Quality of Wastewater Indicator
Why is the quality of wastewater important?
Municipal wastewater contains contaminants such as suspended solids, biodegradable organics, pathogens and nutrients. Left untreated, these contaminants would enter our waterways, affecting our drinking water source and our fisheries, and reducing the recreational value of the waterways.
Municipal wastewater treatment facilities are designed to reduce suspended solids, biodegradable organics and pathogens to acceptable levels prior to disposal. Additional wastewater treatment processes may be required to reduce levels of nutrients if the wastewater is to be discharged to a delicate ecosystem.
Many industrial wastewaters require pre-treatment to remove non-compatible substances such as heavy metals prior to discharge into the municipal system. Municipal wastewater treatment facilities are designed to treat municipal waste only.
The City of Windsor's Two Wastewater Treatment Plants
The Lou Romano Water Reclamation Plant (LRWRP) located on Ojibway Parkway was first commissioned in 1970 with many upgrades and improvements since. The LRWRP is a secondary, physical-chemical pollution control plant with a current primary treatment capacity of 273,000 m3/day and a secondary treatment capacity of 218,000 m3/day. The Little River Pollution Control Plant (LRPCP) located on Little River Boulevard was first commissioned in 1966 with expansions and upgrades occurring in 1974 and the 1990s. The LRPCP has two separate systems, the first with a capacity of 36,400 m3/day and the second with a capacity of 27,300 m3/day.
How are we doing?
Both treatment facilities take daily influent and effluent samples. This data is used to determine the removal efficiency of certain contaminants from the wastewater. A review of the removal efficiencies also allows us to understand how efficient the facilities are in treating the wastewater.
Lou Romano Water Reclamation Plant Removal Efficiency (Percent Removed)
As shown in the chart above, the percentage of contaminants removed from wastewater at the Lou Romano Water Reclamation Plant has increased. Note: In 2007, the Lou Romano plant began measuring Carbonaceous Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in its effluent in place of Total BOD. This does not allow for a completely direct comparison.
Little River Pollution Control Plant Removal Efficiency (Percent Removed)
