Water Waste Management and the Impact on the Environment, Research Paper Example

Abstract

The research paper explored the treatment of wastewater and the impact of the effluents on the environment.  The processes of waste water treatment were reviewed.  The objective of converting the waste water effluents into fluids which are ecologically safe was explored. The process of the treatment of the solids which were extracted from the effluent wastewater was reviewed.  The perspectives of Russell (2006), Qasim (1999), Spellman (2009), Spellman & Drinan (2003) and van Lier et al. (2008) were accessed in the research.

Introduction

What is the process of treating wastewater and what does it entail? The procedures involved in extracting contaminants from the effluent wastewater which include the institutional, commercial domestic and rain water is performed with the objective of deriving a fluid which is environmentally benign.  In addition, the byproducts of waste water treatment include the production of a processed sludge which can be disposed in a manner that does not adversely affect the environment.  In addition, the sludge that is derived from the processing of wastewater is converted into a sludge which is recycled as fertilizer (Russell, 2008; Spellman, 2009).

Wastewater effluents is produced from the processes which include cleaning, bathing and water consumption.  All of the effluents are passed into the sewage pipes which join the subterranean sewage system.  The factors that influence the movement of the effluent water in the sewage system are the presence of grease, oils and fats which are derived from manufacturing, cooking, and automobiles have the characteristics of creating plumbing blockages in the sewage system (Spellman & Drinan, 2003; Qasim, 1999).

As the warm grease, oils and fats are deposited into the sewage systems, the heated liquid has a high viscosity and flows readily into the sewage pipes.  As the effluent grease, oils and fats which have been deposited into the sewage system lose their thermal energy, they increase the potential of creating sever damage to the pipelines which compose the sewage system in addition to obstructing the flows of effluent wastewater.  The industrial effluent wastewater incorporates the leachate and the rain runoff which are recipients of contaminants correlated with commercial and industrial storage, processing and handling facilities (Spellman & Drinan, 2003; Qasim, 1999).

The origins of the wastewater are categorized as storm runoff, industrial or domestic effluents.  The domestic origins of the effluent wastewater are the residences within a municipality.  The effluent wastewater emitted from businesses, institutions and homes can be readily treated.  The quality of the effluent wastewater is reliant upon the category of industry that is consuming the water.  There are some industries which emit effluents that have elevated proportions of solids or organic materials.  These effluents are more difficult to process.  There are certain industries which have the requisite of pretreating the wastewater effluent in order to extract the contaminants prior to their entry into the wastewater sewage system (van Lier et al., 2008).

The wastewater plants are operated by employees who provide maintenance for the engines, generators and pumps which enable the movement of the effluent sewage through three distinct processes.  These processes are delineated as the waste processing procedure which is divided into three steps.  The employees of the waste water processing plants have the responsibility of ensuring that the effluents have been properly disinfected.  Samples of the effluents are routinely collected and examination procedures are performed (Russell, 2006; Spellman, 2009).

Activated Sludge

The term activated sludge is applied in order to detail the process of aerobically suspending the substances by the aggregation of bacteria.  The bacteria are combined with the wastewater.  The bacteria have the function of consuming and extracting the organic biodegradable materials by means of screening and settling in aerated reservoirs.  Bacteria are applied to the organics contaminants in order to convert the substrate into energy, new cellular substance and carbon dioxide.  The systems which apply activated sludge mechanisms are applied in the state of the art wastewater processing areas in order to provide treatment to the various categories of effluents which include industrial wastewater, fecal sludge, greywater and brown water (Spellman & Drinan, 2003; Qasim, 1999).

Stage One of the Wastewater Treatment

The water moves from the pump station through the network of channels to the inlet chamber.  There is a bar screen which facilitates the extraction of particles of debris, cloths, paper and plastics that have the possibility of causing obstructions to the mechanical components of the wastewater plant.  The solid substances which are filtered through the bar screen are extracted and disposed in landfills or incinerated.  The wastewater is propelled through the grit chamber.  The grit chamber enables the extraction of dense particles and suspended solids (Russell, 2006: Spellman & Drinan, 2003).

Stage Two -Primary Clarifying System

The wastewater is transported to the primary sediment tank.  The wastewater is allowed to settle in order to enable the separation of the sludge substrate from the water.  The sludge substrate is scraped from the surface of the wastewater.  This process is defined as desludging.  The wastewater that has been subjected to the primary treatment is propelled to an aeration tank (van Lier et al., 2008).

Stage Three – Secondary Clarifier and Aeration Process

In the aeration tank, the activated sludge is supplied with oxygen.  The sludge and the wastewater are blended.  The blending process occurs by means of diffusers which are located at the lower section of the aeration tank.  The water can also be mechanically agitated on its surface.  Subsequent to the process of aeration, the water is transported to a secondary sedimentation reservoir.  In the secondary sedimentation reservoir, the settling occurs.  This is where the microorganisms that have been flocculated are allowed to settle (Russell, 2006; Spellman, 2009).

