Final answer:
The goal of wastewater treatment is to remove solid and organic matter, kill harmful bacteria, and reduce environmental pollution. It involves multiple stages including primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments, and disinfection. The aim is to make water safe for release or reuse, not necessarily to produce potable water.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Wastewater Treatment Goals
The primary goals of wastewater treatment are to remove contaminants and reduce the environmental impact of releasing water back into the natural environment. This process involves several stages including primary treatment, which removes solid waste; secondary treatment, where bacterial decomposition occurs; and tertiary treatment, which includes filtration and disinfection to eliminate pathogens. It is important to note that the purpose of wastewater treatment is not necessarily to produce potable water, but to ensure that the treated water is safe to release into ecosystems or reuse for non-drinking purposes, such as irrigation.
Primary treatment focuses on the removal of physical contaminants. Substances like sand, gravel, fat, and grease are typically separated from the wastewater. Following this, during the secondary treatment phase, aerobic bacteria work to decompose organic solids, significantly reducing the biological demand for oxygen in the water. Finally, tertiary treatment aims to remove remaining nutrients and to filter out additional pollutants, while the final disinfection phase kills off most remaining microbes.
When considering the end goal of wastewater treatment, it is primarily about removing organic and inorganic materials to a level that can no longer support harmful microbial growth and reducing pollution that wastewater may cause if released untreated. Potable water production is not the typical aim of wastewater treatment, and separate processes are usually employed to treat water for human consumption.