According to CPCB's legislative provisions, various industries that meet certain criteria must install ETPs for the treatment of effluent. The guidelines address factors such as the location of ETPs, the ETP technology to be used, its operation, and maintenance to ensure the apparatus operates efficiently and safely.
What are the CPCB guidelines for effluent treatment plants?
The CPCB Guidelines for ETPs or effluent treatment plants are as follows:
1. The ETP Technology
The appr?oved ETP technologies to use are as follows:
I. ASP (Activated Sludge Process) (only when above 500 KLD Effluent is generated)
II. Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR)
III. Moving Bed Bio Reactor (MBBR)
2. Unit Requirements of ETP
Individual units within ETPs carry out various Effluent treatment processes. The units and criteria required by the guidelines are as follows.
S.No. |
Unit |
Activated Sludge Process (ASP) |
Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) |
Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) |
Moving Bed Bio Reactor (MBBR) |
1. |
Equalization Tank |
A minimum holding period of 8 hours is required. |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
2. |
Anoxic Tank |
Activated sludge should be returned to the anoxic tank for denitrification. |
Not required |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
3. |
Aeration Tank |
The Aeration Tank must contain dissolved oxygen in excess of 4 mg/L. |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
4. |
Membrane Tank |
Not required |
Not required |
Membranes should be replaced on a regular basis, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. |
Not required |
5. |
Sludge Holding Tank |
Sludge holding should be made mandatory for the storage of excess sludge prior to dewatering. |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
6. |
Final Treated Water Holding Tank |
The tank's capacity should be sufficient to hold water for at least two days. |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
7. |
Sludge Drying Bed |
For >500KLD ETPs, a horizontal centrifuge system should be used instead of a sludge drying bed.
Belt press or screw press system should be used for 500 KLD ETPs. |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
Same as ASP |
3. ETP Mechanical Equipment Requirement
ETPs installed should have obvious and simple access to the Bar Screen Chamber and Oil & Grease Chamber. Furthermore, the equipment should be submersible and easy to remove/dismantle anytime repair is required.
To reduce noise pollution, ETP air blowers should have vibration mounts and acoustic enclosures.
4. Treated Effluent Standards
The Effluent treated should meet the following standards.
S. No. |
Parameter |
Required Standards |
1 |
pH |
6.5-8.5 |
2 |
BOD(5-day) |
<10mg/l |
3 |
COD |
<50mg/l |
4 |
Suspended Solids |
<10mg/l |
5 |
Ammonical Nitrogen |
<5mg/l |
6 |
Total Nitrogen |
<5mg/l |
7 |
Fecal Coliform |
<100 MPN/100 ml |
5. Guidelines for installing sensors
Sensors for monitoring Effluent parameters such as BOD, COD, TSS, flow, and pH are required.
The following sensor types and communication protocols were recommended by the CPCB.
S.No. |
Parameter |
Measurement Type |
Sensor Type |
Communication protocol |
1. |
pH |
Inline |
Ion Selective Glass Electrodes |
RS 485 Communication with Modbus |
2. |
TSS |
Inline |
Turbidity to TSS correlation with |
RS 485 Communication with Modbus |
3. |
BOD |
Inline |
UV-Vis Spectrophotometry and combustion (dual beam, full spectrum scanning) |
RS 485 Communication with Modbus |
4. |
COD |
Inline |
UV-Vis Spectrophotometry and combustion (dual beam, full spectrum scanning) |
RS 485 Communication with Modbus |
5. |
Flow |
Inline |
Electromagnetic Flow Measurement |
RS 485 Communication with Modbus |
6. Utilization of Treated Effluent
The treated water must be used for toilet flushing in toilets that have a dual plumbing system.
7. Modular Operations of ETPs
The modular functioning of ETPs suggests that the ETP should be developed or constructed in smaller units, which can be employed according to the load or occupancy of people. In major projects where a higher capacity of ETPs is required, the occupancy in the early phases is insufficient to meet the ETP's operational conditions. As a result, the factor should be considered during the design phase.
Effluent treatment plant manufacturers
If you have any questions about effluent treatment plants, please contact the Netsol Water team right away. Our team is an expert in wastewater treatment and can help you tailor a solution to your specific requirements.