A wastewater treatment plant is a complex and highly technical system that removes pollutants from wastewater. The engineer who designs and supervises the construction of wastewater treatment plants plays a critical role in ensuring that these systems operate successfully. Engineers must understand the principles of hydraulics, fluid mechanics, chemistry, and environmental engineering in order to design wastewater treatment plants that meet regulatory standards.
In addition, engineers must be able to work with a variety of contractors and project managers to ensure a successful project. Wastewater Treatment Plant Engineers typically work for engineering firms or consulting firms that design and supervise the construction of wastewater treatment plants. They also may work for local, state, or federal agencies that regulate wastewater treatment facilities. Wastewater Treatment Plant Engineers typically work in offices or on-site at wastewater treatment plant facilities. However, they may also work with project managers and other technical specialists to coordinate the design of a site that meets applicable regulations.
The wastewater treatment process begins with the collection of wastewater from various sources. The wastewater can come from homes, businesses, factories, or even farms. Once it is collected, the wastewater is screened to remove large objects such as rocks and bones. The water that remains is then contaminated with pollutants such as bacteria and chemicals.
The wastewater treatment process is one that is constantly evolving in order to meet the needs of society. The next step in the process is to separate the different types of waste. This can be done through a variety of methods, including sedimentation tanks, flotation tanks, and clarifiers. Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks, which must be taken into account when designing a wastewater treatment plant.
The primary clarifier is a tank that filters out the soluble contaminants. The secondary clarifier is a secondary tank that removes chlorine, chloramines and other volatile contaminants. The biosolids digestion and composting processes are used to treat the solids from the wastewater. Aeration is the process of using mechanical equipment to mix air into the wastewater. This aeration process increases the amount of oxygen available in wastewater and makes it easier for microorganisms to do their work. Filtration is the process of passing a solid waste through a filter that removes solids. The final method is direct treatment with chemicals or biological agents to kill the pathogens and other organisms in the wastewater.
Next, the wastewater is disinfected using either chlorine or UV radiation. This will kill any microbes and also remove any chemical contaminants. After disinfection, the water is discharged back into the environment without taking any of the pollutants it contains with it. The wastewater treatment plants are operated by the local governments, and are completely separate from the collection system.
In some countries, such as the United States, wastewater is collected in large centralized plants. Wastewater treatment plants are often located near industrial areas, such as factories, municipal water supply systems and sewage treatment plants. This is because the pollutants in wastewater tend to be toxic at low concentrations and are not easily removed by natural or chemical processes. Wastewater treatment plants are generally distinguished by the type of process they employ. In many cases, the population of a country is large enough that there is not only one wastewater treatment plant, but one for each major river basin.