Low-cost Household Wastewater Treatment for Communities along the Wang River Lampang Province

Abstract

This research aimed to construct a low-cost household wastewater treatment machine for the community along the Wang River in Mueang District, Lampang Province, and to assess the efficiency of the community wastewater treatment machine. The study involved surveying the discharge of untreated household wastewater into the river, collecting wastewater samples for laboratory analysis, and testing the efficiency of oil absorption using wood charcoal and porous ceramic. The study also included designing and constructing a household wastewater treatment machine, with subsequent calculations of its efficiency. The study found that the average Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value, representing the organic content of household wastewater, was 240 milligrams per liter. The values for oil and fat were measured at 1,488 mg/L. The results of the study on the efficiency of wood charcoal in absorbing fat and oil revealed that a charcoal depth of 0.5 centimeters achieved the highest oil absorption at 91.17%. At the same time, porous ceramics of all sizes demonstrated an average oil absorption rate of 25%. The optimal combination of charcoal and porous ceramic was determined through various ratios. Ratios of 4:1, 1:0.5, and 2:1 exhibited the ability to absorb oil up to 99.82%, 99.78%, and 98.29%, respectively. Additionally, a comparison of the production costs of household wastewater treatment machines in the study with those available in the market showed that the prices in the study were somewhat lower, possibly due to the ease of finding materials and users' ability to assemble the machines.