The Influence of Household Wastewater Treatment Plants with Drainage System on the Quality of Groundwater in the Lublin Province, Poland
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Journal of Ecological Engineering Journal of Ecological Engineering 2021, 22(3), 18–39 Received: 2020.12.16 https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/132545 Accepted: 2021.01.14 ISSN 2299-8993, License CC-BY 4.0 Published: 2021.02.01 The Influence of Household Wastewater Treatment Plants with Drainage System on the Quality of Groundwater in the Lublin Province, Poland Krzysztof Jóźwiakowski1*, Michał Marzec1, Agnieszka Listosz1, Magdalena Gizińska-Górna1, Agnieszka Micek1, Aneta Pytka1, Patrycja Pochwatka1, Kamila Rybczyńska-Tkaczyk2 1 Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland 2 Department of Environmental Microbiology, Laboratory of Mycology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland * Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The work presented the assessment of household wastewater treatment plants with drainage systems on the qual- ity of groundwater in dug wells and deep water wells in the area of 3 selected communes (Drelów, Dębowa Kłoda and Urszulin), located in the Lublin province in south-eastern Poland. The investigations of the physicochemical composition of water from selected 28 dug wells and 2 deep water wells were conducted from June to July 2020, involving 9 measurement series. The microbiological studies consisted in 4 measurement series. The composition of the wastewater from primary settling tanks discharged to soil via drainage systems located in the vicinity of consid- ered wells was also examined on a single occasion. The studies indicate that the water from wells are significantly polluted with ammonia, nitrites, as well as compounds of natural origin: iron and manganese. The presence of mi- crobiological pollution of fecal origin was noted. The studies clearly indicate the possible pollution of the analyzed well waters with domestic sewage discharged to soil via drainage systems. Therefore, it necessary to take the actions aimed at improving the quality of groundwater in the Lublin province, including limitation of drainage systems, es- pecially in the areas with unfavorable subsurface and hydrological conditions as well as low water supply coverage. The need to introduce changes in legal regulations and strategies for the development of technical infrastructure in counties, favoring the most efficient, as well as simple and inexpensive technologies, was indicated. Keywords: household wastewater treatment plants, drainage system, water quality, wells, groundwater, physical and chemical pollutants, microbiological pollutants INTRODUCTION to water supply network, whereas only 41% had access to a sewage system [GUS 2019a]. In turn, One of the prerequisites for maintaining good in the Lublin province, 80.6% of rural population quality of environment in a given area is the cre- was connected to a water supply network, but only ation of an appropriate water and sewage infra- 21.8% used a sewage system [Statistical Office in structure. Despite a significant progress which Lublin, 2019]. One of the main reasons for a slow occurred in the previous 20 years, the population development of the sewage infrastructure in rural of Poland, especially the people inhabiting rural areas of Poland, especially in the Lublin province, areas, have a limited access to the water supply is the significant dispersal of settlements, which and sewage infrastructure. According to the data adds to the cost intensity of the investment process. collected in 2018 by the Polish Central Statistical In accordance with the Water Act [2017] as Office, 85% of people in rural areas had access well as the Announcement of the Marshal of the 18 Journal of Ecological Engineering 2021, 22(3), 18–39 Sejm of the Republic of Poland 2020, installation small amounts of sewage. Therefore, the cheapest of individual wastewater treatment systems, en- systems, which usually do not provide adequate suring appropriate level of environmental protec- protection for the groundwater resources, consti- tion, is recommended in the areas with low settle- tute the majority of household wastewater treat- ment aggregation index. Currently, the sewage in ment plants. The questionnaire survey conducted rural areas with dispersed settlements is accumu- in 2020 in 71 communes of the Lublin province lated in holding tanks and transported to collec- indicates that among the employed technologi- tive treatment plants (90% of sewage) or treated cal solutions, the plants with drainage systems in household wastewater treatment plants (10% of are most popular (84.5%), followed by the plants sewage). The data of the Polish Central Statistical with activated sludge (10.6%) and constricted Office [2019b] indicate that by the end of 2018 wetland systems (2.5%), systems with biological there were 2 163 thousand holding tanks and 257 bed (1.2%) or hybrid systems (activated sludge + thousand household wastewater treatment plants trickling filter) (1.2%) (Figure 1). in Poland, 92% of which operated in rural areas. The presented data indicate that the plants with In recent years, household wastewater treatment drainage systems remain the most popular solu- plants have become increasingly popular element tion. The previously conducted questionnaire sur- of sanitary infrastructure in rural areas of Poland veys showed that in the communes located in the [Pawełek, Bugajski 2017; Skrzypiec et al. 2017]. Polesie and Roztocze National Parks, the plants According to Mucha and Mikosz [2009] various with drainage systems constituted 85% and 93%, criteria should be taken into account while con- respectively, among the technological solutions em- sidering the technological variants of household ployed in household wastewater treatment plants wastewater treatment plants, including: ecologi- [Jóźwiakowski et al. 2017; Jóźwiakowski et al. cal (treatment efficiency), environmental (impact 2018]. Similarly high (>80%) share of plants with on the environment and aesthetics), technical drainage systems was also noted in the Parczew (cutting edge solutions, simplicity and ease of and Biała Podlaska counties, located in the Lublin operation), reliability (reliability of operation) province [Micek et al. 2018; Jóźwiakowska, Marzec and economic (investment and operational costs) 2020]. The questionnaire surveys previously carried criteria. However, with the current legal regula- out by Jóźwiakowski et al. [2012] in 70 communes tions pertaining to the construction of household located in the Lublin Province also indicated rela- wastewater treatment plants in Poland, the cost of tively high (71%) share of drainage systems in the purchase and installation remains the primary cri- total number of technological solutions employed in terion while selecting the technology for treating household wastewater treatment plants. Figure 1. Kinds of household wastewater treatment plants in the Lublin province in 2020 19 Journal of Ecological Engineering 2021, 22(3), 18–39 In Poland, the question whether the house- soil within the property borders, as well as the hold wastewater treatment plants with drainage lack of legal and administrative bases for con- systems provide treatment or simply discharge trolling the operation of household wastewater non-treated sewage to soil, has been discussed for treatment plants contribute to large scale applica- many years [Błażejewski 1995; Jucherski, Wal- tion of drainage systems and deterioration of the czowski 2001; Paluch, Pulikowski 2004]. Ap- groundwater quality in Lublin province as well as plication of this solution as a stand-alone system in entire country. Further use of household waste- for treating small amounts of wastewater raises water treatment plants with drainage system may serious concerns, i.a. due to the lack of possibil- threaten the public health, especially the popula- ity of controlling its performance. It is also true tion using individual water intakes located with- that in such systems only mechanically treated in the areas of effect of these plants. Therefore, sewage, containing substantial concentrations this subject was considered and investigations of organic, biogenic and microbiological pol- were carried out in order to prove that household lution, is introduced to the environment, which wastewater treatment plants with drainage system may lead to soil and groundwater contamination. should not be employed in Poland for treating Obarska-Pempkowiak [2005] believes that sep- small amounts of sewage. tic tanks combined with drainage systems “con- The main objective of the studies was the as- stitute the solutions which are unacceptable in a sessment of the groundwater quality from indi- longer time-span, because they directly discharge vidual water intakes, located in vicinity of house- to receivers the wastewater which is treated only hold treatment plants with drainage systems, mechanically, and the rural areas in Poland are within the zone of their direct influence. The stud- often characterized by low surface water resourc- ies were conducted in 2020 in three communes of es, in which the capacity for receiving pollution the Lublin province, which have recently realized loads is usually low”. the sanitation programs based on the plants with The multi-annual studies performed by drainage systems. Jóźwiakowski [2003] indicated that the effects of treating wastewater in the plants with drain- age system do not exceed 40% while in the case MATERIALS AND METHODS of BOD5 and COD, they reach up to