The LATAWAMA project invests a substantial budget in optimising the operation of the Buterere treatment plant. An optimisation that involves, in particular, the management of settled sludge from anaerobic basins. Thus, a technical solution is being studied for pumping these sludge to the drying beds being rehabilitated. In this context, LATAWAMA collaborates with the experts of the University of Burundi to characterise the anaerobic basins sludge and know some of their physical and chemical characteristics. The immediate objective is to determine the technical details of their pumping.

On Tuesday, April 22, 2021, the project team, in collaboration with experts from the University of Burundi and OBUHA technical staff, collected sludge samples from anaerobic basins to determine specific parameters such as viscosity, gross density, dry density, water content, BOD5.

The Belgian consultancy Almadius will advise the project on choosing a technical sludge pumping solution that is suitable, economical and sustainable.

Subsequently, with the identification and installation of a sludge pumping system, the LATAWAMA project will test the capacity of sludge drying and sludge stabilisation in the drying beds. A new characterisation of the treated sludge will then be programmed to assess the possibilities for its recovery. This characterisation will analyse trace metal elements, namely copper, chromium, mercury, lead, zinc, nickel and cadmium, and trace organic compounds.

As a reminder, the wastewater treatment plant has two treatment lines, each consisting of three ponds arranged in series (anaerobic basin, optional basin and maturation basin). The ponds cover an area of 40.47 ha.

The LATAWAMA, Lake Tanganyika Water Management project is being implemented by Enabel and the Lake Tanganyika Authority, with funding from the European Union.