowers, Piping, and Valves ..................................87
9.16.1. Permeate Pumping ..............................................................................................87
10. Phosphorus Removal by Chemical Treatment ......................................................88
10.1. Design Basis ............................................................................................................88
10.2. System Flexibility ....................................................................................................89
10.3. Process Requirements ............................................................................................89
10.4. Chemical Selection ..................................................................................................89
10.4.1. Typical Chemical Dose Rates .............................................................................89
10.5. Chemical Feed Points .............................................................................................90
10.5.1. Flash Mixing .........................................................................................................90
10.5.2. Flocculation .........................................................................................................91
10.5.3. Liquid – Solids Separation ..................................................................................91
10.6. Chemical Feed System ............................................................................................91
10.6.1. Liquid Chemical Feed System ............................................................................91
10.6.2. Dry Chemical Feed System .................................................................................92
10.6.3. Storage Facilities .................................................................................................92
10.6.4. Location and Containment ..................................................................................92
10.6.5. Accessories .........................................................................................................92
10.6.6. Materials ...............................................................................................................92
10.6.7. Temperature, Humidity, and Dust Control ..........................................................92
10.6.8. Cleaning ...............................................................................................................92

10.6.9. Filling Drains and Draw-Off .................................................................................93

10.6.10. Safety and Hazardous Chemical Handling .....................................................93
11. Disinfection ..............................................................................................................93
11.1. General Design Basis ..............................................................................................93
11.2. Chlorination .............................................................................................................94
11.2.1. Bulk Sodium Hypochlorite Dosing Plants ..........................................................94
11.2.2. Onsite Chlorine Generation Plant .......................................................................94
11.2.3. Mixing and Contact ..............................................................................................95
11.2.4. Typical Chlorine Dose .........................................................................................96
11.2.5. Dechlorination......................................................................................................96
11.3. Ultraviolet System ...................................................................................................97
11.3.1. Ultraviolet Lamps.................................................................................................97
11.3.2. Ultraviolet Disinfection General Design Basis...................................................98
12. Sludge Handling and Disposal .............................................................................100
12.1. Functional and General Requirements ................................................................100
12.2. Sludge Reception ..................................................................................................101
12.2.1. Liquid Sludge .....................................................................................................101
12.2.2. Cake Sludges .....................................................................................................102
12.2.3. Screening ...........................................................................................................102
12.3. Sludge Storage ......................................................................................................102
12.3.1. General Requirements.......................................................................................103
12.3.2. Storage Capacity ...............................................................................................103
12.3.3. Performance Requirements ..............................................................................103
12.3.4. Specific Requirements ......................................................................................103
12.3.5. Process Control and Operating Regime ..........................................................104
12.4. Sludge Conditioning..............................................................................................105
12.4.1. Conditioning Chemicals ....................................................................................105
12.4.2. Iron and Alum Salts ...........................................................................................105
12.4.3. Lime ....................................................................................................................105
12.4.4. Polymers ............................................................................................................105
12.4.5. Chemical Feed Systems ....................................................................................105
12.5. Sludge Thickening .................................................................................................106
12.5.1. Design Guidance ...............................................................................................106
12.5.2. Gravity Thickeners ............................................................................................107
12.5.3. Mechanical Thickeners......................................................................................108

12.6. Aerobic Digestion ..................................................................................................109

12.6.1. General ...............................................................................................................109
12.6.2. Tank Design........................................................................................................109
12.6.3. Air Requirements ............................................................................................... 111
12.7. Sludge Dewatering ................................................................................................ 111
12.7.1. General ............................................................................................................... 111
12.7.2. Process Selection .............................................................................................. 111
12.7.3. General Design Basis ........................................................................................ 112
12.7.4. Belt Presses ....................................................................................................... 112
12.7.5. Centrifuges......................................................................................................... 113
12.8. Sludge Cake Storage/Transport............................................................................ 114
12.9. Odour Control ........................................................................................................ 115
12.10. Pipelines ............................................................................................................. 115
12.11. Sludge Pumps .................................................................................................... 115
13. Chemical Delivery, Storage, and Dosing Systems .............................................. 116
13.1. General ................................................................................................................... 116
13.2. Chemical Storage Facilities .................................................................................. 116
13.2.1. Bulk Tanks and Storage Containers ................................................................. 116
13.2.2. Apparatus for Chemical Transfer...................................................................... 117
13.2.3. Location.............................................................................................................. 119
13.2.4. Materials for Tanks and Dosing Systems ......................................................... 119
13.3. Chemical Dosing System ...................................................................................... 119
13.3.1. Dosing Skid Arrangement ................................................................................. 119
13.3.2. Dosing Pumps.................................................................................................... 119
13.3.3. Dosing Pipework and Valves ............................................................................ 119
13.3.4. Dosing Points.....................................................................................................120

1. Introduction
1.1. Purpose
i. The purpose of this document is to communicate the technical requirements and preferences of
the Client for the particular system or equipment, or both.
1.2. Scope
i. The scope of this Manual is to provide technical guidance to the Designer regarding key system
elements. This Manual shall be applicable to all Client projects, and shall be read in conjunction
with the relevant standard Specification of all other documents of any Contract requirements or
Particular Specification (or both). Any clause in this Manual which relates to Works or materials
not required by any particular Contract shall be deemed not to apply.
ii. The contents of this document shall be read in conjunction with all Haya Water Technical
Specifications. Compliance with the contents of Haya Water Technical Specifications shall be an
integral requirement of this document.
1.3. Objective
i. The objective of this Manual is to ensure that all designs are carried out to a uniform high
standard, in line with the Client’s intentions and best international practices. Incorporating the
requirements and criteria of this Manual will ease the Client’s technical review and approval
process in the implementation of projects.
ii. This Manual is intended for use by Designers who are knowledgeable and experienced in the
design of wastewater collection, transfer, and treatment processes. The Designers need to be
fully familiar with the contents of this Manual.
iii. Requirements and criteria included in this Manual are not purported to cover all design
conditions. This Manual is a guide and not meant to preclude the use of experienced engineering
judgement for specific design situations. Designers shall address all necessary aspects for their
particular project in consultation with the Engineer, and any proposed deviations from this Manual
must be discussed and agreed upon with the Engineer prior to commencement of the Works.
1.4. Distribution/Target Audience

i. This document is issued for use by concerned Haya Water Asset Management and Operations
employees, Designers, Owner Representatives/Engineers, Consultants, and Contractors.
1.5. Review and Improvement

i. This Manual shall be formally reviewed every 3 years. Additional reviews shall be performed, as
necessary, in accordance with PRO-CMS-001 - Control of Documents Procedure.
1.6. Definitions
i. Client/Owner: Oman Wastewater Services Company (Haya Water) for whom the Works are to
be undertaken

ii. Owner Representative/Engineer: The firm or company named in the Contract as appointed by
the Client to supervise and administer the Contract
iii. Consultant: The firm or company selected by the Client to prepare the Particular Specification
(the Contract documents) for a given project
iv. Contractor: The company or organisation responsible for the provision of the Works and who
have entered into a Contract with the Client
v. Designer: Any person carrying out design activities for or on behalf of any of the parties
mentioned previously. A person involved in any changes to existing or proposed Works shall be
deemed to be a Designer.
vi. Site: The land allocated for the Works
vii. Project Documents: All documents associated with and applicable to the Contract
viii. Particular Specification: The Specification associated with the Contract and prepared at the
time of the project by the Engineer specifically for that application
ix. Technical definitions related to this Specification are to be found within the appropriate technical
clauses in the document.
1.7. Abbreviations
2D Two-Dimensional
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AOR Actual Oxygen Requirement
AWWA American Water Works Association
BOD Biological Oxygen Demand
BOD5 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
BS British Standard
BS EN British Standard European Norm
CBOD5 Carbonaceous 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
CEN European Committee for Standardisation

CESWI Civil Engineering Specification for the Water Industry
Cl2 Chlorine
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
CSO Combined Sewer Overflow
CWA Clean Water Act
DO Dissolved Oxygen
DS Dry Solids
EC Electrical Conductivity

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
FFT Full Flow to Treatment
FOG Fats, Oil, and Grease

HRT Hydraulic Retention Time
ICA Instrumentation, Control, and Automation
ISO International Organisation for Standardisation

ks Coefficient
LIMS Laboratory Information Management System
MBR Membrane Bio-reactor

MLSS Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids
N Nitrogen
NH3 Ammonia
NH4 Ammonium
NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide
NO3 Nitrate
NOD Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand
OSEC Onsite Chlorine Electro-chlorination
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Authority
P&ID Piping and Instrumentation Diagram
PE Population Equivalent
RAS Return Activated Sludge

SAR Sodium Absorption Ratio
SBR Sequencing Batch Reactor
SLR Sludge Loading Rate

SS Suspended Solids
STP Sewage Treatment Plant
SVI Sludge Volume Index

TBOD5 Total 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
TDS Total Dissolved Solids
TE Treated Effluent

TSS Total Suspended Solids
UV Ultraviolet
WAS Waste Activated Sludge

WIMES Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Specification
WLC Whole Life Cost
WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant

Other abbreviations related to this Specification can be found within the appropriate technical
clauses in the document.
Units of Measurement
° Degree
μm Micrometre
°C Degree Celsius
D Day
G Gram
kg Kilogram
kg/m2/h Kilogram per Square Metre per Hour
kg/m3 Kilogram per Cubic Metre
kgO2/h Kilogram Oxygen per Hour
kgO2/kg Kilogram Oxygen per Kilogram
kgO2/kWh Kilogram Oxygen per Kilowatt-Hour
kN/m2 Kilonewton per Square Metre
kPa Kilopascal
kW Kilowatt
kWh Kilowatt-Hour
L Litre
L/m2s Litre per Square Metre-Second
L/m3s Litre per Cubic Metre-Second
L/s Litre per Second

m Metre

m2 Square Metre
m3 Cubic Metre
m3/day Cubic Metre per Day

mg/g Milligram per Gram
mg/L Milligram per Litre
mg/L-min Milligram per Litre-Minute

m/h Metre per Hour
m3/h Cubic Metre per Hour
min Minute
mJ/cm2 Millijoule per Square Centimetre
m3/kg Cubic Metre per Kilogram
mL Millilitre
mL/g Millilitre per Gram
MLD Mega Litres a Day
MPN/100 mL Mean Probably Number per 100 millilitre

m/min Metre per Minute
m2 Square Metre
m3 Cubic Metre
m3/h Cubic Metre per Hour
micro S/cm Micro Siemens per Centimetre
m3/m-min Cubic Metre per Metre–Minute

m3/m2-min Cubic Metre per Square Metre–Minute
m3/m3-min Cubic Metre per Cubic Metre–Minute
mm Millimetre
m/s Metre per Second
nm Nanometre
NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Unit

psi Pound per Square Inch
rpm Revolution per Minute
sec Second

W Watt
W/cm Watt per Centimetre
2. Sewage Treatment Plants
2.1. Sewage Treatment Plant Location

i. The following requirements shall be considered when selecting a plant Site:
a) Site compatibility/Site space limitations (land availability)
b) Environmental setting and local climate conditions
c) Sizing for modules and modularity/phasing
d) Minimum nuisance/environmental impact/aesthetics
e) Public acceptance
f) Influence and proximity to residential areas
g) Protection of groundwater including public and private wells and regulations governing
them
h) Direction of prevailing winds
i) Accessibility by all-weather roads
j) Local soil characteristics such as geology, hydrology, and topography available to
minimise pumping
k) Flood considerations, including the 25 and 100 year flood levels, compliance with
applicable regulations regarding construction in flood prone areas, and requirements for
protection from flooding
l) Access to disposal points
m) Sea outfall for emergency and excess treated effluent (TE) disposal
n) Land use, including noise, potential odours, air quality, and future land use
o) Sludge processing disposal techniques
p) Relative Capex and Opex – whole life cost of different Site options
ii. Where a Site must be used which is critical with respect to the previous issues, appropriate
measures shall be taken to minimize adverse environmental and structural impacts.
iii. Treatment plant structures, electrical, and mechanical equipment shall be protected from physical
damage by flooding. Treatment plants shall remain fully operational and accessible during floods.
This requirement applies to new construction and to existing facilities undergoing major
modification.
2.2. Raw Sewage Characteristic

i. The Raw Sewage Characteristics analysed by Haya Water Laboratory will be available from
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) on various existing operating plants and
designer should use this data to optimize plant design. LIMS provides the historic data to the

designer for reference purpose; however, designer shall obtain the updated data along with
historic data for a robust system design.
ii. Unless otherwise the raw sewage quality is not specified, the following values of parameters shall
apply as minimum design guideline for process design of the Plant as listed in Table 1.
iii. The temperature of sewage, as observed, undergoes a variation from less than 20 oC in winter
and up to 35 oC in summer. The Designer shall liaise closely with the Client to determine the plant
inlet design values of various parameters taking into consideration the previous existing operating
plant data.
iv. For Fat, Oil & Grease raw sewage characteristics; the Designer shall consider the sewerage
catchments networks covers the commercial, food and beverages outlets which may have higher
values of FOG than the minimum values shown in the Table 1. For such cases, the Designer
shall obtain Client’s agreement for adopted design value for the FOG parameter.
Table 1: Minimum Design Guideline of Raw Sewage Characteristic
Parameters Unit Design values
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) mg/l 350 – 400
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) mg/l 700 – 900
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) mg/l 400 – 500
Inert Solids % 20
Water Temperature (minimum) oC 20
Water Temperature (maximum) oC 35
Ammonia Nitrogen as N mg/l 50
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen as N mg/l 80
Fat, Oil & Grease mg/l 150 – 205
Total Phosphorus mg/l 15 – 30
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) mg/l 150 - 200
pH units 6.5 – 8.0
Air Temperature oC 15 - 60
Humidity % 0-100

v. The Designer shall use the following characteristics for the treatment of influent Raw Sewage
received by Tankers to STP are listed in Table 2, based on flow-proportioned composite samples
collected over 4 days of twenty four hours and analysed in accordance with Standard Methods for
the Examination of Water and Wastewater (21st Edition), and an analysis of historic data from Al
Ansab STP Tanker Discharge Facility.
Table 2: Raw Sewage Characteristic Guidelines Received by Tanker Discharge
Design Values
Parameters Unit
Maximum Minimum Average
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) mg/L 1,175 360 684
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) mg/L 2,200 614 1,413
Total Nitrogen (TN) mg/L 96 53 67
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen as N (TKN) mg/L 96 53 67
Ammonia Nitrogen as N (NH3-N) mg/L 60 39 48
Nitrates as NO3 (NO3-NO3) mg/L 1.3 0.1 0.2
Nitrates as N (NO3-N) mg/L 0.05 0.02 0.02
Nitrite as NO2 (NO2-NO2) mg/L 0.02 0.02 0.02
Nitrite as N (NO2-N) mg/L 0.01 0.01 0.01
Total Phosphorus (TP) mg/L 27 7 13
O-Phosphate (PO4) mg/L 14 4 10
Chloride as Cl mg/L 476 201 275
Sulphate as SO4 mg/L 86 22 43
Fluoride as F mg/L 14 10 12
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) mg/L 1,324 660 864
Electrical Conductivity (EC) µS/c 2,610 1,515 1,743
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) mg/L 1150 100 645
Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) mg/L 1025 60 495
Oil and Grease (FOG) mg/L 263 31 200
pH - 7.0 6.7 6.8
Temperature ºC 35 20 26
Alkalinity mg/L 350 297 324

2.3. Treated Effluent Quality

i. Treated effluent quality for Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) shall comply with effluent quality in
the Concession Agreement provided in section 2.3.1, Standard “A” as specified in Ministerial
Decision145/1993 provided in Section 2.3.2, or the performance standards provided for effluents
discharged to a marine environment as given in Section 2.3.3.
2.3.1. Treated Effluent Quality as per Concession Agreement
i. At a minimum, TE must conform to the quality compliance highlighted in the Concession
Agreement relating to the Muscat Wastewater Project (2005), details of which are provided in
Table 3.
Table 3: Minimum Treated Effluent Quality in Accordance with the Concession Agreement
Parameter Value Note
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) (5d @ 20ºC) mg/L < 15 Daily Note 1
Suspended Solids mg/L < 15 Daily Note 1
Total Nitrogen (as N) mg/L < 15 Daily Note 3
Oil and Grease mg/L <5 Daily Note 3
Phosphorous (Total as P) mg/L < 30 Daily Note 1
Faecal Coliforms per 100 mL < 200 Daily Note 1
Chlorine Residual (at Distribution Point) 0.3 < x < 1.0 Daily Note 1
Sludge Solids Concentration % > 20 Daily Median Note 2
Viable Helminths Ova per L <1 Monthly Note 4
ii. Chlorine residual concentrations shall be between 0.3 and 1.0 mg/L at distribution point.
Maximum allowable concentrations at the STP point of discharge are up to 3.0 mg/L to allow for
degradation in the distribution network.
a) Note 1: Compliance shall be based on 7-day moving averages for all constituents except
Faecal Coliforms, Chlorine Residual, and Helminths Ova. No more than two daily
composite samples per month are permitted to exceed one or more of the previous
performance standards.
b) Note 2: No more than five daily composite samples per month permitted to exceed one or
more of the previous performance standards.
c) Note 3: The average of the daily composite samples taken during a month shall not to
exceed the performance standard.
d) Note 4: Testing is only required where sludge shall be made available for reuse.
2.3.2. Treated Effluent Quality as per MECA Standard
i. Additionally, any treatment process selected shall be capable of treating effluent to meet the
effluent quality Class “A” or “B” as specified in the Ministerial Decision 145/1993 dated 13 June

1993 by Ministry of Environment and Climate Affaires, covering wastewater reuse and discharge
to land (see Table 4).
Table 4: Treated Effluent Quality – Ministerial Decision 145/1993
Parameter Std. A (mg/L) Std. B (mg/L)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD5 (5 day @ 20°C) 15 20

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 150 200
Suspended Solids (SS) 15 30
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) 1,500 2,000
Electrical Conductivity (EC) (micro S/cm) 2,000 2,700
Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR) 10 10
pH (within range) 6–9 6–9
Aluminium (as Al) 5 5
Arsenic (as As) 0.100 0.100
Barium (as Ba) 1 2
Beryllium (as Be) 0.100 0.300
Boron (as B) 0.500 1
Cadmium (as Cd) 0.010 0.010
Chloride (as Cl) 650 650
Chromium (total as Cr) 0.050 0.050
Cobalt (as Co) 0.050 0.050
Copper (as Cu) 0.500 1
Cyanide (total as CN) 0.050 0.100
Fluoride (as F) 1 2
Iron (total as Fe) 1 5
Lead (as Pb) 0.100 0.200
Lithium (as Li) 0.070 0.070
Magnesium (as Mg) 150 150
Manganese (as Mn) 0.100 0.500
Mercury (as Hg) 0.001 0.001
Molybdenum (as Mo) 0.010 0.050
Nickel (as Ni) 0.100 0.100
Nitrogen: Ammoniacal (as N) 5 10
Nitrate (as NO3) 50 50
Organic (Kjehldahl) (as N) 5 10
Oil and Grease (Total Extractable) 0.500 0.500

Parameter Std. A (mg/L) Std. B (mg/L)
Phenols (total) 0.001 0.002

Phosphorus (total as P) 30 30
Selenium (as Se) 0.020 0.020
Silver (as Ag) 0.010 0.010
Sodium (as Na) 200 300
Sulphate (as SO4) 400 400
Sulphide (total as S) 0.100 0.100
Vanadium (as V) 0.100 0.100
Zinc (as Zn) 5 5
Faecal Coliform Bacteria (MPN per 100 mL) 200 1,000
Viable Nematode Ova (Ova per L) <1 <1
ii. The more stringent of the previous two standards shall be used in the design and compliance of
the quality levels (for example, the Fat, Oil and Grease requirement of 0.5 mg/L [as per Ministerial
Decision 145/1993] shall be the applicable output quality compared to 5 mg/L in the Concession
Agreement).
iii. Similarly, considering MD 145/1993 Regulations of Nitrates as Nitrate (NO 3) < 50 mg/L, the limit
for Nitrates considered as Nitrogen (as N) which shall be < 11.3 mg/L, requiring a sewage
treatment plant to be designed for a substantial level of denitrification to achieve this standard.
Thus, the technology selected and designs shall meet the combined concentration of Total
Nitrogen (as N) = Organic N + Ammonia (NH3) + Ammonium (NH4) + Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
+ NO3 shall be < 15 mg/L to meet the Total Nitrogen limits.
2.3.3. Treated Effluent Quality for Marine Discharge as per Ministerial Decision 159/2005
i. Apart from the compliance for Class “A” Effluent as previous, the system shall also have to deal
with excess TE during winter months, when the treated water demand falls drastically for
landscape irrigation. This necessitates disposal of excess TE to the sea in the initial years or
during less demand of TE.
ii. As the Concession Agreement does not specify effluent quality to be discharged into the sea,
Haya Water shall follow the effluent quality requirements set out in Ministerial Decision 159/2005
“Regulations for the Discharge of Liquid Effluents to the Marine Environment”. Effluent quality
discharged into a marine environment must be capable of meeting this standard. The TE quality
requirement is provided in Table 5.
Table 5: Ministerial Decision 159/2005 – Regulations for the Discharge of Liquid Effluents
to the Marine Environment (Unofficial Translation)
Parameter Concentration (mg/L)
pH (within range) 6–9

Temperature < 10 oC above Ambient Temperature

Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD5 (5 day @ 20°C) 20.0
Chemical Oxygen Demand COD 200.0
Suspended Solids SS 30.0
Aluminium (as Al) 5.0
Arsenic (as As) 0.100
Barium (as Ba) 2.0
Beryllium (as Be) 0.300
Boron (as B) 1.0
Cadmium (as Cd) 0.010
Chromium (Total as Cr) 0.050
Cobalt (as Co) 0.050
Copper (as Cu) 0.200
Cyanide (total as CN) 0.100
Fluoride (as F) 2.0
Iron (total as Fe) 1.5
Lead (as Pb) 0.08
Lithium (as Li) 0.070
Mercury (as Hg) 0.001
Molybdenum (as Mo) 0.05
Nickel (as Ni) 0.100
Nitrogen: Ammoniacal (as N) 1.0

Nitrogen: Nitrate (as NO3) 15.0
Nitrate (as N) 3.4
Nitrogen: Organic (Kjehldahl) (as N) 5.0
Total Nitrogen 15.0
Oil and Grease (Total Extractable) 15.0
Phenols (Total) 0.002
Phosphorus (Total as P) 2.0
Selenium (as Se) 0.020

Silver (as Ag) 0.010
Sulphide (total as S) 0.100
Total Chlorine (as Cl2) 0.4
Vanadium (as V) 0.100
Zinc (as Zn) 1.0
Faecal Coliform Bacteria (per 100 mL) 10,000
Viable Nematode Ova (per L) <1
Organo Halogens < 0.001
Pesticides or Their By-products < 0.001
Organo Silicon Compounds < 0.001
Organo Copper Compounds < 0.001
Organo Tin Compounds 0.00002
iii. Particular attention is given to the parameters highlighted as follows for effluent discharged to the
sea as these differ from the water quality parameters in Table 2 for Class “A” effluents:
a) Ammonia (as N) : 1.0 mg/L
b) Nitrate (as N) : 3.4 mg/L
c) Phosphorous : 2.0 mg/L
d) Total Chlorine : 0.4 mg/L
2.3.4. Treated Effluent Quality Discharge to Wadi’s

i. Any TE discharged to Wadi’s shall conform to the effluent quality given under Class “A” effluent,
relating to Ministerial Decision 145/93 (see Section 2.3.2).
ii. To allow discharge of treated effluent to Wadi’s express approval from local authorities shall be
required.
2.4. Design Considerations

i. The Contractor and design Consultant shall liaise closely with the Client regarding process design
matters.
ii. The process selection shall consider the following factors to provide the best operational
efficiency whilst achieving the required standard.
a) Technology, process design and facilities design
b) Footprint and Site compatibility
c) Time for completion

d) Wastewater sources, characteristics, flows and TE quality requirements

e) Energy requirements
f) Environmental setting and local climate conditions
g) Previous experience and technical literature
h) Level of performance and reliability (consistency)
i) Ease of operation and maintenance
j) Operational flexibility (initial and future loads)
k) Demonstrated success in similar applications
l) Modularity/phasing
m) Contractor information and performance guarantees
n) Compatibility with other Client treatment facilities
o) Minimum nuisance/environmental impact/aesthetics
p) Shock load resilience/reliability/robustness (level of automation)
q) Operational complexity and maintenance redundancy
r) Sludge production and type
s) Public acceptance
t) Sustainability
u) Adaptability for aquifer recharge/potable standard
v) Complexity, operability, and reliability of equipment and impact on other sewage
treatment plant (STP) facilities
w) System cleaning requirements
x) Contractor’s international track record and experience
y) Capex and Opex – whole life cost (WLC)
iii. The nature and relative volumetric proportions of any industrial wastewater wastes shall be
considered in the design of sewage treatment works.
iv. Sewage Treatment Works shall comprise all or some of the following processes:
a) Inlet Reception / By-pass / Emergency Lagoons / Sea Out Fall
b) Pre-aeration / Equalization / Balancing Tanks
c) Preliminary Treatment / Head Works and Sewage Distribution
d) Solids, Grits and FOG Collection, Treatment and Removal
e) Odour Control Unit and Monitoring System
f) Biological Treatment
g) Tertiary treatment (for Treated Effluent polishing)
h) TE Disinfection, Storage Tanks and TE Line / Distribution
i) Sludge Handling, Treatment and Removal
j) O&M Administration Office, Store, Workshop and Laboratory

v. As a basis of design, all treatment plant processes and equipment shall be designed and sized as
per Section 01 General, taking into account future hydraulic flows and organic loads.
2.4.1. Hydraulic Design
2.4.1.1. New System
i. The design for sewage treatment plants shall be based on average per capita household
consumption of 245L/capita or as specified in Haya Water latest updated Master Plan.
ii. Unless water usage data or other justification upon which to better estimate flow is provided, the
previous values shall be updated by the Designer for any changes that a more realistic rate of
water consumption, and in turn, the sewage generation.
iii. The following flows for the design year shall be identified and used as a basis for designing
wastewater treatment units, and other wastewater handling facilities.
a) Design Average Flow: The design average flow is the average of the daily volumes to
be received for a continuous 12-month period, expressed as a volume per unit time.
However, the design average flow for facilities having critical seasonal high hydraulic
loading periods (for example, recreational areas, campuses, and industrial facilities) shall
be based on the daily average flow during the seasonal period.
b) Design Maximum Day Flow: The design maximum day flow is the largest volume of flow
to be received during a continuous 24-hour period, expressed as a volume per unit time.
c) Design Peak Hourly Flow: The design peak hourly flow is the largest volume of flow to
be received during a 1-hour period, expressed as a volume per unit time.
d) Design Peak Instantaneous Flow: The design peak instantaneous flow is the
instantaneous maximum flow rate to be received.
iv. Peak factors on design shall be considered based on the following reference data
v. Allowance shall be made for recycled liquors within the proposed plant or wastewater received by
Tankers. For non-domestic flows, the design load shall be the actual peak period discharge plus
10 percent.
2.4.1.2. Existing System
i. Where there is an existing system, the volume and strength of existing flows shall be determined.
The determination shall include both dry weather and wet weather conditions. At least 1 year's
flow data shall be taken as the basis for the preparation of a hydrograph for analysis to determine
the following types of flow conditions of the system:
a) The annual average daily flow as determined by averaging flows over 1 year, exclusive of
inflow due to rainfall
b) The minimum daily flow as determined by observing 24 hours flows during dry weather
c) Wet weather peak flows as determined by observing 24 hour flows during a period of 1
year
d) Peak hourly flows as determined by observing the maximum hydraulic load to the plant
e) Industrial wastewater flows as determined by flow data, including water use records, for
each of the industries contributing to the sewer system

2.4.2. Organic Design

2.4.2.1. New Systems
i. The following organic loads for the design year shall be identified and used as a basis for design
of wastewater treatment facilities. Where any of the terms defined in this section are used in
these design standards, the definition contained in this section applies.
2.4.2.1.i.a...1. Biochemical Oxygen Demand
i. The 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) is defined as the amount of oxygen required to
stabilise biodegradable organic matter under aerobic conditions within a 5-day period in
accordance with Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Total 5-day
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (TBOD5) is equivalent to BOD5 and is sometimes used to
differentiate carbonaceous plus nitrogenous oxygen demand from strictly carbonaceous oxygen
demand.
ii. The carbonaceous 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD5) is defined as BOD5 less than
nitrogenous oxygen demand of the wastewater. See Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Wastewater.
2.4.2.1.ii.a...1. Design Average 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
i. The design average BOD5 is generally the average of the organic load received for a continuous
12-month period for the design year, expressed as weight per day. However, the design average
BOD5 for facilities having critical seasonal high loading periods (to be advised by the Client) shall
be based on the daily average BOD5 during the seasonal period.
2.4.2.1.i.a...1. Design Maximum Day 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
i. The design maximum day BOD5 is the largest amount of organic load to be received during a
continuous 24-hour period, expressed as weight per day.
2.4.2.1.i.a...1. Design Peak Hourly 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand
ii. The design peak hourly BOD5 is the largest amount of organic load to be received during a
1-hour period, expressed as weight per day.
2.4.2.1.ii.a...1. Design of Organic Capacity of Wastewater Treatment Facilities
i. Projections shall be made from actual waste load data to the extent possible.
ii. Projections shall be compared to per capita contribution, as follows, and an accounting made for
significant variations from those values.
iii. Impacts of industrial sources shall be documented. For projects with significant industrial
contributions, evidence of adequate pre-treatment strategies must be included along with
documentation that industries are aware of the pre-treatment limitations. Documentation shall be
provided of the individual industrial participation in the project plan including user charges.
iv. Septic and leachate wastes may contribute significant organic loads and other materials which
can cause operational problems and non-compliance. Allowances for septic or leachate to be
discharged to the wastewater treatment facility must be accounted for.
v. Domestic waste treatment design shall be on the basis of at least 60g of BOD 5 per capita per day
and 80g of suspended solids per capita per day, unless information is submitted to justify
alternate designs.
vi. Where no data is available on influent quality, the Designer shall estimate incoming COD loads.
The Designer shall submit assumptions to justify any estimations of incoming COD loads, and
this shall be used as the basis of design following approval from the Client.

vii. Data from similar municipalities may be utilised in the case of new systems. However, thorough
investigation that is adequately documented shall be provided for review to establish the reliability
and applicability of such data.
viii. The shock effects of high concentrations and diurnal peaks for short periods of time on the
treatment process shall be considered.
2.4.2.2. Existing Systems
i. When an existing treatment Works is to be upgraded or expanded, the organic design shall be
based upon the actual strength of the wastewater as determined from the measurements from
the Client’s laboratory, with an appropriate increment for growth.
ii. The raw sewage characteristics analysed by the Client’s laboratory will be available from
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) on various existing operating plants, and the
Designer shall use this data to optimise plant design. The LIMS data provides historic data to the
Designer for reference purpose only; however, the Designer shall obtain the updated data along
with historic data for a robust system design.
2.4.3. Design by Analogy
i. If suitable, data from similar plants may be used in the design of new systems where raw data is
not available.
2.4.4. Shock Effects
i. The shock effects of high concentrations and diurnal peaks for short periods of time on the
treatment process, particularly for small treatment plants, shall be considered.
2.4.5. Flow Equalisation
i. Facilities for the equalisation of flows and organic shock load shall be considered at all plants
which are critically affected by surge loadings. See Clause 5, Flow Equalisation, for further
details.
2.4.6. Conduits and Piping
i. All piping shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
Section 06 – Piping and Accessories (AM-ENG-SS-03-06).
ii. Pipe and accessories used for conduits shall conform to the standard Specification of the
American Water Works Association (AWWA) or equivalent. In general, the following factors shall
be considered in designing conduits:
a) Carrying capacity
b) Maximum pressures
c) Present and future water hammer
d) Hydraulic grade
e) Traffic loads
f) Laying conditions
g) Expansion and contraction
h) Anchorage at bends and joints
i) Depth of cover

