Characteristics of water sludge from Cracow Water Treatment Plants – case study

University of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, ul. Warszawska 24, Cracow, 31-155, Poland

^* Corresponding author: renata.gmurkowska@gmail.com

Abstract

During water treatment a large amount of sludge is created – in the form of sewage and sediments. The largest amounts of sludge are produced during coagulation, ozonation and backwashing rapid filters. The quality and quantity of treated water, the type and dose of used coagulants are factors affecting the quantity, composition and properties of the sludge. Sludge produced during processing of drinking water is important problem and their quantity has been increasing. The study focuses on characteristics of water treatment sludge from four water treatment plants in Cracow. It includes theoretical and experimental part. The first part is based on analysis of literature and information obtained from MPWiK [3]. The second experimental part, concerns the analysis of dry matter, organic dry matter, capillary suction time and visual parameters: the color and consistency of the sludge. Result shows that every sludge contains organic matter. The highest concentrations of organic compounds and the largest diversity has been observed in the sludge collected in the Water Treatment Plant Raba, reaching even up to 70% of organic compounds in the dry mass of sludge.