Selection of Appropriate Sewage Treatment Technology for Kancheepuram City

Abstract

Various types of sewage treatment technologies are available for the treatment and reuse of sewage in India. It is difficult to select an appropriate treatment technology for the specific region such as rural, urban or metropolitan area. Suitability to techno economic analysis, life cycle, cost analysis, and benefit cost ratio can be used as financial management tool to take final decision. This paper highlights the application of techno-economic analysis for the selection of appropriate technology of sewage treatment for Kancheepuram town of Tamil Nadu. Out of five different types of sewage treatment technologies that are being used in India, the waste stabilization pond has been found to be the most economical option to treat sewage as the cost of land in Kancheepuram city is less than Rs. 6.5 million per ha (i.e., Rs. 650/sqm). Between Rs. 6.5 and Rs. 13.0 million per ha, the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) with Final Polishing Pond (FPP) is economical. Above Rs. 13.0 million per ha, the Moving Bed Biological Reactor (MBBR), Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) and Activated Sludge Process are found to be economical. The selection of technology has been done by calculating the benefit cost ratio, assuming a discount rate of 10%.