What is stabilization pond?
Jan 07, 2022 · The facultative ponds are the most common type of stabilization ponds in use and are able to completely treat both raw, settled sewage and a wide range of industrial wastewaters, including food and agricultural waste-waters with detention time of 5-30 days.
What is a waste stabilization pond?
The waste stabilization pond system demonstrates high removal efficiencies of wastewater contaminants.
What is an oxidation pond?
Feb 07, 2022 · The facultative ponds are the most common type of stabilization ponds in use and are able to completely treat both raw, settled sewage and a wide range of industrial wastewaters, including food and agricultural waste -waters with detention time of 5-30 days.
What is equalization tank in wastewater treatment plant?
Nov 10, 2009 · Waste Stabilization Ponds (WSPs), often referred to as oxidation ponds or lagoons, are holding basins used for secondary wastewater treatment where decomposition of organic matter is taking place naturally.
What is stabilization in wastewater treatment?
Stabilization is a chemical or biological process that stops the natural fermentation of the sludge. Chemical stabilization is almost always performed with lime. Thus lime stabilization is the process where the sludge is mixed with lime to raise the pH to greater than 12.
What are the 4 steps of sewage treatment?
Treatment StepsStep 1: Screening and Pumping. ... Step 2: Grit Removal. ... Step 3: Primary Settling. ... Step 4: Aeration / Activated Sludge. ... Step 5: Secondary Settling. ... Step 8: Oxygen Uptake. ... Sludge Treatment.
What are the methods of treatment of sewage?
Majorly, four methods of sewage water treatment are followed – physical, biological, chemical, and sludge water treatment. By following these methods, the wastewater is disinfected from all the sewage materials and converted into treated water that is safe for both human usage and the environment.
What are the advantages of waste stabilization pond system?
The advantages of stabilization ponds include limited technological investment, low cost, cheap/unskilled labour, and minimal maintenance costs (Mara, 2003; Jiménez et al., 2010).
What are the 7 steps in wastewater treatment?
The Wastewater Treatment ProcessStage One — Bar Screening. ... Stage Two — Screening. ... Stage Three — Primary Clarifier. ... Stage Four — Aeration. ... Stage Five — Secondary Clarifier. ... Stage Six — Chlorination (Disinfection) ... Stage Seven — Water Analysis & Testing. ... Stage Eight — Effluent Disposal.Mar 5, 2021
What techniques are used for wastewater sludge treatment?
Many sludges are treated using a variety of digestion techniques, the purpose of which is to reduce the amount of organic matter and the number of disease-causing microorganisms present in the solids. The most common treatment options include anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, and composting.
What is the best technique for treatment of wastewater?
Chemical. Chlorine is the chemical most often used in treating sewage and other types of wastewater. The process is called chlorination. This is the most effective means of destroying a variety of viruses and bacteria.Nov 10, 2017
What are the 3 types of sewage treatment?
There are three main stages of the wastewater treatment process, aptly known as primary, secondary and tertiary water treatment. In some applications, more advanced treatment is required, known as quaternary water treatment.Dec 6, 2018
How is industrial waste treated?
Methods include Advanced Oxidation Processing, distillation, adsorption, vitrification, incineration, chemical immobilisation or landfill disposal. Some materials such as some detergents may be capable of biological degradation and in such cases, a modified form of wastewater treatment can be used.
What is the role of aerated lagoons and stabilization ponds in the treatment of wastewater engineering?
An aerated lagoon (or aerated pond) is a simple wastewater treatment system consisting of a pond with artificial aeration to promote the biological oxidation of wastewaters.
What are the various waste stabilization ponds?
Waste Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) are large, man-made water bodies. The ponds can be used individually, or linked in a series for improved treatment. There are three types of ponds, (1) anaerobic, (2) facultative and (3) aerobic (maturation), each with different treatment and design characteristics.Oct 16, 2020
How efficient are waste stabilization ponds?
Waste stabilization ponds are very efficient in their primary objective of removing organic matter and, under some conditions, pathogenic organisms. Their design criteria have changed very little over the years. Ponds are simple to design, build, operate and maintain, which is very important in remote areas and in developing countries where sophisticated equipment and highly skilled labor is not easily available. Construction may be done by local contractors in small towns.
What is anaerobic stabilization pond?
