Water Treatment in Industrialised India

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The Right Treatment

As one of the largest consumers of water, industries can no longer rely on existing water resources to meet their operational requirements. Instead, they are now forced to look beyond, into effective and efficient water management strategies and technologies that involve processing and recycling water, such that it can either be used directly in industrial processes, or safely discharged, without the fear of contamination. Wastewater generated by industries contains a wide range of pollutants—both organic and inorganic. Some of these include:

Organic matter and ammonia — Present in domestic sewage and agriculture and industrial wastes of both plant and animal origin, these consume the soluble oxygen present in water.

Nutrients — Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous are found in wastewater released by agrochemical industries and sewage. These nutrients promote the growth of algae, which, in turn, reduce oxygen levels in water, rendering it unfit for several applications.

Inorganic and synthetic organic chemicals — Industries producing detergents, pesticides, etc., release synthetic organic chemicals. Inorganic pollutants are produced by numerous industries, such as heavy metals by automotive engines manufacturers and silt from construction sites.

To combat these pollutants more effectively and efficiently, manufacturers have devised three basic types of processes—physical, chemical and biological—that are used based on the quality of wastewater received and the desired quality of treated water. Often, these processes are used in conjunction with one another to provide levels of treatment. These levels include preliminary and primary treatments that primarily comprise physical processes such as screening for large solid particles and debris; secondary treatments that use biological processes such as stabilisation ponds, oxidation ditches and activated sludge, and are followed by the sedimentation of biomass or sludge;and advanced treatment for the removal of higher-level, specific pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorous. These processes are also followed by disinfection treatments to render the treated water suitable for reuse.

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