WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND SEWERAGE - 2021/2

Module Overview

This module is one of the core subjects (Environmental Engineering) and the module provides a broad ranging overview of elements of wastewater treatment and sanitation systems, including the design approaches, sewerage systems and sustainable urban drainage system (SuDs). Major wastewater (sewage) treatment processes will be covered in detail, with inputs from both academics and professionals working in the sector. The primary JBM threads for this module include: Design, Sustainability and Health and Safety Risk Management; and this module covers Professionalism and Ethics as contributory thread.

Approaches to developing world sanitation and wastewater treatment processes will also be covered in the module. On successful completion of the module, the students are able to show originality in the application of knowledge of sustainable sewerage systems and wastewater treatment to specific situations.

Module provider

Sustainability, Civil & Env Engineering

Module Leader

GUO Bing (Civl Env Eng)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Normally a knowledge of applied chemistry and microbiology to FHEQ Level 6 or module ENGM055 Applied Chemistry and Microbiology.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Rationale behind wastewater treatment- Public and Environmental health, sanitation and European water framework directives (WFD).


• Wastewater collection and conveyance- sewerage system management and design principles; sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs). 


• Wastewater quality and the urban water cycle.


• Biological wastewater treatment and kinetics of wastewater treatment.


• Wastewater treatment unit processes: Activated sludge process (ASP); fixed film wastewater treatment systems (Percolating filters and RBCs).


• Advanced wastewater treatment and reuse- membrane bioreactors (MBRs).


• Waste stabilisation ponds.


• Wastewater treatment process simulation.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• Ability to synthesise and critically assess the need for wastewater treatment for the protection of natural water bodies and public health (LO’s 1 and 4) is assessed through 2 hour unseen examination.


• Analysis of the design principles and evaluation of the unit processes in wastewater collection and treatment (LO’s 2, 3, 4 and 5) is assessed through both coursework and 2 hour unseen examination.


• Proposing appropriate wastewater treatment and drainage schemes  and evaluation of industrial and professional practices on wastewater treatment process design and plant operation and management (LO’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).  This is assessed through the design coursework.


• Analysis and comprehensive understanding of wastewater collection and treatment issues, both in industrialised and developing world, to evaluate the treatment process selection and management strategies (LO’s 1, 4, 5 and 6). This is assessed through both coursework and 2 hour unseen examination.

• Examination [Learning outcomes assessed 1, 2, 3, 4] (2 hours) {70%}


• Coursework on i). Wastewater treatment process and design, and ii). Sewerage and sustainable urban drainage [Learning outcomes assessed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] (37 hours) {30%}

• Formative assessment will be through a range of exercises provided in the lecture notes and discussed in the classroom. In particular, one quiz will be used to provide the formative feedback.


• Students will receive written feedback on the quiz, and verbal feedback will be provided in the classroom.

Module aims

• Provide a systematic understanding and critical awareness of health and environmental issues associated with wastewater.
• Provide a systematic understanding and critical awareness of key factors associated with sanitation and wastewater treatment.
• Describe the key components of wastewater treatment systems: including preliminary, primary, secondary and tertiary treatment unit processes.
• Provide a comprehensive understanding of wastewater treatment process design principles, and ability of carrying out design procedures.
• Provide an understanding of aspects of regulations and legislation associated with wastewater treatment.
• Provide the ability to evaluate conventional and advanced systems for wastewater treatment and reuse.
• Provide a systematic understanding and critical awareness of the principles of sewerage design, operation and maintenance, including sustainable urban drainage system concepts.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

This module provides basic and applied knowledge that is required to serve the sewerage and wastewater management industry and relevant agencies. The knowledge gained in this module, related to, sewerage and drainage, biological wastewater treatment, primary and secondary treatment, advanced wastewater treatment reuse, sludge treatment other unit operations in municipal wastewater treatment, is commonly required for professional contribution in the field of the protection of natural water bodies and public health.

The module is delivered principally by lecturers, but industry experts also deliver few lectures to provide industry relevant practical knowledge.

The learning and teaching activities include lectures, classroom exercises and design coursework:

• Lecture on public and environmental health aspects of wastewater treatment and rationale behind wastewater treatment (3 hours)


• Lecture and classroom exercises on wastewater collection and conveyance (3 hours)


• Lecture and classroom exercises on the fundamentals and design principles of biological wastewater treatment processes (9 hours)


• Lecture on microbiology of wastewater and sanitation in developing countries (3 hours)


• Lecture and exercises on full scale wastewater treatment plant design and UK’s wastewater industry practices (6 hours)


• Lecture on the operation and management of full scale wastewater treatment plants and UK’s wastewater industry practices (3 hours)


• Lecture on waste stabilisation ponds and wastewater management in developing countries (3 hours)


• Lecture and exercise on introduction to wastewater treatment process simulation (3 hours)


• Coursework on design of wastewater treatment plant and sustainable urban drainage systems (37 hours)


• Independent study on wastewater treatment process design principles, wastewater collection and sustainable urban drainage (80 hours)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENGM036

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.