Performance Evaluation and Upgradation of Existing Sugar Effluent Treatment Plant

Abstract

Sugar industry is one of the most advanced agro based industries in India. The large quantity of wastewater generated at all stages of sugar production, poorly treated wastewater with high levels of pollutants caused by poor design, operation or maintenance of treatment systems creates major environmental problems, when such waste water is discharged to surface water or on land. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has prescribed based on the directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) that the effluent generation in a sugar factory has to be limited to 1000 L/tons of cane crushed. Also as per CREP norms, certain provisions have been made for sugar factory effluent treatment as well. Considering the above stated implications an attempt has been to evaluate the performance of Effluent treatment plant (ETP) of Shri Ambalika Sugar Pvt. Ltd. in a district of Ahmednangar. This factory has provided and managed well equipped effluent treatment plant for handling 1000 m³/day. The plant is based on Activated Sludge process (ASP) principle. Samples were collected from six points in between raw waste water to multimedia filter outlet, i.e., treated effluent to evaluate the performance of ETP. The analysis was done at 15 days interval for three months. The parameters analyzed for evaluation of performance of ETP was pH, Total Solids (TS), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₃) @ 27°C, Oil and Grease, Chloride. Tests were performed to find the fate of pollutants in ETP. The present study shows that treated effluent is clear; Overall COD and BOD removal efficiency of ETP was more than 98% on an average. The oil and grease content is less than 0.5 mg/l, average TSS removal efficiency was 86%. And all other parameters are within consented limits stipulated by MPCB. As a result of this study, suggestion for improvement of the treatment efficiency by modification and provision of additional unit is given.