A day in the life of your waste

water...

It All
Starts
Here...

collects in sewer pipes...

and arrives at your local waste

water treatment facility.

Removes
40-50% of
the solids

Chunks of debris, sticks, sand, etc get

caught on the bar screens as the sewage
enters the plant.

Next, it goes into the grit chamber

sand, grit and heavy solids settle to the
bottom

Primary Sedimentation Tank

Smaller particles settle;
scrapers collect the solid matter plus scum or grease
floating on top of the tank

85-90% of
pollutants
are removed

The 1st step is AERATION...

Microorganisms and oxygen

are mixed with the wastewater.
Air speeds the growth of the
bacteria which eat the waste
matter.

Followed by...

SECONDARY
SEDIMENTAITON

Solids clump
together
(activated
sludge) and
settle out for
reuse in the
aeration tanks.

Added as a
disinfectant
before the
wastewater
leaves the
plant to kill
disease-causing
organisms

Were not done yet!

What do you do
with all of the ...
You know
The S Word
NO!
SLUDGE!

Digesters
The purpose of sludge
treatment is to destroy the
pathogens
Huge tanks in which the sludge
is stored to allow it to continue
to decompose (15-30 days)
Aerobic digestion (treatment)
consists of continuously
pumping compressed air into a
tank
Anaerobic bacteria present in
the waste convert much of the
waste materials to carbon
dioxide and methane (natural)

Burn it in
specially
designed plants
to prevent air
pollution

A source of
methane for
powering small
power plants

Bury it in
approved
landfills

What if you are not

connected to a sewer line?
then
you have
a SEPTIC
SYSTEM

Septic Tank

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/images/drainfiel
d.jpg

Septic Tank
The septic tank is a settling tank where
sewage from the house is stored
temporarily so that solid materials settle to
the bottom of the tank to form sludge,
while grease floats to the top to form a
scum layer.
The scum and sludge must be periodically
removed from the septic tank by simply
pumping them out.

Septic Tank

http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/septicx.jpg

Drainfield or Absorption Field

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/images/drainfiel
d.jpg

Drainfield
The absorption field is frequently a
network of drain lines (pipes with holes in
them) that carry wastewater from the
septic tank and apply it to the soil.
The size of the absorption field varies from
site to site, but most are small enough to
fit in a backyard and cover and area
between 400 and 800 ft2.

Suitable Soils
Although effluent can be applied to the surface
of any soil, not all soils are able to absorb and
purify wastewater.
Soils that can be used for waste disposal are
permeable, deep, well drained (not waterlogged)
and are not on a steep slope.
In N. C., state law requires that all soils pass an
inspection before a septic system is installed on
any property.

The Dos and Donts of Septic Maintenance

Do:
Inspect your tank for signs of sludge buildup.
Pump your tank every 2-3 years.
Keep a grease can handy.
Protect your system from vehicles and
encroaching trees and shrubs.
Install water saving devices to conserve water.
Use non-toxic cleaning products such as baking
soda to scrub toilets, or boiling water to help
clear clogged drains.

The Dos and Donts of Septic Maintenance

Don't:
use a garbage disposal - it adds 50 % more
solids to your system.
pour automotive oil, cooking oil, grease or paint
or paint thinner down the drain.
drive vehicles over the septic system/fields.
plant bushes or trees over the leach field.
use too much water, especially during rainy, wet
seasons when the ground is saturated.
use drain cleaners and other toxic chemical
products.
use chemical or biological septic system cleaners
which can plug up leach fields and ruin your
system.