Sewage Treatment Plant

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**Design Guide Book Only For Students & Teachers Reference.

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Background
A sewage treatment plant (STP) has to handle the designed quantity of sewage and deliver satisfactory
quality of treated water, on a consistent, sustained basis over typically 10-15 years.
This requires proper design and engineering; followed by proper operation and maintenance throughout
its life.
There are as many variations in the design and engineering of an STP as there are permutations and
combinations of Builders/ developers, architects, Utility Consultants, Vendors. It cannot be gainsaid
then that each of these agencies will have its own set of priorities and constraints which may adversely
impinge on the design and engineering of the STP, thereby diluting to various degrees the very function
and objective of the STP. Some of these constraints observed in the past on the part of these agencies
are:
Lack of commitment to the environment
Lack of appreciation of the enormous benefit of recycle and reuse
Funding constraints
Lack of necessary knowledge and skill on the part of the designer
Lack of commitment for proper operation & maintenance
External pressures, etc.
Certain basic minimum criteria must be followed in the design and engineering of an STP, irrespective
of any and all constraints, if the Plant is to deliver its stated objectives.
The following sections outline in brief these basic minimum requirements in terms of design and basic
engineering of the various units in the STP.
Page 1 of 62

The Operating Principle of STPs

First of all, let us understand the underlying concept of a biological sewage treatment plant.
Conceptually, the process is extremely simple: A small amount of microorganisms 1 converts a large
mass of polluted water 2 into clean water 3. This process also produces a co-product: A vastly reduced,
compact solid biomass 4 (the excess microorganisms produced by growth and multiplication of the
original population of microorganisms).
However, translating this simple principle into a properly designed and engineered STP is a real
challenge: It requires sound knowledge of the biology of the microorganisms, chemical and mechanical
engineering principles, and an equally large dose of common sense.
We need an STP that
Achieves the desired results on a consistent and sustained basis.
Is robust and reliable, and lasts for at least 10-15 years without major repairs.
Needs minimum amounts of money, energy and chemicals to achieve the desired treated water
quality.
Is easy to operate and maintain.
This manual provides tips on how to build and operate such an STP.
Page 2 of 62

Typical Process in an STP

The flow chart of a typical STP is shown below (optional units are shown in yellow).
Canteen drain
Sewage
Oil, grease, grit trap
Bar Screen Chamber

Equalization Tank
Return
Sludge
Extracted Water
Aeration Tank
Settling (Clarifier) Tank
Excess
Sludge
Clarified Water Sump
Conditioning
Sand Filter
Dewatering System
Activated Carbon Filter
Dewatered Sludge
(Cake/bags)
Treated Water Tank

Water Softener
Micron Filter
Chlorination
Ultra Filter
Water for reuse
RO Filter
(Toilet flush, gardening, etc.)
Potable Water
Page 3 of 62

Benefits of a well-run STP
The following table illustrates the quality of water obtainable from a well-designed, engineered and
operated STP at very affordable treatment costs2.
The primary benefits of a well-run STP are
Assured availability of water for various secondary uses
Enormous savings in fresh water costs1
Lesser Environmental Degradation
Improved public Health
Parameter
In raw sewage
After treatment What it means to you...
pH
6.5-7.5
6.5-7.5
The acidity/alkalinity balance is not

affected/altered.
BOD
200- 250 mg/L
< 10 mg/L
Normally, the biodegradable material

in the sewage consumes oxygen
when it degrades. If this sewage is
released in lakes/rivers, it would draw
naturally dissolved oxygen from water,
depleting the oxygen in the lake/river.
This causes death of fish and plants.
But the STP provides enough oxygen
to digest the biodegradable material
in sewage. The treated sewage does
not need oxygen any longer. Thus it
does not affect the aquatic life in lakes
and rivers.
Turbidity
Not specified
< 10 NTU2
The outgoing treated sewage has low

turbidity (suspended particles that
cloud the water).
In other words, we get clear water.
This prevents the pipelines from
getting clogged by settled sediments.
If cloudy water is allowed to reach the
lakes and rivers, it blocks the sunlight
from reaching the bottom of the water
body. This stops the photosynthesis
process of the aquatic plants, killing
them. That in turns stops generation
of oxygen as a byproduct of the
photosynthesis process. Depletion
of dissolved oxygen in water kills all
fish.
Thus low turbidity in discharge water
ultimately sustains aquatic life in lakes
and rivers.
E. Coli
1.
The cost of treating water is about Rs. 20~30 per kL (the capital cost of plant is not counted). This means a
saving of 50%-70% as compared to buying fresh water.
2.
Page 4 of 62
Not specified
NIL
The STP removes the harmful bacteria

completely.
Although the KSPCB specifies a limit of 2 NTU, we believe this ought to be relaxed to 10 NTU, which is the
limit specified by BIS 10500 Indian Drinking water Standards.

Understanding
the STP Stages
26 |
| 27
The STP Guide Design, Operation and Maintenance
Page 5 of 62

Bar Screen Chamber

1.1 Function
The function of the bar screen is to prevent entry
of solid particles/ articles above a certain size;
such as plastic cups, paper dishes, polythene
bags, condoms and sanitary napkins into the
STP. (If these items are allowed to enter the STP,
they clog and damage the STP pumps, and cause
stoppage of the plant.)
The screening is achieved by placing a screen
made out of vertical bars, placed across the
sewage flow.
Screened sewage. If the screen (4)

is maintained well, this would be free of
any large articles.
The gaps between the bars may vary between

10 and 25 mm.
Outlet pipe (goes to the Equalization

Tank)
Larger STPs may have two screens: A coarse

bar screen with larger gaps between bars,
followed by a fine bar screen with smaller
gaps between bars.
Platform with weep holes. The

STP operator stands here to rake the
debris (2). He also uses the platform as
a drip-tray for the collected debris.
In smaller STPs, a single fine bar screen

may be adequate.
1.3 Design Criteria
If this unit is left unattended for long periods of

time, it will generate a significant amount of odor:
it will also result in backing of sewage in the
incoming pipelines and chambers.
The design criteria applies more to the sizing and

dimensions of the Screen chamber rather than
the screen itself.
1. The screen chamber must have sufficient
cross-sectional opening area to allow passage
of sewage at peak flow rate (2.5 to 3 times the
average hourly flow rate) at a velocity of 0.8
to 1.0 m/s,
1.2 How It Works

A typical Bar Screen Chamber (also called a Bar
Screen Channel) is shown here (cutaway view).
(The cross-sectional area occupied by the

bars of the screen itself is not to be counted in
this calculation.)
2. The screen must extend from the floor of
the chamber to a minimum of 0.3 m above
the maximum design level of sewage in the
chamber under peak flow conditions.
1.4 Construction And

Engineering
Bar screen racks are typically fabricated out of 25
mm x 6 mm bars either of epoxy-coated mild steel
or stainless steel. A specified opening gap is kept
between the bars. The screen frame is fixed in
the bar screen chamber at an angle of 60 to the
horizontal, leaning away from the incoming side.
Care is to be taken to see that there are no gaps
left between the screen frame and the floor and
the sides of the chamber.
Note:
Only the surface of the sewage is shown, so that
items submerged in the sewage are visible.
SL
Remarks
Inlet pipe for the STP.
Debris (plastic bags, paper cups,

condoms, sanitary napkins, paper
dishes, etc.) gets trapped here.
Muck (sediment in sewage)

accumulates and blocks the grill (if not
cleaned regularly)
Grill. Must be cleaned regularly to avoid

a build-up of debris (2) and muck (3).
The upper end of the screen must rest against

an operating platform, on which the STP operator
stands to rake the debris collected at the grill. The
Page 6 of 62
platform itself must be provided with weep holes,

so that the operator can leave the collected debris
on the platform for some time to allow unbound
water and moisture from the screened debris to
drip back into the chamber. This not only reduces
the weight and volume of trash to be finally
disposed off, but also reduces the nuisance of
odor coming from the putrefying matter.
1.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Check and clean the bar screen at frequent

intervals
Do no allow solids to overflow/ escape from

the screen
Ensure no large gaps are formed due to

corrosion of the screen
Replace corroded/ unserviceable bar screen

immediately
1.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Large articles pass

Poor design / poor
through, and choke the operation / screen
pumps
damaged
Upstream water level
is much higher than
downstream level
Poor operation
(inadequate cleaning)
Excessive collection of
trash on screen
Poor operation
Excessive odor
Poor operation / trash

disposal practices

Oil And Grease/Grit Trap

2.1 Function
The grease and grit trap is placed at the discharge
point of the canteen/ kitchen area itself to arrest
solid and fatty matter at source. The wastewater
output from this unit is taken to the equalization
tank.
The solids and fats that are separated in this unit
are disposed off along with other biodegradable
waste, and can be used as feed for piggeries.
Separating solids (rice, vegetables, pulses) and
grease from the wastewater at source ensures that
the contact time between solids and wastewater

is kept to a minimum, so that the wastewater
does not absorb additional organic pollutant loads
(starch, carbohydrates, proteins) due to leaching
of these substances from the solids. (Rather than
building a larger STP to digest this extra organic
matter, it is far more economical to prevent the
organic matter from entering the STP.)
The heavier grit and solids sink to the

bottom of the tank (most of it lies below
the inlet pipe, but some of the grit may
be moved toward the outlet side due to
the strong flow of the wastewater).
This mass also needs to be removed
from the tank periodically.
An Oil and grease/grit trap is generally not an

essential unit in a typical residential complex. It
is however a mandatory unit in commercial and
Industrial units with a canteen on campus.
The baffle plate prevents the floating

fat and scum (3) from drifting towards
the outlet (7).
Wastewater reaching the outlet side

is free of fat, scum, grit and solids
The outlet is through a T-joint pipe,

similar to the inlet (1).
The upper part is capped off (opened
only for maintenance).
2.2 How It Works

2.3 Design Criteria
A typical Oil and grease/grit trap is shown below (the front side is removed to show internal structure).
Typical design criteria used for the grease trap

include:
1. Shallow trap (to allow quick rise of oils and
fats to the surface)
2. The length of trap should be approximately 2
times its depth
3. Residence time in the trap is optimally 5-20
minutes at peak flow. (Increasing the time
does not result in appreciable improvement)
4. Surface area of the trap in m2 should be
approximately 1.5 to 2 times the depth of trap
in metres.

Engineering
Note:
The tank is filled with wastewater, but it is not shown
here so that the other items are visible.
SL
Remarks
The tank is always filled till this level.
The incoming liquid is released below

surface through a T-joint so that the
falling water does not disturb (break up)
the floating film of fat and scum (3).
The fat and scum rise to the top and

float on the liquid. This needs to be
removed periodically, otherwise it will
leach into the wastewater.
The tank should have waterproof plastering inside

and out.
The end of the incoming pipe is kept below the
water level, so that the incoming water does not
disturb (and break up) the upper floating layer of
grease.
Page 7 of 62
The trapped material (both floating film of grease/

fat and the grit settled at bottom) must be collected
frequently; otherwise the trap will fail to serve its
fundamental purpose. Therefore the trap must be
engineered to facilitate frequent removal of these
two layers. For example, the covers must be
made of lightweight materials for easy lifting.
Large traps may be provided with vent pipes to
release gases.
2.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Check and clean trap at frequent intervals
Remove both settled solids (at bottom) and

the floating grease
Do not allow solids to get washed out of the

trap
Do not allow oil and grease to escape the

trap
Redesign the trap if solids and grease escape

on a regular basis, despite good cleaning
practices
2.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Oil and grease pass

through the trap
Poor design/ poor

operation
An excessive amount
of solids passes
through the trap
Poor design/ poor

operation
Excessive odor
Poor operation/
waste disposal
practices

Equalization Tank
3.1 Function
The sewage from the bar screen chamber

and oil, grease and grit trap comes to the
equalization tank.
fluctuating rates, and pass it on to the rest of the

STP at a steady (average) flow rate.
Its main function is to act as buffer: To collect

the incoming raw sewage that comes at widely
Thanks to the constant outflow rate, it is easier

to design the rest of the units of the STP.
Flow Rate (m3/Hr)
The equalization tank is the first collection tank

in an STP.
During the peak hours, sewage comes at a high

rate. The equalization tank stores this sewage,
and lets it out during the non-peak time when
there is no/little incoming sewage.
Notes:
1. The figure uses color-coding only to distinguish the
parts from each other: In real life the color-coding
is not followed.
2. An air-compressor is required, but not shown

because in most cases a single blower provides
the compressed air needed at multiple places in
the STP.
The raw sewage lift pumps

move the sewage to the aeration tank.
(These pumps are explained in the next
chapter.)
The delivery pipe takes the sewage

to the aeration tank.
The coarse bubble diffusers are

short length of tubes that have holes
at regular spacing. They release large
bubbles in the tank to lightly aerate the
sewage, and also to agitate the mix
continuously. The figure shows an array
of eight diffusers, strapped to cement
blocks so that the assembly remains
firmly anchored in one place.
3. The figure shows only the surface of sewage (2),

so that other items submerged in the sewage can
be shown.
Outflow
12
16
20
24
Remarks
The inlet pipe carries filtered sewage

from the Bar Screen Chamber.
The sewage is collected in the tank.

The level fluctuates throughout the
day, because while the incoming rate
fluctuates widely, the outgoing rate is
constant.
Diffusers can also be used in separate

pairs or even individually.
6
(The level shown in the figure is almost

full. If there is a peak inflow now, the tank
will overflow.)
Inflow
0
SL
Hours
3.3 Design Criteria
3.2 How It Works
Since the diurnal variation in the quality of the

sewage is not significant, the equalization tank is
used only for buffering the daily fluctuations in the
sewage flow quantity.
A typical equalization tank is shown here.
complex, an equalization tank with a capacity

to hold 4-6 hours of average hourly flow
should be adequate (based on the diversity of
the population in the complex).
In addition, the sewage generation may be

heavier during the weekends. In such cases,
the sewage volume generated on a weekend
should be taken as reference.
In the case of a commercial or software

complex, peak flows commonly occur during
the lunch hour.
In the case of manufacturing units, the shift

timings is a major factor. Peaks occur at
breakfast, lunch and dinner timings of the
canteen.
The equalization tank must be of sufficient

capacity to hold the peak time inflow volumes.
Peak times and volumes are site-specific and
variable:
Page 8 of 62
In the case of residential complexes, there

is a distinct morning major peak (when all
residents are using their kitchens, bathrooms
and toilets), followed by a minor peak in the
late evening hours. In a typical residential
Compressed air comes though this airsupply pipeline. This may be a rigid
pipe or a flexible hose. The figure shows
a single array of 8 diffusers. However,
it is more convenient to use separate
pairs of diffusers with their own air pipe
(flexible hose).

A fairly scientific method of calculating the required
capacity of the Equalization tank is by plotting a
graph of the projected inflow and outflow over a
24-hour period, as shown below:
The equalization tank should be large enough

to hold the maximum difference between the
inflow and the outflow. In our example, the
maximum difference is 150-60=90 m3. Therefore,
the equalization tank must be larger than 90 m3
(otherwise it will overflow).
Inflow
Problem
Cause
1.2-1.5 times the volume of the Equalization

tank, or
Insufficient mixing/
aeration
Poor design,
engineering
2.5-3.0 m3/m2 of floor area.
Excessive odor
Poor design,
engineering
Insufficient capacity to
handle peak flows
Poor design
Usable capacity
reduced due to solids
accumulation
Poor maintenance
The capacity of the air blower must be adequate

to deliver the required quantity of air to the
equalization tank as well as all other aerated
tanks it serves.
flo
150
Max
Difference
This tank is most prone to odor generation, since

it contains raw (untreated) sewage. It may also
build up gas, which can be explosive. Therefore it
must have good ventilation.
100
50
3.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Hours
0

Engineering
The incoming sewer line is usually gravity-fed,
and is likely to be at considerable depth below
the ground level. Therefore it is prudent not to
make the tanks of STP too deep, otherwise it
requires very deep excavations and expensive
construction. It also makes the maintenance and
cleaning processes very hazardous.
In it necessary to force compressed air in the
sewage held in the tank. This is mandatory for
two reasons:
It keeps the raw sewage aerated, thereby

avoiding septicity and suppressing odorgeneration
It keeps solids in suspension and prevents

settling of solids in the tank, thereby reducing
frequency of manual cleaning of the tank
12
16
20
24
The tank may be of any shape, provided it permits

placement of air diffusers for full floor coverage
and uniform mixing over the entire floor area.
The diffusers should be retrievable: Individual
diffusers (or sets of diffusers) may be lifted out and
cleaned for routine maintenance. This will reduce
frequency of shut down of the Equalization tank
for manual cleaning purposes.
If membrane diffusers are used, they will
fail frequently, due to the repeated cycles of
expansion and contraction caused by fluctuating
water levels in the equalization tank. Therefore,
only coarse bubble diffusers must be used
in the equalization tank.
Page 9 of 62
3.6 Troubleshooting
The number and placement of diffusers must be

adequate to dispense the calculated amount of
air in the tank.
O
ut
Cumulative Flow (m3)
200
As a rule of thumb, the higher of the following two

figures is taken as the air volume required per
hour:
Keep air mixing on at all times
Ensure that the air flow/ mixing is uniform

over the entire floor of the tank. Adjust the
placement of diffusers and the air-flow rate as
needed.
Keep the equalization tank nearly empty before

the expected peak load hours (otherwise it will
overflow)
Check and clean clogged diffusers at regular

intervals
Manually evacuate settled muck/ sediments at

least once in a year

Raw Sewage Lift Pumps

4.1 Function
This strategy yields a double benefit:
If we use gravity to move the sewage through the

units of STP, the units would have to be placed
progressively deeper below the ground level.
To avoid deep excavations, a pumping stage is
introduced to lift sewage to the next unit in the
STP, which is the aeration tank in small STPs
rated below 5000 m3/day.
a. All downstream units may be placed at a

convenient level above ground, resulting in cost
savings. At the same time, the maintenance of
STP becomes easier.
SL
Remarks
There are two identical pumps. Controls

ensure that only one pump can run at a
time.
Each pump delivers sewage at a rate
that is slightly higher than the actual flow
rate of the STP.
b. The pumping rate can be set at a calibrated

uniform flow, so that downstream units are not
affected by fluctuating flows.
Both pumps have independent suction

pipes.
The inlet pipes extend almost to the
bottom of the tank, and must not have
foot-valves.
4.2 How It Works
The delivery pipes from both pumps are

combined in a !-shaped header.
A delivery pipe takes sewage from
this header to the aeration tank.
A typical pair of pumps (working and standby) is

shown below:
4
The bypass pipeline returns the

excess sewage back to the tank.
Valves fitted on all three pipelines serve

different purposes:
The valve on the bypass line is

adjusted to waste the excess
capacity of the working pump. (The
delivery pipeline (3) always carries
sewage at the designed flow rate)
The valve on the delivery pipe is
closed off when the corresponding
pump is removed for repairs. This
prevents sewage delivered by the
other pump from coming out.
4.3 Design Criteria

The capacity of the raw sewage lift pump is
selected based on daily average rated capacity
of the STP, on the premise that the pumps shall
be operated for 20 Hours in a day (For very large
STPs, 22 hours of operation in a day may be
considered).
Note:
The example shows the pipelines in different
colors only for illustration purposes. In actual
practice, no such color-coding is followed.
STPs are usually designed with a duplicated

pumping system: In place of using a single pump,
two pumps are fixed in parallel, but only one
pump is operated at a time. Such pumps can be
operated round the clock (12 hours per pump).
Page 10 of 62
The lifting capacity of the pumps (called total head

or total lifting height) may be selected based on
the level difference between the sewage-delivery
level at the aeration tank and the floor level of the
equalization tank.

