Sewage Treatment Plant in Aurangabad

Sewage Treatment Plant In Aurangabad

Sewage treatment plants are essential facilities for managing and treating waste water before it is released back into the environment. The Aurangabad Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is a key infrastructure component in the bustling city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India, known for its historical monuments and rapidly growing industrial sector. The city's increasing population and industrial activities necessitate effective sewage management to prevent environmental degradation and ensure public health and safety.
Sewage Treatment Plants in Aurangabad
Aurangabad’s STP plays a crucial role in handling the sewage generated by the city’s population, which is over a million. The plant is strategically designed to cope with the daily influx of millions of liters of sewage, deriving from residential, commercial, and industrial sources. The treatment capacity of the plant is designed to match the needs of the growing city, ensuring that it can accommodate future expansions.
Importance of The Sewage Treatment Plant
The primary importance of the Aurangabad STP lies in its role in protecting the local environment and public health. By treating sewage effectively, the plant helps in reducing the pollution load in local water bodies like the Kham River, which has been a victim of urban and industrial waste. The treatment process reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases, which can arise from contaminated water supplies.
Treatment Processes Employed
The Aurangabad STP utilizes advanced treatment processes to ensure that the effluent released into the environment meets the safety standards set by regulatory authorities. The plant typically employs a combination of physical, chemical, and
biological processes: Preliminary Treatment: This stage involves screening and grit removal. Screens remove large solids, while grit chambers allow sand, pebbles, and other heavier particles to settle out.
Primary Treatment: This phase involves the sedimentation of suspended solids. Settling tanks are used where gravity helps in separating organic solids from the sewage.
Secondary Treatment: This is the biological stage where microorganisms break down organic matter. The Aurangabad STP mainly uses activated sludge processes, where aerated microorganisms decompose the organic waste.
Tertiary Treatment: Depending on the requirement, tertiary treatment involves additional filtration and disinfection to ensure the water is clean before it is discharged. Techniques such as UV disinfection or chlorination are used to kill any remaining pathogens.
Sludge Management Apart from treating liquid waste, the Aurangabad STP also handles sludge—the semi-solid byproduct of sewage treatment. The plant processes sludge to make it safe for disposal or use as fertilizer in agricultural fields, contributing to the circular economy.
Challenges and Innovations Operating a sewage treatment plant in a rapidly growing city like Aurangabad comes with its set of challenges. These include handling increasing volumes of waste, managing the costs of operation, and ensuring compliance with environmental
standards. The plant has adopted innovative technologies such as biogas generation from sludge to address these challenges. This not only helps in managing the sludge but also provides a renewable energy source that can power the plant’s operations.