Research Journal of Recent Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res.J.Recent Sci.

Water Quality Assessment of Raw Sewage and Final Treated Water with
Special Reference to Waste Water Treatment Plant Bhopal, MP, India
Kushwah Ram Kumar, Malik Suman and Singh Archana
Department of Chemistry, Sadhu Vaswani College, Bhopal, INDIA
Available online at: www.isca.in
(Received 15th November 2011, revised 6th January 2012, accepted 25th January 2012)

Abstract
This study aims at describing the parameters of waste stabilization technique using anaerobic and facultative ponds. The waste
water samples were taken from raw sewage & final treated water and analyzed physicochemical parameters like conductivity,
total hardness and chemical oxygen demand in the 2009. The efficiency of conductivity, total hardness and chemical oxygen
demand was significant. The waste water treatment plant system using different materials showed excellent potential for
conductivity, total hardness and chemical oxygen demand removal from waste water treatment plant. The results of analysis of
treated water for conductivity, total hardness and chemical oxygen demand (COD) indicate that the final treated water can be
used for industrial cooling and agricultural purposes.
Keywords: Sewage, waste water treatment plant, conductivity, total hardness and COD.

Introduction
Waste water treatment plants (WWTP) are supposed to make
the municipal sewage compatible for disposal into the
environment (surface and underground water bodies or land),
to minimize the environmental and health impacts of the
sewage, and to make the sewage fit for recycling and reuse
(agricultural and aqua-cultural uses an municipal and
industrial uses1. Water resources on earth are diminishing
rapidly and human activities continue to affect detrimentally
the quality and quantity of existing fresh water resources 2.
There are conventional and non conventional approaches for
wastewater treatment. For waters already treated to primary
and secondary levels, land treatment is a promising tertiary
treatment technology. There are many types of land
treatment system namely slow-rate irrigation system3, rapid
infiltration systems4, sand filters5 soil infiltration systems 6
and intermittent buried sand filters7 Operation cost, mismatch
of operating requirements with local skills and space
constraint has limited their applications5. There are a variety
of degradation mechanisms in anaerobic zones, such as
fermentation or methanogenesis. Fermentation is the
conversion of organic compounds from one form to another
with no significant loss in COD. In fermentation, organic
compounds serve as the electron acceptor as well as the
electron donor. Two groups of methanogens carry out
methanogenesis: aceticlastic methanogens and hydro
genutilizing methanogens. Aceticlastic methanogens split
acetic acid, typically produced by fermentation reactions,
into methane and carbon dioxide8. Reduction of chemical
oxygen demand (COD) from highly concentrated
wastewaters prior to discharge into receiving waters or
municipal treatment plants is a challenge for many industrial
treatment systems. As more information becomes available
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on the ecological impacts of wastewater discharge, permit
limitations are becoming more stringent.

Material and Methods
The present waste water treatment plant (Kotra Waste Water
Treatment Plant) is situated in Bhopal, the capital of central
Indian State, Madhya Pradesh, within the geographical
coordinates of 23o 15’ 44’’ N, 77o 28’ 23’’ E. It receives the
waste water generated in Nehru Nagar, Kotra Sultanabad and
adjoining areas. Kotra waste water treatment plant (WWTP)
is designed to treat 10 MLD. The Kotra (WWTP) is based on
waste stabilization technique using anaerobic and facultative
ponds. Under present study waste water samples were
collected from raw sewage and treated water of waste water
treatment plant (WWTP) during the period January to
December 2009. Samples were analyzed to determine the
efficiency of the treatment plant in reducing the conductivity,
total hardness and chemical oxygen demand from the raw
sewage and final treated water samples. Waste water samples
were collected in glass containers, precleaned by washing
with non-ionic detergents, rinsed in tap water, in 1:1
hydrochloric acid and finally with demonized water before
usage. Before sampling, the bottles were rinsed three times
with sample water and then filled and conductivity, total
hardness and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were analysis
in the analytical laboratory according to the methods
prescribed in the APHA9.

Results and Discussion
Monthly samples were collected from raw sewage & final
treated of the Waste water treatment plant (WWTP) Kotra,
Bhopal. The results obtained for conductivity, total hardness
and chemical oxygen demand are shown in the table-1.
185

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res. J. Recent Sci.
Table-1
Monthly variation of different parameters in the 2009
Parameters/Months

Cond
.

Total
Alk.

Total
Hard
.