Engineering
Despite the presence of the bar screen(s) before
the equalization tank, in real-life situations, we
cannot rule out the presence of solids, polythene
bags, plastic covers, cups etc. in the equalization
tank.
These items pose a serious threat to the pumps.
Let us compare three different types of pumps for
this job:
1. Submersible pumps with smaller flow
passages in their impellers are not the correct
application for this duty: They are prone to
frequent failures (either the impeller gets
damaged, or the pumps stall and then the
winding burns).
2. Comminutor pumps with a cutter/shredder
option solve the clogging issue by pulverizing
the obstacles, but they end up mixing nonbiodegradable material in the sewage in
such a way that separating the material
becomes impossible. This is a threat to the
environment.
3. Therefore, the correct choice would be
horizontal, centrifugal, non-clog, solidshandling (NC-SH) pumps with open
impellers.
There are other valid and practical reasons for
this selection:
1. The NC-SH pump is robust for this application,
and failure rate/ frequency is very low.
2. The NC-SH pumps are rated to handle solids
up to even 20 mm size with an open impeller
design, whereas submersible pump with
closed impeller design comes with smaller
openings.

3. The NC-SH pumps are less expensive than
submersible pumps, but work at a lower
efficiency due to open impeller design.
In an STP, robust treatment performance is of

prime importance and of higher priority than
savings in energy at the cost of treatment
efficiency.
4. Repair/ servicing costs for NC-SH pumps are
negligible compared to submersible pumps
5. The NC-SH pumps may be serviced at the
STP site itself within a few hours with readily
available spares and consumables.
On the other hand, the submersible pumps
have to be sent to their service center/ factory
for any repairs, and the time required is
typically 2 weeks.
6. Once a submersible pump goes for repair, it
never recovers 100% efficiency, and failures
start occurring periodically (As per our
experience, these pumps are for use and
throw duty only)
7. Guarantees/ warranties on repaired units
are available, only if sent to the respective
factories.
8. The NC-SH pumps are equipped with a Non
Return Flap valve in the body itself, which
functions as a normal foot valve: hence priming
of these pumps is not required at every start.
The raw sewage lift pump is a critical machinery,
and so it must have a standby unit. The electrical
control circuit must ensure that both pumps
cannot run at the same time (otherwise they will
generate excessive pressure and damage the
plumbing. Also, a higher flow rate means partially
treated sewage is passed out of STP.)
Separate suction piping for each of the two pumps
is preferred, so that a clogged inlet pipe can be
cleaned while the other pump is operating.
The delivery header of the two pumps must
conform to good piping engineering practice
with necessary fittings for isolating the pumps for
maintenance, etc.
4.6 Troubleshooting
the equalization tank) with a control valve must

be provided, so that the sewage flow rate can be
precisely set to the designed value.
At the same time, provide for locking this

valve, so that the STP operator cannot tamper
with its settings to increase the flow rate.
Sufficient space must be allowed around the

pump for movement of operators and technicians
for routine operation and maintenance activities.
4.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Switch between the main and standby pump

every 4 hours (approximately).
Check oil in the pump every day; top up if

necessary
Check motor-to-pump alignment after every

dismantling operation
Check condition of coupling and replace

damaged parts immediately
Check for vibrations and tighten the anchor

bolts and other fasteners
Check condition of bearings, oil seals,

mechanical seal and replace if necessary
Completely drain out oil and replace afresh as

per manufacturers recommendation
Always keep safety guard in its proper

position
Follow the LOTO safety principles while

performing maintenance activities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock-out_tag-out
Ensure discharge of raw sewage into the

aeration tank is visible and can be monitored
Maintain the flow rate at designed level (no

tampering with the bypass valve)
It is nearly impossible to get pumps that provide

the exact combination of flow rate and head we
need. Therefore, a bypass branch line (back to
Page 11 of 62
Problem
Cause
Excessive noise
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Excessive vibration
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Overheating
Poor maintenance
Loss in efficiency of
pumping
Poor maintenance

Aeration Tank
5.1 Function
The Aeration tank (together with the settling

tank/ clarifier that follows) is at the heart of the
treatment system3.
The bulk of the treatment is provided here,
employing microbes/bacteria for the process.
The main function of the Aeration tank is to
SL
Remarks
The inlet pipe brings sewage from

the raw sewage lift pump (sewage from
the equalization tank). The pipe is bent
downward, so that the sewage does not
get propelled toward the outlet pipe (6).
The baffle wall does not let the

incoming sewage and sludge go across
the tank toward the outlet pipe (6). The
wall forces the mix toward the bottom
of the tank; thus ensuring maximum
retention.
The tank is always filled till this level

(which is set by the top of the launder
(4).
maintain a high population level of microbes. This

mixture is called MLSS (Mixed Liquor Suspended
Solids).
The mixed liquor is passed on to the clarifier tank,
where the microbes are made to settle at the
bottom. The settled microbes are recycled back
to the aeration tank. Thus they are retained for
a long period within the system (see Appendix
- page 138).
5.2 How It Works

A typical Aeration tank is shown below.
The fine bubble diffusers are

actually rigid pipes with long slots, which
are then covered with tubular synthetic
rubber membranes. The compressed air
is released in the form of fine bubbles
throughout the length of the diffusers,
through minute holes punched in the
rubber membrane. The figure shows
an array of eight diffusers. The array is
strapped to cement blocks (ballasts) to
keep the entire assembly anchored to
the bottom of the tank.
In the case of fixed diffusers, compressed

air is supplied through a header pipe
at the bottom of the tank, as shown.
Some designs use flexible air hose lines
and pairs of diffusers to make them
easily retrievable. In this case each pair
of diffusers is also provided with a nylon
rope to enable lifting out of the aeration
tank for maintenance.
So the remaining height of the tank

serves as freeboard (height margin
to ensure that the tank does not
overflow immediately under moderate
emergencies.)
4
The Outlet Launder collects the

sewage and delivers it to the outlet pipe
(6).
Note that the outlet launder is located

farthest from the inlet pipe (1) to minimize
short circuiting of flow from the inlet to
the outlet of the tank.
5
Notes:
1. The figure shows only the surface of the

sewage, so that items submerged in the
sewage can be shown.
2. An air-compressor is required, but not shown
because in most cases a single blower provides
the compressed air needed at multiple places
in the STP.
3
The net prevents entry of debris in the

outlet pipe (6).
The recirculated sludge pipeline

brings bacteria floc from the settling
tank/secondary clarifier). It is always
located very close to the inlet pipe (1)
so that the raw sewage and bacteria
get mixed thoroughly. (By design, both
pipes deliver roughly the same volume
per hour4.)
The operator should remove debris

collected in the launder (4) periodically,
otherwise eventually the mesh will
be blocked with accumulated debris,
resulting in a rise of water-level in the
aeration tank. In the extreme case, this
will cause overflow from the tank.
5.3 Design Criteria
The quantity of sewage to be handled per

day
The outlet pipe takes the sewage to

the settling tank/secondary clarifier.
The pollutional potential of Indian domestic

sewage, in terms of commonly understood
parameters such as BOD (Biochemical
Oxygen demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen
Demand), TSS (Total Suspended Solids),
O&G (Oil & Grease), etc.
When designing an STP, the following factors are

already known:
Thus we know the amount of food available every

day for the microbes to eat away.
Since both tanks work together, they cannot be explained in isolation.
Page 12 of 62
This approximation is only to give you a rough idea: The actual ratio depends on the design parameters.

The other factors are selected as follows:
Treatment
efficiency
90 to 98 %, as defined by
the Pollution Control Board.
Food/
Microorganisms
ratio (F/M)
For STPs with extended

aeration, required F/M is
0.10 to 0.12
This gives the required size (volume) of the

aeration tank.
Operating platforms must be provided next to the

tank, such that all the diffusers installed in the
tank are easily accessible, and amenable to easy
maintenance.
In theory, the desired volume can be achieved
with multiple combinations of tank dimensions.
However, in practice, the following factors limit
the depth of the tank:
The next step is to calculate the amount of air

to be pumped into the aeration tank, to keep the
microbes alive and in continuous suspension
(they must mix well with the food, and not settle
at the bottom of the tank).
In fact, the amount of air required for

respiration of the microbes is always more
than the amount of air required to keep the
tank contents completely mixed. Therefore,
we can simply calculate the air required for
microbes; and it will serve the other purpose
well.
The sewage depth may be between 2.5 - 4.0

m. The greater the water depth, the higher the
efficiency of transfer of Oxygen to the tank
contents. However, there is a penalty to be
paid in the form of higher (and more difficult)
maintenance, costs of a higher pressure air
blower, higher air temperatures and related
problems.
So the depth is fixed first. The length and width

of the aeration tank may be computed to suit
the diffuser membranes selected to provide the
required quantity of air.
That concludes the design of the Aeration tank:

the size (volume), concentration of microbes to be
maintained, and the quantity of air to be supplied
per hour.
It is best to use the least possible number of

membranes and therefore use the largest of the
available sizes: 90 Dia x 1000 mm long. The
lesser the number of membranes, the lesser is
the maintenance, and the fewer the chances of
malfunction.

Engineering
Membrane diffusers are the preferred equipment

for aeration in the aeration tank over other forms
of aeration (low-speed surface aerators/ Highspeed floating aerators/ submerged venturi
aerators, etc.) for several reasons:
The Aeration tank is generally of waterproof

RCC construction (as are most other tanks in the
STP), designed as water-retaining structures as
specified in relevant Indian codes.
The shape of the tank is not very critical, as long
as adequate floor coverage and uniform mixing
can be achieved by proper placement of diffusers
on the tank floor.
Energy savings
Less number of rotating machinery to be

operated and maintained
Turndown option5
Standby facility
Gentle aeration (less breakage of the biomass

floc)
Performance unaffected by foaming in tank
Substantial reduction in aerosol formation

(Safe working conditions)
Mixing in depth
Design can take into account the following

factors: pressure, temperature, altitude,
viscosity, fouling, aging, etc.
Non-interruptive maintenance/ replacement is

possible
The diffusers must be retrievable, for regular

cleaning and maintenance without having to empty
the aeration tank. (Regular cleaning extends the
life of the diffusers).
Requirement for headroom above the tank,

for operator comfort and to allow maintenance
(e.g. to retrieve the heavy diffusers from
bottom, you may need to fix a pulley system
on the ceiling)
The thumb rule is 50-60 m3/hr of air for every kg of

BOD removed (i.e., the difference between BOD
readings of the incoming sewage and treated
sewage).
It is necessary to ensure that the incoming sewage

does not go to exit directly. To minimize this short
circuiting, raw sewage lift pumps must deliver the
sewage at one end of the tank, and the outflow
must be as far away from this point.
For the same reason, the sludge recirculation
pipe (from the settling tank) must deliver sludge
in the vicinity of the sewage inlet, to maximize
the contact time of microorganisms with raw
sewage.
The outlet end may be provided with a launder at
the desired water level in the tank (which in fact
fixes the water level in the tank). It is also useful
to fix a coarse mesh screen in the launder to
trap any stray trash from entering the secondary
settler tank.
Sufficient freeboard must be provided in the tank,
so that even in the event of emergencies (such
as blockage of pipe between aeration tank and
settling tank, excessive foaming etc.) overflow
from the aeration tank can be avoided for some
time. Note that the freeboard only gives the STP
operator some additional time to react to an
emergency, but it would not be able to prevent
an overflow.
All things considered, chances of poor engineering
in the aeration tank affecting STP performance are
far less compared to the settling tank (secondary
clarifier-- the next tank in the chain).
The membranes are rated to operate within certain range of air flux rates. So power is saved by turning down
(reducing) the air flow during certain times, such as night hours.
Page 13 of 62
The microbes produce a large amount of Carbon

Dioxide, which must be handled by the exhaust
and ventilation system.
5.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Operation considerations include maintaining
the correct design level of MLSS (biomass
concentration) in the aeration tank. Problems
arise both in the case of excess or shortage of
biomass, causing an imbalance, leading to failure
of the process. The next chapter shows how to
maintain the correct design level of MLSS in the
aeration tank.
See appendix (page 139) to understand how
MLSS ratio is measured and controlled.
Visual observation will indicate if there is uniform
aeration and mixing over the entire area of the
tank. Local violent boiling/ bubbling is indicative of
ruptured membranes. Dead zones on the sewage
surface indicate that membranes are blocked from
the air side or the liquid side. Both conditions call
for immediate attention, by cleaning or replacing
the membranes.
Cleaning of membranes is generally carried out
by lifting out the defective units and scouring out
the adhering materials by high-pressure hosing.
Scrubbing with mild acid solution may also be
resorted to in case of stubborn encrustation.
Foaming in the aeration tank may be caused by
excessive inflow of detergent-like substances: In
a great majority of cases, the cause may be traced
to an imbalance in the aeration tank recipe (Food:
Microorganisms: Air: Nutrients), and corrective
measures may be taken as indicated.

5.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Inadequate mixing/ aeration
Poor design/ engineering/ maintenance
Violent boiling in tank
Ruptured membranes/ damaged pipeline
Black coloration
Poor design/ engineering
(medium to dark brown color indicates good

health)
Foaming
Poor design/ engineering/ operation
Note: Foaming during initial start-up of STP is

normal, due to the acclimatization period
of the bacteria in the growth phase.
Paucity of bacteria
Very light colored liquid in Aeration Tank
MLSS below acceptable limits
Poor design/ engineering/ operation
Page 14 of 62

Secondary Clarifier/ Settling Tank

6.1 Function
There are three popular design variations in the

unmechanized clarifier tank.
The purpose and function of the secondary

clarifier is threefold:
They differ in the manner in which the sludge is

collected and returned to the Aeration tank.
Allow settling of biomass solids in the Mixed

Liquor (biomass slurry) coming out of the
aeration tank, to the bottom of the clarifier
To thicken the settled biomass, in order to

produce a thick underflow
To produce clear supernatant water, in the

overflow from the clarifier
The clarifier tank is only a passive device: All the

above actions occur due to gravity.
Air-lift
pump
Sludge is collected with an air-lift

pump. By varying the air pressure,
the flow rate of the sludge can
be adjusted. This version is most
prevalent.
Electric
pumpDirect
suction
Sludge is collected with an electric

pump. Since the flow rate of
this pump cannot be varied, the
pump is turned off periodically
to arrive at a lower net flow rate.
(For example, it is kept off for 10
minutes every hour.)
Electric
pump and
buffer
sump
Sludge is allowed to flow in a

buffer sump (using gravity). From
here, sludge is pumped back to
aeration tank using a pump. The
net flow rate is adjusted using
a bypass pipeline with a valve
(exactly like the raw sewage lift
pumps).
The thick biomass is recirculated back to the

aeration tank.
6.2 How It Works

The clarifier tanks can be classified in two groups:
mechanized and unmechanized.
In an unmechanized clarifier, the bottom of the

tank is shaped like a funnel, with a steep slope.
The sludge slowly settles towards bottom, and
slides down the slope to collect at the lowest
point of the funnel-shaped bottom.
In a mechanical clarifier, the bottom of the tank
has only a gentle slope toward the center. The
sludge settles uniformly across the floor of the
tank. A set of slowly rotating rubber blades
sweep the sludge into a hopper at the center
of the tank6.
SL
Remarks
The sewage inlet pipe brings sewage

from the aeration tank.
The center-feed well (also called

influent well) takes this incoming
sewage and gently releases it in the
settling tank, without causing any
disturbance or turbulence. Note that the
well is always filled with water because
of its position. So the incoming sewage
does not drop from a height and disturb
the sludge that is already settling toward
The unmechanized and mechanical varieties of

clarifiers are explained next.
6.2.1 Settling tank with air-lift

pump
Also note that the top of the well is

positioned above the water surface, so
that the incoming water cannot find a
path of least resistance, straightway rise
to the top and exit to the launder. (If that
is allowed to happen, then the solids will
never be able to settle.)
A typical settling tank with air-lift pump is shown

on the next page.. (The front side is removed to
show internal parts.)
6 This is just like how the windshield wipers in your car sweep water.
Page 15 of 62
The sludge is only slightly heavier than

water; so it takes time to sink. It slides
down the steeply sloped walls
of the tank toward the center of the
bottom.
The bacterial flocs7 collect here in

high concentration8. Even when the flocs
settle at bottom, they actually remain
suspended in water, rather than forming
a solid sediment.
Note:
This figures shows it as

semitransparent only to show
the suction pump mechanism.
In real life, the mix would be a
dense opaque mass.
The upper part of the tank, till
the surface, holds clear water
(the figure shows only its
surface 8).
Each floc is loosely aggregated mass of bacteria. It is a brownish tiny ball of 2-3 mm dia, with a soft, spongy
and slimy texture.
This simplified diagram shows a separate layer of flocs at bottom. In reality, at any given moment, the newly
arriving flocs are gradually sinking, and clear water is rising upward. This creates a gradual increase of flocdensity toward the bottom of the tank, but there are no distinct layers.

The compressed air pipe (5) feeds

compressed air to the airlift pump. As
this air is released near the bottom, it
expands suddenly in bubble form and
rises to the top through the delivery
pipe (7). The Venturi effect at the joint
of 5 and 7 creates a partial vacuum, and
sucks in the bacterial flocs through the
inverted funnel (6). The compressed
air propels this mass up through the
delivery pipe (7).
The clear water rises to the top of the

tank.
10
Typically the tank has launders on all

four sides. (The launder on the front is
not shown, so that the other parts can be
shown clearly.)
If the water overflowed over the weir at
fast velocity, it will pull up the solids from
the bottom of the tank. This is prevented
by providing weir of sufficient length.
SL
Remarks

The center-feed well (also known as

In small plants, launder on a single side

is adequate.
The clarified water pipe takes the
decanted water to the clarified water
sump.
The valve on the main pipe is used

to close it during maintenance. The
valves near the pumps regulate the
flow, and also close the pipe when the
corresponding pump is removed for
repairs.
6

6.2.2 Settling tank with directsuction electric pump

A typical settling tank with a direct-suction electric
pump is shown below. (The front side is removed
to show its internal parts.)

bottom.
The bacterial flocs9 collect here in

high concentration10. Even when the
flocs settle at bottom, they actually
remain suspended in water, rather than
forming a solid sediment.
Note:

dense opaque mass.
surface (8).
The sludge delivery pipe delivers11

the slurry (a mix of flocs and water) to the
pumps (6). The pipe is split between the
two pumps (they do not have separate
inlet pipes).

time.
Each pump delivers sludge at a rate
that is slightly higher than the required
flow rate. Since the flow rate of these
pumps is fixed, they need to be turned
off periodically to bring down the net flow
rate to achieve the desired MLSS ratio.
This is a critical operation, because if
flocs remain in the settling tank for more
than 30 minutes, the microorganisms
die due to lack of oxygen. Therefore the
on/off cycles have to be small.
Since this is a round-the-clock operation,
and a critical task, this is done using
a timer circuit that turns the pump on/
off automatically. The operator has
to monitor the MLSS ratio, and keep
adjusting the timers duty cycle (the on/
off periods) as required.
The !-shaped header assembly

joins the outlet pipes of both pumps, and
delivers the sludge to the aeration tank.

tank.
Each floc is loosely aggregated mass of bacteria. It is a brownish tiny ball of 2-3 mm dia, with a soft, spongy
and slimy texture.
10 This simplified diagram shows a separate layer of flocs at bottom. In reality, at any given moment, the newly
11 Because of the water column above, the slurry is delivered with pressure. Thus the pumps do not need to apply
suction: They work only to lift the slurry to the top of the aeration tank.
48 |
Secondary Clarifier/ Settling Tank
Page 16 of 62
| 49

9

four sides. (The launder on the front side
is not shown, so that the other parts can
be shown clearly.)
is adequate.
10

sump.
Because of the requirement to switch the pump

on/off round the clock (and the consequences
of an operator mistake), this method is not
recommended.
The next variant overcomes the design limitations
mentioned above.
6.2.3 Settling tank with buffer

sump
This design overcomes the critical deficiencies in

the direct-suction electric pump version.
The settling tank is built just like the direct-suction
electric pump version, but two critical external
components are added: An intermediate tank with
aeration, and a bypass pipeline. These additional
components keep the bacteria flocs alive, and
also allow the operator to adjust the sludge flow
rate to get the desired MLSS ratio.
Remarks


bottom.
The bacterial flocs12 collect here
in high concentration13. Even when
the flocs settle at bottom, they actually
remain suspended in water, rather than
forming a solid sediment.
Note:

dense opaque mass.
surface 8).
The sludge delivery pipe delivers14

the slurry (a mix of flocs and water) to
the buffer sump (6).
Note that the pipe is located below the
water surface, therefore the slurry is
delivered with pressure.
The valve on the pipe is used to regulate
the slurry flow rate and also to close the
pipe during maintenance.
The slurry remains in the sump (6) only
for a short time.

