University of Cebu

College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

CE ELCETIVE 4

WATER AND WASTEWATER ENGINEERING

(3:30 – 4:30 PM / MWF)

Group Members:

Abarquez, Jan Michael S.

Elcana, Janine C.

Zafico, Lorraine Jean M.

Engr. Federico A. Aves, Jr.

Instructor
 Aerobic Treatment

Aerobic treatment is often used as a secondary treatment process and follows an anaerobic
stage. This is because anaerobic treatment is preferred when the dissolved organic
concentrations of untreated wastewater are high.

Aerobic treatment consists of activated sludge processes or aerated pond. The size of these
can be reduced and tolerance against fluctuations and toxins can be increased by adding a step
with moving bed bioreactors (MBBR) to the active sludge treatment.

Some systems use a pre-treatment stage before the main treatment, as well as sanitizing
prior to release into the environment.

The pre-treatment process: Some systems reduce the solids that the aerobic bacteria could not
easily break to reduce the chance of clogging the system.

Main treatment: Treats household wastewater and includes both domestic grey water and
black water. Forced air from a compressor is mixed with the wastewater where the aerobic
bacteria feed on waste in the water and reproduce.

Solid wastes that the bacteria cannot process settle out as sludge. Some aerobic treatment
systems include a secondary settling tank to facilitate this process. The sludge is frequently
pumped out of the system to reduce opportunities for clogging.

Final Treatment and Disposal: This process prepares the water for return to the environment. It
may include disinfection using chlorination or UV light, discharging the water to a soil
absorption field, filtering through sand filters, drip irrigation, or evapotranspiration.

Anaerobic treatment

Anaerobic treatment is a slow process and can take up to 3 months, which may be due to
septic decomposition. Unpleasant odors may occur in this wastewater treatment process,
which Veolia resolves with its sewage treatment processes that include solutions for
physical/chemical deodorization processes and green biological control. Many applications are
directed towards the removal of organic pollution in wastewater, slurries and sludges. The
organic pollutants are converted by anaerobic micro-organisms to a gas containing methane
and carbon dioxide, known as biogas.

Anaerobic bacteria transform organic matter in the wastewater into biogas that contains large
amounts of methane gas and carbon dioxide. It is an energy-efficient process often used to
treat industrial wastewater that contains high levels of organic matter in warm temperatures. It
can be used as a pre-treatment prior to aerobic municipal wastewater treatment.