Executive summary
Water pollution control and the prevention of contaminated wastewater discharge are core institutional responsibilities for University of Al Maarif (UOA). This report documents UOA’s physical systems, governance, monitoring, and performance metrics for preventing polluted water from entering the environment or municipal water systems, explicitly linked to SDG Indicator 6.3.2 (Percentage of wastewater safely treated).
Because UOA’s exact metered records were unavailable while preparing this draft, the report uses a transparent campus model (10,000 students + 1,200 staff = 11,200 persons) and conservative engineering assumptions to calculate daily water use, wastewater generation, pollutant loads (BOD, COD, TSS, nutrients), treatment plant capacity requirements, and projected effluent quality for various treatment options (primary → secondary → tertiary). All arithmetic is shown and tables are provided so UOA can substitute actual metered figures later.
Key findings from the modelled baseline:
- Estimated campus daily potable water demand: 1,120 m³/day (1,120,000 L/day).
- Estimated wastewater generation (80% of water use): 896 m³/day.
- Raw wastewater pollutant loads (approx.): BOD 358 kg/day, COD 717 kg/day, TSS 269 kg/day, NO₃⁻ 35.8 kg/day.
- A modern secondary biological treatment (activated sludge) would reduce BOD to ~60 mg/L (effluent) and tertiary polishing (membrane/UV/filtration) could reach BOD <20 mg/L — enabling reuse for irrigation and ensuring compliance with national discharge standards.
- Proposed monitoring schedule and sample tables are included. A 24-month implementation roadmap and estimated capital/operational costs (high-level) are provided.
The report concludes with recommendations for immediate actions, monitoring, and a 5-year strategy to achieve >95% safe treatment and beneficial reuse alignment with SDG 6.
1. Scope and objectives
- Document existing and proposed Pollution Prevention Systems (6.3.2) for UOA campus operations.
- Provide quantitative statistics and tables to support SDG 6 reporting, QS Sustainability, and THE Impact submissions.
- Offer engineering design baselines to size treatment, monitoring, and emergency response for polluted water control.
- Create editable templates for campus teams to replace with measured figures.
2. Assumptions and calculation method
2.1 Campus population and water use assumptions (baseline model)
- Students: 10,000
- Academic & admin staff: 1,200
- Total campus population = 11,200 persons
Water use per person (typical institutional average): 100 L/person·day (includes drinking, toilets, showers, labs, kitchens).
Total daily potable water demand = population × water use:
- 11,200 × 100 L/person·day = 1,120,000 L/day = 1,120 m³/day
Wastewater generation fraction: 80% of potable water intake (allows for evaporation, outdoor irrigation, leaks).
- Wastewater = 1,120 m³/day × 0.8 = 896 m³/day
These are baseline parameters in the statistics and tables below. If your measured campus water metering shows different values, simply change the population or per-capita use and recalc.
2.2 Typical raw sewage concentrations used
(typical municipal/university raw wastewater values adjusted for local context)
- BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand): 400 mg/L
- COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand): 800 mg/L
- TSS (Total Suspended Solids): 300 mg/L
- Nitrate (as NO₃⁻): 40 mg/L
- Faecal coliform / E. coli: high (qualitative) — requires disinfection
2.3 Load calculations
Mass load (kg/day) = Flow (m³/day) × concentration (mg/L) / 1000
(1 mg/L = 1 g/m³; dividing by 1000 converts grams to kilograms)
Example (BOD): 896 m³/day × 400 mg/L / 1000 = 358.4 kg BOD/day
All loads in the tables are computed with the above formula and are presented to the nearest appropriate decimal.
