Classification of industrial wastewater discharged into effluent pits, an approach toward a sustainable recycling: case study of a water treatment facility in Morocco

Abstract

Most water treatment facilities collect industrial wastewater in separated effluent pits. This discharge strategy has been proposed by several previous research as a solution to the problems of untreated wastewater being withdrawn further into open sea or rivers, which aims to prevent the pollution of water supplies. However, this solution might also have far-reaching ecological and environmental negative consequences. In this research we have assessed the effluent’s Physico-chemical characterization over the duration of one year, utilizing a specific statistical methodology for a water treatment plant located in Morocco that used effluent pits for retaining its wastewater. Effluents collected by the water treatment plant are tested in two effluent pits to determine the effects of the direct evaporation and storage, the results of this study reveal a significant increase in the Physico-chemical characteristics of these effluents kept inside effluent pits, which may be attributed to an uptick in water pollution in case of any accidental release or spill. Regression and correlation Explanatory variables from a statistical analysis have been assessed to determine which effluent variables were indeed strongly connected to each other. Effluent recycling is proposed to minimize the likelihood of environmental and ecological concerns.