Sewage: Glossary

A

aeration

the process of exposing wastewater to circulating oxygen

algal bloom

algal blooms happen when colonies of algae, simple plants that live in water, grow out of control due to excessive nutrients in the water and produce harmful effects on water quality as well as fish, birds, and people

alternative

different from the most widely-used method

B

bacteria

microscopic organisms that grow in nearly every environment on Earth. In wastewater treatment, they perform a variety of biological treatment such as consumption of dissolved organic matter and sludge digestion.

biological process

a process that occurs in living organisms

biosolids

the solid product of wastewater treatment processes that can be recycled for use as fertilizer or compost

C

cesspool

a pit in the ground that holds human waste and other garbage

chemical processes

a process where a substance undergoes a change by chemical means

chlorine

a chemical with a strong smell that is added to water to kill bacteria, as is used in swimming pools

complex

a process having many steps, complicated, not simple

contaminate

to make dirty or unfit for use

E

effluent

wastewater that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or septic tank

epidemic

an outbreak of disease that spreads rapidly to many people in an one area

F

fertilizer

a substance added to soil to make it better for growing plants, often used in gardens or farms

filtration

the process of using a device that cleans water as it passes through; water can be cleaned by going through a filter such as gravel, sand, or charcoal

G

gravity

the force that pulls things down toward the earth and keeps them from floating off into space

I

impurities

substances that contaminate or pollute water and make it unsafe or harmful

influent

wastewater flowing into a treatment process

M

methane

a type of gas that is made as sludge digests

microorganisms

microscopic organisms, either plant or animal, invisible to the naked eye, such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.

N

nutrients

elements such as phosphorus and nitrogen that utilize oxygen in water and can cause excessive plant growth

O

organic matter

matter that comes from living things

P

physical process

a process where substance goes through a change, such as separating a mixture by filtration, but the composition of the substance itself is not changed

pollution

impurities that are dirty or harmful to life and health

protozoa

tiny one-celled living creatures such as amoeba

R

runoff

excess rainwater that is not absorbed by the earth

S

sanitation

the practice of keeping the public healthy by providing clean living conditions, such as sewage and trash disposal

scum

fats, oils, and greases that float on the top of liquid

sedimentation

the process of allowing heavier particles to sink to the bottom

septic system

a wastewater treatment system where sewage is treated on-site, rather than being carried away by sewers

sewage spill

the overflow, leaking or spillage of sewage from a sewer line or wastewater treatment plant, into a body of water, land area, or building

sewage treatment plant

a facility that receives dirty water that arrives from the sewers, cleans it and releases it, and that processes and recycles the solids removed from the dirty water

sludge

solid matter that settles to the bottom of septic tanks or wastewater treatment plant sedimentation tanks

stench

unpleasant smell

suspended solids

solid pollutants that either float on the surface of or are suspended in wastewater primarily due to their small size

T

toxic

poisonous, harmful

U

ultraviolet light

a type of light that is used in disinfection to kill disease-causing bacteria and viruses – the same type of light that causes a sunburn

upgrade

to improve and replace old equipment with newer and more efficient equipment

W

wastewater engineer

water specialists who design and oversee projects for safe disposal of wastewater and sewage

wastewater

used water that is flushed or goes down a drain