Terminology commonly used in wastewater engineering*
1. Biosolids: Primarily an organic semi solid wastewater product that remains after solids
are stabilized biologically or chemically and are suitable for beneficial use
2. Characteristics of wastewater: General classes of wastewater constituents such as
physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical.
3. Composition of wastewater: The makeup of wastewater, including physical,
chemical, and biological constituents
4. Constituents: Individual components, elements, or biological entities such as
suspended solids or ammonia nitrogen
5. Contaminants/Impurities/Pollutants: Constituents added to the water supply
through various uses.
6. Disinfection: Reduction of disease-causing microorganism by physical or chemical
means
7. Effluent: The liquid discharged from a processing step
8. Non-Point sources: Sources of pollution that originate from multiple sources over a
relatively large area
9. Nutrient: An element that is essential for the growth of plants and animals.
10. Parameter: A measurable factor such as temperature
11. Point sources: Pollution loads discharged at a specified location from pipes, outfalls,
and conveyance methods from either municipal wastewater treatment plants, or
industrial waste treatment facilities.
12. Reclamation: Treatment of wastewater for subsequent reuse application or the act of
reusing treated wastewater
13. Recycling: the reuse of treated wastewater and biosolids for beneficial purposes.
14. Repurification: Treatment of wastewater to a level suitable for a variety of
applications including indirect or direct potable reuse.
15. Reuse: Beneficial use of reclaimed or repurified wastewater or stabilized biosolids
16. Sludge: Solids removed from wastewater during treatment. Solids that are treated
further are termed biosolids
17. Solids: Materials removed from wastewater by gravity separation and is the solid
residue from dewatering operations
*Source: Metcalf and Eddy, Wastewater Engineering, Treatment and Reuse