CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Surface water treatment for domestic supply generally includes coagulation/ flocculation stage, using

aluminium and iron salts e.g. Aluminium sulphate as coagulant. Particulate, colloidal and soluble contaminants are entrapped or adsorbed on aluminium hydroxide flocs and further removed from the liquid phase by sedimentation. Since dried sludges have high aluminium content, recycling this metal has become a significant economic and environmental issue. Researches have shown that water works sludge contains about 39% aluminium by weight after coagulation. Studies have shown that free and complexes aluminium species are toxic to aquatic life, including benthic organisms. Research result has also revealed aluminiums contributory influence to occurrence of Alzheimers disease and other ne. Consequently, the water treatment sludge must be handled in accordance with environmental regulations in force particularly in this era when emphasis is on green technology. According to environmental protection regulations, it is required to minimize the quantity of wastes produced or where possible, the wastes should be re-used or processed as secondary raw materials and where this is not possible; the solid should be put back in the environment where the space occupied should be as little as possible and at a minimum cost. Generally, the methods of recovery of coagulants from water works sludge are acidification, alkalization, ion exchange and membrane separation. However, a combination of these methods may be used to achieve a higher recovery. Aluminium recovery using the above mentioned methods can reach 70-90% according to literature. Coagulants used in many water treatment processes are increasing in cost and supply problems. For this reason, finding more efficient means for reclaiming and reusing these chemicals would offer substantial economic benefits in the operation of water treatment systems. BACKGROUND Marondera Municipality is located 72km to the east of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe and it lies under the Mazoe water catchment area. It has an estimated population of 100000 as per last census mapping. The main source of drinking water in Marondera is from Longlands water treatment plant. The treatment plant receives raw water from four major dams, Rufaro dam, Nyambuya dam, Nyakambiri dam and Wenimbe dam; collectively the dams have a usable capacity of 29606 mega litres. Rufaro dam and Nyambuya dam lies downstream of the Longlands water treatment plant. At the present moment the plant has a design capacity of producing 13.5 ML of water daily and a maximum capacity of producing 20ML of water. The capacity production of the plant is set to increase to a maximum production capacity of 40ML.

Aluminium sulphate is the sole coagulant used at longlands water treatment plant such that aluminium hydroxide dominates the resulting residuals. A significant amount of water (7% of the total raw water received) is lost during backwash and Desludging process. Currently a maximum of 1.4ML per day is lost as residual; this is set to double to 2.8ML per day. A recycle stream which was in place was vandalized almost 15 years ago, all the residual is being discharged into the drainage system which leads to Rufaro dam one of the major source of raw water used at the plant. Alum (Al 2(SO4)3.14H2O) is commonly used in water treatment processes as a coagulant(Degrmont, 1991). The principle behind the use of aluminium sulphate is that it contains positively charged trivalent aluminium particles that will react with the alkalinity in the raw water to give aluminium hydroxide flocs, Al (OH)3, which are denser than the original individual suspended solid particles and can settle easily (Degrmont, 1991). The doses usually required of coagulants are 20-70 mg/l (Tebutt, 1998). Water treatment works generally produce residues that comprise the sludge from the sedimentation tanks or clarifiers following chemical coagulation, or precipitation and softening, and the backwash waters from the backwashing of the sand filters after the filtration process (Viessman and Hammer, 1998). The mixture of sludge and backwash water is termed residues, a term that is adopted in this study (Viessman and Hammer, 1998). Longlands water treatment plant also generates these residues. Aluminium hydroxide, Al (OH)3, flocs are dominant in these waste products ( hence, the name alum residues or sludge), as well as silt, clay, sand and humic particles removed from the raw water and any other chemicals used during the process (Elliott et al., 1990; Viessman and Hammer, 1998). PROBLEM STATEMENT Marondera municipality is faced with challenges emanating from longlands water treatment plant. The challenges are, metal (aluminium) pollution of fresh water resources resulting from large volumes of sludge discharge, about 7% loss of water due to backwashing and Desludging process and the ever escalating prices of primary coagulant (aluminium sulphate). These challenges require an engineering solution to be developed. AIMS To ascertain the amount of aluminium present in the sludge produced at the plant experimentally To determine the quantity of aluminium which can be recovered from the sludge and its effectiveness as coagulant during reuse To minimize cost of purchasing chemicals To safeguard the aquatic life and the environment at large

OBJECTIVES To carry out experiments to determine quantities of aluminium in sludge, which can be recovered and its effectiveness as a coagulant. To combine the acid leaching and ion exchange methods of aluminium recovery. Produce an impurity free aluminium solution which is suitable for reuse. To design an aluminium recovery plant for Longlands water treatment plant with a capacity of treating 3ML of residuals produced. To minimise water losses from 7% to 2%.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS Is it technically feasible to recovery aluminium from water treatment sludge? How much aluminium can be recovered? How effective is the aluminium during reuse? What is the cost benefit of the whole project? Which environmental considerations were made in the design project? How are the waste products going to be handled?

RESEARCH JUSTIFICATION To justify this design project the following important points can be noted: Protection of aquatic life as well as human life from metal pollution can be achieved if this design project is undertaken. It adds an economic value to the municipality because expenses on chemical procurement will be reduced since the aluminium will be continuously reclaimed. Water losses being experienced will be reduced. Since the coagulants in use are non-renewable minerals, conservation of these resources can be achieved. The waste that is produced will be non-toxic and it can be used for landfill.

Overall, this research project will continue to contribute to the scientific body of knowledge on impacts of wastes from water treatment works on aquatic resources.

This project is also a move towards achieving some of the Millennium Development Goals to which Zimbabwe is a signatory, particularly, Millennium Development Goal Number 7 of ensuring environmental sustainability. This study is also in line with the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principle on ensuring ecological integrity of the environment.

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Longlands water treatment process