The depth decreases the influence of oxygen production by photosynthesis, leading to anaerobic conditions. Depending on loading and climatic conditions, these ponds are able to remove between half to two thirds of the influent BOD. This significantly decreases the load of organic matter that goes to the facultative ponds, and thus decreases their required size. Anaerobic stabilization ponds have the disadvantage of potentially releasing malodorous gases. This especially includes hydrogen sulfide with an odor of rotten eggs, if the system has operational problems.
What is a facultative pond?
Facultative stabilization ponds that receive raw wastewater are called primary facultative ponds. If they are receiving wastewater that has already been treated in anaerobic ponds, they are called secondary facultative ponds. Facultative stabilization ponds may also be used for treatment following other types of treatment processes such as upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, oxidation ditches or aerated lagoons. Compared with anaerobic ponds, facultative ponds are shallower (1.5 to 2.5 m deep) and have much larger surface areas. The surface area is important because it allows atmospheric oxygen to dissolve and sunlight radiation to penetrate the water. This allows for photosynthetic activity to occur which produces more oxygen.
What is the second type of pond?
The second type of pond, facultative stabilization ponds, sustain an aerobic surface habitat above an anaerobic benthic habitat. Maturation ponds offer aerobic conditions throughout, from the surface to the bottom. The main configurations of pond systems are: Facultative pond only;
What type of ponds have oxygen?
Anaerobic waste stabilization ponds have very little dissolved oxygen, thus anaerobic conditions prevail. The second type of pond, facultative stabilization ponds, sustain an aerobic surface habitat above an anaerobic benthic habitat. ...
How often should sludge be removed from a pond?
In facultative ponds, sludge removal may be necessary only in intervals around 15 to 25 years. In maturation ponds, sludge accumulation is very low.
What is the name of the pond where wastewater enters?
Wastewater or "influent" enters on one side of the waste stabilization pond and exits on the other side as "effluent", after spending several days in the pond, during which treatment processes take place. Waste stabilization pon ds are used worldwide for wastewater treatment and are especially suitable for developing countries ...
What is a stabilization pond?
Stabilization ponds suitable for wastewater treatment are those that maintain the right biological conditions for biological interactions and reactions that break down the organic matters and inorganic nutrients. There are five basic types of WSPs.
How are pathogens removed from ponds?
The majority of pathogens settle onto the sludge in the bottom of the ponds, thus are removed from effluents.
How does an aerated lagoon work?
An aerated lagoon is a stabilization pond with its aerobic condition maintained by mechanical or diffused aeration equipment . Bubble aeration is provided sometimes to keep the pond aerobic in locations where pond surfaces are frozen for extended periods in winter. Unlike aerobic ponds, aerated lagoons do not rely on algae for oxygen delivery. The microbial characteristics of an aerated pond are very similar to those of an activated sludge process. Its detention times are in the order of1 to 10 days, depending on organic loading rate, temperature, and the degree of treatment required. The organic loading of aerated lagoons is expressed as BOD5 per unit volume per day. Aeration ponds are susceptible to a large amount of BOD5 loadings or toxic wastes, which can severely hinder the ponds' efficiency. The solids in the pond need to be suspended all the time to avoid the solids settling in the bottom of the pond and forming an anaerobic layer, thus reducing the efficiency and generating odor. Fig. 6.3 shows a schematic portrait of an aerated lagoon and a photo of an aerator at work in an aerated pond.
What are the five categories of stabilization ponds?
All use microorganisms to degrade and decontaminate organic and inorganic constituents; the types of organisms as well as the amount of oxygen present in the pond systems differ among the five categories forming the basis for classifying stabilization ponds: • Facultative ponds. • Maturation ponds. • Aerated ponds.
How does a facultative pond work?
The facultative ponds are the most common type of stabilization ponds in use and are able to completely treat both raw, settled sewage and a wide range of industrial wastewaters, including food and agricultural waste -waters with detention time of 5-30 days. These ponds have depth ranging from 1.2-1.5 m (4-8 ft), consisting of two layers of biological treatment zones: an aerobic layer on top of an anaerobic layer, often containing sludge. The aerobic layer stabilizes the wastewater while the fermentation takes place in the anaerobic layer. The oxygen needed for aerobic stabilization comes from photosynthesis of algae in the pond (Fig. 6.2). The algae are photosynthetic organisms and therefore provide a source of oxygen for use by heterotrophic bacteria in the pond for the aerobic breakdown of organic matter. Respiration of organic matter provides a source of carbon dioxide for the algae. This symbiotic relationship between the algae and the bacteria provides the basis for this natural method of waste-
What is the treatment phase for algae?
