Understanding sustainable wastewater treatment: converting waste to resource

Every leading country across the globe is involved in an unspoken race to formulate top-class technologies and innovations that will provide them with better productivity, safety, and higher revenue. As humankind is sprinting towards growth across all sectors, we tend to forget that development, in any sphere, comes at a cost. 

Today, we live in a hyper-aware world where people carefully weigh the consequences of every choice they make. Still, most people think of climate change and global warming as theoretical subjects. In this article, we will discuss the basic premise of sustainable wastewater treatment and how it contributes in paving the way toward a green and sustainable future. 

Amongst all the natural resources that we utilize in our daily lives like sunlight, air, soil, etc., water is one of the most essential environmental elements ^[1] that is imperative to sustain human life. Be it a building, structure, or facility, water is used for multiple reasons like washing, generating electricity, cooling purposes, and more, often leading to heavy water wastage.

Before we delve into the principles of water treatment, let us have a brief overview of sustainability. In simple terms, sustainable practices support human, economic, ecological vitality, and health. The core concept of sustainability revolves around the idea that all natural resources are finite; hence, they must be utilized wisely and conservatively, keeping in mind the priorities of future generations. The process of skilfully eliminating toxic and harmful contaminants ^[2] from different water bodies in order to make them fit for animal and human consumption is called sustainable water treatment. To ensure that good water quality is maintained, water goes through an elaborate treatment process that is usually divided into several phases. Let’s briefly try to understand them one by one:

• Collection 

The first step of sustainable water treatment is called collection. In this first stage of the process, water is collected from rivers, reservoirs, lakes, etc., to be optimally reused. In the other half of the process, water is efficiently transported to the treatment plant through an intricate network of pipelines and pumps. 

• Screening 

Once the decided amount of water is collected, it is thoroughly screened to detect suspended materials like waste, rubbish, plants, etc. In this stage, all unwanted substances are captured and eliminated by using a huge metal screen. 

• Chemical addition and coagulation  

At this stage, a variety of chemicals called coagulants are added to encourage tiny particles of the suspended material to cluster together in order to form a ‘floc’. Next, the added chemical is mixed at a range of different speeds over a long stretch of time to form the flocs mentioned above. 

• Clarification and sedimentation 

Now the water is further processed in a sedimentation basin where the floc particles are allowed to settle at the bottom, slowly moving towards the disposal pond. 

• Filtration and disinfection 

Once large particles are cleaned out, it is filtered through layers of granular activated carbon, gravel, and sand that will effectively remove unwanted small particles that require a thorough minute purification process. As the water reaches this stage, it is already free of all major impurities, making it ready for the disinfection stage. To kill the remaining microorganisms, viruses, and bacteria, water is treated with a sufficient amount of chlorine which has no odor nor taste. 

• Storage and distribution  

Now, after undergoing a variety of processes and treatments, the water is considered to be fit for public consumption. However, until the need arises, it must be hygienically stored in overground or underground tanks. The last step of sustainable wastewater treatment is called distribution. When water is delivered to different businesses and homes around the country through a carefully planned out system of hydrants, tanks, meters, pumps, valves, and more, the entire process successfully comes to an end.

In order to propagate an idea that will have a direct impact on the way we lead our lives, it is important to communicate it to the people in a simple and direct way. Why is that? People from every sector and class of society must understand how a resource, equipment, or system can make their lives better in more ways than one. 

This motivates people to leverage new technologies that are exclusively designed to build a future that is more sustainable and greener. Let’s take a look at some of the many advantages of investing in a sustainable wastewater treatment plant: 

• Energy production with zero environmental degradation.
• It safeguards public health and safety while optimally protecting the environment. 
• Sustainable wastewater treatment ensures there is minimal waterborne pollution. 
• When industries decide to invest in a sustainable wastewater treatment plant, it leads to lower expenses and better savings. 
• Lastly, this system improves water quality while improving the efficiency of industrial manufacturing processes.

At Schneider Electric, we have a team of bright, experienced, and innovative minds who are driven to formulate efficient solutions and products for a wide range of sectors like mining, hotels, healthcare, commercial real estate, transportation, motor management, and more. 

For water and wastewater systems, we offer smart technology, enhancing applications and key processes across the water cycle. Explore EcoStruxure for Water and Wastewater, our interoperable, IoT-enabled, plug-and-play platform and architecture that offers innovation from Edge Control to connected products, apps, analytics, and services.