Performance of Centralized Wastewater Treatment System in Thimphu, Bhutan
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Abstract
The main objective of this research was to provide an evaluation of the performance of the Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) employed in the centralized wastewater treatment system of Babesa, Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. The performance was analyzed based on the respective plant’s flow capacity, pH of effluent, and removal of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Fecal Coliform (FC), using Standard Method of Examination of Wastewater, APHA, as well as the capital cost and sustainability of the treatment system. Removal efficiencies of the SBR for TSS, COD, and BOD ranged from 93-97±1.131, 67-84±4.791, and 65-89±6.662, respectively. In addition, the SBR effluent samples analyzed from April 2022 to August 2022 revealed a consistent and successful removal of TSS, BOD, COD, and FC with the effluent meeting the industrial effluent discharge standards set by the National Environment Commission (NEC). Not only was SBR found to be feasible economically and capacity-wise, but the success of the technology was a function of its compatibility with Thimphu’s specific characteristics. The conclusion of this study hopes to encourage a more rigorous consideration of treatment options to invest in Bhutan’s growing urban cities in the future, as well as a redefinition in how we evaluate the success of wastewater treatment systems.
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References
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