A typical settling tank with buffer sump is shown

below. (The front side is removed to show its
internal parts.)
SL

The compressed air pipeline

(7) provides air to the coarse air
bubble diffusers (8), which release
large bubbles in the slurry. This not only
provides oxygen to the bacteria, but
also continuously agitates the slurry to
prevent settling of the flocs to the bottom
of the sump15.
9
There are two identical pumps which

pass the slurry to the Aeration tank.
Controls ensure that only one pump can
run at a time.
Each pump delivers sludge at a rate that
is slightly higher than the required flow
rate. The extra flow is diverted back to
the sump through the bypass pipeline
(10). The returning slurry is released at
a height, thus agitating the contents of
the sump.
The valve on the bypass line is adjusted
to achieve the desired net flow rate.
12 Each floc is loosely aggregated mass of bacteria. It is a brownish tiny ball of 2-3 mm dia, with a soft, spongy
and slimy texture.
13 This simplified diagram shows a separate layer of flocs at bottom. In reality, at any given moment, the newly
14 Because of the water column above, the slurry is delivered with pressure. Thus the pumps do not need to apply
suction: They work only to lift the slurry to the top of the aeration tank.
15 If any flocs settle to bottom, they will not be recirculated to the aeration tank, and they will die because of lack
of food. Just oxygen is not sufficient to keep them alive.
Page 17 of 62

11
13
The !-shaped header assembly

joins the outlet pipes of both pumps, and
delivers the sludge to the aeration tank
via the delivery pipe (12).
14

tank.

influent well) (2) takes this incoming sewage
and gently releases it in the settling tank, without
causing any disturbance or turbulence. Note that
the well is always filled with water because of its
position. So the incoming sewage does not drop
from a height and disturb the sludge that is already
settling toward the bottom of the tank.

(This figure shows only the surface, but

the upper part of the tank is filled with
clear water).

is adequate.
15
Also note that the top of the well is positioned

above the water surface, so that the incoming
water cannot find a path of least resistance,
straightway rise to the top and exit to the launder.
(If that is allowed to happen, then no settling of
solids will occur.)

sump
6.2.4 Mechanized Clarifier Tank
This design is used for large STPs only.
The three types of clarifier tanks described so far

were not mechanized: In those tanks, the sludge
settles and moves to the deepest part of the tank
due to gravity, from where a pump takes it to the
aeration tank.
A typical tank is shown below.
In a mechanized clarifier tank, the sludge settles

at the bottom over a wide area, and a few rubber
wiper blades (called squeegees) sweep it to a
pit at the center of the tank, from where a pump
takes it to the aeration tank.
The sewage inlet pipe (1) brings sewage


four sides. (The launder on the front side
is not shown, so that the other parts can
be shown clearly.)
The sludge is only slightly heavier than water; so

it takes time to sink.
The bacterial flocs16 collect at the bottom in
high concentration17. Even when the flocs settle at
bottom, they actually remain suspended in water,
rather than forming a solid sediment.
As shown, the tank is cylindrical, with bottom that

slopes toward the center, with very little slope.
The figure does not show the clarified water
and sludge, so that the submerged parts can be
shown clearly,
SL
Since the bottom (3) has very little slope, the

flocs do not move from their settling spot.
So the remaining height of the tank above the

weir serves as freeboard (height margin to ensure
that the tank does not overflow immediately under
moderate emergencies.)
The bacterial flocs settled at the bottom have to
be quickly collected and sent back to aeration
tank, otherwise they would die because of lack of
oxygen and food.
This is done with a set of rubber blades (called
squeegees) (7): The squeegees sweep the
floor in circular movement, and propel the sludge
toward a collection-pit (8) at the center of
the tank. From here, a pump takes the sludge to
aeration tank.
The squeegees work just like how a windshield
wiper works in your car.
Note how each squeegee is set at an angle.
When a squeegee sweeps through the layer of
accumulated sludge, the sludge slides towards its
trailing edge. The squeegee leaves a continuous
ridge of sludge at the trailing edge. (The five
squeegees on each arm leave five ridges of
sludge behind.)
The clear water rises to the top. Most of the tank is

filled with clear water (not shown here), As we go
down, we find the sludge in progressively higher
concentration.
Remarks
The tank has a launder

periphery.
(5)
around its
The clear water flows over its top edge (4) (called
weir) into the launder, and is collected by the
outlet pipe (6) and taken to the filter units
(pressure sand filter and activated carbon filter).
Note that the position of the launder determines
the depth of water in the tank: Under normal
running condition, the water level never rises
beyond the weir. It rises only when the outlet pipe
is blocked for some reason.
16 Each floc is loosely aggregated mass of bacteria. It is a brownish tiny ball of 2-3 mm dia, with a soft, spongy
and slimy texture.
17 At any given moment, the newly arriving flocs are gradually sinking, and clear water is rising upward. This
creates a gradual increase of floc-density toward the bottom of the tank, but there are no distinct layers.
Page 18 of 62

Each ridge is then collected by the next squeegee
in the opposite arm of the rake (after the rake
turns by half a turn), and again pushed toward
the center.
Some critical details of the sludge-collection pit

are shown below:
squeegees strike the floor violently, and get

damaged. Such torn squeegees cannot sweep
the sludge properly. Again, this leaves a lot of
sludge unswept on the floor. Bacteria that cannot
be collected within one hour from the clarifier tank
die, and turn septic.
Thus each pass of the squeegees moves the

sludge toward the center by one blade length.
The last squeegees (nearest the center) drop the
sludge into the collection pit.
Thus the bottom bush plays a vital role.

In some designs, a sludge-concentrator (not
shown here) is fitted on the central shaft (7)
Thus, if each arm has five squeegees, the sludge

will take up to five rotations of the rake to reach
the pit.
The concentrator is like a large screw. It rotates

with the rake, and pushes/squeezes the flocs
down the pit. At the bottom of the pit, the floc
concentration is the highest. This increases the
density of the slurry that is returned to the aeration
tank
Also note that the squeegees are arranged to

cover the entire floor of the tank; especially the
outer periphery. This is a critical requirement: It
ensures that the bacterial flocs do not remain in
the Clarifier tank for extended period and die.
The circular motion of the squeegees is achieved
through the following mechanism:
A motor (9) drives a speed-reduction gear
box (10), The gear box drives a shaft (11). The
shaft is attached to the frame (12) that carries
all the squeegees (7).
Thus when the motor rotates at its normal speed,
the frame rotates at a very slow speed in the tank.
This slow speed ensures that the sludge settled
at the bottom of the tank is not stirred up.
The platform (13) (also called bridge,
because it spans across the tank in most designs)18 allows mounting of the driver motor, and
also allows the STP operator to observe the tank
from above.
It always has safety hand-rails (not shown in the
figure to reduce complexity.)
6.3 Design Criteria

The fundamental design criterion for clarification
of the mixed liquor coming into the clarifier is the
cross-sectional area of the clarifier. In the strictest
theoretical sense, the depth of the clarifier has
no role to play in the clarification function:
Increasing depth of the clarifier only helps in the
thickening function.
The figure shows only some part of the tank

floor (1). A bucket-shaped sludge-collection
pit (2) collects the sludge that is swept by the
squeegees.
The collected sludge is pumped out through the
outlet port (3) and outlet pipe (4)
Clarifier cross-sectional area is typically computed

at between 12 18 m3/hr/m2 of throughput flow of
sewage, depending on various other factors. For
small domestic STPs, a figure of 16 may be taken
as the golden mean.
In the center of the pit, an RCC pillar (5) is

provided. A bush housing (6) is mounted on
this pillar.
The housing contains a bush, which provides a
frictionless support to the rotating rake (7). This
ensures that the rotating rake remains steadily
centered in the tank; and more importantly, the
squeegees remain in contact with the floor as
they rotate.
It is customary to specify depth of clarifier between

2.5 to 3.0 m.
In order to restrict localized high upflow velocities,
clarifiers have to be provided with sufficient length
of weir over which overflow occurs. In small
clarifiers, the Weir Overflow Rate does not
assume critical significance, and in a square tank,
a weir on a single side of the tank will be sufficient.
Circular clarifiers in most cases are built with an
all-round weir, which again is adequate.
If a bush is not provided, the rake would be

dangling from the platform. As it rotates in the thick
slurry, it meets uneven resistance and currents;
and starts swinging.
As a result, the squeegees cannot remain in
touch with the floor, and their sweeping action is
not uniform. That leaves a lot of sludge unswept
on the floor. A second major problem is the rubber
Another design consideration is the Solids

Loading Rate in the clarifier - i.e.
kg solids/m2/Hr. In typical domestic STPs, this
parameter is not of great significance.
18 This figure shows only half of the bridge, so that the items located under it can be shown clearly.
Page 19 of 62

Engineering
Proper construction and engineering of a clarifier/
settling tank is of utmost importance, and several
factors need to be considered and executed with
great precision. Any deficiency in even one of
these aspects can make or mar an STP. Some of
the more critical factors are listed below:
Steep slope in the hopper-bottom settling tank

(> 450)
Weir at uniform level
Influent feed well to kill turbulence of incoming

mixed liquor from the aeration tank
Radial entry of mixed liquor into the feed well
Minimum difference in water level in aeration

tank and clarifier (not more than 0.2 m)
Minimum footprint of the central sludgecollection hopper
If a square tank is fitted with a mechanical

rake, its corners (which are not swept by the
blades) must have steep slope.
Uniform slope
undulations
Rubber squeegees of the mechanical rake to

sweep the floor
Number, angle and length of rake blades on

the rake arm
Speed of the rake arm
Bottom steady bush for the vertical shaft of

rake arm in large clarifiers to prevent oscillation
of the rake arms
If the sludge-withdrawal pipe is buried beneath

the floor in a mechanical clarifier, it shall be
minimum 4 diameter.
in
floor,
without
major

6.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
If properly designed, engineered and constructed,

clarifiers call for very little attention in terms
of operation and maintenance. Indeed, the
unmechanized (hopper-bottom) settling tanks
may be said to be zero- maintenance units. Some
parts of the mechanical rake (such as the motor,
gearbox etc.) call for only routine maintenance.
The sacrificial rubber squeegees sweeping the
floor of the clarifier need to be checked and
replaced, possibly once in two years.
6.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Solids are
carried over with
decanted water
Poor design/ engineering/

operation/ maintenance
Mushroom cloud
of solids
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Poor settlement of Poor design/ engineering

solids
Thin slurry in
underflow
Excessive
turbulence in
clarifier
Poor engineering
Rotational flow
of solids in upper
layers19
Poor engineering
19 In fact, any movement of water in the clarifier should not be noticeable at all, except near the overflow weirs,
where the velocities are high
Page 20 of 62

Sludge Recirculation
7.1 Function
The indivisible combination of the aeration tank,
settling tank and sludge recirculation constitutes
an activated sludge biological treatment system.
All three must be fine-tuned to act in unison to
produce the desired high level of treatment.
The optimum desired age of the microbes is
between 25 to 30 days. At the same time, an STP
SL
Remarks

time.
needs to maintain a high level of microbes in the

aeration tank. Both these objectives are achieved
by recirculating the sludge from the settling tank,
and also bleeding out of excess microbes from
the system at regular intervals.
The sludge from the sludge hopper of the

clarifier is taken by gravity into a sludge
sump, from where the pumps return the
sludge to the aeration tank.
To illustrate by a simple example: if the total

biomass inventory in the system is 100 kg, and
daily bleed/ wasting rate is 4 kg, then the average
age of biomass in the system is 25 days.
Both pumps have independent suction

pipes
7.2 How It Works

A typical pair of pumps (working and standby) is
shown below:
It is not desirable to have a common

suction pipeline, because if it fouls
up, both pumps will have to be shut
down.
The pipes must not have foot-valves,

because the foot-valves would get
jammed frequently.
The inlet pipes extend almost to the

bottom of the tank
The delivery pipes from both pumps are

combined in a !-shaped header.
A delivery pipe takes sludge from this
header to the aeration tank.
Note:
The example shows the pipelines in different
colors only for illustration purposes. In actual
practice, no such color-coding is followed.
Page 21 of 62
The bypass pipeline returns some

sludge back to the sludge-holding tank.
Valves fitted on all three pipelines serve

different purposes:
The valve on the bypass line is

adjusted to waste the excess
capacity of the working pump. (The
delivery pipeline (3) always carries
sludge at the designed flow rate,
to achieve the desired MLSS in the
aeration tank.)
The valve on the delivery pipe is

closed off when the corresponding
pump is removed for repairs. This
prevents sludge coming from the
other pump from coming out.
7.3 Design Criteria

Sludge recirculation rates are typically between
50 % to 100 % of the throughput rate of sewage
in the STP. Hence, in a majority of cases, the
capacity and specifications of the raw sewage lift
pumps are replicated for this duty as well.

Engineering
The engineering principles prescribed for the raw
sewage lift pumps (see section 4.3) apply to the
sludge recirculation pumps as well.
Providing an intermediate sludge sump (between
the clarifier and the recirculation pumps) to collect
sludge from the bottom of the clarifier tank is
preferable to directly connecting the pump to the
sludge pipe of the clarifier: This strategy enables
control of the recirculation sludge rate, without
having to throttle the pump, thereby reducing
pump-maintenance costs and extending life of
the pumps.
Typically in small plants (say up to 150 m3/day)
5-10 m3/hr of air is sufficient to lift sludge in a 2-3
dia sludge pipe, and deliver it back to the aeration
tank. Note that air-lift pumps work well only when
the submergence is high (i.e., when the mouth of
the airlift pump is deep inside the sewage) and
the delivery head is small (i.e., when the Aeration
tanks top is not much above the top level of the
settling tank). In other words, the water level
difference between the Aeration Tank and Settling
Tank must not be excessive; otherwise the pump
will not be able to lift the sludge, and thus the recirculation will stop.

7.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Considerations here are identical to those

specified for the raw sewage lift pumps (see
Section 4.4).
The manufacturers O&M manual must be
followed with diligence.
Clarified Water Sump
7.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Excessive noise
Poor engineering/
maintenance
8.1 Function
Excessive
vibration
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Overheating
Poor maintenance
Overflow water from the clarifier is collected in an

intermediate clarified water sump, This sump
acts as a buffer tank between the secondary and
the tertiary treatment stages in an STP.
Loss in efficiency
of pumping
Poor maintenance
In a well-run STP, the treated water quality at this

stage is good enough for reuse on lawns and
gardens with sufficient disinfection, and water for
garden use may be directly taken from this sump,
without having to overload the tertiary units.
Ensure discharge of sludge recirculation into the

In addition, if an intermediate sludge sump is
provided, it is advisable to force-flush the sludge
line of the clarifier at frequent intervals, so that the
pipe remains clear at all times, and incidence of
choking is minimized.
Also, during lean inflow periods to the STP,

backwashing of the filters is carried out. At this
time, this tank must hold sufficient buffer stock of
water for backwash purposes.
8.2 Design Criteria

Any sump tank that serves pumps should have
a minimum retention period of 30 minutes, so
that only under extreme negligent operations, the
sump may overflow, or the pump may run dry.
In addition, the tank must hold enough water to
backflush the filters fully. Thus it is prudent to
provide a retention time of 2-3 hours of average
hourly flow in the STP.
Despite best design, trace quantities of solids
always escape the clarifier into this tank. This
means presence of live bacteria in this tank,
Therefore, it is advisable to aerate this tank, in
order to keep the bacteria alive and keep the
water fresh.
The air bubbles also serve another purpose: The
compressed air keeps these solids in continuous
suspension by constantly agitating the water. This
prevents the solids from settling at the bottom of
the sump and accumulate there. (Settled bacteria
will eventually starve and die, as this tank does
not have enough food for them. That would turn
the contents of the tank septic.)
Page 22 of 62

Engineering
The tank should be able to properly feed the
suction pipeline of the filter feed pumps.
Minimum aeration with coarse bubble diffusers is
recommended in this tank to prevent settling of
the trace amounts of suspended solids slipping
through the settling tank.
It should be possible to clean and maintain the
diffusers with ease.
8.4 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
There are no special requirements, as this tank
plays a passive role in STP functioning.
In general, look after aeration, and inspect the tank
periodically for sediments. Remove sediments as
required.
8.5 Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting in this unit of the STP is not
called for due to its passive role.

Filter Feed Pumps (FFP)

9.1 Function
Filter feed pumps are used to take the water from
the clarified water sump and pass it through the
pressure sand filter and activated carbon filter
installed in series.
9.2 Design Criteria

Capacity of the filter feed pumps may be chosen
keeping in view the desired number of hours
of operation of filters (if not the standard 20-22
hours of operation). In this case, the capacity of
the intermediate clarified water sump also needs
to be enhanced accordingly.
The discharge head of the filters may be specified
at 1.5 - 2 kg/cm2, to overcome the pressure
differential across the two filters under the worst
condition (which is just before backwashing or
backflushing the filters).

Engineering
The filter feed pumps may be selected either
to be of the open impeller type (more efficient)
or, we may fall back upon the trusted non-clog,
solids-handling (NC-SH) type of pump selected
for raw sewage lifting (see Section 4.4).
The option is left entirely to the designer/ engineer,
provided the rest of the STP has been designed
and engineered to the satisfaction of a purist.
9.5 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
9.4 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Excessive noise
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Excessive
vibration
Poor engineering/
maintenance
Overheating
Poor maintenance
Switch between the main and standby pump

every 4 hours (approximately).
Loss in efficiency
of pumping
Poor maintenance
Check oil in the pump every day; top up if

necessary
Check motor-to-pump alignment after every

dismantling operation
Check condition of coupling and replace

damaged parts immediately
Check for vibrations and tighten the anchor

bolts and other fasteners
Check condition of bearings, oil seals,

mechanical seal and replace if necessary
Completely drain out oil and replace afresh as

per manufacturers recommendation
Always keep safety guard in its proper

position
Follow the LOTO safety principles20 while

performing maintenance activities
Ensure discharge of raw sewage into the

Maintain the flow rate at designed level (no

tampering with the bypass valve)
Follow the manufacturers O&M manual

diligently.
20 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock-out_tag-out
Page 23 of 62

Pressure Sand Filter (PSF)

10.1 Function
The pressure sand filter (PSF) is used as a
tertiary treatment unit to trap the trace amounts of
solids which escape the clarifier, and can typically
handle up to 50 mg/l of solids in an economical
manner.
10.3 Design Criteria

A good average design filtration rate is
12 m3/ m2/hr of filter cross-sectional area, and
most filters used in STP applications are designed
on this basis.
This unit is essentially a pressure vessel that is

filled with graded media (sand and gravel).
The water filtered with PSF is passed on to the
next stage in the STP chain: the Activated Carbon
Filter.