2.5. Plant Arrangement

2.5.1. Arrangement of Units
i. Component parts of the plant shall be arranged for greatest operation and maintenance
convenience, flexibility, economy, continuity of maximum effluent quality, and ease of installation
of future units.
ii. All stairways ladders, platforms, hand railings, and flooring provided for safe access to machinery
shall conform to the requirements of British Standard European Norm (BS EN) International
Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14122 Safety of Machinery – Permanent Means of Access
to Machinery.
2.5.2. Flow Division and Control
i. Flow division control facilities shall be provided, as necessary, to insure organic and hydraulic
loading control to plant process units, and shall be designed for easy operator access, change,
observation, and maintenance. The use of head boxes equipped with adjustable sharp-crested
weirs or similar devices is recommended. The use of valves for flow splitting is not recommended.
Appropriate flow measurement facilities shall be incorporated in the flow division control design.
ii. A flow distribution system shall be provided upstream of each treatment stage so that even
distribution of flow can be achieved under all operating conditions, including any combination of
units out of service.
iii. Where two or more process units working in parallel are provided, the “hydraulic design” shall be
such that if one unit is out of service, the remaining units are capable of passing all the maximum
design flow without a detrimental effect on TE quality or hydraulic performance (unit flooding).
Where only one unit is used, an emergency bypass shall be provided.
2.5.3. Location Plan
i. A plan shall be submitted showing the STP in relation to the remainder of the system. Sufficient
topographic features shall be included to indicate its location in relation to streams and the point
of discharge of TE.
2.5.4. General Layout
i. Layouts of the proposed STP shall be submitted, showing the following:
a) Topography of the Site
b) Size and location of plant structures and future structures, phasing, modules
c) Entrance gate, boundary wall, excess and internal roads, landscapes
d) Elevation views, overall cross sections, north direction, levels
e) Schematic flow diagrams showing the flow through various plant/treatment units, and
showing utility systems serving the plant processes
f) Piping route, cable route including any arrangements for bypassing individual units
(materials handled and direction of flow through pipes shall be shown)
g) Hydraulic profiles showing the flow of wastewater, supernatant liquor, and sludge
h) Test borings and groundwater elevations
2.5.5. Detailed Drawings and Calculations
i. Detailed plans shall show the following, where applicable:

a) Location, dimensions, plan views, sections and elevations of all existing and proposed
plant facilities
b) Elevations of high and low water level of disposal point to which the plant effluent is to be
discharged
c) Type, size, pertinent features, and operating capacity of all pumps, blowers, motors, and
other mechanical devices
d) Minimum, design average, and peak hourly hydraulic flow in profile, including details of all
chemical flows, backwashes, and recycle streams
e) Adequate description of any features not otherwise covered by the Specification.
f) Detailed process flow diagrams for liquid and solid streams, process air, chemical, plant
utility water, foul air to odour control system and plant drainage.
g) Mass and flow balances of all processes and process streams
h) Piping and instrumentation design (P&ID) diagrams showing all relevant process
equipment, piping, main valves, and control instrumentation.
i) Detailed pipe and route and cable route diagrams, sections.
2.5.6. Unit Bypasses
i. Properly located and arranged bypass structures and piping shall be provided so that each unit of
the plant can be removed from service independently.
ii. The bypass design shall facilitate plant operation during unit maintenance and emergency repair
so as to minimize deterioration of effluent quality and ensure rapid process recovery upon return
to normal operational mode.
iii. Bypassing shall be accomplished through the use of duplicate or multiple treatment units in any
stage if the design peak instantaneous flow can be handled hydraulically with the largest unit out
of service.
iv. The actuation of all bypasses shall require manual action by operating personnel. All power-
actuated bypasses shall be designed to permit manual operation in the event of power failure,
and shall be designed so that the valve shall fail as is, upon failure of the power supply.
v. A fixed high water level bypass overflow shall be provided in addition to a manually or power
actuated bypass.
2.5.7. Unit Dewatering, Flotation Protection, and Plugging
i. The plant shall have suitable means such as drains or sumps to completely dewater each unit to
an appropriate point in the process.
ii. Due consideration shall be given to the possible need for hydrostatic pressure relief to prevent
flotation of structures.
iii. Pipes subject to plugging shall be provided with a means of mechanical cleaning or flushing.
2.6. Essential Facilities

2.6.1. Power Failure
2.6.1.1. Emergency Power Facilities
i. A standby source of power shall be provided where the discharge of raw or partially treated
sewage may endanger public health or cause damage to the environment, and where the

treatment process or biomass may be adversely affected due to oxygen depletion and septic
conditions. The specific need for emergency power facilities shall be decided upon in conjunction
with the Client.
ii. The need for standby power and the extent of equipment requiring operation by standby power
must be individually assessed for each sewage treatment plant. Some of the factors which must
be considered in making the decisions regarding standby power and the processes to be
operated by the standby power equipment are as follows:
a) Reliability of primary power source
b) Number of power feeder lines supplying grid system, number of alternate routes within
the grid system, and the number of alternate transformers through which power shall be
directed to the STP
c) Whether sewage enters the plant by gravity or is pumped
d) Type of treatment provided
e) Pieces of equipment which may become damaged or overloaded following prolonged
power failure
f) Assimilation capacity of the receiving waters and ability to withstand higher pollution
loadings over short time periods
g) Other uses of the receiving water
iii. Each specific installation shall provide for the following considerations:
a) Means for illuminating and ventilating working areas to ensure safe working conditions
b) Standby power source, or equivalent, to power pumps, motorized valves, and control
panels that are necessary to maintain the sewage flow through the treatment plant
2.6.1.2. Power for Aeration
i. Standby power generation for aeration equipment is not generally required for activated sludge
processes. However, where there is a history of long-term power outages (> 4 hours), auxiliary
power for minimum aeration of the activated sludge shall be provided.
2.6.1.3. Power for Disinfection
i. Where required, continuous disinfection shall be provided during power outages.
ii. Continuous de-chlorination may be required for chlorine dosing systems.
2.6.2. Water Supply
i. An adequate supply of potable water, under pressure, shall be provided for sanitary and drinking
purposes use in the laboratory and for general cleanliness around the plant. No piping or other
connections shall exist in any part of the treatment Works, which, under any conditions, might
cause the contamination of a potable water supply.
ii. If intended for additional use, the chemical quality shall be checked for suitability for its intended
use such as in heat exchangers, chlorinators, or similar components.
iii. The municipal water system and the potable water piping system within the treatment building
shall be protected from the potential backflow of sewage due to backpressure with the use of
certified backflow prevention devices. In this case, the minimum devices to be used on the
building water service lines shall be a reduced pressure zone backflow preventer.
iv. For protection of water users within the building, appropriate vacuum breakers (including break
tanks), as determined by the Engineer, shall be installed on any threaded water connection.

There shall be no connection made to the potable water supply within the treatment building
between the reduced pressure zone backflow preventer and the street source.
2.6.2.2. Sanitary Facilities
i. Toilet, shower, lavatory, and lockers facilities shall be provided in sufficient numbers and
convenient locations to serve the expected plant personnel.
ii. Floor surfaces shall be sloped adequately to a point of drainage.
2.6.3. Flow Measurement and Location
2.6.3.1. General
i. Flow measurement facilities with indicating, totalising, and recording flow measurement shall be
provided to measure the minimum following flows:
a) Plant influent or effluent flow
b) Excess flow treatment facility discharges (to be advised by the Client on a site-by-site
basis)
c) Other flows required to be monitored under the provisions of the discharge permit
ii. All other flows such as return activated sludge, waste activated sludge, mixed liquor recirculation,
recirculation of TE, recycled filtrate water, or sludge liquors required for plant operational control
and flows that are to be accounted for in deriving the TE flow where there is no effluent flow
monitoring, service water, wash water, and chemical solutions shall be measured.
iii. Flow measurement equipment including approach and discharge conduit configuration and
critical control elevations shall be designed to ensure that the required hydraulic conditions
necessary for accurate measurement are provided. Conditions that must be avoided include
turbulence, eddy currents, air entrainment, and similar conditions that upset the normal hydraulic
conditions that are necessary for accurate flow measurement.
iv. Magnetic flow meters on piped flows shall be located, or the pipe designed, such that the part of
the pipe where the meter is located is flooded and in line with the manufacturer’s
recommendations.
v. Where meters are periodically removed, valving and bypass pipework shall be provided.
vi. Measurement of full flow to treatment (FFT) at the point of flow separation shall be provided at a
minimum for all works; this shall provide instantaneous flows and record daily maximum and
minimum flows and average daily flows (midnight to midnight), expressed as m 3/day.
vii. Storm and emergency overflows shall have event recorders which measure the duration of the
spilling event and overflow rate. These shall log the date, time, and duration of spills in hours for a
minimum of 5 years (this may be done via a telemetry system).
viii. Where instantaneous flow measurements are not required to be displayed, then such flow
measurement devices and their incumbent structures shall not be provided.
2.6.3.2. Accuracy
i. The measurements of flow to full treatment with accuracy of up to ±8 percent shall be provided.
2.6.3.3. Design Considerations
i. Where a standing wave flume is provided, it shall be designed and constructed in accordance
with the requirements of British Standard (BS) 3680, Part 4C: 1981. The flume and associated
channels shall be designed to operate over the full range of flows without being drowned.

ii. Where a V-notch weir is provided, it shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the
requirements of BS 3680, Part 4B: 1986. This type of measuring device shall only be used to
monitor final effluent.
iii. Where a magnetic flow meter is provided, it shall comply with the requirements of BS EN ISO
6817 and be appropriately sized and positioned in accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations to achieve the specified accuracy. The flow meter shall operate under all flow
conditions.
2.6.3.4. Specific Requirements
i. There shall be a level hard-standing adjacent to the flow measurement facility for access.
ii. V-notch weirs and standing wave flumes shall be preceded by an area of laminar flow for the
installation of an ultrasonic level detector with a data logger.
iii. Where practical, the plate with a V-notch weir shall be mounted within a flow measuring chamber,
which shall include sampling facilities and have a removable lightweight access cover. There
shall be a facility to clean and remove any settled matter that may accumulate upstream of the
plate.
2.6.4. Monitoring and Sampling Equipment
i. Influent and effluent composite sampling equipment shall be provided, where necessary, to meet
discharge permit monitoring requirements. Composite sampling equipment shall also be
provided, as needed, for influent sampling and for monitoring plant operations.
ii. The influent sampling point shall be located downstream of the screens and grit removal, and
prior to any process return flows.
iii. All sampling points shall be appropriately signposted and labelled, and have an easy and safe
access. They shall be arranged so that a representative sample can be obtained safely.
iv. On-line monitoring instrumentation shall be provided in accordance with the consent conditions.
v. Final selection of additional on-line monitoring shall be subject to risk assessment, automation
requirements, and value engineering.
vi. The overall level and location of on-line sampling equipment shall be agreed upon in conjunction
with the Client.
2.6.5. Laboratory Facilities
i. The Client operates a central laboratory and conducts sampling and analysis of parameters to
meet the Concession Agreement requirements of various STPs.
ii. Generally the treatment plant shall include a laboratory for making the necessary analytical
determinations and operating control tests, except for those plants utilising only processes not
requiring laboratory testing for plant control and where satisfactory offsite laboratory provisions
are made to meet the permit monitoring requirements. For plants where a fully equipped
laboratory is not required, the requirements for utilities, fume hoods, and similar components may
be reduced.
iii. The laboratory shall have sufficient size, bench space, equipment, and supplies to perform all
self-monitoring analytical Works required by discharge permits, and to perform the process
control tests necessary for good management of each treatment process included in the design.
iv. The facilities and supplies necessary to perform analytical work to support industrial waste control
programs shall normally be included in the same laboratory. The laboratory arrangement shall be
sufficiently flexible to allow future expansion should more analytical work be needed. Laboratory
instrumentation and size shall reflect treatment plant size, staffing requirements, process

complexity, and applicable certification requirements. Experience and training of plant operators
shall also be assessed in determining treatment plant laboratory needs.
v. The Designer shall liaise closely with the Client to understand the specific laboratory facility
requirements for the STP. The Table 6, Table 7, Table 8 and Table 9 shows indicative lists of
Laboratory facility requirements;
Table 6: List of Glass Wares Required for STP Laboratory
Item Size / Capacity Indicative Quantity

Beakers 100 mL 5 Nos.
Beakers 250 mL 5 Nos.
Bottles Reagent 250 mL 5 Nos.
Bottles Reagent 500 mL 5 Nos.
Bottles for BOD Test 300 mL 15 Nos.
Burettes 25 mL 3 Nos.
Dish Evaporating 80 mm x 45 mm 10 Nos.
Cylinder 10 ml 10 Nos.
Cylinder 50 mL 10 Nos.
Flasks Conical 150 mL 5 Nos.
Flasks Interchangeable Neck for COD 500 mL 5 Nos.
Condensers for Reflux 300 mL 1 No.
Flasks Volumetric 50 mL 5 Nos.
Funnels 75 mL 5 Nos.
Funnels 100 mL 10 Nos.
Pipettes 1 mL 5 Nos.
Bulb Pipette 10 mL 5 Nos.
Bulb Pipette 25 mL 5 Nos.
Test Tube without Rim 150 mm x 15 mm 24 Nos.
Distilling Apparatus 500 mL 3 Nos.
Nessleiv Tube 100 mL 5 Nos.
Wash Bottles Plastic 500 mL 5 Nos.
Watch Glass 100 mL 5 Nos.
Reagent Bottles Amber 250 mL 12 Nos.
Bottles Asperator 5L 3 Nos.
Bottles Asperator 10 L 3 Nos.
Separating Funnel 250 mL 3 Nos.

Table 7: List of Chemicals Required for STP Laboratory
Item Size / Capacity Indicative Quantity

Universal Indicator 100 mL 2 Nos.
Phenol Red indicator 100 mL 2 Nos.
Silver Nitrate LR 25 mL 2 Nos.
Potassium Chromate 500 mL 1 No.
Sulphuric Acid 2.5 L 2 Nos.
Methyl Orange 100 gm 1 No.
Potassium Iodide 500 gm 2 Nos.
Sodium Hydroxide Pellets 500 gm 2 Nos.
Manganese Sulphate 500 gm 1 No.
Sodium Carbonate 500 gm 1 No.
Copper Chloride 500 gm 1 No.
Sodium Sulphate 500 gm 1 No.
Sodium Thio-sulphate 500 gm 1 No.
Hydrochloric Acid 2.5 L 1 No.
Nitric Acid 1L 1 No.
Chromium Trioxide 500 gm 2 Nos.
Calcium Chloride Fused 500 gm 1 No.
Potassium Dichromate 500 gm 1 No.
Potassium Permanganate 500 gm 1 No.
Silver Sulphate 25 gm 2 Nos.
Phenonthroline 10 gm 2 Nos.
Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate 500 gm 2 Nos.
Ferrous Sulphate 500 gm 1 No.
Di-hydrogen Potassium Phosphate 500 gm 1 No.
Di-potassium Hydrogen Phosphate 500 gm 1 No.
Di-sodium Hydrogen Phosphate 500 gm 1 No.
Ammonium Chloride 500 gm 1 No.
Ferric Chloride 500 gm 1 No.
Calcium Chloride Anhydrous 500 gm 1 No.
Iodine 500 gm 1 No.
Zinc Acetate 500 gm 1 No.
Oxalic Acid 500 gm 1 No.
Zinc Sulphate 500 gm 1 No.
Phenolphthalein 100 gm 1 No.
Chloroform 500 gm 1 No.
Ammonia Liquor (SG 0.91) 500 gm 1 No.
Carbon tetrachloride 500 gm 1 No.
Petroleum Ether 500 gm 1 No.
Starch LR 500 gm 2 Nos.
Sodium Azide 500 gm 2 Nos.
Sulphamilli Acid 100 gm 1 No.
Liquid Naphthylamine Di-hydrochloride 100 gm 1 No.
Acetic Acid 100 gm 1 No.

Table 8: List of Equipment and Instruments Required for STP Laboratory
Indicative
Particulars Specification
Quantity
pH Meter Digital with Electrodes pH 1.0 to 14.0 1 1 No.
Heating Oven, Temperature (250 oC) 600 x 600 x 450 mm 2 1 No.
Muffle Furnace temp. (1,200oC) 50 x 150 x 350 mm 1 1 No.
BOD Incubator with Digital Display 10 ft.3 1 1 No.
Incubator 600 x 600 x 450mm 1 1 No.
Hot Plate Cap (3 kW) 2 ft. x 1 ½ ft. 1 1 No.
Heating Metals 120 oC 4 1 No.
Refrigerator (286L / 300L) 1 1 No.
pH Comparator with Disc. - 1 1 No.
Chemical Pan (Single Pan) Sensitivity: 0.01mg 1 No.
Chemical Pan (Double Pan) – Electrical Operated Sensitivity: 0.01 mg 1 No.
Spectrochem-photometer - 1 1 No.
DO Meter Digital 0 – 15 mg/L 1 1 No.
Water Distillation Plant 4 L/hr 1 1 No.
Pipette Washer - Stainless Steel - 1 No.
Pipette Drieter - Stainless Steel - 1 No.
Sieve Set - 1 No.
Sieve Set Vibrator (Speed & Timer Control) - 1 No.
Kjeldehl Digestion with 6 Hot Plates & Regulator - 1 No.
Table 9: List of Miscellaneous Items Required for STP Laboratory
Particulars Specification (Size) Indicative Quantity

Kettle Elements Capacity 1.5 kW 3 Nos.
Filter Paper Sheets Size: 55 cm x 45 cm 1 x 500 Box
Thermometer Alcohol /Mercury Range: 0 – 50 oC 2 Nos.
Polythene Carbouy Capacity: 20L 2 Nos.


Polythene Carbouy Capacity: 1L Wide Mouth 6 Nos.
Polythene Carbouy Capacity: 500mL Wide Mouth 12 Nos.
Rubber Tubing 10 mm Diameter Heavy Duty Quality 24 Nos
Iron Stand With Square Base - 6 Nos.
Boss Head - 6 Nos.
Clamp Retort - 6 Nos.
Pipette Pump 15 mL Capacity 2 Nos.
Test Tube Stand 15 x 150 x 9 mm Tubes 2 Nos.
2.6.6. Instrumentation, Control, and Automation

i. The Designer shall follow the requirements for Instrumentation, Control, and Automation (ICA) as
outlined in relevant Technical Standard Specification documents as follows;
a) Technical Standard Specification – ICA Section 02 – Instrumentation Standards
b) Technical Standard Specification – ICA Section 03 – Programmable Logic Controllers
c) Technical Standard Specification – ICA Section 04 – Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition Systems
d) Technical Standard Specification – Philosophy; ICA Philosophy
2.7. Health and Safety

2.7.1. General
i. Adequate provision shall be made to effectively protect plant personnel and visitors from hazards.
In particular, any Contractor shall refer to international standards on workplace occupational
health and safety requirements relating to wastewater treatment Works. Further details can be
found in the Civil Engineering Specification for the Water Industry (CESWI) and Water Industry
Mechanical and Electrical Specification (WIMES).
ii. The following shall be provided to fulfil the particular needs of each plant:
a) Enclosure of the plant site with a fence and signs designed to discourage the entrance of
unauthorised persons and animals
b) Hand rails and guardrails around tanks, trenches, pits, stairwells, and other hazardous
structures, with the tops of walls less than 1,070 mm above the surrounding ground level
c) Gratings over appropriate areas of treatment units where access for maintenance is
required
d) First aid equipment
e) Definition of hazardous areas where flammable gases may be present (for example,
methane or hydrogen) to dictate the level of protection required for mechanical and
electrical equipment
f) “No Smoking” signs in hazardous areas

g) Protective clothing and equipment, such as self-contained breathing apparatus, gas

detection equipment, goggles, gloves, hard hats, safety harnesses, and similar items
h) Portable blower and sufficient hose
i) Portable lighting equipment complying with the National Electrical Code requirements
j) Gas detectors listed and labelled for use in Class I, Division 1, Group D locations
k) Appropriately placed warning signs for slippery areas, non-potable water fixtures, low
head clearance areas, open service manholes, hazardous chemical storage areas,
flammable fuel storage areas, and similar areas and components
l) Adequate ventilation in pump station areas and buildings housing equipment treating
sewage and sludge
m) Provisions for local lockout on stop motor controls
n) Provisions for confined space entry and laboratory safety in accordance with the
Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and regulatory agency requirements
o) Adequate vector control
2.7.2. Hazardous Chemical Handling
i. See section Chemical Delivery Storage and Dosing Systems for further details.
ii. Containment Materials: The materials utilised for storage, piping, valves, pumping, metering,
splash guards, and similar purposes shall be specially selected considering the physical and
chemical characteristics of each hazardous or corrosive chemical.
iii. Secondary Containment: Chemical storage areas shall be enclosed in bunds, dikes, or curbs
which shall contain the stored volume until it can be safely transferred to alternate storage or
released to the wastewater at controlled rates which shall not damage facilities, inhibit the
treatment processes, or contribute to stream pollution. Liquid polymer shall be similarly contained
to reduce areas with slippery floors, especially to protect travel-ways. Non-slip floor surfaces are
desirable in polymer-handling areas. Secondary containment of pipework shall also be
considered.
iv. Liquefied Gas Chemicals: Properly designed isolated areas shall be provided for storage and
handling of chlorine, sulphur dioxide, and other hazardous gases. Gas detection kits, alarms,
controls, safety devices, and emergency repair kits shall also be provided.
v. Splash Guards: All pumps or feeders for hazardous or corrosive chemicals shall have guards
which shall effectively prevent spray of chemicals into space occupied by personnel. The splash
guards are in addition to guards to prevent injury from moving or rotating machinery parts.
vi. Piping, Labelling, Coupling Guards, and Location: All piping containing or transporting
corrosive or hazardous chemicals shall be identified with labels every 3 m and with at least two
labels in each room, closet, or pipe chase. Colour-coding may also be used, but is not an
adequate substitute for labelling.
vii. All connections (flanged or other type), except those adjacent to storage or feeder areas, shall
have guards which shall direct any leakage away from space occupied by personnel. Pipes
containing hazardous or corrosive chemicals shall not be located above shoulder level except
where continuous drip collection trays and coupling guards are also installed to eliminate
chemical spray or dripping onto personnel.
2.7.3. Protective Clothing and Equipment

i. The following items of protective clothing or equipment shall be available and utilised for all
operations or procedures where their use will minimise injury hazard to personnel:
a) Self-contained breathing apparatus, recommended for protection against chlorine
b) Chemical workers’ goggles or other suitable goggles (safety glasses are insufficient)
c) Face masks or shields for use over goggles
d) Dust mask to protect the lungs in dry chemical areas
e) Rubber gloves
f) Rubber aprons with leg straps
g) Rubber boots (leather and wool clothing shall be avoided near caustics)
2.7.4. Warning System and Signs
i. Facilities shall be provided for automatic shutdown of pumps and sounding of alarms when failure
occurs in a pressurised chemical discharge line.
ii. Warning signs requiring use of goggles shall be located near chemical stations, pumps, and other
points of frequent hazard.
2.7.5. Dust Collection
i. Dust collection equipment shall be provided to protect personnel from dusts injurious to the lungs
or skin and to prevent polymer dust from settling on walkways which become slick when wet.
2.7.6. Eyewash Fountains and Safety Showers
i. Eyewash fountains and safety showers utilising potable water shall be provided on each floor
level or Works locations involving hazardous or corrosive chemical storage, mixing (or slaking),
pumping, metering, or transportation unloading. These facilities are to be as close as practical to
points of chemical exposure. They are to be fully operable during all weather conditions.
ii. Safety showers and eye wash facilities shall be provided to the requirements of American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z 358.1: 1998.
iii. Showers shall be located no more than 15 m distant from the chemical delivery area.
iv. Storage tanks of 1,200 litre capacity shall be provided unless a guaranteed supply of potable
water of at least 1.25 l/s is available at pressures of 20 to 50 psi (140 to 345 kPa).
v. Heating shall be provided such that showers provide an on-demand supply of water at a
temperature between 15 and 38oC.
vi. Drainage shall be provided in and around safety showers to contain all water within the shower
area. (Showers shall be run and emptied monthly.) Showers shall drain directly to sumps/drains
and not via open areas.
2.7.7. Hazardous Chemical Container Identification
i. The identification and hazard warning data included on shipping containers, when received, shall
appear on all containers (regardless of size or type) used to store, carry, or use a hazardous
substance. Wastewater and sludge sample containers shall be adequately labelled. Suitable
labels to identify a wastewater sample as a hazardous substance are as follows:
a) “RAW SEWAGE WASTEWATER Sample point No.____”
b) “Contains Harmful Bacteria”
c) “May contain hazardous or toxic material. Do not drink or swallow”

d) “Avoid contact with openings or breaks in the skin”
3. Preliminary Treatment
3.1. Function and General Requirements

i. Preliminary treatment processes may include a combination of the following processes:
a) Inlet reception and flow distribution
b) Coarse screening
c) Fine screening
d) Grit removal
e) Fat, Oil & Grease removal
f) Storm water treatment, pre-aeration, flow and load balancing
g) Odour control
ii. For Works serving populations less than 1,500 population equivalents (PEs) that do not utilise
septic tanks for primary settlement, preliminary treatment shall be provided where downstream
treatment processes are susceptible to wear or choking leading to high operating costs from
premature plant failure and breakdown.
iii. Preliminary treatment shall include the following common ancillaries:
a) All necessary pipework, penstocks, valves, and flow control equipment for the effective
manual and automatic operation and control (at sites with power supply) of the
preliminary treatment plant.
b) All necessary electrical controls, instruments, telemetry, and similar components (at sites
with power supply) for the effective manual and automatic operation control and
monitoring of the plant.
c) Isolation valves, penstocks, hand-stops, or stop-logs shall be provided for each process
unit for routine maintenance.
d) Wash water as required by equipment.
e) Odour control if necessary.
f) Bypass arrangements.
3.2. Screening Devices

i. Screening devices commonly used in wastewater treatment are shown in the following diagram.
These are divided into coarse screens (6 to 45 mm openings) and fine screens (≤ 6 mm). The
screening element shall consist of bars, rods or wires, grating or wire mesh, or perforated plates.
The openings shall be circular or rectangular in shape. A proper step down/ intermediate coarse
screens shall be provided in case higher opening screen is used prior to ≤ 6 mm screen.

3.2.1. Selection Considerations

i. When considering which types of screening devices shall be used, the following factors shall be
considered:
a) Effect on downstream treatment and sludge disposal operations
b) Possible damage to downstream devices caused by stones or coarse grit patches
c) Head losses of the various alternative screening devices
d) Maintenance requirements
e) Screenings disposal requirements and quantities of screenings
f) Requirements for a standby unit
3.2.2. Coarse Screen
3.2.2.1. Design and Installation
i. All Works discharges must be screened, except small Works as defined previously.
ii. All Works inflows shall be screened prior to storm flow separation, except small Works as defined
previously.
iii. The following design guidance shall be used for the design of coarse screens:
Table 10: Typical Design Parameters for Coarse Screens
Category Design Guide
Type Bar screen

Spacing 25 mm
Design Blinding for Maximum Hydraulic Flow 20%
Screening Capture Rate > 60%

Capacity Factor 10%
Maximum Head Loss at 20% Blinding 300 mm
Bypass Manual Screen Unscreened to take 100% Flow

Maximum Screen Velocity 1.0 m/s
Maximum Width of Screen < 2.5 m
Maximum Length of Band Screen < 2.5 m
3.2.2.1.iii.a...1. Bar Spacing

i. Clear openings between bars shall be no less than 25 mm for manually cleaned screens. Clear
openings for mechanically cleaned screens may be smaller.
ii. Maximum clear openings shall not exceed 45 mm.
3.2.2.1.ii.a...1. Slope and Velocity
i. Manually cleaned screens shall be placed on a slope of 30 to 45 from the horizontal to prevent
“rag roll”.
ii. At design average flow conditions, approach velocities shall be no less than 0.4 m/s to prevent
settling, and no greater than 0.9 m/s to prevent forcing material through the openings.
iii. The hydraulic loading rate for static screens shall be limited to 200 l/s per m 2 of screen aperture.
On powered screens where the screen is moving, this can be raised to 700 l/s per m 2 of aperture
at the normal screen operating water level.
3.2.2.1.iii.a...1. Head loss
i. Typical head loss for manual screens is approximately 150 mm. For automatic screens, it shall be
< 600 mm.
3.2.2.1.i.a...1. Channels
i. Each screen shall be situated in its own dedicated channel or housing.
ii. Dual channels shall be provided and equipped with the necessary gates to isolate flow from any
screening unit. Provisions shall also be made to facilitate dewatering each unit.
iii. The channel preceding and following the screen shall be shaped to eliminate stranding and
settling of solids.
iv. Auxiliary Screens: Where a single mechanically cleaned screen is used, an auxiliary manually
cleaned screen shall be provided.
v. Where two or more mechanically cleaned screens are used, the design shall provide for taking
any unit out of service without reduction in the capability to handle the design peak instantaneous
flows.

