It is well-known that a person can survive up to three weeks without imbibing a morsel of food. However, it only takes three to five days of no hydration for them to depart from this plane of existence. Few things are as unbearable as unquenchable thirst. For this reason and many more, we need to look at reclaiming water from a fouled state and refining it through wastewater treatment. Here are a few ways wastewater treatment improves the quality of that all-important life-giving fluid.
Wastewater treatment systems deal with water that is chock-full of pollutants. It originates from households, stormwater, industrial run-off and agricultural activities. In this state, wastewater harms human and aquatic life and wreaks havoc on the environment. As it is contaminated by substances such as heavy metals, organic matter, or even pathogens, it must be cleansed back into a form that has utility and keeps the environment clean. Wastewater undergoes several phases in its journey back to a pristine condition, such as primary treatment, where the larger particles are removed through sedimentation and screening. Secondary treatment involves using bacteria to break down the organic matter. Any resistant contaminants undergo tertiary treatment, whereby chemical treatment and disinfection handle the impurities.
Defenders of Health: Eliminating Pathogens
Treating wastewater brings with it several boons, such as a reduction of pathogens present in it. Harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites can infect anyone drinking or using water daily, causing painful ailments such as cholera, diarrhea, Hepatitis A or even typhoid. These debilitating conditions cause immense pain and suffering to individuals and significantly lower their quality of life, not to mention death in severe cases. If the pathogens contaminate significant portions of water in an area, an epidemic could break out, crippling the larger society and impacting economies. Wastewater treatment through disinfection and even UV irradiation improves water quality, killing pathogens and rendering it safe for the populace to drink and use in their errands.
Nutrient Control: Battling Algal Blooms
Wastewater treatment is also abundant in misplaced nutrients from agricultural run-off. If left unchecked, eutrophication occurs. This is whereby excessive algal and plant growth occurs, causing phenomena known as algal blooms, which then lead to aquatic dead zones. A large portion of the oxygen we enjoy comes from oceanic plankton. The world’s ecological balance is thrown off kilter if sunlight cannot penetrate the ocean’s depths to facilitate photosynthesis. Through chemical treatment, the nutrient-laden wastewater is thus unburdened and converted back into clean water, which can then be repurposed for irrigation or released safely into the environment with minimal negative impact.
Sludge Solutions: Turning Waste into Wealth
Sludge forms a significant portion of wastewater. It must be safely extracted to reduce contamination, enhance water quality, and facilitate recycling. Wastewater is screened and undergoes sedimentation to catch any large debris and accompanying sludge that may harm aquatic life. This improves the water’s quality while also providing a handy byproduct that can be used to make biogas or even fertilisers. Biogas is also used to heat homes and generate electricity, converting wastewater into a sustainable energy source.
Chemical Warriors: Tackling Industrial and Emerging Contaminants
Industrial waste removal is another area where wastewater treatment shines. Hazardous industrial wastewater is subjected to membrane plants and vacuum distillation systems, which extract harmful chemicals and leave the water fresh for other purposes. This, in particular, forms a huge aspect of wastewater treatment as industrial processes produce many pollutants that are harmful to the environment and are carried by water. Thus, treatment is crucial in raising the quality available for general use.
Wastewater treatments are necessary for our continued survival, and they have wide-reaching effects on health, agriculture, energy and the environment as a whole. We must continue investing in processes that raise water quality through such treatments so we may all enjoy the benefits of clean water for our personal and public use.