Geo-engineering Properties of Municipal Treatment Plant Sludges

Abstract

The presentation covers the geo-engineering properties of water treatment residues (WTRs) and sewage sludge materials pertinent to their efficient and safe disposal, in particular to landfill. The WTRs are by-products of the treatment processes for potable water. Sewage sludge is the bioactive, organic slurry derived from wastewater treatment processes. Ever increasing quantities of these materials are being produced due to increasing water usage by consumers; more stringent regulations on the quality of potable water and more stringent controls on wastewater discharges. The sludges and residues are dewatered at the treatment works by mechanical means and/or by air drying and thermal treatment. Principle means of disposal are landfilling at dedicated sludge monofills, co-disposal at municipal landfills, or often indefinite storage in sludge lagoons. The presentation will be of particular interest to geotechnical engineers, municipal engineers and waste management engineers.