3.2.2.1.v.a...1. Invert
i. The screen channel invert shall be 75 to 150 mm below the invert of the incoming sewer.
3.2.2.1.i.a...1. Flow Distribution
i. Entrance channels shall be designed to provide equal and uniform distribution of flow to the
screens.
ii. Screen installations are to be sized to treat all flows with one unit out of service.
iii. Screens are to be provided with bypass channels sized to take the maximum potential flow to the
Works. Each bypass channel shall be clear flow with no screen.
3.2.2.1.iii.a...1. Return Flows
i. All Works drains, storm returns, and sludge liquors shall normally be returned downstream of the
coarse screens.
3.2.2.1.i.a...1. Cleaning
i. The screen shall have automatic mechanical cleaning except at sites without a power supply, in
which case, the bar screen shall be designed to pass 150 percent of the maximum design flow
when clean, and have easy access for cleaning. This shall include a mechanical device for the
removal of screenings from the screen and depositing the screenings to a screenings handling
system, as a minimum requirement.
ii. Hoisting or lifting equipment may be necessary depending on the depth of pit and amount of
screenings or equipment to be lifted.
iii. Manually cleaned screening facilities shall include an accessible platform from which the operator
shall rake screenings easily and safely. Mechanically cleaned screen channels shall be protected
by guardrails and deck gratings.
iv. Suitable drainage facilities shall be provided for both the platform and the storage area.
3.2.2.1.iv.a...1. Screen Wash Water
i. Wherever possible, treated final effluent rather than potable water shall be utilised for screen
wash water.
ii. Where final effluent is used, covers shall be provided to eliminate the aerosol effect.
iii. If it is not possible to use final effluent, any wash water used on a spray bar shall first be passed
through a duplex filter system. The duplex filter shall be installed to match the screen requirement
and located at the point of use.
iv. The use of screened crude sewage shall be avoided wherever possible.
v. If screened crude sewage cannot be avoided, then a deluge wash system shall be used.
Duty/standby pumps of the cutter type shall be provided.
vi. If high volumes are fat are present, then a deluge system (unfiltered) must be avoided.
vii. The wash water pressure shall be appropriate to the particular screen type, boosted locally if this
is greater than the normal site-wide wash water pressure.
3.2.2.1.vii.a...1. Access and Ventilation
i. Screens located in pits more than 1.2 m deep shall be provided with stairway access. Appropriate
ventilation provisions shall be provided.

ii. Screening devices, installed in a building where other equipment or offices are located, shall be
isolated from the rest of the building, be provided with separate outside entrances, and be
provided with a separate and independent fresh air supply.
iii. Fresh air shall be forced into enclosed screening device areas or into open pits more than 1.2 m
deep. Dampers shall not be used on exhaust or fresh air ducts, and fine screens or other
obstructions shall be avoided to prevent clogging. Where continuous ventilation is required, at
least 12 complete air changes per hour shall be provided. The air change requirements shall be
based on 100 percent fresh air.
3.2.2.1.iii.a...1. Railings and Gratings
i. Manually cleaned screen channels shall be protected by guardrails and deck gratings, with
adequate provisions for removal or opening to facilitate raking.
3.2.2.1.i.a...1. Electrical Equipment, Fixtures, and Controls
i. Electrical equipment, fixtures, and controls in the screening area where hazardous gases may
accumulate shall meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code for Class I, Division 1,
Group D, locations.
3.2.2.1.i.a...1. Process Control and Operating Regime
i. The cleaning cycle shall be automated.
ii. Automatic controls shall be supplemented by a manual override.
iii. The frequency and duration of this cycle shall initially be set to Contractors’ parameters during
commissioning; however, provision shall be made within the control system for operator
intervention to adjust the time clock settings or manually (or both) initiate a cleaning cycle in
addition to the level control operation of the screen.
iv. Screen control shall be on an upstream level, with timer over-ride. Mat formation is to be
discouraged as this can contribute to “hair-pinning”.
v. Multiple screens shall be sized as duty/standby, but shall be controlled to run as duty/duty.
vi. Screen installations shall be sized to treat all flows with one unit out of service.
vii. Screens shall be provided with bypass channels sized to take the maximum potential flow to the
Works. Each bypass channel shall be clear flow with no screen.
viii. Screens shall run continuously on loss of control level or signal.
ix. Screens shall stop on failure of screenings conditioner.
x. Screens shall stop on failure of screen wash water provision.
3.2.3. Fine Screens
i. The use of static wedge wire, band, drum, and step screens shall all be considered appropriate
for use with fine screening applications.
ii. The Designer shall determine in conjunction with the Client the most appropriate fine screening
device for use on a particular project.
iii. Unless otherwise stated, the term “fine screen” shall imply a 6 mm or less, two-directional screen.
If the downstream main wastewater treatment process is based on a membrane bioreactor, then
the requirement of a secondary screen and the size of the screen shall be based on the
recommendations of the membrane manufacturer to meet the system design requirements.
iv. The design guidance provided in Table 11 shall be used for the design of fine screens:

Table 11: Typical Design Parameters for Fine Screens

Spacing ≤ 6 mm, two-dimensional (2D)
Type Perforated Plate
Design Blinding for Maximum Hydraulic Flow 40%
Screening Capture Rate > 70%
Capacity Factor 20%
Maximum Head Loss at 40% Blinding 300 mm
Bypass Unscreened to take 100% flow
Maximum Screen Velocity < 1.0 m/s
Maximum Width of Screen < 2.0 m
Maximum Length of Band Screen < 2.0 m
v. Fine screens shall be preceded by a coarse bar screening device.

vi. Fine screens shall precede grit removal.
vii. Screening devices shall be installed in a dedicated building/room that has adequate ventilation
and odour control extraction.
viii. Selection of screen capacity shall consider flow restriction due to retained solids, gummy
materials, frequency of cleaning, and extent of cleaning. Where fine screens are used, additional
provision for removal of floatable oils and greases shall be considered.
ix. A minimum of two fine screens shall be provided, each unit being capable of independent
operation. Capacity shall be provided to treat design peak instantaneous flow with one unit out of
service.
x. Electrical Equipment, Fixtures, and Control: Electrical equipment, fixtures, and controls in the
screening area where hazardous gases may accumulate shall meet the requirements of the
National Electrical Code for Class I, Division 1, Group D, locations.
xi. Hosing equipment shall be provided to facilitate cleaning.
xii. Provision shall be made for isolating and removing units from their location for servicing.
xiii. To achieve the odour control at the location of screens, a minimum of least 12 complete air
changes per hour shall be provided. The air change requirements shall be based on 100 percent
fresh air.
xiv. The following rules shall be followed for the screen blinding factor to be used in calculation of
screen size:
a) Where there are coarse screens upstream of a fine screen, a blinding factor of 40 percent
shall be used.
b) Where no coarse screens are provided, the base blinding factor shall be 40 percent. This
may need to be increased dependent on the catchment characteristics.

c) Where there are a number of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and detention tanks in
the catchment, an additional 10 percent shall be included in addition to the design
blinding factor.
d) Where there is a flat catchment prone to deposition, an additional 10 percent shall be
included in addition to the design blinding factor.
e) Where there is a history of screens problems due to quantity of rag presented, an
additional 10 percent shall be included in addition to the design blinding factor.
f) Where the flow to the screen is pumped, an additional 10 percent shall be included.
xv. The maximum blinding factor to be used shall be 60 percent.
3.2.3.1 Process Control and Operating Regime
i. Automatic controls shall be supplemented by a manual override.
ii. The cleaning cycle shall be automated.
iii. The frequency and duration of this cycle shall initially be set to Contractors’ parameters during
commissioning; however, provision shall be made within the control system for operator
intervention to adjust the time clock settings or manually (or both) initiate a cleaning cycle in
addition to the level control operation of the screen.
iv. Multiple screens shall be sized as duty/standby, but shall be controlled to run as duty/duty.
v. Screens shall run continuously on loss of control level or signal.
vi. Screens shall stop on failure of screenings conditioner.
vii. Screens shall stop on failure of screen wash water provision.
3.3. Screenings Handling

i. Facilities must be provided for handling, storage, and disposal of screenings in an acceptable
manner.
ii. Screenings conditioning, comprising compaction and washing, is required on all sites where
screens are installed.
iii. The screenings handling system shall be either an integral part of the screen, incorporating
washing and compaction, or a stand-alone unit.
iv. The screenings handling system shall be capable of segregating large stones and other large
debris to protect the washing and compaction unit from damage. In either case, effluent from the
washing cycle shall not contain screenings and shall be returned to the main flow for further
treatment.
v. Satisfactory separation and removal of faecal matter from the screenings shall ensure a
maximum BOD5 of the washed compacted screenings product is 20 mg/g of dry solids (DS) and
an organic matter content of no more than 5 percent by weight.
vi. De-watering to the required percentage of DS (at least 25 percent) shall be provided
vii. After the fine screens and coarse screens are commissioned, dewatered screening samples shall
be taken from both screens and conditioning devices (two samples per screen and conditioning
device per day) over a 14-day period and analysed for percent DS and BOD concentration. The
performance test shall be deemed successful if 95 percent of samples meet the performance
requirements stated previously.

viii. The appropriate handling system shall be sized to take 100 percent of the design screenings load
received at the Works based on a peaking factor of 50.
ix. Lauder channels are not considered suitable for coarse screen applications.
x. Macerator systems are not considered suitable for coarse screens due to the nature of the large
debris encountered.
xi. Screw conveyors are considered more appropriate for all applications where screens are external
and may contribute to site odour.
xii. Where screws are being considered, the maximum length of any one screw shall not exceed 20
m.
xiii. Where screw conveyors are used for screening transfer, full standby shall be provided. If there
are two screens, there shall be two conveyors with each conveyor capable of taking the full load
from both screens.
xiv. Conditioning units suffer from excess wear due to carry-over of stones, so the inclusion of a stone
trap is a requirement. Ideally, there shall be provision for continuous removal of stones using a
screw auger system.
xv. Design of screenings handling systems, bagging units, and disposal facilities including bins and
skips shall be capable of working with standard bins, skips, and similar components.
xvi. Screening receptacles shall be designed to contain a minimum of 1 day's screenings, at
maximum production rate.
xvii. Screenings skips shall have concrete hard standing (with steel slide rails), with drainage into
return liquor system, and wash down facilities.
xviii. Crash barriers are required to protect plant from skip and skip vehicle.
xix. Skip delivery lorries shall have direct access to the set down point, as skip shunting is not
allowed.
xx. The feasibility of providing a facility to feed screenings directly to a skip in the event of a
conditioning plant failure shall be considered.
xxi. A facility to include protection from the elements where skips are removed less frequently than
once a week shall be considered.
xxii. A suitable system to prevent rainwater ingress and odour nuisance shall be provided. Where the
use of “wheely bins” are agreed upon with the Client, as appropriate, due recognition shall be
made of manual handling to minimise risk of operator injury and fully account for collection and
disposal arrangements.
xxiii. Where skips are required to be positioned in a building, there shall be a suitable skip positioning
system provided. Drainage of the skip loading area connected to the foul system shall be
provided.
3.4. Grit and Fats, Oil, and Grease Removal Facilities

3.4.1. Grit Removal
i. Grit removal is required in advance of treatment units to prevent the undue wear of machinery
and the unwanted accumulation of solids in channels, settling tanks, and digesters.
ii. There are generally three different types of grit removal chambers as highlighted in the following
figure.

3.4.1.2. General
i. Grit chambers shall be provided for all STPs. If grit chambers are not provided, a Specification
waiver shall be sought from and provided by the Client.
ii. If a treatment facility is designed without grit removal devices, the design shall include provision
for future installation. This condition shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with the Client.
iii. Grit removal devices shall be located after screens, but ahead of pumps and other treatment
units.
iv. Mechanical grit removal devices shall be provided where substantial amounts of grit passing
through the plant processes or equipment will interfere with the operation and maintenance; will
cause deterioration and subsequent replacement of equipment; or will substantially increase the
need for additional storage capacity in other treatment units where grit is likely to accumulate.
v. The Designer shall determine the grit quantity and loading rates to design the grit collector and
grit handling plant accordingly.
vi. System inlet and outlet turbulence shall be minimised by design considerations for transition
sections, such as approach channels, and inlet and outlet devices. The inlet and outlet shall be
designed to avoid short circuiting. In some cases, the installation of longitudinal and traverse
baffles shall be considered to improve grit removal.
vii. All grit removal plants shall be designed to remove grit particles down to 0.2 mm.
viii. Grit removal: plants shall remove 95 percent of grit/sand particles of diameter 0.1 mm and above
and with a specific gravity equal to or greater than 2,650 kg/m 3.
ix. Grit/sand removal efficiency shall be maintained under all flow conditions to the maximum design
flow specified.
x. Any grit separators shall be sized to operate over the full range of flows;
xi. All grit removal facilities shall be provided with adequate automatic control devices to regulate
detention time, agitation, and air supply. The units shall have manual override capability.
xii. Grit classifiers shall be of proprietary design. The unit shall facilitate removal of organic matter
from the removed grit. All extraneous solids and water shall be returned to the wastewater flow
for treatment.

xiii. Grit chambers and all grit conveying, washing, and handling facilities shall be located outdoors in
the plants with flows up to 4 MLD. In larger plants, all equipment shall be located in a building that
has adequate ventilation, which if continuous, shall provide at least 12 complete air changes per
hour, or if intermittent, at least 30 complete air changes per hour.
xiv. Design of grit disposal facilities, including bins and skips, shall be capable of working with
standard bins, skips, and similar components. A suitable system to prevent rainwater ingress and
odour nuisance shall be provided.
xv. Drainage of the skip loading area shall be connected to the foul drainage system.
xvi. All electrical Works in enclosed grit removal areas where hazardous gases may accumulate shall
meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code for Class I, Division 1, Group D, locations.
Explosion-proof gas detectors shall be provided.
3.4.1.3. Capacity
i. Since grit storage capacity is essential but cannot be easily determined due to the extreme
variations in grit quantities of different collection systems, the typical design values of 0.02 to
0.1 m3/1,000 m3 shall be used where no specific data is available
3.4.1.4. Odour Control
i. To minimise odours and nuisance, the unit shall be subjected to air extraction to an odour control
unit.
3.4.2. Selection Criteria
i. The suitability of grit/sand removal equipment shall be selected from the types provided in Table
12, and shall be appropriate to the size of Works and conditions.
Table 12: Grit Removal Selection Table
Size of Sewage Treatment

Preferred Type of Grit/Sand Removal Plant Works
< 500 m3/day ≥ 500 m3/day
Population equivalent (PE)*
Spiral Flow Aerated Channel
Cross Flow Detritus Tank
Constant Velocity Channel
Vortex (or Hydrodynamic) Grit Separators
Grit/Sand Trap
3.4.3. Design Considerations

3.4.3.1. Horizontal Flow Grit Chambers/Channels
i. Horizontal grit chambers have been used for many years .The units are designed to maintain a
constant velocity as close to 0.3 m/s and to provide sufficient time for grit particles to settle to the
bottom of the tank. These offer a basic but effective method for removal of grit from incoming
streams; however, aerated or vortex type grit removal units are preferred.
3.4.3.1.i.a...1. Velocity
i. Channel-type grit chambers shall be designed to provide controlled velocities within the range of
0.25 and 0.4 m/s. The velocity shall be maintained as close as possible to 0.3 m/s for all
anticipated volumes of flow.

3.4.3.1.i.a...1. Detention Time

i. Channel-type grit chambers shall be based on the size and specific weight of the particle to be
removed. Overflow rates shall govern the basis of design and dictate whether the chamber is
round or rectangular. Typically, detention times of around 60 minutes shall be used.
3.4.3.1.i.a...1. Channel Dimensions
i. The minimum channel width shall be 375 mm.
ii. The minimum channel length shall be that required to settle a 0.2 mm particle with a specific
gravity of 2.65, plus a 50 % allowance for inlet and outlet turbulence.
iii. Long, narrow aerated grit tanks are generally more efficient than short tanks and produce a
cleaner grit.
iv. Aeration chambers shall generally have a width : depth ratio of 1:1 to 5:1 and length : width ratios
of 3:1 to 5:1.
3.4.3.2. Aerated Grit Tanks
i. In aerated grit chambers, air is introduced along one side of a rectangular tank to create a spiral
flow, perpendicular to the direction of flow. Heavy grit particles settle to the bottom of the tank,
whilst lighter organic particles remain in suspension and pass through the tank. The velocity of
roll or agitation which controls the size of particles to be removed can be easily controlled by
variable speed blowers. With proper control, almost 100 percent removal can be obtained.
Aerated tanks are designed to remove grit particles of 0.21 mm diameter or larger.
3.4.3.2.i.a...1. Velocity
i. The surface velocity in the direction of roll in tanks shall be 0.45 to 0.6 m/s (of which tank floor
velocities shall be approximately 75 %).
ii. The velocity across the floor of the tank shall not be less than 0.3 m/s.
3.4.3.2.ii.a...1. Detention Time
i. For aerated type grit chambers, the typical detention time shall be 2 to 5 minutes at peak hourly
flow.
3.4.3.2.i.a...1. Removal Efficiency
i. Removal efficiency shall be 95 % removal and applied minimum air flow rate of 0.40 m 3/m-min.
3.4.3.2.i.a...1. Air Flow
i. All compressors, blowers, and aeration equipment shall comply with details in the Technical
Standard Specification – Mechanical Section 03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers and Cutters
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. Typical air flow rates are 0.2 to 0.5 m 3/m-min. The air supply must be controllable and capable of
varying from 0.2 to 0.5 m 3/m-min.
iii. Higher air rates are required for wider and deeper installations.
iv. Air supply shall be via air diffusers (wide band diffusion header) positioned lengthwise along one
wall of the tank, 450 to 600 mm from the bottom of the chamber and along its side, and parallel to
the wastewater flow, provided that the depth of basin is approximately 3.0 to 3.5 m.
v. Air supply shall be variable.
vi. The lower limit for the given aeration rates are generally suitable for tanks up to 3.7 m deep and
4.3 m wide. Wider or deeper tanks require aeration rates in the upper end of the previous range.

vii. Air diffusers shall be removable without taking the basin out of service. Swing type diffusers are
most desirable.
viii. Safe access shall be provided to the grit chambers and, where mechanical equipment is involved,
all moving parts shall be enclosed.
ix. Typical design parameters are provided in Table 13.
Table 13: Typical Design Parameters for Aerated Grit Tanks

Detention Time (at peak flow) 2 – 5 min
Typical Depth 2–5m
Typical Length 7.5 – 20 m
Typical Width 2.5 – 7 m
Width : Depth Ratio 1:1 – 5:1
Length : Width Ratio 3:1 – 5:1
Air Supply (per unit length) 0.2 – 0.5 m3/m-min
Typical Grit Quantities 0.02 – 0.03 m3/m3
3.4.3.3. Vortex Type Grit Chambers

i. A vortex type grit chamber operates on similar principal to an aerated grit tank. The vortex type
grit removal system has a cylindrical tank, which is designed to create a vortex flow pattern. To
achieve this, wastewater enters the chamber tangentially and, as such, a centrifugal force, either
created hydraulically by channelling flow or mechanically by a stirrer, shall ensure that the grit is
taken out.
ii. Typical design parameters are provided in Table 14.
Table 14: Typical Design Parameters for Vortex Grit Chambers
Category Design guide

Detention Time (at average flow) 20 – 30 s
Diameter of Upper Chamber 1.2 – 7.2 m
Diameter of Lower Chamber 0.9 – 1.8 m
Typical Width 2.7 – 4.8 m
Removal rates
0.3 mm (50 mesh) 92 – 98%
0.24 mm (70 mesh) 80 – 90%
0.15 mm (100 mesh) 60 – 70%
3.4.3.4. Grit Removal/Washing

i. Each system shall make provision for collecting and transporting the grit from the floor of the
channel or tank and for classification and discharge to a container for disposal.

ii. Grit/sand shall be separated, washed, and dewatered prior to transfer to a skip for disposal.
iii. The grit handling plant shall be designed to deliver a product containing no more than 30 percent
volatile solids and not less than 50 percent dry solids to a skip.
3.4.3.4.iii.a...1. Transfer and Classification
i. Transfer mechanisms shall be designed to remove grit from the tank floor or hoppers. The grit
shall be classified by separating out organic material and sewage. Transfer and classification
shall be combined using a reciprocating rake classifier or screw classifier.
ii. Where an airlift/air wash assembly is required to facilitate grit removal, transfer or washing it shall
consist of an airlift and discharge pipe delivering grit to the grit classifier and shall be complete
with separate air wash, airlift headers, and actuated three-way ball valve. The air wash header
shall discharge an adequate quantity of air to effect the transfer and washing of the collected grit.
The airlift shall operate on an operator adjustable time clock control.
iii. The air lift shall be designed for static heads in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 m. The air supply shall be
piped to the point of entry to the uptake pipe. The rate of air flow shall be determined to provide a
flow of water into the uptake pipe sufficient to suspend the grit and transport it to a high level
classifier.
3.4.3.4.iii.a...1. Grit Pumps
i. Where transfer by airlift alone is not possible (for example, due to static head requirements), grit
pumps shall generally be used for the transfer of grit from the collection sump/hopper to the
classifier. Where necessary, carrier water shall be provided to re-suspend the grit and facilitate
grit removal, with the return liquor discharge back to treatment.
ii. The grit pumps shall operate in conjunction with the classifier unit (where appropriate) on an
operator adjustable time clock control.
iii. Grit pumps shall incorporate abrasion resistant materials and recessed torque flow impellers.
Suction and discharge isolation valves and a discharge non-return valve shall be provided.
3.4.3.4.iii.a...1. Screw Classifiers

i. The classifier shall comprise a solid shaft helical screw design, rotating in a fabricated stainless
steel trough of 6 mm minimum thickness. The trough shall be inclined to enable the grit to be
lifted and discharged into a skip. The screw shall be supported in upper and lower bearings, as
appropriate.
ii. The lower bearing shall be of the self-aligning type, sealed to prevent the ingress of grit, and shall
be grease-lubricated by an electrically driven variable output automatic lubricator. The lower
bearing shall be mounted above the classifier. A deflector plate shall be fitted over the bearing to
prevent the grit from being discharged on to the bearing. The upper bearing shall be a
grease-lubricated sealed bearing of the combined thrust and radial type.
iii. The water and organic material shall be returned to the main flow via a flanged pipe. The
dewatered grit shall be discharged at a high level from a chute into a skip below.
iv. The screw classifier shall be driven by a direct coupled, shaft mounted geared motor. The screw
shall be guarded by stainless steel covers securely fixed to the top of the trough. The complete
classifier unit shall be self-supporting and suitable for bolting to prepared foundations.
3.4.3.4.iv.a...1. Performance
i. Discharged grit shall have a moisture content of not more than 15 percent and organic matter
content/loss on ignition of the washed grit of no more than 3 percent by weight.

3.4.3.4.i.a...1. Materials
i. Due consideration shall be given to the selection of materials because of corrosive conditions
present.
ii. Consideration shall be given to locating drain valves, weir plates, and stop gates for ease of
operation and safety.
3.4.4. Fats, Oil, and Grease
3.4.4.1. General
i. Fats, oil, and grease (FOG) removal shall either be a separate system or combined with the grit
and screenings removal system. It shall protect downstream equipment and reduce operational
attendance on a best WLC basis.
ii. FOG separation by diffused air is the preferred solution, but other methods shall be considered if
appropriate process guarantees can be obtained and the method is agreed upon with the Client.
iii. Variations in effluent quality and ambient temperatures (typically 0 to 55C) shall be taken into
consideration when designing FOG removal facilities.
iv. FOG shall be transferred from the separation tank for appropriate further treatment or disposal, or
both.
v. Unless otherwise specified, FOG in the raw sewage shall be considered as a minimum of 31 g
per capita per day as shown in standard references for wastewater produced from domestic
sources.
vi. The provision of standby plant shall be site-specific and depend upon the risk of plant failure on
the downstream processes.
vii. Where a single FOG separation unit is used, a bypass facility shall be provided, complete with
isolation penstocks or valves for maintenance purposes.
viii. Provisions shall be made for isolating and dewatering each unit for maintenance purposes.
ix. Turbulence shall be minimised by design considerations for transition sections such as approach
channels and inlet and outlet devices.
x. The inlet and outlet devices shall be designed to avoid short-circuiting. In some cases, the
installation of longitudinal and traverse baffles shall be considered to improve grit removal.
4. Pre-Aeration and Flocculation

i. Pre-aeration of raw water may be employed to achieve one or more of the following:
a) Odour control
b) Grease and oil separation
c) Prevention of septicity
d) Grit separation
e) Flocculation of solids
f) Increased removal of BOD and SS in primary units
g) Minimisation of solids deposition on sidewalls and at the bottom of wet wells
ii. The units shall be designed so that removal from service shall not interfere with normal operation
of the remainder of the plant.

4.1. Pre-Aeration
i. Pre-aeration periods shall be 10 to 15 minutes if odour control and prevention of septicity are the
prime objectives.
4.2. Flocculation
4.2.1. Detention Periods
i. At plants where there are two or more flocculation basins utilising chemicals, provision shall be
made for a rapid mix of the sewage with the chemical so that the sewage passing to the
flocculation basins shall be of uniform composition.
ii. The detention period provided in the rapid mixing chamber shall be very short (that is, 0.5 to
1.0 minutes).
iii. When air or mechanical mixing is employed in conjunction with chemicals to coagulate and
flocculate the waste effluent, a detention time of approximately 30 minutes shall be employed.
This detention period may be reduced if the use of a polymer is employed.
4.2.2. Stirring Devices
4.2.2.1. Paddles
i. Paddles shall have a peripheral speed of 0.5 to 0.75 m/s to prevent deposition of solids.
4.2.2.2. Aerators
i. Any of the types of equipment used for aerating activated sludge may be utilised.
ii. It shall be possible to control agitation, to obtain good mixing and maintain self-cleaning velocities
across the tank floor.
5. Flow Equalisation
5.1. Objectives
i. The primary objective of flow equalisation basins is to dampen the diurnal flow variation, as well
as variations caused by inflow/infiltration, and thus achieve a nearly constant flow rate through
the downstream treatment processes.
ii. The secondary objective is to dampen the strength of wastewater constituents by blending the
wastewater in the equalisation basin to maintain a degree of reliability and operational control.
5.2. General
i. Flow equalisation shall be provided in mechanical plants where large diurnal variations are
expected to cause mechanical, hydraulic, or biological process upsets.
ii. For treatment plants with capacities of less than 2 MLD, employment of this process is particularly
recommended.
5.3. Location
i. Equalisation basins shall be located downstream of storm overflows and pre-treatment facilities
such as bar screens, grit chambers and, where possible, primary clarifiers.

5.4. Type
i. Equalisation basins shall be designed as either in-line or side-line units.
ii. Separate basins or unused on-line treatment units, such as primary clarifiers or aeration tanks,
may be utilised for flow equalisation during the early period of the plant’s design life.
iii. If no other unit is available and a single basin is used for flow equalisation, then a bypass pipe
with an isolation valve shall be provided around the basin to the downstream portion of the
treatment facility.
5.5. Basin Size

i. Equalisation basin capacity shall be sufficient to effectively reduce expected flow and load
variations to the extent deemed to be economically advantageous.
ii. With a diurnal flow pattern, the volume required to achieve the desired degree of equalisation can
be determined from a cumulative flow volume hydrograph over a representative 24-hour period.
The volume required for equalisation of flows shall generally vary from approximately 20 to
40 percent of the 24-hour flow for smaller plants and from approximately 10 to 20 percent of the
average daily dry weather flow for larger plants.
iii. Any equalisation basin shall be divided into two or more separate cells.
5.6. Operation
5.6.1. Mixing
i. Aeration or mixing equipment shall be supplied to maintain adequate mixing within equalisation
basins. Requirements for normal domestic wastewater shall range from 0.4 to 0.8 kW/100 m 3 of
storage.
ii. Hopper bottoms with draw-offs shall be provided to remove periodical accumulation of sludge and
grit.
5.6.2. Aeration
i. Multiple aeration or mixing units (or both) shall be provided to maintain adequate mixing and for
continuous operation.
ii. To maintain aerobic conditions, air shall be supplied at a rate of 0.01 to 0.015 m3/m3-min.
iii. Aeration shall be sufficient to maintain aerobic conditions and prevent septic conditions from
developing.
iv. All compressors, blowers, and aeration equipment shall comply with the details in the Technical
Standard Specification – Mechanical Section 03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers, and Cutters
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
5.6.3. Controls
i. All inlets and outlets of each basin compartment shall be provided with accessible flow control
devices.
ii. Facilities shall be provided downstream of the basins to monitor liquid levels and equalised flow
rates.
iii. Flow division control facilities shall be provided, as necessary, to ensure organic and hydraulic
loading control to plant process units, and shall be designed for easy operator access, change,

observation, and maintenance. Appropriate flow measurement shall be incorporated in the flow
division control design.
6. Sedimentation
i. The Clients upcoming new STPs have adopted technologies which do not require primary
sedimentation except for the existing assets which are planned for demobilisation once the new
STPs are commissioned.
ii. The following section is retained based on the previous version as a reference, and for any future
reference, if the need arises.
6.1. General Considerations

i. Sedimentation is a process used for various stages within a STP to reduce the concentration of
settle-able suspended matter. Sedimentation tanks, commonly referred to as clarifiers, are
described as primary, intermediate, and final clarifiers dependent upon the process stage.
Primary clarifiers are installed to reduce organic loadings and floatables to the downstream
treatment processes. Intermediate or final clarifiers (or both) are utilised after biological treatment
processes to separate chemical or biological solids (or both) from the treatment process.
ii. Multiple units capable of independent operation shall be provided for plants having an average
design capacity greater than 0.4 MLD unless temporary removal of a single unit from service for
repairs will not result in an adverse effect to the quality of the receiving stream.
iii. Clarifiers shall be arranged to facilitate operating flexibility and maintenance, and to assure
continuity of treatment and ease of installation of future units. Provision shall be made for
dewatering and bypassing each unit independently. The bypass shall provide for redistribution of
the wastewater to an appropriate point in the remaining process units. Due consideration shall be
given to the possible need for hydrostatic pressure relief devices to prevent structure flotation.
Effective flow measurement devices and controls shall be provided to permit proper flow
distribution to each unit. The anticipated flow pattern shall be considered in the selection of
clarifier configurations and location and type of inlets and outlets. Consideration shall be given to
flow equalisation.
6.2. Design Considerations

6.2.1. Inlets
i. Inlets shall be designed to dissipate the inlet velocity, to distribute the flow uniformly, and to
prevent short-circuiting. Provisions shall be made for removal of floating materials in inlet
structures having submerged ports. Orifices placed in walls at the inlets shall be sized to produce
velocities from 0.15 to 0.30 m/s. Orifices passing wastewater containing floc shall not be smaller
than 8 to 12 mm, to minimise floc breakup.
6.2.2. Dimensions
i. The minimum distance from the influent inlet to effluent weirs shall be at least 3.0 m for all clarifier
configurations unless special provisions are made to prevent short-circuiting. Final clarifiers shall
have side water depths of at least 3.0 m, and those following an activated sludge process shall
have side water depths of at least 3.6 m. If depth limitations due to ground conditions are less
than the minimum recommended, the overflow rate shall be reduced by 0.55 m/h for each meter
of side water depth under the recommended depth for clarifiers. It is preferable that the sludge
collector scraping mechanism be at least 1.8 m below the water level. Clarifiers having depths
less than recommended shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.

ii. The length-to-width ratio for rectangular clarifiers shall be equal to or greater than 4 to 1. The
maximum horizontal velocity in a rectangular clarifier shall not exceed 0.6 m/min in a final clarifier.
6.2.3. Channels
i. Inlet channels shall be designed to maintain a velocity of at least 0.3 m/s at 50 % design flow.
Where minimum velocities are less, provisions shall be made for the re-suspending of the solids.
Corner fillets or channelling shall be provided to eliminate corner pockets and dead ends.
ii. Width of effluent channels shall be at least 300 mm. Bottom of the channels at the outlet
structures shall be at least equal to or above the water levels of the downstream treatment units.
The effluent channel shall be sized to prevent weir submergence at the peak hourly flow. The
bottom of effluent channels shall be at least 1 foot below water levels maintained in the clarifiers,
except for small package plants.
6.2.4. Freeboard
i. The outer walls of clarifiers shall extend at least 150 mm above the surrounding terrain or
100-year flood plain and shall provide at least 300 mm of freeboard to the water surface. Where
clarifier walls do not extend 1 m above the surrounding terrain, a cover, fence, wind screen, or
suitable barrier shall be provided to prevent high wind currents and debris from entering the
clarifier.
6.2.5. Baffling and Scum Removal
i. Scum baffles shall be provided around and prior to all effluent weirs. The baffles shall be located
at the water surface to intercept all floating materials and scum. Baffles shall extend at least
75 mm above the weir plate elevation and 300 mm below the water surface.
ii. Circular clarifiers shall be provided with symmetrical baffling, a minimum of 150 mm inside the
weir plate, to distribute the flow uniformly in all radial directions. In a circular centre-feed clarifier,
the inlet baffle shall have a diameter of 15 to 20 percent of the clarifier diameter and shall not
extend more than 3 feet below the water surface. With 100 percent recirculation, circular centre-
feed clarifier inlet baffles shall not be less than 20 percent of the clarifier diameter and have a
depth of 55 to 65 percent of the side wall depth. The maximum inlet velocity to a centre inlet well
shall not exceed 1.0 m/s. The outflow velocity shall not exceed 5 m/min. In a circular peripheral-
feed clarifier, the inlet baffles shall extend at least 300 mm below the flow line of the inlet and
shall be located above the sludge blanket zone at a distance where the critical horizontal velocity
will just begin to produce scour.
iii. Rectangular clarifiers shall be provided with inlet ports or pipes and baffles for uniform distribution
of flow across the clarifier and effluent weirs. The baffles shall extend across the width of the
clarifier and upstream to the effluent weirs. Effective scum collection and removal facilities,
including baffling, shall be provided ahead of the effluent weirs on all clarifiers. Provisions shall be
made for disposal of scum with the sludge; however, other special provisions for disposal of scum
and floating materials may be necessary. A scum pit shall be located outside of the clarifier but
adjacent to the scum collection point, on the side of the clarifier opposite the prevailing wind
direction. Provisions shall be made for mixing the contents of the scum pit with such equipment
as a mechanical mixer or air diffuser.
6.2.6. Submerged Surfaces
i. The topside of beams, troughs, or similar construction components shall have a minimum slope
of 1.4 vertical to 1 horizontal; the underside of such components shall have a slope of 1 to 1 to
prevent the accumulation of scum and solids.

