Access to safe, clean drinking water is a basic necessity that billions around the world still lack. Contaminated water continues to spread life-threatening diseases like cholera, dysentery and diarrheal infections – a leading cause of childhood mortality in developing nations. While large-scale sanitization infrastructure has expanded, many remote and impoverished communities remain without reliable water […]
From the gas pump to the synthetic fertilizers that help feed the world, petroleum products facilitate almost every aspect of modern life. But this ubiquitous fossil fuel comes with an overlooked and mounting environmental toll – for every barrel of crude oil extracted, an astounding 10 barrels of salty, contaminated wastewater called “produced water” surfaces […]
As we flush our toilets and run our sinks daily, wastewater gurgles into an unseen underworld of aging pipes, pumps, and treatment plants. This intricate infrastructure forms the backbone of our nation’s sanitation, collecting sewage from homes and buildings to process over 34 billion gallons daily. Yet cracking pipes, overflowing sewers, and outdated plants plague […]
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Arlington County lies an unassuming complex of buildings that play a vital role in maintaining the health and cleanliness of our waterways. The Arlington Waste Water Treatment Plant has been operating since 1959 to treat sewage from Arlington County and discharge clean water back into the environment. On […]
The Eastern Water Reclamation Facility (EWRF) is a crucial wastewater treatment plant providing significant water reuse and environmental services to the Orlando, Florida, region. Owned and operated by the Orange County Utilities Department, EWRF commenced operations in 1986 to help meet increasing wastewater infrastructure demands stemming from rapid Orlando metro population growth through the second […]
Excess phosphate in water bodies can lead to eutrophication, causing algal blooms that reduce oxygen levels and threaten aquatic ecosystems. Removing phosphate from wastewater, agricultural runoff, and other point sources before they enter natural water systems is an essential strategy for preventing eutrophication. Biochar, a porous carbonaceous material produced by pyrolyzing biomass under oxygen-limited conditions, […]
Ozonation in wastewater is an advanced treatment method that utilizes ozone, a powerful oxidant, to remove a variety of contaminants from water. This process has been employed for over a century, initially focusing on disinfection, but has since evolved to address a wider range of inorganic and organic pollutants. The efficacy of ozonation in improving […]
Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that occurs when organic matter is broken down by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. It is a technology that has been harnessed to manage waste, mitigate pollution, and produce biogas – a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide that can be used as a renewable energy source. The […]
Ammonia exchange in wastewater treatment is a critical process for managing nitrogen levels and maintaining environmental safety. High concentrations of ammonia in wastewater can lead to eutrophication in water bodies, a process that depletes oxygen and harms aquatic life. To address this, various technologies have been developed for the efficient removal or conversion of ammonia […]
Bar screens are essential components in wastewater treatment plants, serving as the first line of defense in the filtration and treatment process. They are installed at the entrance of the treatment facility to physically remove large objects such as sticks, rags, and plastic materials from the wastewater stream. This preliminary step is crucial because it […]