LAB ACTIVITY 9 - DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF

WASTEWATER TREATMENTEXPECTED
LEARNING OUTCOMES
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this activity, the students should be able to:

1. Understand the importance of wastewater treatment.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the different wastewater treatment methods.
3. Develop a method or design for an innovative and efficient wastewater treatment.
4. Identify the monitoring parameters of water quality to be employed in the designed
wastewater treatment system.

INTRODUCTION

One of the world’s major concerns is the adequate source of clean water. Water is one of the
most valuable resources. Water is life and clean water is a human right. But access to clean
water and scarcity of water supply has been a problem for several years specifically in
developing countries. According to UNEP/UNHABITAT, wastewater is a combination of one or
more of domestic effluent consisting of blackwater (excreta, urine and faecal sludge) and
greywater (kitchen and bathing wastewater); water from commercial establishments and
institutions, including hospitals; industrial effluent, stormwater and other urban run-off;
agricultural, horticultural and aquaculture effluent, either dissolved or as suspended matter”
(Corcoran et al, 2010). Wastewater contains many harmful substances and cannot be released
back into the environment until it is treated. Thus, wastewater treatment is important. The
general objective of the wastewater treatment is to achieve improvements in the quality of the
water before reuse or disposal in the environment, without danger to human health and
damage to the environment.

There are several steps in the wastewater treatment process, and it varies depending on the
contaminants present in the water and applicable treatment regulations. Typically, a
wastewater treatment plant includes: (1) Collection; (2) Screening and Straining; (3) Chemical
Addition; (4) Coagulation and Flocculation; (5) Sedimentation and Clarification; (6) Filtration; (7)
Disinfection; (8) Storage; (9) and finally Distribution.

Filtration is a common technology and it plays an important role in the treatment of

wastewater. Filtration is a process that removes or separates particles from water and
wastewater by passing it through a porous medium. It can be compared to a sieve that traps
suspended material between the grains of filter media. It can remove almost any impurities
from water. Filtration primarily depends on a combination of complex physical and chemical
mechanisms such as adsorption. Adsorption is the process of particles sticking onto the surface
of the individual filter grains or onto the previously deposited materials. Figure 2 illustrates the
difference between the two removal mechanisms in filtration: mechanical and adsorption.

Figure 1: Conventional activated sludge process. (Source: A.T. Besha et al, 2017; E. Drioli & L.
Giorno, 2009)

Figure 2: Removal mechanisms in filtration. (Source: [Link]

Chapter%2018%[Link]).

Engineers play roles in the design, development and implementation of wastewater treatment
and delivery systems. In this activity, engineering students will evaluate the design of a small-
size model working filter systems that can be used in wastewater treatment plants.
MATERIALS

Not Applicable

CHEMICALS

Not Applicable

PROCEDURE

As your reference for this laboratory activity, you will open a video from YouTube entitled
“Creating Mini Wastewater Treatment Plants” thru this link
[Link]

1) Based on the video, write a laboratory report. A report should be brief and direct to the
point, and should be readable, both grammatically and stylistically. Reports must be
typed, A4 size, 1” x 1” x 1”x 1” margin, 12 Arial or Calibri font, 1.5 line spacing. Your
report will be judged based on the Criteria for Laboratory Report below. Acceptable
format of the report as follows:

I. Cover page
• Name of Student/s
• Course and Section
• Title of the Experiment
• Course Title and Number
• Date
II. Introduction
III. Objectives
IV. Materials
V. Methods (include pictures or drawings)
VI. Data and Results (include graphs and other representations)
VII. Analysis and Discussion (include graphs, etc.)
VIII. Conclusion and Recommendation
IX. References
Criteria for the Laboratory Report:

CRITERIA EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR

5-4 pts 3-2 pts 1-0 pts
COMPLETENESS and
ORGANIZATION
(50 pts)
Introduction Provides background Provides background Provides background
(x1) research into the topic research into the topic research into the topic
and summarizes and describes the but does not describe
important findings from problem to be solved. the problem to be
the review of the solved; fails to explain
literature; describes details to non-
problem to be solved; specialists.
justifies the study;
explains the significance
of the problem to an
audience of non-
specialists.

