Wastewater Treatment &Water Reclamation

Wastewater treatment is the means by which water that has been used and/or contaminated by humans or nature is restored to a desirable quality. Treatment may consist of chemical, biological, or physical processes or a combination thereof. Water may be treated to any level of quality desired; however, as its purity increases, so does the cost of attaining that purity. The required quality of water is dictated by its intended use, for example, aquatic life, drinking water, or irrigation. The purpose of this chapter is to describe wastewater treatment technologies predominantly in use today. Ultimately, the technology selected as appropriate for one application may not be the optimal for another. Selection will be based on site-specific factors, such as resources available, climate, land availability, economics, etc.