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Sewer systems are the backbone of modern sanitation. Learn how do sewer systems work?
Our homes, schools, and businesses use water and create sewage. Most of us produce around 162 liters of sewage a day. 99% of sewage is just dirty water. The rest is made up of solids, chemicals, fats, nutrients, and some items that can clog the sewer lines. Here’s how the sewer system works to treat all the waste we produce.
Role of Gravity in Sewerage System
- In ideal environments, sewer systems work on the principle of gravity. Wastewater is a host to deadly bacteria and chemicals that produce dangerous gases like hydrogen sulfide when pumped. Wastewater also has a lot of solids, making it harder to pump.
So these systems are mostly operated on gravity. Wastewater moves through a chain of gravity-fed pipes that drain into larger pipes. The wastewater eventually flows into a treatment plant.
Importance of Treating Wastewater
- The waste in the septic tanks requires maintenance because it contains deadly bacteria. The wastewater has dangerous chemicals. The chemicals in the wastewater adversely affect the environment. For this reason, wastewater is treated at a wastewater treatment plant.
Sewage treatment helps keep us healthy and our waterways clean. Without proper treatment, sewage can significantly impact health and our environment. Thousands of children in developing countries still die every year from diseases caused due to poor sanitation.
Source to Septic Tanks
- Drain pipes are connected to toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and showers in homes. The waste is carried from the homes to the wastewater treatment plant through a series of pipes. The purpose of these pipes is to connect houses to the sewerage network.
Working of the Wastewater Treatment Plant
When the sewage arrives at the treatment plant, it is screened to remove all the unwanted objects such as toys, jewelry, clothes, etc. Some treatment plants have special tanks that hold all the screened sewage and control how much sewage enters a treatment plant at any one time. This helps to ensure the quality of the treatment is always consistent.
When the sewage is released from the holding tanks, the treatment process starts. The bacteria present in wastewater eat organic matter in the sewage. They feed on carbon and reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in the sewage.
Separating the Solids
- In the next step, sewage is moved to special clarifiers that separate the solids from the water. The solids called sludge or biosolids are drained out. The sewage water is then sent to bioreactors where oxygen is added to promote the activity of bacteria that feed on the leftover waste.
Disinfecting Treated Water
- The treated sewage is then filtered and disinfected with ultraviolet rays or chlorine to reduce any hidden germs. The treated sewage is tested to make sure it meets strict rules at the end of the process. The treated sewage is called effluent. It is tested for quality more times than bottled water.
Now clean treated water is ready to continue on its journey through the open water. The process is complete but the work is never done. We all use water and we all make sewage every day, so the process cycles over and over again to protect us and the environment.
Everything we do pretty much relies on plumbing whether it’s washing a car or brushing teeth, a plumbing system is used. Get in touch with the Proline Plumbing team at 832-772-5501 for getting your sewer line and plumbing issues fixed. We are located in Houston, Texas.
