How Wastewater Treatment Plants Work

As Australians we love our water. Whether it’s a nice hot shower at the end of a freezing winters day, or to cool down in the pool during summer. Our households use thousands of litres of water every week. In fact, in 2021 the average Melbournian used an average of 162 litres per day! That’s a lot of water!

But how can we decrease our water use? We can cut down on laundry. We can water our gardens less often. Or we can install a domestic wastewater system and take advantage of using clean effluent (processed wastewater) to do a lot of our everyday activities that require water.

Let’s take a few minutes to explore the ins and outs of these revolutionary treatment systems.

 

What Is A Domestic Wastewater System?

A domestic wastewater treatment plant, such as Civilmart’s SuperTreat Queensland, is a setup designed to recycle and reuse the water from our households or businesses.

Typically manufactured as precast concrete unit, the system is designed for your wastewater to travel through multiple chambers to complete a treatment process.

The goal of the treatment plant is to convert wastewater and greywater created in our showers, kitchen sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, baths and even our toilets into a more environmentally friendly effluent. That means we can use that water again to irrigate our gardens, or even pump that water back through our laundries and toilet systems.

 

Benefits of a Domestic Treatment Wastewater System

We all try our best to savour our limited resources. We save money that we’ve worked hard to earn. We save time by finding more efficient ways of completing our work. But being able to go to our kitchen or bathroom and have running water makes us often forget that water is also a limited resource.

Installing a wastewater treatment plant is an environmentally conscious method of repurposing and reducing your water usage. The process utilises naturally occurring anaerobic (oxygen thriving) bacteria to breakdown contaminants in the wastewater. This also means we can avoid the use of nasty chemicals.

An additional benefit to the treatment plant is they are normally installed underground near your home. This means no unsightly tank becoming an eyesore in your backyard!

 

When Do You Need A Domestic Wastewater System?

A large portion of the Australian population is connected to a mains water supply, but not everyone. In the case that you aren’t connected to the mains network, you will require a sewage system to manage your waste.

In this case you would have few options available because you’re definitely not going to want to live without a sewage system!

Many rural properties have septic tanks installed to deal with their sewage, however the most modern and efficient option is a domestic wastewater treatment plant. Each year more and more Australian’s are opting to install wastewater treatment systems as a more environmentally friendly alternative.

 

Domestic Wastewater System vs Septic Tank?

It’s a common misconception that wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks are the same. However, there are some key factors that make these two very distinct products.

The by-product of a septic tank is a strong pollutant that needs to be disposed of through a combination of desludging and secondary treatment. This secondary treatment could be a sand filter system, which requires a large portion of land to filtrate the poor effluent produced. And after a few years the sand system will also become highly toxic and need to be professionally disposed of.

Alternatively, there is an aerated wastewater treatment plant, which requires a second tank to be installed alongside your septic, taking up additional space and carrying a hefty price-tag.

A typical domestic wastewater treatment plant collects and treats your waste all in one place. There’s no need for a secondary system to ensure your effluent is clean!

 

What Are The Stages of Wastewater Treatment?

As there are many manufacturers and suppliers for treatment plants, there are a few different ways yours might work. But let’s look at the process of Civilmart’s TurboJet Single.

Stage One

Wastewater from your home flows into the primary chamber. At this stage the liquid and solid matter in your waste are separated. Solid matter will sink to the bottom on the chamber allowing only liquid to raise to the top of the system.

Stage Two

The liquid held near the top of the primary chamber will then flow into the secondary chamber. This is an additional stage where any remaining solid matter should sink to the bottom of the tank.

Stage Three

In the aeration chamber the water is treated with a combination of oxygen and anaerobic bacteria to break down any pollutants and reoxygenate the effluent. There is also a biological media sheet that captures and dissipates any toxic bacteria or algae that may be remaining after the aeration process. After your wastewater has been through the aeration process the remaining liquid should be visibly clear.

Stage Four

The fourth chamber is quite similar to the primary and secondary chambers. At this stage there should be little to no remaining solid matter, however, to ensure a clean effluent, any traces of solid matter will again sink to the bottom of the treatment system. From here any remaining pollutants will be processed back into the primary chamber for when the system needs to be pumped clean.

Stage Five

To complete the final stage of the treatment process the wastewater will enter the pump-out chamber. In this chamber the water is pumped through a chlorinator and disinfector unit to clean out any remaining bacteria. The now clean water is pumped out from the treatment plant to be used in your irrigation.

 

Why Choose CivilMart For Precast Concrete Products

Our range of precast infrastructure products are designed with efficiency and sustainability at the front of mind. We work with you to build a brighter and more sustainable future.

When it comes to anything precast concrete Civilmart are the industry experts. With a combined knowledge spanning over 694 years we have the team to help with your next project. Get in touch with the team today!