This research investigated the impact of sludge type, polymer type (percent mole charge), dosage, mixing rate, and solution ionic strength on bound water content of sludge flocs. Data determined to evaluate the extent of dewatering included: percent dry solids, bulk density, bound water content (determined by dilatometric method), floc density (determined by isopycnic centrifugation), and cake solids concentrations. Calculated floc densities and bound water contents were compared with measured values. The polymer mole charge had marginal impact on bound water content. The optimal polymer dose as determined by dose curves did not necessarily result in the least bound water content. The mixing rate did not have an impact on bound water content of the chemical sludge, but did have an impact on bound water content of the biological sludge. However, the percentage of total water removed that was due to bound water removal was not affected by rate of mixing, polymer mole charge, or polymer dose. Altering solution ionic strength did not appear to improve bound water removal. The calculated bound water content values determined using measured floc densities were consistently greater than the measured bound water content values determined by dilatometric method. The bound water content per the dilatometric method did not account for all the water present in the floes as determined by the isopycnic centrifugation method. / Master of Science