6.2.7. Weirs
i. Weir plates shall be adjustable for levelling and sealed against the effluent channel. Weirs shall
be located to optimise actual hydraulic detention time and minimise short-circuiting. Circular
clarifiers, with peripheral-feed or centre-feed inlets, shall be provided with a full weir. Effluent
launders may be placed at points other than at the periphery. The minimum water depth below
effluent weirs located near the centre shall be 3.0 to 3.5 m if weirs are located at the periphery.
These minimum water depths need not be provided for small clarifiers having low weir and
surface-loading rates.
ii. Double weirs to increase the length are permissible if installed sufficiently in-board for good
separation of flow to minimise velocity problems at the periphery. Experimentally, circular weir
troughs placed at two-thirds to three-fourths of the radial distance from the centre are at the
optimum position to intercept well-clarified effluent.
iii. The weir length of double weirs shall be computed as double the length of the centreline of the
launder. Weirs shall be of the saw-tooth or serpentine type to allow for better weir overflow and
flow distribution.
iv. To determine the spacing of multiple weirs in rectangular clarifiers, the up-flow velocity near the
weir shall be limited to approximately 3.5 to 7.0 m/h. If weirs are located at end walls in
rectangular clarifiers, the minimum water depth below the effluent weir shall be 3.5 m.
6.2.7.2. Weir Loadings
i. Weir loadings shall not exceed 5 m 3/h per lineal meter for primary, intermediate, or final clarifiers
at peak hourly flows unless select design parameters are considered (for example, depth, surface
area, detention time, horizontal or vertical velocities [or both], and solids density), then the higher
weir loadings may be considered. Hydraulic loading criteria in clarifier design shall be based on
the sum of plant inflow and recycle rates.
ii. Weir loadings at peak hourly flows shall not exceed 5 m 3/h per lineal meter for final clarifiers in
plants with average design flows of 4.0 MLD or less. Weir loadings at peak hourly flows in plants
with average design flows larger than 4.0 MLD shall not exceed 7.5 m 3/h per lineal meter for final
clarifiers.
iii. Final rectangular clarifiers with launder and weir at the outer wall shall not exceed a weir loading
of 10 m3/h per lineal meter at peak hourly flow. If pumping is required, weir loadings shall
correspond to the pumping rates to prevent short-circuiting.
6.2.8. Detention Time
i. Nominal detention periods shall be in the 2 to 3 hour range at the average design flow rate
including consideration for recirculation.
ii. If no recirculation is employed, then the minimum detention time shall be >2 hours.
iii. Detention periods in clarifiers vary with surface-loading rates and side water depths.
iv. The detention periods for final clarifiers following various activated sludge processes shall be
adjusted between 2 and 4 hours, dependent upon the type of process, design flow, recirculation
rate, and surface-loading rate.
6.2.9. Surface-Loading Rates
6.2.9.1. Final Clarifiers
i. Surface-loading rates for final clarifiers following fixed film reactors shall not exceed 1.4 m/h at
average design flow and shall not exceed 2.0 m/h at peak hourly flow.

ii. Surface-loading rates for final clarifiers following activated sludge processes, such as:
conventional, step aeration, contact stabilisation, or the carbonaceous stage of separate-stage
nitrification, shall not exceed 2.0 m/h at peak hourly flow. Surface-loading rates for final clarifiers
following an extended aeration process shall not exceed 1.7 m/h at peak hourly flow. Surface-
loading rates for final clarifiers following separate-stage nitrification shall not exceed 1.4 m/h at
peak hourly flow.
iii. Surface-loading rates recommended for various floc suspensions at peak hourly flow are
provided in Table15.
Table 15: Recommended Surface Loading Rates
Type of Floc Surface Loading Rate
Alum floc 1.0 m/h
Iron floc 1.4 m/h
Lime floc 2.0 m/h
iv. Tests shall be conducted whenever a pilot plant study is warranted because of unusual waste
characteristics, treatment requirements, or where design loadings exceed those limits set forth in
this section.
6.2.10. Solids Loading Rate
i. The solids loading rate, excluding chemical additives applied to final clarifiers, shall not exceed
5 kg/m2/h at peak flow rate with 100 % recirculation. Clarifiers following an extended aeration
process or an oxidation ditch shall not exceed this loading rate.
ii. The solids loading rate for final clarifiers following most activated sludge processes shall not
exceed 10 kg/m2/h at peak hourly flow. The Designer shall assure that the clarifier area is equal
to or greater than that required by surface-loading or solids loading rates based on the maximum
sludge volume index (SVI) anticipated and mixed-liquor suspended solids (MLSS).
iii. The solids loading rate is to be evaluated for both peak hourly and design average flow conditions
to determine which values shall govern in a 24-hour period. Due consideration must be given to
the duration of peak hourly flows.
6.3. Sludge
6.3.1. Sludge Collection
i. The floors of circular clarifiers shall be sloped at 1 inch per foot (1:12) to form an inverted cone to
a central sludge hopper. Floors of sludge thickeners shall be sloped at 2:12 or greater. Simple
mechanical scrapers are recommended over the suction or siphon type since rapid recirculation
of solids is not required.
ii. The floor of a rectangular clarifier shall be sloped at approximately 1 percent (1:100) toward the
cross collectors or sludge hoppers located at the influent end. If a header type suction sludge
removal mechanism is used, then the slope shall be sufficient only to provide for drainage.
iii. The sludge or settled solids in clarifiers shall be scraped or drawn to a hopper or sump
appropriately located for removal. Where cross collectors or screw conveyors are not provided,
multiple hoppers shall be installed for rectangular clarifiers or multiple clarifiers. The minimum
slope of the side walls of sludge hoppers shall be 1.7 vertical to 1.0 horizontal. Hopper bottoms
shall have a maximum dimension of 600 mm. Hopper walls shall be smooth with rounded

corners. Extra depth sludge hoppers for sludge thickening are not permissible. Vertical sludge
draw-off systems shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.
iv. Sludge draw-off pipes located on the side or bottom shall be flush with the hopper bottom. Each
sludge hopper shall have an individually valved sludge draw-off line of at least 150 mm in
diameter if gravity flow, and if pumped, of 100 mm in diameter. The static head available for
withdrawal of sludge shall be at least 0.75 m to maintain a 1 m/s velocity when removal is
dependent upon gravity flow.
6.3.2. Sludge Handling and Withdrawal
6.3.2.1. Clarifier Desludging System
i. All pumps shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
Section 03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers, and Cutters (AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. All piping shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
iii. Mechanical sludge collection and withdrawal equipment is required and shall provide complete
and continuous removal of settled sludge for final clarifiers. The sludge collection equipment and
the drive assembly shall be designed to withstand the maximum anticipated loads of transporting
sludge to a hopper.
iv. The peripheral speed for circular flight mechanisms shall be in the range of 0.02 to 0.05 rpm but
shall not exceed 2.4 m/min in final clarifiers.
v. The straight line flight speed shall be in the range of 0.6 to 1.2 m/min but shall not exceed 0.3
m/min in final clarifiers.
vi. Air lift systems for sludge removal shall not be used for removal of sludge.
vii. Desludging systems shall be of the pumped type with a manual bypass capable of removing
8 percent dry solids sludge on a routine basis.
viii. The Designer shall determine the sludge thicknesses and the sludge flow rates depending on the
systems and mode of operation which is proposed. Due allowance shall be made for bends,
valves, and similar components, and an appropriate pipe wall roughness co-efficient (ks) when
determining the friction losses of the delivery pipe.
ix. The Designer shall be responsible for determining the most suitable size, number, and
combination of pumps to cope with the range of flows expected. The pumps shall be uniformly
sized.
x. Positive displacement pumps shall be provided for pumping primary sludge intermittently and
continuously. A positive head shall be provided on pump suctions. If motor driven return sludge
pumps are used, the maximum return sludge capacity shall be obtained with the largest pump out
of service. Pumps shall have at least 75 mm suction and discharge openings. Automatic controls
shall be provided to separately activate sludge pumps and sludge collection mechanisms. Sludge
pumping in large plants shall be controlled by timers and valve activators to provide continuous
"on-off" operation. A means of measuring the sludge withdrawal rate shall be provided for each
unit. It is recommended that sludge pumping stations have a standby pump and serve two or
more units.
xi. Pumps shall be capable of handling all sludge up to 8 percent DS.
xii. Pumps shall be designed to run 16 hours per day at 1 percent DS in normal operation. This shall
also allow for 4 hours per day at 4 percent DS.

xiii. All Designers shall consider that pumps may need to be designed to account for increased
volume incurred when receiving emergency return of waste-activated sludge (WAS) from aeration
plants.
xiv. All pumps shall be configured in a duty/standby basis. (The standby pump can be common to
other duties or a boxed spare.)
xv. Rapid sludge withdrawal pipes shall return sludge to a well at the water surface that enables
visual observation of the flow. The return sludge withdrawal pipes shall be at least 100 mm in
diameter with a hydraulic differential between the clarifier water level and the return sludge well
level sufficient to maintain a velocity of 1 m/s. The discharge piping shall be designed to maintain
a velocity of at least 0.6 m/s when return sludge facilities are operating at normal return sludge
rates. Each sludge withdrawal pipe shall be accessible for rodding or back-flushing when the
clarifier is in operation. Cleanouts and couplings shall be provided in sludge piping to facilitate
pipe cleaning and removal of pumping equipment. High points in piping shall be provided with air
releases.
xvi. Each tank shall be fitted with a drain valve that can serve as an emergency desludging option.
xvii. Sludge wells/scum pits shall be provided adjacent to the basin and equipped with suitable
devices for viewing, sampling, and controlling the rate of sludge withdrawn. Metering devices
shall be installed and located to indicate flow rates of all influent and effluent points, return
sludge, and waste sludge lines. Meters shall be accurate to within +5 percent of the actual flow
rates.
xviii. All clarifiers shall be equipped with appropriate safety features for the protection of operators.
Such features shall include drive mechanism enclosures, life lines, lighting, stairways, walkways,
handrails, deck gratings, and slip-resistant surfaces. Effluent pipes larger than 300 mm in
diameter shall be provided with bars to prevent entry of an operator if a fall shall occur.
xix. If side walls are extended some distance above the water level to provide flood protection or for
other purposes, convenient and safe walkways must be provided to facilitate housekeeping and
maintenance. For plants having an average design capacity greater than 0.4 MLD, meters shall
totalise and record.
xx. Clarifier facilities shall include a convenient and safe means of access to routine maintenance
items such as baffles, weirs, channels, scum equipment, gear boxes, and pumping facilities.
Hoisting or other means of equipment removal shall be provided. As a safety precaution, it is
recommended that telescoping valves with tees and blow-off valves at the base be provided in
sludge wells to unplug draw-off lines.
xxi. Pressurised wash water facilities shall be provided for washing scum boxes, tanks, and other
equipment. Potable wash water facilities may be used but shall have backflow preventers. If wash
water is non-potable, all outlets shall be permanently posted to indicate water is not safe.
xxii. Electrical equipment, fixtures, lighting, and controls shall be located to provide convenient and
safe access for operation and maintenance. A positive means of locking out each mechanical
device shall be provided.
xxiii. Due consideration shall be given to the selection of materials because of corrosive conditions
present.
6.3.2.2. Sludge Holding Tanks
i. Sludge treatment and conditioning centres shall have 4 days of sludge storage for indigenous
sludge (to avoid duplication of storage at satellite Works and allow for plant maintenance).
ii. Sludge storage facilities shall be designed so that the following is achieved:

a) Sludge holding tanks upstream of thickening and dewatering shall maintain a

homogeneous sludge with the aid of mixing.
b) Sufficient buffer capacity to service or maintain any downstream processes shall be
provided.
c) Safe access for tank cleaning shall be provided.
d) Minimising of odour production.
e) Odour control.
iii. Common requirements for all tanks shall be as follows:
a) A minimum freeboard of at least 0.5 m shall be provided.
b) The minimum floor slope shall be 10°.
c) A valved washout drain gravitating to the Works drainage system or similar approved
discharge shall be provided.
d) For tanks in excess of 10 m diameter, an access hatch at ground level shall be provided.
e) A high level overflow.
f) Pipework shall be designed to avoid potential blockages and provided with jetting or
rodding points, or both.
g) The tanks shall be sited with due consideration of minimising the lengths of any sludge
delivery mains.
h) Mixers shall be designed to be removed without the need for man-entry or tank emptying.
Where a compressed air mixing system is provided, an arrangement for containing
displaced odours shall be provided.
i) Access shall be provided for routine maintenance. Level probes, mixers, pumps, and any
other item of plant or instrumentation shall be accessible for maintenance without
requiring the use of portable ladders.
j) Routine maintenance access shall be designed on the basis of single-person
maintenance.
k) All sludge holding tanks shall be covered. At odour sensitive sites, any odours generated
shall be contained and treated.
l) Where tanks may be liable to negative pressure due to the pumping system, sufficient
ventilation shall be provided.
7. Biological Treatment
i. The form of biological treatment to be used shall be generally based on the activated sludge
process. The actual process configuration to be used at a particular site shall be the subject of a
specific process evaluation to be undertaken in close liaison with the Client.
ii. Biological treatment shall comprise a biological oxidation process for the reduction of
carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants.
iii. Whilst all feasible treatment schemes shall be considered for biological treatment, the main types
of biological treatment considered most appropriate are as follows:
a) Activated Sludge Process – Extended Aeration, Conventional Systems

b) Sequencing Batch Reactors

c) Moved Bed Bio-reactors
d) Membrane Bio-reactors
7.1. Activated Sludge

i. The activated sludge process and its various modifications may be used where wastewater is
amenable to biological treatment to meet the treated sewage standards. This process requires
close attention and competent operating supervision, including routine laboratory control. These
requirements shall be considered when proposing this type of treatment.
ii. This process requires major energy usage to meet aeration demands. Energy costs and potential
mandatory emergency public power reduction events in relation to critical water quality conditions
must be carefully evaluated. Capability of energy usage phase-down whilst still maintaining
process viability, both under normal and emergency energy availability conditions, must be
included in the activated sludge design.
7.1.2. Specific Process Selection
i. The activated sludge process and its modifications may be employed to accomplish varying
degrees of removal of suspended solids and reduction of carbonaceous or nitrogenous oxygen
demand, or both. Choice of the process most applicable shall be influenced by the degree and
consistency of treatment required, type of waste to be treated, proposed plant size, anticipated
degree of operation and maintenance, and operating and capital costs. All designs shall provide
for flexibility in operation and shall provide for operation in various modes, if feasible.
7.1.3. Pre-Treatment
i. Effective removal or exclusion of grit, debris, oil or grease, and screening of solids shall be
accomplished prior to the activated sludge process.
ii. In the case of biological membrane systems, the need for secondary fine screens and enhanced
FOG than usual FOG removal facilities shall be required to protect the membranes and ensure
effective operation.
iii. Full surface mechanical scum, collection and removal facilities, including baffling, shall be
provided. The unusual characteristics of scum which adversely affect pumping, piping, and
sludge handling shall be recognised in the design. Provisions shall be made to remove scum from
the wastewater treatment process and direct it to the sludge treatment process. Other special
provisions for disposal may be necessary.
7.1.4. Design Basis
i. The activated sludge plant shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) Final effluent quality complies with the consented discharge standard
b) A sufficient quantity of air is provided to satisfy the average and peak oxygen demand
and maintain dissolved oxygen (DO) at the specified level
c) Sufficient mixing in the aeration tanks and in selectors
d) Sludge with a good settling characteristics is produced
e) Reliable with easily operational, set point adjustable process control
f) Minimisation of power consumption with an aeration efficiency, expressed as kgO 2/kWh,
at standard conditions

ii. The following approach shall be adopted in the design:

a) The design shall take account of the minimum and maximum temperatures of mixed
liquor on a site-specific basis.
b) The design sludge loading rate (SLR) ratios at the design daily average loads and the
MLSS concentration shall generally be within the range of values shown in Table 16.
Table 16: Design Sludge Loading Rate Ratios for Various Activated Sludge Processes
Treatment Mode SLR (kg BOD/kg MLSS (mg/L)

MLSS/day)
High Rate > 1.0 < 2,000
Conventional (20 mg/L BOD5) 0.25 – 0.4 2,000 – 3,000
Conventional (10 mg/L BOD5) 0.15 – 0.25 2,500 – 3,000
Conventional with Nitrification 0.15 3,000 – 4,000
Extended Aeration / MLE 0.05 – 0.15 2,000 – 4,000
c) The plant shall not be designed on the basis of partial nitrification.

d) The design shall take account of the minimum, average, and peak oxygen requirement
and the corresponding air flow and mixing requirements. Values of air transfer
coefficients and diffuser system efficiencies shall be provided.
e) Diffused air plants may provide over-aeration where blower downturn is limited by mixing
rates. In such cases, an alternative means of mixing shall be provided;
f) The design of the plant shall incorporate consideration of variable operating conditions in
terms of the MLSS level and the typical activated sludge return rate range. Consideration
shall be given to the variation in these parameters in the design of the secondary
settlement tanks.
7.1.5. Aeration
7.1.5.1. Aeration Capacities and Permissible Loadings
i. All compressors, blowers, and aeration equipment shall comply with the details in the Technical
Standard Specification – Mechanical Section 03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers, and Cutters.
ii. The Designer shall determine the most suitable system for transmitting the required amount of
oxygen to the activated sludge plant.
iii. The design shall take account of the peaking factor (relative to the calculated oxygen demand for
the design daily average load) that is used in sizing the aeration capacity.
iv. The aeration system shall be designed to provide sufficient oxygen to cater for peak load
conditions. It shall also provide sufficient mixing to maintain the biomass in suspension without
over-aeration. Consideration shall be given to the separation of aeration and mixing mechanisms,
where appropriate, to maximise energy efficiency and prevent over-aeration.
v. The design details shall be agreed upon with the Client and include, at a minimum, the following
for the range of loads:
a) Standard oxygen transfer rates (kgO2/h)

b) Alpha factors used in the design

c) Overall oxygen transfer efficiency (percent) at standard conditions
d) Aeration efficiency (kgO2/kWh) at standard conditions
vi. The aeration system shall be controlled by measurement of DO within the aeration tanks.
vii. Overall average DO value from all in-service aeration lanes shall be used for blower control.
viii. Centrifugal type blowers are preferred.
ix. Membrane or ceramic disc type diffusers shall be used for new installations, with membrane disc
diffusers being preferred.
x. Diffused air fine-bubble aerators shall be laid out to give plug flow tapered aeration.
xi. Where surface aerators or hyperbolic aerators are used, it shall be possible to take one aerator
per lane out of service for maintenance whilst maintaining the required DO level.
xii. Sizing of aeration systems shall allow for increased airflow in the remaining tanks/lanes during
maintenance periods.
7.1.6. Aeration Tanks
7.1.6.1. General
i. The size of the aeration tank for any particular adaptation of the process shall be determined by
full scale experience, pilot plant studies, or rational calculations based mainly on solids retention
time, food to microorganism ratio, and MLSS levels. Other factors, such as size of treatment
plant, diurnal load variations, and degree of treatment required, shall also be considered. In
addition, temperature, alkalinity, pH, and reactor DO shall be considered when designing for
nitrification.
ii. Calculations shall be submitted to justify the basis for design of aeration tank capacity.
iii. The tanks shall be outdoors and uncovered.
iv. Each tank shall be provided with penstocks to allow isolation of each tank in the event of an
equipment failure, routine maintenance, and cleaning of the tank.
7.1.6.2. Dimensions
i. The dimensions of each independent mixed liquor aeration tank or return sludge re-aeration tank
shall be such as to maintain effective mixing and utilisation of air.
ii. Depth: Ordinarily, liquid depths shall not be less than 5.0 m for diffused aeration systems to
maximise the oxygen utilisation. Unless specified otherwise, the water depth of the tank shall be
limited to 8.0 m. Where the water depth is > 6 m, provision for degassing shall be made prior to
final settlement.
iii. Typically, tanks are designed with a length : width ratio of 4:1 to provide near plug flow conditions.
7.1.6.3. Short-Circuiting
i. For very small tanks or tanks with special configurations, the shape of the tank, the location of the
influent and sludge return, and the installation of aeration equipment shall provide for positive
control to prevent short-circuiting through the tank.
7.1.6.4. Configuration

i. Total aeration tank volume shall be divided among two or more units, capable of independent
operation, when required for maintenance and to meet applicable effluent limitations and
reliability guidelines.
ii. The hydraulic properties of the system shall permit the design peak instantaneous flow to be
carried with any single aeration tank unit out of service.
iii. Non-nitrifying aeration tanks shall be preceded by a selector zone. Hydraulic retention time (HRT)
in the selector zone shall be between 10 and 30 minutes at average flow.
iv. Nitrifying aeration tanks shall be preceded by an anoxic zone. Hydraulic retention time in the
anoxic zone shall be between 20 and 60 minutes at average flow. Dual zones are recommended.
v. Measures shall be provided to maintain the biomass in the selectors in suspension at all times.
Mechanical mixers shall be low-speed and low-shear, and shall not cause air entrainment or
shearing of the floc.
vi. Equal flow splitting and distribution to the aeration tanks shall be provided by equal length non-
submerged weirs for all tank configurations.
vii. The tank floors shall have a nominal slope not less than 1 in 100 to assist tank emptying and
cleaning. Each tank shall also have a drainage sump normally sized to be at least 400 mm
square by 400 mm deep to receive a submersible pump to assist tank emptying. The tank shall
also be fitted with guiderails and a davit socket above the drainage sump.
7.1.6.5. Inlets and Outlets
i. Return-activated sludge (RAS) shall be fully mixed with incoming sewage. Each flow shall enter
the selector box at right angles within a small baffle zone, and then flow into the selector in a fully
mixed state.
ii. Inlets and outlets for each aeration tank unit shall be suitably equipped with valves, gates, stop
plates, weirs, or other devices to permit controlling the flow to any unit and to maintain reasonably
constant liquid level.
iii. The effluent weir for a horizontally mixed aeration tank system must be easily adjustable by
mechanical means and shall be sized based on the design peak instantaneous flow plus the
maximum return sludge flow.
7.1.6.6. Freeboard
i. All aeration tanks shall have a freeboard of not less than 500 mm. However, if a mechanical
surface aerator is used, the freeboard shall be not less than 0.9 m to protect against windblown
spray on walkways, or similar occurrences.
7.1.6.7. Froth Control Units
i. It is essential to include some means of controlling froth formation in all aeration tanks. A series of
spray nozzles shall be fixed on top of the aeration tank. Screened effluent or tap water shall be
sprayed through these nozzles (either continuously or on a time clock on-off cycle) to physically
break up the foam.
ii. Provision shall be made to use antifoaming chemical agents injected at the inlet of the aeration
tank, or preferably, used in the spray water.
7.1.6.8. Conduits
i. Channels and pipes carrying liquids with solids in suspension shall be designed to maintain self-
cleansing velocities or shall be agitated to keep such solids in suspension at all rates of flow
within the design limits.

ii. Adequate provisions shall be made to drain segments of channels which are not being used due
to alternate flow patterns.
7.1.6.9. Anoxic Zones
i. Anoxic zones are to be constructed at the head of each aeration channel or as a common tank.
ii. Each anoxic zone shall have submersible mixers or hyperbolic mixers (non-aeration type)
capable of keeping the whole volume mixed but not aerated.
7.1.6.10. Anaerobic Zones
i. Anaerobic zones shall be used to aid phosphorus removal in biological nutrient removal systems.
ii. Anaerobic zones shall be constructed at the head of each aeration channel in conjunction with
pre- or post-anoxic zones, with typical retention times at full treatment flow of 20 to 30 minutes
(including average RAS flow rate).
iii. Each anaerobic zone shall have submersible mixers or hyperbolic mixers (non-aeration type)
capable of keeping the whole volume mixed but not aerated.
7.1.7. Return and Waste Activated Sludge
7.1.7.1. Return Sludge Rate (Return Activated Sludge)
i. The minimum permissible return sludge rate of withdrawal from the final settling tank is a function
of the concentration of suspended solids in the mixed liquor entering it, the sludge volume index
of these solids, and the length of time these solids are retained in the settling tank. Since undue
retention of solids in the final settling tanks may be deleterious to both the aeration and
sedimentation phases of the activated sludge process, the rate of sludge return expressed as a
percentage of the average design flow of wastewater shall generally be variable between the
limits provided in Table 17.
Table 17: Typical Sludge Return as a Percentage of Plant Average Design Flow
Type of Process Percentage of Average Design

Flow
Minimum Average Maximum
Plug Flow (%)
25 (%)
75 (%)
130
Complete Mix 25 75 130
Carbonaceous Stage of Separate Stage 25 50 75
Stage Nitrification 25 50 75
Step Aeration 50 100 150
Contact Stabilisation 50 100 150
Extended Aeration / MLE 50 100 150
Oxidation Ditch 50 50 200
High Rate Nitrification Stage of Separate 50 100 200
Stage Nitrification
ii. The Designer shall determine the most suitable size, number, and combination of pumps to cope
with the range of flows calculated. The pumps shall be uniformly sized.
iii. At least one standby RAS pump shall be provided.

iv. All pumps shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
Section 03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers, and Cutters.
v. Pumps shall be configured on a duty/assist/standby arrangement.
vi. Settled sludge shall be withdrawn continuously from the base of the final settlement tanks and
returned to the selector as RAS at a constant rate that can be varied by the operator. Return-
activated sludge flow shall be increased based on the sludge blanket level rising to within 1.2 m
of the clarifier top water level.
vii. On large plants, RAS shall also have the facility to be returned at a rate proportional to the
incoming flow.
viii. The rate of sludge return shall be varied by means of variable speed motors, drives, or timers
(small plants) to pump sludge.
ix. All RAS and WAS pumps shall be capable of pumping sludge with a dry solids concentration in
the range 0.1 to 1.5 percent.
x. Return-activated sludge and settled sewage shall be properly mixed before distribution to
aeration lanes.
xi. Discharge piping shall be at least 100 mm in diameter and shall be designed to maintain a
velocity of not less than 0.6 m/s when return sludge facilities are operating at normal return
sludge rates. Suitable devices for observing, sampling, and controlling RAS flow from each
settling tank hopper shall be provided.
xii. The minimum permissible return sludge rate of withdrawal from the final clarifier is a function of
the concentration of MLSS entering it, the SVI of these solids, and the detention time that these
solids are retained in the clarifier.
xiii. The design of the nominal sludge return rate shall be made according to the maximum sludge
concentration, which shall be calculated with the hypothesis of an SVI of 150 mL/g.
7.1.7.2. Waste-Activated Sludge
i. Waste-activated sludge shall be transferred to a WAS handling system.
ii. Waste-activated sludge shall be withdrawn by either dedicated pumps or bled from the RAS
return line via an automated valve.
iii. Sludge wasting shall be variable to enable zero wasting to 50 percent of the total system solids
daily.
iv. The rate of waste sludge return shall be varied by means of variable speed motors, drives, or
timers to pump sludge as set forth in this section.
v. Waste sludge control facilities shall have a maximum capacity of not less than 25 percent of the
average rate of wastewater flow and function satisfactorily at rates of 0.5 percent of average
wastewater flow or a minimum of 2 m 3/h, whichever is greater. Means for observing, measuring,
sampling, and controlling WAS flow shall be provided.
vi. The Designer shall determine the most suitable size, number, and combination of pumps to cope
with the range of flows calculated. The pumps shall be uniformly sized.
vii. At least one standby WAS pump shall be provided.
viii. All pumps shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
Section 03 - Pumps, Compressors, Blowers, and Cutters (AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ix. Pumps shall be configured on a duty/assist/standby arrangement.

x. Waste-activated sludge shall be wasted to maintain the MLSS concentration or sludge age (or
both) in the aeration tanks within process limits.
xi. Co-settlement of WAS in the primary settlement tank shall be avoided except on small sites
where it is not economical to provide separate systems.
7.1.8. Measurement
i. Devices shall be installed in all plants for indicating flow rates of raw wastewater or primary
effluent, return sludge, and air to each tank unit. For plants designed for wastewater flows of 450
m3/day or more, these devices shall totalise and record, as well as indicate flows.
ii. Where the design provides for all return sludge to be mixed with the raw wastewater (or primary
effluent) at one location, then the mixed liquor flow rate to each aeration unit shall be measured.
iii. Sampling points after the WAS pumps on the common manifold shall be provided.
iv. Total RAS and WAS flows shall be measured on each main aeration stream on the Site by inline
magnetic flow meter.
v. At least one DO probe in each aeration tank shall be provided, unless aeration tanks with a high
degree of plug-flow are used. If the latter is the case, a multiple point DO control system shall be
considered.
vi. In all methods using DO control, the DO value for an individual instrument shall be continuously
read and validated, and a rolling average produced (for example, 20 samples over a 2-minute
period).
vii. The rolling average DO value from individual instruments shall be averaged together to obtain an
overall DO value for blower control.
viii. On nitrifying plants, high level control using effluent ammoniacal nitrogen concentration may be
considered to work in conjunction with the DO system.
7.2. Sequencing Batch Reactors

7.2.1. Process Selection
i. The fill and draw mode of the activated sludge process, commonly termed the sequencing batch
reactor (SBR), may be approved at the discretion of the Client on a case-by-case basis.
ii. The design must be based on experience at other facilities and shall meet the applicable
requirements as set out in this Manual.
iii. Continuity and reliability of treatment equal to that of the continuous flow through modes of the
activated sludge process shall be provided, and in-line flow equalisation units may be provided in
addition to the decantable volume.
i. Preliminary treatment shall be provided upstream of any SBR system.
ii. Primary treatment can also be employed, but is not necessary.
7.2.3. Design Basis
i. The SBRs shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) Final effluent quality complies with the consented discharge standard.

