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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

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Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    0, Vol. Issue () : 929-936    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0623-z
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Decentralized wastewater treatment technologies and management in Chinese villages
Xuesong GUO,Zehang LIU,Meixue CHEN(),Junxin LIU,Min YANG
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Abstract

Problems treating sewage in rural areas in China have attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, only 6% of rural areas had spray drainage and wastewater treatment systems by the end of 2010. It is necessary to assess the technologies currently used so that sewage treatment in rural areas can be developed appropriately, to provide reliable and affordable wastewater treatment, in these areas. We evaluated the sewage treatment technologies currently used in rural areas by conducting case studies on 62 facilities that had each been operating for at least one year. Our study was carried out between 2009 and 2011, and the aim was to assess the situation during that period and assess any problems involved in decentralized sewage treatment in villages. We found that decentralized sewage treatment is the most popular wastewater treatment method in villages, and that the most common primary treatment technology used in rural areas is the septic tank. Our investigation highlights the need to establish standards for assessing effluent quality, including a range of target pollutants. Our results also show that effluents should be reused to meet the local environmental requirements in different areas, especially in ecologically sensitive areas.
Keywords decentralized treatment      strategy      sustainable development      village      wastewater treatment situation     
Corresponding Author(s): Meixue CHEN   
Online First Date: 07 January 2014    Issue Date: 17 November 2014
 Cite this article:   
Xuesong GUO,Zehang LIU,Meixue CHEN, et al. Decentralized wastewater treatment technologies and management in Chinese villages[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 0, (): 929-936.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-013-0623-z
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y0/V/I/929
Fig.1  Distribution of 62 case studies of rural sewage treatment facilities in China
Fig.2  Sewage treatment rate of villages in China in 2008–2010
Fig.3  Scale of sewage treatment facilities in Chinese villages
Fig.4  Application of a range of sewage technologies in rural areas. ST: septic tank; D: digester; ABT: anaerobic biofilm tank; BB: bio-contact oxidation tank+ bio-aeration filter; ASP: activated-sludge process; MBR: membrane bioreactor; CW:constructed wetlands; OP: oxidation pond; SoiT: soil treatment
Fig.5  Three typical modes applied in rural sewage treatment
Fig.6  Management requirements of rural sewage treatment facilities
item main unit management model numbers of facilities
lack of management or a villager part-time full-time management by villagers run by company
mode l membrane bioreactor (MBR) 2 3 1 6
bio-contact oxidation tank 9 5 1 15
activated-sludge process 14 3 0 17
mode 2 anaerobic biofilm tank+ constructed wetlands 5 0 0 5
anaerobic biofilm tank+ lagoon 1 0 0 1
anaerobic biofilm tank+ soil treatment 4 0 0 4
mode 3 activated-sludge process+ constructed wetlands 2 1 0 3
activated-sludge process+ lagoon 0 0 1 1
bio-contact oxidation tank+ constructed wetlands 6 3 0 9
bio-contact oxidation tank+ soil treatment 0 1 0 1
Tab.1  Management of sewage treatment facilities in rural areas in China
item mode 1 mode 2 mode 3 Grade IA Grade IB Grade II
range average range average range average
COD/(mg·L-1) 45–91 65 65–110 80 32–58 57 50 60 100
T-N/(mg·L-1) 18–37 30.2 110–181 40 8–19 28 15 20 –
NH4-N/(mg·L-1) 25–39 12 90–185 27 5–11 7 5(8) 8(15) 25(30)
TP/(mg·L-1) 17–27 3 0.1–2 0.7 0.1–1 0.5 0.5 1 3
Tab.2  Effluent quality from rural sewage treatment facilities
mode main technologies investment/CNY operating costs/CNY footprint/(m2·m-3) numbers of facilities
range average range average range average
mode 1 membrane bioreactor (MBR) 2247–10000 7149.40 0.12–1.20 0.60 0.46–1.0 0.83 6
bio-contact oxidation 1500–10200 4089.78 0.138–1.2 0.47 0.5–4.7 1.27 15
Activated-sludge 1500–12000 4006.80 0.14–0.76 0.36 0.37–6 1.56 17
mode 2 anaerobic biofilm+ constructed wetlands 400–2285 1196.40 0–0.30 0.16 4.4–8 5.83 5
anaerobic biofilm tank+ lagoon – 2190.00 – 0.10 – 5.00 1
anaerobic biofilm tank+ soil treatment 2000–4000 2875.00 0–0.50 0.16 2–10.1 5.53 4
mode 3 activated-sludge process+ constructed wetlands 400–1200 6200.00 0.25–0.67 0.43 5.0–15 8.67 3
activated-sludge+ lagoon – 12500.00 – 0.56 – 9.00 1
bio-contact oxidation tank+ constructed wetlands 1140–7200 2832.78 0–0.40 0.17 2–6.5 4.25 9
bio-contact oxidation tank+ soil treatment – 11500.00 – 0.27 10.00 1
Tab.3  Investment costs, operating costs, and footprints of the three modes of technology used in rural sewage treatment facilities
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