Electrocoagulation-Driven Remediation of Construction Site Wastewater: Toward Sustainable Practices

Many construction activities produce large amounts of waste that are highly contaminated, especially from the washing of construction equipment. Currently, there are limited sustainable and efficient treatment options available to treat the wastewater produced by these activities. This research describes the characterisation and treatment of wastewater generated from an industrial construction site located in northern Morocco.In preliminary analysis, very high levels of organic matter and suspended solids were shown to exceed limits set by regulations for discharge. Such results clearly indicate that there exists a critical need for an effective treatment system to treat this type of wastewater. Additionally, the complexity of the wastewater produced from construction sites is further increased by the presence of oils, fine particles and other construction debris, which further illustrates the critical need for effective treatment systems to address the unique characteristics of wastewater produced from construction sites.Utilising aluminium electrodes, electrocoagulation was evaluated as a potential method to treat wastewater. The ability of this treatment method to reduce the concentration of targeted pollutants and the quality of the wastewater after treatment was evaluated at a variety of operating conditions.Based on the results achieved from using electrocoagulation, this treatment method appears to be a viable, sustainable option for treating wastewater from a construction site. Not only does this provide a method for removing pollutants effectively, but it also has the potential to recover and reuse water that has been treated, thus improving the environmental performance of the construction industry.