Wastewater Management - Essay Example

Wastewater Management Secondary treatment involves the unique biological systems that are designed to remove suspended and dissolved solids through conversions that are biological to transform them into settleable form. Tertiary treatment is basically the polishing process that normally filters the treated water through passage of fine sand to remove the finely suspended solids. Despite the effectiveness of the two treatment methods, there are some key challenges that are face the treatment methods.

For example, many of the water treatment methods and collection facilities are now worn out hence require further improvement, replacement or repair in efforts to maintain their standards (Bartram & Lentron, 2005). Considering the sewer systems, earlier sewer systems were combined. They were designed to enable the collection of sanitary and storm wastewater in a single system. As such, they prevented flooding by warding off water from roofs and streets. As a result, early sanitarians concluded that the combined systems did provide adequate health protection.

In recent times, this is known as Attached Growth Processes. Wastewater passes over a media along with air (oxygen). Methods like trickling filters and biotowers are effective in removing biodegradable organic wastewater materials. However effective these methods are, the passage of organic matter over oxygen releases some pollutants like poisonous gases like Ammonia and infectious micro-organisms that contaminate the water causing deadly diseases. There are advanced tertiary methods like the addition of chemical to primary clarifiers as a way of removing phosphorus and nitrogen.

However, this is viewed as advanced treatment method hence employed when some specific wastewater constituents cannot be removed. An example of an advanced method is the Bardenpho-plant that involves the passage of Ammonia gas through several zones (Assano, 2007). In the first zone, facultative bacteria do not allow Nitrogen to mix with carbon compounds hence hugely escapes into the air. In the anoxic zone which is the second zone, nitrates that were not recycled are normally reduced by the bacteria through respiration.

During the final zone: re-aeration, dissolved oxygen levels are usually raised in order to prevent further denitrification (Environmental Services Department, 2010) However, this method does have limitations and challenges. For example, the advanced treatment methods are usually very expensive to carry out but nonetheless considered as worthy investment. Furthermore, such a complex process requires very skilled operators and acquiring such services is hard especially in the developing countries.

However, the most serious consequence of this process is the release of excess nitrogen into the atmosphere. The eco-systems like plants and sea animals like fish are hugely affected. When Nitrogen mixes with oxygen, it releases very poisonous gases that affect the plant processes like photosynthesis. The poisonous gases also affect the plants that the aquatic animals feed on as they do not grow causing death of the animals (US E.P.A 2004). Reclaimed water has numerous uses but what can be considered the appropriate use is for irrigation purposes.

Irrigation assists the community in proper utilizing of the clear water (My Clearwater/Reclaimed, 2010). Using reclaimed water for irrigation assists the community to manage drinking supplies as well reducing the costs for purchasing good and clean water for drinking. This is because the reclaimed water is readily available for the community. Considering the groundwater recharge, neither method is recommended because both have limitations and risks when it comes to providing 100 percent clean and drinking water.

References Assano T. (2007) Water reuse: issues, technologies, and applications. McGraw-Hill Professional, (1570 pages) Bartram, J, and Lentron R. et al. (2005). “Focusing on improved water and sanitation for health”. The Lancet. 365 (9461): 810-812. Environmental Services Department, City of San Jose. South Bay Water Recycling: Treatment Process. Retrieved from http://www.sanjoseca.gov/sbwr/treatmentprocess.htm chapter 9> My Clearwater/Reclaimed (2010). Public Utilities: Reclaimed Water.

Retrieved from http://www.clearwaterfl.com/gov/depts/pwa/public_utils/divisions/reclaimed/indx.asp US. Environmental Protection Agency (2004). Primer for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems. Washington D.C: Office of Water & Office of Wastewater Management. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/OWM/primer.pdf