WASTEWATER POND BASED TREATMENT SYSTEM

SUDIPTA SARKAR
PRADEEP KUMAR

STABILIZATION PONDS

Waste or Wastewater Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) are artificial man-made

lagoons in which blackwater, greywater or faecal sludge are treated by
natural occurring processes and the influence of solar light, wind,
microorganisms and algae.
These are natural or semi-engineered processes for cost-effective
wastewater treatment where required degree of treatment is achieved with
minimal use of mechanical, civil and electrical facilities. These are popular
for small communities because of their low construction and operating
costs.
These are essentially biological treatment processes with natural facilities
spread over a vast area of land.
The effluent still contains nutrients (e.g. N and P) and is therefore
appropriate for the reuse in agriculture (irrigation) or aquaculture (e.g. fishor macrophyte ponds) but not for direct recharge in surface waters.
The ponds can be used individually or in series of an anaerobic, facultative
and aerobic (maturation) pond.

TYPES OF STABILIZATION PONDS

1. Anaerobic Ponds
Anaerobic Ponds

2. Facultative Ponds

3. Aerobic Ponds 4. Maturation Ponds

Anaerobic Treatment Ponds are deep ponds (2 to 5 m) devoid of dissolved

oxygen, where sludge is deposited on the bottom and anaerobic bacteria break
down the organic matter by anaerobic digestion, releasing methane and carbon
dioxide.

BOD Loading:
400-3000 kg/(ha.d)
Detention Period: 5 -50 days
BOD removal efficiency: 50-85%

Volume can also

NH3 80 mg
be calculated
considering organic loading
in the range of 100 to 350 g
BOD/m3/day
The anaerobic pond serves to:
a)Settle undigested material and non-degradable solids as bottom sludge
b)Dissolve organic material
c)Break down biodegradable organic material

NH3-N/L

Aerobic Ponds
These are shallow earthen basins for
natural treatment systems using both
algae and bacteria

New Algae

Algae

Sunlight

CO2, NH3
PO4, H2O

Two types of aerobic ponds are used: Organic Matter O2

1. Maximize algal growth; depth is
New
provided 150 to 450 mm
Bacteria
Bacteria
2. Maximize oxygen concentration;
Symbiotic relationships
depth is up to 1.5 m
between algae and bacteria

The algal production of oxygen occurs near the surface of aerobic ponds to the
depth to which light can penetrate (i.e. typically up to 500 mm). Additional oxygen
can be introduced by wind due to vertical mixing of the water. Oxygen is unable to
be maintained at the lower layers if the pond is too deep, and the color too dark to
allow light to penetrate fully

BOD5 conversion efficiency is around 95%. Soluble BOD5 are removed, but can
result in suspended matters in the effluent containing algae and bacteria
Typical BOD5 loading is 40-120 kg/(ha.d). Contents need to be periodically mixed in
order to avoid formation of anaerobic zones and to obtain best results.

Facultative Ponds
It functions aerobically at the
surface but anaerobic conditions Facultative= aerobic + anaerobic
prevail at the bottom. The aerobic
zone kept at the top is effective
against release of odorous gases. It
is most suited pond treatment
method.

Facultative

There is a diurnal variation in the

concentration of dissolved oxygen.
At peak sun radiation, the pond
will be mostly aerobic due to algal
CO2+NH3+CH4
activity, while at sunrise the pond
will be predominantly anaerobic.
Daytime pH is high, as algae use bicarbonate ions to convert to new algae. NH3
produced due to anaerobic digestion volatilizes out to atmosphere. pH above 9 also
ensures killing of pathogens and E. Coli present in wastewater.
FPs help to: a) treat wastewater through sedimentation and aerobic oxidation of
organic material b)Reduce odor c)Reduce some disease-causing microorganisms if
pH raises d) Store residues as bottom sludge

Maturation Pond
These are essentially designed for pathogen removal and retaining suspended stabilized
solids.
The principal mechanisms for fecal bacterial removal in facultative and maturation ponds are
HRT, temperature, high pH (> 9), and high light intensity. Fecal bacteria and other pathogens
die off due to the high temperature, high pH or radiation of the sun leading to solar
disinfection
Maturation ponds are shallower (1 to 1.5 m), with 1 m being optimal. The recommended
hydraulic retention time is 15 to 20 days. If used in combination with algae and/or fish
harvesting, this type of pond is also effective at removing the majority of nitrogen and
phosphorus from the effluent.

DESIGN OF A FACULTATIVE POND (AS PER IS 5611)

Permissible BOD loading at different latitudes*
Step 1. Find out permissible organic loading in
the system based on the latitude of the place
from the table.

