Multi-criterial evaluation of P-removal optimization in rural wastewater treatment plants for a sub-catchment of the Baltic Sea

Autor: Cramer, M., Koegst, T., Traenckner, J.
In:

Ambio

Auflage: Volume 47
ISBN: ISSN:0044-7447
DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0977-8
Seite: 93 - 102
Jahr: 2018

Einordung:
Institut: Professur Wasserwirtschaft

Abstract:
Rural wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are recognized as a significant phosphorous (P)-emission source in the German sub-catchments of the Baltic Sea. But enhancement of P-removal is cost intensive especially for small communities. This study proposes a concept to efficiently reduce P-emissions from WWTP by introducing low-cost non-constructional measures and assessing the resulting change of ambient water quality on a river basin scale. As case study, we choose the Warnow catchment in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany) where 76 % of WWTP-emissions originate from treatment plants without P-discharge limits. For these facilities, we evaluated two modification options: (1) optimization of enhanced biological Phosphorous removal (EBPR) in activated sludge systems (ASS) and/or (2) chemical precipitation (where EBPR is applicable). The total operational optimization potential in the Warnow catchment is about 20 %. Further improvements can only be applied by a chemical precipitation, with the drawback of increasing the wastewater disposal cost up to 6.5 euros CAP−1a−1. To prioritize relevant plants for improved P-removal we proposed two evaluation criteria: combining absolute emission, and impact on ambient water quality and costs. © 2018

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