Introduction to Wastewater Treatment

Processes
Wastewater treatment is closely related to the standards and/or expectations set for the effluent quality. Wastewater
treatment processes are designed to achieve improvements in the quality of the wastewater. The various treatment processes
may reduce:

1.

Suspended solids (physical particles that can clog rivers or channels as they settle under gravity)

2.

Biodegradable organics (e.g. BOD) which can serve as food for microorganisms in the receiving body. Microorganisms
combine this matter with oxygen from the water to yield the energy they need to thrive and multiply; unfortunately, this
oxygen is also needed by fish and other organisms in the river. Heavy organic pollution can lead to dead zones where no
fish can be found; sudden releases of heavy organic loads can lead to dramatic fishkills.

3.

Pathogenic bacteria and other disease causing organisms These are most relevant where the receiving water is used for
drinking, or where people would otherwise be in close contact with it; and

4.

Nutrients, including nitrates and phosphates. These nutrients can lead to high concentrations of unwanted algae, which
can themselves become heavy loads of biodegradable organic load Treatment processes may also neutralize or removing
industrial wastes and toxic chemicals. This type of treatment should ideally take place at the industrial plant itself, before
discharge of their effluent in municipal sewers or water courses.
Widely used terminology refers to three levels of wastewater treatment: primary, secondary, and tertiary (or advanced).
Primary (mechanical) treatment is designed to remove gross, suspended and floating solids from raw sewage. It
includes screening to trap solid objects and sedimentation by gravity to remove suspended solids. This level is sometimes
referred to as mechanical treatment, although chemicals are often used to accelerate the sedimentation process. Primary
treatment can reduce the BOD of the incoming wastewater by 20-30% and the total suspended solids by some 50-60%.
Primary treatment is usually the first stage of wastewater treatment. Many advanced wastewater treatment plants in
industrialized countries have started with primary treatment, and have then added other treatment stages as wastewater
load has grown, as the need for treatment has increased, and as resources have become available.
Secondary (biological) treatment removes the dissolved organic matter that escapes primary treatment. This is
achieved by microbes consuming the organic matter as food, and converting it to carbon dioxide, water, and energy for their
own growth and reproduction. The biological process is then followed by additional settling tanks (secondary
sedimentation", see photo) to remove more of the suspended solids. About 85% of the suspended solids and BOD can be
removed by a well running plant with secondary treatment. Secondary treatment technologies include the basic activated
sludge process, the variants of pond and constructed wetland systems, trickling filters and other forms of treatment which
use biological activity to break down organic matter.

Tertiary treatment is simply additional treatment beyond secondary! Tertiary treatment can remove more than 99
percent of all the impurities from sewage, producing an effluent of almost drinking-water quality. The related technology can
be very expensive, requiring a high level of technical know-how and well trained treatment plant operators, a steady energy
supply, and chemicals and specific equipment which may not be readily available. An example of a typical tertiary treatment
process is the modification of a conventional secondary treatment plant to remove additional phosphorus and nitrogen.
Disinfection, typically with chlorine, can be the final step before discharge of the effluent. However, some environmental
authorities are concerned that chlorine residuals in the effluent can be a problem in their own right, and have moved away
from this process. Disinfection is frequently built into treatment plant design, but not effectively practiced, because of the
high cost of chlorine, or the reduced effectiveness of ultraviolet radiation where the water is not sufficiently clear or free of
particles.

We consider wastewater treatment as a water use because it is so

interconnected with the other uses of water. Much of the water used by
homes, industries, and businesses must be treated before it is released back
to the environment.
If the term "wastewater treatment" is confusing to you, you might think of it
as "sewage treatment." Nature has an amazing ability to cope with small
amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if we
didn't treat the billions of gallons of wastewater and sewage produced every
day before releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduce
pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle.
Wastewater is used water. It includes substances such as human waste,
food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals. In homes, this includes water from
sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers.
Businesses and industries also contribute their share of used water that
must be cleaned.
Wastewater also includes storm runoff. Although some people assume that
the rain that runs down the street during a storm is fairly clean, it isn't.
Harmful substances that wash off roads, parking lots, and rooftops can harm
our rivers and lakes.
Why Treat Wastewater?

It's a matter of caring for our environment and for our own health. There are
a lot of good reasons why keeping our water clean is an important priority:
Fisheries

Clean water is critical to plants and animals that live

in water. This is important to the fishing industry, sport
fishing enthusiasts, and future generations.
Wildlife Habitats

Our rivers and ocean waters teem with life that

depends on shoreline, beaches and marshes. They are
critical habitats for hundreds of species of fish and other
aquatic life. Migratory water birds use the areas for resting
and feeding.

Recreation and Quality of Life

Water is a great playground

for us all. The scenic and
recreational values of our waters are reasons many people
choose to live where they do. Visitors are drawn to water
activities such as swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking.
Health Concerns

If it is not properly cleaned, water can carry

disease. Since we live, work and play so close to water,
harmful bacteria have to be removed to make water safe.
Effects of wastewater pollutants

If wastewater is not properly treated, then the environment and human

health can be negatively impacted. These impacts can include harm to fish
and wildlife populations, oxygen depletion, beach closures and other
restrictions on recreational water use, restrictions on fish and shellfish
harvesting and contamination of drinking water. Environment
Canada provides some examples of pollutants that can be found in
wastewater and the potentially harmful effects these substances can have on
ecosystems and human health:

decaying organic matter and debris can use up the dissolved oxygen in
a lake so fish and other aquatic biota cannot survive;
excessive nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen (including
ammonia), can cause eutrophication, or over-fertilization of receiving
waters, which can be toxic to aquatic organisms, promote excessive
plant growth, reduce available oxygen, harm spawning grounds, alter
habitat and lead to a decline in certain species;
chlorine compounds and inorganic chloramines can be toxic to aquatic
invertebrates, algae and fish;
bacteria, viruses and disease-causing pathogens can pollute beaches
and contaminate shellfish populations, leading to restrictions on
human recreation, drinking water consumption and shellfish
consumption;
metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic can
have acute and chronic toxic effects on species.
other substances such as some pharmaceutical and personal care
products, primarily entering the environment in wastewater effluents,
may also pose threats to human health, aquatic life and wildlife.

Wastewater treatment

The major aim of wastewater treatment is to remove as much of the

suspended solids as possible before the remaining water, called effluent, is
discharged back to the environment. As solid material decays, it uses up
oxygen, which is needed by the plants and animals living in the water.
"Primary treatment" removes about 60 percent of suspended solids from
wastewater. This treatment also involves aerating (stirring up) the
wastewater, to put oxygen back in. Secondary treatment removes more
than 90 percent of suspended solids.