COD

Raw
Sewage
Treated
water
%
Reductio
n
Raw
Sewage
Treated
water
%
Reductio
n
Raw
Sewage
Treated
water
%
Reductio
n
Raw
Sewage
Treated
water
%
Reductio
n

Jan

Feb

0.90
5
0.51
9

0.615
0.384

March

April

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

1.315

1.411

1.987

1.747

2.232

2.184

1.562

1.684

1.453

0.764

0.768

1.102

1.042

1.438

1.394

1.056

1.114

0.942

Dec

0.73
5
0.49
7

37.56

42.6
5

41.90

45.57

44.54

40.35

35.57

36.17

32.39

33.84

35.16

32.3
8

214

236

274

262

298

286

298

289

258

248

222

215

112

118

130

126

138

137

162

152

143

132

120

112

47.66

50

52.55

51.90

53.69

52.09

45.63

47.40

44.57

46.77

45.94

47.9
0

286

338

358

386

406

386

398

396

370

338

324

284

156

176

184

186

192

206

218

230

196

188

172

156

45.45

47.9
2

48.60

51.81

52.70

46.63

45.22

41.91

47.02

44.37

46.91

45.0
7

478.4

622.6

792.4

658.4

536.4

458.8

548.2

618.2

488.2

122.4

149.2

182.6

178.4

145.8

122.4

163.2

181.6

148.4

74.41

76.03

76.95

72.90

72.81

73.32

70.23

70.62

69.60

528.
2
146.
8

346.4
108.6

72.2
0

68.64

353.
2
110.
6
68.6
8

Figure -1 Range values of Conductivity in during 2009

2.5

µmhos/cm

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Jan

Feb

March April

May

June

Raw sewage

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Treated water

Figure-1
Range values of conductivity in during 2009

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186

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res. J. Recent Sci.
Monthly variation in Conductivity at Kotra waste water
treatment plant during in the year 2009 is shown in figure-1.
During the period of investigation Conductivity varied from
0.615 µmhos/cm to 2.232 µmhos/cm in the raw sewage and
0.384 µmhos/cm to 1.438 µmhos/cm in the final treated
water. The minimum value was observed in the month of
January while the maximum value was observed in the
month of July, in the raw sewage of waste water treatment
plant. The minimum value was observed in the month of
January while the maximum value was observed in the
month of July in the final treated effluent water of waste
water treatment plant. Percent reduction in Conductivity
values at Kotra WWTP during the period 2009 is shown in
table -1. Maximum reduction in conductivity values during
the period of investigation was observed in the month of
April (45.57 %), while the efficiency of reduction was
comparatively less in the month of December (37.56
%).Guideline for conductivity in treated water that could be
discharged into the receiving water bodies is10 and based on
this guideline; the effluent quality does not appear to be
compliant with the regulation for electrical conductivity. This
limit was exceeded in the receiving water body. Thus, the

parameter does give concern and it could make the water
unsuitable for direct domestic use. The conductivity values
obtained in this study is similar to the findings of previous
study on the nearby river11.
Monthly variation in Total alkalinity at Kotra waste water
treatment plant during in the year 2009 is shown in Figure-2.
During the period of investigation Total alkalinity varied
from 214 mg/l to 298 mg/l in the raw sewage and 112 mg/l to
162 mg/l in the final treated water. The minimum value was
observed in the month of January, while the maximum value
was observed in the month of May, in the raw sewage of
waste water treatment plant. The minimum value was
observed in the month of January and December, while the
maximum value was observed in the month of July in the
final treated effluent water of waste water treatment plant.
Percent reduction in Total alkalinity values at Kotra WWTP
during the period 2009 is shown in table -1. Maximum
reduction in Total alkalinity values during the period of
investigation was observed in the month of March (52.55 %),
while the efficiency of reduction was comparatively less in
the month of January (47.66 %).

Figure -2 Range values of Total alklinity in during 2009
350
300

mg/l

250
200
150
100
50
0
Jan

Feb March April May June July

Aug Sept Oct

Nov Dec

Raw sewage Treated water
Figure-2
Range value of total alkalinity in during 2009

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187

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res. J. Recent Sci.
Monthly variation in total hardness at Kotra waste water
treatment plant during in the year 2009 is shown in figure-3.
During the period of investigation total hardness varied from
284 mg/l to 406 mg/l in the raw sewage and 156 mg/l to 230
mg/l in the final treated water. The minimum value was
observed in the month of December while the maximum
value was observed in the month of May, in the raw sewage
of waste water treatment plant. The minimum value was
observed in the month of January and December while the
maximum value was observed in the month of August in the
final treated water of waste water treatment plant. Percent
reduction in total hardness values at Kotra WWTP during the
period 2009 is shown in table -1. Maximum reduction in total
hardness values during the period of investigation was
observed in the month of May (52.70 %), while the
efficiency of reduction was comparatively less in the month
of December (45.07 %).The total hardness of both raw
sewage and treated water was conforms to the Standard. Iron
concentrations of the raw (<1.0 mg/l) and treated water
(<0.05 mg/l) were found very low all over the year, which
conform the WHO guidelines12.
Monthly variation in chemical oxygen demand at Kotra
waste water treatment plant during in the year 2009 is shown
in figure-4.
During the period of investigation chemical oxygen demand
varied from 346.4 mg/l to 792.4 mg/l in the raw sewage and
1.8.6 mg/l to182.6 mg/l in the final treated water. The

