Water is one of the basic requirements for all living beings and needs to be conserved, though the recent exploitation of this resource has raised alarming concerns. To mitigate this problem, government and industries need to opt for a sustainable solution to save water. In this context, sustainable wastewater treatment can play a vital role in reusing wastewater efficiently.
In this blog, we are going to discuss various aspects of sustainable wastewater treatment with its definition, technologies, principles, and methods of sustainable wastewater management.
A] What is Wastewater Treatment?
Wastewater treatment refers to treating wastewater to make it accessible and usable for humans and animals without relying on groundwater. Treating wastewater and utilising it, drastically reduces the overexploitation of groundwater and helps in its conservation.
Through water treatment programs, various toxic and non-toxic contaminants are removed from the wastewater ultimately providing clean water for reuse. The process flow involves the collection, screening, chemical addition and coagulation, clarification and sedimentation, filtration and disinfection, and storage and distribution.
B] Sustainable Treatment Technologies For Wastewater
1. Water Conservation Technology
Water conservation technologies such as rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and wastewater treatment play an important role in achieving sustainable water conservation. Rainwater harvesting is made possible by building a dam or a rooftop setting. The collected rainwater is further diverted to a tank or an artificial recharge system to ready it for utilisation.
Greywater recycling is a process of treating grey water and availing it for various non-potable uses such as irrigation, and household cleaning activities. Wastewater treatment also aids in water conservation through its various processes. These processes treat sewage and industrial wastewater to optimise wastewater treatment.
Further, also read: What Is A Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) And How Does It Work?
2. Biological Treatment Technology
Biological wastewater treatment is one of the renowned technologies that has been used for decades to treat industrial and sewage water. It is also one of the most eco-friendly water solutions that follow a sustainable approach to remove contaminations from wastewater. The biological treatment process uses aerobic microbes instead of chemicals that keep the water quality in check. Natural cleansing of wastewater helps to promote sustainable water conservation.
Further, also read: What Is Biological Wastewater Treatment System and How Does It Work?
3. Oxidation & Disinfection
Oxidation and disinfection are a sustainable wastewater treatment technology that use oxidation processes and disinfecting agents to eliminate contamination and pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi from the wastewater. The physical and chemical processes eliminate the disease-causing pathogens by breaking them down, which avails that water for safe reuse.
4. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
A membrane bioreactor is made up of two components; a membrane and a bioreactor, where the membrane works as a microfilter to eliminate the solid-suspended contamination from the effluent. It combines the conventional activated sludge treatment procedure and membrane filtration to avail reclaimed water from the wastewater more effectively and efficiently. These technologies promote sustainability in water treatment; hence, they are widely used in municipal as well as industrial wastewater treatment plants.
C] Principles Of Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
1. Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling
Sustainable water treatment technologies are designed based on reduction, reuse, and recycling principles. It states that reducing the wastage of water can help to ensure sustainability. Meanwhile, reusing and recycling wastewater significantly reduces dependency on fresh groundwater and prevents the consistent depletion of aquifers. The reuse and recycling principle of wastewater plays a significant role in safeguarding the environment and living entities from waterborne diseases.
2. Energy Efficiency And Resource Recovery
Advanced wastewater treatment technologies help to efficiently reduce energy consumption by speeding up the process of biological degradation. Biological degradation using bacterial culture significantly reduces energy consumption during wastewater treatment. Additionally, nutrient recovery systems extract phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater and turn them into fertilisers. Energy-efficient treatment methods such as membrane bioreactors and advanced oxidation processes further reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
3. Minimisation Of Environmental Footprint
Sustainable wastewater treatments are designed to minimise the environmental footprint by safely discharging the treated wastewater into the environment. By doing so, a negligible amount of pollution goes into the environment and thus saves living entities from waterborne and water-pollution-caused diseases.
Ready to Implement Sustainable Wastewater Solutions? Explore More About Effective Management Practices.
D] Methods Of Sustainable Wastewater Management
1. Wastewater Treatment
Treating wastewater is the best way of managing wastewater. Wastewater treatment removes the various pollutants from the wastewater to provide reusable as well as incorporate a safe approach to the disposal of water into the environment. Treated water is safe for disposal into lakes, rivers, and seas, offering the best and most effective way of sustainable wastewater management.
2. Water Reuse And Resource Recovery
Wastewater reuse and resource recovery are effective sustainable wastewater management methods. This method uses treated water for various purposes including irrigation, industrial processes, and household cleaning. This treated wastewater plays an essential role in the water-scarce regions. Here, the resource recovery method extracts valuable resources such as nutrients, energy, and biosolids from the wastewater.
3. Environmental Regulations and Compliance
Environmental regulations and compliance play a crucial role in sustainable wastewater management by setting standards that limit pollutants and offer proper treatment practices. These regulations mandate advanced treatment technologies that minimise environmental impact and promote the reuse of treated water. This ensures the safe discharge of wastewater and promotes the resources’ sustainability.
E] Why Choose PureBact For Your Wastewater Treatment Needs?
PureBact is renowned for effective and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions with its highly effective range of aerobic bacteria cultures. With our 25+ years of experience treating wastewater, we can counter your toughest water challenge with our innovative and lab-formulated eco-friendly wastewater management solutions.
Further, also read: What Are Aerobic Wastewater Treatment Systems and How Do They Work?
Conclusion
Even though we live on a planet that’s over 70% water, the water available to humans is pretty scarce. Water used for various purposes becomes unclean once it is used; which only adds to the problem. Sustainable wastewater treatment uses natural methodologies to remove pollutants and pathogens from wastewater, without adding harmful chemicals to the water. These methodologies like water conservation and biological treatment make the water clean and safe to reuse.
Our highly concentrated bacteria culture products are efficient in countering various challenges in sustainable wastewater treatment. We are ready to contribute to cleaner and pollution-free water streams. Contact us today to take a step forward towards sustainability.
Rahul Mehta
Rahul Mehta is the Business Development Manager at Pure Water Enterprises, one of the fastest-growing water & wastewater companies in India. Specializing in wastewater filtration, disinfection, and bioremediation, his expertise has helped him understand the Indian water treatment landscape and position the organization's innovative and eco-friendly solutions in the most efficient way possible.
