introduction to wastewater, ways to reuse wastewater, possible ways to treat wastewater..

1. ASSIGNMENT
ON
DOMESTIC WASTEWATER EFFLUENTS
SUBMITTED TO:
MAM FATIMA LATIF
SUBMITTED BY:
MUHAMMAD HANNAN
B.SC. (HONS.) AGRICULTURE (WATER MANAGEMENT)
SEMESTER 5TH
B.Z.U.

2. INTRODUCTION
DOMESTIC WATER CONSUMPTION MAKES UP 8% OF TOTAL GLOBAL WATER USE
ACCORDING TO UN-WATER 2010. IT, THEREFORE, MEANS THAT OUR HOMES
ALONE GENERATE ABOUT 8% OF THE TOTAL GLOBAL WATER USED. AS MUCH AS
IT HAS BEEN ADVOCATED FOR PEOPLE TO CUT BACK ON WATER USE AND
MINIMIZING WASTAGE TO CONSERVE WATER, IT IS EVEN MORE REWARDING
TO COLLECT AND REUSE WASTE WATER AS IT ULTIMATELY SAVES WATER EVEN
MORE.

3. WASTE WATER
WASTEWATER IS ANY WATER THAT
HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED BY
HUMAN USE. WASTEWATER IS
"USED WATER FROM ANY
COMBINATION OF DOMESTIC,
INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL OR
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES,
SURFACE RUNOFF OR
STORMWATER, AND ANY SEWER
INFLOW OR SEWER INFILTRATION”.

4. EFFLUENT
EFFLUENT IS AN OUTFLOWING OF
WATER OR GAS TO A NATURAL
BODY OF WATER, FROM A
STRUCTURE SUCH AS A
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT,
SEWER PIPE, OR INDUSTRIAL
OUTFALL. EFFLUENT, IN
ENGINEERING, IS THE STREAM
EXITING A CHEMICAL REACTOR.

5. WASTEWATER RECYCLING
• WASTE WATER RECYCLING IS ONE OF THE MOST SENSIBLE AND WINNING
OPTIONS FOR PROMOTING WATER SUFFICIENCY AND IT CAN RANGE FROM
SIMPLE HOME METHODS TO SOPHISTICATED INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
FILTRATION SYSTEMS. REUSE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF WASTEWATER IS HENCE A
WAY TO OPTIMIZE WATER USE AT HOME. IT CAN EITHER BE REUSED DIRECTLY
OR TREATED

6. EASY WAYS TO
REUSE
WASTEWATER
HERE ARE 18 SMART AND
EASY WAYS TO REUSE
WASTEWATER.

7. AGRICULTURE WASTEWATER REUSE
• WASTEWATER CAN BE USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES SUCH AS WATERING LANDSCAPED
GARDENS AND LAWNS. IT CAN EQUALLY BE USED TO IRRIGATE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT
NURSERIES OR FLOWER AND FENCE BUSHES. AS MUCH AS IRRIGATION INCREASES CROP YIELD,
IT SHOULD BE USED ACCORDING TO THE WHO GUIDELINES FOR THE SAFE USE OF
WASTEWATER IN AGRICULTURE BY MONITORING THE WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS OF
WASTEWATER.
• HUMANS AND ANIMALS MAY END UP CONSUMING CONTAMINANTS FROM THE CROPS
WHICH IS NOT GOOD FOR HEALTH. ALSO THROUGH THE MONITORING PROGRAM, IT IS
POSSIBLE TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE SOIL-NUTRIENT RUNOFF AND SALINITY FROM IRRIGATION BY
THE USE OF SALTY WATER, WHICH INHIBITS PLANT GROWTH. SUBSURFACE IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO SPREAD WATER EVENLY AROUND THE GARDEN AND AS SUCH, ARE
RECOMMENDED FOR IRRIGATING WITH UNTREATED WATER.

8. REDIRECTING DRAIN WATER
(GREY WASTEWATER SYSTEM)
• GREYWATER REFERS TO WASTEWATER FROM NON-TOILET PLUMBING FIXTURES SUCH AS
SHOWERS, BASINS AND TAPS FROM DOMESTIC HOUSEHOLD USE. IT IS SLIGHTLY USED AND IS
NOT IN CONTACT WITH FECES BUT CAN CONTAIN SOME ELEMENTS OF
HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS, GREASE, HAIR, FOOD OR DIRT. THE REUSE METHOD
INVOLVES DIVERTING WASTEWATER FROM THE DRAINAGE SINKS AND WASHING MACHINES
THEN DIRECTING IT INTO A GREYWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM.
• SHOWERS AND SINK ONLY REQUIRE A SIMPLE GREYWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM AS OPPOSED
TO TRAPPING USED WATER FROM WASHING MACHINES. WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE
SYSTEM, THE GREYWATER CAN BE USED OUTDOORS FOR CLEANING THE VERANDA AND THE
DRIVEWAY, WATERING GRASS, OR EVEN WASHING THE CAR AND DOORMATS.