Because algae in the discharged effluent need to be removed, the treatment process usually involves a facultative pond, one or two maturation ponds and a tertiary treatment phase, such as rock filters or intermittent sand filtration for the removal of algae before discharge of the final effluent to an adjacent watercourse.
What is a WSP?
A WSP is a relatively shallow body of wastewater contained in an earthen man-made basin into which wastewater flows and from which, after a certain retention time (time that takes the effluent to flow from the inlet to the outlet), a well-treated effluent is discharged. Many characteristics make WSPs substantially different from other wastewater ...
What is a stabilization pond?
Stabilization ponds, in turn, are large lagoons where wastewater is stored for long periods to allow a wide range of microorganisms to break down organic matter and sludge is not returned. Waste stabilization ponds can be a combination of three different pond types: anaerobic, facultative and maturation.
What is the role of algae in wastewater treatment?
Algae play an important role in wastewater treatment in facultative ponds and minor roles in conventional aerobic treatment, with algae, such as Chlorella, growing in the uppermost part of trickle filters where sunlight is available [13].
What is a WSP pond?
Waste stabilization ponds (WSP) are the most economical form of wastewater treatment, mainly because of its simple and easy process with low energy requirements. WSP are a series of large shallow basins/ponds for wastewater treatment which removes nutrients (N, P and K), organic matter (BOD, COD) and pollutants by microbial (metabolic processes of heterotrophic bacteria and photosynthetic algae), chemical, physio-chemical and hydrodynamic processes. WSP can be of three kinds, namely anaerobic, facultative or aerobic, based on the aeration seen in the ponds and the participating microbial processes. Waste stabilization ponds are typically set up in a series of varying number of ponds. The most common set up is as follows: anaerobic ponds, facultative ponds followed by maturation ponds. The nutrient and pathogen removal efficiency might differ for each pond, but these ponds are built in a series with varying numbers. The cumulative removal efficiency of these integrated ponds are taken into consideration.
Why are bacteria important in wastewater treatment?
Bacteria are invariably present during algal wastewater treatment, given the systems are open and that the wastewater contains organic carbon that can support heterotrophic growth. The relative abundance of bacteria to algae will depend to a large extent on the relative concentrations of organic and inorganic carbon and the availability of light to drive photosynthesis. In addition, the ability to selectively retain algae in preference to bacteria can increase the relative purity of the algae cultures, which is an advantage that filamentous algae have over microalgae. The presence of bacteria is important in terms of system performance and the consistency and composition of the harvested algal biomass in relation to potential utilisation. As highlighted above, algae and bacteria do not exist in isolation, but interact beneficially via nutrient and gas exchange, and potentially negatively through blocking of light and competition for nitrogen and organic carbon ( Fig. 3 ).
What is WWTN in wastewater?
WWTN consists of a series of regeneration and treatment processes, one major inlet stream along with mixers and splitters for the interconnections between treatment units. Generally, size, type and special features of the treatment units are defined by fixing outlet concentration or removal ratio for contaminants, which greatly simplifies regeneration units to linear expressions and sometimes can lead to inaccurate results ( Nezungai and Majozi, 2015 ).
How many algal ponds were there in 1980?
Algal waste stabilization ponds gained wide acceptance and by 1980 over 7000 such ponds were in operation in the United States [123]. Favorable climate conditions, however, led to very large pond systems of 60–340 ha being established in California [124].
When were ponds introduced?
Simple, unmixed waste stabilization ponds were introduced in the United States in the early 1900s as a low-cost solution to wastewater treatment for a growing population. They were initially merely used for containment without discharge, rather than being designed and optimized for wastewater remediation [116].
What is a wastewater stabilization pond?
Waste stabilization ponds are large man-made basins in which greywater, blackwater or faecal sludge can be treated to an effluent of relatively high quality and apt for the reuse in agriculture (e.g. irrigation) or aquaculture (e.g. macrophyte or fish ponds ). They are semi-centralised treatment systems combined after wastewater has been collected from toilets (see also wastewater collection and user interface ). For the most effective treatment, WSPs should be linked in a series of three or more with effluent being transferred from the anaerobic pond to the facultative pond and, finally, to the aerobic pond. The anaerobic pond is the primary treatment stage and reduces the organic load in the wastewater. The entire depth of this fairly deep man-made lake is anaerobic. Solids and BOD removal occurs by sedimentation and through subsequent anaerobic digestion inside the accumulated sludge (see also anaerobic digestion general ). Anaerobic bacteria convert organic carbon into methane and through this process, remove up to 60% of the BOD.
