The disposal of sludges resulting from conventional water treatment processes such as coagulation, softening and filtration was examined with a view of developing alternatives to disposal by dilution in cases where water quality stream standards would be violated or in situations where disposal to lagoons would be infeasible due to land costs. Particular attention was given to the parameters of treatment plant operation and to sludge conditioning techniques which result in rapid and thorough sludge dewatering on either open sand drying beds or through use of vacuum filters. The use of newly developed synthetic organic polyelectrolytes as a conditioning aid was investigated. Alternative methods of water treatment plant sludge disposal under varying conditions were evaluated. (Author)