Engineering
The Filter vessel is designed as a pressure vessel
(it consists of a straight cylindrical shell, with
convex dish-shaped ends welded to the top and
bottom). A typical vessel is designed to withstand
a pressure of 5 kg/cm2.
10.2 How It Works

The upper layers of the sand perform the actual
filtration function. The gravel layers merely provide
physical support to the upper sand layers.
In small diameter vessels, it is customary to

provide a bolted dish at the top for ease of
maintenance. In large filters, a manhole of > 0.6
m dia is provided at the top. A hand-hole of > 200
mm dia is provided at the bottom of the cylinder,
to facilitate removal of media from the vessel at
the time of servicing.
The sand used in the PSF is not ordinary

construction sand: It has particle size in a specific
range, and is specially sieved for this purpose.
Think of a sand filter as a 3D (in depth) filter,
as compared to planar filters like a tea bag or
tea strainer. Here, the filtration occurs along the
entire depth of the sand layer. The solid particles
in the water get entrapped and enmeshed in the
spaces between the sand particles.
A set of pipes, valves, bypass line, backwash

waste line etc. are also provided to facilitate
operations such as filtration, bypass (during
servicing), backwash etc. Pressure gauges are
provided at the inlet and outlet, to monitor the
pressure drop across the filter.
Gradually, the space between sand particle

gets filled with incoming solids. This blocks the
passage of water through the sand layer. As a
result, the pressure at the outlet drops rapidly21,
and wastes the pumping power, and reduces the
throughput of the filter.
The shell height typically varies between 1.2 m

to 1.5 m in small plants. Graded pebbles ranging
from 0.5 to 1 are filled as bottom layers in the
filter, up to a depth of nearly 0.5 -0.6 m. The top
layers consist of the filtering sand media (Coarse
and fine sand) to a depth of 0.6 0.7 m. A
freeboard of nearly 0.3 m above the level of sand
may be provided (to allow for expansion of sand
during backwash).
When the pressure drops beyond a limit, the

sand is cleaned by backwashing of the filter
(backflushing) with water, in which water is passed
in the reverse direction (from outlet to inlet). This
process agitates, fluidizes and expands the sand
bed. The backwash water carries away the lighter
pollutant solid particles as backwash waste.
A great majority of filters operate in the downflow

mode (water flowing in top-to-bottom direction).
Necessary appurtenances are provided at the
top for distributing the inflow uniformly across the
cross-sectional area of the filter: similarly, a pipe
manifold with laterals is fitted at the bottom as the
underdrain system.
(Without these structures, the water flow inside
21 Stated differently, the pressure-drop across the filter rises sharply
Page 24 of 62
the filter will be restricted to the center line; and

the media placed near the wall of the tank will not
contribute to the filtering action.)
These good engineering practices ensure optimum
filtration efficiency by avoiding short circuiting of
flow inside the filter, and also minimizing pressure
loss in the filter due to sudden expansion/
constrictions in the fittings.
10.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
The operations essentially consist of a long
filtration run, followed by a short backwash
sequence.
The filter needs backwash when the pressure
drop across the filter exceeds 0.5 kg/cm2.
However, it is a good practice to backwash once
in a shift, irrespective of the actual amount of
pressure loss. A five to ten minute backwash will
typically rid the filter of all accumulated muck.
10.6 Troubleshooting
Problem
Cause
Excessive
pressure drop
across filter
Poor operation/
maintenance
Progressively
poor filtration
efficiency
Poor operation/
maintenance
Very low pressure

drop across filter
Mud balls formed in filter,

discrete sand particles
have agglomerated,
leading to poor filtration

Activated Carbon Filter (ACF)

11.1 Function
An activated carbon filter, like the Pressure Sand
Filter, is a tertiary treatment unit. It receives the

Engineering
water that is already filtered by the Pressure Sand

Filter and improves multiple quality parameters of
the water: BOD, COD, clarity (turbidity), color and
odor.
Construction and engineering of the Activated

Carbon Filter is similar to the PSF. In addition,
on the inside of the filter, epoxy paint coating
is recommended due to both the abrasive and
corrosive nature of Activated Carbon.
11.2 How It Works
11.5 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
This filter uses the adsorption action of activated

carbon.
Activated carbon is typically manufactured from
coconut shell or charcoal, the activation process
creating a highly porous material with a very
large surface area. Organic pollutant molecules
are physically adsorbed and held fast within the
catacomb-like porous structure of the activated
carbon. Granular activated carbon is typically
used for this purpose.
Just as the PSF, the ACF also needs to be

backwashed, albeit at a lesser frequency to
dislodge any solid particles trapped by simple
filtration action.
When the carbon gets exhausted (indicated by
no improvement in water quality across the ACF),
fresh carbon needs to be filled into the filter.
The water filtered by the Pressure Sand Filter

enters the Activated Carbon Filter.
Unlike in the case of the sand filter, trapped
molecules in the carbon cannot be backwashed
and got rid of. Hence, activated carbon in the
filter has a finite capacity to adsorb and hold the
pollutants, after which the carbon is said to be
exhausted. The exhausted material is removed
from the filter and disposed off: Fresh activated
carbon is charged in the filter.

Very precise design criteria are available for
design of activated carbon columns (adsorption
isotherms, kinetics of mass transfer between the
liquid and solid phase, breakthrough curves etc.).
For everyday applications, however, the simplified
rules used for the sand filter have been found to
be adequate.
However, we recommend that the diameter of
the activated carbon filter be selected to be 25%
larger than the sand filter (SPF) to reduce the
frequency of servicing.
Page 25 of 62
Problem
Cause
Excessive
pressure drop
across filter
Poor operation/
maintenance
Treated water
smells, or has a
color
Carbon life exhausted

(change)
Poor BOD/COD
Carbon life exhausted

(change)
Black carbon
particles in outlet
Poor quality of granular

carbon

Disinfection Of Treated Water

12.1 Function
The treated water is disinfected to destroy and
render harmless disease-causing organisms,
such as bacteria, viruses, etc.
The most common methods of disinfection include
Chlorination, Ozonation and UV radiation.
Of these, Chlorine finds widespread application.
The primary action of the chemical involves
damaging the cell wall, resulting in cell lysis and
death.
In most STPs, the common form of Chlorine
used is Sodium Hypochlorite (Hypo) available
commercially at 10-12 % strength, being safe,
easy to handle and having a reasonable shelf
life.
12.4 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Prepare fresh Hypo solutions every day in the

day tank
Shelf life of over 2 months is not recommended,

especially during summer
Store Hypo in a cool place
Study Material Safety Data Sheets of Hypo

and follow instructions
Periodically check available Chlorine strength

of Hypo
Check and record Residual

concentration every day
Chlorine

Efficiency of disinfection is dependent both on the
residual concentration of the chemical used, as
well as the contact time, a factor measured as
R x T. Generally, a contact time of 20-30 minutes
is recommended to achieve over 99 % germicidal
efficiencies.

Engineering
The Chlorine disinfection system consists of
a Hypo-holding tank (its size depends on the
flow rate of the STP) and an electronically
metered dosing pump. Hypo solution of desired
concentration is prepared in the tank. The dosing
rate is set in the metering pump as per the desired
Chlorine dose rate, typically 3-5 PPM. Hypo
solution is dosed at the outlet of the ACF, online,
so that adequate mixing of Hypo with the treated
water is achieved.
Page 26 of 62
Problem
Cause
Inadequate
Chlorine residual
in treated water
Poor operation/ poor

quality chemical
Fishy smell in
treated water
Excessive chlorination

Excess Sludge Handling

13.1 Function
Biological treatment of wastewater perforce
produces excess biological solids due to the
growth and multiplication of bacteria and other
microorganisms in the system. The excess
biomass thus produced needs to be bled out of
the system, and disposed off efficiently.
gives the quantity of excess sludge to be handled

per day in m3/day.

Engineering
This is a five-step process: sludge removal,

storage, conditioning, dewatering and disposal.
We will discuss two different methods of handling

the dewatering system:
Sludge is removed (bled) from the system

from the sludge recirculation pipeline (through a
branch).
Plate-and-Frame Filter press
Bag-type dewatering
The sludge is in the form of a thick slurry. It is

taken into a sludge-holding tank, and kept under
aeration (to prevent the living organisms from
putrefying) until dewatering operations can be
carried out.
Before dewatering, polymer or other chemicals
may be added for conditioning the sludge, to
facilitate the process. Sludge is then dewatered
in a filter press/ Sludge bag/ centrifuge.
13.3.1 Plate-and-Frame Filter

press
The Plate-and-Frame Filter press is the most
commonly used method of dewatering the sludge.
It consists of three to four parts:
Sludge-holding tank with aeration/ mixing
Polymer solution-preparation tank and dosing

(for conditioning the sludge)
High-pressure filter-press feed pump
Plate-and-frame filter press
The quantity of excess sludge generated in the

STP is dependent on various factors including the
BOD concentration, MLSS levels, temperature
etc. The F/M loading rate is however is the factor
which chiefly determines the amount of excess
solids produced. Sufficient data are available in
literature in graphical form for determination of
this number. A typical figure for use in India is
between 0.20 to 0.25 times (on dry mass basis),
kg of BOD removed in the aeration tank, in
extended aeration systems with low F/M.
The polymer solution tank must be of sufficient

capacity to hold 0.1 % solution of polymer to
condition one batch of excess sludge: Typically,
polymer requirement is between 1-2 % of the
excess sludge on dry weight basis.
Since the excess sludge is available in slurry

form from the sludge recirculation line, the slurry
consistency may be taken to be between 0.8 to
1.0 %.
The high-pressure filter press-feed pump (4 5

kg/cm2 pressure) must be selected to dewater a
single batch of excess sludge within 3-4 hours of
filter press operation.
Simple arithmetic using the above two numbers
A typical press is shown on the next page.
SL
Remarks
The press makes use of multiple filter

plates.
The figure shows a hydraulic jack (4)

that extends and retracts the plunger
(5).
The job of the plunger is to tightly press
the filter plates (1) against each other,
so that the slurry (which is injected in the
press under high pressure) does not leak
from the joints between the filter plates.
Each plate has indentations and

recesses on the sides, such that when
two plates are pressed together, a
hollow chamber is formed between the
plates. The dewatered sludge settles
in this hollow part to form a brick (also
called cake).
The sludge-holding tank must be of sufficient

capacity to accommodate the combined volume
of (a) the excess sludge to be dewatered in a
single batch, and (b) the polymer solution that is
added.
The end-plate is a solid plate used to

press the filter plates (1) together.
All the filter plates and the end-plate

have wings, which rest on these two
rails.
All the plates hang on the rails, and they
are designed to easily slide along the rail
when pushed.
In smaller filter presses, the electric jack

and plunger are replaced with a large
screw that is turned manually with a
large wheel.
6
The inlet pipe brings the excess

sludge slurry from the screw pump (not
shown in the figure).
The slurry travels the path of least
resistance and fills up the cavities
between the filter plates (1).
All cavities are lined with a filter cloth.
Page 27 of 62

7
The liquid in the slurry (called filtrate)

can pass through the cloth, while
the thicker paste-like sludge (mainly
bacterial flocs and some solids) cannot
pass through the cloth.
The filtrate travels to the outlet ports
at the top and bottom of the plate, and
from there it is discharged through the
filtrate discharge pipe.
The solids remain in the cavity between
the plates. Typical thickness of cake in
the chamber is 2 to 5 cm,
A freshly produced cake has a moisture
content of between 70 75 %. Note that
it is impossible to achieve a bone-dry
cake even after prolonged air-drying:
The moisture content would not drop
below 50%.
In any case, the main use of the cake is
used for making compost, in which case
the sludge has to be moistened once
again. Therefore the cake is usually not
dried further.
13.3.2 Bag-type dewatering

This contraption actually is an imitation of our daily
tea-strainer! In fact, once the sludge is strained,
it does look remarkably like used tea powder (not
the CTC or whole tea leaves, but the lowly tea
dust.)
The key factor that allows this method is that
the flocs of bacteria are globular with 2-3 mm
diameter. These flocs can be easily trapped with
a laminated poly bag. These bags are used to
transport sugar, fertilizer and other foodstuff, and
at the end of the cycle, they are discarded. These
used bags are available in secondary market at
very cheap rates.
The equipment is very simple, as shown on
facing page: A rustproof Stainless Steel table is
manufactured with provision to hang 2-4 bags.
The sludge is poured in each bag, and just like
tea-strainer, the water drains out.
SL
Remarks
Once the filtrate stops coming out of

the discharge pipe (7), the jack (4) is
deactivated, which retracts the plunger
(5). Now the filter plates (1) are slid
apart on the rails (3).
The stainless steel table allows

splashing of water without getting
rusted.
The openings have a collar beneath,

where the bags can be clamped
As soon as the plates separate, the

cakes fall down in a basket placed below
the press.
The excess sludge pipeline brings

sludge from the settling tank.
Now the press is ready for another

cycle.
The valves can be used to regulate the

flow rate, and also to turn off if there is
no bag beneath.
The work-bench is simply a support

structure for the parts described above.
The laminated poly bags capture

the floc, but allow the water to run.
The stainless steel collection tray

collects the water (and fine sediments)
The stainless steel grill supports

the bags and allows the water to fall
through
The collection pipe takes the filtrate

back to the Equalization tank.
However, because the sludge is not squeezed

(as in the frame-and-plate press), the bag
remains wet. So, after the water stops dripping,
the operator has to close the bag and place it on
airing racks to let it dry for several days.
In fact, if the dewatered sludge is to be used as
compost, then it need not be dewatered further:
The moist sludge can be directly used as an
ingredient!
13.4 Operation And

Maintenance
Considerations
Typically, in small plants, the filter press may be
sized for a single batch operation per day. In large
plants, three batches per day, one per shift, is the
norm.
(Sump and pump required for this

purpose are not shown).
Fresh sludge (not more than a day old), kept fully

aerated and mixed (agitated), dewaters easily in
Page 28 of 62
the filter press. Hence, sludge must not be stored

in the holding tank for longer durations.
The desired quantity of polymer needs to be
added 15 - 30 minutes before the dewatering
operation. Filter press operation is carried out
over 3 - 4 hours, or when filtration ceases.
After every dewatering operation, the filter cloths
must be thoroughly cleaned, so that clogging in
the pores of the woven polypropylene filter fabric
is avoided. Periodic cleaning of filter cloth with
Hypo solution will also prolong the life of cloth.
When the filtration process becomes excessively
slow, it is time to replace the filter cloth with a
fresh set.
Normal maintenance as prescribed by the
manufacturer may be practiced for the high
pressure helical screw pump. Care must be taken
not to damage the rubber stator of the screw
pump by dry running of the pump. It is generally
preferable to locate the pumps such that positive
suction is enabled.

Miscellaneous Considerations
Problem
Cause
Filter press does

not dewater the
slurry sufficiently
quickly
Dewatering is very
slow
Insufficient
pressure
developed
Oily / slimy sludge,

Filter cloth is clogged,
Genset backup power to run the entire STP in

case the mains electricity line fails
Prepare and maintain a mechanical checklist

for routine preventive maintenance
Design and engineer the STP to be operatorfriendly
Prepare and maintain a History Sheet for each

critical equipment in the STP
Design and engineer the STP for the operators

safety, health and hygiene
Prepare and maintain

consumables stock register
chemicals/
Improper conditioning
Incorrect
fabric
Adequate illumination in STP if in a room, or

basement
Periodically check and validate all log books,

checklists etc.
Rubber stator of screw

pump worn out
Totally covered, underground STPs are neither

operator-friendly, nor maintenance-friendly
Steel rotor damaged
Adequate exhaust and ventilation system to

be provided for operator comfort, health and
hygiene
Provide a Water meter at the outlet of the ACF

to monitor average daily throughput of the
STP
Ventilation system: Generally 10-12 air changes

per hour should give good ventilation22. The
air change is calculated based on the open/
vacant head space of the underground/
basement room. There must be a fresh air
fan (forced draft) and an exhaust fan (induced
draft), with two separate ducting systems.
If the induced draft fan is designed for a slightly

higher capacity than the fresh air fan, then the
room will always be under a slight negative
pressure, and gases will not escape the room
as fugitive emissions.
filter
cloth
Without proper exhaust/ ventilation in enclosed

spaces, Carbon Dioxide accumulates, gets
converted to Carbonic acid and corrodes
metallic parts in the STP. Carbonic acid also
depresses pH of the wastewater, thus affecting
treatment performance
Provide safe and comfortable access to all

units in STP for monitoring, operation, and
maintenance
Prepare and maintain a Standard Operating

Procedure for the STP and train all operators
to follow those procedures
Prepare and maintain an operating log book

for all activities in the STP
22 For example, if the STP room has 5 m3 of free space (not counting the volume of the tanks), then the circulation
system should have minimum handling capacity of 50 m3/Hr.
Page 29 of 62

Design and
Engineering
76 |
| 77
Page 30 of 62

STP Design Process
The designer has to consider the following main influencing factors:
In the previous chapters, the STP units were introduced one by one. This chapter provides the complete
design process (calculations) for all units of a typical STP.
In the subsequent two chapters, we will see the engineering and operational aspects of the STP in
detail.
Design process overview
Parameter
Typical range
Remarks
F/M ratio
0.05 to 0.30
In Extended Aeration-type STP, this range is 0.10 to

0.12.
Oxygen
requirement
1.0 to 1.8 kg/kg BOD
Providing oxygen consumes energy. Lower is better.
Excess sludge
0.1 to 0.25 kg/ kg BOD
How much sludge is to be disposed off. Lower is

better.
Efficiency
70 % to 95 %
The percentage of biodegradable matter broken

down in the STP. Higher is better.
Before starting design, let us review how an extended aeration type STP functions.
1. Domestic sewage is typically pure water that is laden with a small amount of biodegradable pollutants.
The STP uses bacteria in the aeration tank23 to digest this biodegradable material. Therefore the
incoming sewage must remain in the aeration tank long enough to let the bacteria complete the
digestion process.
The F/M ratio is the main choice available to the STP designer. However, he has to keep in mind that
any ratio he chooses will have a major effect on the STP, as shown below:
So the first task before the designer is to retain the sewage long enough in the aeration tank.
Effects of F/M ratio
2. The bacterial population needs Oxygen to survive.
Effect
So the second task before the designer is to provide adequate Oxygen.

