Reusing and Recycling Your... Water?

Wastewater is another term for used water. It contains food scraps, soaps, oils, chemicals, human waste, rock, wood, and even dead animals. The water from the showers, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, and sinks is what constitutes used water. Rain too is considered wastewater. Contrary to common belief that rain is harmless, it actually contains substances washed off from parking lots, roads, and the rooftops of houses. These substances have been known to be harmful to natural bodies of water like rivers and lakes. Because of the considerable quantities of wastewater, it could pollute the environment if they are just left stagnant. Thus, wastewater treatment was developed.

Simply put wastewater treatment is sewage treatment. Treatment plants have been created to recycle wastewater into a less harmless form before released back to nature. Wastewater treatment is important not only because it helps reduce pollution in the environment, it protects the people's health too. Dirty water causes disease. It cannot be denied that humans are fond of using water to carry out various activities such as fishing, swimming, boating, and picnicking. Unclean water could prove disastrous. The wildlife and fisheries too could benefit greatly from wastewater treatment. Migratory birds, for example, use water for feeding and resting.

Wastewater treatment starts by screening of the water that enters the treatment plant. Wastewater is transported from houses to the treatment plant by force of gravity. In order for the system to work, the treatment plants are located on low ground, usually situated beside or near a body of water, like the river. Treated water is then released into the water. There are instances that wastewater is pumped up to aeration tanks. This is because the treatment plant where the wastewater should go is located above ground level.