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What is Wastewater?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Wastewater is a term applied to any type of water that has been utilized in some capacity that negatively impacts the quality of the water. Common examples of wastewater include water that is discharged from households, office and retail buildings, and manufacturing plants. Wastewater may also refer to any water that is utilized in an agricultural facility and is no longer considered fit for human consumption.

The most common example of wastewater is liquid sewage. Discharged from homes and businesses alike, sewage usually contains a mixture of human waste, food remnants, water used in washing machines, and any other items that may have found their way into the sewage system. Many municipalities operate wastewater treatment plants that help to purify the sewage and recycle the water for other uses, such as watering lawns. The plant may employ many different devices to recycle the wastewater, including filters and chemical treatments.

Wastewater from boiling pasta can be used to water plants.
Wastewater from boiling pasta can be used to water plants.

Wastewater can also refer to groundwater that is contaminated due to a leaking septic tank or agents such as insecticide, petroleum products, blood, or cleaning liquids. Often, contaminated water can also be ran through the municipal filtration system and be prepared for use once again. However, the nature of the contaminants may require additional measures before the water is suitable for use once more.

Recycled, purified water.
Recycled, purified water.

Along with the use of chemicals to treat wastewater, the use of environmentally friendly methods are sometimes employed. Reed bed systems are one example. When utilized in wetlands that are either natural in origin or man made, this type of system can help to remove contaminants like soap and similar agents with relative ease, allowing the water to be reclaimed. However, many forms of wastewater today require heavy chemical treatments in order to remove harmful agents from the water and make it safe for further use.

Wastewater is conducted through pipes to either a septic tank or a water treatment plant.
Wastewater is conducted through pipes to either a septic tank or a water treatment plant.

In some homes, people sometimes take steps to recycle wastewater themselves. Water used for bathing may be collected and utilized for watering flower or vegetable gardens. The same is true with water used in the preparation of food. Any liquid used to boil pasta, for example, may be recycled as water for plants rather than dumping the used water into the sink.

Penstocks are sometimes used to control outflows of waste or other liquids at sewage treatment plants and systems.
Penstocks are sometimes used to control outflows of waste or other liquids at sewage treatment plants and systems.

Maintaining a fully functional water filtration plant is priority in most municipalities. Filtering and cleansing the water helps to minimize the chances for an outbreak of health issues related to infections and exposure to contaminants and essentially makes it possible for people to live in urbanized areas and still enjoy safe drinking water.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including AboutMechanics, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including AboutMechanics, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

cloudel

@Perdido – Dogs have a strange fascination with wastewater. Mine like to lick the sewage water, which is even more gross than your laundry water.

They must have stomachs of steel, because they've never gotten sick from it. I wish there were some way to make the sewage stay underground, but I rent my home, and the landlord has the pipe system set up so that the sewage drains into the pasture next to my house. My dogs go out there a lot, and it is hard to keep them away from it.

The stench from this wastewater sludge is a combination of dirty lake water and feces. There is an almost fishy odor to it like there is in a big lake near my home. I hope this doesn't mean that the lake is polluted with sewage!

Perdido

Domestic wastewater can look downright nasty. Even the kind that doesn't contain sewage takes on a strange color and a murky appearance that makes me afraid to touch it.

The water that drains out of the washing machine goes through a pipe and into my back yard. There is a ditch full of this gray water, and it looks like a poisonous substance.

It has swirls and clouds in it. I have caught my dogs drinking it before, and I tried to shoo them away from it. Either they didn't get enough of it to harm them, or it really isn't toxic, because they were fine.

OeKc05

This article has inspired me to participate in wastewater recycling. I have a large flower garden that need to be watered at least twice a week, and I never thought about reusing the water inside my house for this. I probably waste a lot of water by throwing it out and using fresh water from the garden hose on my plants.

I boil pasta once or twice a week, and that would give me a couple of pots full of water. Also, I fill the bathtub about halfway full with water whenever I shave my legs, and I could totally be bailing this out with a bucket and watering my flowers with it instead of letting it seep down the drain and out into the yard.

anon146749

very nice but problems faced due to improper management of waste must be included.

anon51663

very nice article on the topic waste water.

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    • Wastewater from boiling pasta can be used to water plants.
      By: isrgil
      Wastewater from boiling pasta can be used to water plants.
    • Recycled, purified water.
      By: dechevm
      Recycled, purified water.
    • Wastewater is conducted through pipes to either a septic tank or a water treatment plant.
      By: gozzoli
      Wastewater is conducted through pipes to either a septic tank or a water treatment plant.
    • Penstocks are sometimes used to control outflows of waste or other liquids at sewage treatment plants and systems.
      By: marcobarone
      Penstocks are sometimes used to control outflows of waste or other liquids at sewage treatment plants and systems.
    • Many municipal sewage treatment plants process millions of gallons of wastewater each day.
      By: chartcameraman
      Many municipal sewage treatment plants process millions of gallons of wastewater each day.
    • Wastewater treatment reduces the contaminants to acceptable levels so as to be safe for discharge into the environment.
      By: Matti
      Wastewater treatment reduces the contaminants to acceptable levels so as to be safe for discharge into the environment.
    • Insects might use wastewater as a breeding ground.
      By: demarfa
      Insects might use wastewater as a breeding ground.