LOW-COST WASTEWATER RECYCLING SYSTEMS

CASE STUDIES FROM MAHARASHTRA AND ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

Raj Rajaram, PhD, P.E., Complete Environmental Solutions, Noida, India

Subijoy Dutta, P.E., S & M Engineering Services, Crofton, MD, USA
Ram Koduri, P.E., Indigo Water Recycling, Hyderabad, India

Introduction

A large amount of wastewater is generated by the urban and suburban cities in India.
Most of this wastewater is discharged to streams and rivers without appropriate
treatment. Often the cost of wastewater treatment is prohibitive for the cities and
municipalities in urban and suburban India. To address this issue, use of low-cost
biological treatment systems have been studied by the authors for the past several years
(Dutta, 2003). The George Washington University organized a workshop on Low Cost
Wastewater Treatment Technologies (LOWTREAT, from May 30 to June 2, 2003 to
foster technology transfer of these low-cost technologies from the U.S. to India and other
developing countries.

Two articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) pointed out the
urgent need for improving the water quality and sanitation in India. The article entitled
“The Global Burden of Chronic Diseases”, JAMA, June 2, 2004, v. 291, no. 21, pages
2616-2622, states that “unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene contributes about 5.5
percent of the mortality in developing countries such as India, and the other two risk
factors higher than this factor are unsafe sex, and underweight children. India has the
highest number diabetics in the world and annual coronary deaths are expected to reach 2
million by 2010. At the same time, around 1.25 million children in India die from
infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria every year”. The other article
entitled “Estimates of Global Prevalence of Childhood underweight in 1990 and 2015”,
JAMA, June 2, 2004, v. 291, no. 21, pages 2600-2606, states that “very high levels of
childhood underweight were found in 12 African countries, and 13 Asian countries
including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia and India. More than 30 percent of the
children in these countries have weights 2 standard deviations below the mean weight for
age of the reference population”.

These kinds of statistics are unacceptable when the Indian economy is growing at the rate
of 7 percent or so per year. We have the solutions to tackle this problem, and it takes
political will and adequate funding to improve on these statistics. We have taken steps to
clean the air in our cities, and have increased awareness among the population of the air
pollution levels in various parts of the country. In fact, Delhi is the only city in the world
where the government (executive and legal branches) has had the political will to enforce
the use of Compressed Natural Gas in all public vehicles to replace the dirty diesel fuel.
We feel that this can be done with the water and public sanitation in India, and propose

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several strategies for adoption by the Central and State governments. The process of
renewable methane generation from anaerobic digestion of biomass has been well
explained by Chynoweth, D.P., Owens J.M., and R. Legrand. 2001, and Gijzen, H.J.
2002.

We have misplaced our priorities when it comes to the use of water in India. The
government agencies must first ensure that adequate quantity and quality of water is
available for domestic consumption, and industry and agriculture should be provided
water recycled after domestic use. For example, when a company in Chennai wanted a
lot of good quality water for setting up a 200 MW power plant, there was no water
available. The Chennai Metro Water and Sewerage Board told the company that they
could be supplied the sewage (if they paid for the pumping costs), and that the company
would have to install state-of-the-art systems to purify the sewage to their needs. A
Korean company was hired to complete the power project, and they subcontracted the
water treatment work to a company from Delhi to design and build a wastewater
treatment system. This treatment system was the largest such system in Asia in 1999,
and the company is successfully operating their power plant using recycled sewage.
Although slow progress is being made, rural India is way behind many other countries in
providing adequate health and sanitation. A Comparative Status as of 2000 is presented
below:

Country Under-5 % Population Using % Population Using

Mortality Rank Improved Drinking Adequate Sanitation
Water Sources (Rural) Facilities (Rural)
India 54 79 15
Indonesia 77 69 46
Italy 164 - -
Mexico 102 69 34

Amongst other initiatives by the Government of India (GOI), which began more than a
decade ago, the Council for the Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology
(CAPART) Rural Sanitation Program (1999-2001) was established in India in 1986.
Under this program the use of twin-pit pour flush water seal leach latrines design like that
of UNDP/UNICEF was developed. Under the GOI scheme, these leach latrines were
introduced to many rural areas with a unit cost of Rs. 2,500 (USD 60.00). CAPART
contributed 80 percent of this cost and 20 percent was required to be contributed by all
the beneficiaries. Rural sanitation was at 5% when the program was started by CAPART
in early 1990s. In 10 years they have been somewhat successful in raising the sanitation
level from less than 5% to 15%. The next goal was to raise the level from 15% to 85%
adding 100 million more two-pit latrines, but the rural sanitation program by CAPART
have been stopped since March 2001.

