A Socially Relevant Project Report

on
WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT
by

R. SAMUEL 20F85A0402

Submitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur, Ananthapuramu

in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

Under the esteemed Supervision of

Mrs. M. Gnanapriya, M.E , M.I.S.T.E , M.I.S.S.E

Dean, GKCE

DEPARTMENT OF ECE
GOKULA KRISHNA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
(Affiliated to JNTUA, Ananthapuramu and Approved by AICTE, New Delhi)
SULLURPETA, TIRUPATHI DISTRICT, A.P. – 524121
JULY - 2022
 ABSTRACT

The area of our project is the planning and designing of waste water treatment plant in GokulaKrishna

College of Engineering, Sullurupeta. Reverse Osmosis plants, when purifying water, send out a lot of

water unfit for drinking as refuse water. As a result, lot of water is wasted in the college campus in the

form of refuse water from RO plant. During summer season, availability of water for gardening and

watering plants inside the campus is very less. So, hte main objective of this project is to reduce the

demand for usable water for gardening by generating new source by reusing refuse water from the RO

plant.

Waste water treatment process is designed to achieve improvements in the quality of waste

water. Waste water treatment is closely related to the standards and expectations set for the effluent

quality. The campus requires a huge amount of water for different purposes like cleaning, gardening

etc. So to fulfill the demand of water, we work on treatment and reuse of waste water generated in

college departments and hostel. Thus it reduces the load over water requirement and to reduce the

demand of water, waste water is treated and then it is utilized.

i
 CONTENTS

ABSTRACT i
CONTENTS ii
CHAPTER 1
Reverse Osmosis
• 1.1 Definition 1
• 1.2 History 1
• 1.3 Working of The Reverse Osmosis Process 2
• 1.4 Water Wastage in Reverse Osmosis Process 3
• 1.5 Benefits, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Reverse Osmosis 5

CHAPTER 2
Hardness of Water
• 2.1 Introduction 7
• 2.2 Temporary And Permanent Hardness Of Water 8
• 2.3 Effects of Hard Water in Daily Life 10
• 2.4 Removal of Water Hardness 10

CHAPTER 3
Waste Water Treatment
• 3.1 Introduction 13
• 3.2 Why Treat Waste Water? 13
• 3.3 Contaminants in Waste Water 14
• 3.4 Effects of Untreated Waste Water 15
• 3.5 Waste Water Gardening 16

CHAPTER 4
Waste Water Treatment in GokulaKrishna College Campus
• 4.1 Implementation Methodology 18
• 4.2 Results 19
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

ii
 CHAPTER 1
REVERSE OSMOSIS

1.1 DEFINITION
Reverse osmosis which is also commonly referred to as ‘RO’ is a type of filtration method used
for the removal of molecules and ions from a certain solution. It involves the application of
pressure (usually greater than the osmotic pressure) on one side of the solution where a
semipermeable membrane is placed in between the solutions. This membrane is used to filter out
contaminants down to the smallest particles. The contaminants are often referred to as RO
concentrate. It is one of the oldest and most popular separation techniques used mainly for the
purification of water. The process was mainly adopted for desalination of seawater in the year
1950, where the whole process was relatively slow and limited to certain laboratories. However,
after a lot of research and advancements in technology, there were significant developments
especially in the field of polymers and the production of efficient membranes. Today, this
technique is extensively used by many around the world to purify water for industrial,
residential, commercial and scientific purposes. Reverse Osmosis technology is one of
humanity’s important scientific innovations.

1.2 HISTORY
A process of osmosis through semipermeable membranes was first observed in 1748 by Jean-
Antoine Nollet. For the following 200 years, osmosis was only a phenomenon observed in the
laboratory. In 1950, the University of California at Los Angeles first investigated desalination of
seawater using semipermeable membranes. Researchers from both University of California at
Los Angeles and the University of Florida successfully produced fresh water from seawater in
the mid-1950s, but the flux was too low to be commercially viable until the discovery at
University of California at Los Angeles by Sidney Loeb and Srinivasa Sourirajan at the National
Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, of techniques for making asymmetric membranes
characterized by an effectively thin "skin" layer supported atop a highly porous and much thicker
substrate region of the membrane. John Cadotte, of Filmtec corporation, discovered that
membranes with particularly high flux and low salt passage could be made by interfacial
polymerization of m-phenylene diamine and trimesoyl chloride. Cadotte's patent on this process
was the subject of litigation and has since expired. Almost all commercial reverse-osmosis

