ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A SAMPLING PLAN

A thorough and detailed description of your entire wastewater treatment process provides important information necessary to the development of your sampling plan. A complete descrip-tion of the wastewater treatment process from the headworks through disinfection will provide information pertinent to the selection of sampling points, collection of a representative sample, and interpretation of analytical results. The descrip-tion of your wastewater treatment process should include the following items: General Description: Identify the type of treatment at your facility and the permitted design capacity (in million gallons per day – mgd) of the facility. For example, is the facility an aerated lagoon, rotating biological contactor (RBC), or conventional activated sludge facility? A flow diagram or schematic is a useful way to provide a general description of the facility and its treatment processes. The flow diagram or schematic should also identify the sample collection sites. Industrial Pretreatment: Although industrial pretreatment is not a unit process at a POTW, it is a function of wastewater treatment that can have a profound effect on sludge quality. Effective industrial pretreatment is one of the foremost reasons why land application of biosolids ha