Water is important for people and different living creatures to quench their thirst and for their daily activities. The demand for water has increased rapidly due to population growth and industrialization, which result in the need for advanced water treatment and recycling technologies. Water treatment is used for groundwater, floor water, seawater, and rainwater. Drinking water ought to meet positive requirements set with the aid of the government to make certain it is safe for intake. If the water does not meet these requirements, it should be dealt with before consumption to prevent severe health issues.
The most common chemical contaminants in water include:
- Hardness from Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg)
- Sodium (Na)
- Potassium (K)
- Chloride (Cl)
- Nitrate (NO3)
- Sulphate (SO4)
- Phosphate (PO4)
- Ammonia (NH3 & NH4)
- Iron (Fe)
- Silica (SiO2)
- Dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Bicarbonates (HCO3)
Higher level of above-mentioned parameters indicate unhealthy water (refer WHO standards for drinking water maximum contamination level for each contaminants). Biological contaminants include E. coli, Coliform, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and airborne bacteria. Sometimes, heavy metals are also found in water depending on the source. The higher the contamination level, the more specific treatment is needed to remove these contaminants and meet standards for different purposes. Keep on reading below to understand the importance of water treatment and wastewater treatment.
What is Wastewater and What Does its Treatment Involve?
Wastewater treatment is the process of effectively converting unusable wastewater into a form that can be safely return back into the water cycle or reused. Due to its importance, more governments are actually taking steps to enhance their wastewater treatment systems. For example, UAE, one of the most developed countries in Middle East, recently installed modern water treatment plant. This two-year project cost $21 million and aimed to treat wastewater from residents and reduce pollution.
Effluent from various industries, grey water, hazardous effluent, and black water need to be treated to fulfill specific wastewater discharge standards before being released into the environment. Wastewater from industries after meeting their needs may also include dangerous contaminants that need to be treated to shield the environment and public health. If water from industries containing pathogens is discharged without proper treatment, it can cause waterborne illnesses if it enters water bodies.
Governments have currently imposed strict regulations to lessen the negative environmental effect of untreated wastewater reaching natural water resources like rivers, lakes, and floor waters. Therefore, wastewater treatment and reclamation are essential to keep a healthy atmosphere that depends on clean water. Water conservation is likewise important for the future, and reusing recycled wastewater is turning to preferred by a lot of developed countries. As a sign of their environmental commitment, industries must adhere to recycling practices to preserve water availability for the future.
Wastewater contamination is measured using several parameters including:
- Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
- Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
- Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
- Ammonia (NH3)
- Total Nitrogen (TN)
- Total Phosphorus (TP)
The level of contamination will determine the need for treatment and the type of treatment required to remove these contaminants.
Why is Wastewater Treatment Important?
Wastewater treatment plant is vital for protecting the surroundings and the health of humans and animals. Untreated wastewater can pollute water bodies, damage natural habitats, and cause dangerous illnesses. The Wastewater treatment plant cleans the water that goes down our drains before releasing it back into the environment. Despite efforts to install these plants worldwide, more needs to be done. Water is an essential aid, and it is being wasted. There are diverse techniques to deal with the wastewater and the more powerful the procedure, the more water can be reused before it is discharged into the sea.
People are beginning to challenge companies about fracking and wastewater issues, which leads to gradual changes in rules, particularly regarding transparency and environmental impact. Increased scrutiny of the industry is positive because legal transparency leads to better outcomes for the waste discharge specifications. It is crucial to hold SME companies, mines, and other large-scale industries to higher standards. These industries were unregulated and prioritized earnings for too long. Improving wastewater remedies and laws is vital to safeguarding our surroundings and ensuring the sustainable use of water resources.
Who Needs Water and Wastewater Treatment?
Water:
In some places, fresh water that meets certain drinking water standards is scarce for domestic and industrial needs. Water treatment is essential in these areas to provide pure water for drinking and sanitation. Water is mainly used for drinking, industrial processes, washing, toilets, and cooling industrial and commercial buildings. The biggest water consumers are:
- Food and beverage industries
- Dairy and pharmaceutical industries
- Hotels and resorts
- FMCG industries
- Automobile industries
- Chemical manufacturing industries
Wastewater:
The Wastewater comes from many sectors including manufacturing, food processing, healthcare, car washing, and agriculture. It often contains heavy metals, hydrocarbons, soaps, detergents, bacteria, and both organic and inorganic pollutants, which are hazardous. Most industrial wastewater needs treatment to meet discharge or reuse standards set by the authorities. The treatment methods vary depending on the industry and type of wastewater to ensure effective cleaning.
What is the Process?
Water treatment systems collect, treat, and distribute water for homes, corporations, and industries. Although those plants might employ slightly different techniques in other parts of the sector, but their strategies commonly comply with comparable steps based on the intended use of the water.
What are the Five Steps of Water Treatment?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states the importance of water treatment and its process for public water systems generally involve five main steps.
Coagulation
The first step in water treatment is coagulation. Certain chemicals with positive charge such as iron salts or aluminum salts are added to the water. These chemicals neutralize the negative charge of dirt and other suspended contaminants in the water. The suspended particles binds together as clumps as a result of neutralization.
Flocculation
Next is flocculation. In this step, the water is gently mixed to aid the formation of larger and heavier particles called flocs. Additional chemicals are often added to help these flocs form more easily.
Sedimentation
The heavier flocs formed settles at the bottom of the tank. This process is called sedimentation which helps separate these solid particles from the water before moving on to the next step.
Filtration
The water then undergoes filtration for further separation of solids. The clear water on top after sedimentation passes through a filter medium of different pore size that is composed of materials such as sand, gravel, activated carbon, etc. These filters help to remove dissolved debris, undesirable materials and unpleasant taste or odor from the water.
Disinfection
The final step of water purification is disinfection for the removal of any parasites, microorganisms, and viruses. This is done by adding chemical disinfectants along with chlorine or chlorine dioxide to the water. This step ensures that the water stays safe because it flows from the treatment plant to houses and companies by removing any remaining dangerous microorganisms.
What Diseases Can be Caused Due to Untreated Wastewater?
The diseases that can be caused due to untreated wastewater are as follows:
- Campylobacteriosis
- Escherichia coli Diarrhea
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Gastroenteritis
- Encephalitis
- Giardiasis
- Poliomyelitis
- Hepatitis A
- Salmonellosis
- Typhoid Fever
- Cholera
- Schistosomiasis
- Yersiniosis
These diseases are not just found in developing countries, but also in the U.S. Thus, each person should be aware of the importance of wastewater treatment to prevent such illnesses and save lives.
Effects of Wastewater Pollutants on the Ecosystem
When huge quantities of nitrogen, phosphates, or rotting organic count pollute water, it makes unusual plant growth. These plants release toxins that reduce oxygen levels which create "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive.
Untreated wastewater is toxic to land animals and humans. The problem is not just ingesting the wastewater; it is also the contamination of the food chain. Polluted algae poison the fish that eat it, which then poison the animals that eat the fish, and so forth.
Wastewater pollutants also can cause "red tide," a phenomenon that kills massive numbers of aquatic animals. This can pollute vast amounts of water which make it unsafe for human use.
Conclusion
The main goal of wastewater treatment facilities is to protect people and local ecosystems from toxic elements in wastewater. These facilities speed up the natural process of purifying water which cannot keep up with the waste produced by society. Without wastewater treatment and recycling, daily life would be much more dangerous, especially in developing countries that lack proper wastewater treatment systems.
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