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membrane is now made by this method. By 2019, there were approximately 16,000 desalination
plants operating around the world, producing around 95 million cubic metres per day of
desalinated water for human use. Around half of this capacity was in the Middle East and North
Africa region.
In 1977 Cape Coral, Florida became the first municipality in the United States to use the
RO process on a large scale with an initial operating capacity of 11.35 million liters per day. By
1985, due to the rapid growth in population of Cape Coral, the city had the largest low-pressure
reverse-osmosis plant in the world, capable of producing 56.8 million liters per day (MGD).
Formally, reverse osmosis is the process of forcing a solvent from a region of high solute
concentration through a semipermeable membrane to a region of low-solute concentration by
applying a pressure in excess of the osmotic pressure. The largest and most important application
of reverse osmosis is the separation of pure water from seawater and brackish waters; seawater
or brackish water is pressurized against one surface of the membrane, causing transport of salt-
depleted water across the membrane and emergence of potable drinking water from the low-
pressure side.
The membranes used for reverse osmosis have a dense layer in the polymer matrix—
either the skin of an asymmetric membrane or an interfacially polymerized layer within a thin-
film-composite membrane—where the separation occurs. In most cases, the membrane is
designed to allow only water to pass through this dense layer while preventing the passage of
solutes (such as salt ions). This process requires that a high pressure be exerted on the high-
concentration side of the membrane, usually 2–17 bar (30–250 psi) for fresh and brackish water,
and 40–82 bar (600–1200 psi) for seawater, which has around 27 bar (390 psi) natural osmotic
pressure that must be overcome. This process is best known for its use in desalination (removing
the salt and other minerals from sea water to produce fresh water), but since the early 1970s, it
has also been used to purify fresh water for medical, industrial and domestic applications.

1.3 WORKING OF THE REVERSE OSMOSIS PROCESS

Osmotic pressure is the minimum pressure required to stop solvent flow through the
semipermeable membrane. Therefore, when the solution side (the side where the solute
concentration is high) is subjected to a pressure greater than the osmotic pressure, the solvent
particles on the solution side move through the semipermeable membrane to the region where the
solute concentration is low. Such inverse solvent movement through the semipermeable
membrane is called Reverse Osmosis (RO) process. It is important to note that the pressure

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applied to the solution side must be higher than the osmotic pressure for the reverse osmosis
process to proceed. Osmotic pressure is a colligative property, which depends on the
concentration of the solution. In water purification, the reverse osmosis process is very
important. Many water purifiers used today use reverse osmosis in the purification process as
one of the steps.
The reverse osmosis process is explained below with the help of an experiment. Take
some freshwater and a concentrated aqueous solution. The solutions should be kept on opposite
sides with a semipermeable membrane placed in between to separate the two solutions. Pressure
should be applied on the side with the concentrated solution. Now this will result in water
molecules moving through the membrane to the freshwater side. This basically sums up the
process of reverse osmosis.

Figure 1.1: Concept of Reverse Osmosis process.

1.4 WATER WASTAGE IN REVERSE OSMOSIS PROCESS

A traditional reverse osmosis filtration system uses more water than it produces potable water.
To produce a gallon of purified water, multiple other gallons of water are sent down the drain as
reverse osmosis waste water. This is just a fact of the purification process. During the reverse
osmosis process, there is cross-flow filtration through a membrane. The pure water (also called
permeate stream or product water) goes to the water storage tank, and the waste stream (also

