NAME: Nor-ain S.

Macabangkit Subject: Elective 3

Code: 01378

4 Major Operational Challenges Facing Wastewater Treatment Plants

Operational efficiency is always of utmost importance in treatment facilities and

this has driven innovation in the sector for quite some time. Recently, great advances
have been made in the development of efficient technologies but challenges still
remain.

Energy Consumption

Energy consumption is one of the largest expenses in operating a wastewater

treatment plant. Wastewater treatment is estimated to consume 2 - 3% of a
developed nation’s electrical power, or approximately 60 tWh (terawatt hours) per
year. In municipal wastewater treatment, the largest proportion of energy is used in
biological treatment, generally in the range of 50 - 60% of plant usage.

Staff

Operators of wastewater treatment facilities must be adequately trained and

certified individuals. They are on call 24 hours a day and are responsible for overseeing
everything from pipe leaks and valves to electrical and instrumentation equipment. This
work becomes especially demanding during changes in influent and seasonal changes.

Sludge Production
 Sludge is the residue generated during physical, chemical and biological
treatment. A major environmental challenge for wastewater treatment is the disposal
of excess sludge produced during the process.

Footprint

Activated sludge treatment has many challenges - one of the biggest being the
footprint it demands. Activated sludge plants are costly to construct and occupy
substantial land areas. Primary and Secondary processes rely upon vast tracts of land
for large and costly settling tanks and aeration basins. Due to populations constantly
increasing, municipal wastewater treatment plants need to expand their capabilities
too!

http://info.oxymem.com/blog/4-major-operational-challenges-facing-wastewater-
treatment-plants Retrieved on july 31, 2018 at 2:00PM
https://www.organicawater.com/3-biggest-issues-wastewater-treatment-possible-solutions/ Retrieved on
july 31, 2018 at 2:00PM