3. The bacterial mass (called activated sludge) is recycled and retained in the aeration tank, while the
treated water overflows from the clarifier tank. This clarified water is further filtered, disinfected and
reused for non-potable purposes (toilet-flushing, washing cars, gardening, etc.). A sizable fraction of
treated water remains unused, which is released in nature.
So the third task before the designer is to clarify, filter and disinfect the water.
4. The bacteria breed in the aeration tank, which increases the sludge volume constantly. Secondly, the
bacterial population is the most vigorous when average age of the bacteria in the tank is maintained
at 25 days. Both these purposes are achieved by bleeding off the excess sludge periodically. (The
discarded sludge is used as organic manure).
F/M
Oxygen
Requirement
Excess sludge
Production
Treatment
Efficiency (% )
Aeration Tank
volume
LO
HI
LO
HI
HI
MED
MED
MED
MED
MED
HI
LO
HI
LO
LO
Note:
The fonts show whether this is a good, neutral or bad outcome
The first row of the table is explained below as an example:
So the fourth task before the designer is to provide a system for disposal of excess sludge.
If the chooses a low F/M ratio (a higher amount of bacteria in the aeration tank), the following things
happen:
The designer starts by estimating the amount of sewage generated. This is the basis for calculating all
physical properties of the STP (tank volume, pump capacity, etc.)
1. The higher amount of bacteria need more oxygen (which is bad , because providing more compressed
air requires more energy)
Then the designer estimates the amount of nutrition (carbohydrates, proteins, etc) present in the
sewage. This is called food (which the bacteria have to digest). For a given type of use (residential/
office/factory) and scale of operation, the amount of food can be estimated with a fair accuracy (using
empirical data).
2. A lower amount of excess sludge is produced (which is good: It saves energy needed to dewater
the sludge; and saves the expenses of disposing the excess sludge).
The next step is to find the amount of bacteria needed to digest this amount of food. Based on this
figure, the subsystems needed to handle the bacteria are designed (amount of oxygen needed, amount
of excess sludge to be handled, etc.).
3. More bacteria are able to digest a larger percentage of the sewage (which means that a lesser
amount of biodegradable matter remains in the treated sewage. When this sewage is released to
nature, it would demand lesser amount of Oxygen from lakes and rivers, which is good.)
4. More bacteria means the aeration tank has to accommodate more bacterial flocs (apart from the
incoming sewage). This is bad , because it requires a larger tank size.
23 The clarifier tank is just a mechanism to recover the bacterial flocs and return them to the aeration tank within
one hour. You can think of it as a strainer.
Page 31 of 62

The following table shows the consequences of imbalance in food, microorganisms and oxygen. In each
case, only one factor is shown out of balance: the other two are assumed to be as per design.
Parameter
Too low
1. The STP is overloaded
1. The STP is underloaded
(Bacteria)
2. Sewage is treated only

partially
2. Filamentous growth
1. Underaeration
1. Overaeration
2. Partial treatment of sewage
2. Pinpoint flocs
Food
1. Design BOD : 250 mg/L (equalized sewage)

2. Aeration time: 16 Hrs minimum (desirable: 18 hrs)
Too high
Microorganisms
Oxygen
Aeration tank
3. Gradual failure of plant

Secondary Clarifier
3. F/M ratio
: 0.12 (to achieve over 95 % BOD removal)
4. MLSS
: 3500 mg/L
5. Air
: 50 - 60 m3/Hr/ kg BOD
6. Diffusers
diffuser)
: Flux rate 8 12 m3/ Running meter /Hr (for 90 OD
Overflow rate
: 12-18 m3/m2/Day
3. Poor settling (chokes the filters)
Detention time
: 2.5-3.5 hours
Solids loading
: 2-3 kg/m2/Hr
1. The STP is overloaded
Weir loading : Less than 50 m3/Running meter/day
2. Partial treatment of sewage
Pressure sand filter
Loading rate
: Less than 12 m3/m2/Hr
Activated Carbon filter
Loading rate
: Less than 10 m3/m2/Hr
Carbon charge : For 6- 8 months replacement
Such unbalanced conditions cannot be sustained over long periods of time: It will lead to eventual failure
of STP.
Softener
Design hardness removal from 300 mg/L down to 100-120 mg/L
Hypo dosing
5 PPM dosing, to leave 0.5-2 PPM residual
Therefore the designer also has to do a fine balancing act between these factors.
Excess Sludge
0.20 0.25 kg excess solids per kg BOD removed (dry basis)
Sludge conditioning
0.8-1.2 kg lime per kg dry activated sludge
Note:
That developing a new culture of bacteria in the required large quantities takes time. So, if an STP
fails, it may take several days to recover. Till the STP recovers, the users have to make alternative
arrangements to treat the sewage (such as pumping the raw sewage out and ferrying it to a public
STP.) This operation is extremely expensive. Therefore a failed STP can be devastating in monetary
and environmental terms.
1 2 % polymer to sludge on dry weight basis

Filter press
Sufficient wet cake holding capacity based on excess sludge production,

as calculated above (For STP size of 400 m3/day and above, design for
2 cycles per day)
We will be using three different types of values for the calculations:

1. The design criteria (see the table above).
Design Criteria for STP

Item
Bar screen
Equalization tank
Raw sewage lift pumps
2. Fact-based figures for the given complex (e.g. number and type of apartments)
3. Assumptions (e.g. water consumption per person per day)
Design Criteria Used
Flow velocity thru screen Max. 0.3 m/sec
Solids to be captured : 12 mm or more
Based on these values, the dimensions for all units of the STP are derived.
Placement of a coarse screen before the fine screen will be

beneficial
To calculate a parameter, we may use one or more values calculated before that point.
In the following calculations, the units KLD (kiloliters per day) and m3/day are used interchangeably.
Minimum detention time: 4-6 hours (to handle peak flow)
Air for mixing and avoid settling and septicity
Air flow: 1 m3/ m3 of tank volume OR 2 m3/m2 of tank floor (whichever

is greater)
We will take an example of a typical apartment complex with 200 3-bedroom apartments, and see how
its STP is designed.
Capacity calculated based on 20-hour/day working of STP, to leave

sufficient margin for change over, maintenance, rest period, etc.
Page 32 of 62

Sewage Quantity (STP Capacity)
Bar Screen Chamber
The STP must be able to treat all the sewage generated in the complex. That is why we start by
calculating how much sewage is actually likely to be generated in the complex.
The bar screen chamber is the first unit in the STP, so all the incoming sewage passes through its grill.
Therefore it should be able to handle the sewage (especially the peak flows) without overflowing.
In general, almost all the water that is used in the kitchens, bathrooms and toilets of the apartments
reaches STP as sewage. Only some of the consumed water is lost (e.g. evaporation); and therefore
does not get converted in to sewage24.
There are two major factors to be considered:
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Dwelling type
Residential apartment
complex
Commercial and office complexes would

have different basis for calculating the water
consumption.
Grade
Superior
Although such formal profiles do not exist,

it helps in assuming certain lifestyle for the
residents; which in turn helps in assuming certain
parameters (such as daily water consumption
rate).
1. Adequacy of the cross-sectional area of the chamber itself

2. Obstruction posed by the bars of the screen.
The net opening should be adequate to allow proper flow of the sewage (especially during peak
inflow).
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Average daily
flow
120 KLD
Quantity of sewage to be handled by the STP on daily

basis (ref. page 82)
Average hourly
flow
= 120 / 24
26
= 5 m3/Hr
No. of dwellings
200 x 3-bedroom Apt
Figure taken for this example.
= 5 / 3600 m3/sec
Total population
1000
Population assumed at 5 persons per apartment
= 0.0014 m3/sec
Diversity factor
90 %
To account for reduction of population due to

a few vacant apartments, lesser number of
residents in some apartments, etc.
Per capita water

consumption
150 LPD
Peak hourly
flow
Design flow
velocity
(LPD=Liters per day)

= 1000 x 90 /100 x 150 = (Population) x (diversity factor) x (per Capita
consumption)
= 135,000 LPD
Sewage generated
120,000 LPD
The consumptive usage and losses are

approximately 10%. The result is rounded off.
Sewage quantity
120 KLD
This figure is the basis for designing all stages of

the STP.
The peak is assumed to be three times the average.
= 3 x 5 m /Hr
3
= 15 m3/Hr
This figure is assumed for superior grade

apartments25
Total water
consumption
= 3 x Avg. hourly flow
Note:
This 120 KLD is a reference figure, which will be used for designing all stages of the STP.
0.30 m/sec
This is the optimal velocity:
Cross-sectional
area of screen
channel
= 0.0014 / 0.3
Adjust for
the flow-area
blocked by the
bars
= 0.005 m2 x 1.5
= 0.005 m
Sewage flowing at a higher velocity will forcibly

push the debris through the screen.
Sewage flowing at a lower velocity will leave an

excessive amount of sedimentation on the floor of
the screen chamber.
Volume/Hr = Cross-sectional area x flow velocity.
= 0.0075 m
Cross-sectional area is increased by 50% to

compensate for the obstruction posed by the bars of
the grill.
In general, the multiplication factor is (1+ W/G)
WhereG = Gap between two bars of the screen (here, 10
mm)
W = Width of a bar (here, 5 mm)
24 If the apartment has a swimming pool, it does not contribute to the sewage.
25 The consumption is more in Super luxury and luxury grade apartments; and lesser in mid-level and
economy grade apartments. Select this figure carefully; otherwise the STP would be unable to handle the
actual quantum of sewage.
26 KLD=Kiloliter per day.
Page 33 of 62

Required
minimum
dimensions27
0.1 m x 0.1 m
bypass pipeline.
This is a comfortable target: Actually it is easier to

build larger channels. Also, a larger chamber is easier
for the STP operator to clean. These larger chambers
can handle much larger peaks in the inflow.
The following table shows the calculations for selecting the correct pumps for our STP.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
STP quantity
120 KLD
Quantity of sewage to be handled by the STP on

daily basis (ref. page 82)
=120 m /day
3
Equalization Tank
Pump capacity
The equalization tank must be able to provide the necessary buffer for the fluctuating inflow and provide
a steady outflow. It must also keep the sewage agitated and provide sufficient aeration to prevent odor
problem.
= 120/20
= 6 m /Hr
3
The following calculations show what type of equalization tank would be required for out STP.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
STP quantity
120 KLD

=120 m3/day
Hourly average
sewage inflow
= 120/24 m3/Hr
Equalization tank
volume
= 5 x 6 m3
Tank is designed to hold six hours of average flow.
= 30 m
Note that this is the usable volume, and does not

include the freeboard.
Freeboard
0.3 to 0.5 m
Selected by convention.
Water depth in tank 2.0 to 2.5 m

(excluding
freeboard)
Tank area
Diffusers required
Air quantity
required
The incoming sewage line is already below ground

level, and the entire equalization tank has to be
located below this pipe. This puts a constraint on
the depth.
= 30/2 m2
Area = Volume / Depth
=15 m2
Select length and width to suit the site conditions
Difference in floor level of

the equalization tank and
suction level of pump
The sewage level in the equalization tank

fluctuates throughout the day. The worst-case
suction condition exists at late night/ dawn, when
the equalization tank is almost empty just before
the peak morning inflow starts. That is why the
pump must be selected to take care of this suction
head.
Delivery head (m)
The difference in top

level of aeration tank and
delivery level of pump
Select a pump that has the rated capacity at this

delivery head.
Total head (m)
= Suction Head + Delivery Select a pump that has the rated capacity at this
Head
delivery head.
Aeration Tank
The aeration system should be able to retain the incoming sewage for a certain time, and also provide
sufficient amount of bacteria and oxygen needed to digest the sewage.
Select size and number Typically, a pair of diffusers must fit within the width
to suit the dimensions of of the tank. If the tank is not wide enough, the pair
the tank
may be placed at an angle.
No. of diffusers x 5
m3/Hr
If the pump capacity is too high, a lot of sewage

will have to be bypassed, resulting in waste of
energy.
Suction head (m)
= 5 m3/Hr
3
Select a pump that has a little higher capacity, so

that a little quantity can be bypassed to achieve
the desired net flow rate.
The following calculations establish what kind of aeration tank would be needed for our STP.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Several such pairs of diffusers are placed along the

length of the tank.
STP quantity
120 KLD

Maximum air flux rate per coarse bubble diffuser of

90 OD x 800 L may be taken as 5 m3/Hr.
BOD in sewage28 250 mg/L
Empirical value, for typical Indian domestic sewage.

BOD may range form 200-250 mg/L. We have taken
the highest (the worst-case) value in the range; so
that the STP can deal with lighter loads also.
=0.000250 kg/L

The raw sewage lift pumps have to handle the entire daily quantity of the sewage. The pumps must be
selected to have a little higher capacity, so that we can adjust the flow rate precisely by adjusting the
28 How to interpret this BOD figure: It means if this sewage is released in nature, it would demand (absorb)
250 mg of Oxygen from the surrounding air/water for every liter of sewage. The idea is to provide that much
Oxygen inside the aeration tank, so that the treated sewage would become inert, and when the treated sewage
is released in nature, it would not demand any Oxygen from its surroundings.
27 Note how a tiny bar screen chamber (just 10 cmx10cm) can comfortably serve a 200-apartment complex!
Page 34 of 62

BOD load/day
= (120 x 1000) x 0.000250

= 30 kg/day
F/M ratio
M (Biomass)
0.12
= 30 / 0.12
= 250 kg
This means the aeration tank has to supply 30 kg

of Oxygen every day. (This is the Food in the F/M
ratio.)
Aeration tank volume
This value is taken from the available range of 0.10

to 0.12. The higher limit represents the worst-case
scenario (more food in the sewage for the bacteria
existing in the aeration tank).
= 250 300 / 3.5
= Biomass / MLSS
= 72 86 m3
Selecting lowest MLSS yields the highest-possible

size for the aeration tank. This size will be able to
handle higher values of MLSS.
Average retention time = 72 86/ 120 x 24 Hrs

= 14.4 17.2 Hrs
This means that we need 250 kg of bacterial flocs

to digest the sewage,
Aeration tank
volume
Average
retention time
3500 mg/L
The acceptable MLSS range is 3500-4500.
(= 3.5 kg/ m3)
But we chose the lowest MLSS in the range in the

range, because it gives us the most conservative
size for the aeration tank (see the row below).
= 250 / 3.5
= Biomass / MLSS
= 72 m3
Selecting lowest MLSS yields the highest-possible

size for the aeration tank. This size will be able to
handle higher values of MLSS.
= 72/ 120 x 24 Hrs
Think of this as =(24/120) x 72.
= 14.4 Hrs
The first term is the time taken by a unit volume of

sewage to exit the aeration tank.
The first term is the time taken by a unit volume of

sewage to exit the aeration tank.
Multiplying this with the volume of the tank gives
us average time taken by the present contents of
the tank to exit the tank (=average retention time)
Note that this is the biomass needed in the aeration

tank at any point of time. This figure does not include
the mass of bacteria that is in the clarifier tank.
Design MLSS
level
Think of this as =(24/120) x 86.
Now our retention time in the aeration tank is within the limits; and we can proceed with the rest of the
design.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Depth of aeration
tank
= 3.0 m
Select 3 m water depth29 as a good practical

working depth (considering the typical ceiling
height available in an STP).
If area is severely constrained, the depth may be
increased up to 4.0 m.
Area of aeration tank = 86/3
Area = Volume / Depth.
= 29 m
Multiplying this with the volume of the tank gives us

average time taken by the present contents of the
tank to exit the tank (=average retention time)
We will have to pause here, because we got a retention time of 14.4 hours; compared to our target of
16 hours minimum (preferred: 18 hours). We will have to go back and change a factor till we achieve 16
hours of aeration.
This is a perfect example of an iterative design, which also reinforces the fact that the designer has to
make a considered decision based on several site-specific conditions.
Width of aeration
tank
3.6 m
This width is ideal to accommodate set of 1m long

diffusers
Length of aeration
tank
= 29 / 3.6
Length = Area/width
BOD load per hour
= 30 / 22
= (BOD load per day) / (no. of aeration hours).
= 1.36 kg/Hr
Assuming 22 hrs of aeration.
Air requirement for

BOD
= 1.36 x 60
60 m3/Hr of air per kg BOD is a good, generous

figure, resulting from an involved equation, which
accounts for a number of variables such as density
of air, Oxygen content in air, kinetics of Oxygen
transfer from the gas phase to the liquid phase,
correction for impurities present in wastewater,
etc.
Air requirement for

mixing
= 86 x 1.1
=8m
= 82 m3/Hr
So let us examine which of the independent factors can be altered to achieve the desired retention time
(Note that the value of that factor must be tweaked within its acceptable range; so as not to upset the
delicate balance).
Fortunately, we have found a quick solution: Maintaining a higher population of biomass in the system
is a desirable feature, in order to overcome a temporary hiccups in the aeration tank performance
(which may be caused by loss of power, equipment malfunction/breakdown, and even a huge surge of
sewage).
= 95 m3/Hr
This requirement is @1.0-1.2 m3/m3 of tank

volume
Therefore, we will choose to introduce a 20 % safety margin, and increase the biomass from 250 kg to
300 kg.
29 Water depth is measured from bottom of the tank to the top-edge of the weir. The freeboard is the height of the
top of the tank from the water surface (=the top edge of the weir).
Now we will re-calculate the last two rows of the preceding table with this new value:
Page 35 of 62

Air requirement for
mixing
= 2 x 29
Air to be supplied
95 m /hr
This requirement is @ 2 m3/hr / m2 floor area
= 58 m3/Hr
3
The highest quantity of the three iterations above.

(In this case, the volume-based requirement is the
highest, so that figure overrides the others.)
Select size of
diffusers
90 OD30 x 1000 Length
Selected to suit the geometry of the tank, and

to minimize the number of diffusers used for the
same quality of air dispensed.
No. of diffusers
= 95 /8
= (Air to be supplied) / (minimum air flux rating)
Diffuser
configuration
Each pair is separate,

with its own air hose,
nylon tie rope and
ballast.
Remarks
Design throughput
flow
120 m /day

Max. hourly
throughput
=120 m3/ 20 hours
Assuming 20 hours of pumping in small plants.

The 4 hours of down time is a worst-case scenario:
In practice, pumping will be done for more than 20
hours. Thus the actual hourly throughput rate will
be always less than this.
Design overflow rate
16 m3/m2/day
= 6 m /Hr
3
This is a proven figure for extended aeration

biological processes.
= 0.67 m /m /Hr
The data sheets for the diffusers show a desirable

range of air flux rate of 8 12 m3/Hr. (The diffuser
= 12 Nos
will work properly only if compressed air is supplied
(nearest whole number) in excess of this rate.)
12 diffusers (6 pairs) are Rows are distributed evenly along the length of the
arranged in a row, set
tank.
apart by 8 / 6 = 1.3 m
Value/Calculation
= 11.8 Nos
Placement of
diffusers
Parameter
Cross-sectional area
of tank
= 6 / 0.67 m2
Dimensions
For a square tank-
= (Hourly throughput) / (hourly loading rate)
=9m
Area of a square = Side2
=3x3m
For a circular tank-
Area of a circle = !/4 x Dia2
= 3.4 m Dia
We should be able to easily retrieve each pair

of diffusers from sewage. If all diffusers are
interconnected as a single array, it would be too
heavy for a single person to lift. It would also make
it difficult to isolate a faulty diffuser.
Tip:
The tank volume can be linearly extrapolated based on design quantity of sewage.
Depth of tank
2.5 m to 3.0 m
Solids load
= 6 m /hr x 3.5 kg/ m
= Hourly throughput x MLSS
= 21 kg/Hr
This is the volume of bacteria that gets added to

the tank. MLSS value of 3.5 kg/m3 is taken from
the Design Criteria table (see page 81).
Solids loading rate
= 21 / 9
= (Solids load) / (Cross-sectional area of tank)
= 2.33 kg/m /Hr

2
Clarifier Tank
Selected by convention
3
The calculated value is within the limit of 3.0.31
Weir length in clarifier = 2 x 3 for a square Length of launder = 2 x Side

tank
For a square tank with launder on two sides,
= 6 RM
The design of the clarifier tank caters to two separate flow paths:
1. The flow of clarified sewage that flows over the weir (the top edge of the launder)
= 3.14 x 3.4 for a Length of launder = ! x Dia

circular tank
For a circular tank with launder around the
= 10 RM
periphery
This decanted sewage is taken to the filters.

2. The flow of solids that settle toward the bottom of the tank.
Weir loading rate
This bacterial mass is taken back to the aeration tank.