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called concentrate stream, RO reject water, or brine) that has all the contaminants and dissolved
inorganics, goes down the drain. The amount of water wasted in the filtration process can vary
depending on water temperature, contaminants present, and amount of dissolved solids in the
water.
Some RO filtration systems are known as ‘Zero Waste’ filtration systems, that recycle
contaminated water and are said to be a viable solution to filter and still conserve water. Zero
Waste eliminates this problem by returning the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis
system back to the home's plumbing, resulting in 100% efficiency. There are several versions of
zero waste available through various vendors The system allows for a legal cross connection
between the hot and cold water supplies, subsequently reintroducing the concentrate into the hot
water side. The Zero Waste system takes the water outlet of the sediment and carbon filters and
routes it through a solenoid valve and pump before going to the membrane inlet. This provides
filtered water to the solenoid and pump, which will keep foreign material from damaging them.
Carbon block filters are preferred because they release fewer carbon fines, but GAC filters can
be used if flushed with water prior to connecting them to the pump. (Carbon fines will damage
the pump and solenoid.) In some systems the filter configuration allows for water to be routed
through the solenoid valve and pumped from the water outlet of the sediment filter and then to
the water inlet of the carbon filter(s).
A pressure switch will be used to stop the system by opening the circuit to the solenoid
valve and pump. When the pressure in the reverse osmosis storage tank reaches a predetermined
pressure indicating the tank is full, the pressure switch will open, stopping the system from
producing more reverse osmosis water. The concentrate water is routed through a flow restrictor
as before, except the flow restrictor size is larger to allow for the back pressure of the hot water
line. The flow restrictor rated size is from 500ml/m to 600ml/m. The larger flow restrictor will
allow the pump to circulate water at approximately a 4 to 1 ratio of concentrate to permeate. The
actual flow ratio is the same as a standard reverse osmosis system with no back pressure from the
tank.

International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) requires the

water from the outlet of the flow restrictor be routed through two check valves before flowing to
the hot water supply line. These check valves ensure the hot water will never reach the
membrane on the reverse osmosis system due to a surge or back pressure in the hot water system.
All of the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis system will be routed to the hot water
supply via a fitting on the angle stop valve under the sink. This valve is similar to the one on the

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cold water angle stop used to provide water to the system. The difference now is the concentrate
water will be flowing into the house water system at the hot water angle stop valve and out of the
water system at the cold water angle stop valve. This patented process allows for the traditional
wash or concentrate water to be reused in the hot water side of the home. None of the water is
wasted to the drain by the reverse osmosis system. Instead it is filtered and then diluted in the hot
water system of the house for other uses such as dishwashers, showers, hand washing, etc. This
sounds good, but this technology has these drawbacks:

• Zero Waste systems reduce water usage by circulating the contaminated water back into
the system repeatedly. With a normal Reverse Osmosis system, this contaminated water
is flushed out. But with a zero waste system, the contamination builds up higher and
higher, often wearing down on filter components and water filtration system itself.
• Recycled RO water systems attempt to reduce water usage by sending the contaminated-
concentrated water to the hot water line. This means that users are washing their hands or
dishes with contaminated water (dissolved solids primarily consisting of calcium
carbonates and sodium).
• Implementation is complex and costly, consisting of a lot of valves which tend to be
points of failure. Therefore this requires more maintenance, increasing the expenditure on
water filtration.
The RO plant in the college campus is not a Zero Waste filtration system. Therefore as
mentioned above, there is a wastage of 4 liters of water for getting a liter of potable water. This
means that the waste water is not necessarily unusable for other purposes such as gardening or
washing and cleaning purposes within the campus itself. This is the main scope of this project, to
reuse the waste water from RO plant to fulfill other needs such as water for cleaning the floor,
water for plants and trees in the campus etc,.

1.5 BENEFITS, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF REVERSE OSMOSIS

1.5.1 BENEFITS

• This process can be used to effectively remove many types of dissolved and suspended
chemical particles as well as biological entities (like bacteria) from the water.

• This technique has a wide application in treating liquid wastes or discharge

• It is used in purifying water to prevent diseases and beneficial in the medical field.

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 • It helps in the desalinating seawater

1.5.2 ADVANTAGES

• Bacteria, viruses and pyrogen materials are rejected by the intact membrane. In this
respect RO water approaches distilled water in quality.

• Available units are relatively compact and require little space. They are well suited to
home dialysis.
• In average use, the membrane has a life of a little more than one to two years before
replacement is necessary.
• Periodic complete sterilization of the RO system with formalin or other sterilant is
practical.

1.5.3 DISADVANTAGES

• Cellulose acetate membranes have limited pH tolerance. They degrade at temperatures

greater than 35oC. They are vulnerable to bacteria. They eventually hydrolyze.

• Polyamide membranes are intolerant of temperature greater than 35oC. They have poor
tolerance for free chlorine.
• Thin-film composites are intolerant of chlorine. High flux polysulfones require softening
or deionization of feed water to function properly.