minimum value was observed in the month of January, while
the maximum value was observed in the month of May in the
raw sewage of waste water treatment plant. The minimum
value was observed in the month of January while the
maximum value was observed in the month of May in the
final treated water of waste water treatment plant. Percent
reduction in chemical oxygen demand values at Kotra
WWTP during the period 2009 is shown in table -1.
Maximum reduction in chemical oxygen demand values
during the period of investigation was observed in the month
of June (72.90 %), while the efficiency of reduction was
comparatively less in the month of January (68.64 %).
Higher levels of COD were observed in raw sewage in the
month of May. The increased of COD concentrations during
summer season could be attributed to run-off washed into
water body. This is undesirable since continuous discharge of
effluent has impacted the receiving water body to some
extent and this may have negative effects on the quality of
the freshwater and subsequently cause harm to the aquatic
life especially fish13. When this present result was compared
with results of COD of the treated final effluent and
receiving water bodies from developed countries, it was
observed that the concentrations of COD differ as reported
by UNEP (1993). According to14, this increase in COD could
be attributed to an increase in the addition of both organic
and inorganic substance from the environment, as well as
organic contaminant entering the systems from the municipal
sewage treatment plants. In the same light, one observation
agrees with the previous works of11 and13.

mg/l

Figure -3 Range values of Total hardness in during 2009

455
405
355
305
255
205
155
105
55
5
Jan

Feb March April

May June
Raw sewage

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Treated water

Figure-3
Range values of total hardness in during 2009

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Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res. J. Recent Sci.

Figure -4 Range values of Chemical Oxygen Demand in during 2009
900

mg/l

800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Jan

Feb March April

May

June

July

Raw sewage

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Treated water

Figure-4
Range values of Chemical Oxygen Demand in during 2009

Conclusion
The present study reveals the assessment of physicochemical parameters like conductivity, total hardness and
chemical oxygen demand (COD) high concentration in raw
sewage and low concentration in the final treated waste water
due to various stages of waste water treatment plant
(WWTP) Bhopal. Performance of Kotra WWTP was
evaluated which has shown its capability to reduce
conductivity, total hardness and chemical oxygen demand
(COD) from raw sewage. From the above study, it was
observed that high concentration of conductivity, total
hardness and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was present in
the raw sewage however better water quality was found after
treatment in final treated water. Instead of discharging the
treated water onto the nearby bodies of water, it is proposed
to let it pass through the waste water treatment plant which
would reduce most of the pollutants. So the waste water
treatment is essential for maintaining the water quality and
the final treated wastewater can be used for secondary
purposes like irrigations gardening and industrial cooling.

3.

Ou Z., Sun T., Li P., Yediler A., Yang G. and Kettrup
A., A production scale ecological engineering system
for the treatment and reutilization of municipal
wastewater in the Inner Mongolia, China, Ecol. Eng.,
(9), 71–88 (1997)

4.

Bouwer H., Renovation of wastewater with rapid
infiltration land treatment system, In: Asano T. (Ed.),
Artificial Recharge of Groundwater, Butterworth,
Boston, 249–282 (1985)

5.

Bahgat M., Dewedar M.A. and Zayed A., Sand-Filters
used for wastewater treatment: build up and
distribution of microorganisms, Water Res., (33),
1949 1955 (1999)

6.

Jenssen P.D. and Siegrist R.L., Technology
assessment of wastewater treatment by soil infiltration
systems, Water Sci. Technol, 22(3/4), 83–93 (1990)

7.

Schudel P. and Boller M., Onsite wastewater
treatment with intermittent buried filters, Water Sci.
Technol, 22(3/4), 93–100 (1990)

8.

Grady C.P.L. and Daigger G.T., Biological
Wastewater Treatment, Theory and Application,
Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY (1997)

9.

American Public Health Association (APHA),
Standard methods for the Analysis, 7th Edn.,
University Press, Washington DC, New York, USA
(1989)

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Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 185-190 (2012)
Res. J. Recent Sci.

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