b) A sufficient quantity of air is provided to satisfy the average and peak hourly oxygen
demand and maintain the required DO level.
c) Good solids separation occurs during the settle phase.
d) Reliable automatic process control with easy access to adjust all necessary operational
control set points.
e) All automatic default operational control conditions shall be alarmed (for example, high
flow, process control, or instrument failure).
ii. The design MLSS concentration at the bottom water level shall not normally be higher than
5,000 mg/L.
iii. As class “A” waters must achieve a total ammoniacal-nitrogen discharge consent of <5 mg/L, the
Designer shall consider the additional design requirements for appropriateness:
a) The maximum design food to Microorganism (F:M) ratio of the aerated time shall be 0.15
kg BOD per kg MLSS per day.
b) The minimum design sludge age of the aerated time shall be 10 days.
c) The design DO set point shall be 2.0 mg/L, but should be operator adjustable between
1.0 and 3.0 mg/L.
d) The design sludge yield shall be a minimum of 0.9 kg SS per kg BOD applied for systems
treating crude sewage.
e) The aeration system capacity shall be designed to allow for the lower demand resulting
from denitrification where an adequate anoxic period is provided.
iv. The design sludge age and F:M ratios shall be based upon the aerated biomass and not the total
biomass:
Where; Aerated biomass = Total Biomass x Aerated Fraction of SBR Cycle
v. The reactor mixed liquor volatile suspended solids and MLSS concentrations and aeration tank
volumetric loading shall be calculated at the low water level and at least more than two tanks
shall be provided.
vi. The volume required for settled biomass (Vs) shall be calculated by an SVI of not less than
180 mL/g to the total biomass in the reactor.
vii. The volume required per reactor for filling (Vf) shall be the maximum flow rate (m 3/day) to
secondary treatment divided by the minimum number of SBR cycles per day (d).
viii. A minimum clear water zone of 1.0 m depth shall be allowed between the bottom decant depth
and the top of the settled sludge blanket (clear water reactor volume = Vc).
ix. The design MLSS shall be determined at the design stage to provide the optimum balance
between having a high concentration to minimise the react time and a low concentration to
minimise the required settling time. The optimum concentration depends on the degree of
treatment required. The SBR filling strategy shall be designed to encourage conditions that
promote a substrate gradient and selection of floc forming bacteria. Completely mixed fills that do
not generate sufficient substrate gradient are to be avoided.
7.2.4. Aeration System
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).

ii. The blowers shall be provided in multiple units, arranged and in such capacities as to meet the
maximum air demand in the oxic portions of the fill/react and react phases of the cycle with the
single largest unit out of service.
iii. The actual oxygen requirement (AOR) shall be calculated from the peak weekly rolling average
BOD and ammonia loads to the plant. A factor allowing for the proportion of aeration time must be
considered with appropriate peaking factors applied.
iv. The aeration system shall incorporate membrane diffusers with variable speed blowers,
hyperbolic aeration system or floating variable speed surface aerators. The system design shall
have sufficient turndown so that over-aeration shall not occur during the diurnal low load condition
at the end of the aeration cycle.
v. Membrane diffuser systems shall be designed with an alpha factor of 0.7 and a beta factor of
0.95. Surface aerators shall have an alpha factor of 0.9 and a beta factor of 0.95.
vi. A standby blower shall be provided where diffused air or jet blowers are used.
vii. A dissolved oxygen monitor shall be provided per reactor, and a minimum control set point shall
be 2.0 mg/L during the aeration cycle.
7.2.5. Tanks
i. A minimum of two SBR reactors shall be provided.
ii. The aeration tank volumetric loading shall not exceed 0.24 kg BOD5 per m 3/day.
iii. The decantable volume and decanter capacity of the sequencing batch reactor system with the
largest basin out of service shall be sized to pass at least 75 percent of the design maximum day
flow without changing cycle times.
iv. A decantable volume of at least 4 hours with the largest basin out of service based on 100
percent of the design maximum day flow is permissible.
v. The agreed-upon process configuration shall allow for one bioreactor to be taken out of service
for maintenance with no overall deterioration in performance with respect to TE quality.
vi. System reliability with any single aeration tank unit out of service and the instantaneous delivery
of flow shall be evaluated in the design of decanter weirs and approach velocities.
vii. Where the instantaneous discharge rate from SBRs exceeds the consented instantaneous
discharge flow rate, a balancing tank shall be provided to attenuate the flow to the watercourse.
viii. A balancing tank shall also be considered where any further treatment process situated
downstream of the SBRs requires a continuous feed. The balancing tank shall be designed so
that a risk of algae growth is minimised.
ix. The flow balancing tank may be used as the process wash water storage tank.
x. The TE from each reactor shall be free of scum and have a suspended solids concentration no
greater than 20 mg/L at any time.
xi. Solids management to accommodate basin dewatering shall be considered.
xii. Mechanical mixing independent of aeration shall be provided for all systems where biological
phosphorus removal or denitrification is required. The mixing equipment shall be sized to
thoroughly mix the entire basin from a settled condition within 5 minutes without aeration.
7.2.6. Control
i. The control systems shall ensure that the plant does not switch to storm cycle during peak dry
weather flows and, therefore, shall not be lower than 1.5 times the average dry weather flow.

ii. A hard-wired backup for manual override shall be provided in addition to automatic process
control. Both automatic and manual controls shall allow independent operation of each tank. In
addition, a fail-safe control shall be provided which cannot be adjusted by the operator, allowing
at least 20 minutes of settling between the react and decant phases.
7.2.7. Sludge Removal

i. The settlement time shall be sufficient to allow the top of the sludge blanket to reach a suitable
depth below the decant position (for example, approximately 1 m prior to decanting). Maximum
decants shall not exceed 2 m.
ii. Decant devices on SBRs shall incorporate a means of excluding scum from the clarified effluent.
iii. The device shall be designed so that it does not draw the settled sludge or mixed liquor into the
final effluent at any time or return the initial decanted effluent for treatment through the Works.
iv. Treated effluent shall be decanted from the surface using either a baffled floating arm decanter or
a baffled mechanical decanter. The draw-down rate shall not exceed 1 m/h in the reactor.
v. Surplus activated sludge shall be removed automatically by pumps to a sludge handling system.
vi. All pumps shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
vii. An adequate zone of separation between the sludge blanket and the decanter shall be
maintained throughout the decant phase. Decanters which draw the treated effluent from near the
water surface throughout the decant phase are recommended.
viii. Measures shall be provided to prevent the creation of a siphoned discharge via the desludging
pumps after the desludging phase is completed.
ix. Waste-activated sludge flow measurement and recording shall be provided.
x. A method of draining the SBR tank contents over an 8-hour period through the treatment plant at
normal periods of low flow shall be provided.
7.3. Moved Bed Bio-Reactors

i. An attached growth process that provide the same treatment capacity as activated sludge in a
smaller footprint approximately less by 60%, commonly termed the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor
(MBBR).
ii. The design must be based on experience at other facilities and shall meet the applicable
requirements as set out in this Manual.
i. Preliminary treatment shall be provided upstream of any SBR system.
ii. Primary treatment can also be employed, but is not necessary.
7.3.3. Design Basis
i. The MBBR shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) Final effluent quality complies with the consented discharge standard.

b) A sufficient quantity of air is provided to satisfy the average and peak hourly oxygen
demand and maintain the required DO level.
c) Good solids separation occurs during the settle phase.
ii. The design MLSS concentration at the bottom water level shall not normally be in range of 3,000-
7,000 mg/L.
iii. As class “A” waters must achieve a total ammoniacal nitrogen discharge consent of < 5 mg/L, the
Designer shall consider the additional design requirements for appropriateness:
a) The maximum design food to Microorganism (F: M) ratio of the aerated time shall be
0.05-0.3 kg BOD per kg MLSS per day.
b) The design Solid Retention Time shall be 15-20 days.
c) The design DO set point shall be 2.0 mg/L, but should be operator adjustable between
1.0 and 3.0 mg/L.
d) The design sludge yield shall be 0.5-1.0 kg SS per kg BOD applied for systems.
e) The aeration system capacity shall be designed to allow for the lower demand resulting
from denitrification where an adequate anoxic period is provided.
f) Organic Loading rate in MBBR reactor: 1.5-3.5 kg BOD/m3 reactor volume/day.
7.3.4. MBBR Bio-Carriers Media

i. The MBBR Media shall be designed based on the following features:
a) BOD loading rate media: 1-1.5kg BOD/100m2 of surface area of MBBR media/day.
b) Volume fraction of Carrier Media to MBBR reactor: 35-70%.
c) Carrier Media material shall be PP/PE/HDPE, Non-degradable, UV stabilized,
d) Virgin type with maximum up to 0.95 gm/cm³ of specific gravity.
e) Cylindrical shaped wagon wheel design having high surface area not less than 400
m2/m3.
7.4. Aeration Equipment General

(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. Oxygen requirements generally depend on maximum diurnal organic loading (design peak hourly
BOD5), degree of treatment, and level of suspended solids concentration to be maintained in the
aeration tank mixed liquor.
iii. Aeration equipment shall be capable of maintaining a minimum of 2.0 mg/L of DO in the mixed
liquor at all times and provide thorough mixing of the mixed liquor.
iv. In the absence of experimentally determined values, the design oxygen requirements for all
activated sludge processes shall be design peak hourly BOD5 (1.1 kgO2/kg design peak hourly
BOD5) applied to the aeration tanks, with the exception of the extended aeration process, for
which the value shall be 1.50 to include endogenous respiration requirements.
v. Where nitrification is required or will occur, such as within the extended aeration process, the
oxygen requirement for oxidising ammonia must be added to the previous requirement for
carbonaceous BOD5 removal and endogenous respiration requirements.

vi. The nitrogenous oxygen demand (NOD) shall be taken as 4.6 times the diurnal peak hourly Total
Kjehldahl Nitrogen content of the influent. In addition, the oxygen demands due to recycle flows
must be considered due to the high concentrations of BOD5 and Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen
associated with such flows.
vii. Careful consideration shall be given to maximising oxygen utilisation per unit of power input.
Unless flow equalisation is provided, the aeration system shall be designed to match the diurnal
organic load variation whilst economising on power input.
7.4.1. Diffused Air Systems

i. Aerators shall be selected to suit each particular application and shall provide clean air to satisfy
the respiratory oxygen demand of the microbiological population and maintain the MLSS in an
agitated state of suspension.
ii. A tapered aeration system shall be provided comprising at least two aeration zones per lane to
accommodate the varying demand over the lane length.
iii. Having determined the previous oxygen requirements, air requirements for a diffused air system
shall be determined by use of any of the well-known equations incorporating such factors as the
following:
a) Tank depth
b) Alpha factor of waste
c) Beta factor of waste
d) Certified aeration device transfer efficiency
e) Minimum aeration tank DO concentration
f) Critical wastewater temperature
g) Altitude of plant
iv. In the absence of experimentally determined alpha and beta factors, wastewater transfer
efficiency shall be assumed to be not greater than 50 percent of clean water efficiency for plants
treating primarily (90 percent or greater) domestic wastewater. Treatment plants where the waste
contains higher percentages of industrial wastes shall use a correspondingly lower percentage of
clean water efficiency and shall have calculations submitted to justify such a percentage.
v. The design oxygen transfer efficiency shall be included in the Specification. The alpha factor
reduction at high MLSS shall also be taken into consideration, particularly in the case of a
biological membrane bioreactor (MBR) system designed and operated at MLSS between 8,000 to
12,000 mg/L.
vi. Normal requirements for all activated sludge processes except extended aeration (assuming
equipment capable of transmitting to the mixed liquor the necessary amount of oxygen) shall be
considered to be 94 m 3/kg BOD5, and for the extended aeration process, the value shall be
125 m3/kg BOD5. These values are for minimum guidelines, and detailed calculation shall be
submitted to justify the basis of air requirements based on carbonaceous demand, nitrification,
and denitrification.
vii. To the air requirements calculated previously shall be added air required for channels, pumps,
aerobic digesters, filtrate, and supernatant or other air-use demand.

viii. The specified capacity of blowers or air compressors, particularly centrifugal blowers, shall take
into account that the air intake temperature may reach 50°C or higher, and the pressure may be
less than normal. The specified capacity of the motor drive shall also take into account that the
intake air may require over-sizing of the motor or a means of reducing the rate of air delivery to
prevent overheating or damage to the motor.
ix. The blowers shall be provided in multiple units, arranged and in such capacities as to meet the
maximum air demand with the single largest unit out of service. The design shall also provide for
varying the volume of air delivered in proportion to the load demand of the plant.
x. Aeration equipment shall be easily adjustable in increments and shall maintain solids suspension
within these limits.
xi. The average DO signal from all in-service aeration lanes shall be used for blower control.
xii. Diffuser systems shall be capable of providing for 200 percent of the designed average day
oxygen demand. The air diffusion piping and diffuser system shall be capable of delivering normal
air requirements with minimal friction losses.
xiii. Air piping systems shall be designed such that total head loss from blower outlet (or silencer
outlet where used) to the diffuser inlet does not exceed 0.5 psi (3.4 kPa) at average operating
conditions.
xiv. Pipework shall be securely fixed to the concrete floors and walls. On all sections of feeder
pipework which are not immersed, the provision of manually valved drains at all low points shall
be considered to monitor and allow for the removal of condensate.
xv. The spacing of diffusers shall be in accordance with the oxygen requirements through the length
of the channel or tank, and shall be designed to facilitate adjustment of their spacing without
major revisions to air header piping.
xvi. All plants employing less than four independent aeration tanks shall be designed to incorporate
removable diffusers that can be serviced or replaced (or both) without dewatering the tank.
xvii. Individual assembly units of diffusers shall be equipped with control valves, preferably with
indicator markings, for throttling or for complete shut-off. Diffusers in any single assembly shall
have substantially uniform pressure loss. Air filters shall be provided in numbers, arrangements,
and capacities to furnish at all times an air supply sufficiently free from dust to prevent damage to
blowers and clogging of the diffuser system used.
xviii. Centrifugal type blowers are preferred, but root types may be used with justification.
xix. All blowers shall generally be configured on a duty/assist/standby basis. The duty/assist
combinations shall be capable of providing sufficient process air to satisfy the peak demand and
to cater for low load periods.
xx. Membrane or ceramic disc type diffusers shall be used for new installations, with membrane disc
diffusers being preferred.
xxi. The air diffusion system shall be of the fine-bubble type (2 to 3 mm) provided by flexible
membrane diffusers which shall enable airflow to be varied to match the demand and improve
energy efficiency. The diffusers shall also be able to resist the ingress of the tank contents when
the air supply is reduced or failed.
7.4.2. Hyperbolic Mixer/Aerator System
i. Due to the high demand for nitrogen removal correlating with high demands for nitrification and
denitrification and good sludge settling only combined mixing and aeration systems are allowed.

ii. For good mixing and uniform conditions within the whole tank during the denitrification mode and
also during aeration mode (anoxic or oxic or anaerobic) only high efficient, combined mixing and
aeration systems are allowed.
iii. Typical submersed aerators with small diameter and high speed are not allowed due to high
shear forces and destruction of sludge. Submerged motors and surface aerators will not be
allowed.
iv. Type: Each mixer shall be a Hyperboloid impeller type Mixer / Aerator with a dry installed gear
drive and a separate ring sparger to provide supplemental air.
v. The Mixer / Aerators shall be designed to provide complete suspension of solids in the tank. The
shear ribs in the mixer body shall be capable of dispersing the air into fine bubbles while handling
solids, fibrous materials, heavy sludge, and other matter found in sanitary sewage applications.
vi. Materials: Mixer components in contact with the liquid shall be of Type 316 stainless steel with
smooth surfaces devoid of blow holes and other irregularities or high quality composite. All
exposed nuts, bolts, fasteners, and hardware shall be of Type 316 stainless steel with “Never
Seize” coating. Transport fins at the mixer body shall be integrated and designed I a way to avoid
any clogging with fibrous material. In case mixer body is made from stainless steel only both-
sided seamless welding is allowed. Deformations at the rim of the mixer body shall not exceed a
tolerance of +/- 0.5 mm to achieve a uniform aeration pattern. Spot-welding of fins to the mixer
body is not allowed. Spot welding is not allowed at any part of the mixer body is not allowed. Any
welding which may cause an unbalance of the mixer body is not allowed.
vii. Each mixer assembly shall consist of a heavy duty speed reducer with hollow shaft, electric
motor, baseplate, fiberglass reinforced plastic / high-grade stainless steel agitator shaft, and
hyperbolic mixing body. Mechanical details of each component shall be as follows:
a) Gear Drive: The gear drive for the Mixer / Aerator shall be a parallel shaft helical geared
motor. The drive shall have a high-quality corrosion protection coating, robust weather
protective hood, and humidity and acid protection of the winding (tropical protection).
The motor shall be a vertical, heavy-duty, high efficiency, TEFC, hollow shaft electric
motor suitable for 400-volt, 3-phase, 50 Hz power supply capable of accepting the total,
unbalanced thrust imposed by the Mixer / Aerator. The gear drive shall be rated for a long
bearing service life under adverse operating conditions. (Lh10 > 100,000 h under
operational load conditions) The motor shaft shall be mounted in a hollow shaft motor
and secured by means of a hex screw to the gear drive. The torque shall be transmitted
by a feather key connection. The hollow shaft shall be covered and sealed with a special
hollow shaft cap. Service factor of the gear box at 100 % load shall be 2.0 at minimum
and gear box must be designed for a calculated lifetime of > 100,000 hours of operation
at actual loading.
b) Mounting base: The mounting base of the mixer consists of a gear base plate mounted in
rubber buffers connected permanently to the bridge by bolted connection. The gear plate
is designed as a distortion-proof steel structure with an impact-proof powder-coated
surface. The plate can be leveled out using the threaded bolts which can be adjusted in
height. The rubber buffers must be centre bonded mounts with steel inserts and two

washers in order to absorb starting-up jolts, prevent any transfer of vibrations to the
bridge and constitute the galvanic separation of the mixer from its surroundings.
c) Shaft: The drive shaft of the mixer is made from high quality fiberglass reinforced
plastic/high-grade stainless steel (304/316Ti). At the top end there is a steel tappet for the
connection to the gear hollow shaft. At the lower end there are stainless steel inserts
(316Ti) for the connection to the mixer body without using a flange to provide non-
clogging operation.
d) Hyperboloid Mixer Body: The Hyperboloid Mixer Body is a streamlined non-clogging body
segmented in 8 parts. The motion fins which accelerate the flow are integrated in the
mixer body. The shape of the motion fins has to be according to the latest fluid-
mechanical state of the art. The height of the motion fins at half of the radius of the mixer
body must be in excess of the height of the motion fins at the circumference of the mixer
body. The mixer body must have non-clogging ventilation holes close to the shaft
connection. It is made of top quality, high-strength impact resistant polymer material with
smooth surface. Depending on the design, the Hyperboloid Mixer has a laminated
stainless steel insert nut (316Ti).
8. Tertiary Filtration
i. The filtration system applied shall able meet the TE compliance used on sewage treatment
plants, particularly with respect to Helminths Ova. The actual process configuration to be used at
a particular site shall be subject of a specific process evaluation to be undertaken in close liaison
with the Client.
ii. The following section is retained based on previous the version for reference and to address
existing assets.
8.1. Rapid Sand Gravity Filters

i. The Client’s upcoming new STPs shall use technologies which able to remove Helminths Ova in
order to meet quality compliance level of norms for Nematode ova, except for the existing assets
which are planned for demobilisation once new the STPs are commissioned. Alternatively, where
applicable the Rapid Sand Filters can be considered as Pre-Screenings prior to Tertiary
Membrane Filtrations.
8.1.1. Design
i. A minimum wastewater depth of 900 mm, measured from the normal operating wastewater
surface to the surface of the filter medium, shall be provided. Even distribution of the wastewater
over the filter area is required. The top filter material shall not be disturbed by the influent
wastewater. The bottom wash-water trough elevation shall be above the maximum level of
expanded medium during backwashing. The top wash-water trough elevation shall be no more
than 750 mm above the filter surface. Spacing of the troughs shall be such that horizontal particle
travel distance is not greater than 900 mm, and equal spacing between troughs is provided so
that the same number of square feet of filter area is served by each trough.
ii. For high rate filtration, dual or multi-media shall be used. The maximum filter rate shall be 10 m/h
immediately after backwash with a lower nominal rate at peak daily flow. A minimum of two filters
shall be provided. Filtration shall be designed so that, with one filters out of service, each of the
remaining filters shall filter no greater than 10 m/h at the design peak daily flow. Equipment for
the application of filter aids to the filter influent shall be provided.
8.1.2. Media Selection

i. The media selection, depth of media, effective size, and uniformity co-efficient is based on the
type of filter selected, such as depth filters with single medium or dual media filters.
8.1.3. Under Drains
i. Porous-plate bottoms or perforated pipe under-drains shall not be used. False bottoms with
orifices (nozzles) shall be used, consisting of a several plates supporting several vertical nozzles.
Under-drain systems allowable in water plants are acceptable. The orifice loss in backwashing
must exceed the sum of the minor hydraulic losses in the under-drain system to secure good
distribution of flow over the entire area of the filter bottom.
ii. Under-drains shall be made of corrosion- and scale-resistant materials, or properly protected
against corrosion. The glazed tile filter block used in some filter bottoms and the stainless steel
modules used in other filter bottom designs are recommended to provide even and uniform
distribution of backwash water. Hydraulic distribution data on each standard filter size shall be
submitted.
8.1.4. Backwash
i. Provisions shall be made for washing filters as follows:
a) Automatic washing with air and water (two successive sequences)
b) Water loss during filter backwash shall be limited to 3 percent
c) Each filter shall be cleaned a maximum of once per day
d) Provision for a filtered water tank shall be made to provide three times the volume
pumped for one filter washing
ii. Release of backwash water shall be controlled by a timer and the head loss measurement.
iii. Washwater pumps shall be provided in duplicate.
iv. Rate of flow indicators on the main wash-water line shall be provided and shall be located so that
they it can be easily read by the operator during backwash.
v. Air release must be provided with blowers: one standby shall be planed; one pressure release on
the air pipe (to control the pressure during filter backwash) as well as anti-backflow system shall
be provided.
vi. The false-bottom of the filters (supporting the nozzles) shall be designed to resist the maximum
pressure applied during the backwash to avoid any moving of the plates.
vii. Backwash wastewater treatment and disposal must be accomplished within the rated design
capacities of the treatment system. Backwash wastewater cannot be discharged to a stream
without first receiving adequate treatment.
viii. If it is desired to recycle the backwash wastewater through a secondary system, then the
hydraulic design of the entire system (including the clarifier and filter) must be based on the
anticipated rate of raw influent flow plus the flow rate at which the backwash water enters the
system.
ix. A backwash water holding tank and controlled discharge system shall be required. This holding
system must be capable of storing the wastes from two backwashes and discharging the wastes
to the treatment system within 24 hours at a rate which, in combination with the raw influent, does
not exceed the hydraulic design of any system component when the loading period for the plant is
24 hours. For plants with loading periods less than 24 hours, additional backwash holding
capacity may be required.
8.1.5. Surface Wash

i. Surface wash facilities are required. Disinfected filtered wastewater effluent shall be used for
surface wash. Revolving-type surface washers shall be provided; however, other types may be
considered. All rotary surface wash devices shall be designed with provision for the following:
a) Minimum wash-water pressures of 2.5 bar (g)
b) Surface wash-water rate of 1.25 to 2.5 m 3/h per square metre of filter area
8.2. Media Cloth Disc Filters

i. Disc filters consist of a series of discs composed of two vertically mounted parallel discs that are
used to support the filter cloth. Each disc is connected to a central feed tube. Filter material shall
be constructed of needle felt cloth (polyester) or a synthetic pile fabric cloth.
ii. Typical design information is provided in Table 18.
Table 18: Typical Media Cloth Disc Filter Design Parameters
Item Unit Typical Value Comments
Nominal Pore Size µm 10 – 20
Depends on suspended solids

Hydraulic Loading Rate m3/m2-min 0.1 – 0.25
characteristics
Filtration Rate m/h 7.2 – 10 (15.6 max)
Head Loss mm 50 – 300 Based on submerged drum area
Filtered Effluent Quality NTU <2
Bypass provided when head loss

Drum Submergence % 100
is >200 mm
Drum Diameter m 0.9 – 1.8 Depends on screen design
Stationary during normal

operation Maximum rotation speed shall be
Drum Speed rpm
fixed
One during backwash
Backwash and Sludge 4.5 @ 0.1 m3/m2/min; 7.2 Function of hydraulic loading rate
% throughput
Wasting Requirements @ 0.27 m3/m2/min and feed water quality
iii. Filters shall be located after final settlement tanks, but ahead of disinfection facilities.
iv. Filters devices shall be provided as an alternative to mixed media sand filter or pressure filters,
where appropriate. A review of the most appropriate filtration system shall be determined on a
case-by-case basis and with consultation from the Client.
v. Pleated media filters are preferred over flat sheet media systems. Pleated media systems provide
greater filtration surface area per m 2 and are mechanically more robust.
vi. All filter systems shall be designed and equipped to provide a normal backwash and a high
pressure spray wash cycle. The water used for the normal backwash and high pressure
backwash spray shall be filtered water.

vii. All backwash water shall be collected and rerouted to the plant inlet Works or primary
sedimentation tank (if applicable).
viii. Rotation speed under normal backwash conditions shall be limited to 1 rpm.
ix. Pre-engineered units may be designed with different rotation speeds. If these are used a
Specification waiver shall be sought from and provided by the Client.
x. All disc media filtration units shall be provided with adequate automatic control devices to
regulate head loss through the screen, rotation speed, and backwash frequency. The units shall
have manual override capability.
xi. Backwash of units shall be automatically initiated when a predetermined (operator settable) head
loss through the system is reached. The system shall also have a built in timer that shall initiate
backwashing after a set time has elapsed if head loss has not triggered a backwash.
xii. Manual override control facilities shall be provided.
xiii. A minimum of two units shall be supplied to provide full duty/standby capacity. If one unit is taken
out of service, the operational unit shall have sufficient capacity to treat the full Works flow without
requiring excessive cleaning or causing backup of flow.
xiv. Each filter unit shall be provided in its own dedicated housing. Each unit shall be capable of
upstream and downstream isolation.
xv. Provisions shall be made for isolating and dewatering each unit.
xvi. Each unit shall be provided with a bypass facility to prevent flooding. In the event of full blockage
of the filters, bypass facilities capable of taking the full flow to unit shall be provided.
xvii. Filter tanks shall be designed to take account of floating and settling solids. All settled solids shall
be returned to the head Works (or solids processing plant).
8.3. Granular-Activated Carbon Filters

8.3.1. Applicability
i. In tertiary treatment, the role of activated carbon is to remove the relatively small quantities of
refractory organics, as well as inorganic compounds such as nitrogen, sulphides, and heavy
metals, remaining in an otherwise well-treated wastewater.
ii. Activated carbon may also be used to remove soluble organics following chemical-physical
treatment.
iii. The Designer shall determine, in conjunction with the Client, the suitability and requirement for
inclusion of activated carbon filters on a site-by-site project basis.
8.3.2. Design Considerations
i. The Designer shall ensure the carbon unit shall receive an effluent of uniform quality, without
surges in the flow.
ii. The carbon columns can be either of the pressure or gravity type.
8.3.3. Contact Time
i. The contact time shall be calculated on the basis of the volume of the column occupied by the
activated carbon.
ii. Generally, carbon contact times of 15 to 35 minutes are used depending on the application, the
wastewater characteristics, and the desired effluent quality.

iii. For tertiary treatment applications, carbon contact times of 15 to 20 minutes shall be used where
the desired effluent quality is a COD of 10 to 20 mg/L, and 30 to 35 minutes when the desired
effluent COD is 5 to 15 mg/L.
iv. For chemical-physical treatment plants, carbon contact times of 20 to 35 minutes shall be used,
with a contact time of 30 minutes being typical.
8.3.4. Hydraulic Loading Rate
i. Hydraulic loading rates of 2.5 to 7.0 L/m 2s of cross section of the bed shall be used for up-flow
carbon columns.
ii. For down-flow carbon columns, hydraulic loading rates of 2.0 to 3.3 L/m 2s are used.
iii. Actual operating pressure seldom rises above 7 kN/m 2 for each 0.3 m of bed depth.
8.3.5. Depth of Bed
i. The depth of bed may vary considerably, depending primarily on carbon contact time, and may
be from 3 to 12 m.
ii. A minimum carbon depth of 3 m is recommended.
iii. Typical total carbon depths range from 4.5 to 6 m.
iv. The Designer shall take account of sufficient freeboard to be added to the carbon depth to allow
an expansion of 10 to 50 percent for the carbon bed during backwash or for expanded bed
operation.
v. The Designer shall take into account carbon particle size and water temperature to determine the
required quantity of backwash water to attain the desired level of bed expansion.
8.3.6. Number of Units
i. A minimum of two parallel carbon contactor units shall be provided.
ii. A sufficient number of contactors shall be provided to insure an adequate carbon contact time to
maintain effluent quality whilst one column is off-line during removal of spent carbon for
regeneration or for maintenance.
8.3.7. Backwashing
i. The Designer shall determine the rate and frequency of backwash on hydraulic loading, the
nature and concentration of suspended solids in the wastewater, the carbon particle size, and the
method of contacting.
ii. Backwash frequency shall be prescribed arbitrarily (each day at a specified time), or by operating
criteria (head loss or turbidity).
iii. The duration of backwash is typically 10 to 15 minutes.
iv. The normal quantity of backwash water employed is less than 5 percent of the product water for a
0.8 m deep filter and 10 to 20 percent for a 4.5 m filter.
v. Recommended backwash flow rates for granular carbons of 8 by 12 or 12 by 30 mesh are 8 to
14 L/m2s.
8.3.8. Valving and Piping
i. All piping shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical Section
06 – Piping and Accessories (AM-ENG-SS-03-06).
ii. Up-flow units shall be piped to operate either as up-flow or down-flow units as well as being
capable of being backwashed.

iii. Down-flow units shall be piped to operate as down-flow and in series.