9. RECYCLING DIRTY AQUARIUM WATER
• THE WATER IN THE FISH TANKS MUST BE ROUTINELY CHANGED TO GET RID OF EXCESS TOXIC
MATERIALS AND WASTE DISSOLVED IN WATER THAT COULD HARM THE FISH IF LEFT TO
ACCUMULATE. WHEN REFILLING AQUARIUM WATER, INSTEAD OF DISPOSING OF THE DIRTY
WATER, ONE CAN USE IT FOR AGRICULTURAL REUSE LIKE WATERING POTTED PLANTS,
VEGETABLE NURSERIES OR LAWN GARDENS.
• AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WATER IS VERY GOOD FOR PLANTS BECAUSE IT CONTAINS
MATERIALS SUCH AS NITROGEN, PHOSPHOROUS, POTASSIUM AND AMMONIUM AND OTHER
MICROORGANISMS FOUND IN SOIL SEDIMENTS, WHICH CAN ACT AS A NATURAL FERTILIZER.
IN DOING SO, HOWEVER, IT IS ADVISABLE NOT TO WATER PLANTS WITH USED WATER FROM
SALTWATER AQUARIUMS AS IT CAN HARM THE PLANTS DUE TO HIGH SALT CONTENT.

10. COLLECT SHOWER WATER
• THE COLLECTION OF SHOWER WATER IS THE EASIEST AND SIMPLEST WAY TO REUSE WATER AT
HOME. WATER FROM THE SHOWER CAN BE REUSED AFTER A BATH BY PLUGGING THE DRAIN
AND LETTING THE BATH FILL UP. IT CAN THEN BE MANUALLY COLLECTED FROM THE BATHTUB
USING A BUCKET. ALTERNATIVELY, ONE CAN STAND IN A BASIN OR BUCKET WHEN TAKING A
SHOWER TO COLLECT THE WATER. AFTER BATH, THE COLLECTED WATER CAN BE REUSED FOR
WATERING OUTDOOR FLOWERS AND LAWNS.

11. TRAP RAINWATER
• COLLECTING RAINWATER IS EQUALLY PART OF WATER REUSE THAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT
RECOGNIZE. THE INSTALLATION OF GUTTERS FOR DIVERTING RAINWATER TO WHERE IT CAN
BE STORED DOES THE WORK. AFTER COLLECTION, THE WATER CAN BE USED IN THE GARDEN
TO WATER PLANTS, FOR LAUNDRY AND MANY OTHER PURPOSES AS RAINWATER IS
CONSIDERED CLEAN AND SAFE COMPARED TO OTHER TYPES OF USED WATER SUCH AS
GREYWATER.

12. USE OF COARSE FILTRATION
• COARSE FILTRATION OF USED WATER CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE ITS REUSE PURPOSES. IT
ENTAILS THE REMOVAL OF LARGE PARTICLES IN THE USED WATER SUCH AS GREASE, HAIR,
PLASTIC DIRT AND FOOD JUST TO MENTION A FEW. WITH COARSE FILTRATION, THE
GREYWATER FROM THE HOUSE IS COLLECTIVELY THEN DIRECTED INTO THE FILTRATION SYSTEM
WHERE THE COARSE PARTICLES ARE REMOVED. ONCE REMOVED, THE OUTFLOW CAN BE
CONNECTED TO AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR USE IN WATERING PLANTS AND OTHER
PURPOSES SUCH AS WASHING THE CAR AND OUTDOOR CLEANING

13. FINE FILTRATION OF WATER FOR REUSE
• JUST LIKE COARSE FILTRATION, FINE FILTRATION CAN AS WELL BE USED TO MAKE
WASTEWATER MORE USEFUL. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT FINE FILTRATION IS MAJORLY USED TO
REMOVE MICROBES FROM WATER. IF PROPERLY FILTERED, THE WATER IS FIT FOR HUMAN
CONSUMPTION AND COOKING. THERE IS A BASIC STRUCTURE RECOMMENDED FOR A FINE
FILTRATION SYSTEM AND ONCE IT IS SET UP, THE GREYWATER CAN BE FILTERED THEN DIRECTED
TO A COLLECTION POINT WHERE IT CAN BE USED FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES.