3. Baseline statistics and pollutant loads (tables)
Table 1 — Campus water & wastewater summary (baseline model)
| Item | Value (assumption) |
|---|---|
| Students | 10,000 |
| Staff (academic & admin) | 1,200 |
| Total population (P) | 11,200 |
| Per capita water use (L/person·day) | 100 |
| Total potable water demand (L/day) | 1,120,000 |
| Total potable water demand (m³/day) | 1,120.0 |
| Wastewater generation factor | 0.80 |
| Wastewater flow (m³/day) | 896.0 |
Table 2 — Raw wastewater concentrations (assumed typical)
| Parameter | Concentration (mg/L) |
|---|---|
| BOD | 400 |
| COD | 800 |
| TSS | 300 |
| NO₃⁻ (nitrate) | 40 |
| Oil & grease | 50 |
| pH | 6.5–8.5 (variable) |
Table 3 — Pollutant loads (daily)
| Parameter | Conc. (mg/L) | Flow (m³/day) | Load (kg/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOD | 400 | 896.0 | 358.4 |
| COD | 800 | 896.0 | 716.8 |
| TSS | 300 | 896.0 | 268.8 |
| NO₃⁻ | 40 | 896.0 | 35.84 |
| Oil & grease | 50 | 896.0 | 44.8 |
4. Treatment scenarios and projected effluent quality
To prevent polluted water entering the environment, UOA should operate a stepwise treatment train. The three main scenarios modelled below assume standard removals:
- Primary only: coarse screening, grit removal, primary sedimentation — typical removals: BOD 30%, TSS 50%
- Secondary (activated sludge): combined with primary — typical overall removals after secondary: BOD 85%, COD 75%, TSS 85%
- Tertiary polishing (filtration + disinfection ± membrane): target removals up to 95% or higher; required for reuse.
Table 4 — Effluent concentrations under three treatment scenarios (model)
| Parameter | Raw (mg/L) | Primary effluent (mg/L) | Secondary effluent (mg/L) | Tertiary effluent (mg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOD | 400 | 280 (30% removal) | 60 (85% removal) | 20 (95% removal) |
| COD | 800 | 560 | 200 (75% removal) | 40 (95% removal) |
| TSS | 300 | 150 (50% removal) | 45 (85% removal) | 15 (95% removal) |
| NO₃⁻ | 40 | 40 (no primary) | 30 (assumes nitrification/denitrification partial) | 10 (advanced nutrient control) |
| E. coli | Very high | Reduced | Low (need disinfection) | <100 CFU/100 mL (safe for irrigation) |
Implications:
- Secondary treatment typically produces effluent meeting many national discharge standards for non-sensitive receiving waters, but for reuse (irrigation, flushing) and to protect fragile local waters, tertiary polishing and disinfection are recommended.
- For irrigation reuse per WHO guidelines, BOD < 20–30 mg/L, TSS < 50 mg/L, and E. coli < 1000 CFU/100 mL (depending on crop/contact) are often used as design targets; UOA’s tertiary targets achieve stricter levels.
Table 5 — Daily pollutant mass discharged under scenarios (kg/day)
| Parameter | Raw load (kg/day) | After primary (kg/day) | After secondary (kg/day) | After tertiary (kg/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOD | 358.4 | 250.9 | 53.8 | 17.9 |
| COD | 716.8 | 501.8 | 179.2 | 35.8 |
| TSS | 268.8 | 134.4 | 40.3 | 13.4 |
(Load after treatment = Raw load × (1 − removal fraction))
5. Influence on SDG 6.3.2 — Safe treatment percentage
SDG Indicator 6.3.2 measures the percentage of wastewater safely treated. For campus reporting:
- If UOA implements secondary treatment plus disinfection, we model safe treatment of ~95% of campus wastewater (by volume) — i.e., the entire generated wastewater is routed to a functioning WWTF; what matters is whether the treatment meets safety standards.
- In baseline (no on-site treatment, direct discharge), safe treatment = 0% (if sewage is dumped untreated).
- The target for UOA: >95% of wastewater safely treated and reuse of at least 50% of tertiary-treated effluent for irrigation/flushing by 2028.
6. Pollution prevention measures (protocols & systems)
This section describes concrete engineering controls and operational protocols to prevent polluted water leaving campus or entering municipal systems untreated.
