Abstract

• Distilleries generate large volume of wastewater which poses a considerable environmental impact by polluting the natural environment. This study focused to evaluate the feasibility of slow sand filtration integrated with domestic charcoal layer as a promising treatment method for the distillery wastewater effluent. Distillery wastewater was collected from Aunglan Township, Thayet District in Magway Region. Before and after treatment for two weeks, selected parameters of effluent were analyzed. All of the effluent parameters (pH, conductivity, total alkalinity, COD, DO, BOD, and chloride, calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate) of treated distillery wastewater sample were within the allowable limits of USEPA standard except turbidity, total hardness, TDS, total phosphate, ammonia nitrogen. After treatment, pH value of the acidic wastewater changed from 3.67 to 6.10 and total alkalinity and total hardness values were found to be 70 ppm and 550 ppm, respectively. E.coli in the distillery wastewater was reduced significantly than the initial value but higher than USEPA limit. The slower sand filtration treatment can be taken as an alternative and economical method for treatment of wastewater.