Key Considerations When Designing Wastewater Treatment Plants

The successful treatment of wastewater largely depends on its design, and this can be attributed to the complex nature of the entire treatment process. If a wastewater management plant is built on a wrong design, then the impact on the environment will be devastating. Moreover, the right plan helps in proper maintenance of a wastewater management facility. As such, an adequate understanding of the factors that must be considered in the design process is mandatory to all parties involved. This article highlights these aspects. Read on. 

Land Gradient

The first vital consideration when designing a wastewater treatment plant is the site's gradient. How does the land slope from the source of the influent to the plant? Ideally, a relatively sloping site is advantageous because gravity will help wastewater from various sources flow towards the plant with relative ease. As such, the design will not need to make room for a pumping system. However, if the plant is to be built on a relatively flat site, then a pumping system must be part of the design. Consequently, you also have to consider the amount of energy required to run the pumping system. Therefore, the higher the site's gradient, the less complex the design is the design process. 

Source of Effluent

Where is the wastewater coming from? Is it coming from an industrial plant, a residential estate, stormwater or a combination of these sources? Understanding the source of effluent is necessary to get the design right. For example, if the wastewater treatment plant will be handling effluent from an industrial plant, then the design will require several filtration and treatment stages. However, if the plant only receives wastewater from stormwater, then the design will include only a few filtration stations. That said, plant designers must understand that it is better to design a wastewater treatment plant with the future in mind. For instance, if there are plans to build a small industrial plant in the near future, then design proactively to accommodate such plans. 

Future Technological Advancements

Given the sensitive nature of wastewater treatment, scientists are always looking for ways to improve the capabilities of wastewater management plants. This is made possible by constant improvements in the expertise used in wastewater treatment. For example, many heavy metals are present in wastewater, and they must be detected first before treatment. Since you cannot rule out the possibility of new heavy metals in wastewater, the design of wastewater management plants must accommodate new detection and sensing technologies.  

Contact a wastewater design service in your area for more information.

Share