Page No. 6
 CHAPTER 2
HARDNESS OF WATER

2.1 INTRODUCTION
The simple definition of water hardness is the amount of dissolved Calcium and Magnesium in
the water. Hard water is high in dissolved minerals, largely calcium and magnesium. You may
have felt the effects of hard water, literally, the last time you washed your hands. Depending on
the hardness of your water, after using soap to wash you may have felt like there was a film of
residue left on your hands. In hard water, soap reacts with the calcium (which is relatively high
in hard water) to form "soap scum". When using hard water, more soap or detergent is needed to
get things clean, be it your hands, hair, or your laundry.

Hard water is formed when water percolates through the deposits of chalk and limestone
which are made up of magnesium and calcium carbonates. It does not lather with soap, so it is
not suitable for laundry purposes. The hardness of water is harmful to the boilers as the
deposition of salts occurs, which reduces the efficiency of the boiler. Hardness of water is
classified into two types. They are
• Temporary hardness
• Permanent hardness

Figure 2.1: Mineral (Calcium & Magnesium) Figure 2.2: Mineral build-up in a metal pipe
build-up in utensils carrying hard water

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But hard water can have some benefits, too. Humans need minerals to stay healthy, and the
World Health Organization (WHO) states that drinking-water may be a contributor of calcium
and magnesium in the diet and could be important for those who are marginal for calcium and
magnesium intake. Hard water is safe to drink but using over a long interval of time can lead to
many problems. Hardness is caused by compounds of calcium and magnesium, and by a variety
of other metals. General guidelines for classification of waters are: 0 to 60 mg/L (milligrams per
liter) as calcium carbonate is classified as soft; 61 to 120 mg/L as moderately hard; 121 to 180
mg/L as hard; and more than 180 mg/L as very hard.

2.2 TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT HARDNESS OF WATER

2.2.1 TEMPORARY HARDNESS
Temporary hardness is water hardness due to the presence of calcium and magnesium carbonates
and bicarbonates [Ca(HCO3)2(aq) and Mg(HCO3)2(aq)], which can be precipitated by heating the
water. It can be removed by processes such as boiling or lime softening, and then separation of
water from the resulting precipitate. Temporary hardness is very common and is responsible for
the deposition of calcium carbonate scale in pipes and equipment. These deposit formations lead
to clogged plumbing and reduced efficiency of heat exchangers. Temporary hardness is also
known as ‘Carbonate Hardness’.

The presence of the metal cations makes the water hard. Hardness can be removed by
boiling or by the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide). Boiling promotes the formation of
carbonate from the bicarbonate and precipitates calcium carbonate out of solution, leaving water
that is softer upon cooling. The original insoluble carbonate is reformed. Temporary hardness is
complex, because its concentration is a function of the concentration of carbonates in relation to
their reaction with calcium in magnesium. Temporary hardness is easy to remove by boiling or
through precipitation with lime (calcium hydroxide).

Temporary hardness has some serious consequences, like forming deposits that clog
plumbing. These deposits are called scale. Scale restricts the flow of water in pipes. In boilers,
deposits impair the flow of heat into water, reducing the heating efficiency and allowing the
metal boiler components to overheat. In a pressurized system, this overheating can lead to failure
of the boiler. The damage caused by calcium carbonate deposits varies depending on the
crystalline form, for example, calcite or aragonite.

In an electrolyte, temporary hard water can also lead to galvanic corrosion in which one metal

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preferentially corrodes when in contact with another type of metal, when both are in contact with
an electrolyte. The softening of hard water by ion exchange does not increase its corrosivity per
se. Similarly, where lead plumbing is in use, softened water does not substantially increase
plumbo-solvency. Both Calcium Bicarbonate and Magnesium Bicarbonate decompose when
heated. The original insoluble carbonate is reformed. When water is boiled, the precipitation
reactions are as follows:

As you can see, boiling the water causes the precipitation of solid calcium carbonate or
solid magnesium carbonate. This removes the calcium ions or magnesium ions from the water,
and so removes the hardness. Therefore, hardness due to bicarbonates is said to be temporary.
Generally an increase in water temperature causes an increase in the solubility of most salts. But
as you may have understood from above there are exceptions like CaCO 3, CaSO4, MgCO3,
Mg(OH)2 all of which become less soluble as the temperature increases.

