Process of waste water treatment

Sewage treatment at the plant is taken into three stages that is the pre-treatment stage,
primary stage and the secondary treatment stage

Pre-treatment stage. This involves two stages that is screening and; degreasing and degritting.

In screening, hard solid particles such as stones, plastics, large organic matter that come with
waste water are removed by the screens of the sewer network.

While in degreasing, oils which may block oxygen supply when treated waste water is released
into water body are removed. In degritting, small stones and sand which come with waste
water are removed.

Primary treatment stage. This involves two stages that is primary sedimentation which involves
separation of the solid from the liquid whereby the solid/sludge settles to the bottom and then
water is pumped to the aeration tank which is the second stage, water is exposed to oxygen so
as to allow aerobic bacteria to break down organic matter in the water. Water then flows to the
secondary sedimentation tank.

Secondary treatment. This works like the primary sedimentation tank but gives time for the
sludge that didn't settle in the primary sedimentation tank to settle, then water that overflows
is safe for disposal and then is discharged into Lake Victoria.

Main stages of water treatment.

Bar screening this involves removal of plastics, algae, and solid waste to avoid it entering the
plant which may interfere with the treatment process. After screening water moves by gravity
to the underground tanks.

Pre-chlorination, chlorine is added to water to kill the pathogens, to oxidize the algae and
remove the bad smell.

Coagulation, coagulants such as alum in solution is added to the water. These coagulants are
positively charged and thus they neutralize the negatively charged particles such a as dirt in
water, then these particles bind together to form large particles.

Flocculation this involves mixing water as well as varying the speed at which water moves
whereby speed is slowed down to foster the increase in size of the floccs. Water then flows to
the sedimentation tank.

Sedimentation.in here water enters the sedimentation tanks and is left there for some few
minutes such that the heavy solid particles/flocs plus suspended materials settle down at the
bottom of the tank and these materials that settles called sludge, are removed by the process
of desludging. This water now moves to the filters.

Filtration; in here filters of sand are used whereby water passes through the filter bed and
collects in the filter through and then water moves to the contact tank.

Post chlorination in the contact tank, water is disinfected by chlorination. Water is

continuously monitored for physio- chemical parameters such as PH and water enters the clean
water tank for storage and finally is lifted by pumps to reservoirs and distributed to the
respective areas. The distributed water contains a small percentage of chlorine which kills
pathogens found in the pipes that transport this water to the final consumer.