Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater
• used water
• including industrial liquid waste and
sewage waste that is collected in
towns and urban areas
What is the existing situation of wastewater in
the Philippines?
• In the Philippines, less than 10% of the population has
access to piped sewerage systems. For those without
access to a sewerage system, septic tanks are the main
sanitation technology to contain wastewater both in urban
and rural areas.
• According to water.org (n.d.), out of its population of
115 million people in the Philippines, 60 million people
(52% of the population) lack access to safe water and 43
million people (37%) lack access to a safe toilet.
Characteristics of Wastewater
1. Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Domestic Wastewater
 Physical Attributes: Wastewater exhibits
various physical characteristics, including:
o Color: Fresh wastewater is usually brown
or yellowish, but turns darker over time.
o Odor: Wastewater often has a strong
unpleasant odor due to organic matter
decomposition.
o Temperature: Wastewater tends to be
warmer than the source water due to
increased biological activity.
o Turbidity: The cloudiness of the water
caused by suspended particles.
 Chemical Attributes: The chemical composition of
wastewater includes a wide range of compounds,
which are:
o pH: Wastewater can be slightly acidic or alkaline
depending on the source. Industrial wastes can
have extreme pH levels.
o Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): The amount of
inorganic salts and organic matter dissolved in
the water.
o Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): An indicator
of the total amount of organic matter present,
both biodegradable and non-biodegradable.
o Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): The
amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to
decompose organic matter in a specific time
(usually 5 days).
Characteristics of Wastewater
2. Industrial Wastewater
 Pollutant Concentrations: Industrial wastewater contains diverse pollutants
at varying concentrations, reflecting the wide variety of pollutants and levels
found in different industries.
 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has grouped the pollutants
into three categories:
o conventional pollutants - are typically found in various industrial
processes and are considered conventional due to their widespread
presence in wastewater.
o nonconventional pollutants - may be specific to certain industries and
are not as universally present as conventional pollutants.
o priority pollutants - are a specific list of 126 toxic pollutants identified by
the EPA as posing a significant threat to human health and the
environment. This list includes substances such as heavy metals, organic
compounds, and other hazardous materials. The presence of priority
pollutants in wastewater is closely monitored and regulated due to their
potential adverse effects.
Wastewater
Treatment
• the process of removing pollutants
from sewage or wastewater so that
it can be safely returned to the
natural environment. Once the
water is cleaned and treated, it can
be reused for various purposes
such as agriculture, industry, and
domestic use.
 Wastewater Treatment Process
in the Philippines
Wastewater treatment plants in the Philippines work in several stages:
1. Pre-treatment:
• Screening: involves removing large solids such as branches, leaves, plastics, and rags using
mechanical bar screens. The screenings are then transported to a landfill site.
• Grit Removal: removes heavy materials such as sand and gravel settle in grit chambers due to
gravity, protecting pumps and pipes from wear.
2. Primary Treatment:
• Primary Clarification allows solids to settle out of the water stream while floating material such
as grease are skimmed off.
3. Secondary Treatment:
• It is where the microorganisms break down remaining organic matter through biological processes.
4. Sludge Treatment:
• Sludge Handling equipment is used to remove excess solids so that treated water can be
discharged into natural bodies of water or reused for irrigation purposes.
Wastewater Treatment Standards
in the Philippines
• In the Philippines, wastewater treatment standards are governed by several regulations. The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) published the Administrative Order (AO)
No. 2021-19 “Updated Water Quality Guidelines (WQG) and General Effluent Standards (GES) for
Selected Parameters” on June 30, 2021.
o The standards are based on the classification of Philippine water bodies. These classifications
(e.g., Class A, Class B) determine the designated uses of the water (e.g., public water supply,
recreation) and the corresponding water quality requirements.
o The stricter the water body classification (higher class), the stricter the effluent limitations for
discharges.
o The WQG & GES sets limitations on various parameters like Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD),
Fecal Coliform, pH, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
• The Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Administrative Order No. 26 approved on 2007 is
implementing safe use of wastewater in agriculture such as irrigation, fishery production, and fertilizer.