Objectives Objectives accurately The objectives address Objectives are missing,

(x1) describe the purpose forthe procedural aspects or only loosely related to
doing the lab. of the lab, but do not the lab being performed.
accurately summarize
the theoretical
foundation of the
experiment.
Materials List is complete for List is complete and used List is complete and used
(x1) accurate replication of safely but quantities are safely but quantities are
the experiment and used not always given. not given or are missing
safely. List includes completely.
quantities of
measurements.

Methodology Presents easy-to-follow Presents most of the Misses procedural steps

(x1) steps that are logical and steps but lacks in details. of has steps that are not
adequately detailed. sequential.
Lacks some basic
Shows understanding of understanding of the Shows little
the principles discussed principles presented, understanding of
based upon their especially of topics chemical principles.
exposure to the topics in covered in the
the classes. curriculum.

Data and Results Well written qualitative Qualitative sentences Qualitative sentences
(x1) sentences with no contain no inferences. contain inferences.
inferences. Quantitative Quantitative data chart, Qualitative data chart,
data chart, graph or graph or picture lacks graph or picture is
 picture contains proper proper units or labels. incomplete or
units and labels are Some calculations are indiscernible.
present. Calculations absent or not clearly
clearly shown, if shown.
applicable.
Analysis and Outside evidence (proof Outside evidence (proof Outside evidence (proof
Discussion or information) is or information) is or information) is
(x3) thoroughly discussed generally discussed and mentioned in the
and introduced in the introduced in the discussion section but
discussion section. discussion section. not thoroughly
discussed.
Detailed discussion of Detailed discussion of
the evidence is provided, the evidence is provided, Detailed discussion of
and leaves the reader but still leaves the the evidence is not
without doubts. reader with doubts. provided, leaving the
reader with questions
about the validity or
point of view of the
The evidence provided The evidence provided reader.
to support the claim is to support the claim is
highly reputable, taken reputable, taken from The evidence provided
from multiple sources multiple sources and the to support the claims is
and the sources are sources are provided for taken from a
provided for the reader. the reader. questionable source and
the source is provided
for the reader.
Conclusion and The conclusion is strong The conclusion is well The conclusion is
Recommendation and well summarized. It summarized. It leaves present but not well
(x2) leaves the reader with a the reader with a summarized. It leaves
clear and thorough general the reader with
understanding of the understanding of the questions about the
writers’ point of view writers’ point of view readers’ point of view
and position. The and position. The and position. The
statement (claim) is statement (claim) is statement (claim) is
effectively restated and restated and evidence is present, but evidence is
evidence is summarized summarized. not summarized.
effectively.

Clearly addresses Addresses Addresses no

recommendations recommendations recommendations
and/or implications for and/or implications for and/or implications for
further research or further research or further research or
use/application. use/application. use/application
DOCUMENTATION
(10 PTS)
Reference Sources/ Citations and references Provides citations, but Citations and references
Literature Search are used appropriately. they are incorrectly are not provided.
(x1) prepared.
Grammar/ Spelling Is free or almost free of Has errors but they Have many errors that
(x1) errors of grammar, don’t represent a major obscure meaning of
spelling, and writing distraction. content or add
mechanics. confusion.

TOTAL = 60 PTS

QUESTIONS

1. How effective at cleaning the water is the filter device shown in the YouTube? Be
descriptive.

2. Aside from turbidity, enumerate other possible five (5) water quality monitoring
parameters that can be employed in the experiment. Explain the importance of each
parameter.
PARAMETER IMPORTANCE/PURPOSE
REFERENCES

TeachEngineering. (01 October 2018). Creating Mini Wastewater Treatment Plants [Video].
YouTube. [Link]

A.T. Besha et al. (2017). Removal of emerging micropollutants by activated sludge process and
membrane bioreactors and the effects of micropollutants on membrane fouling: A review

E. Drioli & L. Giorno. (2009). Membrane Operations: Innovative Separations and

Transformations.

[Link]

United Nations Environmental Protection (UNEP)/United Nations Habitat (UNHABITAT). A Rapid

Response Assessment: Sick Water? The Central Role of Wastewater Management in Sustainable
Development.