There are four common types of wastewater management systems: Effluent Treatment Plants, Sewage Treatment Plants, Common and Combined Effluent Treatment Plants and Activated Sludge Treatment Plants. Here is how they differentiate.
Effluent Treatment Plant
In the manufacturing industry, water is an essential liquid to be used in coolant, solvent and many other chemical based applications. After the manufacturing process is complete, wastewater is produced as a by-product called effluent – which contains both toxic and non-toxic materials. Effluent cannot be disposed of in the environment as it contains harmful materials.
Consequently, an Effluent Treatment Plant is essential for companies in the manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical industries in order to purify the industrial wastewater that is created. Each industry will utilise a slightly different effluent wastewater treatment system based on the physical parameters, chemical parameters and the biological parameters.
Sewage Treatment Plant
Essentially, a Sewage Treatment Plant operates by circulating air to encourage the growth of bacteria to break down the sewage. The goal of this wastewater treatment system is to deliver a much cleaner and more environmentally friendly effluent. Depending on the size of each particular treatment plant, these plants can treat the sewage system of a number of commercial properties and/or domestic dwellings.
A Sewage Treatment Plant that concerns itself with the wastewater management of households is referred to as a domestic wastewater treatment plant. These plants utilise physical, chemical and biological methods to remove contaminates from the wastewater, in order to be reused in the environment. Furthermore, the process of straining the wastewater to remove harmful objects and contaminants results in clean water that is safe for the use in homes and businesses.
Common & Combined Effluent Treatment Plants
The Common and Combined Effluent Treatment Plant concept is a solution for small-scale industries to collect, treat and dispose of industrial wastewater and its domestic sewage system in one treatment plant. It is designed for industries that are unable to accommodate treatment systems, either economically, space constraints or otherwise.
The purpose of a Common and Combined Effluent Treatment Plant is to assist industries in regard to their wastewater management without having the need to spend a large amount of money. Usually, this particular wastewater treatment system is set up in the industrial estates where there are clusters of small-scale industrial units and where many polluting industries are located.
Activated Sludge Plant
An Activated Sludge Plant – or process – is a wastewater management method that involves blowing oxygen or air into raw, unsettled sewage. This process is intended to smash the solids within the wastewater. The sewage is then bubbled, with the liquid then being discharged into an activated sludge chamber. Here, dead bacteria will float to the top while live bacteria will settle to the bottom.
Clean water that results from this wastewater treatment system is then discharged into a soak-away or watercourse, while any live bacteria returns to the digestion chamber. The activated sludge wastewater treatment system is ideally completed in a centralised treatment facility.
AWD Civil are the experts in sewage system construction and wastewater management systems, managing and planning many projects in Queensland. If you have a project that we can assist in, contact our team at 07 3200 5766