ABSTRACT
This chapter shows treatment processes that are practical methods of treating wastewater. Common categories of treatment levels are primary, secondary, and tertiary and the physicochemical treatment, which combines primary and tertiary processes. Conventional secondary treatment usually involves an extensive aeration step, mixing wastewater with a bacterial seed. The economy of the process depends largely on the cost of the metal salts. In Physicochemical Treatment (PCT), the two most important unit processes are chemical coagulation and adsorption on activated carbon. Coagulation is similar to phosphate removal methods in that metal ions are added to the wastewater flow. A tertiary treatment plant removes practically all solid and organic contaminants from wastewater, thereby producing drinkable water direct from sewage. A full, tertiary treatment plant is in operation in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The plant was designed with the objective of producing a high-quality effluent that is acceptable both as irrigation water and makeup water for power station cooling towers.
