Wastewater Treatment Using Wood Ash and Cement as Chemical Coagulant

Abstract

Water is essential for daily activities and maintaining human well-being. However, in many less-developed countries, including Ethiopia, the lack of a well-developed wastewater treatment system leads to contaminated surface water. Tis poses signifcant risks to human health. To address this problem, wastewater can be treated using locally available materials such as wood ash and cement as chemical coagulants. Te objective of this study was to treat wastewater using these materials. Te study involved analyzing a 20-liter sample of wastewater from the Awetu River in Jimma City, Ethiopia. Te materials used for the treatment included wood ash, cement, and lemon. Various doses of cement and wood ash were prepared and added to the wastewater. Te results showed that 5 g was the optimum dosage for efectively treating the wastewater. Te treated water at the optimum dosage exhibited signifcant improvements in turbidity, total dissolved solids, conductivity, and color, meeting drinking water criteria. Overall, the study concludes that locally available materials such as wood ash and cement can be successfully utilized as chemical coagulants for wastewater treatment. Tis approach ofers a viable solution for improving water quality and reducing the risk of waterborne diseases