14. REUSE OF WATER FROM LAUNDRY
• WASTEWATER FROM LAUNDRY CLEANING CAN BE DIRECTED FOR OUTDOOR USE. IT CAN BE
COLLECTED FROM WASHING MACHINES BY REMOVING THE DISCHARGE HOSE FROM THE
HOUSE DRAIN AND CONNECTING IT TO A LONGER RUN OFF HOSE THAT CAN REACH THE
YARD WHICH WILL ENABLE THE COLLECTION AND USE OF WASTEWATER EVERY TIME LAUNDRY
IS DONE.
• DURING LAUNDRY, THE PIPE CAN BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE YARD TO AVOID
EROSION AND ENSURE THE LAWNS ARE WATERED EVENLY. THE LAUNDRY WATER CAN ALSO BE
USED FOR CLEANING THE PAVEMENTS AND THE DRIVEWAY.

15. SAVE PASTA WATER
• ONE OF THE MOST NUTRIENT-RICH KITCHEN WATER IS USED TO BOIL VEGETABLES AND PASTA.
IT CAN, THEREFORE, SERVE A VERY GOOD PURPOSE IN WATERING PLANTS. VEGETABLE AND
PASTA WATER CAN BE COLLECTED IN POTS AND AFTER IT HAS COOLED DOWN, IT CAN BE
USED TO WATER THE GARDEN.

16. CATCH WARM-UP SHOWER WATER
• THIS IS WATER THAT RUNS FROM THE SHOWER AS YOU WAIT FOR IT TO GET TO THE PERFECT
TEMPERATURE BEFORE STARTING TO TAKE A SHOWER. INSTEAD OF LETTING THE WATER TO BE
WASTED DOWN THE DRAIN, ONE CAN CAPTURE THIS WARM-UP WATER BY SIMPLY PLACING A
BASIN OR LARGE BOWL UNDER THE FAUCET WHEN THE SHOWER IS TURNED ON THEN SIMPLY
MOVING IT OUT OF THE WAY WHEN THE WATER GETS TO THE PREFERRED TEMPERATURE FOR
BATHING. THE WATER CAN BE USED DIRECTLY AROUND THE HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE IT IS VERY
CLEAN OR CAN BE USED OUTDOORS TO WATER GARDEN PLANTS.

17. REUSE UNWANTED ICE
• INSTEAD OF DUMPING ICE FROM OVERSTAYED ICE TRAYS FROM THE FREEZERS OR ICE
COOLERS IN THE DRAIN, SPREAD IT ON THE GARDEN GRASS OR AROUND PLANTS AND LET
THE ICE MELT INTO LIQUID.

18. REUSE UNUSE DRINKING WATER
• DRINKING WATER STORED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME HAS A STALE TASTE, IS MURKY, AND
ALSO HAS A GREAT PROBABILITY OF BEING CONTAMINATED BY BACTERIA. INSTEAD OF
DISPOSING OF IT BY POURING IT OUT, YOU CAN USE IT FOR WASHING UTENSILS AND OTHER
HOUSEHOLD CHORES AS IT IS NOT THAT DIRTY. STALE PET WATER CAN ALSO BE USED ON
POTTED PLANTS.

19. EMPLOY THE USE OF RAIN BARRELS
• IN MOST CASES, RAIN FROM THE ROOFS OF OUR HOUSES IS JUST LEFT TO RUN OFF INTO THE
SEWER SYSTEMS. IN A BID TO SAVE THIS WATER FROM GOING TO WASTE, RAIN BARRELS CAN
BE USED TO COLLECT THE WATER BY PLACING THEM UNDER THE GUTTER’S DOWNSPOUT. THE
WATER CAN THEN BE USED FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES SUCH AS LAUNDRY, WATERING PLANTS
AND GENERAL CLEANING IN THE HOUSE.

20. INSTALL SINK TO TOILET SYSTEM
• A SINK-TO-TOILET SYSTEM IS ONE THAT HAS AN ADJUSTABLE SINK TOILET TOP ATTACHED TO
THE TOILET’S REFILL CYCLE. THE SYSTEM WORKS BY FILTERING SINK DRAINAGE AFTER WHICH IT
STORES IT IN A RESERVOIR, WHICH IS USED TO FLUSH THE TOILET. PARTICULARLY, IT REDIRECTS
WATER FROM THE PIPE TO A VALVE WHICH THEN DRAINS THE WATER INTO THE TOILET BOWL.

