Performance Assessment of Biological Wastewater Treatment at WUPA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Biological treatment of wastewater from Wupa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Abuja was investigated. Wastewater samples were collected from the inlet and effluent point (before and after the ultra violet radiation unit) of the treatment plant. The physicochemical parameters; temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS) and dissolved oxygen (DO) were measured. The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were obtained from samples collected from the influent and effluent points using Standard methods specified by the American Public Health Association (APHA). The water samples were also analysed for the presence of bacterial organisms via Total Coliform Count (TCC), Total Bacteriological Count (TBC) and Faecal Count (FC). At the end of the analysis, the percentage removal efficiency of the ultra violet radiation for TCC, TBC and FC were calculated. Results showed that the mean removal efficiency for TCC, TBC and FC were 99.6% , 89.9% and 98.9% respectively; all within the permissible limit of World Health Organization and Federal Ministry of Environment. There was a reduction of 81.5% in COD, 98.9% in BOD which met the required effluent standards. There was significant differences between the pH, TSS, DO, COD and BOD of the influent and effluent (P<0.05). These results showed that there is an urgent need for appropriate steps to be taken for proper management and sanitation of the wastewater before discharging it to the stream, to ensure total conformity with the approved standards.