Have you ever thought about how much wastewater, or water contaminated by elements such as human or industrial waste, we produce on an everyday basis? Nobody has managed to come up with an exact figure yet, but after observing water treatment plants, you can get an idea of what is wrong with everything around us.

1. Sewage Sludge – How to Tackle?
Have you ever thought about how much wastewater, or water contaminated by elements such as
human or industrial waste, we produce on an everyday basis? Nobody has managed to come up with
an exact figure yet, but after observing water treatment plants, you can get an idea of what is wrong
with everything around us. Several new methods of wastewater treatment have sprung up over the
last few years because of the amount of wastewater treatment plants handle on a daily basis.
The tremendous increase in human population over the last few decades also increased the amount
of contaminants in our water supply. Human wastes like faeces or urine are commonly associated
with water contamination and affect the properties of water. Other substances like paint, industrial
waste, and paint contribute to the water contamination as well. It is necessary to find out a process
to clean the sewage sludge and purify the water that can be re-used in the daily purpose or at least
for the environment.
Sewage Sludge – Why is it a Big Problem in Today’s Era?
Sewage treatment processes produce sludge and this is one of the prevalent problem that the
sewage industry has been facing since a long time. What can be done about it? Conventional sewage
treatment plants produce sludge in their primary settlement stage of cleaning and a secondary,
aerobic mud in the settlement tank before the final cleaning in the bio zone.
The normal routine is that a dewatering expert or technician will take a site visit and carry out a
survey where a sample of the liquid waste will be taken and tested to ensure the waste can be
filtered properly. It will also determine the quality of the filtrate and dryness of solid filter cake that
will add to the permitted method of cake disposal. This whole process can be carried out in a
laboratory or in the premises of the sewage treatment plant to test filter press. Once this has been
completed, the expert can make calculations that will be submitted to the client.
How does Dewatering work for Sewage Sludge?
The process is usually used to separate visible sediments and to treat colloids. It occurs when small
particles lose their repelling forces and begins to bind with other particles forming sludge and flakes.
Dewatering is ideal for removing microscopic dust particles, dirt, and other airborne substances that
cause cloudiness in water and other solutions. These substances often affect the water's
appearance, texture, and taste, which can even lead to illness in human beings. Therefore, the
process of dewatering is used which helps in changing the chemical and biological behaviour of
sediments. The sludge dewatering equipment alters the reaction with contaminants and nutrients
around the sludge.
The vacuum filter of dewatering sludge is a like a drum over which a filtering medium made of a
cloth of different materials like cotton, nylon, wool, fibre glass and plastic, or a double layer of
stainless steel coil springs. To carry out the whole process, the valves and piping are evenly
arranged, as a portion of the drum rotates slowly in the sludge, a vacuum be applied on the inner
side of the filter medium, drawing out the excess water from the sludge and holding the dry cake
against it. All this helps in removing the sludge and purifies the water through dewatering methods.