Evaluating Performance Testing for Fabricated Wastewater Treatment Plant in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70917/fce-2025-010Keywords:
decentralized, domestic wastewater, F-WWTP, septic tank, testing performanceAbstract
The push towards achieving 100% access to wastewater services in Indonesia necessitates the development of cost-effective non-sewer systems. Decentralized wastewater treatment systems, such as septic tanks, are prevalent but often fail to meet effluent quality standards. This study aims to evaluate the performance of various Fabricated Wastewater Treatment Plants (F-WWTP) with test methods adopted from Japanese test methods and adapted to conditions in Indonesia to determine processing unit standards to meet domestic waste quality standards set by the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry. The study was conducted in two stages: opinion polls through stakeholder meetings and performance testing of three small-scale F-WWTPs in Bandung, Indonesia. Stakeholders included various governmental and research institutions. The F-WWTP tested included configurations of anaerobic, anaerobic-aerobic, and anaerobic-anoxic biofilter systems. The performance evaluation was based on physical, chemical, and biological parameters, such as COD, BOD, TSS, and ammonia concentrations, monitored over 12 weeks. Effluent quality varied among the F-WWTPs, with COD concentrations ranging from 25.70 to 215.0 mg/L, BOD from 7.02 to 133.3 mg/L, TSS from 2.98 to 38.70 mg/L, and ammonia from 1.76 to 52.80 mg/L. Statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference in pollutant removal efficiency among the F-WWTPs. The average BOD/COD ratio indicated moderate biodegradability, aligning with findings from other studies. When properly configured and maintained, decentralized wastewater treatment systems can achieve the effluent standards Indonesian regulations require. This study highlights the necessity for reliable performance testing and certification to ensure the quality of decentralized systems, preventing market entry of substandard products. Future research should focus on long-term field performance and developing more efficient treatment configurations.
References
Barnes, R. O., Bertine, K. K., & Goldberg, E. D. (1975). N₂:Ar, nitrification, and denitrification in southern California borderland basin sediments. Limnology and Oceanography, 20, 962–970. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1975.20.6.0962 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1975.20.6.0962
Benefield, L. D. (1990). Biological process design for wastewater treatment. Prentice-Hall.
Bitton, G. (1994). Wastewater microbiology. Wiley-Liss.
Blyashyna, M., Zhukova, V., & Sabili, L. (2018). Processes of biological wastewater treatment for nitrogen, phosphorous removal by immobilized microorganisms. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 92. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2018.127058 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2018.127058
Bugajski, P., Mucha, Z., Jóźwiakowska, K., Muchad, M., & Wójcik, W. (2022). Reliability and probability of organic and biogenic pollutants removal in a constructed wetland wastewater treatment plant in the aspect of its long-term operation. Desalination and Water Treatment, 278, 13–22. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2022.29051 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2022.29051
Darwati, S., & Hastuti, E. (2019). Developing of performance testing scheme for decentralized domestic wastewater treatment plant in Indonesia. Proceedings of the International Conference on Science and Engineering, 2, 301–307. https://doi.org/10.14421/icse.v2.107 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/icse.v2.107
Dehghani, R., Miranzadeh, M. B., Tehrani, A. M., Akbari, H., Iranshahi, L., & Zeraatkar, A. (2018). Evaluation of raw wastewater characteristic and effluent quality in Kashan Wastewater Treatment Plant. Membrane Water Treatment, 9(4), 273–278. https://doi.org/10.12989/mwt.2018.9.4.273
Elis Hastuti, Sri Darwati, Prayatni Soewondo, & Yoshitaka Ebie. (n.d.). Regulation and standards of decentralized domestic wastewater treatment in Indonesia. https://www.jeces.or.jp/spread/pdf/05Indonesia5ws.pdf
Fajri, J. Y., Fujisawa, T., Trinda, Y., Ishiguro, Y., Cui, G., Li, F., & Yamada, T. (2018). Effect of aeration rates on removals of organic carbon and nitrogen in small on-site wastewater treatment system (Johkasou). In SIBE 2017. MATEC Web of Conferences. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201814704008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201814704008
Fauzi, M., Soewondo, P., & Nur, A. (2023a). Treatment of domestic wastewater on fixed-bed reactor using plastic supporting media: A review. Ecological Engineering and Environmental Technology, 24, 276–281. https://doi.org/10.12912/27197050/169240 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12912/27197050/169240
Fauzi, M., Soewondo, P., Nur, A., Handajani, M., Tedjakusuma, T., Oginawati, K., & Setiyawan, A. S. (2023b). Performances of polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles waste as supporting media in domestic wastewater treatment using aerobic fixed-film system. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(10), 30–39. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/169963 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/169963
Fauzi, M., Soewondo, P., Handajani, M., Tedjakusuma, T., Nur, A., & Qadafi, M. (2024). Characteristics and removal of microplastics in urban domestic WWTP system: A case study in Bandung city, Indonesia. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 10, 100999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2024.100999 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2024.100999
Fauzi, M., Soewondo, P., Handajani, M., Tedjakusuma, T., & Nur, A. (2025). Effect of polymer variation as carrier media for microorganism growth in biofilm development using aerobic fixed-biofilm reactor system. Results in Engineering, 25, 104038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104038 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104038
Haandel, H. C., & Lettinga, G. (1994). Anaerobic sewage treatment: A practical guide for regions with a hot climate (3rd ed.). John Wiley and Sons.
