Wastewater treatment

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The process of removing contaminants from wastewater to produce treated wastewater that is safe for discharge into the environment.

Basic concepts: A basic understanding of the water cycle, pollution sources, and water quality parameters is necessary to comprehend wastewater treatment.
Wastewater characteristics: Wastewater composition, physical properties, and chemical and biological parameters vary depending on the waste source. Understanding these parameters is critical for designing and operating wastewater treatment systems.
Wastewater treatment systems: It includes all the treatment operations used to treat wastewater before discharge.
Primary treatment: In this process, solids, grit, and oil are removed from the wastewater using physical and mechanical methods.
Secondary treatment: It involves the removal of organic matter from the wastewater through the use of aerobic biological treatment processes.
Tertiary treatment: This is done after primary and secondary treatment with the aim of removing nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous) from the treated wastewater.
Disinfection: It involves killing or inactivating any remaining disease-causing bacteria or viruses in the treated wastewater.
Sludge: It is a residual by-product of wastewater treatment that requires proper disposal.
Chemical treatment: It is a process that involves adding specific chemicals to wastewater to improve its quality and facilitate its treatment.
Biological treatment: It is a process that uses microorganisms to remove pollutants from wastewater.
Advanced treatment methods: It is used when standard treatment methods cannot remove specific pollutants.
Water reuse: It is a process that enables the use of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes.
Environmental regulations: There are regulations in place that limit the amount of pollutants that can be discharged into the environment, including wastewater.
Water quality testing: It is critical for assessing the effectiveness of wastewater treatment systems and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
Primary treatment: This is the simplest form of wastewater treatment which involves physical processes to remove large particles and solids, as well as fats, oils, and grease (FOG). The wastewater is passed through a screen or grit chamber to remove large debris and then allowed to settle in a sedimentation tank where the FOG and solids settle at the bottom.
Secondary treatment: This involves biological processes that take place in specially designed tanks to break down organic matter present in wastewater. This type of treatment uses bacteria to break down pollutants and remove harmful chemicals from the water. Common forms of secondary treatment include activated sludge, trickling filters, and rotating biological contactors (RBCs).
Tertiary treatment: This is an advanced form of treatment that is used when there are specific contaminants that need to be removed from the wastewater. This treatment uses chemicals, filtration, and other methods to remove remaining traces of pollutants, including nitrogen and phosphorus.
Advanced treatment: This type of treatment is specifically designed for treating wastewater from certain industries including pharmaceuticals and petroleum refineries. Advanced treatment includes specialized processes like reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and electrochemical treatment.
Anaerobic treatment: This process involves the use of bacteria that do not require oxygen to break down organic matter. This type of treatment is commonly used in industrial settings to treat high-strength wastewater.
Aerobic treatment: This process involves the use of bacteria that require oxygen to break down organic matter. This type of treatment is commonly used in municipal wastewater treatment plants.
Physico-chemical treatment: This type of treatment involves the use of chemicals to alter the properties of contaminants in wastewater, making them easier to remove through physical processes like sedimentation and filtration.
Constructed wetlands: This form of treatment emulates natural wetlands, using plants, bacteria and other organisms to break down pollutants as the water flows through a constructed wetland system.
Membrane bioreactors (MBRs): This advanced wastewater treatment technology combines microbiological processes and membranes that separate the treated water from mixed liquor suspended solids.
Composting toilets: An eco-friendly form of waste management that uses aerobic microorganisms (bacteria that require oxygen to survive) to break down human waste and toilet paper. The resulting compost can be used as a soil conditioner.
"Once returned to the water cycle, the effluent creates an acceptable impact on the environment or is reused for various purposes (called water reclamation)."
"The treatment process takes place in a wastewater treatment plant."
"There are several kinds of wastewater which are treated at the appropriate type of wastewater treatment plant."
"For domestic wastewater (also called municipal wastewater or sewage), the treatment plant is called a Sewage Treatment."
"Treatment either takes place in a separate Industrial wastewater treatment, or in a sewage treatment plant (usually after some form of pre-treatment)."
"Further types of wastewater treatment plants include Agricultural wastewater treatment and leachate treatment plants."
"Processes commonly used in wastewater treatment include phase separation (such as sedimentation), biological and chemical processes (such as oxidation) or polishing."
"The main by-product from wastewater treatment plants is a type of sludge that is usually treated in the same or another wastewater treatment plant."
"Biogas can be another by-product if anaerobic treatment processes are used."
"Treated wastewater can be reused as reclaimed water."
"The main purpose of wastewater treatment is for the treated wastewater to be able to be disposed or reused safely."
"Before it is treated, the options for disposal or reuse must be considered so the correct treatment process is used on the wastewater."
"With a capacity to treat five million sewage per day, the STP marks a significant step towards addressing the country's wastewater management challenges."
"located in the Khilgaon area of the city."
"The largest single sewage treatment plant (STP) in South Asia"
"...towards addressing the country's wastewater management challenges."
"The term "wastewater treatment" is often used to mean "sewage treatment"."
"Or is reused for various purposes (called water reclamation)."
"Agricultural wastewater treatment"
"leachate treatment plants"