Industrial Wastewater Treatment by Common Effluent Treatment Plants Located on the Ganga River and Its Tributaries

The rapid growth of industrialization has led to a significant increase in industrial wastewater generation, necessitating proper treatment before effluent discharge into water bodies. Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) have been established in industrial clusters to address this need. Industries within these clusters send effluent from their Primary Effluent Treatment Plants (PETPs) to CETPs. CETPs are centralized facilities that treat effluents from multiple industries, providing a cost-effective solution to collective wastewater challenges. This chapter provides an insight into the wastewater treatment technologies employed in CETPs with special focus on eight CETPs, monitored by CPCB, located on the Ganga main stem and its tributaries. The study revealed that all eight CETPs were found non-complying with discharge norms. This chapter also includes the suggestive way forward to improve the functioning of these CETPs.