A Quick Guide to Sewage

Effluent Testing

Sewage pollution from shipping has always been in the

spotlight. Without comprehensive checks on Sewage
Effluent, it can have catastrophic effects on the environment
and the wellbeing of both human and aquatic life. To
combat this, Sewage Effluent regulations have been in
effect for over a hundred years and they will continue to get
more and more stringent in the future as public awareness
grows.
However, some of the terminology and procedures involved
with sewage effluent testing can seem impenetrable to
anyone not familiar with the inside of a laboratory. To help
with this we’ve put together a quick guide to help with the
key elements that you need to know.

We’ve also compiled an ebook, ‘A Guide To Marine Sewage

Effluent Testing’ which explores the topic, regulations and
solutions in more detail. If you would like to claim a free
copy please fill in this form

PV

The Permanganate Value (PV) helps to determine the

oxygen requirement of sewage and sewage effluent before
it’s discharged. The waste can then be classified to make
sure it’s within the necessary limits.

The PV test is designed to show the oxidation of organic

material that occurs in natural waters by using potassium
permanganate under acidic conditions to accelerate the
process. The measurement is usually represented as the
quantity of oxygen consumed per litre of water: mg/L O2 or
ppm O2.

COD, BOD and TOC

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) measures the amount of

dissolved oxygen needed to break down the organic
material in a water sample.

The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is similar – both

measure the presence of compounds – but the BOD value is
more detailed as it provides a value for the oxygen needed
specifically by bacteria. The higher the BOD value, the
larger the amount of food available for oxygen-consuming
organisms.

TOC stands for Total Organic Carbon and measures the

amount of decaying matter in water. It has been used to
analyse water quality and sewage effluent since the early
1970s.

You can estimate a sample’s COD, BOD and TOC values by

converting the results of the PV test. Although the results
are not definitive, it’s a simplified and low-cost way of
carrying out the most essential quality control checks.

pH

Chemical and biological reactions in sewage greatly depend

on the amount of acid or alkaline present – the pH.
Therefore, regular checks on the pH in your sewage effluent
are essential.

These tests are carried out with a Universal test tablet and a
printed colour strip that covers a pH range between four
and ten. The expected level for your sewage effluents
should fall between six and eight.

Free, Combined and Total Chlorine

Chlorine is useful for disinfection as it kills bacteria and

viruses – it’s been used in water treatment since the early
1900s. However, it can have a harmful effect on the
environment and marine life when released in wastewater.

Free Chlorine is residual chlorine contained in water either

as dissolved gas, acid or ions. Combined Chlorine is the
concentration of chlorine that has already gone through a
chemical reaction – usually with ammonia or organic
materials. The Total Chlorine is made up of both of these
measurements together.

Bacteria Plate Test

As bacteria aren’t generally visible to the naked eye, a plate
test is a way to estimate how many are present in a water
sample.

It uses a plate containing a nutrient which allows bacteria to

colonise and grow. These will show as a red colour which
can then be counted. By using a specific measured amount
as a sample, you can then scale up the results to infer the
overall content of the effluent.

E.Coli
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria found in the
stomachs of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
There are many different strains – most of which are
harmless – but some can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain,
fever and vomiting. It can also be fatal for people with
weakened immune systems. Checking for E.Coli in sewage
effluent is therefore vital.

Testing works in a similar way to the bacterial plate. You

take a sample, add specially designed chemicals and then
wait for the results which will be either positive or negative.
If they’re positive, you should super-chlorinate your water
supply and seek further guidance.

Turbidity and Suspended Solids

The turbidity of liquid means how clear it is. Individual

particles of suspended solids will cause water to lose its
transparency and become murky in a similar way to smoke
in the air.

The suspended solids may not be visible to the naked eye

so testing the turbidity will give a measure of their content.
The test will also keep you informed about the day to day
variations in the quality of your wastewater and sewage
effluent.

The Royal Commission Standards for Effluents recommend

that the suspended solids content of sewage effluent
should not be more than 30 mg/l.

Temperature

Sewage Effluent discharge should always be as close as

possible to ambient temperatures as some biological
processes are dependent on heat. Chemical reactions – as
well as marine life – are very sensitive to even minor
variations in temperature.

Checking the temperature of your wastewater is particularly

important when it comes to industrial processes as well as
the use of hot water in showers, dishwashers, washing
machines and other regular domestic appliances.

Sewage Test Kit

If you carry out regular tests of your vessel’s sewage, you

can identify issues much earlier and correct them with the
minimum of difficulty. This is much more efficient than
waiting until a problem develops as repairing faults could
have a major impact on your operations.

The equipment in our onboard Sewage Effluent Kit makes

sure you meet the regulations in the most simple and
effective way possible – the tests are based on those
recommended by the Department of the Environment and
the Water Research Centre.
The kit provides you with only the most vital components
that will allow you to carry out essential quality control
checks, saving you time and money and increasing your
productivity. The procedures are quick and easy to perform
and don’t use complicated equipment so they’re suitable for
everyone to use.

Testing your sewage effluent needn’t be complicated or

expensive. Martek’s Sewage Effluent Kit makes it easy.

Want to know more about sewage water testing?

Download our free sewage effluent guide for more

information on sewage water legislation and testing
guidelines.

Alternatively, you can contact us to find out more.