Water treatment method by ballasted floc including a recycling of granular material

A method of recovering granular material used in a wastewater or water treatment process that produces a mixture of sludge and granular material, comprising:

• a. directing the sludge and granular material mixture into a circular grit trap that includes an upflow outlet and a downflow outlet;
• b. separating substantial sludge from the granular material as the mixture of sludge and granular material moves through the grit trap with the separated sludge moving through the upflow outlet and out of the grit trap;
• c. directing the residual sludge and the granular material through the downflow outlet and into a washing chamber;
• d. injecting an auxiliary liquid into the washing chamber and washing the granular material and further separating the residual sludge from the granular material such that separated residual sludge flows back into the circular grit trap and is discharged therefrom via the upflow outlet;
• and
• e. directing the separated granular material from the washing chamber and recycling the separated granular material back to a wastewater or water treatment facility.