Characteristics of Waste Water and Guidelines for Effluent Quality

Wastewater is any water that has been contaminated by human use. Wastewater is used water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial, or agricultural activities. The characteristics of wastewater vary depending on the source. Wastewater can contain physical, chemical, and biological pollutants. Wastewater that is discharged to the environment without suitable treatment can cause water pollution.

The National Environmental Quality Emissions Guidelines of Myanmar were issued in 2015. They set national standards for contaminant concentrations in wastewater discharge for different industrial sectors. The standards are technology-based, i.e. the pollution level (characteristics) of effluent which can be approved by analytical testing method. Businesses in the F&B sector are required to comply with these threshold values.

Wastewater tests can be done in accredited laboratories. Before designing any wastewater treatment system, the raw wastewater quality has to be tested to identify any harmful contaminants and their concentrations, in order to ensure that a suitable system can be designed. The test is also run for the treated quality of water and wastewater treatment systems to verify their performance. This will make sure the quality of treated water meets the national Emission Guidelines. With the support of Tha Bar Wa project, MFPEA provides the service of wastewater analysis for business owners.

To learn more about how the current emissions of your enterprise and options to become legally compliant, please contact the MFPEA helpdesk at: 09 263213270, mfpea.office@gmail.com

The three main characteristics of wastewater are classified below: 

1. Physical Characteristics

  • Turbidity 
  • Color 
  • Odour 
  • Total solids
  • Temperature    

2. Chemical Characteristics       

  • Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 
  • Total Organic Carbon (TOC) 
  • Nitrogen 
  • Phosphorus 
  • Chlorides 
  • Sulfates 
  • Alkalinity 
  • pH 
  • Heavy Metals 
  • Trace Elements 
  • Priority Pollutants 

3. Biological Characteristics due to Contaminants 

  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 
  • Oxygen required for nitrification
  • Microbial population (Total Coliform and E-coli)
Photo@Tha Bar Wa/WWF-Myanmar
Photo@Tha Bar Wa/WWF-Myanmar
Photo@Tha Bar Wa/WWF-Myanmar
Photo@Tha Bar Wa/WWF-Myanmar

The following table presents the threshold values for the effluent quality of general Food processing, Dairy processing, and Vegetable Oil processing companies, as detailed in the National Environmental Quality (Emissions) Guidelines.

Effluent level of Food Processing

Parameter

Unit

Guideline Value

5-day Biochemical oxygen demand

mg/l

50

Active ingredients/Antibiotics

To be determined on a case specific basis

Chemical oxygen demand

mg/l

250

Oil and grease

mg/l

10

pH

Standard unit

6-9

Temperature increase

°C

<3

Total coliform bacteria

100 ml

400

Total nitrogen

mg/l

10

Total phosphorus

mg/l

2

Total suspended solids

mg/l

50

Effluent level of Dairy Processing

Parameter

Unit

Guideline Value

5-day Biochemical oxygen demand

mg/l

50

Active ingredients/Antibiotics

To be determined on a case specific basis

Chemical oxygen demand

mg/l

250

Oil and grease

mg/l

10

pH

Standard unit

6-9

Temperature increase

°C

<3

Total coliform bacteria

100 ml

400

Total nitrogen

mg/l

10

Total phosphorus

mg/l

2

Total suspended solids

mg/l

50

Effluent level of Vegetable Oil Production and Processing

Parameter

Unit

Guideline Value

5-day Biochemical oxygen demand

mg/l

50

Active ingredients/Antibiotics

To be determined on a case specific basis

Chemical oxygen demand

mg/l

250

Oil and grease

mg/l

10

pH

Standard unit

6-9

Temperature increase

°C

<3

Total coliform bacteria

100 ml

400

Total nitrogen

mg/l

10

Total phosphorus

mg/l

2

Total suspended solids

mg/l

50

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