The purpose of this study is to analyze the correlation between ecotoxicity and water quality items using Daphnia magna in public sewage treatment plant process and to obtain operational data to control ecotoxicity through research on removal efficiency. The average value of ecotoxicity was 1.39 TU in the influent, 1.50 TU in the grit chamber, and 0.84 TU in the primary settling tank and it was found that most organic matters, nitrogen, and phosphorus were removed through biological treatment in the bioreactor. Using Pearson’s correlation analysis, the positive correlation was confirmed in the order of ecotoxicity and water quality items TOC, BOD, T-N, NH3-N, SS, EC, and Cu. As a result of conducting a multilinear regression analysis with items representing positive correlation as independent variables, the regression model was found to be statistically significant, and the explanatory power of the regression model was about 81.6%. TOC was found to have a significant effect on ecotoxicity with B=0.009 (p<.001) and Cu with B=16.670 (p<.001), and since the B sign is positive (+), an increase of 1 in TOC increases the value of ecotoxicity by 0.009 and an increase in Cu by 1 increases the value of ecotoxicity by 16.670. TOC (β=0.789, p<.001) and Cu (β=0.209, p<.001) were found to have a significant positive effect on ecotoxicity. TOC and Cu have a great effect on ecotoxicity in the sewage treatment plant process, and it is judged that TOC and Cu should be considered preferentially and controlled in order to efficiently control ecotoxicity.

In the context of the Ministry of Environment’s 2022 Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Public Institutions, public sewage treatment plants are one of the important targets for climate change response aimed at sustainable water management. In this study, it is applied a modified methodology to four water regeneration centers (public sewage treatment facilities) in charge of sewage treatment in Seoul to analyze the impacts and risks of climate change and discuss priorities for adaptation measures. The results of the study showed that heavy rains, heat waves, and droughts will be the key impacts of climate change, and highlighted the need for measures to mitigate these risks, especially for facility managers.

Total organic carbon(TOC) was introduced as the water quality index of the rivers and lakes in 2013. This paper evaluated factors affecting effluent TOC concentrations and treated and discharged loads of existing publicly owned treatment works(POTWs). For selected POTWs with greater treatment capacity than 500㎥/day, factorial analysis was used to consider effects of kinds of biological treatment processes, inflow of other types of wastewater(industrial, livestock, landfill leachate wastewater, etc.) with domestic wastewater, sewer separation rate, and effluent discharging zones in which different effluent criteria applied. As a result, those factors did not show significant effect on effluent TOC concentration of POTWs in effluent discharging zone Ⅰ and Ⅱ. However, In effluent discharging zone Ⅲ and Ⅳ, kinds of biological treatment processes, the inclusion of other waste in influent of domestic wastewater, and the sewer separation rate were significant factors. The treated TOC load in POTWs was also not affected significantly by the variables set in this study. On the other hand, those three factors influenced significantly on the TOC load discharged to water bodies. The sum of factorial effects and the contribution rate of three factors to the discharged TOC load was 60.23 and 41%, 59.57 and 41%, and 42.04 and 18%, respectively.

The annual total phosphorus load caused by public wastewater, nightsoil and livestock manure treatment facilities in Korea has been examined macroscopically. Annual domestic average phosphorus (P) inflows through the income of phosphate rock for the last five years (2012 - 2016) were analyzed as 76,598 tons/year. As of the year 2015, the total loadings of phosphorus attributed to public wastewater treatment facilities, nightsoil treatment facilities and livestock wastewater were estimated as 30,269 tons/year, 1,909 tons/year and 18,138 tons/year, respectively. Considering the amount of phosphorus imports, the annual phosphorus load from wastewater, livestock wastewater and excretions is equivalent to 39.5%, 23.7%, 2.5% and totally 65.7%(39.5% + 23.7% + 2.5%). Therefore, the introduction of phosphorus recovery and recycling processes for the public wastewater and livestock manure treatment facilities has been found to be effective because it could reduce the import amount of phosphate rock by up to 60% or more.

In this study, we investigated influent and effluent water pollutants in 53 Public Sewage Treatment Works (PSTWs) where industrial wastewater or landfill leachate is combined four times for two years from 2014 to 2015. Also, we analyzed the characteristics of heavy metals and volatile organic carbons at influent and effluent of these PSTWs caused by sewage treatment combined with industrial wastewater or landfill leachate. As a result, six heavy metals such as barium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc, and four volatile organic carbons (VOCs) including phenols, di(2-)ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), formaldehyde and toluene were observed above detection limits in most of PSTWs. Also, it was revealed that six heavy metals such as hexavalent chromium, mercury, cadmium, chromium, nickel and selenium, and four VOCs including 1,1-dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, naphthalene, and epichlorohydrin were observed more frequently according to precipitation. As a result of reviewing the monitoring data on “Water Quality Monitoring Networks” in lower watersheds of PSTWs, both heavy metals and VOCs were below detection limits, indicating that the effluent water had little influence on the watershed. Nevertheless for the better management of influent and effluent pollutants in PSTWs, it is necessary to establish the advanced management plans for water pollutants in PSTWs, which include a list of priority substances management, monitoring plans, and guidelines for industrial wastewater and landfill leachate combined in PSTWs.