iv. Each column must be valved to be backwashed individually.
v. Down-flow series contactors shall be valved and piped so that the respective positions of the
individual contactors can be interchanged.
9. Membrane Bioreactor Systems
9.1. Introduction
i. Membrane bioreactors consist of a suspended growth biological reactor (activated sludge system
variation) integrated with a microfiltration membrane system.
ii. The key to the technology is the membrane separator, which allows elevated levels of biomass to
degrade or remove the soluble form of the organic pollutants from the waste stream.
iii. These systems typically operate in the ultrafiltration or microfiltration range, which results in
removal of particles greater than 0.01 and 0.1 μm, respectively. In its simplest form, an MBR can
combine the functions of an activated sludge aeration system, secondary clarifiers, and tertiary
filtration in a single tank. In most cases, however, the membrane units are immersed in a
separate tank.
iv. The ability of MBRs to combine process operations allows the following major benefits to be
realised over conventional treatment:
a) Significantly reduce footprint (usually one-third to one-fourth the size of conventional
treatment)
b) Operation at much higher MLSS than conventional activated sludge processes (typically
up to 12,000 MLSS)
c) Higher volumetric loading rates and shorter reactor hydraulic retention times
d) Longer SRT, resulting in less sludge production
e) Operation at lower DO concentrations with potential for simultaneous nitrification-
denitrification in long SRT designs
f) Consistent, high quality effluent with very low turbidity, bacteria, total suspended solids
(TSS), and BOD (reducing disinfection requirements)
v. There are generally two types of immersed MBRs used for municipal water treatment:
a) Flat sheet pressure (gravity) driven systems
b) Hollow fibre, vacuum pumped systems
vi. Both systems are suitable for use in municipal wastewater treatment, but have significant design
differences, both in operational and constructional design. Depending on the
system/manufacturer, membranes will differ in pore size, construction, system configuration,
operating procedure, maintenance requirements, and TE quality. This Manual has been prepared
on the basis that hollow fibre systems are preferred by the Client. However, flat sheet systems
may offer significant benefits over hollow fibre systems depending on the specifics of each site.
vii. The membrane bioreactor/ultrafiltration system shall be supplied by a single source with total
package including membrane modules and the control system for easy integration during the
project execution.
viii. Membrane bioreactor systems shall consist of the following major items and unit processes:

a) Preliminary treatment system (primary settlement tanks/1 to 2 mm 2D screens)

b) Biological process tank (bioreactor)
c) Biological process blowers
d) Membrane filtration system
e) Air scour blowers
f) Back pulse system;
g) Mixed-liquor recirculation system
h) Chemical cleaning system
9.2. Design Basis

i. The following approach shall be used in the design of MBRs:
a) The design shall take account of the minimum and maximum temperature of the mixed
liquor on a site-specific basis.
b) Where applicable, the design shall ensure full nitrification.
c) A covered and ventilated (including any required odour treatment and mechanical mixing)
selector/anoxic zone shall be provided, as required.
d) Sludge age shall be between 30 to 60 days depending on the process selected.
e) The design shall take account of the minimum, average, and peak oxygen requirements.
Values of oxygen transfer co-efficient diffuser system efficiencies shall be agreed upon
with the Client.
f) The system shall be designed to operate at lower than optimum MLSS, in case a
combination of high flow and low load over sustained periods exists, without affecting
treatment performance. Values of limiting MLSS must be clearly identified.
g) Any restrictions on the constituents of the sewage with regard to treatment performance
and membrane life guarantees and warranties shall be agreed upon with the Client, and
appropriate provisions built into the design of the Works.
h) All components of the membrane equipment system shall be fully automated as the
system will be unmanned for the majority of time.
i) Recovery cleaning operations shall be automated, but shall include functionality to be
operator-initiated.
j) The design of the system shall ensure that appropriate cleaning cycles with appropriate
use of air scour and cleaning chemical dosing systems are provided.
k) Facilities and procedures for dealing with waste chemicals shall be provided.
l) The configuration of duty/assist/standby blowers with respect to the number of parallel
streams shall ensure sufficient air to maintain aerobic conditions in the biomass and
sufficient air scour at all times.
m) Systems shall be designed to control the build-up of mixed liquor on the surface of the
membrane to maintain optimum filtration through the membranes under normal operating
conditions.
n) Where a section of the biological treatment zone is required to be isolated for
maintenance or repair, the remaining units shall be capable of treating the FFT.

o) Suitable arrangements shall be provided to allow membranes to be taken out of service

and brought on-line without having a detrimental impact on treatment performance.
p) The WLCs shall be minimised by selecting a MLSS concentration which optimises
treatment.
q) Waste-activated sludge pumping arrangements shall be the same as for continuous-
activated sludge plants.
9.3. Clean Water Act 15897: 2008 and Pre-Standardisation

i. The Designer’s particular attention is drawn to the reference of Clean Water Act (CWA) 15897:
2008: “Submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology”, published by the European
Committee for Standardisation (CEN). The CWA 15897: 2008 was prepared by the CEN
Workshop 34 – “Submerged Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology to deal with custom
designed MBR systems.”
9.4. Pre-Treatment and Influent Quality

i. Screening shall be provided upstream of any MBR installation. Typically screening requirements
shall be stipulated by the system manufacturer. Under normal operation, 2 mm 2D screens with
upstream, although some manufacturers will require finer screens of 1 to 2 mm to protect
membranes from debris, fibrous material, and hair.
ii. Primary clarification is not specifically required for MBRs, although the inclusion will reduce total
energy requirements for aeration and overall bioreactor volume. Primary clarification also
provides the added benefit of settling out undesirable solids and removing scum and floatables
that would otherwise be required to be removed by fine screens.
9.5. Treated Effluent Quality

i. Membrane permeate quality shall be capable of meeting the following requirements upon
sampling:
a) California Department of Public Health Title 22 water recycling criteria and, upon
sampling, which may occur at any time:
 Turbidity: Shall not exceed 0.2 NTU more than 5 percent of the time within a 24-hour
period, and shall not exceed 0.5 NTU at any time
 TSS: Less than or equal to 1 mg/L
b) Treated effluent quality for water reuse: Ministerial Decision 145/93, Class A effluent
ii. Membrane permeate quality may differ slightly from system to system and on operational
procedure, and shall be determined based on site-specific data and requirements. Systems
providers shall provide details of minimum guaranteed effluent quality.
9.6. Membranes
i. The Contractor shall use suitable hollow fibre or flat sheet membranes having a nominal pore size
of 0.5 micron or less.
ii. Effluent flow through the membranes shall be from the outside to the inside of the fibre or sheet.

iii. Membranes shall be constructed of chemically resistant materials and shall be capable of being
washed in high chlorine solutions (minimum 1,000 mg/L) for 10 hours, and low pH (range 2 to 3)
and high pH (range 10 to 11) wash solutions for 10 hours, respectively.
iv. Membranes shall be physically strong enough to withstand the operating conditions associated
with continuous operation in an aerated tank of mixed liquor at concentrations of up to 15,000
mg/L.
v. For systems which use back pulsing, membranes shall be able to withstand backwash flow (from
inside to outside) as proposed by the equipment manufacturer, without any indication of damage.
vi. The Contractor shall provide a warranty for the replacement of membranes, for a 5-year period
commencing following issuing of the Take-Over Certificate.
9.7. Required Membrane Area

i. The Designer shall determine the required membrane surface area to meet the performance
requirements and size the membrane tank.
ii. Design production capacity shall be based on permeate production.
iii. The Designer shall provide all design calculations and assumptions relating to the process design
of the system.
9.8. Membrane Flux

i. Designers shall provide details of membrane design gross and net flux with any plant/system
design submitted. These shall be based on individual projects. Full justification for design flux
figures used shall be required.
ii. Design flux rates shall be supplied with system designs and shall be supported by credible
evidence.
iii. If flux rates higher than standard industry norms are suggested, the assumption shall be
supported by credible evidence of similar working plants.
iv. The Designer shall design the membrane flux at a reduced rate, allowing for a reducing flux over
membrane operational life. Membrane performance and deterioration curves shall be provided in
support of the selected design flux rate.
9.9. Membrane Integrity Testing

i. The system shall provide a membrane integrity monitoring and alarm system that allows the
detection and isolation of defective membranes. Turbidity meters shall be provided on the
discharge of each permeate pump.
ii. The membrane integrity test system is intended to be used for locating a loss of integrity such as
indicated by a high permeate turbidity reading. It is not intended to be automated or performed on
a routine basis.
iii. The membrane integrity test system shall be suitable to satisfy local permitting requirements in
addition to California’s Title 22 requirements for the proposed membrane equipment system.
iv. The Contractor shall provide a pinning vessel for repairing and blinding of damaged fibres.

9.10. Membrane Modules

i. The membranes shall be assembled into housing subunits.
ii. The membrane subunit shall be constructed such that the membranes are held vertically and
bonded firmly at the top and bottom of the subunit.
iii. For hollow fibre type membranes, the internal lumens of the membrane fibres shall connect into a
common area at the top or bottom (or both) of each small subunit.
iv. The materials used to hold the membrane fibres in place shall be chemical-resistant to high
concentrations of chlorine (minimum 1,000 mg/L) for 10 hours, and low pH (range 2 to 3) and
high pH (range 10 to 11) wash solutions for 10 hours, respectively.
v. The top and bottom sections of the small membrane subunit shall be connected with corrosion-
resistant materials and allow permeate to be withdrawn from one or both ends of each small
membrane subunit.
vi. The base of each small membrane subunit shall contain diffusers or other devices to allow
compressed air to escape and travel upwards past and between the membrane fibres, creating
an agitation effect.
vii. The membrane units shall be fabricated modules and supports using corrosion-resistant materials
for continuous immersion in activated sludge mixed liquor with membranes and diffusers
arranged to have the rising action of air bubbles continuously distribute and scour all exposed
membrane surfaces. Any metallic parts immersed in the mixed liquor shall be of Grade 316
stainless steel. The design of the modules shall securely fix components in the membrane basin
under turbulent flow conditions.
viii. All non-steel components of the small membrane subunits shall be ultraviolet (UV)-resistant and
have a chemical resistance at least equal to that of the membranes.
ix. Each large membrane subunit shall be supported within a frame manufactured of Grade 316L
stainless steel or other materials, provided that the proposed assembly has been successfully
used by the equipment manufacturer for at least 2 years.
x. Isolation valves shall be provided by the Contractor on permeate and air scour piping within the
limits of the membrane tank to provide a means of isolating and removing individual large
membrane subunits from the remainder of the system, without draining the train, and to enable
the system to produce permeate with one or more large subunits out of service.
xi. Each frame shall be fitted with a minimum of two lifting eyes (one at each end) to allow the entire
large membrane subunit to be lifted into and out of the membrane train and transported away.
xii. All fasteners, including nuts, bolts, screws, cables, washers, and other appurtenances associated
with the large membrane subunit and housing shall be manufactured from Grade 316 stainless
steel including piping works.
xiii. Membrane frames and housings shall be robust and designed to withstand all hydraulic
conditions under normal operation, back-flushing, cleaning, and maintenance operations.
xiv. Membrane systems shall be designed to withstand or be protected from any pressure surges that
may occur during normal operation, back-flushing, cleaning, and maintenance.
9.11. Membrane Tanks

i. Multiple tanks shall be provided to allow full treatment at full flow with at least one tank out of
service. The membrane system shall be capable of meeting all performance requirements under

all design conditions with one tank out of service during annual average daily flow and maximum
monthly conditions.
ii. The Designer shall determine the optimum number of tanks in association with the Client so as
not to cause undue operational restrictions or over-design, and spare capacity is to be included.
iii. Typically, the MBR membranes shall be situated in a separate section of the tank from the main
biological aeration compartment; however, this does not have to be the case and is dependent on
the system chosen.
iv. The process units for membrane bioreactors shall be completely covered to prevent sand
accumulation in the reactors and possible clogging of membrane pores.
9.12. Mixed-Liquor Suspended Solids

i. Treatment performance shall be sustained over a wide range of MLSS.
ii. Typically membrane systems shall have a design MLSS of 8,000 to 12,000 mg/L, with occasional
operation up to 18,000 mg/L. However, it is recommended that any system design shall aim for
MLSS ranges of 8,000 to 10,000 mg/L to ensure reasonable oxygen transfer efficiency (and
reduce energy costs) and sustain membrane permeability and flux.
iii. Systems shall be designed to account for waste liquids in the range of 5 to 40 oC.
9.13. Aeration
9.13.1. Biological Aeration
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. Biological process aeration including fine-bubble aeration, coarse-bubble aeration, and jet
diffusion shall be as defined in the previous section 8.1.4 “Biological Treatment - Aeration” .
iii. Aeration shall be sufficient to maintain aerobic conditions in the biomass at all times, maintaining
residual a DO concentration of 2 mg/L under all design load conditions.
iv. The Designer shall provide separate aeration systems, inclusive of all pipework, valves, and
headers for the process aeration requirement and the membrane agitation, allowing for
optimisation of both processes.
v. The Contractor shall provide details of the aeration system and shall be required to guarantee
percent standard oxygen transfer efficiency into clean water.
vi. Tubular or disc type-membrane fine-bubble diffusers are preferred for biological aeration.
vii. Duty plus standby blower units shall be provided to supply air to all biological process strains.
9.13.2. Coarse-Bubble Aeration
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. Coarse-bubble aeration shall be provided to each membrane unit.
iii. The Contractor shall provide details of air blowers, design alpha factors, diffuser configuration,
blower on/off times, and all blower operating conditions to the Client for review.

iv. Blowers, which provide airflow to scour the membranes for control of fouling and to assist in
keeping the mixed liquor in a membrane tank in suspension, shall be provided.
v. Air distribution headers for each membrane train shall be provided within the limits of each
membrane tank.
vi. There shall be duty and standby blowers to provide scour air to the membrane basins. Space
shall be provided for a future blower.
vii. Air scour blowers shall be sized to provide air quantities, pressures, and turn-down capabilities
specified by the membrane system manufacturer.
9.14. Mixing
i. All un-aerated zones in the bioreactor shall be equipped with dedicated mixers to keep solids in
suspension.
ii. All mixers shall ensure proper contact between biomass, substrate, oxygen source, and complete
volume without short-circuiting across any zone.
iii. Mixed-liquor recycle shall be returned to the head of the anoxic zone either under gravity from the
membrane zone or via pumping arrangements. This is to be a continuous flow, flow rate to be
selected by the Designer to offer optimum membrane and aeration performance and to meet the
final effluent quality limits.
9.15. Membrane Backwashing and Chemical Cleaning

9.15.1. General
i. Periodic backwashing and cleaning of membranes is required. This may utilise air pulsation of
membranes, to increase the membrane flux. All backwashing and routine cleaning shall be
initiated automatically from control systems within the plant control and initiated by the Site
operator.
ii. Membranes shall be cleaned within the reactor, provided reduction in process treatment does not
occur.
iii. The process shall be designed so that under normal operating conditions, intensive chemical
cleaning is not required more than twice a year.
iv. On completion of chemical cleaning, remaining liquors are to be returned to the head of the
Works and treated to the required discharge standard.
v. The Designer shall provide all appropriate chemical systems to ensure the optimised operation of
the treatment plant. This may include but not limited to the following:
a) Hypochlorite
b) Anti-scalant
c) Citric acid
d) Anti-foaming agent
vi. The design of the MBR system shall accommodate a permeate recirculation to the head of the
Works to sustain the water level during clean water testing periods.
vii. Back-flush and Clean In Place systems shall be designed to meet the flow requirements of all
membranes in a single stream simultaneously.

viii. All back-flush and Clean in Place chemical cleaning shall be fully automated with dedicated
chemical tanks.
ix. Permeate water and air scour shall be used for the backwash, which shall then be released to
drain. All chemicals used for chemical cleaning to be compatible with the membrane material.
x. Membrane cassettes and housings shall be resistant to chemicals used in the membrane
chemical cleaning process.
xi. A warm water tank shall be provided to supply water for the membrane cleaning solutions,
shortening cleaning time.
9.15.2. Membrane Cleaning
i. Systems shall be provided with a fully automatic mechanism for back-pulsing the membranes for
regular maintenance and cleaning.
ii. Membrane backwashing shall be initiated once the trans-membrane pressure reaches design
limitations, and defaulted to a set minimum time interval.
iii. The system shall also allow an operator to initiate a backwash manually.
iv. The backwash water source shall be the permeate produced from the system.
v. Chemical cleaning shall be initiated once the interval between backwashes is reduced to below a
predetermined time interval or once the trans-membrane pressure after backwash is double that
of a clean membrane or as specified by the Contractor to meet his guaranteed performance.
vi. Maintenance cleaning for each membrane train shall not be performed more frequently than once
every 4 days.
vii. Recovery cleaning for each membrane train shall not be performed more frequently than once
every 90 days.
9.15.3. Air Scour System
i. Blowers, which provide airflow to scour the membranes for control of fouling and to assist in
keeping the mixed liquor in a membrane tank in suspension, shall be provided.
ii. The Contractor shall provide air distribution headers for each membrane train within limits of the
membrane tanks.
9.16. Membrane Permeate Pumps, Blowers, Piping, and Valves

9.16.1. Permeate Pumping
9.16.1.1. Permeate Suction Piping:
i. All piping shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
ii. Each membrane train shall have a suction header for permeate collection. The header shall have
a connection for a pressure gauge at each end.
iii. All large membrane subunits in a membrane train shall be connected to the suction header.
iv. The pipe connections between the large membrane subunits and the manifold header pipework
shall be capable of operating at the positive and negative pressures expected for the system.
9.16.1.2. Permeate Pumps:

ii. One permeate pump per membrane sub-train is required. If no membrane sub-trains are
required, provide one permeate pump per membrane train.
iii. Rated Capacity: The Designer shall indicate the instantaneous rated capacity required based on
pumping maximum hour flow through all but one membrane train, taking into account any
permeate water used for membrane cleaning.
iv. All permeate pumps shall discharge into a downstream permeate collection header or tank.
v. There shall be duty and standby permeate pumps as mentioned in the Particular Specification, if
applicable to draw the TE through the membrane modules and transfer it to the TE storage tanks
Space shall be provided for a future pump.
vi. Each pump shall be inverter-controlled to maintain the correct system flow. The pumping head
required is the sum of the trans-membrane pressure plus the head and line losses to deliver TE
to the TE tanks. The system shall control the outlet flow to match the incoming flow by
maintaining a constant level in the aeration tanks. Each pump shall have a return line to
discharge back to the membrane system cell. This shall allow recirculation of cleaning solutions
to shorten cleaning times for the membrane system.
10. Phosphorus Removal by Chemical Treatment

i. It is expected, particularly during the winter months, that the surplus treated effluent will need to
be discharged to the sea. As the Sea Discharge Regulations require “Phosphorus concentrations
of no more than 2 mg/L, as detailed in the TE quality, the system shall be designed to remove the
residual “P” remaining after the biological process to achieve this requirement, in case the
biological process does not adequately remove residual phosphorus to achieve this requirement.
ii. Chemical precipitation is a recommended method of phosphorus removal at sites with
phosphorus discharge consent.
iii. Addition of aluminium or iron salts or lime may be used for the chemical removal of soluble
phosphorus. The phosphorus reacts with the aluminium or iron ions to form insoluble compounds.
Those insoluble compounds may be flocculated with or without the addition of a coagulant aid
such as a polyelectrolyte to facilitate separation by sedimentation, or sedimentation followed by
filtration.
10.1. Design Basis

i. The following methods can be used, subject to specific requirements of the Site:-
a) Primary precipitation: addition of chemical upstream of the primary settlement tanks and
removal of precipitated phosphorus with primary sludge
b) Simultaneous precipitation: addition of chemicals to the activated sludge system and
removal with WAS
c) Tertiary precipitation: addition of chemicals downstream of the secondary treatment
d) Multi- point precipitation: a combination of any of the previous options
ii. Laboratory, pilot, or full scale studies of various chemicals, feed points, and treatment processes
are recommended for existing plant facilities to determine the achievable performance level, cost-
effective design criteria, and ranges of required chemical dosages.
iii. The selection of a treatment process and chemical dosage for a new facility shall be based on
such factors as influent wastewater characteristics, the proposed chemical, effluent requirements,
required treated effluent quality, and anticipated treatment efficiency.

iv. The Designer shall allow for increase in sludge production due to the chemical addition and
increased solids capture at the primary treatment stage.
v. The Designer shall ensure that, as a result of chemical dosing, pH downstream of the dosing
point shall not decrease below 7.0 at any time.
vi. When primary precipitation takes place upstream of a biological process, the Designer shall
ensure the remaining load of phosphorus in the primary effluent shall be sufficient to sustain the
biological process.
10.2. System Flexibility

i. Systems shall be designed with sufficient flexibility to allow for several operational adjustments in
chemical feed location and chemical feed rates, and for feeding alternate chemical compounds.
ii. The dosing system shall provide a flow proportional dose up to the average peak daily flow. At
higher flows, the dose does not have to be flow proportional, subject to any specific requirement
of the Site.
iii. Each chemical dosing pump shall be provided with a standby. This may be installed and fully
functional, depending on whether it is critical to the process, or may be provided as a boxed
spare. Additional standby plant other than those specifically recommended by the dosing
equipment manufacturer shall not normally be required.
10.3. Process Requirements

i. An automatic chemical dosing system shall be provided.
ii. The dosing pump size shall be determined from the process design calculations and must also
achieve the specified turn-down. The Designer shall ensure that final pump selection does not
result in significant over-provision of pumping capacity.
iii. Consideration shall be given to diluting the chemical on-line with final effluent or potable water
prior to introduction into the sewage stream to increase volumetric dose and give better dosing
control.
10.4. Chemical Selection

i. The choice of aluminium salts, iron salts, or lime shall be based on the wastewater
characteristics, chemical availability and handling, sludge processing and disposal methods, and
the economics of the total system.
ii. When lime is used, it may be necessary to neutralise the high pH prior to subsequent treatment in
secondary biological systems or prior to discharge in those flow schemes where lime treatment is
the final step in the treatment process. Problems associated with lime usage, handling, and
sludge production and dewatering shall be evaluated.
iii. The design shall take into account the suitability/compatibility of chemicals when using a
membrane process.
iv. Chemical precipitation by the addition of iron salts is preferred, except for Works with UV
disinfection, or with an iron consent imposed on them, where aluminium salts shall be considered.
10.4.1. Typical Chemical Dose Rates
i. Design dose rates and volumes of chemicals shall be submitted by the Designer for agreement
with the Client.

ii. The design chemical dosage shall include the amount needed to react with the phosphorus in the
wastewater, the amount required to drive the chemical reaction to the desired state of completion,
and the amount required due to inefficiencies in mixing or dispersion.
iii. Excessive chemical dosage shall be avoided.
iv. For guidance, typical chemical dose rates are provided in Table 19. Actual dose rates specific to
each plant shall be determined by bench trials, jar tests, and pilot plant studies.
Table 19: Typical Chemical Dose Rates for Phosphorus Removal
Addition Chemical Typical Dosing Range Average Dosing Range

Point (mg/l) (mg/l)
Raw Alum 40 – 100 70
Sewage
Ferric 6 – 30 16
Chloride
Lime 160 – 200 180
Secondary Alum 30 – 150 65
Section
Ferric 2 – 30 11
Chloride
Lime - -
10.5. Chemical Feed Points

i. There shall be a dedicated dosing pump for each dosing point.
ii. For sites with multiple process streams, a dedicated line shall be provided for each stream/lane. If
streams are equal flow, multi-gang dosing may be considered.
iii. Chemicals shall be dosed under such conditions that appropriate mixing with the wastewater is
attained. Mixing shall be followed by conditions where coagulation and flocculation can be
achieved.
iv. If separate flocculation or coagulation chambers are used (in case of tertiary precipitation), they
shall be equipped with mixers/stirrers.
v. Where both metal salt and polyelectrolyte are used, the polyelectrolyte shall be dosed 2 minutes
after the metal salt (at maximum flow rate).
vi. Selection of chemical feed points shall include consideration of the chemicals used in the
process, necessary reaction times between chemical and polyelectrolyte additions, and the
wastewater treatment processes and components utilised. Flexibility in feed locations shall be
provided to optimise chemical usage and treatment efficiency.
10.5.1. Flash Mixing
i. Flash rapid mixing is not required when the chemical is simultaneously added to activated sludge.
ii. If weirs are used for mixing the chemical solution with the wastewater, the drop from weirs shall
be suitable for providing the optimum mixing conditions.
iii. Appropriate velocity gradients (G factors) and Gt values (where t is a retention time) for mixing,
coagulation, and flocculation shall be determined by the Designer.
iv. For flash mixing, the added chemical shall be fully mixed in <1 second.

v. Each chemical must be mixed rapidly and uniformly with the flow stream. Where separate mixing
basins are provided, they shall be equipped with mechanical mixing devices. The detention
period shall be at least 30 seconds.
10.5.2. Flocculation
i. If separate flocculation or coagulation chambers are used (in case of tertiary precipitation), they
shall be equipped with mixers/stirrers.
ii. The particle size of the precipitate formed by chemical treatment may be very small.
Consideration shall be given in the process design to the addition of synthetic polyelectrolyte to
aid settling, if required.
iii. The flocculation equipment shall be adjustable to obtain optimum floc growth, control deposition
of solids, and prevent floc destruction.
10.5.3. Liquid – Solids Separation

i. The velocity through pipes or conduits from flocculation basins to settling basins shall not exceed
0.5 m/s to minimise floc destruction. Entrance Works to settling basins shall also be designed to
minimise floc shear.
ii. For design of the sludge handling system, special consideration shall be given to the type and
volume of sludge generated in the phosphorus removal process.
iii. Effluent filtration shall be considered where effluent phosphorus concentrations of less than 1
mg/L must be achieved.
10.6. Chemical Feed System

10.6.1. Liquid Chemical Feed System
ii. All piping shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
iii. Liquid chemical feed pumps shall be of the positive displacement type with variable feed rate.
iv. Pumps shall be selected to feed the full range of chemical quantities required for the phosphorus
mass loading conditions anticipated with the largest unit out of service.
v. The dosing pump and a flow control mechanism shall be housed in a cabinet which is resistant to
chemical attack.
vi. Consideration shall be given to systems including pumps and piping that will feed either iron or
aluminium compounds to provide flexibility.
vii. Screens and valves shall be provided on the chemical feed pump suction lines. An air break or
anti-siphon device shall be provided where the chemical solution stream discharges to the
transport water stream to prevent an induction effect resulting in overfeed.
viii. Storage tanks, pumps, pipework, and couplings shall be designed for greatest specific gravity and
most corrosive chemicals.
ix. All pipework carrying chemicals above ground shall be routed so that spillage cannot enter the
final effluent.

x. Belowground pipework shall be double skinned or layered in a sealed duct, which shall drain back
to the bunded area or to a dedicated collection sump.
10.6.2. Dry Chemical Feed System
i. Each dry chemical feeder shall be equipped with a dissolver which is capable of providing
minimum 5-minute retention at the maximum feed rate.
ii. Polyelectrolyte feed installations shall be equipped with two solution vessels and transfer piping
for solution make-up and daily operation. Make-up tanks shall be provided with an educator
funnel or other appropriate arrangement for wetting the polymer during the preparation of the
stock feed solution. Adequate mixing shall be provided by a large-diameter, low-speed mixer.
10.6.3. Storage Facilities
i. Storage facilities shall be sufficient to ensure that an adequate supply of the chemical is available
at all times. Exact size required shall depend on size of shipment, length of delivery time, and
process requirements.
ii. Storage for a minimum supply of 30 days shall be provided.
iii. See Section 14 – Chemical Delivery, Storage and Dosing Systems for more details.
10.6.4. Location and Containment
i. All liquid chemical mixing and feed installations shall be installed on corrosion-resistant pedestals
and elevated above the highest liquid level anticipated during emergency conditions. The
chemical feed equipment shall be designed to meet the maximum dosage requirements for the
design conditions.
ii. Lime feed equipment shall be located so as to minimise the length of slurry conduits. All slurry
conduits shall be accessible for cleaning.
iii. The liquid chemical storage tank and tank fill connections shall be located within a containment
structure having a capacity exceeding the total volume of all storage vessels. Valves on
discharge lines shall be located adjacent to the storage tank and within the containment structure.
iv. Auxiliary facilities, including pumps and controls, within the containment area shall be located
above the highest anticipated liquid level. Containment areas shall be sloped to a sump area and
shall not contain floor drains.
v. Bag storage shall be located near the solution make-up point to avoid unnecessary transportation
and housekeeping problems.
10.6.5. Accessories
i. Platforms, stairs, and railings shall be provided, as necessary, to afford convenient and safe
access to all filling connections, storage tank entries, and measuring devices. Storage tanks shall
have reasonable access provided to facilitate cleaning.
10.6.6. Materials
i. All chemical feed equipment and storage facilities shall be constructed of materials resistant to
chemical attack by all chemicals normally used for phosphorus removal.
10.6.7. Temperature, Humidity, and Dust Control
i. Precautions shall be taken to prevent chemical storage tanks and feed lines from reaching high
temperatures likely to result in at the concentrations employed. Consideration shall be given to
temperature, humidity, and dust control in all chemical feed room areas.
10.6.8. Cleaning

i. Consideration shall be given to the accessibility of piping.

ii. Piping shall be installed with plugging wyes, tees, or crosses with removable plugs at changes in
direction to facilitate cleaning.
10.6.9. Filling Drains and Draw-Off
i. Above-bottom draw-off from chemical storage or feed tanks shall be provided to avoid withdrawal
of settled solids into the feed system. A bottom drain shall also be installed for periodic removal of
accumulated settled solids. Provisions shall be made in the fill lines to prevent back siphonage of
chemical tank contents.
10.6.10. Safety and Hazardous Chemical Handling
i. The chemical handling facilities shall meet the safety and hazardous chemical handling facilities
requirements as detailed in Section 3. 6. 2 – Hazardous Chemical Handling.
ii. Dedicated tanker loading areas are required which shall be separated from the site access road.
Drainage from these areas must be isolated from normal road drainage.
iii. Facilities are required to capture and isolate spillages from hose failure (allow 500 L). Best
practice procedure for deliveries shall ensure that the operation is manned and, therefore,
spillage volumes minimised.
iv. Safety showers shall use potable water and comply with water bylaws.
v. For further details, refer to Sections 3.6.2 and 14.
11. Disinfection
11.1. General Design Basis

i. Disinfection is required at facilities that propose to reuse their effluent for uses. This is defined in
the Class “‘A” regulations as specified in the Ministerial Decision 145/93 dated 13th June 1993
ii. Disinfected effluent shall comply with the water quality identified in Section 02 – Treated Effluent
Quality.
iii. The disinfection method shall be selected after consideration of wastewater flow, intended
application, demand rates, pH of the wastewater, cost of equipment, availability, reliability,
maintenance issues, and safety concerns.
iv. The most common methods of disinfection in currently operating small wastewater treatment
facilities are UV disinfection and chlorination. The forms of chlorine most often used are chlorine
gas and sodium hypochlorite liquid. Advantages and disadvantages must be weighed when
choosing a method of disinfection.
v. The use of chlorine gas systems for TE disinfection is not preferred by the Client due to increased
safety concerns. As such, gaseous chlorine systems will not be discussed further in this
Specification.
vi. Although the use of UV lamps and chlorination are the only methods discussed herein, other
methods of disinfection may be acceptable on a case-by-case basis.
vii. Disinfection shall be the last process prior to discharge of the TE.
viii. Any type of disinfection system that is incorporated into a wastewater treatment facility must be
capable of meeting a TE quality with respect to faecal coliform and Helminthes Ova.