The first is called hydraulic and the second is called solid.
= 120/6
The calculated value is within the limit of 50.32
= 20 m3/RM/day
= (Sewage flow rate) / (length of weir)

For square tank, the weir is 6 RM long.
Note:
The hydraulic design criteria for a clarifier/ secondary settling tank are developed based on throughput
flow only: The recycle sludge flow is not counted.
= 120/10
= (Sewage flow rate) / (length of weir)
= 12 m /RM/day
For circular tank, the weir is 10 RM long.
31 Only in thickener tanks, if the solids loading rate exceeds 3.0, then the area of the thickener will have to be
increased.
32 Only in very large clarifiers, the loading rate may exceed 50, in which case additional launders are provided.
In fact, the cross-sectional area of the clarifier can be linearly extrapolated based on the design quantity of
sewage
30 OD = Outer Diameter
Page 36 of 62

Volume of tank
=9 x 2.5
Volume = Area x depth
Sludge slump capacity
= 22.5 m3
Hydraulic detention
time33
= 120 / 24 x 0.5
= 2.5 m3 (Minimum)
= 22.5 / 120 x 24
= (Tank Volume) / (throughput rate) x 24 hours
= 4.5 Hrs
Compared to ideal range of 2.5 3 hours, this

result is slightly on high side. This cannot be
avoided in small plants due to minimum depth
requirement
The sump should be capable of buffering the

return flow for 30 minutes.
Pressure Sand Filter

The filter should be able to treat all the water that is decanted from the Secondary Clarifier tank.
The following calculations show the filter capacity required for our STP.
Airlift Pump
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Design throughput flow
120 m3/day

Design filtration hours
20 Hrs (per day)
Allow 4 hours for rest, backwash, etc.
Filtration rate
= 120 / 20
The filter must be able to handle the clarified

water at this rate.
The airlift pump returns the active sludge to the aeration pump.
The airlift pumps require 5-10 m3/Hr to work.
The air-flow is adjusted till we achieve the exact sludge flow rate
= 6 m3/Hr
Electric Pumps for Return Sludge

These pumps are a less-preferred alternative to airlift pumps (see above). However, if the prevailing
conditions do not allow use of airlift pumps, or if the designer opts for this design option, these pumps
are necessary.
Loading rate on filter
12 m3/m2 / Hr
Empirically taken optimum value, to achieve

filtration efficiency at minimum size of filter
Filter cross-sectional
area required (min)
= 6 / 12
= (Filtration rate) / (Loading rate)
Diameter of filter (min)
= (0.5 x 4/ !)1/2
= 0.5 m
Area of a circle= !/4 x Dia2
= 0.8 m
The design requirements for these pumps are same as those for the raw sewage lift pumps. Therefore
the same pump models can be selected for the return sludge application as well.
Height of filter
1.5 1.8 m
Therefore, refer to the raw sludge lift pump section (see page 85).
Depth of sand layer
0.6 0.75 m
Tip:
Cross-sectional area of the filter can be linearly extrapolated based on design quantity of sewage
Sludge-holding sump
This tank is needed if the designer does not prefer the airlift pumps or the direct-suction sludge-return
methods.
The following calculations show the tank capacity and the aeration requirements for this tank.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
120 m /day
Quantity of sewage to be handled by the STP

on daily basis (ref. page 82)
Maximum rate of sludge- 100 % of throughput Typically Recirculation rate varies from
recirculation
sewage flow
60 100 % of throughput flow to maintain
desired MLSS levels.
Therefore the pump must be capable of handling
the highest flow rate (=sewage throughput
rate).
33 Note that the detention time for solids (bacterial flocs) is a separate parameter, which has a typical value of
only 1 hour (if bacteria are detained for longer, they will start dying).
Page 37 of 62

Activated Carbon Filter
Sodium Hypo Dosing System
The filter should be able to treat all the water that is filtered by the sand filter.
The filtered water has to be disinfected before it can be used for flushing, gardening, etc..
The following calculations show the filter capacity required for our STP.
The following calculations show the required capacity of this disinfection system.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
Design throughput
flow
120 m3/day

120 m3/day
Quantity of sewage to be handled by the STP

on daily basis (ref. page 82)
Design filtration hours
20 Hrs (per day)
Allow 4 hours for rest, backwash, etc.
5 PPM
PPM = Parts per Million = mg/L
Filtration rate
= 120 / 20
= (water quantity to be filtered) / (operation

hours)
Design Max. Chlorine

dose
= 5 mg/L
1 kg =106 mg, 1 m3 = 1000 L.
= 6 m3/Hr
= 0.005 kg/m3
Loading rate on filter
10 m /m / Hr
Empirically taken optimum value, to achieve

filtration efficiency at minimum size of filter.
Chlorine dose per day
Filter cross-sectional
area required (min)
= 6 / 10
Filter cross-sectional area = (Flow rate) / (loading

rate)
Hypo dose per day
Diameter of filter (min)
= (0.6 x 4/ !)1/2
34
= 0.6 m2
= 0.6 kg
Select Hypo tank

capacity
= 0.9 m
1.5 1.8 m
Depth of carbon layer
0.6 0.75 m
= 0.6 / 0.1
Hypo is available at 10 % strength.
= 6 kg/day
Area of a circle= !/4 x Dia2
Height of filter
= 120 x 0.005
50 L
(Approx. 6 L + 44 L= 50 L)
Dosing pump rating
35
Tip:
The cross-sectional area of the filter can be linearly extrapolated based on design quantity of sewage
Mix 6 kg Hypo in 44 L of water
0-4 L/Hr
This rate is adequate to dispense 50 L of Hypo

in 20 hours
Note:
Controls must ensure that the chlorine pump is run only when the filters are in operation.
35 The dosing pump is adjustable. Therefore its rating should be chosen such that our required value lies between
50-75% of its maximum rated flow rate.
34 Notice that the loading rate for ACF is smaller than the loading rate for PSF. As a result, the ACF has a
marginally larger diameter.
Page 38 of 62

Sludge Dewatering System
Wet sludge coming out of the bottom of the clarifier is in slurry form. This slurry is dewatered to create
cakes (small bricks).
Cake-holding capacity of
the filter press
30 L
This is the minimum required capacity: Select

a press with larger capacity. (You can always
remove some plates if the quantity of sludge is
less.)
Select filter press size
470 x 470
Standard plate size, easy to handle in small

plants
Cake thickness in
chamber
20-25 mm
This is the practically achievable cake thickness,

after which the filtration rate drops dramatically.
Volume of each chamber
= 0.42 x 0.42 x 0.02
Figures taken from the catalog of the filter press.
= 3.5 L
(The plate edges do not contribute to chamber

volume)
10
To give 35 L total cake-holing capacity
The following calculations show what kind of filter press would be needed for our STP.
Parameter
Value/Calculation
Remarks
120 KLD

Design BOD removal
30 kg/day
= 120 KLD x 250 mg/L

= 120000 L/day x 0.000250 kg/L
= 30 kg/day
Excess Sludge produced = 30 x 0.25

= 7.5 kg/day
Dry weight basis, 0.25 kg of excess sludge per

kg of BOD)
Slurry consistency36
0.8 1.0 %
Typical thickening achieved in a clarifier with 2.5

3.0 water depth.
Slurry volume
= 7.5 / 0.8 x 100
In words, the 7.5 kg of excess sludge is

contained in 750 L of liquid mix that settles at
the bottom of the clarifier tank.
= 950 L
Required No. of
chambers
Tip:
The number of plates in the filter press can be linearly extrapolated.
Note: That this volume of excess sludge builds

gradually over a 24-hour period: It does
NOT mean that at any given moment this
quantity is present at the bottom of the
clarifier tank, waiting to be pumped off.
The sludge would have to be pumped out
as it builds.
Filter press operation
1 batch per day.
A free choice by the designer.
Each batch takes 4

Hrs
Filter press feed pump
0.5 m3/Hr at 5 kg
delivery pressure
Capable of delivering up to 2 m3 in 4 hours of

operation, which is adequate
Proportion of solids in
the cake
= 25 %
Sludge cake has 75% moisture.
Sludge cake volume
=7.5 / 0.25
=0.25 (as a fraction)

= 30 L
(a little above the minimum requirement)
= (Excess sludge produced) / (Proportion of

solids).
36 In other words, at the bottom of the clarifier tank, the density of the sludge is 0.8 to 1.0% (by weight). The
remaining 99 to 99.2% (by weight) content is water. Thus even a 3 m deep tank does not achieve solid dense
sediment at all.
Page 39 of 62

Engineering checks for the STP
The following tables show how to check for important engineering aspects of the STP. Each table describes checks for a particular
stage of STP.
The methods of checking are as follows:
Code
V
Method
How to check-
Visual
Check for presence (or absence) of the indicated feature

Note: Olfactory checks are also clubbed with visual checks
Measurement
Measure the indicated dimensions and compare against specified limits.
Performance test
Conduct a test and compare the results against the specified limits.
Documentation check
Check in drawings and calculations

(typically for aspects that cannot be checked by visual inspection or other testing methods)
Note: Some of the units have alternative designs. For example, the clarifier tank may be either hopper-bottom (purely gravity-aided) or
mechanized (with rotating rake). Separate tables are provided for each alternative design. Please select the correct table.
Preparation
Sl.
Item
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Design
verification
Verify
against the
design
DG backup Sufficient
DG backup
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
Before scanning the STP for

engineering aspects, the entire
process-chain must be verified
against the design, so that we do not
end up wasting energy only to realize
that it is inadequate in the first place.
Mandatory
This is a continuous process. If

aeration breaks down for over an
hour, all bacteria may die. If pumping
stops, the tanks may overflow. Thus
uninterrupted power is essential.
(See the solved example for

step-by-step calculation)
Method
All dimensions must be as per

design
All deviations must be reviewed

and approved
Minimum required backup power =

Combined power for all units +20%
margin.
For a duplicated pair of pumps,

count only one pump as load.
Bar Screen
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Chamber
location
The manhole (or the opening from

where the debris is removed) must not
lie in a public area.
Accessibility The top of the screen must not be more

than two feet below the operating floor
level.
Screen
inclination
Method
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
Must allow safe and hygienic way of

collecting and disposing off the debris.
The debris removed from the STP is
coated with sewage. It must not soil public
areas.
Mandatory
If access is not easy, the chamber will not

be cleaned as frequently as needed.
Mandatory
The bar screen has to be cleaned several

times in a day. Therefore this operation
must not be difficult and tiring. An
inclined screen is far easier to clean. This
prevents operator fatigue.
Best efficiency can be achieved if

waist-level access is provided to the
chamber.
The screen must be inclined

(Recommended inclination: 45 to 60)
On the other hand, vertical screens are

difficult to clean.
Page 40 of 62

4
Robustness
of bars
Bars are robust to withstand abuse and

corrosion.
Recommended
The operator may use heavy-handed

methods to remove the trapped debris.
The bars must be robust enough not
to bend (-and allow enlarged gaps-)
under such abuse. Further, the bars
must withstand moderate corrosion with
passing time without weakening.
Mandatory
This screen traps larger items and

reduces the load on the fine screen.
Mandatory
The operator must be able to work safely

without falling off the platform by accident.
The platform must be able to carry the
operators weight.
(Typically, MS flats of 20x5 mm are to

be used)
Coarse
screen used
Coarse screen (with 15 mm opening)

fixed.
The screen is inclined at 40 to 60.
The coarse screen is fixed BEFORE

the fine screen.
Note: Mandatory for large STPs (>500

KLD) only.
6
Platform
Minimum width= 2 ft
Must carry 120 kg weight without

sagging
Must be rust-proof (e.g. made of

RCC)
It must be able to hold the screened

debris for drip-drying. The construction
must be corrosion-proof so that it does not
weaken with time.
Hand-rake
for operator
Rake must be capable of picking

trapped debris from the screen, and
also picking up debris from any corner
of the floor.
Mandatory
If the rake cannot remove the debris from

the floor and grill, it will remain in the
chamber and block the flow.
Epoxy
coating
The bars should be painted with epoxycoat.
Recommended
For longer life of the grill
Optional
For longer life of the grill
(Not required for Stainless Steel bars)

9
Stainless
Steel bars
Bars are made of Stainless Steel.
Equalization tank
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Easily
accessible
The tank must be easily accessible.
Mandatory
For periodic cleaning with safety and comfort

for a gang of cleaners to carry out the task
Safe entry
The following features must be

present, at minimum:
Mandatory
The operator has to access the inside of the

tank for periodic cleaning and to maintain the
diffusers.
Aeration
and mixing
Method Category
Ventilation to dispel the gases/

odor
Good lighting that reaches inside

the tank
Platform that allows easy reach

inside the tank
Diffusers in sufficient number to

cover the entire floor
Uniform placement of diffusers
The aeration is uniform across the

surface.
Rationale
The tank has relatively low oxygen level and

the raw sewage emits hazardous gases and
strong odor. So the operator must be provided
with safety equipments such as mask, gloves,
full body harness, gum boots.
V, T
Mandatory
To prevent the solids from settling in dead

zones (which in turn avoids the necessity to
clean the tank frequently)
Mandatory
Unlike the fine bubble diffusers, the coarse

bubble diffusers are not affected by fluctuating
water level
Mandatory
For complete evacuation of contents by pump.
(Test practically with a dummy load.)

4
Diffuser type
Floor slope
towards
suction pit
for pumps
Coarse bubble diffusers are used

(not fine-bubble diffusers)
Floor slope towards suction pit for

pumps
Floor slope is given so that during tank

cleaning, all the water is collected in the
suction pit of the pumps and the equalization
tank is evacuated by pumps alone, with
minimum manual cleaning required.
Page 41 of 62

6
Openness
of tank
The tank must be open to the extent

of being able to disperse the gases,
access all the diffusers placed in the
tank, and for safe entry of operators
during cleaning operations.
Recommended To prevent accumulation of gases , easy access

to diffusers for maintenance purposes, and
safe and secure entry for periodic cleaning
Diffusers in
retrievable
execution
The PCC ballast block holding down

the diffusers must be provided with a
Nylon rope which extends to the top
of the tank and tied to a convenient
post.
Recommended For periodic maintenance of membranes

without shutting down the aeration tank

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Pump rating
The pump must have around 110%

of the STP flow rate (reference:
page 81).
Redundancy
Both pumps must be of same

rating.
Control circuits must prevent

both pumps from running
simultaneously
Category
Rationale
Since pumps are available with a few discrete
operating points (head vs volume), it is difficult to
get a pump that exactly meets the requirement.
Thus it is necessary to select a pump that rated
only a little higher than the ideal. Too high a rating
would waste energy. Too little a rating would
mean the STP would not be able to handle the
daily volumes.
Mandatory
This is a critical unit; so it must have a standby

to avoid stoppage of the pumping.
Easily
accessible
Minimum clearance of 1 ft on all

sides
Mandatory
Space must be available for regular

maintenance, since these pumps are prone to
frequent choking.
Proper
suction
piping
The pipe size must match with

the pumps suction port or one
size higher only.
Mandatory
1. Mismatching pipes would lower the efficiency

of the pumps.
The suction pipes must NOT

be fitted with foot valves
Separate suction pipes

provided for each pump
5
Proper
delivery
header
Bypass
pipeline
Pump type
2. Foot valves get choked frequently; therefore

must be avoided.
are
Recommended If a single pipe is provided, the operator has to

shut off both pumps to clean it.
Control valves are provided in

the outlet to shut off any branch
(for pump repair, etc.)
Mandatory
In order to maintain pump efficiency
Elbows are used for corners

instead of tee-joints,
necessary fittings such as
unions/ flanges are provided
for easy dismantling and
maintenance of the piping
system, etc.
The pipeline must be terminated

above the highest sewage
level;
Mandatory
To maintain the rate of sewage flow (to the

aeration tank) at the desired value.
The delivery end must be easily

observable by the operator
at all times without lifting any
manhole covers, etc.
V
Recommended The SH-NC type pump has several inherent

advantages (Ref: page 37.)
Centrifugal, solids handling,

non clog pumps instead of
submersible pumps
Page 42 of 62

Aeration tank
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Head room
Minimum headroom = 3 ft
Not obstructed by pipes, or ventilation

ducts etc.
Work-platform
Shape of tank
Must provide waist-level access to tank
Must have safety railings,
Minimum width=3 ft
Must have anti-skid surface
If made from MS, must be painted to

prevent corrosion
The shape of the tank must not obstruct

placement of diffusers.
Test the uniformity and full coverage of

bubbles with a dummy load.
Method
Category
Rationale
V,M
Mandatory
Required to let the gases escape and

also for regular maintenance/cleaning
of diffusers
Mandatory
Required for MLSS check, and

maintenance of the diffusers
V,T
Mandatory
The shape of tank must allow

uniform aeration, and also thorough
mixing of sewage and sludge for
vigorous and healthy growth of
bacteria.
Inlet pipe
Elbow/T joint at the end to deliver the

sewage downward;
Mandatory
The pipe must not propel the sewage

toward the outlet.
Inlet pipe
placement
The raw sewage and sludge inlet pipes are

above the sewage level (i.e., above the weir
of the outlet-side launder)
Mandatory
Discharge of both raw sewage and

sludge into aeration tank should be
visible for monitoring purposes, and
not immersed inside water.
Baffle wall
A baffle wall is provided
Recommended
(Mandatory
in
STPs below 50
KLD)
To prevent short-circuiting of
sewage: The incoming sewage
must not head straight toward the
exit without adequate retention
(digestion) in the tank.
The height of the baffle wall above the

water surface must be equal to the other
walls of the tank
Mandatory
To ensure that the incoming sludge

does not boil over the baffle wall
(no overflow).
The depth of the baffle wall under the

water surface must be between 0.25D and
0.30D.
Mandatory
To prevent possibility of creating a

dead zone immediately behind the
baffle wall.
Where D = Depth of water in the tank.
RAS inlet
and sewage
inlet pipe
placement
Maximum distance between the sewage

inlet pipe and return sludge inlet pipe= 2 ft.
Mandatory
Recirculated sludge must be delivered

in close vicinity of the raw sewage inlet,
to ensure maximum, intimate contact
between sewage and bacteria.
Inlet-outlet
separation
The inlet is positioned to give maximum

possible linear distance from the outlet
Mandatory
The inlet and outlet must be placed

farthest from each other; to ensure
maximum possible retention time of
sewage (and thus treatment) in the
tank.
Launder for
outlet
It is easy to reach the mesh on the outlet

port, for cleaning purposes.
Mandatory
If the mesh is not cleaned regularly, it

would lead to blocking of outlet, and
overflow of the tank.
10
Freeboard
The freeboard must be 0.3 to 0.5 m.
Mandatory
To prevent emergency situations.

A recommended practice should be
level-monitoring and warning system
(float switch in the tank connected to
an alarm annunciator).
11
Air hose
The hose must be rated for high

temperatures.
Page 43 of 62
Mandatory
To be able to handle the compressed

air, which becomes hot. This avoids
softening of the hose and rupture.

12
Check for maintenance features:
Retrievability
of diffusers
To avoid messy shut down of aeration

tank.
Mandatory
The headroom and horizontal clearance

between pillars must be adequate
to allow easy removal of the diffuser
assemblies.
Add checks for structural features

that allow this.
Nylon rope must be of sufficient size to

lift the diffuser assembly
Each set of diffusers must have individual
air control valve
Makeshift diffusers, such as PVC/ HDPE
pipe with drilled holes or Coarse bubble
diffusers must not be used.
13
Air-control
valves
14
Membrane
type diffuser
15
Tank is divided in two compartments, each

Number of
compartments with diffusers.
Mandatory
Mandatory
Optional
Mandatory for
STPs > 500 KLD
Required for pulling out of individual

sets of diffusers for maintenance.
The aeration tanks need to transfer
oxygen to sewage with high efficiency.
Only fine bubble diffusers are suitable
for this purpose.
Enables temporary shut down of one
aeration tank while the other tank
continues to work.
Secondary settling tank (Hopper-bottom)

Note: Select this table if the settling tank is non-mechanized. Select the next table if the STP uses a mechanized clarifier tank.
Method Category
Rationale
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Inlet pipe
size
The inlet pipe from aeration tank

to clarifier must be large enough to
handle recirculation flow also
Mandatory
The inlet pipe handles almost double the

average hourly flow of the STP, because
of almost equal amount of sludge that is
recirculated.
Feed well
Mandatory
(Influent
well)
Inlet to the clarifier must be through

a feed well
The feed well is of sufficient size

typically 300 dia in small tanks to
800 mm Dia in larger tanks
To kill kinetic energy of the incoming flow

and present calm conditions for settling, and
prevent short circuiting
The well is located at the center of

the tank
An inlet baffle wall can be used in

place of a feedwell, but only if there
is a single launder at the opposite
side (i.e., the outlet end) of the
settling tank.
Inlet flow
direction
Inlet flow must not drop down vertically

into the feed well, but must enter
radially.
Mandatory
Vertical flow will transfer kinetic energy

downwards, disturbing bacteria that has
already settled.
Overflow
weir
Weir is provided all round in case of

a circular tank.
Mandatory
Weir is provided on at least two

sides in case of square tanks up to
200 KLD
The longest-possible weir should be

provided to reduce the localized high upflow
velocities that can pull up the solids from the
depth of the tank.
Weir is provided on all four sides

in case of square tanks above 200
KLD
T
Mandatory
If weir is uneven, the overflow will occur

only in some sections of the weir, resulting
in high localized upflow velocities; which in
turn will pull up the flocs, overloading the
filters that follow
Mandatory
To achieve sufficient clarification in the

supernatant overflow and thickening of
solids in the underflow
Weir level
The weir is at a uniform level all round

(check with tube level gauge)
Total water
depth
The water depth at the center of the

tank must be 2.5 m or more.
Page 44 of 62

7
Depth of
central
sludge
hopper
The depth of hopper at the center must

be 200 mm or more.
Mandatory
To provide for the minimum 100 mm dia

sludge withdrawal pipe
Straight
depth
Minimum straight depth must be 1.2 m
Mandatory
To achieve sufficient clarification in

supernatant water and thickening of sludge
in the underflow
Hopper
slope
Sloping hopper must have minimum 45

slope
Mandatory
To enable rolling down of settled sludge on

the sloping walls to a central pit.
10
Dia of
sludge pipe
If sludge pipe is buried beneath the tank

floor, its dia must be 100 (nominal) or
more. This minimum Diameter ensures
that smaller articles do not choke the
pipe frequently.
Mandatory
To prevent clogging of buried pipe
11
Bottom pit
The square bottom floor pit must not be

more than 300x300mm
Mandatory
If the pit is too large, the suction pipe cannot

remove the bacteria settled at the periphery
of the pit.
12
Air lift pump
Air lift sludge recirculation suction-head

must be placed about 0.5 m from bottom
of tank
Mandatory
If the suction-head is placed too high/low, the

pipe will not be able to collect all the bacteria
settled at bottom.
Secondary Clarifier tank (mechanized, with Rotating Rake)