Various kinds of processes are used in the Public Sewage Treatment Works(PSTWs) in order to achieve water quality criteria and TMDL in the watershed. The performance of the existing processes at PSTWs depends on influent characteristics, effluent quality target, amount of sludge production, power cost and other factors. In present, the Selection Guideline for the Available Treatment Process of PSTWs is used for a process decision in the country. But there are some problems regarding redundancy of assessment factors and complexity of assessment procedure in the guideline. In this study, we did a test application of AHP for process selection of PSTWs, which propose is to simplify assessment factors such as pollutant removal amount, sludge generation, electricity consumption, stability of operation, convenience of maintenance, easiness of existing process application, installation cost, and operating cost concerning of environmental factors, technical factors and economical factors. According to the study, the PSTWs selection procedure guideline can be improved using application of AHP method.

Evaluation and comparison for the performance on the contracting-out became possible after the introduction of the performance indicators(PIs) in 2012 in Korea, And local governments and private companies are utilizing them as evaluation data to enhance the performance of the contracting-out. Several revisions on performance indicator were carried out by expert group on contents validity of PIs, But the review of the composition validity of PIs was not sufficient. In this study, the applicability, distinction ability and composition validity of PIs is evaluated by statistical method. From the results, Improvement of indicator is required in order to increase the interrelationship among indicators to enhance the compostion validity of indicators related with operation, sludge and water reuse

In accordance with the Watershed Sewer System Maintenance Plan enforced on February 2, 2013, the different compliance concentration of effluent limit be applied to effluent discharged from public sewage treatment works(PSTWs) in each watershed on the basis of water quality thereof. With the introduction of watershed sewer system, it is necessary to set the compliance concentration of effluent limit for PSTWs situated in the watershed, by region and PSTW size, to achieve water quality criteria for regional watersheds or target water quality under TMDL program. Watershed Environmental Agencies establish the Watershed Sewer System Maintenance Plan and set the compliance concentrations of effluent limit for PSTWs under the plan. The agencies plan to apply tougher effluent BOD concentration limits in Class Ⅰ to Ⅳ areas. Effluent BOD concentration limits will be toughened from 5~10 mg/L to 3 mg/L in class Ⅱ~Ⅲ areas, from 10mg/L to 5mg/L in class Ⅳ areas. Uniform application of effluent BOD concentration limits to PSTWs in the watershed sewer system need to be complemented considering type of sewage treatment technology employed and watershed characteristics. Therefore, this study presents method to determine the compliance concentration of effluent limit from PSTWs in the watershed.

Under Korea’s Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Environmental Policy amended in 2013, total organic carbon (TOC) is newly added as water quality parameter to assess organic pollution in the aquatic ecosystem. To meet the TOC requirement and improve quality of effluent discharged into public watershed, it is also necessary to develop standards for TOC in effluent from public sewage treatment works (PSTWs).In this study, we reviewed the characteristics and removal efficiency of TOC in influent and effluent of PSTWs. The study found that phosphorus treatment process removed not only soluble phosphorus but also a portion of TOC remaining after the secondary treatment process. TOC concentration in effluent from PSTWs operated in tandem with industrial wastewater treatment work was higher due to influx of insoluble substances from the industrial wastewater treatment work.In order to lay a foundation for the management of TOC from PSTWs, it is necessary to carry out research on TOC from different perspectives. For example, studies on the generation mechanism of TOC and the impact of TOC on drinking water resources, assessment of effluent qualities through monitoring, and development of measures to control TOC for the preservation of aquatic ecosystem are needed.

본 연구에서는 공공하수처리시설의 효율적인 관리방안 제시를 위하여 2008년~2010년까지 28개소의 공공하수처리시설에 대하여 복합악취와 지정악취물질(22종)을 대상으로 악취실태조사 및 원인분석을 실시하였다. 조사결과 전처리 공정과 슬러지 처리공정에서 주로 고농도의 악취가 발생되고 있었으며, 황화수소와 메틸머캅탄 등의 황화합물류가 주요 악취원인물질로 조사되었다. 공공하수처리시설에서 발생되는 악취는 유입수의 성상에 따라 차이가 있으며, 유입수에서의 복합악취는 67배~66,943배, 황화수소는 ND~66.87 ppm으로 조사되었다. A 하수처리시설 유량 조정조에서의 복합악취와 황화수소는 교반시 각각 3,000배, 6.23 ppm, 비교반시 각각 300배, 0.20 ppm으로 조사되었다. 유입 분배조와 생슬러지 분배조는 하수와 슬러지 이송 파이프 라인의 낙차에 의해 내부에 양(+)압이 형성되므로 파이프 라인의 연장과 악취포집설비를 정상적으로 설치․운영하여 내부를 음(-)압 상태로 유지할 필요가 있다.