Innovative expansion and upgrade of the 75-million-gallon-per-day (mgd), 1961-era Ulu Pandan wastewater reclamation plant increased plant capacity to 95 mgd, met stringent effluent requirements, and provided ultra-strict odor and noise control to free valuable adjacent land for economic development.
This first-time application in Asia enhances treatment efficiency with a highly loaded first stage for adsorption of organic material on biological floc, followed by a second stage for biodegradation to produce treated effluent with 10 mg/L of total suspended solids and biochemical oxygen demand. The process is less affected by incoming loading fluctuations than conventional processes, helping ensure stable operation and high-quality effluent.
The design is based on a thorough onsite odor emission study. Odors are controlled by two- and three-stage wet scrubbers followed by an activated carbon adsorption process and fully enclosed processing units, allowing reduction of the buffer zone from 3,280 feet to 1,640 feet.
The ultra-compact module design uses a shared-wall structure to minimize space, while two-stage aeration treatment achieves a compact layout. At build-out, the plant will occupy only 45 percent of the space typically required for a conventional plant of the same capacity.
This design represents the first use of partially submerged egg-shaped digesters for a plant of this capacity in the world. The aesthetically pleasing design and strict odor control system boosts residential and commercial growth. The financial gain of developing freed adjacent land exceeds the capital investment in upgrading the plant.