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In the past few years, newer programs sprung up to address the same issue. Amongst
those the significant ones include the World Bank – Water and Sanitation Program
(WSP), the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Children
Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

It is a lot easier and cheaper to recycle wastewater for agricultural purposes. There are
several low-cost treatment technologies that can recycle sewage for agricultural purposes.
Several large projects for recycling domestic sewage for agricultural use have been
successfully completed in the United States and elsewhere at a fraction of the cost for
conventional sewage treatment plants. In 2004, S & M Engineering Services installed a
wastewater recycling project in Hyderabad, India to reuse the treated sewage from a
University campus for non-potable uses. This project will be described in this paper. In
addition, a project involving recycling/reuse of wastewater from an industrial estate near
Pune, India, for non-potable purposes is also described in this paper.

Other policies that can significantly improve availability of water in India should be
geared towards:
• Balancing the cost of water treatment with the economic stature of the end-user,
• Watershed-based management to match the agricultural and industrial water
needs to the availability, and
• Improvement of water conservation techniques such as drip irrigation, rain water
harvesting, and implementation of effective controls for a leak-proof water
supply infrastructure.

Deep Pond™ System (Hyderabad) Case Study

This project involves implementing a low-cost wastewater treatment system in the State
of Andhra Pradesh, India. The project consist of an anaerobic, deep pond, which uses a
digestion chamber for degrading various types of sewage sludge and the solids from the
influent wastewater stream. This system has the potential to generate and capture
methane gas for various beneficial uses if the influent solids volumes are high. At the
present time the solids volume flowing into the system are quite low and an insignificant
amount of methane gas is generated at the facility. The anaerobic digestion of the solids
is expected to keep the solids level at or below 3 feet from the bottom of the pond and is
not expected to increase beyond the bottom 4 feet of the pond. In similar systems in the
U.S. no solids/sludge removal was necessary for over twenty years of operation. The
effluent is planned to be used for irrigation of orchard near the treatment facility.

During August 2004, Subijoy Dutta of S & M Engineering visited the site and conducted
the system inspection and testing prior to the initial startup of the Deep pond™ system.
Delta Business Services, and along with contractors and their field persons completed the
final piping, electrical, spillways, and all other ancillary construction work to get the
system ready for the startup. Figure 1 shows a schematic of the Deep pond™ system.
Figure 2 shows the Deep pond™ (Pond #1). Figure 3 and 4 shows the aeration pond
(Pond #2) and the final polishing (solarization) pond (Pond #3). The influent wastewater
from the student dormitories, cafeteria, and the administrative buildings enter pond #1

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gravity flow. The wastewater from the residential area to the south of the facility is
pumped up from the south side to Pond #1 by a grinder pump.

Final Effluent for Reuse

DEEP POND™ SYSTEM (irrigation and other non-potable uses)

Solarization
Pond (Shallow)
Incoming Sewage Polishing
Deep Pond Ponds
64’ x 64’ x 17 ft. deep

44’ x 24’ x 7 ft. deep

Aeration
Pond

Figure 1. Schematic of the deep pond™ system

The northern part of the Deep pond™ site (orchard) is home to 4 or 5 pairs of Cobra
snakes. The field engineers and the workers have sighted them a number of times,
particularly in the early hours of the day and at dask. A number of exotic bird species
were also sighted at the site.

Although the efforts and resources of both Indigo Water Recycling and S & M
Engineering have already exceeded the expected levels when compared to the original
plan, they are continuing to finish the final phase of the startup, observation and
adjustment of the system with the most effective technology that we could offer.

Final adjustments, monitoring, and installation of fencing all around the site have been
completed recently as shown on the pictures above. Mr. Ram Koduri has been regularly
meeting with the local communities and staff of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological
University (JNTU).

