Wastewater Treatment

Overhead View of a Wastewater Treatment

Plant
Levels of Wastewater Treatment

Advanced
Treatment

Secondary
Treatment

Primary Treatment

Preliminary
Treatment
 Preliminary Treatment
Removal of wastewater constituents that
may cause maintenance or operational
problems with the treatment operations and
processes
Treatment operations include pumping
systems
Examples: Screening, Grit Chamber,
Floatation
 Primary Treatment
A portion of suspended solids and organic matter
is removed in this level
About 60% of suspended solids and 35% BOD5 is
removed in this level of wastewater treatment
Removal of suspended solids and BOD5 is
accomplished with physical operations such as
sedimentation
Primary treatment is a precursor of secondary
treatment system
 Secondary Treatment
This level speeds up the natural processes so that
breakdown of biodegradable organics is achieved in
a short time
It may remove upto 85% of suspended solids and
BOD5 Secondary wastewater treatment processes do
not remove significant amounts of nitrogen,
phosphorus or heavy metals and pathogenic
organisms
Secondary treatment processes include biological
treatment by activated sludge, lagoon systems
 Advanced Treatment
It is defined as the level of treatment required beyond
conventional secondary treatment to remove nutrients,
toxic compounds and increased amount of organic
matter and suspended solids
Process may include chemical treatment and filtration of
wastewater and also application of secondary effluent to
the land
Some of the processes can remove up to 99% of BOD5,
nutrients, solids and pathogens
They can produce a sparkling clean, colourless and
odourless effluent
 Layout of a Conventional
Treatment Plant
Preliminary Primary Secondary
 Secondary Treatment

Biological Treatment

In attached
growth
Suspended Attached Growth systems, the
Growth Systems Systems organisms are
In attached to a
suspended support
growth structure
systems the
organisms Examples: Trickling
Examples: Activated
and waste filters, Rotating
are mixed Sludge, Ponds
together
biological contactors
Conventional Trickling Filter Plant
Attached Growth System
Conventional Activated Sludge Plant
Suspended Growth System