Selection of Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems in Warm
Climate Regions
Regional climate and developmental status play a very important role in the conception,
design and operation of biological wastewater treatment.
The influence of temperature and developmental status
Biological wastewater treatment is very much influenced by climate. Temperature plays a
decisive role in some treatment processes, especially the natural-based and non-
mechanized ones. Warm temperatures lead to a decrease in land requirements, enhance
conversion processes, increase removal efficiencies and make the utilization of some
treatment processes feasible. For example, some treatment processes, such as anaerobic
reactors, may be utilized for diluted wastewater, such as domestic sewage, in warm climate
areas (Figure 2). Other processes, such as stabilization ponds, may be applied in lower
temperature regions, but occupying much larger areas and being subjected to a decrease in
performance during winter (Figure 3). However, other processes, such as activated
sludge and aerobicbiofilm reactors, are more independent from temperature, as a result of
the higher technological input and mechanization level. Even so, nitrification is influenced by
temperature, and in warm climate regions it is likely to take place, even under unfavorable
conditions and low sludge ages, in activated sludge reactors (Figure 4). In these figures, the
breadth of the application ranges can be seen, with installations serving from hundreds to
one million inhabitants.
Another important point is that most warm climate regions are situated in developing
countries. Simple, economical and sustainable solutions are strongly demanded. All
technologies presented may be applied in developing regions, but of course they imply
different requirements in terms of energy, equipment and operational skills. Whenever
possible, simple solutions, approaches and technologies are presented and recommended.
Fig1. Flow sheets of Important Wastewater Treatment Systems
UASB reactors and post-treatment systems
Taking into consideration the intrinsic limitations associated with the anaerobic systems and
the need to develop technologies that are more appropriate to the reality of developing
countries, it is important to include a post-treatment stage for the effluents generated in
anaerobic reactors. This stage has the purpose of polishing not only the microbiological
quality of the effluents, in view of the public health risks and limitations imposed on the use
of treated effluents in agriculture, but also the quality in terms of organic matter and
nutrients, in view of the environmental impact caused by the discharges of the remaining
loads into the receiving bodies.
In comparison with a conventional wastewater treatment plant consisting of
primary sedimentation tank followed by aerobic biological treatment (activated sludge,
trickling filter, submerged aerated biofilter or rotating biological contactor), with the primary
and secondary sludge passing through sludge thickeners and anaerobic digesters prior to
dewatering, a treatment plant consisting of a UASB reactor followed by aerobic biological
treatment (with the secondary sludge directed to thickening and digestion in the UASB
reactor itself and then straight to dewatering), can present the following advantages:
The primary sedimentation tanks, sludge thickeners and anaerobic digesters, as well as all
their equipment, can be replaced by UASB reactors, which do not require the use of
equipment. In this configuration, besides their main sewage treatment function, the UASB
reactors also accomplish the sludge thickening and digestion functions, requiring no
additional volume.
Power consumption for aeration in activated sludge systems preceded by UASB reactors will
be substantially lower compared to conventional activated sludge systems, and especially
extended aeration systems.
Thanks to the lower sludge production in anaerobic systems and to their better
dewaterability, sludge volumes to be disposed of from anaerobic/aerobic systems will be
much lower than those from aerobic systems alone. Values around 30% VSS destruction
can be reached when secondary sludge produced in a trickling filter is returned to a UASB
reactor. When the mass balance is performed, the total sludge production in a combined
UASB/Trickling Filter system can be 30 to 50% lower than in a conventional trickling filter
system.
The construction cost of a treatment plant with UASB reactor followed by aerobic biological
treatment usually amounts to 50 to 80% of the cost of a conventional treatment plant (20
to 50% investment savings). In addition, due to the simplicity, smaller sludge production
and lower power consumption of the combined anaerobic/aerobic system, the operational
costs also represent an even greater advantage. Savings on operation and maintenance
costs are usually in the range of 40 to 50% in relation to a conventional treatment plant.
Some of the main possible combinations of UASB reactors with post treatment systems are
illustrated in the following figures. It can be observed that in the UASB + activated
sludge and UASB + biofilm aerobic reactor systems, the aerobic biological excess sludge is
simply returned to the UASB reactor, where it undergoes digestion and thickening with the
anaerobic sludge, dispensing separate digestion and thickening units for the aerobic sludge.