The flocculated organisms and extracted from the effluent wastewater stream.  The microorganisms which have settled are designated activated sludge.  The activated sludge is agitated to the top of the aeration reservoir where it enables the production of new sludge.  The activated sludge and the new sludge are applied in order to decompose organic material that is suspended in the effluent wastewater (Russell, 2006; Spellman, 2009).

Stage Four- Final Treatment

The effluent wastewater is passed through a tertiary filtration process which includes a disinfection process.  The wastewater is migrated to a filter tank where the substrate is extracted by means of filtering the water through sand or other filtering materials.  The wastewater is then placed into a chlorination tank where disinfection occurs.  The disinfecting process is performed on the wastewater in order to deactivate all of the organisms which carry disease transmitting organisms in the wastewater (Spellman & Drinan, 2003; Qasim, 1999).

Sludge Treatment

The objective of the sludge forming process is to decrease the sludge by means of separating the liquid components.  In addition, the goal of the sludge forming process in wastewater treatment is to decrease the downstream expenses and to facilitate the safe and beneficial application of the sludge as fertilizer.  The process of creating the sludge diminishes the possibility of odor transmission and decomposes the pathogens.  The parts of the sludge creation process incorporate the following procedures:

1. Anaerobic absorption of the substrates
2. Thickening
3. Landfill application or incineration of the sludge. The sludge can also be applied as fertilizer (van Lier et al., 2008).

Sequence Batch Reaction System

In the sequenced batch reaction systems, the sludge forming and coagulating process is deigned to function under non steady state circumstances.  In the sequence batch reaction system of wastewater treatment, the wastewater is aggregated to the system and is subjected to a variety of processes which include sludge precipitation and aeration in the same tank (van Lier et al., 2008).

Wastewater Treatment Process

In the anoxic fill, the wastewater is egressed by means of the influent dissemination manifold.  The wastewater is disseminated in the precipitated sludge in order to provide adequate exposure between the substrate and the microorganisms.  The aeration process is initiated during this stage.  In the aerated fill, the precipitated substrate is exposed to the microorganisms and a substantial quantity of oxygen is applied in order to enable the consumption of the substrate.  The denitrification and nitrification procedures are initiated at the early segment of the fill stage.  The stage is concluded when the optimal time for filling is attained (Spellman & Drinan, 2003; Qasim, 1999).

In the reaction stage, the wastewater is continuously aerated until the total biodegradation of biochemical oxygen demand and nitrogen is attained.  The famine stage is initiated when the microorganisms have consumed the entire substrate.  In the settling segment of the reaction stage, the aeration process is discontinued.   The reaction tank performs the function of enabling the sedimentation where the separation of the solids occurs.  The residual water is clear above the sludge layer.  There are no liquids which are allowed to ingress or egress during this stage in order to avoid agitating the supernatant.  The idling stage is the temporal interval between the fill and decanting of the sludge.  The extracted sludge waste product is propelled to an anaerobic digester in order to decrease its volume (Russell, 2006; Spellman, 2009).

Water Stabilization Lagoon

The water stabilization lagoons are reservoirs which are used in order to facilitate the natural decomposition of organic materials.  The anaerobic ponds are profound treatment reservoirs which are used to enable the development of bacteria and decrease oxygen.  As the anaerobic bacteria decompose the effluent, carbon dioxide and methane are emitted.  The final stage is the maturation pond which is applied for tertiary treatment.  The maturation pond is applied for the extraction of algae, nutrients and pathogens from the water (Russell, 2006; Spellman, 2009).

Conclusion

The process of treating wastewater is a process where the wastewater is treated in a variety of stages.  Industries which apply high levels of contaminants to the wastepaper have the requisite of pretreating the water prior to emitting the supernatant.  These contaminants are oils, fats and grease.  The effective removal of the contaminants is performed by filtration and by the introduction of microorganisms to the effluent substrate.  The effective processing of wastewater is required in order to prevent the transmission of pathogens and odors into the environment.

References

Russell, D. L. (2006). Practical wastewater treatment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Qasim, S. R. (1999). Wastewater treatment plants: Planning, design and operation (2^nd  edition). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Spellman, F. (2009). Handbook of water and wastewater treatment plant operation. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Spellman, F. & Drinan, J. (2003). Wastewater treatment plant operations made easy.Lancaster, PA: DEStech Publications, Inc.

Van Lier, J.  B., Mahmood, N. & Zeeman, G. (2008). 16 Anaerobic waste water treatment. In M. Henze, M. van Loosdrecht, G. Ekana and D. Brdjanovic (Eds.), Biological wastewater treatment: Principles, modelling and design (415- 456). London: IWA Publishing.