Heidrich, A., & Witkowski, A. (2005). Equipment for sewage treatment: Design, calculation examples. Wydawnictwo Seidel Przywecki.
Hulth, S., Aller, R. C., & Gilbert, F. (1999). Coupled anoxic nitrification/manganese reduction in marine sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 63, 49–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00285-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00285-3
Kim, S., Bae, W., Kim, M., Kim, J. O., & Chung, J. (2015). Evaluation of denitrification-nitrification biofilter systems in treating wastewater with low carbon:nitrogen ratios. Journal of Environmental Technology, 36(8), 1035–1043. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2014.971886 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2014.971886
Lesmana, R. Y. (2018). Perencanaan septic tank skala rumah tangga untuk penanganan air limbah. Media Ilmiah Teknik Lingkungan (MITL), 3(2), 21–24. https://doi.org/10.33084/mitl.v3i2.646 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33084/mitl.v3i2.646
Li, C., Yang, J., Wang, X., Wang, E., Li, B., He, R., & Yuan, H. (2015). Removal of nitrogen by heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification of phosphate accumulating bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri YG-24. Bioresource Technology, 182, 18–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.01.100 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.01.100
Li, Y., Park, S. Y., & Zhu, J. (2011). Solid-state anaerobic digestion for methane production from organic waste. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(1), 821–826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2010.07.042 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2010.07.042
Luther, G. W. I., Sundby, B., Lewis, B. L., Brendel, P. J., & Silverberg, N. (1997). Interactions of manganese with the nitrogen cycle: Alternative pathways to dinitrogen. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 61, 4043–4052. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00239-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00239-1
Miller, J. M. (2006). Support to DKI Jakarta for wastewater management (Unpublished draft final report). The World Bank–WSP EAP.
Młynski, D., Chmielowski, K., & Młyńska, A. (2016). Analysis of hydraulic load of a wastewater treatment plant in Jasło. Journal of Water and Land Development, 28, 61–67. https://doi.org/10.1515/jwld-2016-0006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jwld-2016-0006
Putri, P. W. (2017). A decentralised approach to wastewater management in the urbanizing region: The case of Jakarta, Indonesia. Urbanization, 2(2), 245574711774043. https://doi.org/10.1177/2455747117740439 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2455747117740439
Qasim, S. R. (1999). Wastewater treatment plants: Planning, design, and operation (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Rizvi, H. (2011). Sewage treatment by an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) under subtropical conditions [Doctoral dissertation, University of the Punjab].
Said, N. I. (2008). Teknologi pengolahan air minum: Teori dan pengalaman praktis. BPPT.
Shen, Y., Gao, J., & Li, L. (2017). Municipal wastewater treatment via co-immobilized microalgal-bacterial symbiosis: Microorganism growth and nutrients removal. Bioresource Technology, 243, 905–913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.07.041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.07.041
Tchobanoglous, G., Stensel, H. D., Tsuchihashi, R., & Burton, F. (2014). Wastewater engineering: Treatment and resource recovery (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Thamdrup, B., & Dalsgaard, T. (2002). Production of N₂ through anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction in marine sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 68, 1312–1318. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.68.3.1312-1318.2002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.68.3.1312-1318.2002
Van de Graaf, A. A., Mulder, A., De Bruijn, P., Jetten, M. S. M., Robertson, L. A., & Kuenen, J. G. (1995). Anaerobic oxidation of ammonium is a biologically mediated process. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 61, 1246–1251. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.61.4.1246-1251.1995 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.61.4.1246-1251.1995
Wang, X. L., Peng, Y. Z., Wang, S. Y., Fan, J., & Cao, X. M. (2006). Influent of wastewater composition on nitrogen and phosphorus removal and process control in A2O process. Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, 28, 397–404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-006-0044-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-006-0044-5
Water Environment Federation (WEF). (2010). Biofilm reactors (WEF Manual of Practice No. 3). WEF.
Winkler, M., Coats, E. R., & Brinkman, C. K. (2011). Advancing post-anoxic denitrification for biological nutrient removal. Water Research, 45(18), 6119–6130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2011.09.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2011.09.006
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2026-10-19 (2)
- 2025-04-08 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
