By

Dr Emmanuel Odjadjare

MICROBIOLOGY OF SEWAGE TREATMENT & DISPOSAL

Introduction
Industrial revolution and population growth has resulted

in the generation of increasingly large volume of wastes

These wastes contain pollutants which may be harmful to

the environment and public health

Hence the essence of treating waste is to eliminate or

drastically reduce pollutant content before discharge

Our focus in this class shall be on treatment and disposal

of sewage/wastewater
Sewage is used interchangeably with wastewaster in

course of this presentation

Outline
Types of sewage treatment facilities Activated sludge system

Microbiology of activated sludge

Stages of treatment of wastewater Regulatory standards for wastewater effluent quality

Effectiveness of wastewater treatment

Consequences of inadequate wastewater treatment Microbial pathogens in wastewater

Types of Sewage Treatment Facilities

Sewage treatment facilities vary from country to country

and from community to community within the same country

It also varies with social status
The degree of treatment vary with the end use or

application of the sewage

Oxidation ponds
They are effective, low-cost, and simple technology for

reducing the BOD of a wastewater before it is discharged to an aquatic ecosystem

It consists of ring or oval shaped channel equipped with

mechanical aeration devices

Screened sewage entering the pond, is aerated by

mechanical devices
Oxidation ponds typically operate in an extended aeration

mode with long detention and solids retention times

Anaerobic pond
Consists of a relatively deep (3-4 m) pond which ensures

anaerobiosis
The process is mediated by anaerobic bacteria; producing

CH4 & CO2,

Used prior to aerobic treatment, an anaerobic system can be

very effective and economical for removing high concentrations of BOD5 and COD
Works well in warm climates
Can remove up to 60% BOD @ 20 oC & as much as 75% at

25oC

Aerobic ponds
This wastewater treatment facility contains bacteria and

algae in suspension
maintains aerobic conditions throughout its depth There are two types of aerobic ponds: shallow ponds aerated ponds

Shallow pond
Shallow aerobic ponds obtain their dissolved oxygen via two

processes:
oxygen transfer between air and water surface, and oxygen produced by photosynthetic algae Can remove up 95% soluble BOD effluent contains large amount of algae

Aerated ponds
It is similar to an oxidation pond except that it is deeper

and mechanical aeration devices are used to transfer oxygen into the deeper portions of the pond
The aeration device also facilitates a proper mix of the

wastewater and bacteria

The main advantage of the aerated pond is that they

require less area than oxidation ponds

The disadvantage is that the mechanical aeration devices

require maintenance and external energy source

Facultative ponds
Ponds operate in a facultative manner having aerobic and

anaerobic zones
Solids from the incoming waste settle into the anaerobic

sludge near the bottom of the pond and are degraded anaerobically
releasing soluble degradable organic material and

nutrients which diffuse upwards in the pond

oxygen is supplied by algal photosynthesis and to a limited

extent by diffusion from the air

bacterial respiration is "facultative at middle zone

Trickling filter
Consists of a bed of porous material (rocks, slag, plastic) Microbes in the wastewater attach themselves to the bed or

filter media
Microbial degradation (aerobic) takes place as wastewater

flows through the media

The wastewater is then collected at the bottom through an

under drain system

The effluent is settled by gravity to remove biological solids

prior to being discharged

Rotating Biological Contractors (RBCs)

A number of circular plastic disc are mounted on a central

shaft These discs are submerged and rotated in a tank containing the wastewater to be treated
Microorganisms responsible for treatment become

attached to the disc and rotate into and out of the wastewater
RBCs have also been developed for the biological treatment

of odours
The RBCs have been used in treating winery wastewater and

other domestic and industrial effluents

The Activated Sludge System

The most widely applied Biological treatment of sewage

The primary objective of the system is the removal of

soluble biodegradable compounds

It also removes pathogens from the water supply removal efficiency of pathogens and indicator microbes

vary with the treatment process, type, retention time, other biological flora present in activated sludge, oxygen concentration, pH, temperature and the efficiency in removing suspended solids

Stages of treatment of sewage: The Activated Sludge Process

Microbiology of activated sludge

A mixed microbial community is involved

Aerobic condition ensures aerobic biological degradation

The microbes employ the organic matter in the sewage as

source of carbon and energy to develop their biomass

In the process organic matter is degraded & BOD reduced Other microbes are involved in mineralization of inorganic

compounds such as N, P, etc

 The entire microbial community is collectively called the

activated sludge
Members of this community include: bacteria, fungi,

viruses, protozoa, and helminths

The make up of the community depends on factors such as: the physical & chemical nature of the sewage and specific characteristics of individual members of the

biological community

Regulatory standards for wastewater effluent quality

To Protect the environment and public health Regulatory agencies are usually set up to formulate

guidelines & regulations necessary to ensure good sewage effluent quality for various purposes
Regulatory guidelines vary from country to country and

some cases among states within a country

These guidelines normally sets allowable limits for various

pollutants contributable by sewage

Effectiveness of wastewater treatment

effectiveness of conventional wastewater treatment

processes is increasingly becoming due to new challenges:

increased knowledge about the consequences of water

pollution resulting in stricter regulations

Industrial growth and increasing population coupled with

diminishing water resources

 Other challenges affecting effective sewage treatment

include:
old and worn-out collection facilities requiring the character and quantity of contaminants are more

complex in relation to the original design of plants

farm runoff and increasing urbanization provide additional

sources of pollution not controlled by conventional wastewater treatment

The inadequacy of conventional disinfectant to remove

some resistant pathogens like viruses and protozoa

Consequences of inadequate wastewater treatment The consequences of discharging untreated or inadequately

treated wastewater into the environment are as diverse as they are many
These include: Eutrophication

DO depletion
Sedimentation may result in destruction of aquatic habitats

 Acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic life from chemical

contaminants
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of chemicals in

the food chain

Release of pathogens of public health significance

through consumption of contaminated drinking water or water used in food processing

Carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting substances as

well as pharmaceuticals can pass through even the most advanced wastewater treatment systems
Socio-economic impact