21. INSTALL SINK TO TOILET SYSTEM

22. COLLECT THE OVERFLOW
OF FROM WATERING PLANTS
• EVERY TIME WHEN POTTED PLANTS ARE WATERED, THERE IS ALWAYS WATER OVERFLOW OR
WATER RUNNING OUT OF THE DRAINAGE HOLES OF THE POTS INSTEAD OF LETTING THIS
WATER FLOW AWAY, IT CAN BE COLLECTED THEN BY PLACING THE PLANTS IN DEEP TRAYS AND
USED TO WATER OTHER SMALLER PLANTS OR THE GRASS, THAT GOES TO WASTE.

23. SAVE THE WATER USED TO WASH
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
• THE WATER USED TO WASH FRUITS AND VEGGIES CAN BE COLLECTED THEN USED FOR
WATERING POTTED PLANTS AND GARDENS. THE RINSE WATER FOR UTENSILS CAN ALSO BE
SAVED AND USED TO WATER HOUSEPLANTS OR FOR OTHER CLEANING PURPOSES IN THE
HOUSE SUCH AS FLOORS, TOILETS AND SINKS.

24. BUILD A RAIN GARDEN
• RAIN GARDENS CAN BE BUILT EFFORTLESSLY AS IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY SUPERIOR SKILLS.
IT IS JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING UP RAIN GUTTERS THAT DIRECT RAINWATER TO THE GARDEN.
SEVERAL HOLES AT STRATEGIC POINTS CAN BE PUNCHED UNDER THE PIPES TO SIMULATE
OVERHEAD IRRIGATION. ALTERNATIVELY, THE GUTTERS CAN BE USED TO DIRECT THE WATER
AND RUN IT THROUGH PLANTS FROM HANGING BASKETS AFTER WHICH IT FLOWS TO OTHER
PLANTS IN THE LOWER PARTS. WITH THIS EASY METHOD, LESS WATER IS NEEDED FOR
WATERING THE GARDEN.

25. REUSE THE WATER USED FOE WASHING
YOUR CAR
• WHEN WASHING THE CAR, IT CAN BE DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE WATER DRAINS INTO
THE LAWN INSTEAD OF IT BEING DIRECTED DOWN THE DRAIN. SOAP WATER CANNOT HARM
THE GRASS. SO, BY MOVING THE CAR VERY CLOSE TO THE LAWN BEFORE WASHING IT IS AN
IMPRESSIVE TECHNIQUE OF SAVING THE CLEAN WATER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO
WATER THE GRASS.
•

26. REUSE THE WATER USED FOE WASHING YOUR CAR

27. POSSIBLE WAYS
TO TREAT
WASTEWATER
HERE ARE FOUR EFFECTIVE
PROCESSES TO TREAT
WASTEWATER.

28. PHYSICAL WATER TREATMENT
• PHYSICAL METHODS ARE USED FOR CLEANING THE WASTEWATER. PROCESSES LIKE
SCREENING, SEDIMENTATION AND SKIMMING ARE USED TO REMOVE THE SOLIDS. NO
CHEMICALS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
• ONE OF THE MAIN TECHNIQUES OF PHYSICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT INCLUDES
SEDIMENTATION, WHICH IS A PROCESS OF SUSPENDING THE INSOLUBLE/HEAVY PARTICLES
FROM THE WASTEWATER. ONCE THE INSOLUBLE MATERIAL SETTLES DOWN AT THE BOTTOM,
YOU CAN SEPARATE THE PURE WATER.
• ANOTHER EFFECTIVE PHYSICAL WATER TREATMENT TECHNIQUE INCLUDES AERATION. THIS
PROCESS CONSISTS OF CIRCULATING AIR THROUGH THE WATER TO PROVIDE OXYGEN TO IT.
FILTRATION, THE THIRD METHOD, IS USED FOR FILTERING OUT ALL THE CONTAMINANTS. YOU
CAN USE SPECIAL KIND OF FILTERS TO PASS THE WASTEWATER AND SEPARATE THE
CONTAMINANTS AND INSOLUBLE PARTICLES PRESENT IN IT. THE SAND FILTER IS THE MOST
COMMONLY USED FILTER. THE GREASE FOUND ON THE SURFACE OF SOME WASTEWATER CAN
ALSO BE REMOVED EASILY THROUGH THIS METHOD.

