E-Weekly-4/2
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
The term "wastewater treatment" is also called "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:
1. 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 overfertilization 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.
PROCES OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT
Sewage treatment generally involves three stages, called
primary, secondary and tertiary treatment.
1] Primary treatment consists of
temporarily holding the sewage
in a quiescent basin where heavy
solids can settle to the bottom
while oil, grease and lighter solids
float to the surface. The settled
and floating materials are removed and the remaining
liquid may be discharged or subjected to secondary
treatment.
2]
Secondary
treatment
removes dissolved and
suspended biological matter. Secondary treatment is
typically performed by indiginous, water-borne microorganisms in a managed habitat. Secondary treatment
may require a separation process to remove the microorganisms from the treated water prior to discharge or
tertiary treatment.
Disinfection is considered part of
secondary treatment of wastewater. This
can be accomplished through chemical,
ultraviolet light or ozone processes. The
most common way to disinfect water at
this stage is to use chlorine. Disinfection
inactivates biological
contaminants in the
wastewater prior to
discharge of the water
back into the environment.
The sludge that is removed from primary and secondary
treatment processes must also be treated prior to being
disposed. As for the water, look carefully at what is
discharged from the plant and
consider all of the ways it has been
treated – physically, biologically
and chemically – and you will be
amazed at the clean, clear water
that is produced. For the past 40
years, the Clean Water Act
has regulated these processes to protect the environment
and the public’s health. The act, along with other federal
and state regulations, ensures that we can use this water
again. After all, the wastewater that is treated will be
used again by the planet and eventually our bodies.
3] Tertiary treatment is sometimes
defined as anything more than
primary and secondary
treatment in order to allow
rejection into a highly
sensitive or fragile ecosystem
(estuaries, low-flow rivers,
coral reefs,...). Treated
water is sometimes disinfected
chemically or physically (for example, by lagoons and
microfiltration) prior to discharge into a stream, river, bay,
lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a
golf course, green way or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can
also be used for groundwater recharge or agricultural
purposes.
BENEFITS OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT
1] Clean Water
Water is a renewable
resource because it gets
purified through
evaporation and rain;
however, only about 3 percent of the earth's water is
potable. Although nature slowly cleans wastewater
over time, the main benefit of wastewater treatment
is maintaining clean water for reuse.
2] New Research and Improvements
Wastewater treatment processes are changing as
researchers develop new techniques. Such research
leads to improvements in purification, the speed of
water treatment and uses for the waste products
removed. Development of new processes also saves
more energy, time and resources, which are then
available for other needs.
3] Disease
Wastewater treatment
processes can contain and
remove potential
disease-causing contaminants
through a filtering system that blocks their path and
further treatment that kills harmful organisms. This
keeps potential diseases and bacteria from entering
other water sources, or the ground, and harming
people as well as plants and animals. Treatment
systems continue to develop better methods of
purifying the water.
4] Economics
Jobs are created by wastewater treatment
research and processing. Treatment facilities,
for example, require regular maintenance and
human operation. In addition, returning clean
water to rivers and streams
helps maintain natural areas,
encouraging tourism.
LIST OF SOME OF THE WASTE WATER CONSULTANTS
(Courtesy: Internet. List not exhaustive)
Ahmedabad: FREEION ENGINEERING, 06 Nutan Prakash Park, Chandkheda Sabermati, Ioc Road, D
Cabin, Ahmedabad – 380019, 9374574187, 9601403700, 9601403011
Bangalore: LIFE GUARD SALES AND SERVICES: No.6, 1st Flr, Opp Bajaj Showroom, Old Madras Rd,
Subhash Ngr, Virgonagar, Post, Krishnarajapuram, Bangalore – 560036, (080) 66497377
Delhi: Fontus Water Limited, A-1/152, In Front Of Shiv Mandir, Ignou Rd, Okhla Industrial Area, Delhi –
110020, Tel: (011) 66226138
Goa: ESTEEM HYDRO SYSTEM PVT LTD, 21-A, Jalvayu Villa, Near MES College, Jaikisan Club
Road, Zuarinagar, GOA – 403726,9545505238, 9765370572, (0832) 3293065
Gurgaon: DR GHOSH LABORATORIES, 113/16 Prem Nagar, Near Sohna Chowk, Old Jail
Road, Gurgaon, Gurgaon - 122001 | (011) 66223780
Mumbai: 1] FILTRA CONSULTANTS AND ENGINEERS, 109, Shiv Sagar Industrial Estate, Opp Aarey
Road, Kotkar Road, Goregaon East, Mumbai – 400063, (022) 29275907, 29271998, 29275924, 28712027
2] THERMAX LIMITED, Dhanraj Mahal,2nd Floor, Near Gateway Of India, Chatrapati Shivaji
Marg, Colaba, Mumbai – 400005, 9823261916 , (022) 22045391, 22852058
Secunderabad: PURE & PRISTINE SOLUTIONS: Plot No. 52/1, H.No 8/7/178/28 Swarnadhama Nagar,
Old Bowenpally, Secundrabad - 500011, India, +(91)-8790998491
This educational PowerPoint Presentation is
prepared by GEM Team (courtesy: internet). For
other similar GEM PowerPoint Presentations on
various environmental issues see next..
Zero Garbage
Solar Energy (Darkness to Light)
Junk Food
Twenty Tips To Save
Nature
Plastic – a boon or
bane?
Green Passion
Soft drink – A Health
Hazard
Waste to energy
Rain Water Harvesting
Eco-friendly Religions
Happy Green Diwali
Climate Change
The future of
Biodiversity
Genetically Modified
Foods
Waste Water
Treatment
These PPTs may be downloaded from our
website: www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM
section