Wastewater Treatment Technologies

Abstract

The article presents an application of multi-criteria analysis for selection of the best treatment technology and the best technical solution to the running of a large and a small wastewater treatment plant. The calculations performed for two plant capacities and for various effluent standards are based on a compromise programming method. The effluent standards considered for the smaller plant are only BOD5, COD and TSS, while for the larger plant also nitrogen and phosphorus. For each plant’s capacity, three different treatment technologies are analyzed. The analyzed technologies included biofilters, continuous and cyclic activated sludge, rotating biological contactors and natural treatment methods. The selection of the best technology is done with a define set of sustainability criteria that can be easily modified and adjusted to specific local conditions. The proposed method can be used for selection of the best treatment technology and the most appropriate technical solution from a sustainability standpoint, at the stage of wastewater system planning and designing, as well as for evaluation of already operating plants.