6.1 Source control and segregation
- Hazardous chemical stewardship: chemical purchasing controls, storage cabinets, secondary containment, lab SOPs (no direct sink disposal of hazardous reagents).
- Segregation of flows: separate piping for blackwater, greywater, laboratory effluent, and stormwater. Colour-coded manholes and labels.
- Pre-treatment at source: neutralization tanks for acid/base lab effluents; solvent/organic collectors where appropriate.
6.2 Physical infrastructure
- On-site WWTF sized for 1,200–1,500 m³/day (to allow future campus growth) with modular stages (primary → secondary → tertiary).
- Grease traps and FOG interceptors for kitchens.
- First-flush stormwater diverters and sedimentation ponds.
- Constructed wetlands or polishing ponds for overflow and biodiversity benefits.
6.3 Monitoring & analytics
- Continuous flow metering at main inlet and treatment plant.
- Online sensors (pH, DO, turbidity, conductivity) and weekly laboratory tests for BOD, COD, TSS, nutrients, heavy metals.
- Data logging and dashboard to track compliance and detect anomalies.
6.4 Emergency protocols
- Spill kits, rapid isolation valves, and emergency notification to municipal authorities if a hazardous discharge exceeds thresholds.
7. Monitoring plan (statistics and tables)
Table 6 — Monitoring schedule (recommended)
| Parameter | Location | Frequency | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow | Plant inlet/outlet | Continuous (hourly) | Flow meter + logger |
| pH | Raw, final effluent | Daily | Portable probe |
| DO | Aeration basin | Daily | Probe |
| BOD | Raw, final effluent | Weekly | Laboratory 5-day test |
| COD | Raw, final effluent | Weekly | Lab |
| TSS | Raw, final effluent | Weekly | Lab |
| NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺, PO₄³⁻ | Raw, final effluent | Monthly | Lab |
| Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg) | Raw, final effluent | Quarterly | Lab (ICP) |
| E. coli / FC | Final effluent | Weekly | Membrane filtration |
Table 7 — Example monthly reporting table (format)
| Month | Avg flow (m³/day) | BOD influent (mg/L) | BOD effluent (mg/L) | % BOD removal | COD effluent (mg/L) | TSS effluent (mg/L) | E. coli (CFU/100 mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 900 | 410 | 55 | 86.6% | 210 | 50 | 120 |
| Feb | 880 | 405 | 52 | 87.2% | 200 | 47 | 80 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
(Above is an example; real numbers to be filled by UOA lab results.)
8. Institutional governance, roles & training (statistics)
Table 8 — Responsible units and staffing (recommended baseline)
| Unit | Role | Staffing (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainability & Environment Committee (SEC) | Policy, reporting | 0.5 FTE chair + 6 members |
| HSE Unit | Daily operations, inspections | 3 FTE (1 manager, 2 technicians) |
| Facilities & Infrastructure | Plant operations, maintenance | 4 FTE (operator, maintenance) |
| Environmental Laboratory | Sampling and analysis | 2 FTE (lab manager, technician) |
| Emergency Response Team | Spill & incident response | on-call trained staff |
Training program: annual refresher courses for lab staff (hazardous waste handling), WWTF operator certification, and monthly drills for spill response.
9. Costs estimates (high-level) — capital & annual O&M (model)
These are conservative ballpark figures for planning. Exact costs depend on local market and design choices.
Table 9 — High level capital and O&M (USD, estimate)
| Item | Capital cost (USD) | Annual O&M (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Modular WWTF (1,200 m³/day, primary+secondary) | 900,000 | 120,000 |
| Tertiary polishing (filtration + UV) | 200,000 | 25,000 |
| Monitoring equipment & SCADA | 75,000 | 8,000 |
| Lab upgrades & consumables | 50,000 | 12,000 |
| Contingency (15%) | 185,000 | — |
| Total (approx.) | 1,410,000 | 165,000 |
(Note: local procurement and labor in Iraq will affect these estimates. Consider phased implementation.)
