Wastewater treatment
Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment (pronunciation: /ˈweɪstˌwɔːtər ˈtriːtmənt/) is the process of converting wastewater – water that is no longer needed or suitable for its most recent use – into an effluent that can be either returned to the water cycle with minimal environmental issues or reused.
Etymology
The term "wastewater treatment" has been in use since the late 19th century, as cities began to implement centralized systems for collecting, treating, and disposing of sewage. The term is derived from the English words "waste" and "water", and "treatment".
Process
The treatment of wastewater involves physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. The goal is to produce an environmentally-safe fluid waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste (or treated sludge) suitable for disposal or reuse.
Primary Treatment
The first stage of wastewater treatment, known as primary treatment, involves the removal of solid material from the water. This is typically achieved through the use of screens and sedimentation processes.
Secondary Treatment
Secondary treatment is designed to substantially degrade the biological content of the sewage. This is often achieved through waterborne microorganisms in a managed habitat.
Tertiary Treatment
Tertiary treatment, also known as advanced treatment, is the final cleaning process that improves wastewater quality before it is reused, recycled or discharged to the environment.
Related Terms
- Sewage: Wastewater that contains human waste, typically from homes and businesses.
- Effluent: Outflowing of water or gas from a natural body of water, or from a human-made structure.
- Sludge: The residual, semi-solid material left from industrial wastewater, or sewage treatment processes.
- Sedimentation: The process of settling or being deposited as a sediment.
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