Rediseño de la planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales de la parroquia Pilahuín, cantón Ambato

Abstract

The Redesign of the Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Pilahuín Parish, Ambato canton, province of Tungurahua, was developed with the objective of improving the quality of the water bodies that receive the affluents coming from the parish. A situational analysis of the plant and its components was carried out, starting by determining the flow capacity of the current facilities to determine the plant's needs, using flow records and volumetric methods to obtain measurements at different times of the year. Samples were also taken and analyzed at the plant's inlet and outlet, which would represent the degree of contaminant removal. Once the plant's needs were determined, the components were sized using the methodology established by PAHO and RAS 2000 standards. Flow measurements showed minimum and maximum values of 2.64 L/s and 6.17 L/s, respectively, as well as maximum concentrations of 466 mg/L of COD and 250 mg/L of BOD5. It was found that the plant was designed to operate with a flow equivalent to 30% of the current flow, which would cause low efficiency in the purification process. The needs determined for the plant were: to upgrade the current system by installing a second anaerobic filter; to design a new treatment system consisting of two Imhoff tanks and two anaerobic filters; and to prepare an Operation and Maintenance Manual for the facilities. The entire purification process was redesigned, including the respective plans; this process will operate with a theoretical efficiency of 70% of pollutant removal, thus complying with current environmental legislation and protecting the deterioration of the receiving water bodies.