Choosing A Waste Water Treatment Plant in Sri Lanka
If you're looking for methods to treat waste water in Sri Lanka such as sewage or manufacturing discharged water for the purpose of recycling or discharging it ethically and legally, then this article will attempt to shed some light on the procedure. 

What is Waste Water?

Waste water is any form of water that has been contaminated by some artificial process. The dictionary definition being water that has been used in the home, in a business, or as part of an industrial process. By this definition, waste water includes water from kitchens, bathroom showers, sinks, toilets, hotels, restaurants, and also industrial waste water discharged from manufacturing facilities such as textile factories, rubber manufacturing, bottle washing, food processing, etc. As a result, waste water treatment plants are also commonly referred to as sewage treatment plants and sewer treatment plants. It is illegal to discharge such water into any public stream, lake, water way or the ocean, as it can contain harmful chemicals or biological organisms that can negatively affect the ecosystem. 


What is Waste Water Treatment?

Simply put, waste water treatment is a process by which bacteria is used to consume the biological and chemical components in the water, which results in water with reduced Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and a sludge that can be safely dissipated. The process would normally take a few days, but the methods in which the treatment plants handle the water can result in a continuous discharge of treated water. 


Where should Waste Water Treatment Plants Be Used?

Under Sri Lankan government regulations, if access to a sewage line is unavailable or not approved, then according to the Central Environment Authority (CEA) of Sri Lanka, any waste water that is being discharged into a public stream, lake, water way or ocean, should be tested and pass the required Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) numbers stipulated by them. 

Example:
  • Condominiums (apartments)
  • Hotels
  • Manufacturing & production facilities
  • Hospitals 
  • Restaurants
It is important to know the BOD requirement for your relevant application. The relevant gazette can be found on the CEA website's Acts & Regulations page under Industrial Effluent (Water) Quality Management


What Are The Types of Waste Water Treatment Plants?

Waste water treatment plants can be separated into many different categories based on the process, and the physical characteristics of the plants.

Physically, the plant can be a modular design, where components can be assembled remotely and installed on the location within a short period of time. Alternatively, the plant's chambers can be constructed on-site with the mechanical components being installed afterwards; this method would require more time. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. It is the condition and requirements of the site that would help determine which method of installation should be used. 

The process can vary between Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR), Fixed Bed Biofilm Reactor (FBBR), and Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). MBBR and FBBR processes both continuously circulate the influent waste water through chambers that contain the bacteria and discharge treated water continuously. This design requires treatment chambers large enough to sufficiently dilute the intake waste water with the treated water so that it meets the BOD regulations. SBR treatment plants process the water in stages, and therefore the chambers should be large enough to hold the entire intake of waste water for the duration of the stage. 


Who Are Suppliers of Waste Water Treatment Plants in Sri Lanka?

In Sri Lanka there are numerous suppliers of all varieties of sewage treatment plants to meet your specifications and requirements, with ICC Smart Eco Solutions being one of them. They manufacture modular as well as on-site constructed MBBR and FBBR waste water treatment plants. View the product details and list of successfully completed projects on each of the product pages.