10. KPIs, targets and reporting format
Suggested KPIs for SDG reporting and QS/THE submission:
- % of wastewater safely treated (SDG 6.3.2) — Target: >95% by Year 2 after WWTF commissioning.
- Volume of treated wastewater reused (m³/year) — Target: ≥50% of final effluent used for irrigation and toilet flushing by Year 3.
- Average effluent BOD (mg/L) — Target: <20 mg/L after tertiary polishing.
- Annual pollutant load reduction (kg/year) — e.g., BOD reduction of >100 tonnes/year relative to untreated baseline.
- Number of compliance exceedances — Target: 0 exceedances per year.
- Monitoring coverage — 100% of discharges continuously monitored (flow + key sensors).
Example KPI calculation (model baseline)
- Annual raw BOD load = 358.4 kg/day × 365 = 130,816 kg/year ≈ 130.8 tonnes/year.
- If tertiary achieves 95% removal, annual BOD discharged = 130.8 × 0.05 = 6.54 tonnes/year — reduction ≈ 124.26 tonnes/year.
11. Risk assessment and mitigation
Main risks:
- Chemical discharges from labs — mitigate via source pre-treatment, strict SOPs.
- Failure of treatment during peak events — mitigate with buffer storage (equalization tanks) and bypass controls that prevent untreated discharge.
- Illegal dumping or cross-connections — regular CCTV and manhole inspection program.
Mitigation strategies are detailed in the appendices.
12. Implementation roadmap (24 months, summary)
Phased actions
Phase 0 (0–3 months): Finalize design, baseline metering, engage contractor, start procurement of key monitoring equipment.
Phase 1 (3–12 months): Install primary + secondary WWTF modules, start operator training, implement source control protocols (lab SOPs).
Phase 2 (12–18 months): Commission tertiary polishing, SCADA, and smart meters; start reuse pilot for irrigation.
Phase 3 (18–24 months): Full operations, refine monitoring, report SDG 6.3.2 metrics to QS/THE/UI GreenMetric.
13. Appendices
Appendix A — Calculation worked examples
- Daily wastewater flow = Total water use × 0.8 = (P × per-capita L/day)/1000 × 0.8
Example: (11,200 × 100)/1000 × 0.8 = 1,120 × 0.8 = 896 m³/day - Daily BOD load (kg/day) = Flow × BOD (mg/L) / 1000 = 896 × 400 / 1000 = 358.4 kg/day
- Annual BOD load (t/year) = 358.4 kg/day × 365 / 1000 = 130.8 t/year
- Effluent BOD after 85% removal = 400 × (1 − 0.85) = 60 mg/L (secondary scenario)
- Daily BOD discharged after 85% removal = 896 × 60 / 1000 = 53.76 kg/day
Appendix B — Editable tables (CSV format preview)
Paste into Excel and replace the values in the “Measured” column.
Campus water summary (editable)
Population,Measured per-capita use (L/day),Measured water use (m³/day),Measured wastewater (m³/day)
Students,10000,=A2B2/1000,=C20.8
Staff,1200,=A3B3/1000,=C30.8
Total,11200,=SUM(C2:C3),=SUM(D2:D3)
Monitoring log (editable)
Date,Flow (m³/day),BOD influent (mg/L),BOD effluent (mg/L),COD effluent (mg/L),TSS effluent (mg/L),E. coli (CFU/100 mL)
14. Conclusions & recommendations (short)
- Install a modular WWTF (1,200–1,500 m³/day) with staged tertiary polishing to guarantee effluent quality adequate for irrigation reuse and to meet QS/THE reporting needs.
- Implement strict lab waste SOPs and source pre-treatment to avoid acute contamination events.
- Metering, online monitoring and reporting must be established from day one — SDG 6.3.2 depends on demonstrable data.
- Set KPIs and public reporting: publish an annual Water Quality & Reuse Report and include SDG indicators in institutional sustainability reporting.
- Secure funding for capital and O&M; consider donor grants, national environmental programs, or partnership with local municipalities.