Sewage Treatment

Operations and Maintenance

Overview and Legal Requirements
What is Pollution?
It is the alteration of the physical, chemical and/or biological properties of any water, air and/or land
resources of the Philippines, or
Any discharge thereto of any liquid, gaseous or solid waste that will or is likely to create or render such
water, air, and land resources harmful, detrimental or injurious to public health, safety, or welfare.
What is Wastewater
The spent or used water of a community or industry containing dissolved and suspended matter.
Any liquid wastes collected in sewer system and conveyed to a treatment plant for processing.
Also called Sewage
Sewage
Sanitary Sewage Also known as Domestic Sewage, which originates in the sanitary conveniences of
dwellings, commercial or industrial facilities, and institutions.
Industrial Waste Includes the liquid discharges from industrial processes such as manufacturing and
food processing.
Storm Sewage Liquid flowing in sewers during or following a period of rainfall and resulting there
from.
Infiltration Water which enters the sewers from the ground through leaks
Inflow Water which enters the sewers from surface sources such as cracks in manholes, open
cleanouts, perforated manhole covers and rain drains or basement sumps connected to sewers.
Wastewater Collection System
Composed of a network of sewer pipes, conduits, tunnels, structures, devices, equipment, and
appurtenances for the collection, transportation and pumping of wastewater.
Wastewater Collection System
3 Principal Types of Municipal Sewers
Sanitary Sewer - Receive wastewater from residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial sources,
with small quantities of groundwater infiltration and stormwater inflow
Storm Sewer Convey stormwater runoff and other drainage while excluding sanitary wastes
Combined Sewer Convey both sanitary wastes and stormwater
What is the primary objective of WWTP/STP Operation?
To meet the permit requirements; or
To meet the applicable requirements of regulatory agencies for groundwater protection, if facility is
nondischarging.
Considerations in Establishing Treatment Requirements
Prevention of disease
Prevention of nuisances
Avoidance of water supply contamination
Elimination of all pollutant discharges to navigable waters
Considerations in Establishing Treatment Requirements
Maintaining clean waters for the propagation and survival of fish and other aquatic life
Protection of waters for personal bathing and recreational use
Preservation of pristine waters for ecosystem
Conservation of water
Treatment Process
Preliminary Treatment
Removes materials that might harm the headworks or impair operation of downstream processes.

Substances typically removed include hydrogen sulfide, wood cardboard, rags, plastic, grit, grease, and
scum.
Methods and equipment used may include chemical addition, preaeration, bar racks, screens and
shredding devices, and grit chambers.
Primary Treatment
Removes suspended and floating material.
May remove as much as 60-75% of the influent suspended solids and up to 20-35% of the total BOD5.
Secondary Treatment
Reduces the concentration of dissolved and colloidal organic substances and suspended matter in
wastewater.
Mostly involve biological treatment.
Classified as attached growth or suspended growth systems.
Final settling and other methods, such as flotation, are used to remove high concentrations of biological
solids in suspension (liquid-solid separation process).
Physical-Chemical Treatment
May be used although few, if any,WTP use physical or chemical process alone.
Physical Processes include screening, sedimentation, and filtration.
Chemical Processes include chemical coagulation and precipitation.
Advance Wastewater Treatment
Also called Tertiary Treatment.
May be used to reduce the concentrations of nutrients, nitrogen or phosphorous, and soluble organic
substances to levels below those normally attained through secondary treatment.
May include physical, chemical, or biological process, or a combination of these.
Disinfection
Inactivates or destroys pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and amoebic cysts commonly found in wastewater.
May be classified as natural, chemical, physical, or radiation.
Historically, chemical treatment using chlorine has dominated wastewater disinfection practices.
Ozonation and UV radiation are gaining acceptance due to concerns with safety of chlorine and the
requirement of dechlorination of some discharges.
Effluent Discharge/Reuse
The method of effluent discharge or reuse and the required effluent quality influence the selection and
operation of the various unit processes.
Possible discharge methods include direct discharge to receiving waters, percolation, wetlands, land
application, deep well injection, and groundwater discharge.
Residuals Management
Settled solids (sludge) accumulated and separated from the liquid must be treated before disposal.
Unstable and putrescible, and contain pathogenic organisms.
Types of Residues
Three General Types
Primary Sludges
Biological Sludges
Chemical Sludges
After specific treatment
Thickened Sludge
Digested Sludge
Dewatered Sludge
Composed Sludge
Sludge