Note: Select this table if the STP uses a mechanized clarifier tank. If the settling tank is non-mechanized, select the previous table.
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Provision of rake
Rotating rake with a set of squeegees

is provided
Category
Rationale
Recommended
for STPs
between
150-200 KLD.
Mandatory for
STPs above
200 KLD.
In larger tanks, the sludge does not

move to the center by gravity. Raking of
the settled sludge is needed to push the
sludge to a central sludge-collection pit.
Drive mechanism Bridge is required to mount the motor,

support bridge
gearbox at the centre of the tank, and
also for maintenance purposes
Mandatory
Required to support the motor and gear

box.
Handrail on
bridge
Mandatory
The clarifier is a large tank, with moving

parts and possibly wet area. Thus the
rails are essential to prevent the operator
from falling in.
V,M,T
Mandatory
If any area of the floor remains unswept,

the flocs will not be collected and
returned to the aeration tank.
Mechanism
located in exact
center of tank
Method
Hand-rails cover entire length of the

bridge.
Hand-rails are of adequate height.
The shaft of the rake mechanism

must be located in exact center of
the clarifier tank.
The tank must be perfect square/

perfect circle (not oblong)
The rake blades must reach close

to walls of the tank
Rubber blades
Rake blades must be provided with

bottom wearable rubber squeegees
to sweep the tank floor
Mandatory
To prevent bacteria from remaining on

the floor of the tank
Blade overlap
In a double-winged rake, blades on

opposite arms of the mechanism
must overlap
V,M
Mandatory
To ensure that all the settled bacterial

mass is swept to the central collection
pit in minimum time
In a single-winged rake, all the

blades must overlap within the
single set.
T
Mandatory
If the rake rotates at higher speeds, its

wake will disturb the settled bacteria;
and at lower speeds, the bacteria will
remain for too long a period on the floor,
and start dying due to lack of oxygen
and food.
Rotational speed
Rotational speed of the mechanism

must be 4 to 6 rounds per hour.
Page 45 of 62

8
Uniform floor
slope
The tank floor must have uniform

slope.
The surface must not be uneven (no

pits, depressed areas or bumps).
The surface must not be rough (it

will damage OR wear out the rubber
squeegees)
V,T
Mandatory
To prevent pockets of stationary sludge

on the floor.
Slope of corners
in a square tank
In square tanks, the four corners that

are not swept by the blades must have
steep 45 slope
V,M
Mandatory
The four corners of a square are not

swept by the rotating blades; so they
will accumulate sludge, which will die
and putrefy.
10
Inlet pipe size
The inlet pipe from aeration tank to

clarifier must be large enough to handle
recirculation flow also
Mandatory
The inlet pipe handles almost double the

average hourly flow of the STP, because
of almost equal amount of sludge that is
recirculated.
11
Feed well
(Influent well)
Inlet to the clarifier must be through

a feed well
Mandatory
The feed well is of sufficient size

typically 300 dia in small tanks to
800 mm Dia in larger tanks
To kill kinetic energy of the incoming flow

and present calm conditions for settling,
and prevent short circuiting
The well is located at the center of

the tank
12
Inlet flow
direction
Inlet flow must not drop down vertically

into the feed well, but must enter
radially
Mandatory
Vertical flow will transfer kinetic energy

downwards, disturbing settled bacteria
13
Overflow weir
Weir is provided all round in case of

a circular tank.
Mandatory
Weir is provided on at least two

sides in case of square tanks up to
200 KLD
The longest-possible weir should be

provided to reduce the localized high
upflow velocities that can pull up the
solids from the depth of the tank.
Weir is provided on all four sides

in case of square tanks above 200
KLD
Mandatory
If weir is uneven, the overflow will

occur only in some sections of the
weir, resulting in high localized upflow
velocities; which in turn will pull up the
flocs, overloading the filters that follow
14
Weir level
The weir is at a uniform level all round

(check with tube level gauge)
15
Floor slope
Floor slope between 1:8 and 1:10
Mandatory
A gentle slope helps in movement of

sludge toward the central pit.
16
Water depth
The water depth at the periphery of the

tank is 2.5 m or more.
Mandatory
To achieve sufficient clarification in the

supernatant overflow and thickening of
solids in the underflow
17
Depth of central
sludge pit
The depth of pit at the center is 200 mm

or more
Mandatory
To provide for the minimum 100 mm dia

sludge withdrawal pipe
18
Dia of sludge
pipe
If sludge pipe is buried beneath the tank

floor, its dia must be 100 NB or more.
Mandatory
A buried pipe is very difficult to clean, So,

a large pipe is used, to ensure that small
articles dont choke the pipe frequently.
19
Circular clarifier
tank
The clarifier tank is circular.
Recommended Easier to maintain
20
Squeegees
The squeegees may be of hard rubber

or Brass.
Recommended The squeegees should be able to sweep

the floor of the tank thoroughly, without
wearing out fast.
21
Bottom steady
Bush
A bottom steady bush supports the

central rotary shaft of the rake.
Recommended Without a support at bottom, the rake

assembly will swing around. As a result,
the blades cannot sweep the floor
uniformly. They will also strike the floor
violently and get damaged.
22
Blade for pit
A rake blade is provided inside the

central sludge pit to sweep it in large
tanks
Optional
Page 46 of 62
To prevent solidification of thick sludge

in the large pit

Sludge Recirculation pumps - Airlift

Notes:
1. Use this table if the STP design uses an airlift pump.
2.
Use the next table if the STP design uses electric pumps (either in direct-suction mode or with a buffer sump)
Sl.
Check Acceptance
Criteria
Pump
type
Use an air-lift
pump
Method Category
V
Rationale
Recommended There are multiple reasons for preferring an air-lift pump: It saves energy
and space, allows the operator to vary the flow rate of sludge (to control the
MLSS), without needing an extra buffer tank; clogs rarely (and much easier
to clean).
Sludge Recirculation pumps - Electric

Notes:
1.
Use the previous table if the STP design uses an airlift pump.
2.
Use this table if the STP design uses electric pumps (either in direct-suction mode or with a buffer sump)
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Pump type
Standby
Bypass branch
line
Method
Category
Rationale
Centrifugal, non clog, solids handling pumps
Mandatory
Ref: page 37
For electrical pumps only (for direct suction or

buffer sump)
Mandatory
This is a critical unit: Stoppage

of recirculation for about an
hour may kill all bacteria and
also cause overflow of tank.
Mandatory
Bypass branch line back to

sludge sump ( if provided) for
flow control
Both pumps must be of same rate.
Control circuits must prevent both pumps from

running simultaneously.
Must be terminated above the highest sludge

level (not immersed in sewage);
Placed so that the operator can observe the

flow at all times without lifting any manhole
covers, etc..
Delivery header
Proper delivery header
Mandatory
In order to maintain pump

efficiency
Accessibility
Easily accessible
Mandatory
For ease of maintenance
Sludge Recirculation system - Direct suction

Note:
Use this table in conjunction with the Sludge Recirculation pumps-Electric table.
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Suction pipeline from clarifier

tank
Proper suction piping
Mandatory
Sludge Recirculation system - With a buffer sump

Note:
Use this table in conjunction with the Sludge Recirculation pumps-Electric table.
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Sump size
30 - 60 minutes retention
capacity, calculated based on
the average hourly flow
Recommended To provide for recirculation of sludge to Aeration

tank Although this is an optional unit, it has the
capability to kill the bacteria if it is not designed
well.
Depth of the
sump
Should be between 1.5-2.5 m
Recommended To accommodate the Coarse Bubble diffusers
Page 47 of 62
Rationale

3
Diffusers type
Coarse Bubble diffusers must be

used (not fine bubble diffusers)
Mandatory
This tank is small and shallow; where the fine

bubble diffusers are not suitable.
Since this tank has a flat bottom the sludge needs
to be agitated. This can be achieved with coarse
bubble diffuser
Diffuser
coverage
The diffusers must cover the

entire floor of the tank
Check bubbles across the

floor area with dummy load.
V,T
Mandatory
To ensure that there are no dead zones in the

tank, where the bacteria stagnate and die
because of lack of food.
Clarified water tank

Sl.
Check
1
2
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Aeration 0.5 m /hr of air per m of tank volume
Mandatory
To prevent solids accumulation
Tank
capacity
Sufficient holding capacity to match filter sizes

and hours of filtration
Mandatory
2-3 hours of average hourly flow in large plants

if the filters are run continuously over 24 hours
To provide sufficient stock of water to

cover the rest period of pumps and for
backwash water requirement
8-10 hours if the filter operation is for only 16

hours in a day, as in smaller STPs
Filter feed Pumps

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Standby
Pump
Standby pump is provided
Both pumps must be of same rating
Control circuits must prevent both pumps

from running simultaneously.
Method
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
The filter is a critical unit
Pump type
Centrifugal, non clog, solids handling pumps

OR
Mandatory
Choice available
soundness of STP
Accessibility Easily accessible for maintenance purposes
Mandatory
For ease of maintenance
Suction
pipe
Proper suction piping
Mandatory
Delivery
header
Proper delivery header with pressure gauge
Mandatory
Bypass line
Bypass branch line back to Clarified water

tank for flow control with a control valve
Mandatory
To control the flow rate to filters
Backwash
pipe
Separate set of suction piping for backwash

from filtered water tank
Recommended
Backwash with filtered water is more

efficient
Plumbing
Non-return valves as required if the same

pumps take suction both from clarified water
tank and filtered water tank
Mandatory
To prevent water from clarified water

tank and filtered tank from mixing up
Backwash
pumps
Separate backwash pumps
Optional
Allows better engineering. Allows full

isolation of clarified and filtered water
tank
Page 48 of 62
depending
on

Backwash pumps
Note: This table is applicable only when the design uses a separate set of pumps for backwash (not by reversing the flow of the filterfeed pumps)
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Standby
Standby pump is
provided
Both pumps must be of

same rating.
Control circuits must

prevent both pumps from
running simultaneously.
Method
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
If the single backwash pump fails, the plumbing

will not allow reversing the flow using the filter
feed pump. Thus the choked filter will become a
bottleneck.
Mandatory
To prevent a filter feed pump and a backwash

pump operating at the same time.
Interlock between Interlock between filter feed

pumps
pump and backwash pump

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Pressure test
5 kg/cm pressure test certificate
Mandatory
Safety requirement
Manhole
Big enough manhole on top dish OR

Entire top dish is bolted to the tank
(up to 800 dia)
Mandatory
Safety requirement, ease of maintenance
Pressure-relief
valve
Pressure relief valve on top
Mandatory
Safety feature
Backwash
pipeline
Separate backwash waste line
Mandatory
To avoid sudden surge flows into aeration

tank or settling tank, the pipeline must be
connected only to the equalization tank.
Inlet distributor
Proper inlet distributor for uniform

dispersal of incoming flow over the
entire area of the filter like a splash
pad : A distributor gridwork of pipe
may also be used
Mandatory
Uniform distribution, better filtration
Frontal piping
MS frontal piping
Mandatory
To carry out various filter operations,

without frequent outages.
The backwash waste must be piped

to Equalization tank; not to any other
tank.
Normally pipelines in an STP are made of

PVC.
However, the frontal piping is subject
to frequent stresses and strains due to
operation of valves, and hence it is prone
to failure at joints.
Therefore MS pipeline is recommended
here.
7
MPV
Multi-port valve
Recommended MPV is convenient, and provides

ONLY for small interlocking
filters, up to 500
mm dia.
Individual Butterfly control valves in

place of plastic MPV
Recommended
(Multi-Port
Valve)
8
Valves
In large filters, a plastic PMV is prone to

damage.
Therefor separate valves must be used in
place of MPV.
Valves
Valves easily operable
Located for easy access for the

operator without stretching or
bending
Butterfly valves are preferable to

ball valves, for quick open/ shut
operations
Mandatory
Page 49 of 62
Operator comfort, ergonomics

10
Pressure
gauges
Inlet and outlet pressure gauges
Mandatory
To monitor condition of filter.

If the filter is choked, a lot of energy is wasted,
and throughput is reduced drastically
0.5 kg/cm2 pressure drop across a filter is an
indication of choked filter and to commence
backwash
11
Media
Proper media filling, with graded

gravel/ pebbles and sand
Mandatory
If the successive layers of media are not filled

with graded material (increasing diameter of
particles), the layers will break up and the
media will mix up; thus affecting the 3Dfiltering, which is essentially provided by the
sand layer (at the top) only.
12
Hand-hole
Hand-hole provided at the bottom of

the tank for easy maintenance
Mandatory
To remove media from the bottom, avoiding

manual entry into the filter vessel
13
Collection
mechanism
Proper manifold and pipe grid as

underdrain collector
Mandatory
If sewage passes through a narrow local

channel, the entire cross-section of the sand
media would not be efficiently used.
14
Backwash line
routing
Backwash waste line to be diverted

to equalization tank and not Aeration
tank
Mandatory


Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Pressure test
5 kg/cm2 pressure test certificate
Mandatory
Safety requirement
Manhole
Sufficiently large manhole on the

top dish, OR
Mandatory
Safety requirement, ease of maintenance
Entire top dish is bolted to the

tank (up to 800 Dia)
3
Pressure-relief
valve
Pressure relief valve on top
Mandatory
Safety feature
Backwash
pipeline
Separate backwash waste line
Mandatory

Inlet distributor
Proper inlet distributor for uniform

dispersal of incoming flow over
the entire area of the filter like a
splash pad : A distributor gridwork
of pipe may also be used
Mandatory
Uniform distribution, better filtration
Frontal piping
MS frontal piping
Mandatory
To carry out various filter operations, without

frequent outages.
The backwash waste must be

piped to Equalization tank; not to
any other tank.
Normally pipelines in an STP are made of

PVC.
However, the frontal piping is subject
to frequent stresses and strains due to
operation of valves, and hence it is prone to
failure at joints.
Therefore MS pipeline is recommended
here.
7
MPV
Multi-port valve
(Multi-Port Valve)
Valves
Recommended Plastic MPV prone to damage

ONLY for small
filters, up to
500 mm dia.
Individual Butterfly control valves

in place of plastic MPV
Recommended In large filters, a plastic PMV is prone to

damage.
Therefor separate valves must be used in
place of MPV.
Page 50 of 62

9
10
Valves
Pressure gauges
Valves easily operable
Located for easy access for

the operator without stretching
or bending
Butterfly valves are preferable

to ball valves, for quick open/
shut operations
Inlet and outlet pressure gauges
Mandatory
Operator comfort, ergonomics
Mandatory
To monitor condition of filter.

If the filter is choked, a lot of energy is wasted,
and throughput is reduced drastically
0.5 kg/cm2 pressure drop across a filter is an
indication of choked filter and to commence
backwash
11
Media
Proper media filling, with graded

gravel/ pebbles and sand
Mandatory
If the successive layers of media are not filled

with graded material (increasing diameter
of particles), the layers will break up and
the media will mix up; thus affecting the 3Dfiltering, which is essentially provided by the
sand layer (at the top) only.
12
Hand-hole
Hand-hole provided at the bottom

of the tank for easy maintenance
Mandatory
To remove media from the bottom, avoiding

manual entry into the filter vessel
13
Collection
mechanism
Proper manifold and pipe grid as

underdrain collector
Mandatory
14
Backwash line
routing
Backwash waste line to be

diverted to equalization tank and
not Aeration tank
Mandatory

15
Epoxy coating
Epoxy coating on the inside of

the vessel
Specs
Mandatory
Carbon is corrosive and abrasive
Disinfection system
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Hypo dosing
Hypo dosing at the outlet of

the Activated Carbon filter
Method
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
For proper disinfection, and to meet PCB norms
Sludge-Handling system
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Sludge-holding
tank
As per CFE
Mandatory
To hold the days excess sludge until dewatering

operations start
Diffusers
Sufficient coarse bubble diffusers

are used, calculated at the rate of
2 m3 air/Hr/ m3 of tank volume
Mandatory
To ensure adequate aeration and mixing in

the sludge-holding tank, to prevent septicity in
sludge, and to maintain dewaterability.
Supernatant
drain pipe
Supernatant water is drawn off

from the sludge-holding tank by
tap offs at 2 or 3 levels, so that
water is removed and only thicker
sludge is left in the tank
Recommended Ensures that only thick slurry is fed to the filter

press, to reduce the volume of sludge to be
dewatered, and enhance dewatering rate
Suction line
Positive suction for the helical

filter feed pump
Mandatory
Dry run causes serious damage
Bypass branch
line
Bypass branch line in pump

discharge line to control flow to
Filter press
Mandatory
To control feed rate to filter press
For varying sludge conditions, condition

of cloth, condition of the pump itself, the
operator may need to control the feed rate
to the filter press.
Page 51 of 62

6
Mixer
Proper low speed (300 RPM)

mechanized mixing arrangement
for polymer solution tank
Mandatory
Polymer is viscous. Low speeds to prevent

degradation of long chain polymer
Large tank is required since 0.1 to 0.5 % polymer
solution is recommended due to extremely high
viscosity
For a typical Medium size STP, a

tank of 200 L should be sufficient
7
Closing device
for press
Manual Hydraulic closing device

for filter press
Mandatory
To close the plates together under high pressure,

leaving no gaps between plates, thus avoiding
leakages during the high-pressure filtration
cycle
Closing device
for press
Motorized
hydraulic
closing
device recommended in STPs
above 1000 KLD
Recommended To save manual labor
Drain tray
Drain tray for filter press
Mandatory
To avoid spillages on floor
10
Air pipe (drier)
A compressed air pipeline with

control valve is provided
Mandatory
To aid in faster dewatering
11
Sheet cover
sheet cover over filter press, if

placed in the open
Mandatory
To prevent degradation of Filter cloth under

direct sunlight
Air Blowers
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Standby
Standby blower is provided
Both blowers must be of same rating.
Control circuits must prevent both

blowers from running simultaneously
Large air header (like an air-receiver

tank) is provided.
Air header
Method
Category
Rationale
Mandatory
Critical unit: The blowers supply

compressed air to all diffusers (coarse and
fine) in the multiple tanks. They also run
the air-lift pump. Thus if this unit fails, the
entire STP would come to grinding halt.
Mandatory
Larger air header prevents overheating of

air, and lessens the pipelines resistance.
It also lessens the back-pressure on the
blower; especially when a remote valve is
opened/closed swiftly.
Noise
attenuation
Air pipelines
Check for the following:
Not mounted on a tank (tanks amplify

the noise)
Mounted with anti-vibration mountings
Padding around pipes to reduce

vibrations.
Air piping of adequate size as per good

engineering practice.
Mandatory
Since this unit is the noisiest in the STP,

noise-reduction measures are necessary.
If noise is not suppressed, it can reach
unacceptable levels
V. M
Mandatory
Selection of proper cross-sections prevents

excessive heating, and back pressure on
blowers ( < 12 m/sec)
To relieve excess air and overloading of
diffusers in other tanks
Maximum air velocity around

10-12 m/sec.
5
Air vent
Provide for an air vent line for emergencies,

so that when some tanks are under
maintenance, excess air is not passed on
to other tanks
Mandatory
Noisereduction
Proper acoustic enclosures
Recommended The air blowers create very high noise,

which can affect the working efficiency
and even the health of the operator.
Therefore noise-attenuation is required.
Page 52 of 62

