Evaluation of wastewater treatment plant with anaerobic reactor receiving sludge from water treatment plant Actiflo ®

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper was to analyze the disposal of decanter’s sludge from a WTP with microsand ballasted sedimentation (Actiflo®) in a WWTP containing UASB reactors and polishing pond, in Ponta Grossa - PR. The WWTP Verde operated in stable condition, with an average flow tributary of 213.14 L.s-1. The UASBs operated with HRT in 9.9 hours, VHL in 2.4 m3.m-3.d-1 and OLR ranging from 0.75 to 1.66 kgCOD.m-3.d-1. The polishing pond operated with HRT in 4.5 days and OLR ranging from 765 to 2872 kgCOD.ha-1.d-1, which corresponds from 19 to 72 gCOD.m-3.d-1. The efficiency of COD and TSS removal was maintained even with the release of WTP sludge. WWTP’s efficiency ranged between 80% and 86% for COD removal and between 92% and 96% for TSS. It was concluded that the release in the sewage collection network is a viable alternative to disposal of the decanter’s sludge from WTP Actiflo®.