The sewage treatment plant (6): the sand trap – sewage going into the sand removal building

About the sound

Sounds recorded at a place where sewage, after going through the sand trap, flows into the sand removal installation. The sand trap consists of chambers through which sewage moves at a speed of 0.3 m/s. During this time, the sand separates from the sewage and sinks to the bottom. In addition, the sand trap is aerated to facilitate fat precipitation from the sewage.

The recording was made at the Płaszów Sewage Treatment Plant. This is one of two mechanical-biological treatment plants belonging to Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji S.A. in Krakow. The sewage treatment plant in Płaszów serves around 500,000 inhabitants and treats an average of 165,000 m3 of sewage per day.

First, the sewage is pre-treated mechanically: solid impurities are retained on coarse and fine grids, sand is removed in a sand trap, sediment settles in the primary settling tanks. Mechanically treated sewage is channelled to biological reactors where the processes of removing organic compounds, nitrogen and phosphorus using the biomass of bacteria, protozoa and higher organisms (the so-called activated sludge) take place. Then they go to secondary settling tanks where active sludge is separated from the treated sewage. Sewage which has been treated and is now safe for the ecosystem is discharged into the Drwina River. Sludge from the purification process is used to produce biogas which powers electricity generators. Finally, after dewatering the sludge is incinerated at the Sludge Thermal Treatment Station.

The information comes from: https://osplaszow.wkraj.pl/#/62657/0


Sound recording: Monika Widzicka
Photo: Piotr Żabicki