Kenya is among the fastest growing economies on the continent of Africa. There has been an expansion of urban centres thanks to the rapid population growth. Waste water treatment has become an important aspect in the management of the urban centres. In this article, we will explore the methods that have been employed to facilitate municipal water treatment in Kenya.
The use of chemical methods is fairly common. Various chemicals have been found to get rid of unwanted toxins without affecting the safety of effluent once it is released. Chlorine and ozone are among the most commonly used examples. These two work through a process known as oxidation which kills harmful organisms in the effluent.
Neutralization is chemical process that is used when the pH of the effluent is known. Acidic waste can be neutralized by addition of basic compounds. Conversely, basic waste can have an acid added to it and it will be neutralized. Coagulation is a chemical technique that results in the formation of insoluble products that can be removed from the rest of the effluent.
Physical methods are perhaps the simplest and the most widely used. These methods do not cause any biological or chemical change on the waste water. Sedimentation is one of the options that fall under this category. The method largely relies on the force of gravity for its success. Because solids are generally denser than liquids, they will sink to the bottom while liquid waste remains at the top. This makes separation a lot easier.
Another physical method that is also effective is what is referred to as aeration. Air is physically added to the wastewater so as to increase the levels of dissolved oxygen. The presence of oxygen in the treatment tank promotes the growth of microorganisms. These microorganisms in turn lead to the break down of organic materials which ultimately helps to cleanse the sewage effluent.
Insoluble particles are usually removed through filtration systems. The exact mechanism employed varies from one plant to another but the sand filter systems are a popular choice. The principle employed in this method is that waste is comprised of particles that are of different sizes. When the whole effluent is made to pass through filter systems, solids will be trapped and the liquid will pass through.
Biological based methods are fairly new in most areas in the country but their use has been on a steady increase. With these methods, microorganisms are added to the effluent to aid with biochemical decomposition. The process results in formation of water, carbon dioxide and other by-products. These methods are broadly divided into aerobic and anaerobic options depending on whether or not oxygen is used.
The main reason as to why waste water is treated to rid it of harmful bacteria, toxins and inorganic and organic waste. This ensures that it will not be harmful to the environment when it is released after the process. The methods that are employed in Kenya and Africa, in general are similar to what is found elsewhere. However, Kenya is faced with a number of challenges include a lower efficiency of treatment plants and less funding for such projects.
The use of chemical methods is fairly common. Various chemicals have been found to get rid of unwanted toxins without affecting the safety of effluent once it is released. Chlorine and ozone are among the most commonly used examples. These two work through a process known as oxidation which kills harmful organisms in the effluent.
Neutralization is chemical process that is used when the pH of the effluent is known. Acidic waste can be neutralized by addition of basic compounds. Conversely, basic waste can have an acid added to it and it will be neutralized. Coagulation is a chemical technique that results in the formation of insoluble products that can be removed from the rest of the effluent.
Physical methods are perhaps the simplest and the most widely used. These methods do not cause any biological or chemical change on the waste water. Sedimentation is one of the options that fall under this category. The method largely relies on the force of gravity for its success. Because solids are generally denser than liquids, they will sink to the bottom while liquid waste remains at the top. This makes separation a lot easier.
Another physical method that is also effective is what is referred to as aeration. Air is physically added to the wastewater so as to increase the levels of dissolved oxygen. The presence of oxygen in the treatment tank promotes the growth of microorganisms. These microorganisms in turn lead to the break down of organic materials which ultimately helps to cleanse the sewage effluent.
Insoluble particles are usually removed through filtration systems. The exact mechanism employed varies from one plant to another but the sand filter systems are a popular choice. The principle employed in this method is that waste is comprised of particles that are of different sizes. When the whole effluent is made to pass through filter systems, solids will be trapped and the liquid will pass through.
Biological based methods are fairly new in most areas in the country but their use has been on a steady increase. With these methods, microorganisms are added to the effluent to aid with biochemical decomposition. The process results in formation of water, carbon dioxide and other by-products. These methods are broadly divided into aerobic and anaerobic options depending on whether or not oxygen is used.
The main reason as to why waste water is treated to rid it of harmful bacteria, toxins and inorganic and organic waste. This ensures that it will not be harmful to the environment when it is released after the process. The methods that are employed in Kenya and Africa, in general are similar to what is found elsewhere. However, Kenya is faced with a number of challenges include a lower efficiency of treatment plants and less funding for such projects.
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