Waterwise Treatment

Summary and Introduction

The Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Tour led by Ryan Grifford provided an in-
depth exploration of the facility's operations, intending to educate the audience on its
distinctive procedures. Beginning with the wastewater journey from residential areas through
lift stations to the treatment plant, the tour highlighted initial treatment phases like bar
screening and grit chambers. Essential stages such as the Primary Clarifier, Moving Bed
Biofilm Reactor, Final Clarifier, and anaerobic digestion were elaborated upon, emphasizing
their roles in reducing pollutants and generating sustainable biogas energy. The report
underscored the facility's commitment to eco-friendly practices, showcasing energy-efficient
systems like heat exchangers and bio-gas generators, albeit requiring detailed maintenance.
The critical role of the control room in ensuring water quality and environmental compliance
was emphasized, highlighting the necessity of adhering to stringent operational guidelines for
effective and environmentally conscious wastewater treatment.

An Overview of the Wastewater Treatment

Prior to wastewater entering natural water bodies like rivers, lakes, or seas, it must be
treated to remove contaminants and make it clean. The pollutants and their concentration, as
well as their intended use, are used to determine the quality of the water. It is considered
contaminated when contaminants make water unfit for particular uses, such as swimming,
fishing, or drinking. Although there are natural elements that affect water quality, human
activity is often the source of pollution by adding pollutants. The primary source of this
pollution is the release of contaminated wastewater into the surface or groundwater; hence,
treating wastewater is essential to reducing water pollution. In the introduction of the first
video, Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Tour, Ryan Grifford gave the details needed to
understand what to learn from this walkthrough. The primary objective outlines providing an
educational experience for the audience through sharing the distinctive procedures and
operations conducted within this facility. Ryan then starts with an introduction to his role
within the City of Wisconsin Rapids Wastewater Department. He showcased the tour's
primary purpose, emphasizing the intention of introducing the facility's processes, the types
of equipment, and the various stages that will be tackled in treating water waste. The main
goal of this tour is to give insight into the inner workings of the treatment plant by learning
and answering the curiosity about wastewater treatment methods.
The wastewater from the residential area journeys through a network of underground
pipes, led by some lift stations that support its flow toward the treatment plant. Once it
arrives, the wastewater undergoes initial treatment, passing through the bar screens and grit
chamber to stop larger debris and materials. This process is just the preparation phase on the

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foundation for stages within the facility. Throughout this process, it is crucial to have an
excellent outcome for the wastewater for purification before heading out.

Stages of the Treatment

Purification of the treated wastewater occurs at the Primary Clarifier step. Prior to
biological treatment, solids are physically treated and removed. This is known as primary
clarification. It is the most economical method of removing these materials following first
screening. Gravity helps separate the suspended particles when the wastewater reaches this
stage after the initial treatment. The heavier particles will sink to the bottom for two to five
hours, and the purified or more clear water will rise to the top of the primary clarified
effluent. The burden on the subsequent treatment stages is decreased by this method, which
effectively removes 30% of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the total suspended
solids (TSS). Before the water proceeds through the treatment process, the Primary Clarifier
removes solid contaminants from it, which is a crucial stage in the purification process.

Image 1: Primary Clarifier

An essential part that concentrates on shifts to improve the wastewater quality further
is the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR). According to ecologixsystems, MBBR
Increases the number of microorganisms accessible to treat the wastewater by using floating
plastic carriers, or media, inside the aeration tank. The primary effluent, which contains
soluble Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and other strong pollutants, is the primary
focus of the MBBR. This reactor's complex mechanism uses a biofilm medium, which offers
a surface for microbial development. By helping to break down the organic materials in the
wastewater, these bacteria help lower the BOD concentration. A more extended phase that
stabilizes the wastewater guarantees a more thorough treatment procedure. Before the
subsequent stages, these helps purify the wastewater overall by reducing the pollutants.