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Figure 2. Deep pond™ (Pond #1), (photo: Srikant, Indigo Water Recycling, Dec 26, 2004).

Figure 3. Northern Part of the Aeration Pond (Pond #2), showing the discharge from
Pond #1 into it (Photo: Srikant, Dec 26, 2004)

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 Settling Tank (8 ft. Deep x 10 ft wide)

Figure 4. Solarization Pond (Pond #3) (Photo: Subijoy Dutta, Sep 21, 2004)

Project Objectives and Goals:

The following goals and objective of the project and their respective status is furnished
below:

1. Constructing, operating and maintaining the Deep pond™ system and

the receiver ponds for treating the effluent from the JNTU campus.
2. Selecting and procuring the different biomass wastes, and combination
of wastes, to be digested;
3. Setting up a schedule and procedure for periodic and systematic
monitoring and concluding results for the operation and functioning of
the system and the productive use of the products;
4. Finding the most effective local use for any gas generated, the effluent and the
residuals from the Deep pond™ ;
5. Developing the economics and business aspects of Deep pond™ system;
and educating local people and other professionals about the benefits of anaerobic
digestion.

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Advantages and Benefits of Using a Deep pond™ System:

1. This system can be used in most places around the world with multiple benefits of
clean water, energy production and other beneficial uses such as irrigation, fish
culture and recreation.
2. It is relatively simple to install, operate and maintain. It has a very low
maintenance cost and requires lesser manpower to operate and maintain.
3. The Deep pond™ system installed in Hyderabad is treating 10,000 Gallons per
Day with only three (3) moving parts.
4. No chemicals are used for treatment, so there is no hazard to human, plant or
animal life. The treated water can be reused with very little post-treatment or
polishing.
5. This system does not produce any sludge, since anaerobic digestion causes the
sludge to be transformed into methane, carbon dioxide, and water. Past
experience with this system in US required no sludge removal for 20+ years.
6. This system is flexible. Once it is installed, its treatment capacity can be
increased by adding ponds in parallel trains.

System Performance and Preliminary Results:

Since the Deep pond™ system has a total detention time of about 45-50 days, depending
upon the influent load, the functionality of the full system is yet to be reached after the
initial start of the system about 45 days ago on November 10, 2005. According to the
latest communication from the Deep pond™ site in Hyderabad conveyed Mr. Koduri, the
aeration pond has reached the discharge height set at about 7.5 feet from the bottom of
the pond and started to discharge treated effluent to the settling tank. Water samples
were collected in the 3rd week of December, 2004 and the sampling results were sent to S
& M Engineering Services, Maryland.

The results from this very first water quality sampling event are summarized in Table 1.
The following preliminary observations from these data are furnished below:

• It seems that the system did not reach steady state yet because of the low flow
volume into the system. Due to school closings and vacations, the system was
receiving less than 20% of the designed flow for the past three weeks resulting in
a high retention time (lack of sewage) and presence of algae in the pond.

• The results seems to indicate that the Deep Pond (Pond #1) and the aeration pond
(pond #2) is working very effectively. The direct effect of aeration by the
diffusers helped almost double the oxygen level (DO) of the water (from 3.3 mg/l
to 6.4 mg/l) while passing through the aeration pond (Pond #2).

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Table 1. Preliminary Results from the Deep pond™ Site (Hyderabad, India)
December 27, 2004 .

Number Sampling Point Electrical PH Total solids Organic BOD** COD** DO**
conductivity (SU) (mg/L) solids (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)
(µmho/cm) (mg/L)
Inlet Of Deep Pond
1 (Pond #1) 762 7.28 600 140 18 24 3.9

2 Outlet Of Deep Pond 756 6.9 620 160 3.6 48 3.3

(Inlet Of Pond#2)

3 Outlet Of Pond #2 765 7.1 760 200 9.6 39 6.4 ++

Inlet of Settling Tank

(Structure upstream of
Pond

4 #3) 724 7.06 680 220 3.0 16 4.9

** BOD – Biochemical Oxygen Demand; COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand; DO – Dissolved Oxygen
++ - Note the effect of aeration – The Oxygen content is almost doubled at the effluent of Pond #2