Where is the waste stabilisation pond located?
Mini waste stabilisation ponds consisting of an anaerobic (right), facultative (middle) and aerobic pond (left) at the CREPA headquarter, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and a large-scale waste stabilisation pond system in Maine (USA). Source: SPUHLER (2006, left image) and EMERY (2003, right image)
How do aerobic and anaerobic ponds work together?
The aerobic and anaerobic organisms work together to achieve BOD reductions of up to 75%. Anaerobic and facultative ponds are designed for BOD removal, while aerobic ponds are designed for pathogen removal (see also pathogens and contaminants ).
What are the different types of ponds?
The ponds can be used individually, or linked in a series for improved treatment. There are three types of ponds, (1) anaerobic, (2) facultative and (3) aerobic (maturation), each with different treatment and design characteristics. WSPs are low-cost for O&M and BOD and pathogenremoval is high. However, large surface areas ...
How deep should an aerobic pond be?
Facultative ponds should be constructed to a depth of 1 to 2.5 m and have a detention time between 5 to 30 days. Aerobic ponds are usually between 0.5 to 1.5 m deep with a detention time of 15 to 20 days . If used in combination with algae and/or fish harvesting (see Fish Pond ), this type of pond is effective at removing the majority of nitrogen and phosphorus from the effluent. Ideally, several aerobic ponds can be built in series to provide a high level of pathogen removal.
How much of the BOD is removed from anaerobic pond?
Anaerobic bacteria convert organic carbon into methane and through this process, remove up to 60% of the BOD. In a series of WSPs, the effluent from the anaerobic pond is transferred to the facultative pond, where further BOD is removed.
What is aerobic pond?
An aerobic pond is commonly referred to as a maturation, polishing, or finishing pond because it is usually the last step in a series of ponds and provides the final level of treatment. It is the shallowest of the ponds, ensuring that sunlight penetrates the full depth for photosynthesis to occur.
What are the components of a waste stabilization pond?
In a typical waste stabilization pond ecosystem, the principal abiotic components are oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and nutrients, whereas the biotic components include bacteria, protozoa, and a variety of other organisms. WSPs produce an inferior quality effluent compared to mechanized treatment like the activated sludge process.
Why are stabilization ponds used?
In developing countries with wet warm climates, the use of stabilization ponds is recommended if land is available at a reasonable price. For arid and semiarid regions, high evaporation rates limit their application as there is a net loss of water of 20–25% due to evaporation.
How do WSPs work?
WSPs are capable of removing organic matter with efficiencies similar to the activated sludge process and all kind of pathogens. They are easy to design and operate but require long retention times (several weeks). WSP systems comprised several ponds connected in series. Lagoons are made through the shallow excavation of around 1–2 m, and they are frequently unlined to reduce investment costs. After a period of time, soil percolation and sedimentation form an impermeable barrier. If the water table is very high at the site, ponds need to be impermeable from the beginning. WSPs remove up to 6 bacteria log, up to 5 viruses log, and almost all the protozoa and helminth ova. To control Cryptosporidium spp., almost 38 days’ retention time is needed (Jiménez, 2008).
What is WSP effluent?
WSPs produce an inferior quality effluent compared to mechanized treatment like the activated sludge process. To improve the quality of the effluent, anaerobic ponds or septic tanks should be used as primary treatment followed by facultative pond; such primary treatment can remove approximately 50% BOD ( Cillie, 1982 ).
What is a WSP pond?
Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are a very appropriate method of wastewater treatment in developing countries, where the climate is most favorable for this application. Their lower implementation costs and operational simplicity are commonly regarded as their main advantages. However, the processes that occur in wastewater treatment ponds still are not completely understood. Environmental factors like sun radiation, wind, biological processes, and hydrodynamics have as yet not been fully analyzed or are difficult to validate with experimental data. The design of WSPs is mostly based on empirical equations (Pano and Middlebrooks, 1982; Von Sperling and Chernicharo, 2005), and there are only a few published mathematical models to simulate the dynamics of such complex systems (e.g., in Buhr and Miller, 1983 ). Jupsin et al. (2003) developed an adaptation from the River Water Quality Model No. 1 ( Reichert et al., 2001) to simulate high rate algae ponds including the influence of daily light variations.
What is a WSP in aquaculture?
