1. A new wastewater treatment plant proposes a discharge of 5 m3/s of treated waste to a river.

Regulations
prohibit discharges that would raise the ultimate BOD of the river above 10 mg/L. The river has a flow of 5
m3/s and an ultimate BOD of 2 mg/L. Calculate the maximum 5-day BOD that can be discharged without
violating the regulations. Assume a decay coefficient of 0.1 /d for both the river and the proposed treatment
plant.

Given: Required:
Wastewater treatment plant discharge, Q1 = 5 m3/s Maximum 5-day BOD
CBODmix > 10 mg/L
River flow rate, Q2 = 5 m3/s
CBOD2 = 2 mg/L
Decay coefficient, k = 0.1 per day

Solution:

𝑄1 𝐶1 + 𝑄2 𝐶2
𝐶𝐵𝑂𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑥 =
𝑄

𝑚3 𝑚3 𝑚3
𝑄=5 +5 = 10
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠

𝑚3 𝑚𝑔 𝑚3 𝑚𝑔
𝑚𝑔 (5 𝑠 × 2 𝐿 ) + (5 𝑠 ×𝑥 𝐿 )
10 =
𝐿 𝑚3
10 𝑠

𝑚𝑔
𝑥 = 18 (maximum ultimate BOD)
𝐿

Maximum 5-day BOD = 𝐶1 (1 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )

𝑚𝑔
= 18 𝐿
× (1 − 𝑒 −0.1×5 )

𝒎𝒈
Maximum 5-day BOD = 𝟕. 𝟎𝟖𝟐𝟒 𝑳

2. Below a discharge from wastewater treatment plant, an 8.6-km stream has a reoxygenation constant of 0.4 /d,
a velocity of 0.15 m/s, a dissolved oxygen concentration of 6 mg/L and an ultimate oxygen demand of 25
mg/L. The stream is at 15 C. The deoxygenation constant is estimated at 0.25 /d. Will there be fish in this
stream?

Given: Required:
Distance stream, D = 8.6 km Presence of fish in stream
 Reoxygenation constant, kr = 0.4 per day
Velocity, v = 0.15 m/s
Dissolved oxygen concentration = 6 mg/L
Ultimate oxygen demand, L = 25 mg/L
Temperature stream, T = 15 C
Deoxygenation constant, kd = 0.25 per day

Solution:
1000 𝑚
8.6 𝑘𝑚 ×
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 8.6 𝑘𝑚 = 𝑘𝑚 × 1 ℎ𝑟 × 1 𝑑𝑎𝑦 = 0.66 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
𝑚 3600 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑠 24 ℎ𝑟
0.15 𝑠

𝑘𝑟 = 2.3 × 0.4 = 0.92 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑦

𝑘𝑑 = 2.3 × 0.25 = 0.575 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑦

𝐷0 = 10 − 6 = 4 𝑚𝑔/𝐿

Using Streeter-Phelps Equation:

𝑘𝑑 𝐿
𝐷= [𝑒 −𝑘𝑑 𝑡 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑟𝑡 ] + 𝐷0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑟 𝑡
𝑘𝑟 − 𝑘𝑑

(0.575 × 25) −(0.575×0.66)

𝐷= [𝑒 − 𝑒 −(0.92×0.66) ] + 4𝑒 −(0.92×0.66)
(0.92 − 0.575)

𝑚𝑔
𝐷 = 7.98
𝐿

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛 = 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛 − 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛

7.98 = 10 − 𝑥

𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒙𝒚𝒈𝒆𝒏 = 𝟐. 𝟎𝟐 𝒎𝒈/𝑳

Since the calculated dissolved oxygen is less than 6 mg/L, it will not be able to support aquatic life.

Therefore, there will be no fishes present in the stream.

3. A laboratory runs a solids test. The weight of the crucible is 48.6212 g. A 100-mL sample is placed in the
crucible and the water is evaporated. The weight of the crucible and dry solids is 48.6432 g. The crucible is
then placed in a 600 C furnace for 24 hours and cooled in a desiccator. The weight of the cooled crucible and
residue is 48.6300 g. Find the concentration (in ppm) of the different types of solids.

Given: Required:
 Weight crucible = 48.6212 g Total Solids; Fixed Solids; Volatile
Solids
Volume sample = 100 mL
Weight of the crucible and dry solids = 48.6432 g
Weight of the cooled crucible and residue = 48.6300 g

Solution:

(48.6432 g) − (48.6212 g) 𝑚𝑔
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 = × 106 = 220 = 𝟐𝟐𝟎 𝒑𝒑𝒎
100 𝑚𝐿 𝐿

(48.6300 g) − (48.6212 g) 𝑚𝑔
𝐹𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 = × 106 = 88 = 𝟖𝟖 𝒑𝒑𝒎
100 𝑚𝐿 𝐿
𝑚𝑔
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 = 220 − 88 = 132 = 𝟏𝟑𝟐 𝒑𝒑𝒎
𝐿

4. A toxic contaminant is released 1 km upstream of a drinking water supply well. The relevant aquifer properties
are as follows: hydraulic conductivity 10-5 m/s; porosity 0.3; hydraulic gradient 10-2. Determine how long it will
take for the contaminant to reach the drinking water supply well.

Given: Required:
Hydraulic conductivity, k = 10-5 m/s Time for the contaminant to reach drinking water
supply well
Porosity, ∅ = 0.3
𝑑ℎ
Hydraulic gradient, = 10−2
𝑑𝑙

Solution:
Using Darcy’s velocity equation:

𝑄 𝑑ℎ
𝑣= = −𝑘
𝐴 𝑑𝑙
𝑚
𝑣 = (10−5 )(10−2 ) = 1 × 10−7
𝑠

Porosity equation:
𝑣 1 × 10−7 𝑚
𝑣= = = 3.3333 × 10−7
∅ 0.3 𝑠

1000 𝑚
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 1 𝑘𝑚 ×
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = = 1 𝑘𝑚 = 𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟗 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒔
𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 3.3333 × 10−7 𝑚
𝑠