Effect of wastewater water from Jsv "Agaras" slaughterhouse on the quality of water in Juodupe river

Abstract

Wastewater form slaughterhouses distinguishes itself with high concentrations of pollutants. To diminish the effect of slaughterhouses pollutants on the enviroment, different techniques to treat wastewater are used. In JSV"Agaras“ to treat wastewater from slaughterhouses a two stage treating facility with constructed wetlands was installed. Industrial wastewater treated in a natural system and untreated surface wastewater from the area of production are disharged into the Jupodupe river. This study looks into the effect of wastewater from JSV „Agaras“ on the water quality in the Juodupe river during the period of 2007-2010. It has been determined that pollution of surface wastewater form production areas of slaugterhouse does not exceed limit vlaues and can be disharged into the Juodupe river without further treating. The quality of treated wastewater did not deteriorate under the main indexes of pollution during the period of investigation and therefore conformed to the environmental requirements. This demonstrates that wastewater treatment facility with two-stage filters of sand-reed horizontal filtration works effectively. Investigation did not determine any negative effect of wastewater from slaughterhouses on the quality of the Juodupe river in the period of investigation. In 2010 the quality of water in the Juodupe river above and below the production area did not conform to the criteria of good class of environmental state according to nitrates and general nitrogen. River pollution is more often influenced by intensive agricultural activity carried out in the river catchment than it is by wastewater water discharged from slaugterhouses, as water below the slaughterhouse in separate cases was better than above the slaughterhouse.