TREATMENT PROCESS

The main product of Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) is clean, reusable water that is safe to reintroduce back into the environment. ReWa is also responsible for removing contaminants in water that is discharged from houses, industries and commercial businesses. The treatment process consist of three main steps, primary, secondary and tertiary treatment.

During the primary treatment process, incoming wastewater flows through mechanical barscreens. These screens remove large material such as rags, sticks and rocks. Once the wastewater is screened, it passes through another structure called a grit channel. The grit channels design causes a decrease in the waters velocity. This change in velocity allows heavy inorganic matter, like sand to settle. The inorganic matter is captured in a hopper and disposed of in a landfill. The final step in the primary treatment process is the sedimentation of suspended organic matter. This process is carried out in primary clarifiers. In the primary clarifiers the velocity of the wastewater is reduced even more allowing the lighter organic matter to settle leaving a clear layer of water ready for the next treatment process.

Secondary treatment is the next step in the process. In this process, water from the secondary clarifier is received in an aeration basin where it is mixed with a mass of microscopic organism. Aeration (the addition of dissolved oxygen) is provided, allowing the microorganisms to oxidize the pollutants in the wastewater. Water from the aeration basin is discharged into secondary clarifiers, where the microorganisms are settled leaving clear water ready for final treatment. The settled microorganisms are recycled back to the aeration basin for continuous treatment of the incoming waste stream.

In the tertiary process, water from the secondary clarifier travels through deep bed filters for the removal of any remaining suspended solids. Once the filtering process is completed, the water is ready for disinfection. Disinfection kills any pathogens that remain in the water. This is accomplished by either injecting the water with chlorine or sending the water through a series of ultraviolet lights. After disinfection is complete the treated wastewater is reintroduced back into the receiving stream.

Since wastewater requires many additional lengthy processes, the cost to purify it is much higher.  In contrast to wastewater, drinking water comes from wells or rivers, and is already relatively clean because of the aforementioned process.  The extra cost of the processes required to make sure the wastewater is suitable to be placed back into our rivers, streams, lakes and homes is worth the safety and health of our environment.