This study aims to effectively manage non-point source (NPS) pollution, a major cause of water quality degradation due to increased impervious surfaces from urbanization. To proactively respond to the irregular fluctuations in flow rate and pollutant ...
This study aims to effectively manage non-point source (NPS) pollution, a major cause of water quality degradation due to increased impervious surfaces from urbanization. To proactively respond to the irregular fluctuations in flow rate and pollutant loads characteristic of NPS pollution during rainfall events, an intelligent treatment system integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) was developed.
A laboratory-scale upflow two-stage filtration system was designed and fabricated, packed with fiber ball media made of a polypropylene and polyethylene blend, which is excellent for physical filtration and media recovery. The system was configured as a hybrid process: the first stage removes suspended solids (SS), and the second stage removes residual pollutants, including total phosphorus (T-P), through coagulation-flocculation by injecting a coagulant (PACS). For automation and remote monitoring, IoT devices such as turbidity sensors, pressure sensors, and motorized valves were installed and linked to a central control panel, establishing a smart control system capable of real-time data acquisition and remote operation.
The system's performance was evaluated through 585 minutes of continuous automated operation. The results demonstrated stable treatment efficiency under an average surface overflow rate (SOR) of approximately 20 m³/m²/hr, regardless of variations in influent characteristics. The average removal efficiencies for SS and turbidity were 98.74% and 98.19%, respectively, with the effluent SS concentration averaging 7.47 mg/L, satisfying the target water quality standard. The T-P removal efficiency was also exceptionally high, averaging 85.60%. Furthermore, the backwashing technology using an Airlift pump proved its maintenance efficiency with a high media recovery rate of around 90%.
Correlation analysis between real-time turbidity data and lab-analyzed SS and T-P concentrations revealed strong relationships, with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.90 and 0.88, respectively. This confirms the feasibility of using turbidity sensors for indirect real-time assessment of pollutant loads. Additionally, a deep learning model trained on 27-dimensional sensor data was developed, which successfully predicted the optimal backwashing timing with an accuracy of 85%.
The ICT/IoT-based smart remote control system developed in this study presents an innovative solution that can significantly enhance the operational efficiency, economic feasibility, and stability of NPS treatment facilities. The findings are expected to serve as crucial foundational data for advancing NPS management technology and commercializing unmanned automated systems in the future. Keywords: Non-point Source Pollution, Upflow filtration system, Backwashing process, Turbidity sensor, Remote control system