CITY OF GWERU ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

CAMBRIDGESHIRE REPORT 2020

i
Table of Content

1.1 Abstract………………………………………………………………………..………..……..1
1.2 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………....…1
1.2.1 Screening ………………………………………………………………………...……..1
1.2.2 Grit removal ……………………………………………………………………………1
1.2.3 Anaerobic ponds ………………………………………………………………….…….2
1.3 Analysis of Raw Waste Water, Pond Effluent and Final Effluent…………………………….5
1.3.1 Apparatus……………………………….……………………………………………….5
1.3.2 Experimental procedure…….………………………………………………………...…5
1.3.3 Discussions…………………….………………………………………………..………6
1.3.4 Conclusions and recommendations …………………………………………………….6

Abbreviations
SS Settable Solids
BOD Biological Oxygen Demand

Figures

Fig 1 Receiving point fitted with bar screens followed by a gritting channel.

Fig 2 Anaerobic Pond

Fig 3 Summary of pond activities.

ii
1.1 ABSTRACT

The treatment process at Cambridgeshire was followed for 4 hours and grab samples were
collected in order to analyze the pH and SS/litre. Raw water was found to contain 30mg/litre of
SS with an average pH of 7.5 whilst the pond effluent contained 1.1mg/ litre and finally the final
effluent from the storage reservoir had an SS of 0.2 mg/litre with pHs 7.4 and 7.5 respectively.

Keywords: SS, Anaerobic pond

1.2 INTRODUCTION

Preliminary Treatment at Cambridge Shire

An important part of the wastewater treatment plant is the equipment and facilities used to
remove items such as rags, grit, sticks, other debris, and foreign objects. These interfere with the
operation of the facility and often cause severe problems. Methods of removing these materials
prior to primary and subsequent treatment are part of a pretreatment or preliminary treatment.
Screening and comminution are preliminary treatment processes utilized to protect mechanical
equipment in the treatment works, to aid downstream treatment processes by intercepting
unacceptable solids, and to alter the physical form of solids so they are acceptable for treatment.

1.2.1 Screening.

Screening devices remove materials which would damage equipment or interfere with a process
or piece of equipment. A bar screen acts as both a cutter and a screen. Solids must be accounted
for in subsequent sludge handling facilities. Bar screens, like most screens, are mounted in a
channel and the wastewater flows through them. The rags and other debris are shredded until
they can pass through the openings.

1.2.2 Grit Removal.

Grit represents the heavier inert matter in wastewater which will not decompose in treatment
processes. It is identified with matter having a specific gravity of about 2.65, and design of grit
chambers is based on the removal of all particles of about 0.011 inch or larger (65 mesh). The
velocity of the flow is 0.3 m/s and is set for optimum grit removal. Grit removal, compared to

1
other unit treatment processes, is quite economical and employed to achieve the following
results:

 Prevent excessive abrasive wear of equipment such as pumps and sludge scrapers.
 Prevent deposition and subsequent operating problems in channels, pipes, and basins.
 Prevent reduction of capacity in sludge handling facilities.

Grit removal equipment should be located after bar screens and comminutors and ahead of raw
sewage pumps.

Fig 1: Receiving point fitted with bar screens followed by a gritting channel.

1.2.3 Anaerobic Ponds

Anaerobic ponds are 2-5m deep ponds that exclude oxygen and encourage the growth of
bacteria, which break down the effluent. These ponds are single-stage, continuous-flow,
anaerobic reactors, operating at ambient temperatures and low volumetric organic loadings.
These ponds are used as a pretreatment for SS, and BOD removal. The wastewater that comes in
is domestic. The anaerobic pond can be described as an uncovered septic tank. The anaerobic
bacteria breaks down the organic matter in the effluent, which release carbon dioxide and
methane. The sludge is taken to the bottom of the pond by the sedimentation process. Cambridge
2
shire ponds are 5 meters deep and receive an organic load of >100 mg BOD/ liter. Some
advantages of this treatment are that it’s simple, has a relatively low cost, and it’s good for
pathogen removal. However, one disadvantage is that it requires more land than other particular
treatments. Anaerobic ponds do not contain algae like the rest of the ponds, although it
occasionally contains a thin film of Chlamydomonas on the surface of the pond. Treatment
mechanisms involve the removal of suspended solids by the sedimentation process. This
treatment also serves to:

 Separate out the solids form dissolved material as solids settle as bottom sludge.
 Breakdown biodegradable organic material
 Allow partially treated effluent to pass out
 Store undigested material and non-degradable solids as bottom sludge
 Dissolve further organic material.

Fig 2: Anaerobic Pond

The formation of odor and accumulation of residue has to do with the kind of waste that the pond
is treating. This kind of concentration and volumetric load can be produced by sulphate (SO 42-),
which is reduced to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) under the anaerobic conditions. The best solution
3
for this case is to follow the recommendations of waste loadings. A small amount of sulphide is
beneficial as it reacts with the heavy metals to form insoluble metal sulphides.

Fig 3 Summary of pond activities.

4
1.3 ANALYSIS OF RAW WASTE WATER, POND EFFLUENT AND FINAL
EFFLUENT.

At Cambridge shire residential waste water went through the above set of treatment processes
and the effluent at each stage was collected to analyze the efficiency of the unit processes at
reducing turbidity of the black water before discharge into natural water bodies.

1.3.1 Apparatus

3 by 2 litre sampling bottles

3 by 1 litre Imhoff cones

1 Imhoff stand

Stopwatch

Latex gloves

pH metre

pipette

1.3.2 Experimental Procedure

 Three grab samples were collected from the receiving point (raw water), pond 1 effluent
(settled) and final effluent from the storage reservoir respectively.
 Their pHs were tested using a pH metre and recorded
 1 litre of each sample was poured into each Imhoff cone.
 1 hour was set on a stop watch
 After T1 (the first 30 minutes of the experiment) solids that had adhered to the sides were
scrapped off using a pipette.
 At T2 (1 hour after T0 the beginning of the experiment) the readings were taken from the
Imhoff cone and recorded

5
Table 1.1 Results

Sample details Color pH SS Pv4HRS Cl BOD

Discussion

Cambridge shire has most of its unit processes down due to mechanical failures. Electronic flow
meters are down and there’s employment of manual readers which are inefficient and require
intensive labor. Bar screens prevent most of the debris from reaching downstream processes but
the mesh size allows some non-bio degradable materials to pass through which result in the
clogging of downstream processes especially the desludging valves. Sprinklers that help break
the scum on top of the ponds do not work and one of the 3 ponds that do further anaerobic
fermentation was decommissioned.Bio filters/aerators are down and the grey water is passed into
the environment with some of its BOD and detrimental nutrients.

However, despite all the system drawbacks, the functional segment of the plant decreases the SS
of the waste water efficiently based on the results of the experiment undertaken. The pH is good
and doesn’t undergo major changes since it is domestic waste.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The treatment process at Cambridge shire is in a dilapidated state and major refurbishments need
to be introduced else major environmental problems could be encountered.

 Employing a solar powered flow meter that in turn reduces the intensive labor
requirements.
 Since sprinklers are down employment of water horses to break the scum can improve the
pond performances.
 Recommissioning of the 3rd pond to reduce the turbidity of the grey water.

6
 Designing and installing filters like the ones at Gwenoro but instead using a packed bed
of the gravel medium used in the bio filters.
 During the preliminary stage of the treatment process instead of using 30 mm bar screen
only, they should be used in succession with course then fine screens with decreasing
mesh size.