Feasibility of Greywater Treatment with River Sand and Polypropylene Pall Rings as Filter Media

Abstract

There is an increase in scarcity of water with rapid population increase in urban areas giving reason for concern and the need for appropriate water management practices. Greywater recycling is emerging as a new trend in water management practices. Initiatives by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have resulted in attempting the greywater recycling in urban areas, flats and apartments and also in individual houses. A rational design is not available for greywater recycling unlike domestic wastewater. Hence, a study was taken in National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Mysuru campus to evaluate the feasibility of treating greywater using river sand and PPPR. The methodology involved designing, fabricating and installing a greywater treatment model in NIE campus. Greywater treatment system installed in NIE campus consisted of anaerobic and aerobic treatment units. The system was monitored over a period of time to check the performance. The sampling of greywater was done weekly and the samples were analyzed for different water quality parameters like pH, TDS, TSS, BOD, COD, turbidity and nutrients. The greywater treatment system with river sand and PPPR as anaerobic and aerobic filter media was effective in removing the turbidity, TSS, COD, BOD and nutrients from the greywater samples to significant extent. It has shown moderate efficiency in removing TDS compared to other parameters.