Overview | Waste Water Composition | Waste Water Treatment | Biological Treatment of Waste Water | A Waste Water Treatment Plant

Waste water, as a result of its various components, needs to be treated to become fresh water again. This treatment is performed in a series of certain processes, the central steps of which make use of hungry micro-organisms. So what does a treatment plant look like?

Set-up of a Waste Water Treatment Plant

Everybody has probably seen a waste water treatment plant. They are usually composed of several basins, round or rectangular in shape, of sizes not less than some 100 square metres.

The Components

• Rake with sand and grease trap - this is, of course, the waste water itself, and where it first runs into the treatment plant.

• Primary clarification tank - this area is for the initial sedimentation and decanting of the waste water. Also, the first biological degradation processes may take place.

• Sludge - this is very important for biological treatment. Firstly, it fixes micro-organisms in one place. Secondly, it degrades like compost when the biomass has died.

• Service building - this is the place where treatment plant personnel contribute to the waste water¹ and its treatment (documentation, process-monitoring, etc).

• Secondary settling tank - in the final step of the waste water treatment the aim is to let all the sediments sink down so that clean water can be decanted from the top.

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¹ By using the toilets.