Review and Data Collection on Small Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the Houston Area

Date
2001
Authors
Lowry, Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
Abstract

The Galveston Bay Estuary Program has conducted several research projects into sources of pollutant loadings to Galveston Bay since the program was formed. Earlier projects had indicated that the loadings attributed to small wastewater treatment facilities may have been underestimated. This project was developed to determine whether or not there was a possibility of significant improvement to the effluent from a more structured program of sludge management by the small utilities. Many small utilities use only the 30-minute settlement tests as a measure of plant operation and disregard the mixed liquor suspended solids testing because they are unaware of the significance, or the plant owner does not wish to pay for it. Thirty plants were screened for participation in this year long study of the plant influent and effluent parameters. Of the original 30, 10 study plants and 3 control plants were selected for further analysis. Samples of influent and effluent BOD (CBOD) and suspended solids were collected, weekly, along with MLSS samples from the aeration basins; thirty minute settlement tests were performed. The samples were collected on a random schedule regarding days of the week, but all were collected during the normal working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Plant flows were measured and recorded at the time of the plant visit using the flow indicators used by the plant personnel.

Description
pgs. 50-51
Keywords
wastewater treatment
Citation