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 Image 2: Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor

The disinfection step, also known as the Final Clarifier, aids in the water's
advancement to the final clarifying stage, which focuses primarily on eliminating any leftover
microorganisms. While the previously cleansed water proceeds to the disinfection step, the
settling microorganisms are guided toward the primary digesting process during this
separation procedure. Next, between May 1st and October 31st, the system uses 190
ultraviolet (UV) lamps to target the leftover germs the water carries through. It is also
referred to as UV germicidal radiation, is a common disinfectant used in the food and water
industries, as well as for sterilising equipment and establishing sterile surroundings.This time

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of month requires the disinfection procedure to ensure the water satisfies the proper strict
quality standards before being released into the environment.
Image 3: Ultraviolet Disinfection System
The anaerobic digestion step of wastewater treatment handles volatile organic solids.
These are gathered from previous stages and enter the anaerobic tanks, where the regulated
atmosphere begins to empty oxygen and heat, stimulating the development of anaerobic
bacteria. These microbes flourish in these circumstances, consuming the volatile organics
found in wastewater. It is a confined space where organic matter from manure is broken
down anaerobically. The anaerobic microbes convert the organic waste into biogas, a
combustible gas that may be collected and used as fuel. This decreases volatile solids by up
to 40%, significantly lowering the organic content. Furthermore, the methane created during
this process is used in a biogas generator to generate energy, indicating a value-added waste
management approach while benefiting from the treatment process. Wastewater treatment
plants are utilizing innovative technologies like microbial fuel cells to generate electricity
from organic matter in wastewater. This process not only treats the water but also produces a
renewable energy source.
Moving on to the wastewater treatment plant's operational components, several
systems are built to use energy effectively. For energy efficiency, heat exchangers and gas-
fired boilers are used interchangeably. A structure that has a huge tank used to hold organic
waste. Bacteria in the tank break down organic waste using temperature-controlled
mechanisms; these bacteria do not require air to thrive. These systems are necessary for the
plant to consume energy, but they still need constant maintenance because of their
complexity during treatment. The bio-gas-driven generator captures methane generated
during anaerobic digestion, which turns it into a sustainable energy source that helps the plant
produce electricity. Due to the complexity of these systems, it is essential to guarantee that
the treatment facility's mechanics follow the proper maintenance schedules.

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 Image 4: Bio-Gas Generator System
Water influent and effluent samples are subjected to a variety of tests in the control
room or laboratory to monitor their quality and guarantee adherence to strict regulatory
requirements. In addition to performing tests required by the permit, the control room serves
as the primary control centre, where the performance of the plant is tracked and modified.
These provide as the foundation for the treatment procedures in addition to ensuring
adherence to environmental requirements. Finally, the control room keeps the water quality
criteria met while running the plant at maximum efficiency.

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 Image 5: Control Room

Conclusion
The wastewater treatment plant's virtual tour offered a thorough and insightful look at
its intricate operations. The tour carefully demonstrated the procedures to guarantee water
quality, from the first wastewater treatment at lift stations to the complex purification stages
like the Primary Clarifier, Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor, and Final Clarifier. Novel
techniques, including anaerobic digestion and UV disinfection, were emphasized for their
capacity to lower pollution levels and produce biogas, which can be used to produce
sustainable energy. The facility's dedication to environmentally friendly practices was
highlighted by emphasizing energy-efficient parts such as heat exchangers and bio-gas
generators, even though these complicated systems require careful maintenance. It was
emphasized how important it is for the control room to monitor water quality and compliance
with environmental regulations and how important it is to maintain strict operational
guidelines for effective and ecologically responsible wastewater treatment.

Appendix A: References

References
[1] “Primary Clarifier Operation,” Environmental Business Specialists, Nov. 07, 2010.
https://www.ebsbiowizard.com/articles/primary-clarifier-operation/
[2] “Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR)» Ecologix Systems,” Ecologix Systems.
https://www.ecologixsystems.com/system-mbbr/

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‌[3] N. F. Gray, “Chapter Thirty-Four - Ultraviolet Disinfection,” ScienceDirect, Jan. 01,
2014. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780124158467000342
[4] “Anaerobic Digesters - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics,” www.sciencedirect.com.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/anaerobic-
digesters#:~:text=Anaerobic%20digesters%20are%20simply%20an
[5] “What is a Biogas Generator? | Biogas Digester | Cogeneration Experts,” inoplex.com.au,
Apr. 13, 2022. https://inoplex.com.au/information/what-is-a-biogas-generator/