2.2.2 PERMANENT HARDNESS

When the soluble salts of magnesium and calcium are present in the form of chlorides and
sulphides in water, we call it permanent hardness because this hardness cannot be removed by
boiling. The hardness is typically caused by the presence in water of magnesium sulfates and/or
calcium sulfate that do not undergo precipitation at increased temperatures. Therefore,
permanent hardness is the sum of magnesium hardness and calcium hardness. The Permanent
Hardness Occurs because of the Following Compounds (or Salts):
• CaCl2
• MgCl2
• CaSO4
• MgSO4
Permanent hardness in water can damage piping, boilers as well as other pressurized
systems. Hard water tends to form scale deposits that can cause clogging inside the pipe surfaces
and other machinery. This type of precipitation is insoluble. To prevent such problems, water
softening is recommended. One common technique for softening water involves the utilization of
ion exchange resins that replace cations by ions of potassium and sodium.

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2.3 EFFECTS OF HARD WATER IN DAILY LIFE
Some of the effects of hard water are as follows:
• Hard water has an unpleasant taste.

• Hard water (due to high quantities of calcium and magnesium) dries out your skin and
hair.

• Clothes and fabrics that are washed in hard water can look dull as their colour fades
faster, and they begin to feel rough to touch. It can also shorten their life.

• It leaves a chalky, white residue on dishes, and causes spots to appear on them.

• It causes stains on sinks, bath tubs, bathroom floors, glassware, utensils, porcelain
materials and other material in the house that comes under frequent contact with the
water.

• It leads to scale build-up and soap scum on plumbing fixtures like taps and shower heads,
bath tubs etc, leaving stains.

• Steel pipes don’t handle hard water very well. They can get easily clogged or damaged
due to the buildup of minerals, impacting the water flow. This can lead to corrosion, low
water pressure, and drainage problems.

• Heaters, coffee pots/machines, dishwashers and other appliances may require frequent
repairs due to build up of minerals.

2.4 REMOVAL OF WATER HARDNESS

2.4.1 REMOVAL OF TEMPORARY HARDNESS
1. Filtration
Soluble bicarbonates are converted into insoluble carbonates. We remove the

precipitates by filtration. This is how we can get rid of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. This method
is cheap, easy to do, saves money and doesn’t require prior the person removing hardness
in water to have chemical knowledge.

2. Clark Method
In this method, we add some amount of lime (Slaked lime) to the water. The
reaction between Ca(HCO3)2 and Ca(OH)2 takes place in this way:
Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + H2O

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 The lime reacts with Mg(HCO3)2:
Mg(HCO3)3 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + Mg(OH)2 + H2O
We already know that CaCO3 and Mg(OH)2 are precipitates, which we can
remove by filtering. This is how we can get rid of these precipitates and remove the
temporary hardness of the water.

2.4.2 REMOVAL OF PERMANENT HARDNESS

We use certain chemical methods to remove the permanent hardness of water, which are:
1. Treating the Water with Washing Soda
In this method, we add washing soda, i.e., Na2CO3 to the hard water. It combines
with chloride salts of calcium and magnesium present in the water to form compounds.
The reaction is:
CaCl2 + Na2CO3 → CaCO3 + 2NaCl
It reacts with MgCl2 to form MgCO3 and 2NaCl. It also reacts with sulfate salts of
calcium and magnesium to form carbonates and Sodium sulfate.
The reaction takes place in this way:
CaSO4 + Na2CO3 → CaCO3 + Na2SO4 , and
MgSO4 + Na2CO3 → MgCO3 + Na2SO4
Now, the precipitates of CaCO3 and MgCO3 are removed by filtration, which

frees the water from Ca 2+ and Mg2+ ions. After these ions are removed, the water
becomes soft (just like rainwater).

2. Calgon’s Method
In this method, when Calgon, i.e Sodium Hexametaphosphate (Na 6P6O18) is added to the
water, each of its molecules ionizes to give two Na+ ions and one complex anion. This

complex anion further releases Na+ ions and captures all the Ca 2+ or Mg2+ ions. These

ions become a part of the complex anion. In this manner, water is freed from Ca 2+ or

Mg2+ ions. Now, it contains only Na+ ions only. Therefore, it no longer remains hard,
i.e., becomes soft.

3. Ion-Exchange Method
In this method, we add a Permutit called zeolite (Sodium Aluminum Silicate) or

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 (AlNa12SiO5) to the water, which is insoluble in water. On adding this to water, the ion-

exchange process starts between it and the Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions.

In this way, water becomes free from Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions, and no longer remains hard.