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 Maharashtra Case Study

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has 70 industrial estates including
the Kurkumbh Estate. The estate is located about 70 kilometers east of Pune, and contains a total
area of about 483 hectares. As of 1998, there were about 51 industries in the estate, although
109 industries are eventually planned. The estate overlies a freshwater aquifer, and hence,
discharging of untreated wastes on land or to a water body is prohibited. Of the industries, 18
percent are classified as large, 12 percent are medium-scale, and 70 percent are small-scale
industries. A common effluent treatment plant (CETP) was built by the State to treat the effluent
from the small- and medium-scale industries. The plant capacity is 1-million-litre-day (L/day)
and has provisions for primary treatment, biological secondary treatment, and chlorination.
Since the State did not want to operate the CETP, they issued a contract to Tetra Tech India
Limited (TTIL) in 1997 to conduct a feasibility study to determine the optimal use of the
treatment plant.

Phase I of the feasibility study consisted of inventorying the industries in the estate, and the
types of effluent that they generate. Phase II consisted of collection of composite wastewater
samples from various locations within the estate, estimating the flow volumes, and performing
bench-scale testing to determine the scope of the pilot plant testing in Phase III. During Phase
III, a pilot plant was built to treat bulk composite effluents from the industries for a 3-week
period. Phases II and III of the study are briefly described below along with recommendations
made to MIDC.

During Phase II, collected samples were analyzed for pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD),
chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS),
total kjeldahl nitrogen, oil and grease, chlorine, sulfates, acidity/alkalinity, and heavy metals.
The pilot plant capacity was 50 L/hour, and the influent water and treated water characteristics
are shown in Table 2. below.

Table 2. Test Results from the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant

Sampling pH COD BOD TDS

Locations (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)

1.
Influent
Water. Acidic 4000 2500
1500
to to to
to
Neutral. 5000 4500
2500

2.
Treated 2500
water. Neutral 250 100 to
4500

Based on this sampling, the following treatment scheme was established for the pilot plant:

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 - Primary treatment including precipitation of inorganics and removal of oil and grease,
- Secondary biological treatment including post-treatment chlorination and activated
carbon filtration.

The BOD could be reduced to less than 100 mg/L if the hydraulic retention time is about 1 to 2
days. The COD could be reduced to less than 250 mg/L if the retention time is between 3 to 6
days. The chemicals used for primary treatment were lime, urea, and diammonium phosphate.

The secondary treated water will either be recycled for industrial use, or for horticulture in the
estate. In addition, the CETP can be expanded to include a Reverse Osmosis unit for tertiary
treatment of the water if the industries will pay for better quality water.

The cost of the treated water with secondary treatment was estimated at about Rs. 20 per cubic
meter, and if with tertiary treatment, the estimate was Rs. 40 per cubic meter. However, the cost
of raw water at the industrial estate in 1998 was Rs. 6 per cubic meter. Hence, unless the price
of raw water is significantly increased, the CETP cannot be operated economically. Hence,
TTIL recommended to MIDC that they increase the price of the raw water supplied to the
industries to at least Rs. 22 per cubic meter to encourage conservation and wastewater recycling.
MIDC did not increase the price of water as recommended till 2001, and so the plant remained
idle till 2001. We are glad to report that it is now operational and wastewater is being recycled at
the Kurkumbh industrial estate.

Conclusions

The case studies indicate that wastewater recycling can be accomplished using simple and well
established low-cost technologies. With rain water harvesting, water conservation and
wastewater recycling, we can have adequate water for our citizens in India. User fee policies
that promote water conservation and wastewater recycling should be established at the central
and state governments. Subsidies for the poor should be balanced with adequate user fees
enforced for the middle and upper economic classes, and for industry and agriculture.

References

1. Chynoweth, D.P., Owens J.M., and R. Legrand. 2001. Renewable methane from
anaerobic digestion of biomass. Renew. Energ. 22 (1-3): 1-8.
2. Dutta, S. 2003, “Use of Low-cost Wastewater Treatment Systems”, paper presentation at
the Workshop on Low-Cost treatment technologies for water treatment, the George
Washington University, Washington DC, May 30, 2003.
3. Gijzen, H.J. 2002 Anaerobic digestion for sustainable development: a natural approach.
Water Sci Technol. 45 (10): 321-328.

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