Latitude (N) Organic loading

degree
(kg BOD5/ha.d)
36

150

Step 2. Find out the modified organic loading

based on the elevation of the place above
MSL using the following formula
Modified BOD Loading

32

175

28

200

24

225

20

250

16

275

12

300

325

BOD Loading based on latitude

(1 3 *10 4 EL)
EL is the elevation of the place from MSL, m

*Based on MSL and 75% clear sky

Step 3. Find out the surface area of the stabilization pond based on the modified
BOD loading rate.
Step 4. Modify the surface area based on the following formula
Modified Surface area (75 - percentage sky clearance factor) * 0.03
1
* surface area
10

Step 2. Find out the detention period using the formula and then ideal volume
using following equations: Neither plug flow nor
For completely
mixed system

completely mixed systems

Le

Li

4a.e

1
2d

For plug flow

Le
k1t
Le
1

e
a
a

2 2d
2
Li
1 a .e (1 a) .e 2 d
Li 1 k1t
Le and Li are effluent and influent BOD5, t is the detention time, k1 is substrate
removal rate constant. K1 is also temperature dependent, standard value being at
20 deg C around 0.03 to 0.2 per day. Temperature correction coefficient 1.035
Natural and constructed systems do not exactly follow either plug flow or completely
mixed systems, hence corrections in the form of dispersion numbers are to be
incorporated.
Ideally, the system becomes
D
completely mixed system when d=
d
Dispersion Number
uL
and at d= 0, system becomes a plug
flow reactor. Practically for d> 3.0, it is
a 1 4k1td
considered a completely mixed
D= Axial dispersion coefficient, length2/time
system, for d<0.5, it is considered to
u= flow velocity, length/time
approach a plug flow
L= Length of flow, length

Step 3. Find out the surface area and the depth. The optimal depth is 1.5 m. If the
calculation shows less than 1 m depth, minimum depth to be provided is 1 m.
Step 4. calculate sludge accumulation based on the design data of accumulation
rate of 0.07 cum/ person/ year. The de-sludging period is normally taken to be
equal to 6-12 years. Add depth for accumulation of sludge.

Step 5. Find out the sizes of the stabilization pond. Find out the size based on the
dispersion number found out. Provide a free board of 0.5 m to 1 m.
Estimated values of Dispersion Numbers
D/uL at different Length to Width ratio
Ponds

Approximate range Typical Mixing

of D/uL values
Condition

L:W = 1:1 to 4:1

3.0-4.0 and more

Completely mixed

L:W = 8:1 or more

0.2-0.6

Approaching plug
flow

Two or three ponds 0.2-0.6 (overall)

in series

Approaching plug
flow

Step 5. pathogenic bacteria reduction is found out by the following formula

Ne
1

N i (1 kbt ) n

Kb= 2.0 at 20 deg C

n= number of ponds in series

Temperature correction coefficient is 1.19

k1.t

Percentage Remaining, (Le/Li)*100

DESIGN OF A FACULTATIVE POND

Design a facultative stabilization pond to treat 5000 m3/d municipal wastewater, BOD5 230
mg/L, from a town with population of 20,000, located in Central India, latitude 22 deg N,
elevation 100m above mean sea level (MSL). The average temperature in January is 18 deg C.
The effluent from the pond is to be used for irrigation. Consider that de-sludging interval is
equal to 6 years. Irrigation waters have a limit of BOD5 of 100 mg/L. Consider a dispersion
number of 3.0 for the design purpose. Take substrate removal rate constant as 0.2/d and its
temperature correction as 1.035.
Allowable organic loading rate at 22 deg N = 237.5 kg BOD5/(ha.d)
Modified Organic loading rate

(From the chart)

BOD Loading based on latitude

(1 3 X 10 4 * EL)
237.5

230.6 kg BOD5/(ha.d)
4
(1 3 X 10 *100)

Incoming BOD load = 5000 m3/d* 230 mg/L = 1150 kg/day

Surface area required for the pond

K1 at 18 deg C

1150 kg/d
49874 m 2
230.6 kg BOD5 /(ha.d)

0.2 * (1.035)18 20 0.187 / d

Le 100

0.435
Li 230

From the chart, k1t=1.4

1.4
7.5 days
0.187

Volume of the tank = 5000 m3/day * 7.5 days = 37500 m3

Depth of the tank =

( < 1m)
37500
0.75 m
49874

Provide a minimum depth of 1m

Sludge accumulation rate = 0.07 cum/ person/year * 20000 = 1400 cum/year
Desludging interval is 6 years
Extra Depth to be provided =

Add 0.5 m as freeboard

Provide L:W = 2:1

Sludge storage volume = 1400* 6 = 8400 cum

8400
0.17 m
49874
Total Depth = 1 + 0.5 + 0.17 m = 1.67 m

Size of the tank = 158 m X 316 m