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Wastewater can generally be divided into [[sewage]] (or blackwater), [[greywater]], and [[industrial wastewater]]. These have some differences in level of hazard to [[public health]], and in wastewater treatment requirements, but many of the processes are the same.  
Wastewater can generally be divided into [[sewage]] (or blackwater), [[greywater]], and [[industrial wastewater]]. These have some differences in level of hazard to [[public health]], and in wastewater treatment requirements, but many of the processes are the same.  


The stages in wastewater treatmentare:
The stages in wastewater treatment are:
* [[Primary wastewater treatment]] - sieving and sedimentation.
* [[Primary wastewater treatment]] - sieving and sedimentation.
* [[Secondary wastewater treatment]] - digestion of biological matter, usually through oxidation, although [[anaerobic digestion]] is also possible.
* [[Secondary wastewater treatment]] - digestion of biological matter, usually through oxidation, although [[anaerobic digestion]] is also possible.

Revision as of 10:12, 1 October 2012

Wastewater, sewage or 'blackwater is water that has been polluted with human and/or animal feces/urine. It is different from greywater as the latter is only polluted with (non-)biodegradable soaps/detergents.

Wastewater management is an important part of sanitation. First and foremost the creation of wastewater should be prevented, ie by seperating human and animal feces/urine from the ambient water reserves (ie rivers, sea, ...). This can be done by not using flush toilets but rather composting toilets or even microwave or vacuum toilets[1].

If it is present nonetheless, wastewater needs to be managed. The essential components of wastewater management are collection (see sewage collection) and wastewater treatment.

Wastewater can generally be divided into sewage (or blackwater), greywater, and industrial wastewater. These have some differences in level of hazard to public health, and in wastewater treatment requirements, but many of the processes are the same.

The stages in wastewater treatment are:

  • Primary wastewater treatment - sieving and sedimentation.
  • Secondary wastewater treatment - digestion of biological matter, usually through oxidation, although anaerobic digestion is also possible.
  • Tertiary wastewater treatmentW - an additional treatment stage to improve effluent quality its discharge into the environment. This covers additional removal of suspended solids, refractory organics, heavy metals and dissolved solids
  • "Advanced wastewater treatment" may be considered part of tertiary treatment, or may be considered separately - this is a matter of terminology. It includes nutrient removal - i.e. biological removal of nitrogen and phosphorus to avoid eutrophication of the receiving water body.

See also

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  1. First developed by Georgios Stefanidis, second developed by Grietje Zeeman /DeSaH
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