4. Synthetic Resins Method

In this method, we use synthetic ion-exchange resins (RNa +), which is insoluble in water.

When it is added to water, an exchange between RNa + and Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions occurs.

This process frees water from Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions. So, water no longer remains hard, and
it becomes soft.

Page No. 12
 CHAPTER 3
WASTE WATER TREATMENT

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Waste water is used water. It includes substances such as human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps
and chemicals. In homes, this includes water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing
machines and dishwashers. Businesses and industries also contribute their share of used water
that must be cleaned. We consider waste water treatment as a water use because it is so
interconnected with the other uses of water. Much of the water used by homes, industries, and
businesses must be treated before it is released back to the environment. Nature has an amazing
ability to cope with small amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if
we didn't treat the billions of gallons of waste water and sewage produced every day before
releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduce pollutants in waste water to a level
nature can handle.
Waste water also includes storm runoff. Storm runoff refers to rain that falls onto the
earth that starts moving according to the laws of gravity. A portion of the precipitation seeps into
the ground to replenish Earth's groundwater and most of it flows downhill. Although some
people assume that the rain that runs down the street during a storm is fairly clean, it isn't.
Harmful substances that wash off roads, parking lots, and rooftops can harm our rivers and lakes.
The major aim of waste water treatment is to remove as much of the suspended solids as possible
before the remaining water, called effluent, is discharged back to the environment. As solid
material decays, it uses up oxygen, which is needed by the plants and animals living in the water.
"Primary treatment" removes about 60 percent of suspended solids from waste water. This
treatment also involves aerating (stirring up) the waste water, to put oxygen back in. Secondary
treatment removes more than 90 percent of suspended solids.

3.2 WHY TREAT WASTE WATER?

It's a matter of caring for our environment and for our own health. There are a lot of good
reasons why keeping our water clean is an important priority:
1. Fisheries: Clean water is critical to plants and animals that live in water. This is important
to the fishing industry, sport fishing enthusiasts, and future generations.
2. Wildlife Habitats: Our rivers and ocean waters teem with life that depends on shoreline,

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 beaches and marshes. They are critical habitats for hundreds of species of fish and other
aquatic life. Migratory water birds use the areas for resting and feeding.
3. Recreation And Quality Of Life: Water is a great playground for us all. The scenic and
recreational values of our waters are reasons many people choose to live where they do.
Visitors are drawn to water activities such as swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking.
4. Health Concerns: If it is not properly cleaned, water can carry disease. Since we live,
work and play so close to water, harmful bacteria have to be removed to make water safe.

3.3 CONTAMINANTS IN WASTE WATER

As you would expect, waste water is almost entirely water. The remaining portion — roughly
0.1% — contains organic matter, inorganic compounds, nutrients, and microorganisms that is
explored below in more detail:

1. Organic matter:
Organic matter in waste water includes proteins, carbohydrates, fats, oils, greases, and
synthetic compounds found in certain detergents. Without proper treatment, organic matter
enters lakes and rivers and becomes a food source for the microorganisms that live there. The
problem is that these tiny creatures pull dissolved oxygen from water when they break down
pollutants. The more pollutants there are in the water, the greater their demand for oxygen.
This process spins out of control in lakes and rivers with high concentrations of organic
matter. In these watercourses, oxygen levels fall so low that animals like fish, frogs, and turtles
suffocate and die.

2. Inorganic compounds:
Inorganics in waste water include compounds with copper, lead, magnesium, nickel,
potassium, sodium, or zinc. In many cases, these harmful substances are the byproducts of
commercial and industrial activities. Inorganics do not break down easily. If they enter lakes
or rivers via untreated waste water, they remain there. As their concentrations increase over
time, the water quality becomes a hazard for humans and animals alike.

3. Nutrients:
Nutrients in waste water include nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. These often
come from human waste and cleaning products like laundry detergent and dishwasher soap. It

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 is no secret that nitrogen and phosphorus are common ingredients in fertilizers. They work
wonders when we want to make plants grow and reproduce. But this advantage becomes a
serious threat if we allow untreated and nutrient-rich waste water to enter lakes and rivers.
High concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorus can lead to "dead zones" in watercourses. The
process goes like this:
• Excess nutrients feed the growth of large algae blooms.
• Algae blooms prevent sunlight from reaching plants below the water's surface.
• Native plant species die without sunlight.
• Bacteria that feed on decaying plant matter multiply.
• Growing populations of bacteria consume more and more dissolved oxygen in the water.
• Fish and other aquatic species that need oxygen leave the watercourse or die.
Nitrogen in untreated waste water can cause another problem. If nitrate (a nitrogen
compound) pollutes our drinking water, it can reduce our blood's ability to transport oxygen.
For infants, this can lead to what is commonly known as blue baby syndrome. In extreme
cases, the condition is fatal.