Primary Sludge
Range from 40-60% of the influent SS
Have a concentration of 2-6% solids when removed from the primary clarifiers
Biological Sludge
Composed largely of microorganisms
Concentration of 0.5-1.5% solids
Chemical Sludge
Characteristics depend on the type of chemical (alum, ferric salts, or lime) used.
Treatment Process
Thickening
Digestion
Chemical Stabilization
Dewatering
Incineration
Composting
Heat Drying
Thickening
Involves volume reduction by removal of water
Thickening technologies include gravity thickening (often used in primary and chemical sludge),
dissolved air flotation thickening, centrifugation, gravity belt thickening, and rotating-drum thickening.
Solids concentration of thickened sludge typically ranges from 1.5-8% solids.
Stabilization by Digestion
A means of stabilization, reduces the volatile content and pathogen count
Producing less odorous and putrescible material
Typical technologies include anaerobic and aerobic digestion.
Approximately 30-60% of volatile solids are destroyed in anaerobic digestion.
Offgas produced contains approximately 65% methane, which may be collected and used as fuel.
Aerobic digestion forms carbon dioxide, water, and ammonia.
Chemical Stabilization
Generally consists of raising the pH of the sludge to more than 11.0 to reduce pathogens and odors.
Most commonly used chemical is lime.
Dewatering
Further reduces volume and weight
Dewatering equipment includes:
belt filter presses (15-25%),
sand drying beds (10-50%),
vacuum-assisted drying beds (10-15%),
centrifuges (15-25%),
plate and frame filter presses (30-60%), and
vacuum filters (12-30%).
Composting
Reduces both volume and odors, and destroys pathogens.
Three types
Windrow (for digested solids)
Aerated Static Pile (for undigested solids)
In-vessel (for undigested solids)
Requires bulking agent such as wood, chips, leaves, or sawdust.
Heat Drying

Also used to reduce volume, and destroy pathogens.

Heat Drying processes include:
Flash-Drying System
Rotary System
Spray Drying System
Incineration
Greatly reduces solids volume, and destroys pathogens and many organic toxic substances as well.
Incineration processes include:
Multiple-hearth
Fluidized Bed
Electric
Cyclone Furnaces
Ultimate Solid Use or Disposal
Solids must be used or disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner after treatment.
Use or Disposal alternatives include:
Surface disposal in a landfill
Land application for a beneficial purpose
Incineration

Sewage Treatment
Operations and Maintenance
PD 856
Code on Sanitation of the Philippines
Chapter 17
Sewage Collection and Disposal, Excreta Disposal and Drainage
Sec. 72. Scope of Supervision of the Department
The approval of the Secretary or his duly authorized representative is required in the following
matters:
a. Construction of any approved type of toilet for every house including community toilet which may
be allowed for a group of small houses of light materials or temporary in nature;
b. Plans of individual sewage disposal system and the sub-surface absorption system, or other
treatment device;
c. Location of any toilet or sewage disposal system in relation to a source of water supply;
Sec. 72. Scope of Supervision of the Department.
The approval of the Secretary or his duly authorized representative is required in the following
matters:
d. Plans, design data and specifications of a new or existing sewerage system or sewage treatment
plant;
e. The discharge of untreated effluent of septic tanks and or sewage treatment plants to bodies of
water;
f. Manufacture of septic tanks; and
g. Method of disposal of sludge from septic tanks or other treatment plants.
Sec. 73. Operation of Sewage Treatment Works
Private or public sewerage systems shall:
a. Provide laboratory facilities for control tests and other examinations needed;
b. Forward to the local health authority in case of breakdown or improper functioning of the sewage
treatment works;

c. Inform the local health authority in case of breakdown or improper functioning

of the sewage treatment work; and
d. Provide for the treatment of all sewage entering the treatment plant.
Sec. 74. Requirements in the Operation of Sewerage Works and Sewage Treatment Plants
The following are required for sewerage works and sewage treatment plants:
a. All houses covered by the system shall be connected to the sewer in areas where a sewerage
system is available.
b. Outfalls discharging effluent from a treatment plant shall be carried to the channel of the steam or
to deep water where the outlet is discharged.
c. Storm water shall discharged to a storm sewer, sanitary sewage shall be discharged to a sewerage
only; but this should not prevent the installation of a combined system.
d. Properly designed grease traps shall be provided for sewers from restaurants or other
establishments where the sewerage carries a large amount of grease.
Sec. 75. Septic Tanks
Where a public sewerage system is not available, sewer outfalls from residences, schools, and other
building s shall discharged into a septic tank to be constructed in accordance with the following
minimum requirements
Sec. 76. Disposal of Septic Tank Effluent
The effluent from septic tanks shall be discharged into a subsurfaced soil, absorption field where
applicable or shall be treated with some type of a purification device. The treated effluent may be
discharged into a stream or body of water if it conforms to the quality standards prescribe by the
National Water and Air Pollution Control Commission.
Sec. 77. Determination of Septic Tanks Capacity
The septic tank capacity may be determined from the estimated unit flow contained in Table I
"Quantities of Sewage Flow", based on adequate detention time interval resulting in efficient
sedimentation. Daily flow from mattered results, may be used as estimated flow when available. For
edifices with occupants, the number of persons to be served shall be computed on the number of
rooms with each room considered as occupied by two persons or in the basis of the actual number of
persons served by the tank, whichever is greater.
Chapter 17 of PD 856
Sec. 78. Sanitary Privies
Sec. 79. Drainage
Sec. 80. Special Precaution for Radioactive Excreta and Urine of Hospitalized Patient