DIRTY RIVER WATER OR WELL

H O W E X A C T L Y D O E S WATER
O N E T R E A T M E N T
P L A N T T A K E

AND TURN IT INTO WATER

THAT IS SAFE TO DRINK?
 CHEMICALS

TOXINS
W A T E R
T R E A T M E N
T F A C I L I T Y
 ( A . )

S E L E C T I O N
1. P R E L I M I N A R Y
O F
T R E AT M E N T
T R E A T M E N T
2. A E R AT I O N

P R O C E S S 3. S E D I M E N TAT I O N
4. S L O W S A N D F I LT R AT I O N
 1 . P R E L I M I N A R Y
T R E A T M E N T

It consists of removal of floating

material like dead animals, tree
branches, papers, plastics, wood
pieces, vegetables peels, etc. and
the heavy settleable inorganic
solids.
P r e l i m i n a r y a.) Screening

t r e a t m e n t Screening is the first unit operation

used at wastewater treatment plants.
o f Screening removes objects such as
rag s, pa per, p l as t i cs , a nd met a ls t o
w a s t e w a t e r prevent damage and clogging of
downstream equipment, piping, and
i n c l u d e s : appurtenances. Some modern 
wastewater treatment plants use both
coarse screens and fine screens.
 b . ) C o m m i n u t o r s

• The larger suspended solids

are reduced to smaller size by
comminutors rather than
removing by screens. The
comminutors are usually
provided in large plants.
Comminutor consists of a
fixed screen and a moving
cuter or curved screen with
r o t a t i n g o r o s c i l l a t i n g c u t t e r.
c . ) G r i t C h a m b e r
• Grits are heavy inorganic solids such as
sand, metal fragments, eggshells of
specific gravity ranging from 2 -2.65.
They cause excessive wear during
different treatment stages and therefore
must be removed. A grit chamber may be
horizontal flow or vertical flow and is
manually or mechanically cleaned. Grit of
a properly designed and operated
chamber is free from organic matters
which may be used as land fill. If grit
contains organics in high proportion, it is
disposed of by burial or used as manure.
 2 . A E R A T I O N

W AT E R A E R AT I O N I S T H E
PROCESS OF INCREASING OR
M A I N TA I N I N G T H E O X Y G E N
S AT U R AT I O N O F W AT E R I N
B O T H N AT U R A L A N D A R T I F I C I A L
E N V I R O N M E N T S . A E R AT I O N
T E C H N I Q U E S A R E C O M M O N LY
USED IN POND, LAKE, AND
RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT TO
ADDRESS LOW OXYGEN
LEVELS OR ALGAL BLOOMS. 
Why is Aeration Important for Wastewater Treatment?

- Aeration is the most critical component of a treatment system using the activated sludge process. A well
designed aeration system has a direct impact on the level of wastewater treatment it achieves. An ample and
evenly distributed oxygen supply in an aeration system is the key to rapid, economically-viable, and effective
wastewater treatment.

When is Aeration Used?

- In municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, aeration is part of the stage known as the secondary

treatment process. The activated sludge process is the most common option in secondary treatment. Aeration in
an activated sludge process is based on pumping air into a tank, which promotes the microbial growth in the
wastewater. The microbes feed on the organic material, forming flocks which can easily settle out. After
settling in a separate settling tank, bacteria forming the “activated sludge" flocks are continually recirculated
back to the aeration basin to increase the rate of decomposition.
How does Aeration Work?

- Aeration provides oxygen to bacteria for treating and stabilizing the wastewater. Oxygen is needed by the
bacteria to allow biodegradation to occur. The supplied oxygen is utilised by bacteria in the wastewater to break
down the organic matter containing carbon to form carbon dioxide and water. Without the presence of sufficient
oxygen, bacteria are not able to biodegrade the incoming organic matter in a reasonable time. In the absence of
dissolved oxygen, degradation must occur under septic conditions which are slow, odorous, and yield incomplete
conversions of pollutants. Under septic conditions, some of the biological process convert hydrogen and sulphur
to form hydrogen sulphide and transform carbon into methane. Other carbon will be converted to organic acids
that create low pH conditions in the basin and make the water more difficult to treat and promote odour
formation. Bio-degradation of organic matter in the absence of oxygen is a very slow biological process.
 3 . S E D I M E N T A T I O N

Sedimentation is the tendency for

particles in suspension to settle out
of the fluid in which they
are entrained and come to rest
a g ai ns t a b ar r i er. T h i s i s d u e t o t h ei r
motion through the fluid in response
to the forces acting on them: these
forces can be due
t o   g r a v i t y,   c e n t r i f u g a l a c c e l e r a t i o n ,
or electromagnetism. 
T Y P E S O F S E D I M E N T A T I O N T A N K S

• Sedimentation water treatment requires the use of specialized tanks. A

sedimentation tank provides the necessary support to make sure that
the particles settle. Sedimentation will happen naturally over time, but
water treatment requires a tank to streamline the process.
• Horizontal Flow Tank

Horizontal flow tanks are the simplest option. These rectangular tanks allow water to flow horizontally,
ensuring that particles are separated from the water during the movement through the tank. This way,
the sediment has been collected before the water leaves the far end of the tank. The tank is equipped to
clean the sediment out periodically in order to allow the process to continue.
• Multi-Layer Tank

A variation of the horizontal flow tank is the multi-layer tank. The process is still
the same in a multi-layer tank. However, multiple decks have been built in the
tank. Water is passed from one layer to the next until the sediment is properly
separated.
• Radial Flow Tank

Radial flow tanks approach this process differently. These tanks are circular,
and sediment is moved centrally to be collected and discharged. Radial
tanks can be enhanced for flocculation and recirculation in some cases.
• Settling Tank
Another tool used for sedimentation is a settling tank. A settling tank is inclined to assist with the
collection of sediment. Inclined settling tanks can be unhindered, which means they may work
without additional mechanical stimulation. Instead, the process is facilitated by the size of the
tank, the depth of the water and the placement of the inclined plates at the bottom. The flow of
the water can move in multiple directions depending on the sedimentation needs.
3 . S L O W S A N D F I L T R A T I O N

Slow sand filtration is a type of centralized

or semi-centralized water purification
system. A well-designed and properly
maintained slow sand filter (SSF) effectively
removes turbidity and pathogenic organisms
through various biological, physical and
chemical processes in a single treatment step.
Only under the prevalence of a significantly
high degree of turbidity or algae-
contamination, pre-treatment measures
become necessary.
ADVANTAGES
• Very effective removal of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, turbidity and
heavy metals in contaminated fresh water.
• Simplicity of design and high self-help compatibility: construction,
operation and maintenance only require basic skills and knowledge and
minimal effort
• If constructed with gravity flow only, no (electrical) pumps required
• Local materials can be used for construction
• High reliability and ability to withstand fluctuations in water quality
• No necessity for the application of chemicals
• Easy to install in rural, semi-urban and remote areas, Simplicity of
design and operation
• Long lifespan (estimated >10 years)
DISADVANTAGES

• Cold temperatures lower the efficiency of the process due to a decrease in

biological activity
• Loss of productivity during the relatively long filter skimming and
ripening periods
• Very regular maintenance essential; some basic equipment or ready-made
test kits required to monitor some physical and chemical parameters
• Requirement of a large land area, large quantities of filter media and
manual labour for cleaning.
THANK YOU!
STAY SAFE 

REPORTERS:
DANNAH MAY C. LAJOT
DARLA SHUNEA Z. TORRES