Excreta Disposal/Wastewater

Management Systems

Norbert E. Campbell: MPH

Lecturer
Dept. of Community Health &
Psychiatry
UWI, Mona
Tel. 970-6614; 927-2476

Email: norbert.campbell02
@uwimona.edu.jm
 Objectives
 Define key terms such as BOD, COD,
Eutrofication
 Differentiate between on-site and municipal
wastewater treatment systems
 Identify and discuss factors that influence
the use of municipal wastewater treatment
systems
 Distinguish between primary, secondary
and tertiary treatment processes
 Describe at least two (2) secondary
wastewater treatment systems
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
 Use of biological, chemical and physical
processes to remove pollutants.

 Sewage treatment plants are designed to

remove pollutants in the following order:
- Suspended solids
- Dissolved biodegradable
organic matter
- Inorganic nutrients
 Key terms/Definitions (1)
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand(BOD):
A measure of the amount of free oxygen
(in parts per million (ppm) or mg/m3) )
required by aerobic microorganisms to
decompose the organic matter in a sample
of water biologically, usually within 5 days
at 200 C.; it is used as a measure of the
degree of water pollution.
 Key terms/Definitions (2)
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD):
 A measure of the amount of oxygen
chemically (rather than biologically)
consumed under specific conditions
in the oxidation of organic and
oxidizable inorganic materials in
wastewater. (COD usually measured
in relation to industrial wastes.)

 `
 Key terms/Definitions (3)
 Suspended Solids (SS): Those solids
that are visible and in suspension in
water.

 Eutrophication : Describes over-

enrichment of a water body with
nutrients, resulting in excessive growth
of organisms and the depletion of the
oxygen concentration.

 Influent and Effluent

 Wastewater Treatment
Processes
 Preliminary Treatment

 Primary Treatment

 Secondary Treatment

 Tertiary Treatment
 PRELIMINARY TREATMENT
 Screens (1-3 cm)

 Grit Chamber- Removes abrasive

suspended materials such as sand.

 Comminutor – Shreds materials not

removed by screens
 PRIMARY TREATMENT
 Primary sedimentation operation

 Detention time of 1-2 hours

 Removes 50-75% of suspended

solids

 Accounts for the removal of 40-50%

of biodegradable pollutants
 Primary sedimentation tank

.
 SECONDARY TREATMENT
 Removes dissolved organic pollutants

 Controlled microbial biodegradation to

remove pollutants

 Biodegradable pollutants serve as food for

microorganisms

 Sludge is produced
 SECONDARY TREATMENT (2)
 Typical designs include :

- Oxidation/Stabilization Ponds/Beds
or Lagoons,
- Trickling Filters,
- Rotating Biological Contactors,
- Extended Aeration/Activated Sludge
systems.

 Frequently followed by chlorination.

 Secondary Treatment System

Chlorination
 Activated Sludge/Extended
Aeration System
.
Air-handling Units for Extended
Aeration System
Stand-by Generator for Extended
Aeration Plant
Effluent Quality from Extended
Aeration System
Extended Aeration Plant in disrepair
–high operation and maintenance
cost
Trickling Filter (UWI STP)
Oxidation/Stabilization Pond
Oxidation Ponds: Greater
Portmore
 System Capability

 Activated sludge systems can remove 90-

99% of viruses, bacteria and cholera vibrio
while trickling filters can remove 90-95% but
neither can remove leptospires.

 Stabilization Ponds (with >25 days retention)

can remove all viruses, bacteria, vibrio and
leptospires
 TERTIARY TREATMENT
 Removal of nutrients (Phosphorus &
Nitrogen)

 Phosphorus –microbiological removal by

heterotrophic or autotrophic organisms
 Nitrogen – Biological removal by 2 successive
steps:
- Nitrification - bio-oxidation of ammonia
to nitrate.
- De-nitrification - Biological reduction of
nitrate to nitrogen gas.
 Relevant Legislation
 National Resources Conservation Act
(NRCA), 1991

 Public Health Act 1974, amended in

1985
 National Water Commission Act,
1963, amended 1965, 1973, 1980

 Water Resources Act, 1995

 National Sewage Effluent
Standards, Jamaica
Parameter Effluent standard
BOD5 20 mg/L
COD 100 mg/L
TSS 20 mg/L
Total Nitrogen 10 mg/L
Total phosphates 4 mg/L
pH 6-9
Fecal coliform 200 MPN/100ml
Residual chlorine 1.5 mg/L (ppm)
 Summary
 Wastewater treatment employs biological,
chemical and physical processes to remove
pollutants.
 There are three (3) distinct treatment
processes.
 Numerous secondary treatment systems
exist but a number of factors determine
which system is used.
 Tertiary treatment involves the removal of
nutrients.
 Standards govern the quality of the effluent
that is discharged to receiving waters.