WSPs can be coupled with aquaculture systems that are shallow ponds or wetlands where fish, duckweed, or aquatic vegetables are produced as is frequently done in Indonesia, China, and Thailand. Ponds can be used to produce only one crop such as duckweed that is used as food for the next pond where grass carp are grown.
Why use a maturation pond?
Use of maturation ponds or aquaculture ponds is also advisable to improve pathogen removal. Owing to their simple design and operational features, WSPs are most favored and widely implemented in India. For example, in state of West Bengal, almost all small towns have WSPs in combination with aquaculture ponds.
How often should sludge be removed from a pond?
Nevertheless, sludge should be removed every few years for anaerobic ponds, at least every 10 – 20 years for primary facultative ponds, and every few decades for secondary facultative and maturation ponds. WSP systems should be designed with ponds in parallel to facilitate the process of sludge removal. Table 1.
What is a WSP pond?
Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are open basins enclosed by earthen embankments, and sometimes fully or partially lined with concrete or synthetic geofabrics. They employ natural processes to treat domestic wastewater, septage, and sludge, as well as animal or industrial wastes. They can be used in centralized or semi-centralized sewerage systems, serving cities or towns; they can also be used as onsite systems serving a single entity (e.g., highway rest area, community center, etc.) (Figure 1). WSPs are frequently used in combination with other sanitation technologies. The most common types of WSPs are anaerobic ponds, facultative ponds, maturation ponds, aerated ponds, and high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs). These ponds differ in terms of their function in the overall wastewater treatment system. The main function of anaerobic, facultative and aerated ponds is the removal of carbon-containing organic matter, while the main function of maturation ponds is the removal of pathogens. HRAPs were developed to optimize the efficiency of organic matter removal while simultaneously allowing for the recovery of dissolved nutrients that become incorporated into the algal biomass. These different pond types are distinguished from each other by their depth, hydraulic and organic loading rates, and by whether or not they use mechanized equipment for mixing or aeration. In general, anaerobic ponds are deepest (≥3.0 m) and are used first in series; facultative ponds are shallower (1.5 – 3.0 m) and may be used first or second in series (after anaerobic ponds); maturation ponds are shallowest (≤1.5 m), and are used last in series. Aerated ponds may be used anywhere in a series of ponds, and HRAPs are often used in by themselves or between anaerobic and maturation ponds. For more information about the design of WSP systems, refer to von Sperling (2007), Oakley (2005), Shilton (2006) or Mara (2003). Figure 2 illustrates different types of ponds and one schematic of a typical WSP system design with three different types of ponds (anaerobic, facultative, and maturation) operating in series.
What are the factors that affect pathogen inactivation?
The most important physical-chemical factors for pathogen inactivation are pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen in the presence of dissolved organic matter. Most bacterial pathogens are vulnerable to high pH, with Vibrio spp. as a notable exception ( Mezrioui et al., 1995 ). The sanitizing effect of free ammonia, which becomes more available at higher pH, is even more effective at higher temperatures ( Decrey et al., 2014; Emmoth et al., 2011; Burge et al., 1983 ). Helminth eggs are the most resistant to physical-chemical factors in WSPs; they can survive for years in WSP sludge ( Konaté et al., 2010; Nelson et al., 2004 ). High temperatures and the presence of volatile and organic acids, aldehydes, alcohols, and NH 3 may increase helminth egg die-off in WSP sludge ( Fidjeland et al., 2013; Ghiglietti et al., 1997; Nelson and Pecson, 2005; Nelson, 2003; Reimers et al., 1990 ).
What are the factors that influence pathogen removal?
Some of the most important factors influencing pathogen removal efficiency in WSPs include hydraulic retention time and efficiency, water clarity, pond depth, sunlight exposure and penetration, temperature, and pH.
Why are protozoan oocysts removed from WSP?
Protozoan (oo)cysts are much more likely to be removed in a WSP system due to sedimentation than sunlight, but they are susceptible to sunlight damage —viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were reduced by 0.2-log 10 units in WSP water after four days of sunlight exposure ( Reinoso and Bécares, 2008 ).
What causes a pond to overturn?
a Turbulent flow and overturning due to rapid changes in temperature and vertical stratification/destratification can cause the resuspension of settled protozoan and helminth pathogens, but can also enable bacterial and viral pathogens in the bottom layer of stratified ponds to have a chance to rise to the surface, where they may be more vulnerable to sunlight inactivation.
