Phosphorus reduction in filters for on-site wastewater treatment

Abstract Discharges of phosphorus (P) from on-site wastewater treatment systems generally contribute to eutrophication problems in Swedish freshwaters and, ultimately, in the Baltic Sea. Such concerns have led to a growing interest in improving P removal in treatment facilities. This study investigated the reduction of P in 12 full-scale on-site treatment systems featuring sand filters and alkaline P-filters by sampling and analysing filter influents and effluents. The flow-proportional samples collected were analysed for total and dissolved P, BOD 7 , total and dissolved organic carbon (TOC and DOC), and pH. Seven of the eight investigated sand filters did not provide satisfactory total P reduction; the likely explanations are filter clogging and wastewater dilution by extraneous water. In addition, effluents from four of the eight sand filters had total P concentrations higher than 3 mg L −1 , which is the Swedish effluent limit recommended for common receiving waters, indicating that a subsequent polishing step would be needed. Six of the nine investigated P-filters reduced P adequately, with total P concentrations in the effluent ranging between 0.1 and 1.9 mg L −1 . The three underperforming P-filters had effluent pH values below 9; filter age, clogging, and hydraulic overload were identified as probable reasons for their poor performance. A statistically significant correlation was found between total-P reduction and filtrate pH, but no significant correlation was detected between organic load in the influent and P reduction by the P-filters. The P-filter media replacement frequency could not be established, but filtrate pH appeared to be a good estimator.