Wastewater Treatment Methods Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wastewater Treatment Methods - Case Study Example Therefore as one in charge of the city’s water supply, opting for an all-purpose water plant is more beneficial (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004). Water treatment involves a variety of stages. It begins at the primary stage which involves a process referred to as sedimentation which allows for all the undesired materials to sink to the ground as the water is left floating. At this stage, the water cannot be used. The secondary stage follows and this involves processes like biological oxidation and disinfection. The water from this stage can be used for the non-potable purposes. The tertiary or advanced stage is the final stage and the processes found in it include chemical coagulation, filtration and further disinfection. The water from this last stage is what is used for indirect potable purposes like ground water recharging (My Clearwater, 2010). Reclaimed water is mostly used for non-potable; non-drinking processes. It can however be used for drinking provided the water being recycled undergoes the necessary treatment procedures as outlined by the EPA in their technical document entitled ‘Guidelines for Water Reuse’. The non-potable processes include landscaping irrigation, toilet flushing and in the construction industry. Compared to water reclaimed for drinking processes, these processes require less treatment. It is worth noting that whatever purpose water is reclaimed for, the savings made both from a financial and resources view point are great. Industries have also benefited from recycled water whereby instead of them using clean fresh water, they opt to reuse treated water that has already been used in their cooling processes (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2011). Water being recycled for potable use is done through recharging the ground water aquifers and augmenting surface water reservoirs with rec ycled water. Projects like this have