Wastewater treatment removes contaminants from household waste in a multi-step process. Pretreatment removes large items, primary treatment separates sludge and oils, secondary treatment breaks down biological matter, and tertiary treatment further filters and disinfects the water before returning it to the environment.
Wastewater treatment refers to the process of removing microorganisms and other types of contaminants from wastewater. In most developed countries, most household waste is collected in a sewer system and sent via pipes to a central wastewater treatment plant. In these plants, wastewater treatment is performed in a multi-step process that removes or modifies different types of material in stages, so that the final product, or effluent, can safely return to the environment.
All residences, businesses, hospitals and other establishments that use water produce wastewater in the form of wastewater. Sewage is the collective term for water that drains from toilets, sinks, showers, and liquid industrial waste. A typical wastewater treatment process has pretreatment, primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment steps.
Pretreatment includes the process of removing large items from wastewater to avoid clogging or damaging equipment further in the treatment process. Items such as chopsticks, rags, feminine hygiene products and even fruit are removed using a mechanical sieving process and are then typically incinerated or sent to landfill. Sand and rocks, collectively called sand, can settle in a holding tank, where they are drawn into a device that collects them, after which they are also sent to a landfill.
Primary treatment works on much the same principle as the pretreatment and screening processes. Its main purpose is to allow particles to settle in holding tanks, into a “sludge” that is collected and processed elsewhere. Fat and oils are also separated in this stage, as they are lighter than water and will float to the top to be skimmed off. This allows the slurry to be treated as a whole after this stage, as it is more homogeneous.
The purpose of secondary wastewater treatment is to break down biological matter present in wastewater from sources such as human waste and detergents. This is achieved through various related techniques, which use bacteria and other beneficial microorganisms to break down dissolved biological contaminants. These organisms also help other compounds and materials precipitate out of the wastewater.
To further increase the quality of the effluent before it is discharged, many treatment plants employ tertiary treatment. Further filtration and the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus constitute this step. Tertiary treatment often includes disinfection, especially in developed countries. This is usually achieved through chlorination or by treating the water with ozone or ultraviolet light, all of which have the effect of killing harmful bacteria and other organisms before the water is returned to the environment via a river, ocean or reservoir. other way.
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