Mathematical Modelling of Wastewater Treatment: A Review and Application

The Sewon domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) plays a crucial role as a domestic wastewater treatment unit in the densely populated areas of Yogyakarta. Domestic wastewater generally contains suspended solids, organic matter, pathogens, and nutrients. Uncontrolled management of domestic wastewater effluent can cause serious environmental impacts, such as the spread of diseases and a decrease in water quality that has the potential to hinder reuse. Sedimentation and eutrophication processes can also occur, further impacting the performance of wastewater treatment units. The phenomena and challenges that occur in WWTPs can be examined through mathematical modeling, especially dynamic models, to understand the relationship between waste components and the working mechanism of the wastewater treatment system. Numerical approaches, especially the finite difference method, play a significant role in solving the complexity of models that are difficult to solve using exact methods. This article presents a study based on field observations and analysis of relevant scientific literature, to identify various potentials and challenges in wastewater management, analyzed through mathematical model approaches and numerical techniques.