Chemical engineers move to improve waste treatment

The Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers, Abuja and Nasarawa State chapter, has embarked on a study of the use of chemicals in wastewater treatment and to improve some areas of the process. The chairman of the association, Engr Onyekachi Omakaonu, stated this when the group visited WUPA sewage treatment plant in Abuja recently. Engr Mohammed […]

The Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers, Abuja and Nasarawa State chapter, has embarked on a study of the use of chemicals in wastewater treatment and to improve some areas of the process.

The chairman of the association, Engr Onyekachi Omakaonu, stated this when the group visited WUPA sewage treatment plant in Abuja recently.

Engr Mohammed Abudulrahaman, a Deputy Director with Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the head of the plant had disclosed that the major challenge of running the plant was funding. He said the Federal Government spent the sum of N136 million for the maintenance of the plant every three months.

He said also that the plant has the challenge of shortage of technology. “We do not have bio-digester and we use generator 24 hours. We use 40,000 litres of diesel every 10 days.”

“We treat waste water from the city from phase 1 to 3 before we discharge it into the river. We have to reduce the load on the waste water so that at the end of the day when you discharge the load is completely removed,” he said.

Engr Omakaonu however revealed that the government is in the process of commercializing the plant, saying it is now being run by Nigerian engineers as the first step and the second is the concession.

He said: “We carried out plant visit to the wastewater treatment plant which is part of an engineering study. We studied waste treatment plant now which is like having a practical aspect of it, especially for our young engineers.” 

He explained further that it was part of learning especially for the young individuals who might not have seen the practical aspect, stressing that this is an opportunity for them to really learn of what they have been studying; so visiting the plant makes a difference.

Dr Boniface Wada, a member of the association, said the visit meant a lot because it gave them the opportunity to give some advice in areas that they observed were different from what actually obtained elsewhere. 

He said: “Many areas need improvement. We are in an economic world, so for you to invest some amount of money you must get something that should be a revenue generating enterprise and not just something that you do for the sake of treating water without getting anything.” 

Engr Mahmud Abubakar said the plant could be improved so that the treated water could be used for irrigation to produce food and the sludge could be used as organic manure if properly processed. 

Revenue can also be generated from a lot of things and used to run the place, he suggested.