Problem of alum sludges disposal in cali, colombia

摘要

Three of the water treatment plants of the Colombian city of Santiago de Cali produce an average of 552.960 millions liters per day o f drinking water. Solid particles in the water being treated are so high. The total content of solids suspended in the raw water typically fluctuates between 46 mg/1 in summer and 119 mg/1 in the rainy season. Actually alum sludges are being discarded into watercourses. alum sludge is a non-Newtonian bulky gelationous substance composed of aluminium hydroxide clay sand, coloids and other organic and inforganic matter. The treatment water municipal company of Cali is considering to abandon this method of disposing attending a pressing requirement of a local governmental agency which has enforced the prohibition to pollute the surface water supplies. In this paper is presented the diagnosis of the problem, the methodology and the criteria fllowed to set up the potential utilization of these alum wastes.