MISC
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Category
Rationale
Pressure
Gauges
At air blower, filter press, filters inlet and

outlet
Mandatory
To monitor pressure levels at these

points
Piping system
Good engineering practice are followed
Mandatory
1. Minimum bends
2. Proper anchoring to wall/ floor
3. Fittings such as flanges, unions
at appropriate locations for easy
opening of sections of pipelines
4. All frequently opened joints have
adequate clearance to allow fast
opening.
Electrical
System
ELCB must be used (not MCB)
Use of power factor capacitor banks to

balance the load
Use of Bus bar to distribute the load

evenly
Use of interlocks to prevent use of

working and standby pumps
Mandatory
To avoid frequent down time, safety

etc.
In general compliance with the National
Electric Code is a must.
Exhaust/
Ventilation
System if in
basement
room
Fresh air fan with fresh air ducting for at

least 12 air changes per hour
Mandatory
Operator
comfort,
accumulation of gases
Exhaust/
Ventilation
System if in
basement
room
Exhaust air fan with exhaust air

ducting
Mandatory
The exhaust fan must have a slightly

higher capacity than the Fresh air
fan, to maintain a small negative air
pressure inside the STP
Operator comfort, prevents

accumulation of gases, and fugitive
emissions out of the STP room
Flooring of the
STP
The National Building Code is followed in

general.
Mandatory
Compliance with a mandatory national

standard.
Specifically, check the following:
Fire safety
Good engineering practice
Drain provided for all tanks.
Sump provided to catch any accidental

spillage
Floor is anti-slippage type and free of

obstacles such as pipelines
Floor is sloped toward the drainage

sump
A pump is provided to empty the sump

into equalization tank.
The STP area must meet the

requirements of National Building Code
Part IV (Fire and life safety)
Documentation 1. Operating manual covers all units
Mandatory
Compliance with a mandatory national

standard.
Safety of operators and other service
personnel
Mandatory
For proper record-keeping
Mandatory
Operator comfort, ease of

maintenance activities
2. Maintenance manual covers all units

3. The following charts are provided:
Lighting
prevents
3a.
Flow chart
3b.
Layout drawing
3c.
Labeling of all tanks with

capacities and Depth as safety
warning
3d.
Standard Operating Procedure
Adequate illumination for operator

comfort
Page 53 of 62

10
Ladders
Adequate, safe ladders to access tanks
Mandatory
Safety requirement - Otherwise operator

may fall into tank Typical measures:
1. Ladders with safety railings
2. Anti skid, wide treads
3. Rungs are NOT safe (the operator
has to use them frequently)
4. Slope of ladder should be less than
45
5. Provide landings for long ladders
6. In general, follow the National
Building Code.
11
Platform with
hand-rail
Proper operating / observation platforms

with safety hand-rail
Mandatory
Safety requirement
12
Water meter
Water meter at the outlet of ACF
Mandatory
KSPCB-mandated consent condition
13
Fresh water
supply
Fresh water supply in STP for various

activities like area cleaning, chemical
solution preparation, Filter cloth washing
etc.
Mandatory
For good housekeeping, chemicals

solution preparation
14
Acoustic
isolation
If STP is in close vicinity to residences,

acoustic treatment to be provided for the
STP room/doors and windows.
Mandatory
Noise attenuation This must happen

regardless of vicinity to residences.
15
Seating
Arrangement
for operator
Sitting area provided for the operator
Mandatory
Operator comfort
Shielded from the noise of machinery
Should provide a clear view of the

entire plant
Provision to maintain logbook.
Well-lit and ventilated
Not too comfortable so as to allow

dozing off
16
Labeling of
units
All units (as listed above) are labeled

clearly with permanent labels
Mandatory
Quick identification of all parts of the

plant
17
Storage for
consumables
Proper storage area for all consumables

and spares
Mandatory
Systematic and safe storage
Away from sewage spillage to avoid

rusting
Clearly labeled
Page 54 of 62

Operational checks for the STP
The following tables show how to check for important operational aspects of the STP. Each table describes checks for a particular stage
of STP.
The methods of checking are as follows:
Code
Method
How to check-
Visual
Check for presence (or absence) of the indicated feature (olfactory checks are clubbed here)
Measurement
Measure the indicated dimensions and compare against specified limits.
Performance test
Conduct a test and compare the results against the specified limits.
Documentation check
Check in drawings and calculations

(typically for aspects that cannot checked with visual inspection or other testing methods)
Note that some of the units have alternative designs. For example, the clarifier tank may be either hopper-bottom (gravity-operated) or
mechanized (with a rotating rake). Similarly, the sludge-recirculation subsystem may use one of the three approaches: (a) an airlift pump,
or (b) a direct-suction electric pump or (c) electric pump with a buffer sump.
Separate tables are provided for each alternative design. Please select the correct table first and then use them.
Preparation
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Engineering
check
results
The Engineering checklist is

fully filled
Any deviations are reviewed and

approved.
Method
Visual check All stages are as inspected during

PCFO (no tampering was done
afterward)
Rationale
Unless the STP has successfully passed the Engineering
checks, do not proceed.
(Passing of Engineering checks means the design and
engineering of the plant meet the acceptance criteria)
If the plant was modified in any way after passing at the engineering
approval, review the reasons and the actual changes carried out
in the STP.
Repeat the relevant engineering checks and review the results.
Load
The actual load has reached >80%

of rated load. (Check the volume
of the treated sewage for a day. If
there is a weekly peak in sewage
generation, select that day for ALL
measurements.)
For the operational checks to be meaningful, the load must be at

least 80% of the rated load.
Bar Screen Chamber

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Working on
platform
Observe the operator as he collects debris.
Handling of
debris
Method
Posture is normal during working
Does not have to balance on platform
Can see the whole chamber easily.
Not facing any difficulty
Can easily reach the grill and floor.
No struggle to remove parts stuck in grill.
Observe the operator as he disposes off debris.
Operator can easily use the platform (or a basket) to let the debris dripdry
Operator can easily place the collected debris into a garbage bag
Rationale
If the debris-collection
is not comfortable, it
will stop in a few days;
leading to a clogged
and dysfunctional bar
screen chamber.
Disposal of debris must

be easy and hygienic.
Equalization tank
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Actual level
fluctuations
Check for overflows telltale coloration on side walls/ freeboard
Page 55 of 62
Rationale
To determine if
equalization tank size
is adequate to handle
peak inflows

2
Aeration and
mixing
Bubbles rise across the entire surface of the aeration tank (no dead
zone in any area, especially edges and corners)
There is no odor
There is no localized violent bubbling/ boiling
Maintenance of Select a few diffusers (typically the diffuser in the most remote corner)
diffusers
and execute a mock repair cycle.
Easy to isolate from the rest of the system
Easy to retrieve the chosen element
Easy to dismantle the element without disturbing the other plumbing.
Easy to clean the element
Easy to lower it back at the exact spot
This is the end-result of

proper diffuser selection
and placement; and
also correct airpressure.
The STP should allow

easy maintenance
of diffusers without
significant interruption
of its process.
Raw Sewage Lift Pumps tank

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Easily
accessible
Simulate a repair cycle on the pump that is more difficult to access.
Easy to dismantle
The rest of the plumbing is not disturbed
Easy to carry it outside its area
Easy to place it back and assemble it
Rationale
The STP should allow
easy maintenance
of pumps without
significant interruption
of its process.
Aeration tank
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Baffle wall
function
The sewage is let into the baffle zone No splash or overflow
Diffuser
function
Bubbles rise uniformly across the surface
No dead zone (especially near walls and corners)
No large bubbles bursting through.
Method
V
These signs indicate

wrong dimensions of
the baffle wall.
To get optimum results,

you may need to adjust
the placement of
diffusers and/or airpressure in individual
diffusers.
Maintenance of
diffusers should
not disrupt the STP
functioning.
There is no bubble-free dead zone adjacent to the baffle wall on the

tank
Maintenance of Simulate a service cycle on sample diffusers (select the most remote
diffusers
elements):
Easy to retrieve the chosen element
Easy to dismantle the element without disturbing the other plumbing.
Easy to clean the element
Easy to lower it back at the exact spot
Membrane
type diffuser
Pull out and check if membranes are in good condition
Split aeration
tank
Easy to isolate and empty EACH tank for repairs
Biomass in
Aeration tank
Cut off compressed air
(Check safety function)
Equal flow of sewage and recycle sludge to each compartment
1. Healthy brown biomass
2. Check MLSS level in Aeration tank
Page 56 of 62
Rationale

Secondary settling tank (Hopper-bottom)
Note:
Based on the STP design, select this table (for non-mechanized settling tank) or the next table (for mechanized clarifier tank).
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Settling of
sludge
Sludge settles without vortex
No sludge drawn up near the weir
No significant sludge trace in the launders
No clumps/ balls of rising sludge
Fine mesh
basket at outlet
Method
Rationale
Easy to service the mesh:
Easy to remove
Easy to clean
Easy to fit it in place
Secondary Clarifier tank (mechanized, with Rotating Rake)

Note:
Based on the STP design, select the previous table (for non-mechanized settling tank) or this table (for mechanized clarifier tank).
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Settling of
sludge
Sludge settles without vortex
No sludge drawn up near the weir
No significant sludge trace in the launders
No clumps/ balls of rising sludge
Method
V
Fine mesh
Easy to service the mesh:
basket at outlet
Easy to remove
Bridge
Maintenance
of motor and
gearbox
Weir level
Rationale
Easy to clean
Easy to fit it in place
Bridge allows safe travel up to motor and gear box.
The safety railing has closely spaced balusters to prevent accidental

fall from under the railing.
Simulate a repair cycle for the motor and gearbox
Safe access to the motor and gearbox
Allows safe removal of motor and gearbox
Allows safe carrying of parts out of tank
Allows safe re-fitting of parts
Check rotational speed of rake
Check for uniform overflow of water over the entire length of the weir(s)
If the motor and gear

box cannot be made
functional within 30
minutes, the bacteria
may start dying.
M
T
Sludge Recirculation pumps-Airlift

Note:
Based on the STP design, select this table (for an airlift pump) or the next table (for electric pumps used in direct-suction or buffer
sump variations)
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Air lift
Check if recirculation sludge flow is roughly between 60 -100 % of

sewage inflow
Method
Rationale
Sludge Recirculation pumps-Electric

Note:
Based on the STP design, select the previous table (for an airlift pump) or this table (for electric pumps used in direct-suction or
buffer sump variations)
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Air lift

sewage inflow
Page 57 of 62
Rationale

Sludge Recirculation system-Direct suction

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Rationale
Method
Rationale
There are no additional checks.

(See the requirements above.)
Sludge Recirculation system- With a buffer sump

Sl.
Check
Aeration and
mixing
in sludge sump
Acceptance Criteria
Bubbles rise across the entire surface (no dead zone in any area,
especially edges and corners)
There is no odor
Maintenance of Simulate a repair cycle (select the pump that is more difficult to access):
pump
Easy to cut off from the rest of the system
Easy to remove
Easy to carry outside STP
Easy to assemble back.

sewage inflow
This means the system

does not pose a threat
to the bacteria.
Although availability of
a standby drastically
reduces the risk,
it should be easy
(and fast) to repair a
defective pump.
Clarified water tank

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Aeration and
mixing
Bubbles rise across the entire surface (no dead zone in any area, especially
edges and corners)
There is no odor
No accumulation of solids in the tank
Rationale
Filter feed Pumps

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
pump
Easy to remove
Method
Rationale
Backwash pumps
Note:
This table is applicable only when the design uses a separate set of pumps for backwash (not by reversing the flow of the filter-feed
pumps)
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
pump
Easy to remove
Method
Rationale

Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Filter operation
Filter is able to handle design flow of water without excessive pressure

drop
Filter
Backwash
Backwash filter for 5-10 minutes and check if initially lot of solids come out,
gradually becoming clearer and finally clear water is observed.
Page 58 of 62
Rationale


Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Filter operation
Get analysis reports and compare quality at inlet to filter and outlet of
filter
Filter
Backwash
Backwash filter for 5 minutes and check if initially lot of solids come out,
gradually becoming clearer and finally clear water is observed.
Rationale
T
Analysis
T
Disinfection system
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Hypo dosing
Check Residual chlorine level with test kit
Rationale
Must be more than 1 PPM after 30 minutes of standing
Sludge-Handling system
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Filter press
operation
Run an entire sludge dewatering cycle of one batch, and check quantity
(weight) of sludge cake produced
Rationale
Air Blowers
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Method
Noise
Measure the noise. Results close to 80+ dB(A) indicate corrective

measures are needed.
Capacity
Check if air in sufficient quantity is delivered to all connected tanks

simultaneously, as visual indications for each tank as described above
Rationale
MISC
Sl.
Check
Acceptance Criteria
Pressure Gauges
Check all gauges for calibration.
Method
Preferable to have colored bands for OK/ Not OK conditions
Compare each gauge against the limits given in the operating

chart
Exhaust/ Ventilation
System if in basement
room
There must not be any odor or fumes in the STP.
Drainage
Open the drain plug of all tanks (one by one). Turn on the drain
pit motor.
Check for tell-tale signs of premature/ excessive rusting of metal

parts such as hand-rails, etc.
The ground clearance must be sufficient to open the plugs

easily.
Check if the sewage under pressure is contained in drain or

spills out on electrical parts.
Check if the drains and the drain pit and motor can handle the
volume.
Documentation
Verify the manuals vis--vis the actual STP
Acoustic isolation
The noise as measured outside STP at the nearest public area

must not be more than 55 dB(A) (during day) and 45 dB(A) (during
night).
DG Operation
Switch to DG from Mains and check if all critical motors can be

operated simultaneously
Quality of Treated Water Sample for analysis in a NABL-approved Laboratory
Page 59 of 62
Rationale

Appendices
136 |
| 137
Page 60 of 62

Managing the Microbes
MLSS
The desired median age of microbes to be maintained in the system is 25-30 days, because they can
digest the sewage at the maximum rate at the age of 25-30 days, as shown below.
MLSS (Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids) is a measure of bacteria that is contained in the aeration tank.
In the strict sense, MLSS is a gravimetric unit mg/L and the normal design level is between 3500 to
4000 mg/L in the Aeration Tank. However, in the field, since the operator does not have ready access
to an electronic weighing machine, we do a volumetric measurement using a 1 liter measuring cylinder
(or jar).
Take one liter of the Aeration Tank sample (The Mixed Liquor) and allow to settle in the jar for 30 minutes.
At the end of the 30 minutes, measure the volume occupied by the settled sludge. If it is 350 mL, we take
the MLSS to be 3500 mg/L. If it is 400 mL, the take MLSS to be 4000 mg/L.
The assumption here is that the STP is functioning normally, and therefore the so-called Sludge Volume
Index SVI) is 100, meaning dry solids weighing 1 gram occupy 100 mL volume after 30 minutes of
settling. And so, 4 gram of microbes (4000 mg) will occupy 400 mL volume in the cylinder.
at
Ph
De
ase
Metabolic Rate
Stationary Phase
Ph
wth
h
e
Gro
as
The STP is operated within a band of say 3500 mg/L (350 mL) and 4500 mg/L (450 mL). When the
MLSS exceeds 450 mL, the excess sludge is taken out of the system to bring the MLSS down to the say
350 mL, and the process continues until the sludge again builds up to 450 mL.
Days
0
10
20
30
40
50
Normally STP should be operated in a smaller band within the allowable MLSS limits.
60
MLSS level can be less than the design level only under the following conditions :
However, the sewage remains for less than 20 hours in aeration tank and settling tank.
1. The STP is in the start-up phase
Microbes are much like humans in their metabolic activities, although they are life forms that are orders
of magnitude lower than an average human being. They feed on the pollutants (= food) present in the
wastewater: They require Oxygen (from the air pumped into the aeration tank) for their respiration. They
need vitamins and minerals in the form of nutrients such as Nitrogen and Phosphorus (already present
in abundance in domestic sewage), and a whole lot of other elements at nano levels for their health and
well being, to grow and to multiply.
2. STP design and engineering is poor, so sludge is slipping out of the system
3. STP operation is poor
4. There has been a sudden shock to the STP ( pH drop/ toxic elements etc.)
Any imbalance in even one of the above ingredients in the recipe (Population density, Food, Oxygen,
or Nutrients) will render the process extremely vulnerable to failure. Indeed, Microbes are much more
sensitive to the slightest of environmental disturbances than humans.
The basic biochemical reaction occurring in an Aeration tank may be summarized by the following
simplistic equation:
Microbes + Pollutants (food) + O2 More microbes + CO2 + H2O + energy release + byproducts
A typical growth reaction with a number of other products, the most important of which is Carbon
Dioxide:
Accumulated Carbon Dioxide gets converted to Carbonic acid and corrodes metallic parts in the
STP.
The carbonic acid also depresses the pH of the wastewater, thus affecting treatment performance
Page 61 of 62

Glossary
Term
Meaning
Backwashing
The periodic operation in a filter, where flow of water is reversed to flush out
the accumulated solids by agitating and fluidizing the filter media.
Backflushing
BOD
pH
Acidic solutions have a pH<7; and alkaline solutions have a pH>7) Solutions
with pH=7 are neutral.
Same as backwashing (see above), but more commonly used in the context
of membrane filtration systems.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by
aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material
present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time
period.
COD
Chemical Oxygen Demand is the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an

organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. This is an indirect
measure of the amount of organic pollutants found in water.
E. Coli
A species of bacterium normally present in the intestinal tract of humans and

other animals. Water and food contaminated with it may cause diseases.
Extended aeration
Activated Sludge Biological system operating at low F/M ratio, resulting in

lower loading rates and longer retention times in the aeration tank
F/M
The Food/ Microorganisms ratio, which is to be set for a given STP. It can be
in the range 0.05 to 0.40 (5% to 40%).
Freeboard
Distance in a closed tank from the sewage level to the top of the tank.
MLSS
The contents/ mixture in the aeration tank is called Mixed Liquor. The
suspended solids in this Mixed Liquor is called MLSS ( which is taken to be
the microbes).
O&G
Oil and grease
A measurement that indicates the acidity or alkalinity of any solution.
Page 62 of 62
Treatment efficiency
Percentage removal of any pollutant parameter in the STP.
TSS
Total Suspended Solids
Clarifier tank
A term generally used for a mechanically raked sedimentation tank. Depending

on the placement in the STP, the clarifier tank is qualified as follows:
Primary Clarifier
Clarifier used ahead of the Aeration tank
Secondary Clarifier
Clarifier used following the Aeration tank
Tertiary Clarifier
Clarifier used following the secondary clarifier tank
Settling tank
A term generally used for an unmechanized, hopper-bottom sedimentation

tank

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*Not For Commercial Use.

**Design Guide Book Only For Students & Teachers Reference.

Lack of commitment to the environment

Lack of appreciation of the enormous benefit of recycle and reuse

Lack of necessary knowledge and skill on the part of the designer

Lack of commitment for proper operation & maintenance

External pressures, etc.

*Not For Commercial Use.

The Operating Principle of STPs

Achieves the desired results on a consistent and sustained basis.

Is easy to operate and maintain.

*Not For Commercial Use.

Typical Process in an STP

Oil, grease, grit trap

Bar Screen Chamber

Clarified Water Sump

Activated Carbon Filter

Treated Water Tank

Water for reuse

(Toilet flush, gardening, etc.)

*Not For Commercial Use.

Benefits of a well-run STP

The primary benefits of a well-run STP are

Assured availability of water for various secondary uses

Enormous savings in fresh water costs1

Lesser Environmental Degradation

Improved public Health

After treatment What it means to you...

The acidity/alkalinity balance is not

200- 250 mg/L

Normally, the biodegradable material

The outgoing treated sewage has low

The STP removes the harmful bacteria

*Not For Commercial Use.

The STP Guide Design, Operation and Maintenance

*Not For Commercial Use.

Bar Screen Chamber

Screened sewage. If the screen (4)

The gaps between the bars may vary between

Outlet pipe (goes to the Equalization

Larger STPs may have two screens: A coarse

Platform with weep holes. The

In smaller STPs, a single fine bar screen

1.3 Design Criteria

If this unit is left unattended for long periods of

The design criteria applies more to the sizing and

1.2 How It Works

(The cross-sectional area occupied by the

1.4 Construction And

Inlet pipe for the STP.

Debris (plastic bags, paper cups,

Muck (sediment in sewage)

Grill. Must be cleaned regularly to avoid

The upper end of the screen must rest against

platform itself must be provided with weep holes,

1.5 Operation And

Check and clean the bar screen at frequent

Do no allow solids to overflow/ escape from

Ensure no large gaps are formed due to