Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are crucial for environmental protection and public health; however, they are among the most energy-intensive facilities in the water sector. This study examines the correlation between energy consumption and treatment efficiency at the Metamorphosis WWTP (MWWTP) in Attica, Greece,
[...] Read more.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are crucial for environmental protection and public health; however, they are among the most energy-intensive facilities in the water sector. This study examines the correlation between energy consumption and treatment efficiency at the Metamorphosis WWTP (MWWTP) in Attica, Greece, during the years 2022 and 2023. By analyzing influent and effluent characteristics, energy consumption patterns, and the removal efficiencies of key pollutants—Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD
5), and Suspended Solids (SS)—this research provides valuable insights into optimizing wastewater treatment operations. The findings reveal that, despite seasonal variations and fluctuations in influent composition, the facility consistently achieved high pollutant removal rates while maintaining stable energy consumption. The influent BOD
5 increased from 992.8 mg L
−1 in 2022 to 1122.3 mg L
−1 in 2023. COD rose from 1925.4 mg L
−1 to 2594.4 mg L
−1, SS from 1280.8 mg L
−1 to 1421.2 mg L
−1, and total phosphorus from 14.2 mg L
−1 to 17.0 mg L
−1. Effluent concentrations remained consistently low, with BOD
5 at 6.1 mg L
−1 in 2022 and 4.7 mg L
−1 in 2023; COD at 23.8 mg L
−1 and 25.2 mg L
−1, respectively; total nitrogen at 20.2 mg L
−1 and 16.7 mg L
−1; total phosphorus at 2.4 mg L
−1 and 2.6 mg L
−1; and SS at 2.4 mg L
−1 and 3.5 mg L
−1. These results indicate removal efficiencies exceeding 90%. Energy consumption remained stable, recorded at 13,044.9 kWh (0.593 kWh m
−3 influent) in 2022 and 13,126.1 kWh (0.598 kWh m
−3 influent) in 2023. These results highlight the importance of integrating energy-efficient strategies and renewable energy solutions to enhance wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sustainability. This study contributes to ongoing efforts to improve energy optimization in wastewater treatment, supporting global initiatives for carbon footprint reduction and advancing the principles of a circular economy.
Full article