How deep is an anaerobic pond?
In general, anaerobic ponds are deepest (≥3.0 m) and are used first in series; facultative ponds are shallower (1.5 – 3.0 m) and may be used first or second in series (after anaerobic ponds); maturation ponds are shallowest (≤1.5 m), and are used last in series.
What is the purpose of stabilization ponds?
Stabilization ponds provide secondary biological treatment and are the most commonly used wastewater pond.
How does a pond system stabilize organic matter?
Pond systems stabilize organic material through natural processes involving sunlight, water, nutrients, algae, atmospheric oxygen and bacterial action. Organic matter in the wastewater is broken down by aerobic bacteria and oxygen found in the pond.
What is the most commonly used pond in domestic wastewater treatment?
The most often used ponds in domestic wastewater treatment are the stabilization pond and facultative lagoon . The stabilization pond is designed to be aerobic throughout its depth and the facultative lagoon will be anaerobic at the bottom and aerobic at the top.
How deep should a pond be for a facultative lagoon?
Facultative lagoons are similar in design to stabilization ponds except design depth is five to eight feet. These ponds do not require primary treatment and the added depth is needed to handle the substantial increase in solids loadings. It is common for the depth near the inlets to be 10 to 12 feet.
How deep is the first pond?
The first pond or the first half of the first pond will be a facultative lagoon with depths of approximately 10 feet. The rest of the pond system will be stabilization ponds with depths of three to five feet.
What causes DO levels to decline in ponds?
Surface levels will have higher DO levels and as the depth increases it becomes more difficult for sunlight to penetrate therefore DO levels decline. Ponds use a multitude of organisms in the treatment process. Bacteria, algae, protozoa, and insects all have a part of the treatment in a pond system.
How much BOD can a pond eliminate?
The pond system can eliminate 80% to 90% of the BOD and reduce bacteria to levels comparable to other accepted oxidation types of treatment. This type of treatment system meets the needs of many small or rural communities due to low construction costs as well minimal operation and maintenance requirements.
Overview
Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs or stabilization ponds or waste stabilization lagoons) are ponds designed and built for wastewater treatment to reduce the organic content and remove pathogens from wastewater. They are man-made depressions confined by earthen structures. Wastewater or "influent" enters on one side of the waste stabilization pond and exits on the other side as "effluen…
Fundamentals
Sewage and many types of industrial wastewaters contain organic matter. If wastewater is discharged untreated into surface water bodies (for instance, rivers and lakes), their organic matter serves as food for microorganisms living in the surface waters. These organisms use the organic matter for energy generation for their growth and reproduction. This is done via their respiration, …
Types
Waste stabilization ponds consist of man-made basins comprising a single or several series of anaerobic, facultative or maturation ponds. The presence or absence of oxygen varies with the three different types of ponds, used in sequence. Anaerobic waste stabilization ponds have very little dissolved oxygen, thus anaerobic conditions prevail. The second type of pond, facultativ…
Application and suitability
Waste stabilization ponds are very efficient in their primary objective of removing organic matter and, under some conditions, pathogenic organisms. Their design criteria have changed very little over the years. Ponds are simple to design, build, operate and maintain, which is very important in remote areas and in developing countries where sophisticated equipment and highly skilled labor is not easily available. Construction may be done by local contractors in small towns.
Operation and maintenance
Regarding operation and maintenance, the tasks performed by the operational staff are very simple and do not require special skills. Additionally, there is no energy consumption for aeration, no need of heavy equipment maintenance and no frequent sludge removal, sludge treatment and disposal.
Ponds require very little maintenance, since there is no heavy electric or mechanical equipment t…
Costs
In the selection of a wastewater treatment process, besides the technical aspects that are relevant to each alternative, also cost factors play a very important role. The latter can be basically divided into (i) construction costs and (ii) operation and maintenance costs. Waste stabilization ponds are usually considered a cheap alternative in terms of construction costs. However, the final costs will depend essentially on the size of ponds, presence of maturation po…
Comparison with other infrastructure
The following types of water and wastewater infrastructure may superficially resemble waste stabilization ponds, but are not the same:
• Aerated lagoonsrely upon mechanical aerators to provide oxygen to stabilize organic matter. Aerated lagoons may be used as the first stage in the treatment line instead of anaerobic ponds to limit release of malodorous gases, but with energy and maintenance requirements causing hi…
See also
• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Lagoon
• List of waste water treatment technologies
• Natural swimming pond