Hence, the overall excess sludge from the combined system is wasted only from the UASB
reactor. Since it is already thickened and stabilized, and can be directly sent for dewatering
and final disposal. Sludge drying beds have been frequently used in small-sized plants. Thus
a large simplification in the overall flow sheet is obtained, including the liquid (sewage) and
solid (sludge) phases.
Comparison between wastewater treatment
processes
The availability of treatment technologies to be potentially applied for the treatment of
urban wastewater is very large. The decision regarding the process to be adopted should be
derived from a balance between technical and economical criteria, taking into account
quantitative and qualitative aspects of each alternative. However, many aspects are
frequently intangible and in a large number of situations, the final decision can still contain
a level of subjectivity. Criteria or weightings can be attributed to the various aspects
essentially associated with the local reality in focus, so that the selection really leads to the
most adequate alternative for the system under analysis. There are no such generalized
formulas for this, and the common sense and experience when attributing the relative
importance of each technical aspect is essential. While the economic side is fundamental, it
needs to be remembered that the best alternative is not always the one that simply
presents the lowest cost in economic-financial studies.
Figure 5 presents a comparison between important aspects in the selection of treatment
systems, analyzed in terms of developed and developing regions (von Sperling, 1996). The
comparison is unavoidably general, due to the specificity of each region or country and the
high contrasts usually observed in developing regions. The items are organized in a
decreasing order of importance for the developed regions. In these regions, the critical
items are usually: efficiency, reliability, sludge disposal aspects and land requirements. In
developing regions, these first items are organized in a similar manner of decreasing
importance, but have a lower magnitude, in comparison with the developed regions. The
main difference resides in what are considered the critical items for the developing regions:
construction costs, sustainability, simplicity and operational costs. These items are of course
important in developed regions, but cannot be usually considered critical.
Fig 5. Critical and important aspects in the selection of wastewater treatment systems in
developed and developing regions (von Sperling, 1996)
Tables 1 and 2 present a summary of typical characteristics of different variants of the main
domestic wastewater treatment processes operating in warm climate regions (full
description of the processes is given in the book). The large diversity can be clearly seen,
and this wide variation is one of the strengths in the selection of the treatment technology
to be adopted in a community. In each case, there will be one or more treatment processes
that can satisfy the local requirements and maximize the benefits.
Table 1. Typical characteristics of domestic wastewater treatment processes operating in
warm climate regions
Notes
o Chemical precipitation of phosphorus with any of the technologies above: P < 1 mg/l
o Disinfection: e.g. chlorination, ozonization, UV radiation. Barrier: e.g. membranes.
Provided the disinfection/barrier process is compatible with the quality of the effluent
from the preceding treatment: thermo tolerant coliforms < 103 MPN/100ml; helminth
eggs: variable
o Advanced primary treatment: removal efficiencies vary depending on the coagulant
dosage
o In compact aerated systems (e.g.: activated sludge, submerged aerated biofilters) or
after treatment with a UASB reactor, aeration control allows a certain economy (not all
the installed power is consume
o Sludge production is presented on an yearly basis, but sludge removal frequency
may vary, depending on the treatment process
Table 2. Relative evaluation of the main domestic sewage treatment systems (liquid phase)
Notes: the grading is only relative in each column and is not generalized for all the items.
The grading can vary widely with the local conditions
Notes
o +++++ : most favorable + : least favorable ++++, +++, +
+: intermediate grades, in decreasing order 0 : zero effect + / +++++:
variable with the type of process, equipment, variant or design
o UASB reactor + post-treatment: (a) post-treatment characteristics prevail; (b) UASB
reactor characteristics prevail
o O&M: operation and maintenance
Concluding remarks
The vast array of available processes for the treatment of wastewater should be seen as an
incentive, allowing the selection of the most appropriate solution in technical and
economical terms for each community or catchment area. For almost all combinations of
requirements in terms of effluent quality, land availability, construction and running costs,
mechanization level, environmental impacts and operational simplicity, there will be one or
more suitable treatment processes.
When conceiving, designing and operating a wastewater treatment plant in a warm region,
the climatic specificity must be taken into account, in order to make the best use of the
many favorable characteristics brought about by the higher temperatures. In a similar way,
for a treatment plant in a developing region, the relevant aspects that lead to its
sustainability must be judiciously incorporated. For a successful reversal of the prevailing
dramatic status of water pollution in many countries of the world, a deep knowledge of the
theory and practice of wastewater treatment is obviously required from the technical
people. However, it should be borne in mind that technology alone cannot reverse this
picture, and commitment, enthusiasm, organization and persistence are also indispensable
tools in the hands of those involved.
