What is the BOD discharge to the POTW from an industrial complex with 500 pounds per population equivalent?

To calculate the BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) discharge to the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) from an industrial complex using the population equivalent figure, you need to understand what population equivalent represents. In this context, it typically refers to the BOD load in pounds generated per person, and it serves as a measure of the organic pollution strength of the discharge.

If the industrial complex has a BOD contribution of 500 pounds per population equivalent, this means that for each unit of population equivalent, 500 pounds of BOD is being discharged. To determine the total BOD discharge, you need to consider how this metric translates to the total flow or number of population equivalents that are contributing to this discharge.

The calculation might involve the assumption that, in a given scenario, the total number of population equivalents for the industrial complex is known. If you multiply the 500 pounds by a certain number of population equivalents, you would arrive at the total BOD discharge.

In this given situation, if the answer stated is 2,941 pounds, it implies that the designated number of population equivalents responsible for this discharge totals to roughly 5.88 (since 2,941 pounds ÷ 500 pounds per population equivalent = 5