Biological wastewater treatment
Alfa Laval helps water utilities, councils and industrial operators optimize biological wastewater treatment to meet tightening EPA licence conditions, increase capacity, reduce energy use and maximize the value of existing assets within constrained budgets and limited site footprints. Our biological treatment solutions deliver robust process performance and consistently produce high-quality effluent, the foundation for water recycling and reuse.
Key benefits of Alfa Laval biological wastewater treatment for water utilities, councils and industrial operators
- Adapt to changing influent conditions with proven technologies, process expertise and flexible solutions
- Reliable biological treatment delivers high-quality effluent for water recycling and compliance with stricter discharge requirements
- Increase capacity without expanding the plant footprint
- Optimize energy consumption and process stability to lower lifecycle costs
- Unlock resource recovery opportunities through water reclamation, biogas production, nutrient recovery and biosolids valorization
Alfa Laval technologies for biological wastewater treatment processes
Biological wastewater treatment uses microorganisms to remove organic matter, nutrients, fats, oils and grease (FOG), as well as other undesirable micro particles and substances from wastewater, producing high-quality effluent suitable for safe discharge or water recycling and reuse.
Alfa Laval's biological treatment technologies, including the ASH Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) for secondary biological treatment and the ASH Iso-Disc® cloth media filter for tertiary treatment, help utilities achieve reliable treatment performance, meet stringent effluent requirements and minimize sludge production.
Combined with sludge dewatering decanters, the complete solution optimizes sludge management by reducing hauling and disposal costs while maximizing opportunities for resource recovery and the beneficial use of biosolids.
Related products for biological treatment, sludge thickening and dewatering
Maximize performance across the entire wastewater treatment process with Alfa Laval's complementary technologies for biological treatment, sludge thickening and sludge dewatering. Engineered to work together, our solutions help optimize process efficiency, produce high-quality effluent, improve sludge management, reduce lifecycle costs, and support water recycling and resource recovery.
Secondary biological treatment
Secondary biological treatment removes biodegradable organic matter and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, producing high-quality effluent suitable for safe discharge or further tertiary treatment for water recycling and resource recovery.
Water recycling and reuse offers significant environmental and economic benefits by conserving freshwater resources, reducing freshwater withdrawals and lowering the costs associated with water supply and effluent management. Reclaimed water can be used for a wide range of applications, including industrial process water, cooling towers, wash water, agricultural irrigation, public open space and sportsfield irrigation, dual reticulation schemes, and managed aquifer recharge.
The two primary biological treatment processes are:
- Aerobic treatment, where microorganisms use oxygen to break down organic matter and remove pollutants in activated sludge systems.
- Anaerobic treatment, where microorganisms degrade organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas as a valuable renewable energy source while reducing the energy demand of high-strength wastewater treatment.
The Alfa Laval ASH Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) is a proven biological wastewater treatment solution that delivers reliable treatment performance, high-quality effluent and operational flexibility. Watch the video to see how it works.
Transforming wastewater treatment
Renew and future‑proof your municipal wastewater treatment systems with Alfa Laval’s industry‑leading technologies. With more than 100 years of presence in Australia, supporting hundreds of water and wastewater sites across the country, Alfa Laval helps water utilities and councils improve sludge dewatering efficiency, operational reliability and regulatory compliance while reducing lifecycle costs. Discover how advanced solid–liquid separation technologies and proven process optimization strategies can help wastewater treatment plants meet stricter regulations and growing capacity demands.
Watch the on-demand webcast to learn how water utilities and councils can future-proof their systems with scalable technologies and practical process optimization strategies.
Discover biological treatment success stories
Discover how Alfa Laval’s advanced secondary and tertiary treatment technologies are helping customers optimize biological wastewater treatment.
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Alfa Laval's biological treatment technologies help utilities and industries achieve reliable treatment performance while supporting water recycling, resource recovery and long-term operational efficiency.