Investigating the impacts of extraneous water on wastewater treatment plants

Abstract

To demonstrate the effects of increased extraneous water on operation, purification, and energy efficiency, two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been investigated in detail under the research project ‘Sealing of sewer pipes – Effects on the purification performance of WWTPs and their impact on the local water balance’. Both treatment plants, after evaluating and analyzing the measurement data and information about them, were compared in the light of existing literature and other practical investigations. Furthermore, the results were assessed with respect to transferability to other treatment plants. In WWTP 1, extraneous water reduction led to lower energy consumption of certain plant components such as the pumping station and aeration. An increased percentage of extraneous water had an impact on the wastewater characteristics (e.g. organic load) in WWTP 2. A decrease in extraneous water increases the concentration of biodegradable matters; however, an increase in extraneous water increases the loads in the effluent. The results are in accordance with the theoretical approaches described in the literature and confirm the correlations between extraneous water and purification efficiency and energy consumption of WWTPs.