The United States Wastewater Treatment Factsheet

Treating wastewater is vital for protection against waterborne illnesses. The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires the provision of effluent water quality from primary source discharges. Here’s what you should know about wastewater systems and its cleaning.

1. Aerobic Treatment System as an Alternative to Septic Systems

Numerous homes in the U.S. are situated in small communities where houses are widely spaced. As such, homeowners rely on septic systems for wastewater treatment. Given the downsides of septic systems, experts suggest the use of aerobic treatment systems.

An aerobic treatment system is suitable because it offers high-quality wastewater treatment compared to septic tanks. Its operation is fascinating and effective. Usually, aerobic treatment units (ATUs) use natural procedures that require oxygen to treat water. The bacteria, which thrive in oxygen-rich environments digest wastewater in the ATUs suspending them in the liquid.

Similar to multiple onsite systems, aerobic treatment systems purify wastewater in phases. The stages often range from pretreatment, treatment to the design of the flow of the treated water.

2. Why is Using a Belt Filter Press Important?

A belt filter press is an essential equipment for sludge dewatering. They cleanly manage sludge through automated stages involving chemical preparation, belt pressing, and gravity thickening.

Using a belt filter press is used in dewatering applications where sludge is fatty and particulate. Usually, this equipment is important in food processing and manufacturing activities. Its usage is crucial, given its possession of great features. Belt filter presses are advantageous because they consume low energy and involve multiple stages in dewatering, thus guaranteeing the provision of high-quality water.

As a dissolved air flotation (DAF) water treatment equipment, a belt filter press allows the reusing of DAF effluent for wash water. It is efficient because of its continuous and automated operation.

3. Uses of Oil Water Separators

An oil and water separator is crucial equipment, which is invaluable for different industries and applications. It is essential for efficient solids removal from wastewater streams before entry into municipal wastewater systems. A water oil separator system should be designed appropriately aboveground and belowground. If well-designed, an oil and water separator will perform three primary functions.

First, an oil and water separator is operational in food industry wastewater treatment. Usually, restaurants create significant wastewater amounts daily, which are contaminated with grease, suspending food particles, and oil. In this regard, an oil and water separator prevents damage to the environment given the release of the contaminated water.

Moreover, the oil and water separator is functional in stormwater and industrial wastewater treatment. If stormwater is permitted to flow to the environment directly, it will result in erosion, due to excessive runoffs. In this regard, oil water separators remove suspended solids from the water releasing it to the environment at a pace that allows absorption rather than erosion.

4. Maintenance Tips for Oil Water Separators

Data suggests that by 2020, up to half of the assets in wastewater facilities may be beyond the midpoint of their useful lives. Oil water separators are among the pieces of equipment. In this regard, proper maintenance of the machines is vital.

An oil water separator should be regularly and properly maintained to retain its perfect working condition. Experts provide recommendations for Municipal wastewater organizations about the maintenance of oil water separators. Every month, it is necessary to inspect the inlet area. After that, cleaning must be done. Usually, the procedure begins by turning off the influent water and opening the unit cover. The removal of any oil dispose follows. After that, you should drain all the water from the separator, allowing for the solids to remain. The procedure ends with the disposal of all the residuals from the separator.

5. The Fundamentals of the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Wastewater Treatment

DAF system is a complicated structure for water treatment. Consequently, understanding its basics is essential in comprehending the procedure for water purification. While industries prefer this system, it was designed to get rid of three kinds of contaminants. They include biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and oils, as well as greases.

It is beneficial to use DAF systems because of their ability to handle bulk solids. Additionally, they have limited carbon footprint making them more environmentally-friendly compared to septic systems.