Disperant enhanced ballast recovery

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for treating wastewater. In one example there is provided a wastewater treatment system. The wastewater treatment system comprises a separation vessel including a separator inlet and a settled sludge outlet, a source of treated wastewater including a ballast material configured and arranged to introduce the treated wastewater into the separation vessel, a separator configured and arranged to separate ballast from settled sludge output from the settled sludge output of the separation vessel, a sludge conduit providing fluid communication between the settled sludge outlet and the separator, and a source of dispersant configured and arranged to introduce dispersant into the settled sludge prior to separation of the ballast from the settled sludge in the separator.