An innovative way to treat acidic wastewater

By Paul Chapple, Green Turtle Technologies

Industrial wastewater with a low pH is acidic wastewater, a common problem for many industries. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations require that pH, among other contaminants, be controlled to certain levels before they are discharged to a natural body of water or municipal sewer system. Unlike contaminants that can be surcharged, such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), or solvent extractable matter of animal or vegetable origin (grease and oil), pH cannot be surcharged, and, therefore, must be treated before it is released.

The ranges in acceptable pH discharge levels are usually from 5.5 to 10.5, but the actual levels are given in each region or city sewer discharge by-law. For example, the Region of Peel, Ontario, by-law for discharges to sanitary sewers gives the pH limit range as 5.5 to 9.5. Any corporation that is found to have pH discharge levels below 5.5 or above 9.5 can be charged $50,000 for the first offence, and $100,000 for any subsequent conviction.

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