4. Microorganisms:
Some microorganisms in waste water are helpful because they break down organic
matter that would otherwise pollute the environment. Pathogens in untreated waste water are a
different story. These bacteria, parasites, and viruses can contaminate clean water sources. If
they do, they undermine human health by causing serious and sometimes deadly illnesses.
The best-known example took place in Walkerton, Ontario. In May 2000, the town's
drinking water supply was tainted after municipal waste water was improperly treated, with
Escherichia coli (E. coli) - a bacteria that normally lives in the intestines of healthy people and
animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea. But a few strains,
such as O157:H7, can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. But some
young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of
kidney failure.. More than 2,300 residents became ill and seven people died.

3.4 EFFECTS OF UNTREATED WASTE WATER

If waste water is not properly treated, then the environment and human health can be negatively
impacted. These impacts can include harm to fish and wildlife populations, oxygen depletion,
beach closures and other restrictions on recreational water use, restrictions on fish and shellfish

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harvesting and contamination of drinking water. They following are the effects of using/coming
in contact with untreated water:
• Decaying organic matter and debris can use up the dissolved oxygen in a lake so fish and
other aquatic biota cannot survive;
• Excessive nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen (including ammonia), can cause
eutrophication, or over-fertilization of receiving waters, which can be toxic to aquatic
organisms, promote excessive plant growth, reduce available oxygen, harm spawning
grounds, alter habitat and lead to a decline in certain species;
• Chlorine compounds and inorganic chloramines can be toxic to aquatic invertebrates,
algae and fish;
• Bacteria, viruses and disease-causing pathogens can pollute beaches and contaminate
shellfish populations, leading to restrictions on human recreation, drinking water
consumption and shellfish consumption;
• Metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic can have acute and
chronic toxic effects on species.
• Other substances such as some pharmaceutical and personal care products, primarily
entering the environment in waste water effluents, may also pose threats to human health,
aquatic life and wildlife.

3.5 WASTE WATER GARDENING

Large amount of water is needed for the daily use. During summer season, the availability of
fresh water is less. In order to overcome the situation, waste water from various sources such as
RO refuse water, water from wash basins or outlet water from washing the clothes/dishes etc.,
can be collected. This water is treated to reduce Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total
Suspended Solid (TSS), Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Calcium/Magnesium sulphides, chlorides,
carbonates & bicarbonates and Coliform bacteria presence in the collected waste water. Then this
water is suitable to be used for gardening purposes, for watering the plants. By treating water
from these sources, a new source is generated and this water can be reused for washing, cleaning,
& Gardening except for drinking purpose. Treating the waste water in such a way that it becomes
potable is very costly and thus this water can be used for cleaning and gardening, which doesn’t
require perfectly pure and uncontaminated water.
For plants, the minerals like calcium and magnesium can be beneficial for their growth,
depending on the hardness level of your water and the type of plants you are growing. Hard

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water usually has a higher pH level, which means it is basic (or alkaline). For acid-loving plants,
such as azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, or daffodils, this could be a problem. If plants show
signs of distress, such as pale or yellow-colored leaves, consider adding an acidic fertilizer to the
watering regimen. Also, the need to re-pot plants watered with hard water becomes more
frequent to prevent the buildup of calcium in the soil. If white, chalky calcium deposits on the
leaves, it can be wiped down with a mixture of water and a simple acid solution like lemon juice
or vinegar.
Softened water is not the right choice for most plants. Most water softeners work through
ion exchange. The calcium and magnesium are removed from the water and replaced with salt.
While the salt content from water softening isn’t enough to make your water taste salty or to
impact blood pressure in most healthy adults, it is too much for your plants. The sodium in the
water will eventually affect the soil and make it difficult for your plants to take in enough
moisture. So even though the soil is damp, the plant would still be browning.

