THE NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL WATER TREATMENT IN INDIA

Wastewater, in general, is any water that is not fit for use. It is generated from two sources - domestic and industrial. The domestic wastewater consists of fluids emerging from human dwellings such as the kitchen, toilet, bathroom etc. This water, which consists mostly of edible content and detergents, can be treated naturally by the aerobic treatment plants. However, the Industrial wastewater, generated from the factories, plants, manufacturing units, and commercial activities contains harmful chemicals and heavy elements which require specialized industrial water treatment systems. If left untreated, this wastewater can wreak havoc on the ecological system.

For a developing country like India, untreated wastewater has been a long-neglected and common issue. According to the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) report, discharge of untreated and partially treated industrial effluents and sewage from cities is a major source of pollution in 323 rivers in India. This is in spite of the edicts stated under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, which requires industrial hazardous wastes to be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. Water is much more scarce than we believe it to be. As such, it is not an option but a compulsion to recycle wastewater into reusable water. Let us know what benefits it serves to treat wastewater.

Safeguards the environment

By cleaning wastewater before releasing them into the river and streams, the flora and fauna are spared from getting destroyed.

Keeps diseases at bay

Impure water is a primary source of disease. Although water has self-healing properties, it cannot sustain unnatural levels of chemicals and heavy metal generated from industrial waste. Hence, well-treated water can avoid the spread of disease.

Avoids water loss

Did you know that only 2.5 percent of the earth’s water is fresh, while only 1% is drinkable which includes the water trapped in glaciers and snowfields? The rest is saline and ocean-based! If that’s the case today, then there is not even a need to stress about the importance of recycling water.  

Boosts tourism & strengthens the economy

Many rivers in India are considered holy and form the pilgrimage site for many a devout. These life-giving rivers not just provide a source of sustenance to those who consume it but also provides a means of livelihood to the traders of the area, in the form of tourists flocking the pilgrimage site. The government would make twice the money as they would earn from the tourists and also save on spending on the cleaning of rivers!

There are various ways to filter industrial wastewater. Praj, a leading name in wastewater treatment employs the latest techniques such as bio-methanation, recycle, reuse,  and zero liquid discharge system among others, for treating wastewater.  The benefits of treating wastewater are long-lasting and the effects play a crucial role in the very existence of our future generation.

Working of an Industrial Effluent Treatment Plant

Effluents refer to the liquid waste or sewage generated majorly from the industries. In India, you can easily spot a foamy layer on rivers and streams. This froth is actually created due to dyes, detergents and other sewage elements left into the water by the industries. An effluent treatment plant is a wastewater treatment plant which is specifically designed to purify such industrial wastewater to make it reusable. It is aimed at releasing safe water into the environment and protect it from the harmful effects caused by the chemicals contained in the effluents.

Industrial effluents are a mix of various materials. Some of them contain oils and grease while some contain toxic insoluble materials. Effluents from food and beverage factories contain bio-degradable contaminants. Since industrial wastewater contains a host of impurities, they require specific treatment technology.

     The ETP Plant works at various levels and involves various physical, chemical, biological and membrane processes to treat wastewater from different industrial sectors like chemicals, drugs, pharmaceutical, refineries, dairy, ready mix plants & textile etc.

Applications of an Effluent treatment plant:

l  Cleans the Industry effluent and recycle it for further use

l  Promotes the utilization of recycled water in industries

l  Protects the natural environment against pollution

l  To meet the standards for emission of pollutants set by the Government & avoid heavy penalty

l  To reduce expenditure on water acquisition

Industrial Effluent Treatment Process:

The treatment of different effluents varies with the type of effluent. Wastewater enters the effluent or sewage treatment plant and goes through several processes before effluent goes into the environment. Industrial effluent treatment plant process includes 2 main stages:

Primary Treatment

Primary treatment removes material that either float on the surface or readily settles down at the bottom. It includes the physical processes of screening, comminution, grit removal, and sedimentation. Screens are made of long, closely aligned metal bars. They block floating debris such as wood, rags, and other large objects that could clog pipes or pumps. In modern plants, the screens are cleaned mechanically, and the material is quickly disposed of by burial. Debris is ground and shredded through the screens using communiator. This shredded material is later removed using sedimentation or flotation processes. Grit chambers are long narrow tanks that are designed to slow down the flow so that solids such as sand, coffee grounds, and eggshells will settle out of the water.

Secondary treatment

Secondary treatment removes the soluble organic matter that could have skipped primary treatment. It also removes more of the suspended solids. Biological process including the use of microorganisms in an aerobic treatment plant is generally used to accomplish this task. The microbes consume the organic impurities and break them down into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The sewage treatment plant provides a conducive environment for this natural biological process. The types of treatment include Activated Sludge Process, Trickling Filters, Rotating Biological Contactor, & Aerated Lagoons.