Fine Mesh, Rotating Belt Sieve for Primary Treatment of Municipal Wastewater: Pilot Project Results

Fine mesh, rotating belt sieves have been used successfully for primary treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater, particularly in Europe. These devices were developed in response to strict European Union primary treatment standards, including total suspended solids (TSS) removal rates of 50% and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) removal rates of 20%. A pilot project was undertaken at the Marengo, Illinois municipal wastewater treatment facility to examine the efficacy of this device for primary treatment. The pilot project was operated from January through June 2007 yielding long-term, steady-state results. Over the 6-month period, the average TSS removal rate was 56% and the average BOD removal rate was 31%. Results from this project suggest fine mesh sieves can be efficacious for primary treatment of municipal wastewater.