29. BIOLOGICAL WATER TREATMENT
• HIS USES VARIOUS BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES TO BREAK DOWN THE ORGANIC MATTER PRESENT
IN WASTEWATER, SUCH AS SOAP, HUMAN WASTE, OILS AND FOOD. MICROORGANISMS
METABOLIZE ORGANIC MATTER IN THE WASTEWATER IN BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT. IT CAN BE
DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES:
a. AEROBIC PROCESSES: BACTERIA DECOMPOSES THE ORGANIC MATTER AND CONVERTS IT
INTO CARBON DIOXIDE THAT CAN BE USED BY PLANTS. OXYGEN IS USED IN THIS PROCESS.
b. ANAEROBIC PROCESSES: HERE, FERMENTATION IS USED FOR FERMENTING THE WASTE AT A
SPECIFIC TEMPERATURE. OXYGEN IS NOT USED IN ANAEROBIC PROCESS.
c. COMPOSTING: A TYPE OF AEROBIC PROCESS WHERE WASTEWATER IS TREATED BY MIXING
IT WITH SAWDUST OR OTHER CARBON SOURCES.
• SECONDARY TREATMENT REMOVES MOST OF THE SOLIDS PRESENT IN WASTEWATER,
HOWEVER, SOME DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS SUCH AS NITROGEN AND PHOSPHOROUS MAY
REMAIN.

30. CHEMICAL WATER TREATMENT
• AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, THIS TREATMENT INVOLVES THE USE OF CHEMICALS IN WATER.
CHLORINE, AN OXIDIZING CHEMICAL, IS COMMONLY USED TO KILL BACTERIA WHICH
DECOMPOSES WATER BY ADDING CONTAMINANTS TO IT. ANOTHER OXIDIZING AGENT USED
FOR PURIFYING THE WASTEWATER IS OZONE. NEUTRALIZATION IS A TECHNIQUE WHERE AN
ACID OR BASE IS ADDED TO BRING THE WATER TO ITS NATURAL PH OF 7. CHEMICALS PREVENT
THE BACTERIA FROM REPRODUCING IN WATER, THUS MAKING THE WATER PURE.

31. SLUDGE TREATMENT
• THIS IS A SOLID-LIQUID SEPARATION PROCESS WHERE THE LEAST POSSIBLE RESIDUAL
MOISTURE IS REQUIRED IN THE SOLID PHASE AND THE LOWEST POSSIBLE SOLID PARTICLE
RESIDUES ARE REQUIRED IN THE SEPARATED LIQUID PHASE.
• AN EXAMPLE OF THIS INCLUDES DEWATERING OF SLUDGE FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
OR SEWAGE PLANT WHERE THE RESIDUAL MOISTURE IN DEWATERED SOLIDS DETERMINES THE
DISPOSAL COSTS AND THE CENTRATE QUALITY DETERMINES THE POLLUTION LOAD RETURNED
BACK TO THE TREATMENT FACILITY. YOU NEED TO MINIMIZE BOTH.

32. STAGES OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT
THERE ARE THREE STAGES OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS
PRIMARY
SECONDARY
TERTIARY

33. ADVANTAGES
AND
DISADVANTAGES
OF
WASTEWATER
TREATMENT
SYSTEM

34. ADVANTAGES
• FLEXIBLE, CAN ADOPT TO MINOR PH , ORGANIC AND TEMPERATURE CHANGES.
• SMALL AREA REQUIRED.
• DEGREE OF NITRIFICATION IS CONTROLLABLE.
• RELATIVELY MINOR ODOR PROBLEM.
• AS EFFICIENT AS A CONVENTIONAL SEWER.
• CAN BE INSTALLED ON DIFFICULT AND COMPACT SITES.

35. DISADVANTAGES
• HIGH OPERATING COSTS (SKILLED, LABOR, ELECTRICITY, ETC.)
• GENERATES SOLID REQUIRING SLUDGE DISPOSAL.
• SOME PROCESS ALTERNATIVES ARE SENSITIVE TO SHOCK LOADS AND METALLIC OR OTHER
POISONS.
• REQUIRES CONTINUOUS AIR SUPPLY.
• NEED ENERGY TO OPERATE (AIR COMPRESSOR, TURBINE ETC.)
• ANNUAL MAINTENANCE REQUIRED (WHICH CAN BE BINDING ON SOME MODELS.)