Wastewater

Wastewater is water that carries wastes from homes, businesses, and industries to municipal wastewater treatment plants. The characteristics of the wastewater vary depending upon the population density of the community, the type of industry in the local area, land uses, groundwater levels, and the degree of separation between stormwater and municipal wastewater.
WastewaterWastewater
Physically wastewater is usually characterized by a grey colour, musty odour. It is a mixture of water and dissolved or suspended solids.

Chemically wastewater is composed of organic and inorganic compounds as well as various gases. Organic components may consist of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and greases, oils, pesticides and phenols. Inorganic components may consist of heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorides, alkalinity and toxic compounds.

Biologically, wastewater contains various micro-organisms some which are of concern include protista (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and algae), plants (ferns, mosses, seed plants and liverworts), and animals.

Adapted from Environment Canada's Municipal Wastewater Sources and Characteristics.

Municipal Wastewater Treatment

Municipal wastewater (or sewage) treatment plants are designed to treat waste that is discharged by residents, businesses and industries. The type of process used by a sewage treatment plant affects the quality of effluent that is discharged to the receiving lake or river. Conventional treatment may consist of up to three treatment processes - primary, secondary and tertiary.

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Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Industrial processes and operations use a large amount of water, however only a small amount of that water may be used or incorporated into the final product. The majority of the water is expelled as wastewater and may contain numerous pollutants. Before this wastewater is discharged into the environment, steps must be taken to ensure that any pollutants present are at safe levels.

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