ix. Any such system shall be capable of imparting a chlorine residual greater than 0.3 mg/L and less
than 1.0 mg/L at the consumer end. An allowable maximum concentration at the STP point of
discharge is 3.0 mg/L to allow for degradation in the distribution network.
11.2. Chlorination
i. The use of gaseous chlorine is not generally accepted for safety concerns.
ii. The use of bulk sodium hypochlorite for small plants and onsite chlorine generation (OSEC) for
larger plants shall be evaluated based on life-cycle costs.
iii. Chlorination equipment shall be designed as to be able to feed the desired level of chlorine into
the supply line on a flow proportional basis.
iv. The chlorination installation shall have a chlorine residual analyser with a recorder to accurately
record the chlorine residual continually in the TE. The recorder shall be accurate, reliable, and
approved by the Client.
v. Where flow varies, an automatic flow proportional system shall be installed. If chlorine demand
varies, then a residual analyser with recorder shall be installed. If both the flow and the chlorine
demand vary, then a compound loop system shall be installed.
11.2.1. Bulk Sodium Hypochlorite Dosing Plants
i. Any bulk sodium hypochlorite dosing systems shall comply with the design Specification for
chemical dosing systems as highlighted in Section 13 – Chemical Delivery, Storage and Dosing
Systems.
ii. Where bulk sodium hypochlorite (12 to 15 percent) solution is used, it shall be stored in a dark
cool area to minimise loss of strength of the solution. The rate of strength loss for sodium
hypochlorite doubles with every 5oC rise in temperature. In this regard, all storage tanks shall be
located away from any direct heat and light sources.
iii. Because of its shelf life, consideration must be given when purchasing sodium hypochlorite, as
too large quantities will be wasting money and possibly cause some impact on the adequacy of
the chlorination.
11.2.2. Onsite Chlorine Generation Plant
i. An OSEC plant shall be provided to automatically produce on demand sodium hypochlorite
solution.
ii. Any OSEC plant supplied shall comprise of the following main components:
a) Electrolyser working as duty/duty to produce the total daily requirement of sodium
hypochlorite over 12 hours
b) OSEC control panels
c) Transformers/rectifiers
d) Busbar set
e) Brine pump set (each set comprising duty/standby pumps and pump accessories [that is,
pressure reducing valves, pulsation dampers)
f) In-line water heater/chiller
g) Automatic, self-regenerating duplex water softener system
h) Salt saturator

i) Sodium hypochlorite product day tanks

j) Hydrogen detection system
k) Tank blower set
l) Acid cleaning system, including all components necessary to carry out automatic acid
cleaning of the electrodes
m) Main motor control centre
n) Hypochlorite dosing skid and dosing control
o) All associated pipework valves and fittings
p) Interconnecting cabling, e-stop buttons, and isolators
iii. All electrodes shall be guaranteed for a minimum of 5 years.
iv. Overall salt consumption shall be <4.0 kg salt per kg chlorine equivalent produced.
v. Overall power consumption shall be <5.0 kWh per kg chlorine equivalent produced.
vi. Sodium hypochlorite solution shall be produced with a free chlorine (Cl2) level >0.06 mg/L.
vii. Any hydrogen carrying pipework between the cell and the product tank or the stack shall be
constantly rising with no possibility of hydrogen trapping.
viii. The hydrogen stack shall be taken outside the building through the wall or roof and taken above
roof apex level to give a safe free discharge of hydrogen.
ix. No electrical equipment shall be mounted within 1 m of the stack outlet or at any point above the
hydrogen stack.
11.2.3. Mixing and Contact
11.2.3.1. Dosing and Mixing
i. The chlorine based solution shall be applied to the wastewater and mixed rapidly to ensure
effective disinfection. This shall be achieved by use of an in-line static mixer or a mechanical flash
mixer to ensure effective distribution of the chemical within the effluent.
ii. Chemical addition and mixing shall take place upstream of any contact tank or pipe.
11.2.3.2. Contact Tank
i. To ensure adequate disinfection, the TE shall have a residual chlorine level of 0.5 mg/L after a
minimum contact time of 30 minutes at peak flow within a dedicated, effectively designed contact
tank or pipe. This shall ensure a minimum Ct value of 15 mg/L-min is provided.
ii. Elimination of dead zones or short-circuiting of flow through tanks must be ensured.
iii. Any contact tank shall be effectively designed with inlet, outlet, and internal baffles. The contact
tank shall provide a serpentine flow arrangement promoting as near as possible plug flow.
iv. Any contact tank shall be designed with a baffling factor (T10/T) of 0.7 or greater as defined by
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) LT1ESWTR Disinfection Profiling and
Benchmarking Technical Guidance Manual; May 2003.
v. Contact tanks with total channel length : width ratios >40:1 are required.
vi. Contact tank channels with individual channel length : width ratios >10:1 are required.
vii. For small plants, a contact pipe may be provided and prove a suitable option as opposed to a
contact tank.

viii. A baffle type chlorine chamber shall be provided. The chamber shall be constructed of reinforced
concrete or structural grade steel. Steel chambers shall be protected against corrosion through
the use of adequate covering material.
ix. Baffles shall be provided within the chamber to prevent short-circuiting and shall be designed to
keep floating material from leaving the chamber. A method for removing any floating material
shall be provided.
x. A sump shall be provided in the chamber as a method to remove any solids build-up.
11.2.4. Typical Chlorine Dose

i. Chemical disinfection systems shall be sized correctly to ensure they are capable of providing
sufficient chemicals at maximum effluent flow to satisfy disinfection requirements. This shall be
calculated by the Designer in consultation with the Client based on effluent quality, maximum
flow, and other site-specific data.
ii. Table 20 provides guidelines for typical chlorine dosage requirements for different effluents.
Table 20: Typical Chlorine Dose Rates for Treated Effluent
Type of Effluent Typical Cl2 Dosage

(mg/l
Raw Wastewater (Fresh) 6 – 15
Raw Wastewater (Septic) 12 – 25
Primary Effluent 5 – 20
Activated Sludge Plant Effluent 2–8
Trickling Filter Plant Effluent 3 – 10
Rotating Biological Contactor Plant Effluent 3 – 10
Tertiary Filtration Effluent 2–6
Nitrified Effluent 2–6
iii. Equipment shall be provided at the plant to monitor free and total chlorine levels using accepted
test procedures.
iv. All chlorine products shall be stored in a dry location and in suitable containers. Safety equipment
shall be kept on hand in case of an emergency.
v. Chlorination of TE shall be by sodium hypochlorite solution. This may be by the use of bulk
sodium hypochlorite solution (12 to 15 percent) or sodium hypochlorite generated by OSEC.
11.2.5. Dechlorination
i. Decisions regarding the use of de-chlorination shall be made on a case-by-case basis.
ii. It is expected, particularly during the winter months, that surplus TE will need to be discharged to
the sea. As TE discharged to the marine environment requires free residual chlorine levels to be
<0.4 mg/L, (as highlighted in Section 3.2.3) the wastewater treatment Works shall be designed
with the ability to remove excess residual chlorine which may remain after the disinfection
process.
iii. The type of de-chlorination system shall be carefully selected considering criteria including the
following: type of chemical storage required, amount of chemical needed, ease of operation,
compatibility with existing equipment, and safety.

iv. The dosage of de-chlorination chemicals shall depend on the residual chlorine in the effluent, the
final residual chlorine limit, and the particular form of the dechlorinating chemical used.
v. Where necessary to meet the operating ranges, multiple units shall be provided for adequate
peak capacity and to provide a sufficient low feed rate on turn-down to avoid depletion of the DO
concentrations in the receiving waters.
vi. Mechanical mixers are required unless the mixing facility will provide the required hydraulic
turbulence to assure thorough and complete mixing. The high solubility of sulphur dioxide
prevents it from escaping during turbulence.
vii. A minimum of 30 seconds for mixing and contact time shall be provided at the design peak hourly
flow or maximum pumping rate.
viii. A suitable sampling point shall be provided downstream of the contact zone.
ix. Consideration shall be given to a means of reaeration to assure maintenance of an acceptable
DO concentration in the stream following sulphonation.
11.3. Ultraviolet System

i. Ultraviolet disinfection occurs by UV rays inactivating pathogenic organisms through induced
photochemical changes in the cells’ DNA. The UV radiation inactivates the pathogens by
interfering with their ability to replicate.
ii. To maintain peak performance and operate within permitted parameters, the UV disinfection
system shall consist of multiple banks of lamps modules, which are capable of continuously
disinfecting the peak flow with one bank out of service.
11.3.1. Ultraviolet Lamps
i. The type of lamp system preferred is low pressure (high intensity) (complete immersion in the
effluent). However, medium pressure systems may be more economical, particularly on large
plants. A full cost analysis shall be undertaken before a particular system is chosen to identify the
most suitable system, based on site-specific criteria. The details provided in Table 21 highlight
typical design parameters used for low and medium pressure systems.
Table 21: Operational Performance of Low and Medium Pressure Ultraviolet Systems
Parameter Low Pressure UV Medium Pressure UV
Lamp pressure Low High

Lamp germicidal output Low (0.5 – 3.5 W/cm) High (5 – 30 W/cm)
Lamp efficiency High (30 – 40% @ 254 nm) Low (10 - 20% @ 254 nm)
Lamp temperature Low (45C) High (600 – 900C)
No of lamps High Low
Power use Low (170 – 1,600 W) High (2,000 – 20,000 W)
Lamp life Long (8,000 – 12,000 hours) Short (4,000 – 8,000)
Plant size Large Small

ii. Generally, low pressure units are preferable for installations with low flows, as they are easier to
operate and maintain. However, Works with higher flows may need the more concentrated effect
of medium pressure lamps to reduce the size of installation.
iii. The selection of a medium pressure or low pressure system shall be made at option study stage
in conjunction with the Client, by considering the size and location of the plant, capital, and
operating costs of the plant and associated structures, channels, and mechanical and electrical
components.
11.3.2. Ultraviolet Disinfection General Design Basis
i. Process area parameter (after UV disinfection):
a) Total coliforms: MPN/100 mL 30-day geometric mean
b) E. Coli : MPN/100 mL 30-day geometric mean
ii. The UV dose produced by the system shall be at a minimum of 80 mJ/cm 2 after 12,000 hours of
operation applied to an effluent with an UV transmittance of 65 to 70 percent. The dose
calculation shall be based on the UV intensity output at a wavelength of 253.7 nm, with the lamp
output at 80 percent of initial level (end of life), with clean, clear quartz sleeves.
iii. Ultraviolet systems shall be designed based on maximum effluent suspended solids levels.
iv. Iron can affect UV disinfection by absorbing UV light. Wastewater with iron levels greater than
0.3 mg/L may require pre-treatment to attain the desired disinfection level. This shall be
determined on a site-by-site basis.
v. Waters with elevated levels of hardness may cause scaling of UV lamps, reducing performance.
Any waters with hardness levels above 300 mg/L shall require pilot testing of systems. This is
especially important of low flows are expected.
vi. Dose calculation shall be in accordance with the point source summation method as described in
the EPA Design Manual (EPA/625/1-86-021), without exception.
vii. The UV lamp shall be a low or medium pressure mercury vapour lamp (where appropriate) that
shall produce short-wave (around 254 nm) UV energy. Justification of the dose provided by the
UV reactor shall be supplied at the delivery of the material (calculation notes or experimental
tests on microorganisms’ surrogates).
viii. All electronic and electrical components in the UV system shall be designed and installed in
accordance with the Oman Electrical Standards. The control box shall be housed outside the UV
disinfection chamber.
ix. Each UV plant, controls, and flow controls shall be provided with standby power provision.
x. Each UV disinfection unit shall be equipped with an automatic shut-off for electrical power when
the access panels to the disinfection chamber are opened. Protection shall be provided to avoid
any visual contact of operators with UV rays. An indicator of functioning of each lamp (type on/off)
shall be implemented to control the lamp operation.
xi. The system shall be designed for complete immersion of the UV lamps in the effluent at normal
operation. The design shall ensure that a constant head of effluent is maintained above the lamp
surfaces. If the UV lamps are housed in a concrete pit, then a drain shall be installed to collect
any wastewater.
xii. If a single channel is used, the minimum number of banks shall be determined by the requirement
to fully disinfect the flow, whilst one bank of lamps is out of service.
xiii. If two channels are provided, each channel shall have at least two banks of lamps (duty/standby
or duty/assist/standby).

xiv. Irrespective of the number of channels provided, each bank shall be able to shut down and be
taken out of the flow in a safe manner, whilst other banks continue to work without interruption.
xv. If two or more channels are used, provision shall be made for the isolation of each channel.
Upstream, this shall be by providing recesses for stop-logs. The (discharge) weir penstock shall
“double” as with an isolating penstock.
xvi. Flow fluctuations in the discharges of some systems, such as SBRs, may cause effluent levels to
vary such that the UV treatment is ineffective. This shall require measures, such as longer UV
inlet channels or flow balancing, to provide sufficient time for the lamps to react to the change in
flow rates.
xvii. If there is a high seasonal flow variation, consideration shall be given to configuring the plant so
that a complete bank or banks may be shut down in low season.
xviii. Channel/unit design shall prevent the formation of dead or excessively turbulent areas under all
flow conditions.
xix. Ultraviolet plant design shall ensure that units are located a sufficient distance downstream of
processes with varying discharges so as to provide sufficient flow smoothing. For SBRs, this shall
normally be more than 20 times the channel width.
xx. Systems shall be protected from excessive temperatures caused by very low flows (that is,
overnight by re-circulating or by variable power control linked to flow measurement).
xxi. Separate flow measurement, UV intensity, and transmissivity shall be provided for each channel.
xxii. Duty/standby transmissivity sensors shall be installed in each channel. Each sensor shall have its
own automatic wiper system.
xxiii. Sampling points shall be provided upstream and downstream of the UV plant.
xxiv. Each UV disinfection unit shall be equipped with a UV intensity meter (housed behind a quartz
window) that is fixed at the area of minimum expected intensity. An audio/visual alarm shall be
activated in the event that the UV intensity has dropped to 70 percent of the original lamp output
or when any of the individual lamps fail. All alarm functions shall be connected to the main control
panel housed in the control room.
xxv. All systems must incorporate an in situ automatic cleaning system. These systems shall use
chemical cleaning, a mechanical wiper regularly sweeping along the sleeves, or a combination of
both, to remove deposits on the quartz sleeves.
xxvi. The Designer shall submit hydraulic calculations determining head loss at minimum, average,
and maximum flow rates. Head loss shall be based on sewage effluent, not clean water.
xxvii. Hydraulic control of flows through the channels is critical to keep the lamps fully submerged and
to control lamp temperatures. It is also necessary to ensure laminar flow through the channels, so
approach channels need careful design.
xxviii. Final chlorination shall be added after UV to provide a disinfectant residual to meet the discharge
norms for residual chlorine.

12. Sludge Handling and Disposal
12.1. Functional and General Requirements

i. Sludge handling and disposal must be considered as an integral part of any complete treatment
system. The following is a summary of the sludge handling and disposal options, and the various
process and treatment requirements that shall be considered.
ii. Plans and Specification for sludge handling disposal must be incorporated in the design of all
sewage treatment facilities and shall generally be designed on a case-by-case basis, and
reviewed by the Client for appropriateness.
iii. Currently, with existing Client operating plants, sludge stabilisation treatment and disposal is
achieved by aerobic digestion, mechanical dewatering, and disposal by land filling.
iv. This functional Specification covers the following sludge treatment processes:
a) Sludge reception
b) Sludge storage
c) Sludge thickening
d) Sludge digestion (aerobic)
e) Sludge dewatering
f) Sludge cake storage/transport
v. For calculating design sludge handling and disposal needs for sludge stabilisation processes for
aerobic digestion, a rational basis of design for sludge production values shall be developed and
provided to the reviewing authority for approval on a case-by-case basis.
vi. The design shall take account of sludge quantity (dry mass and volume) estimated for peak
weekly average loads and daily peak loads.
vii. The peak loads shall allow for sludge production variations through the year and shall consider
increased fluctuations of loads from tourism, where applicable.
viii. Although outlined in this Specification, the degree of treatment and exported sludge percentage
dried solids required at each STP, shall be agreed upon with the Client and determined during
planning phase.
ix. Plant automation, control, and standby capacity shall be such that the maximum operator
attendance shall be restricted to normal operational hours from Monday to Friday.
x. The sludge conditioning plant shall be designed to run 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
xi. The process shall automatically shut down in a controlled manner in the event of failure of any
element of the plant with an alarm to telemetry system and Works Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition (as appropriate).
xii. All sludge tanks shall be covered and vented, unless agreed upon otherwise with the Client.
xiii. The requirement for tanks to be connected into the odour control system shall be site-specific and
dependent on whether the Works is odour-sensitive.
xiv. The minimum percentage dried solids of sludge removed from satellite or remote site for onward
transportation shall be 2 percent dried solids with a target level of 6 percent.
xv. Sizing of all equipment and storage facilities shall include provision for the maintenance of
processes.

xvi. After the maintenance of any element of the sludge plant, the process capacity must be sized to
remove any consequential build-up of sludge with a return to normal operation within 5 days. This
may be achieved through extended normal daily plant operating hours.
12.2. Sludge Reception

i. Sludge thickening and storage requirements for satellite sites shall be determined in conjunction
with the Client.
ii. At sludge treatment centres, sludge shall be imported as liquid or cake, or both. Liquid imports
shall arrive via tanker. Cake imports shall arrive in closed skips.
12.2.1. Liquid Sludge
i. Liquid sludge reception shall comprise the following elements:
a) Tanker discharge points via actuated isolation valves which can be locked off to prevent
unauthorised discharge
b) Reception and transfer of sludge for screening;
c) Suitable (potable water) hose point washing facilities for vehicles
d) Odour control
e) Hard standing with drainage to foul system
f) Sludge sampling facilities
ii. Delivery of sludge from assets which have already received fine screening shall be discharged
directly to the sludge holding tanks.
iii. Sludge imports shall be calculated utilising delivery over 5 days at 8 hours per day. In exceptional
circumstances, imports may be received at other times due to plant down time at exporting sites.
iv. A sludge reception tank for unscreened sludge, where there are multiple daily deliveries at large
sludge treatment facilities, shall be designed to hold at least 100 m 3 to permit rapid discharge
from tankers without causing delays.
v. The receiving tank shall be unmixed and shall have at least a 30° slope to the outlet.
vi. The maximum tanker capacity shall be assumed to be 30 m 3, and the maximum designed
discharge time shall be 20 minutes at 6 percent dry solids.
vii. The tanker discharge points shall be within 3 m of the tank.
viii. Tanker off-loading points shall be provided with drainage and wash-down arrangements. The
reception area for the delivery vehicles shall be fully concreted and laid with falls to a local drain.
A low-profile spill-containment kerbing shall be used to restrict the area affected by potential
spillages and help direct wash-down flows into a local drain. The drain shall return wash-down
liquors to the head of the Works.
ix. Wash-down facilities shall be provided for the reception area.
x. The reception tank shall be fitted with a bypass facility to allow tankers to discharge directly to the
screens.
xi. A high level overflow from the sludge reception tank shall be connected to the STP liquor return
system.
xii. Cess imports shall not be taken into the sludge reception system, but shall be received into
dedicated facilities.

12.2.2. Cake Sludges

i. Cake reception shall be in an odour-controlled building.
ii. Cake shall be unloaded from closed skips into a silo with a capacity to be determined based on
site-specific requirements, agreed upon in conjunction with the Client.
iii. Sludge cake shall be blended with thin sludges or final effluent to a minimum of 7 percent DS and
less than 9 percent DS.
iv. Cake blending shall be by progressive cavity pump and a thin liquid side stream. The blended
stream shall be screened prior to the thickened sludge storage tank.
12.2.3. Screening
i. All liquid sludge imports and indigenous sludges shall be screened.
ii. Imported sludge shall receive 6 mm 2D screening prior to discharge into the un-thickened sludge
holding tank.
iii. The sludge screens shall not be fitted with an internal or external bypass.
iv. Screens, with one automatic standby unit, each capable of handling up to 30 L/s at 6 percent DS
shall be provided.
v. The standby unit shall be capable of running in “an assist” mode.
vi. Duty pumps shall be capable of handling sludge with a DS concentration of between 1.5 and
6 percent DS.
vii. The sludge pumps shall be rated to match the capacity of the sludge screens.
viii. Interconnecting pipework shall be designed to minimise blockages with as short as possible pipe
runs. Provision shall also be made for clearing blockages including access covers and rodding
points.
ix. All sludge spillages shall gravitate through a 20 mm maximum aperture grill covering channels
before return to the head of the Works.
x. Wherever possible, final effluent rather than potable water shall be utilised for screen wash water
and launder transfer water.
xi. Provision shall be made to independently isolate each screen for maintenance and repair.
Routine maintenance and repair of wearable parts and bearings shall be easily achieved with the
screen in situ.
xii. A screenings handling system shall be provided. The screenings handling system shall be either
an integral part of the screen, incorporating washing and compaction, or a stand-alone unit.
12.3. Sludge Storage

i. This clause refers to the following types of sludge holding/storage facilities:
a) Un-thickened sludge holding tanks include the following:
 Holding tanks at a satellite Works
 Holding tanks for unscreened imported sludge prior to thickening
 Holding tanks prior to thickening (screened indigenous and imported sludge)
b) Thickened sludge holding tanks refer to sludge that has received thickening either in a
gravity thickener or in a mechanical thickener and include the following:

 Holding tanks for sludge prior to further treatment or export

 Holding tanks prior to dewatering
 Cake storage prior to disposal offsite
12.3.1. General Requirements
i. Sludge tanks shall be covered and vented. The requirement for tanks to be connected into the
odour-control system shall be site-specific and dependent on whether the Works is
odour-sensitive and whether odour treatment is to be provided.
ii. Sludge tanks shall contain a method of mixing to maintain a homogeneous sludge.
12.3.2. Storage Capacity
i. Holding tanks for unscreened imported sludge shall match the peak import deliveries.
ii. Holding tanks prior to thickening shall match the peak throughput of screened indigenous sludge,
all imported sludge, and an allowance for the maintenance of the chosen downstream
processing.
iii. Storage shall be determined with due regard to operational tankering frequency arrangements.
iv. Thickened sludge holding tanks shall be sized in conjunction with the forward treatment capacity,
whether it is offsite transporting or onsite processing.
v. Designs utilising increased sludge age in the activated sludge system as a means of storage are
not acceptable.
12.3.3. Performance Requirements
i. Sludge storage facilities shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) The sludge holding tanks prior to export shall achieve sufficient storage and provide a
degree of gravity thickening.
b) The sludge holding tanks upstream of thickening and dewatering units shall maintain a
homogeneous sludge with the aid of mixing.
c) Sufficient buffer capacity to service or maintain any downstream processes is provided.
d) Sufficient covered area/capacity for sludge cake storage and its mechanical handling is
provided.
e) Safe access for tank cleaning is provided.
f) Optimisation of tanker utilisation (dependent on location and journey time). This
requirement shall be agreed upon with the Client.
g) Safe tanker loading/unloading.
h) Minimising of odour production.
i) Odour control (if required).
12.3.4. Specific Requirements
i. Common requirements for all tanks shall be as follows:
a) A minimum freeboard of at least 0.5 m shall be provided.
b) The minimum floor slope shall be 10°.
c) A valved washout drain gravitating to the Works drainage system or similar approved
discharge shall be provided.

d) For tanks in excess of 10 m diameter, an access hatch at ground level shall be provided.
e) A high level overflow.
f) Pipework shall be designed to avoid potential blockages and provided with jetting or
rodding points, or both.
g) The tanks shall be sited with due consideration of minimising the lengths of any sludge
delivery mains.
h) Mixers shall be designed to be removed without the need for man-entry or tank emptying.
Where a compressed air mixing system is provided, an arrangement for containing
displaced odours shall be provided.
i) Access shall be provided for routine maintenance. Level probes, mixers, pumps, and any
other items of plant or instrumentation shall be accessible for maintenance without
requiring the use of portable ladders.
j) Routine maintenance access shall be designed on the basis of single-person
maintenance.
k) All sludge holding tanks shall be covered. At odour-sensitive sites, any odours generated
shall be contained and treated.
l) Where tanks may become liable to negative pressure due to the pumping system,
sufficient ventilation shall be provided.
ii. Specific additional requirements for holding tanks at sites prior to export, and requiring some
gravity thickening, shall be as follows:
a) Duplication of tanks and the decanting arrangements shall be based on WLC.
b) Supernatant shall be fed back to the Works at a controlled rate, with no adverse effect on
the wastewater treatment process.
c) The design must control odours discharged via the tanker vacuum pump.
d) Accessible and suitable connections for tankers shall be provided with a sludge outlet at
a height which provides a positive delivery head to the tankers wherever possible.
e) Where practical, tanker loading points shall be within 3 m of the holding tanks.
f) The tanker loading area shall incorporate localised lighting, spillage capture via grill
covered channels draining to the Works drainage system, and a pressurised wash-down
(potable water) hose point.
iii. Specific requirements for cake storage shall be in cake silos, skip marshalling areas, or covered
cake bays:
a) The facility shall provide sufficient and safe vehicular access for handling the sludge.
b) Access for taking material offsite shall allow vehicles to circulate the storage area.
c) There shall be hard standings and bounding to contain all spillage.
d) Wheel washing facilities shall be provided where there is an open cake storage area. The
area designated for vehicle washing shall be drained in such a way as to return the wash
back into the treatment Works.
12.3.5. Process Control and Operating Regime

i. Sludge holding tanks upstream of thickeners and dewaterers shall be operated to maintain
buffering of variations in sludge quality to minimise the need for operator adjustment to maintain
percent DS and solids capture, and optimise polymer usage.
ii. Each storage tank shall be provided with an ultrasonic level detector. Where an automatic
pumped feed system is used to fill the tanks, the ultrasonic level detector shall provide a high
level alarm to the control prior to tank overflow and inhibit further pumped discharge into the tank.
iii. Where tanks are provided with a pump suction discharge from the tank, low level pump protection
shall be provided. This shall also apply to mixing equipment where dry running would be
detrimental to the unit.
12.4. Sludge Conditioning

i. Chemical conditioning methods involve the use of organic or inorganic flocculants and
polyelectrolytes to promote the formation of a porous, free draining cake structure. This enhances
cake thickening and dewatering, producing cake with higher DS content, and leading to a
reduction in cake volume and storage and transport requirements.
12.4.1. Conditioning Chemicals
i. With most thickening operations and with belt filter press dewatering operations, the economic
use of polymers shall be considered.
ii. If dewatering by centrifuge is selected, the use of metal salts for conditioning shall be avoided
due to corrosion problems.
iii. The ultimate disposal methods shall be considered as this may also have an effect on the choice
of conditioning chemicals used. For instance, lime and ferric compounds shall be avoided with
incineration options.
12.4.2. Iron and Alum Salts
i. Most raw sludge can be filtered with ferric salts alone.
ii. Digested sludge shall require an addition of lime with the ferric salt. Typical lime : ferric chloride
ratios are 3:1 to 4:1 for best results. However, the Designer shall satisfy himself of the most
appropriate design ratio if lime : ferric chloride mixtures are used.
iii. If metallic salts are used without lime, the resulting low pH sludge will be highly corrosive to
carbon steel, and the Designer shall specify materials such as plastic, stainless steel, or rubber
for proper handling.
12.4.3. Lime
i. The Designer shall consider the suitability and use of hydrated limes, both the high calcium and
dolomitic types, for sludge conditioning in conjunction with metal salts or alone.
12.4.4. Polymers
ii. Polymers used for sludge conditioning are long-chain, water-soluble organic molecules of high
molecular weight. They are used in wastewater suspensions to cause flocculation through
adsorption. Equipment for polymer addition must be able to withstand potential corrosion.
12.4.5. Chemical Feed Systems
i. The chemical feed system shall be paced at the rate of sludge flow to the dewatering unit.
ii. The chemical feed system shall be either close to the dewatering unit or controllable from a point
near the dewatering unit.

iii. Sufficient mixing shall be provided so as to disperse the conditioner throughout the sludge.
iv. The chemical feed rates shall allow for at least a 10:1 range of chemical flow to the dewatering
unit.
12.5. Sludge Thickening

12.5.1. Design Guidance
i. The design of thickeners (gravity, belt, dissolved-air flotation, and others) shall consider the type
and concentration of sludge, the sludge stabilisation processes, storage requirements, chemical
needs, the cost of operation, and the method of ultimate sludge disposal.
ii. The use of gravity thickening tanks for un-stabilised sludge is not recommended because of
problems due to septicity unless provisions are made for adequate control of process operational
problems and odours at the gravity thickener and any following unit processes.
iii. Particular attention shall be given to the pumping and piping of the concentrated sludge and
possible onset of anaerobic conditions.
iv. Pumps shall be able to handle the maximum sludge flow at the maximum expected solids
concentration.
v. Sludge thickening buffer tanks shall have at least 2 hours retention time with a mixer.
vi. Sludge thickening is generally one of the following processes:-
a) Gravity thickening
b) Mechanical thickening
vii. Table 22 provides guidance on the thickening systems that are deemed most appropriate.
However, suitability of thickening systems shall be determined on a site-by-site basis in
conjunction with the Client.
Table 22: Thickening Plant Process Selection Guide
Thickening Plant Primary Co-Settled Activated Activated

Sludge Sludge Sludge Sludge
(High Rate)
Picket Fence Thickener P A - -
Centrifuge A A A -
Gravity Belt Press P P A A

Drum Thickener A A A A
P = Preferred; A = Alternative
viii. Thickened sludge shall be designed to typically achieve 6 percent dried solids. Where there is no
further sludge treatment onsite, it shall be tankerred offsite.
ix. Gravity thickening in its simplest form shall consist of consolidation tanks with staged decant
valves.
x. Sample points for sludge in, out, and filtrate shall be provided on all thickeners.
xi. When a thickener is not located in a building, frost protection shall be provided.
xii. A wash water supply shall be provided adjacent to any thickening unit.

xiii. Return liquors from the thickening process shall be returned to the front end of the wastewater
treatment Works.
xiv. A post-thickening storage tank shall be installed with a minimum usable volume equivalent to at
least 24 hours storage at 7 percent DS. This shall normally be operated near full and shall be
provided with a mechanical mixer. Plants with a cake import facility shall have additional post-
thickening storage with a minimum usable volume of at least 48 hours’ equivalent of the blended
cake stream at 5 percent DS.
12.5.2. Gravity Thickeners
12.5.2.1. General Design Criteria
i. Picket fence (gravity) thickeners shall only be used when 4 percent DS cannot be achieved by
normal gravity thickening decanting arrangements.
ii. Gravity thickeners shall be considered for the use of primary settled sludge alone.
iii. Primary sludge shall not be mixed with imported sludge or WAS and thickened by gravity picket
fence thickeners, to avoid adverse co-settlement of mixed sludge as a result.
iv. Sludge of average 5 percent DS shall be achievable.
v. Return supernatant liquors shall be returned to the STP, upstream of the inlet screens.
Submerged discharge to reduce the risk of hydrogen sulphide escape shall be considered.
12.5.2.1.v.a...1. Tank Design
i. Gravity thickeners shall be circular in shape.
ii. The diameter of the tank shall be selected to provide the appropriate specific plan area required
for effective thickening of the sludge load to the tank, and shall not be less than 9 m 2 of TDS per
day, unless specified otherwise within the Particular Specification.
iii. Typical maximum tank diameters shall range between 21 and 24 m. Side water depth shall be
between 3 and 3.7 m.
iv. A minimum of 6-hour detention of liquid is required. For maximum compaction of the sludge
blanket, 24 hours is the recommended time required. During peak conditions, the retention time
may have to be shortened to keep the sludge blanket depth below the overflow weirs, thus
preventing excessive solids carry-over.
v. The base of the tank shall be flat or shall slope to the centre, depending on whether the sludge
withdrawal point is peripheral or central.
vi. The acceptable range for gravity sludge thickener floor slopes is 2:12 to 3:12.
vii. A drain shall be provided so that the tank can be completely drained.
viii. Where the tank is sited outside, it shall be fitted with removable reinforced plastic covers.
Thickeners within odour-controlled sludge buildings may not require covers, but this shall be
reviewed on a site-by-site basis and where necessary.
12.5.2.1.viii.a...1. Sludge Feed and Withdrawal
i. Due consideration shall be given to provision for chemical conditioning of the sludge into the
sludge influent lines (see Section 13.4 – Sludge Conditioning).
ii. Gravity picket fence thickeners shall be operated on a continuous or near continuous basis. The
operation shall be completely automatic accept for occasional adjustments by the operator and
routine cleaning operations.

