48840 Water Supply and Wastewater Engineering
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 65111 Chemistry 1
Description
This subject provides civil and environmental engineering students with a detailed knowledge of: (i) water pollution control objectives, (ii) the design of potable water and sewage treatment processes, (iii) sewerage and water reticulation systems, and (iv) the advanced technologies used in the upgrading of water and wastewater treatment plants, desalination and water and biosolids re-use.
Upon completion of this subject, students are able to design safe public health and environmental, water supply and wastewater disposal; apply design concepts outlines of functions and calculations of main reactors’ sizes for drinking water and sewage treatment plants; sewerage systems and water reticulation systems; and implement and respond to water quality and water re-use objectives.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Identify water pollution control objectives and water quality parameters for drinking water and sewerage systems. (D.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Design potable water and sewage treatment processes for drinking water and sewerage systems. (C.1) |
| 3. | Design solutions for upgrading of existing water and wastewater treatment plants and water re-use. (C.1) |
| 4. | Recognise public health and environmental objectives related to water supply and wastewater disposal. (B.1) |
| 5. | Prepare water supply and waste water engineering reports, which require both theoretical and practical competencies. (E.1) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, interpret and analyse stakeholder needs and cultural perspectives, establish priorities and goals, and identify constraints, uncertainties and risks (social, ethical, cultural, legislative, environmental, economics etc.) to define the system requirements. (B.1)
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design and decision-making methodologies to develop components, systems and processes to meet specified requirements. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply abstraction, mathematics and discipline fundamentals, software, tools and techniques to evaluate, implement and operate systems. (D.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies
This subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies:
- 1.1. Comprehensive, theory based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline.
- 2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
Teaching and learning strategies
Students will achieve the learning outcomes through tutorial sessions, complemented with learning materials in UTS Canvas and online weekly zoom lectures to support skill development in the application of designing water and wastewater treatment processes
There will not be any face-to-face lectures in Autumn 2021 semester. We will upload the PowerPoint slides and audio-recorded lectures. The subject coordinator and teaching staff will hold weekly Zoom sessions (one hour) at the scheduled times to provide short supplementary lectures and to answer the queries of students. The details of the audio-recorded lectures will be provided beforehand in UTS Canvas under the Learning Materials folder.
In this subject, there are numerous formative assessment activities from the beginning of the semester onward that are designed to encourage students to practice using their new knowledge/ skills. Students will receive feedback from the lecturer during weekly Zoom sessions. The lecture materials and weekly Zoom sessions will have a practical focus and include various aspects of water and wastewater engineering technologies/practices. The weekly Zoom sessions will focus on discussion, problem solving and case studies on water and wastewater treatment systems. Students are encouraged to read the indicated materials (notes and PowerPoint slides), listen the audio-recorded lectures and answer the associated tutorials on UTS Canvas before attending the Zoom sessions.
All relevant lecture material including notes, reference material, tutorials, and assessment tasks will be uploaded to Canvas. Teaching materials have a practical focus that aims to complement professional engineering practices.
Content (topics)
• Sewerage systems and water supply systems – water quality and quantity;
• Description and design concepts for sewerage systems;
• Design concepts for reticulation systems;
• Total water cycle management, sewage treatment – water pollution, statutory requirements; primary treatment;
• Biological/ secondary processes;
• Nutrient removal processes
• Tertiary treatment;
• Water reuse practices including membrane processes;
• Potable water treatment – flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, ion-adsorption, disinfection;
• New water quality standards for specific pollutants and technologies used for upgrading on water treatment processes;
• Quality requirements for water recycling and water re-use technologies;
• Cases studies on water reclamation projects, small community and large potable water treatment plants;
• Laboratory session to determine flocculation performance
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Wastewater Treatment and Management Exercise Sets
| Intent: | The aim of this assessment task is to consolidate students’ knowledge of wastewater issues, treatment and management. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | No longer than 10 pages in length |
Assessment task 2: Flocculation Laboratory/Practical Report
| Intent: | The aim of this assessment task is to investigate and validate key theory and principles of flocculation on a laboratory scale to simulate the flocculation process used in a water treatment facility. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1 and 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | No longer than 10 pages in length |
Assessment task 3: Drinking Water Treatment and Management Exercise Sets
| Intent: | The aim of this assessment is to consolidate students’ knowledge of drinking water issues, treatment process description and design. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 3 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | No longer than 10 pages in length |
Assessment task 4: Wastewater or Drinking Water Treatment Plant Report
| Intent: | The aim of this assessment task is to evaluate students’ ability in preparing a wastewater or water supply report. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1, D.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | No longer than 10 pages in length |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.
Required texts
Lecture notes and PowerPoint, provided on UTS Canvas.
Recommended texts
1. Metcalf and Eddy, Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse. 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill Inc., 2002, USA.
2. Vigneswaran, S., Visvanathan, C., Water Treatment: Simple Options. 1995, CRC Press, USA.
3. S. Vigneswaran, (Editor). WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES, in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), 3 volumes, Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, Eolss Publishers, Oxford, UK, [http://www.eolss.net], October, 2009.
4. Vigneswaran, S., Sundaravadivel, M., Chaudary, D., and Kandasamy J. (2007), “Environmental Management”, Scitech Publishers.
Other resources
see UTS Canvas.