Impact of activated sludge bulking and foaming on the quality of Kuwait’s irrigation water

Abstract

Treated municipal wastewater produced in Kuwait is used mainly in agricultural and landscape irrigations. However, there are strong doubts that severe sludge bulking and foaming problems, particularly during winter seasons, may render this water unsuitable for irrigation purposes. To assess the impact of these problems on the quality of irrigation water in Kuwait, samples of secondary and tertiary effluents and sludge-mixed liquor were collected weekly from two wastewater treatment plants for nine months. Routine wastewater quality parameters were then determined for the collected influent and effluent samples. Further, dominant filamentous bacteria in the sludge-mixed liquor samples collected from the aeration tanks were also identified and quantified using a molecular method called Vermicon Identification Technology (VIT). Obtained results of the effluents’ qualities were then statistically analyzed and compared to Kuwait’s irrigation water standards. Statistical results indicated that secondary effluents were greatly impacted by sludge bulking and foaming problems, while tertiary effluents were slightly affected. This finding highlights the importance of having tertiary treatment units in plants to encounter sludge bulking and foaming problems.