iii. Sludge shall be fed directly to the thickener on a timed or continuous basis, so that the sludge is
in a fresh condition. The maximum instantaneous upflow velocity shall not exceed 0.5 m/h.
iv. Sludge shall be fed into the central area of the tank either to a horizontally mounted disc or to a
diffusion chamber, which shall distribute the sludge uniformly in a horizontal direction so as not to
disrupt the sludge blanket.
v. Where a diffusion chamber is used, facilities shall be provided for removal of accumulated scum
or grease. This facility shall be easily accessible from the walkway.
vi. The tank shall have pumped discharge via positive displacement pumps.
vii. The sludge withdrawal pumps shall have a maximum instantaneous withdrawal rate sufficient to
draw down the sludge blanket, without causing rat-holing of the blanket. The withdrawal rate shall
typically be in the range two to four times the sludge production rate.
viii. Sludge shall be drawn-off either at the tank periphery or from a central sludge hopper, depending
on the tank diameter and sludge type. The draw-off shall be flush with or below the tank floor
level.
12.5.2.1.viii.a...1. Picket Fence
i. The picket fence thickener shall be supported by a fixed bridge and shall rotate with a peripheral
velocity on the order of 3 m/min.
ii. The picket fence shall have an auto-reverse function.
12.5.2.1.ii.a...1. Sludge Blanket
i. A sludge blanket level detector shall be fitted whose height shall be adjustable and shall be firmly
attached to the side of the tank.
12.5.3. Mechanical Thickeners
i. Typical mechanical thickener process include belt thickener and centrifuges plants.
ii. Mechanical thickeners shall be sized to treat the throughput within an 8-hour working day to allow
for start-up and cleaning/shut-down.
iii. The mechanical thickeners shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) Dry solids concentration shall be in the range 5 of 6 percent.
b) Solids recovery shall not be lower than 95 percent.
c) Operation of the thickener shall be automatic.
d) Odour control shall be provided.
iv. Mechanical thickeners shall typically operate in parallel where more than one unit exists.
v. Each thickener shall have its own dedicated polymer dosing system and shall not be fed from a
common manifold.
vi. The system shall be capable of accommodating interruptions due to maintenance or breakdown,
and shall be capable of recovery to normal operating conditions within a reasonable time (5
working days) at normal weekly average throughput.
vii. Starting of the thickener shall normally be a manual operation and, once energised, shall be fully
automated.
viii. The control system shall include the thickener assembly and associated equipment comprising
sludge feed, polyelectrolyte make-up and dosing system, flocculation tank, wash water system,
and thickened sludge transfer system.

ix. For belt thickeners, control for belt speed, sludge feed rate, and polymer dosing shall be manually
adjustable and locally available at belt.
12.6. Aerobic Digestion

12.6.1. General
i. Thickening of sludge shall be undertaken prior to aerobic digestion.
ii. For new plants, sludge shall be stabilised by aerobic digestion, preventing odour and vector
nuisance, before being removed to a centralised composting facility.
iii. Future sludge treatment and disposal options shall be evaluated on a site-by-site basis subject to
specific process evaluation to be undertaken in close liaison with the Client.
iv. Aerobic digestion is considered suitable for secondary sludge or a combination of primary and
secondary sludge.
v. The aerobic sludge digestion system shall include provisions for digestion, supernatant
separation, sludge concentration, and any necessary sludge storage. These provisions shall be
accomplished by separate tanks or processes, or in the digestion tanks.
vi. The feed to digestion from the thickened sludge storage tanks shall be by positive displacement
transfer pumps with a standby. These pumps shall not have a suction lift.
12.6.1.2. Multiple Units
i. Multiple digestion units capable of independent operation are desirable and shall be provided in
all plants where the design average flow exceeds 380 m 3/day.
12.6.1.3. Solids Retention Time
i. Where land disposal of digested sludge is practiced, a minimum solids retention time of 45 days
is required. If local conditions require a more stable sludge, a sludge age of 90 days shall be
necessary. To produce a completely stable sludge, a sludge age in excess of 120 days is
required.
12.6.1.4. Hydraulic Retention Time
i. The minimum required HRT for aerobic digesters provided with pre-thickening facilities are
provided in Table 23.
Table 23: Recommended Minimum HRT for Aerobic Digestion of Sludge
Type of Sludge Minimum HRT (Days)

Waste Activated Sludge Only 25
Primary plus WAS 30
12.6.2. Tank Design

12.6.2.1. Tank Capacity
i. The following items shall be considered in determining the number and size of tanks:
a) Peak sludge flow rates
b) Storage between batches
c) Dewatering or thickening performed in tanks

d) Repeating sludge treatment due to pH decay of stored sludge

e) Sludge thickening prior to sludge treatment
f) Type of mixing device used and associated maintenance or repair requirements
ii. A minimum of two tanks shall be provided of adequate size to provide a minimum of 25 days’
contact time in each tank.
iii. As a guide, the following digestion tank capacities are based on a solids concentration of 2
percent, with supernatant separation performed in a separate tank. If supernatant separation is
performed in the digestion tank, a minimum of 25 percent additional volume is required.
iv. These capacities shall be provided unless sludge thickening facilities are utilised to thicken the
feed solids concentration to greater than 2 percent. If such thickening is provided, the digestion
volumes may be decreased proportionally.
Table 24: Guide for Estimation of Digestion Tank Capacity
Sludge Source Volume/PE (m3/PE)

WAS (with no primary settling) 0.13*
Primary plus WAS 0.11*
WAS exclusive of primary sludge 0.06*
Extended aeration activated sludge 0.09*
* These volumes also apply to WAS from single-stage nitrification facilities with less than 24
hours’ detention time based on design average flow. The volumes in Table 24 are based on
digester temperatures of 15°C and a solids retention time of 27 days.
12.6.2.2. Tank Configuration
i. Aerobic digesters are generally open tanks. The tankage shall be of common wall construction or
earthen-bermed to minimise heat loss.
ii. Tank depths shall be between 3.5 and 4.5 m;
iii. Tanks and piping shall be designed to permit sludge addition, sludge withdrawal, and supernatant
decanting from various depths.
iv. Freeboard depths of at least 0.9 to 1.2 m shall be provided to account for excessive foam levels.
v. Floor slopes of 1:12 to 3:12 shall be provided.
12.6.2.3. Mixing
i. Mixing tanks shall be designed to operate as either a batch or continuous flow process.
ii. Mixing equipment shall be designed to provide vigorous agitation within the mixing tank, maintain
solids in suspension, and provide for a homogeneous mixture of the sludge solids and alkaline
material.
iii. Mixing shall be accomplished either by diffused air or mechanical mixers.
iv. If mechanical mixers are used, the impellers shall be designed to minimise fouling with debris in
the sludge, and consideration shall be made to provide continuity of service during freezing
weather conditions.
12.6.2.4. Supernatant Separation and Scum and Grease Removal

i. Facilities shall be provided for effective separation or decanting of supernatant. Separate facilities
are recommended; however, supernatant separation shall be accomplished in the digestion tank
provided additional volume is provided.
ii. The supernatant draw-off unit shall be designed to prevent recycle of scum and grease back to
plant process units. Provision shall be made to withdraw supernatant from multiple levels of the
supernatant withdrawal zone.
iii. Facilities shall be provided for the effective collection of scum and grease from the aerobic
digester for final disposal, to prevent its recycle back to the plant process, and to prevent long-
term accumulation and potential discharge in the effluent.
12.6.2.5. High Level Emergency Overflow
i. An un-valved high level overflow and any necessary piping shall be provided to return digester
overflow back to the head of the plant or to the aeration process in case of accidental overfilling.
Design considerations related to the digester overflow shall include waste sludge rate and
duration during the period the plant is unattended, potential effects on plant process units,
discharge location of the emergency overflow, and potential discharge of suspended solids in the
plant effluent.
12.6.3. Air Requirements
i. All compressors, blowers, and aeration equipment shall comply with the details in the Technical
(AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
ii. Sufficient air shall be provided to keep the solids in suspension and maintain DO between 1 and
2 mg/L.
iii. For minimum mixing and oxygen requirements, an air supply of 0.85 L/m 3s of tank volume shall
be provided with the largest blower out of service.
iv. If diffusers are used, the non-clog type is recommended, and they shall be designed to permit
continuity of service.
v. If mechanical turbine aerators are utilised, at least two turbine aerators per tank shall be provided
to permit continuity of service.
12.7. Sludge Dewatering

12.7.1. General
i. Onsite sludge dewatering facilities shall be provided for all plants, although requirements may be
reduced with onsite liquid sludge storage facilities or approved offsite sludge disposal.
ii. Dewatering shall be provided by centrifuge/belt press/drum dewaterer.
i. Belt presses are the preferred option for the dewatering of digested sludges.
ii. Generally, a belt press will use less chemical conditioner and less power than a centrifuge.
iii. Centrifuges are not the preferred process as the product is generally more prone to generation of
odours.
iv. Centrifuges are favoured for dewatering raw sludge prior to lime treatment.
v. Plate presses are not generally favoured as they can be very labour-intensive. However, latest
versions, if fully automated, may be considered.

vi. For difficult sludges, the use of a centrifuge shall be considered more appropriate.
12.7.3. General Design Basis
i. Provision shall be made to maintain sufficient continuity of service so that sludge shall be
dewatered without accumulation beyond storage capacity.
ii. The number of centrifuges filters presses, belt filters, other mechanical dewatering facilities, or
combinations thereof shall be sufficient to dewater the sludge produced with the largest unit out of
service.
iii. Unless other standby wet sludge facilities are available, adequate storage facilities of at least
1-day production volume, in addition to any other sludge storage needs, shall be provided.
Documentation must be submitted justifying the basis of design of mechanical dewatering
facilities.
iv. The mechanical dewaters shall be designed so that the following is achieved:
a) Dry solids concentration exceeds 22 percent DS, except for surplus activated sludges
only, where the minimum DS content shall be 18 percent DS.
b) Solids recovery shall not be lower than 95 percent.
c) Operation of the dewaterer shall be automatic.
d) Odour control shall be provided.
e) Proven equipment for onward conveyance to appropriate storage shall be provided.
v. The dewatering plant shall include one or more identical dewaterers which shall have a total
capacity sufficient to treat peak weekly average feedstock flow and load rates whilst operating for
up to 16 hours per day, 5 days per week.
vi. An identical unit shall be installed for standby purposes, capable of operating in parallel if
required.
vii. “Starting” shall be carried out manually. Operation shall be continuous and fully automated.
viii. The dewatering plant shall be designed for a maximum operator attendance of 16 hours per day.
ix. Each dewaterer shall have its own dedicated polymer dosing system and shall not be fed from a
common manifold. On large sludge plants, the polymer pumps shall be linked to the dewatered
sludge feed pumps automatically with manual control of dilution/carrier water and dose-rate/m3
sludge treated.
x. A suitable, final effluent (where practicable), wash water system to wash the dewatering plant,
remove blinded material, and maintain optimum dewatering performance shall be provided.
xi. Special attention shall be given to dealing with sludges with a high FOG content.
xii. Drainage from dewatering units shall be returned to the wastewater treatment process at
appropriate points and rates.
xiii. One dedicated duty feed pump shall be provided per dewaterer.
xiv. A transfer system shall be provided to transfer dewatered sludge cake to the covered sludge cake
storage area.
xv. Sampling points shall be provided on each machine for sludge in, cake out, and filtrate.
xvi. Drainage and filtrate from dewatering units shall be returned to the sewage treatment process at
appropriate points.
12.7.4. Belt Presses

i. The number of belt presses installed shall be sized so that peak weekly average sludge
production can be dewatered over 5 days per week, 16 hours per day with one belt out of service.
ii. All belts provided shall be capable of running together in automatic mode.
iii. The plant shall be designed with an inlet sludge of 3 to 6 percent DS.
iv. If pressing raw sludge, whether located in a box or a building, a ventilation system is required; it
shall be vented to an odour-control plant.
v. If pressing digested sludge in a building, ventilation shall be installed to assist in reducing the high
humidity in the building.
vi. The heating system shall be designed to cope with this rate of ventilation, to maintain a minimum
temperature of 6C in the building.
vii. Filtered pressurised effluent shall be used for belt washing.
viii. Control of belt speed, sludge feed rate, and poly-dosing rate shall be locally available at the belt.
ix. Belt drive speed and ramp angle shall be manually adjustable.
x. Feed and discharge pumps to be sized at 120 percent of design throughout.
xi. One pump per unit shall be employed.
xii. A dedicated pump to each crossover pipework facility for an external pump, with a Bauer
connection, shall be provided.
xiii. Progressive cavity feed pumps shall be used to enable defined control feed.
xiv. Shut-down shall be automatic on a timer with an automatic phased wash down.
12.7.5. Centrifuges
i. The decanter centrifuge (sometimes referred to as a solid bowl and scroll centrifuge) shall
comprise the following components:
a) Sludge feed system
b) Collecting vessel and support frame
c) Variable speed drive (where specified)
d) Differential scroll drive
e) Cake discharge system
f) Centrifuge washing
g) Concentrate collection
h) Control system
ii. Centrifuges and drum dewaterers can be sized for continuous operations but shall be capable of
catching up a backlog following an interruption to service of 4 days within the following 5 days to
return to stable.
iii. Since temperature affects the viscosity of sludges, the required centrifuge capacity shall be
determined for the lowest temperature expected.
iv. Centrifuge plants shall be sized to run continuously at 75 percent of capacity, with built-in
redundant capacity to allow for 25 days per annum downtime. This shall be in the form of
upstream and downstream capacity.

v. Target cake solids 23 to 25 percent DS discharge with maximum polyelectrolyte usage of 6 kg

per tonne DS.
vi. Feed pumps shall be variable speed progressive cavity.
vii. One pump shall be provided per centrifuge.
viii. Duty and standby units shall be provided with manual changeover.
ix. On dual centrifuge installations, a manual cross over shall be supplied.
x. Centrate foaming may a significant problem, and the designer is urged to consider a spray/anti-
foam system.
xi. Enclosed centrate discharge is considered essential and must be addressed by the Designer.
xii. Noise may be an issue on sensitive sites. This must be taken into consideration by the Designer,
and requirements shall be reviewed on a site-by-site basis in conjunction with the Client.
xiii. Pumping of the concentrated centrate must be carried out using progressive cavity pumps. This is
to avoid magnesium ammonium sulphate build-up on conventional pumps.
xiv. Where continuous operations are utilised, the plant shall automatically shut down the process
when the cake storage area is full.
xv. Cake discharge shall be by a shaftless screw conveyor. The discharge point shall be 3.5 m above
floor level.
12.8. Sludge Cake Storage/Transport

i. Dewatered sludge is stored on hard-standing areas in truck containers. Factors which shall be
considered during the design of sludge handling and storage facilities include the following:
a) Extent of sludge production
b) Frequency of sludge discharge
c) Impact of sludge liquors on wastewater treatment
d) Rheological characteristics of the sludge
e) Odour and gas emissions
ii. The dewatered sludge shall be stored directly in the truck containers parked beneath the
mechanical dewatering units.
iii. The capacity of these containers shall be able to accommodate one complete shift of dewatering
activity either by single or multiple units.
iv. The truck containers, when full with dewatered sludge, shall be transported to central composting
facility.
v. The designated area for digested cake sludge storage shall:
a) Provide sufficient area for at least 3 months’ storage. This may need to be more,
depending on the recycling outlets and potential to store offsite.
b) The storage volume must take into account traffic movements and allow for the loading
shovel to operate.
c) The storage area shall be a concrete area surrounded by a 2 m retaining wall allowing for
1.5 m high stacked cake sludge.

d) A sludge conveyor shall discharge to the area with a raised up wall of 2.5 m high to allow
a stacking machine to push against (the wall must be able to take this load).
e) A loading shovel shall be supplied under the scheme (if not already available).
f) Drainage shall be provided to take any run-off liquors away from the stacking area and
toward the traffic route. The design of this shall take the water and retain the sludge cake.
g) Preferably, drainage channels shall be open-topped; where covers are provided, they
shall be bolted down to prevent damage by loading shovel. Provision shall be made for
cleaning of drainage channels.
h) Drainage shall be led to a chamber utilising a weir to separate sludge from supernatant.
Separated sludge shall be returned to digested sludge storage.
12.9. Odour Control

i. Odour-control facilities shall be provided for dewatering area, and the exhaust air shall be
properly conditioned to avoid odour nuisance. Details of odour control are covered in Technical
Standard Specification – Wastewater Design Manual – Section 06 – Odour Control (AM-ENG-
WDM-06).
12.10. Pipelines
i. All piping shall comply with the details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
ii. The flow velocity in liquid sludge and sludge liquor pipelines shall not be continuously less than
1 m/s unless measures for the prevention of sedimentation/encrustation are taken. If the rate of
gravity flow is too low, then pumping shall be considered.
iii. Systems shall be designed so that regular operations do not require pressure-tight isolation of
any section. This is to avoid the risk that high or damaging gas pressures could develop in a
sealed section.
iv. In sludge pipelines which are connected to permanently filled sludge tanks below the minimum
sludge level and which include a frequently operated isolation valve, a second manual valve shall
be installed between the reactor and the valve which is frequently operated.
v. Pipelines and other equipment which are installed in sludge tanks shall be corrosion-resistant.
12.11. Sludge Pumps

i. All pumps shall comply with the details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
ii. Sludge pump selection shall take the following into consideration:
a) Thickness and viscosity of sludge
b) Grit, rag, and other gross solids and fibres in sludge
c) Incorporation of either, or both, sludge screening and disintegration
d) Risk of blockage, abrasion, and cavitations
e) Pump wear
f) Energy efficiency

g) Pump duty, including suction and delivery heads and flow rate
h) Local and operational conditions (for example, submersed or dry well, available space)
iii. All pumps shall comply with details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical Section
03 – Pumps, Compressors, Blowers and Cutters (AM-ENG-SS-03-03).
13. Chemical Delivery, Storage, and Dosing Systems
13.1. General
i. All chemical delivery and storage facilities, dosing systems, ICA, control systems, and associated
equipment and materials shall be designed and constructed such that they are suitable for the
chemical being dosed. Reference shall be made to the chemical manufacturer’s data sheets and
guidelines as well as documented best practices for particular chemicals.
13.2. Chemical Storage Facilities

13.2.1. Bulk Tanks and Storage Containers
13.2.1.1. Storage Volumes
i. The determination of chemical storage volumes shall take account of the following:
a) Average chemical dose (from either historical records or the results of pilot studies)
b) Maximum plant flow
c) Stability of chemical
d) Economic delivery volumes—this must be determined and agreed upon with the Client
e) Operations as part of the design process
ii. Minimum storage volume. Except as stated in the next clause, this shall provide for the following:
a) Average dose to maximum flow through the Works
b) A minimum of 30 days’ use plus one delivery
iii. Where the chemical may degrade within the normal storage time, or where the normal
consumption rate requires more than one delivery each month, a reduced storage volume may be
provided, subject to the prior explicit approval the Client. This reduced storage volume shall be
the greater of the following:
a) 7 days’ use plus one delivery
b) Two delivery volumes
iv. Where bulk chemical storage is required, a minimum of two tanks shall be provided to enable
internal inspection of the tanks without affecting dosing.
v. Storage tanks shall be sized to take the contents of one full delivery plus 10 percent, to ensure
that deliveries can be accommodated without the risk of overflowing or air-locking of dosing
pumps.
13.2.1.2. Design of Tanks
i. The type of tank or storage container used shall suit the particular chemical.

ii. Due consideration shall be given to the need for future internal inspection of the tanks. Safe
access to the inside shall be provided, with hatches that allow ventilation prior to inspection.
iii. The design shall incorporate the following features:
a) The storage tanks shall include an ultrasonic level instrument, a high level conductivity
probe, and a cat and mouse visual level indication.
b) The overflow from chemical storage tanks shall exit the side of the tank and be sized in
excess of the fill line diameter.
c) Where the chemical has a high freezing point, low density immersion type heaters
entering the tank from the top shall be used.
d) Isolation valves on the outlet of the tank shall be connected directly to the outlet flange of
the tank to ensure all pipework can be replaced without draining the tank.
e) Access to the top of storage tanks for maintenance of heaters, instruments, and other
equipment shall be provided.
13.2.1.3. Bunds
i. All tanks and containers (with the exception of reinforced concrete tanks) used for the storage of
liquid chemicals shall be contained within a bund.
ii. Where chemicals are to be stored in International Bulk Containers (IBCs), carboys, or drums, the
bunded area shall be sufficient for the maximum number of containers required both full and
empty, to be stored without stacking at ground level.
iii. Bund capacity shall be not less than 110 percent of the volume that could discharge from the
largest tank or container within the bund or, where there is more than one tank within the bund,
25 percent of the aggregate storage capacity, whichever is the greater.
iv. Construction shall be of reinforced concrete, in accordance with BS 8007, as a monolithic
structure without water bars, and water-tested accordingly.
v. Internal coating of bunds shall be with materials suitably resistant to the contained chemical.
vi. Where access is required within the bunded area, the local base area shall be “non-slip”.
vii. The area within the bund shall fall to a blind sump or other provision to facilitate the collection and
removal of any leakage or spillage. Spilled liquids shall normally be tankered offsite as a Special
Waste. No uncontrolled drainage from the bund shall be permitted.
viii. For removal of hazardous chemicals from the bund sump, fixed pipework shall be installed to
allow a mobile chemical resistant pump to be used to pump spills away to the chemical
interceptor tank.
ix. Detectors and alarms shall be fitted to indicate the presence of leakage and spillage.
x. Weatherproof rain “skirts” or roofs shall be fitted to external bunds wherever practicable.
xi. The bund base and walls shall not be penetrated by any valve, pipe, or other opening. Any valve,
filter, sight-gauge, vent-pipe, or other equipment ancillary to the container shall be situated within
the bund.
13.2.2. Apparatus for Chemical Transfer
13.2.2.1. Filling Points
i. The fill point shall be as close as practicable to the storage tanks and either within the catchment
of the hard-standing area or within the bund.

ii. It shall be possible to use a single length of delivery hose to connect the delivery tanker to the
filling point.
iii. The fill point hose connection shall be suitably supported to carry the weight of pipework, hose,
and chemicals, and to ensure the integrity of the fill line.
iv. A dedicated fill line shall be provided for each individual tank.
v. The filling point connection shall be locked off with a unique padlock, with the key held in a locked
key cabinet clearly marked to indicate which chemical it is for.
vi. External filling points shall be housed within a secure, lockable enclosure.
vii. A hose reel/wash-down point shall be provided local to the filling point.
viii. Where delivery volumes are variable, it shall be possible to ascertain the volume of the tank
contents from the filling point. This shall be via an indicator at the fill point or through the tank
contents gauge being visible from the filling point.
13.2.2.2. Fill Panel
i. A fill panel shall be provided adjacent to the filling point. The display shall show the following, at a
minimum:
a) High level indication in storage tanks
b) Position of valves to interceptor tank
c) High level in interceptor tank
ii. High level indication within the storage tank shall be linked to a flashing warning light and a
klaxon mounted on the fill panel.
iii. Where the delivery volumes are variable and the tank contents are not visible from the filling
point, the volume of the tank contents shall also be displayed.
13.2.2.3. Filling and Transfer Lines

ii. The filling line and transfer lines shall be as follows:
a) Of minimum size 50 mm nominal bore.
b) Of material compatible with the chemical.
c) Have a minimum pressure rating of 16 bar.
d) Rise vertically to a point higher than the inlet to the storage tank and, where run
“horizontally”, shall fall towards the storage tank. The properties of the delivered chemical
need to be carefully considered, especially its specific gravity, to ensure that the transfer
system can “lift” the chemical into the storage tank.
e) Fitted with a drain-point at its lowest point.
f) Routed to minimise bends and potential syphon traps. Use of flanges/couplings shall be
avoided as far as possible.
g) Routed to avoid pedestrian walkways.
h) Double-contained when outside the bund, above normally trafficked areas, or where
mechanical joints are used.

13.2.3. Location
i. Chemical storage and dosing facilities shall be located as close as practicable to the dosing point.
13.2.4. Materials for Tanks and Dosing Systems
i. Pipe and fabrication materials shall be suitable for a 20-year design life in accordance with the
material data/safety sheets provided by the Contractor.
ii. Reference shall be made to international water industry best practices with respect to handling of
individual chemicals.
13.3. Chemical Dosing System

13.3.1. Dosing Skid Arrangement
i. The dosing pumps and associated pipework and valves shall be installed within a single skid to
facilitate operation and maintenance.
ii. The skid shall be a shallow depth, vertical type ensuring that all items are accessible at arms-
reach from the front of the skid.
iii. Splash screens shall be fitted around the skid—these shall be hinged for ease of access.
iv. The skid shall include a drip tray with a flush-mounted drain point and a conductivity level probe
to alarm in the event of leakage.
13.3.2. Dosing Pumps
i. All pumps shall comply with the details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
ii. Where practical, the pumps shall be installed with a flooded suction.
iii. Dosing pump speed control shall be “flow paced” (that is, pump speed varies with the flow rate of
the bulk process flow), with a manual override capability.
iv. Pulsation effects shall be suitably damped so that mechanical or hydraulic vibration is not
transmitted to pipework. Pumps shall usually be connected by flexible hose.
13.3.3. Dosing Pipework and Valves
13.3.3.1. Dosing Pipework
ii. Dosing lines shall be continuous lengths, wherever possible, and any joints shall be readily
accessible. Lines shall be located away from pedestrian routes and positioned at low levels.
iii. Materials shall take account of the following:
a) Polyvinyl chloride rigid pipework shall be used where not at risk of damage due to impact
from pedestrians (or other traffic) or not subject to a greater temperature range than
specified by the manufacturer.
b) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) shall not be mixed in
any system.
iv. If part of a critical process, a standby suction and delivery line (of the same size as the duty line)
shall be provided from the chemical storage tank to the dosing point, complete with all apparatus
required to operate independently.

v. It shall be possible to interchange both the suction and the delivery lines at each dosing board
such that dosing can continue in the event of plant breakdown or maintenance to any section of
either duty or standby line.
vi. Flushing and drainage of dosing lines shall be provided and, where dosing lines are used
intermittently, flushing shall be initiated on cessation of use. A removable drain pot shall be
provided below the drain point.
vii. Calibration tubes shall be provided, and these shall be extended to the full height of the chemical
storage tank to prevent over-filling. This extension need not necessarily be at full bore.
13.3.3.2. Valves and Fittings
i. All valves shall comply with the details in the Technical Standard Specification – Mechanical
Section 04 – Valves, Penstocks, and Actuators (AM-ENG-SS-03-04).
ii. All isolation valves shall be accessible.
iii. Pressure relief valves shall be located immediately downstream of the dosing pumps, with a
catch-pot and alarm provided.
iv. A pressure gauge shall be located on the delivery side of each pump.
v. For coagulant dosing, a Y-strainer with local isolation valves shall be used on the suction side of
the dosing pump.
vi. Measures to prevent siphoning or back-feed shall include the following:
a) Positive displacement pump or peristaltic pump
b) Non-return valves (two if not included in dosing pump)
c) Loading valves and suction demand valves (or, where necessary, automatic isolation
valves)
13.3.3.3. Secondary Containment
i. Containment systems for leaks from dosing pipework shall be either spray-out protection or
secondary containment as determined through a Design Risk Assessment/Hazardous Operation
(HAZOP) process review. One system or another shall operate over the full length of each dosing
line.
ii. The system shall be designed to drain to a bund or drip-tray with liquid level detection.
iii. Detection of liquid in the bund or drip tray shall cause failure of the duty line and initiate start-up of
the standby line. An alarm shall be initiated on detection of liquid.
iv. Where dosing lines need to be exposed, proprietary spray-out protection systems shall be fitted
over pipe joints.
v. Joints between secondary containment and spray-out protection shall provide a permanent seal.
vi. Spray-out protection shall be provided for each dosing board.
vii. Where secondary containment cannot drain into a bund or drip-tray with level detection (all self-
draining), drain valves with catch-pot level switches shall be provided at the lowest point in the
secondary containment. Detection of liquid in the catch pot shall cause changeover of
duty/standby pumps and initiate an alarm.
13.3.4. Dosing Points
13.3.4.1. Dosing into Pipework

i. There shall be adequate means of mixing immediately downstream of the dosing point. In most
circumstances, dispersion via an in-line static mixer will be appropriate.
ii. Chemicals shall be mixed into the bulk process flow using a static mixer unless agreed upon with
Client at the design stage.
iii. Each dosing point shall be provided with a separate connection onto the mixer/main; this shall be
made via a withdrawable dosing lance with isolation valves to permit lance removal whilst the
process main is in operation and under pressure. It shall be possible to switch over pipework
between the duty and standby lances in an emergency.
iv. A short length of chemical-resistant, food-grade flexible hose of adequate pressure rating shall
run between fixed pipework and each dosing point on the main. (This allows easy withdrawal of
the injection fitting without dismantling the pipework.) Rigid pipework shall be well supported.
v. The dosing point shall include a bund or drip-tray with liquid level detection and alarm.
vi. Where a static mixer is used and there will be a need for cleaning of the mixer (due to lime scale
or other blockage), a bypass shall be provided. The diameter of the bypass (hence maximum flow
capacity) shall be agreed upon with the Client during detailed design.
13.3.4.2. Dosing into Open Channels
i. Fully independent duty/standby injection sparge systems shall be provided. It shall be possible to
switch over pipework between the duty and standby sparges in an emergency.
ii. The connection between dosing pipework and sparge pipe shall be fully protected against
accidental damage. It shall have adequate support and be firmly fixed. It shall also allow for easy
dismantling.
iii. There shall be adequate means of dispersion of the chemical immediately downstream of the
dosing point. When dispersion is via mixers, these shall be designed for a coefficient of variation
of 0.05 at the mixer outlet/sample point.
Chemical dosing into an open channel where the effluent weirs over a waterfall to provide
adequate mixing are acceptable for certain applications of chemical dosing.


WDM Section 05 STP r3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

WDM Section 05 STP r3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WASTEWATER DESIGN MANUAL

Section 05 – Sewage Treatment Plants

Document No: AM-ENG-WDM-05

Issue Date: x/x/2016

ii Current Revision: 03 dated xx/xx/2016

Document Prepared by Document Reviewed by

iii Document Authorisation

Document Approval Authority

General Manager Asset Management

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

Page 3 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

2.6.2. Water Supply ........................................................................................................29

Page 4 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

5.5. Basin Size ................................................................................................................53

Page 5 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

7.2.5. Tanks ....................................................................................................................69

Page 6 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

9.7. Required Membrane Area .......................................................................................83

Page 7 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

10.6.9. Filling Drains and Draw-Off .................................................................................93

Page 8 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

12.6. Aerobic Digestion ..................................................................................................109

Page 9 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

1.4. Distribution/Target Audience

1.5. Review and Improvement

Page 10 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

ANSI American National Standards Institute

AOR Actual Oxygen Requirement

AWWA American Water Works Association

BOD Biological Oxygen Demand

BOD5 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand

BS EN British Standard European Norm

CBOD5 Carbonaceous 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand

CEN European Committee for Standardisation

COD Chemical Oxygen Demand

CSO Combined Sewer Overflow

CWA Clean Water Act

Page 11 of 121 Standard Specifications

Classification: Restricted Revision: 03

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

FFT Full Flow to Treatment

FOG Fats, Oil, and Grease

ICA Instrumentation, Control, and Automation

ISO International Organisation for Standardisation

LIMS Laboratory Information Management System

MBR Membrane Bio-reactor

NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide

OSEC Onsite Chlorine Electro-chlorination

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Authority

P&ID Piping and Instrumentation Diagram

RAS Return Activated Sludge

SBR Sequencing Batch Reactor

SLR Sludge Loading Rate

STP Sewage Treatment Plant