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 CHAPTER 4
WASTE WATER TREATMENT IN GOKULAKRISHNA
COLLEGE CAMPUS

Conducting necessary studies regarding the planning of a new waste water treatment method and
thereby reducing the problem of water scarcity is necessary. The chemical and physical
characteristics of the waste water from various sources such as refuse from RO water plant and
wash basin outlets is firstly determined. So, by conducting necessary studies and determining the
qualities of waste water in campus, the overall efficiency and method used here becomes
effective. Estimation is also calculated for analyzing the cost for treating the water from above
mentioned sources of waste water. The benefits of reusing the treated waste water for non-
drinking purposes is very huge since we don’t need to rely on fresh water to do gardening or
cleaning, which save a lot of fresh water to be used for other purposes.

4.1 IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

In this, first the waste water is analysed and the chemical characteristics of the water is tested.
Then comes the selection of the treatment method. The filter media is selected next and the
design of the filter media is carried out. Then the treated water is again tested. Finally the
analysis of the treated water is carried out.

4.1.1 ANALYSIS OF WASTE WATER.

In this the amount of waste water generated is calculated. For the calculation, the amount of
water used in various department by each student for washing is taken as 1.5 liters per head in a
day and the water used by students in the Men’s hostel for bathing is taken as 30 liters per head
in a day. These are then multiplied with the number of people using these facilities per day,
which gives the total quantity of waste water generated each day. Analysis is very important
because we need to know how much water would be saved when we reuse the treated waste
water.

4.1.2 TESTING OF THE WASTE WATER FROM CAMPUS

In this the chemical and physical characteristics of the water is calculated. Chemical
characteristics of water, such as its trubidity, pH value, alkalinity, acidity, dissolved solids,

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calcium & magnesium contents, fluorides, chlorides, nitrates, sulphates and residue chlorine are
important in determining the water whether it can be used for any purpose.

4.1.3 SELECTION OF TREATMENT

Preliminary treatment is done by passing it through the meshes. In domestic wastewater
treatment, preliminary and primary processes will remove approximately 25 percent of the
organic load and virtually all of the nonorganic solids. Then the water is passed through the filter
media in the primary treatment. Finally it is passed to another tank for the secondary treatment.
Secondary treatment is the biological treatment. Algae is used for the biological treatment.
Components of the filter media used are explained below.
1. Activated charcoal:
It is the activated carbon which has high adsorption capacity. Due to its high degree of micro
porosity, just one gram of activated carbon has a surface area in excess of 3000 m 2 as
determined by gas adsorption. Activated charcoal traps impurities in water including solvents,
pesticides, chemicals etc. Size selected is less than 75 micron.
2. Sand:
Sand bed work by providing the particulate solids with many opportunities to be captured on
the surface of the sand grain. These captures by surface charge repulsion mechanism. The sand
of size 1mm to 1.36mm is used for this filter.
3. Aggregate:
Filter gravel is used as a support media to filter sand. For maximum efficiency aggregate
should be rounded than angular. Size is about 10mm to 12.5 mm.

4.2 RESULTS

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Table 4.1: Test results of waste water from campus before treating waste water.
S.No Parameters Readings Desirable Limits
1. Turbidity 0.5 1 NTU
2. pH 5.99 6.5 – 8.5
3. Acidity 10
4. Alkalinity 24 200 mg/l
5. Sulphate 1.5 200 mg/l
6. Total Dissolved Solids 41 500 mg/l
7. Total Hardness 30 200 mg/l
8. Calcium 100.5 mg/l 75 mg/l
9. Magnesium 87 mg/l 30 mg/l
10. Chloride 10 250 mg/l
11. Fluoride 0.04 1 mg/l
12. Nitrate 5 45 mg/l
13. Residual Chlorine 0 0.2 mg/l

Table 4.2: Test results of waste water from campus after treating waste water.

S.No Parameters Readings Desirable Limits

1. Turbidity 0.5 1 NTU
2. pH 5.99 6.5 – 8.5
3. Acidity 10
4. Alkalinity 24 200 mg/l
5. Sulphate 1.5 200 mg/l
6. Total Dissolved Solids 41 500 mg/l
7. Total Hardness 30 200 mg/l
8. Calcium 60 mg/l 75 mg/l
9. Magnesium 22.4 mg/l 30 mg/l
10. Chloride 10 250 mg/l
11. Fluoride 0.04 1 mg/l
12. Nitrate 5 45 mg/l
13. Residual Chlorine 0 0.2 mg/l

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CONCLUSION

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REFERENCES

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