Microbiology of water from the Tucson Sewage Treatment Plant facilities including a pilot filter

Abstract

A research project is being conducted to demonstrate the safety of renovated wastewater for the future recreational water supply to Tucson, As a part of the project, microbiological studies have been done to determine which type of sewage treatment would be the best to charge a pilot filter, based on the total numbers of bacteria, coliforrn density, presence of Salmonella, Shigeila, and enteroviruses in water samples taken at different effluents at the Tucson Sewage Treatment Plant. Samples were tested according to standard methods and the results obtained are the substance of this thesis, Activated sludge treatment reduced 96. 1% of the total bacteria and 88, 6% of the coliforms as compared with trickling filter treatment which reduced only 65% of the total bacteria arid 39, 8% of the coliforms, Holding pond reduced 77% of the total bacteria and 85% of the coliforms, It is concluded that activated sludge effluent should be used to charge the pilot filter. This pilot filter was effective in removing 99, 6% of the total bacteria and 99, 9% of the coliforms, No Salmonella or Shigella species were found under the conditions of this experiment. Enteroviruses were detected in two out of three samples,