Once our used water is cleaned, what happens to all the c**p and mess that's left behind?

Question

Once our used water is cleaned, what happens to all the c**p and mess that's left behind?

Answer 1

Patsy did a nice job explaining the water part of it. The solids in the water are removed and pumped into digesters where they are broken down and neutralized. Methane gas is a byproduct of this process, and is used to power equipment used in the treatment of the water and solids. After all this the remaining moisture is removed and is used like others here have said, either landfills or as soil supplements for residents or farmers. By law you can`t grow food products with it though, do to the non removable hazardous elements in it.

Answer 2

Farmers can put it on their fields to help them grow.

Answer 3

They Make your Perfume and Lipstick out of it' makes one ponder a bit when kissing Hey'??? you never know whos source it really is'???

Answer 4

Most of it goes to special landfills. All things considered, there is remarkably little left. Some gets sold as soil conditioner: Milorganite and Philorganic, for example.

Answer 5

atavars like yours,haha,#

Answer 6

Depends on your city.  Some have a permit that allows them to reuse it to irrigate parks, golf courses, irrigate farmland  etc.  The water must meet a certain criteria like pathogen reduction, < 10mg/l is the common concentration in most chemical found in the dispensed water for instance arsenic may be high in your area but fine in others so the removal may be a bit more stringent for your town.

Now the c**p that is left over from the treatment is most likely to become compost.  Again it has to pass pathogen reduction and other contaminate levels need to be low before it can be applied to land. Now that process stinks! It has to reach certain temperatures for so many days then repeatably mixed for several days.  It  must pass the 503 regulations be fore anything can be done with it.  I work at a activated sludge treatment facility.That is a micro oganism method of treating sewage.   By the time sewage water gets to the plant it looks like slightyly yellow water with some odors but it is not that bad.  Unless there is a blockage in the system and you have septic conditions then you will smell bad odors but they are only temporary.  Small towns despense about 1 or 2 millinon gallons per day and big cities 6 to 10 MGD.

If there is no reuse permit they might just direct the water into recieving waters like a near by river it still has to pass other laboratory testing that is safe for aquatic life and that also requires a permit from the enviromental dept or your state, somethimes both.

Did you know that the water despensed into the sewer is 99% water the other 1% is solids.? Visit your local treatment plant in you city I think you will find it very interesting.

Fellow ceritfied oper SMART 1?

Yes, methane is a by product but only when running a anaroebic digester(without oxygen) An aerobic digester (with oxygen) will continue to break down solids and reduce pathogens with time.  Keeping it aerated will keep it fresh and slow down septicity.  Once it reaches a certain total solid percentage or out of space then it is dried by many methods, most common in my state drying beds or centerfuges, belt pressed ect..

Answer 7

did'nt you go to school. pancakes of course....?

Answer 8

They use it to make Irn bru

Answer 9

Two Words: Baby Food.

They can't talk to explain that it tastes terrible! By the time they're old enough to talk, they've for gotten.

Answer 10

Well, you know that strange relish that McDonalds use in their burgers.....?

Answer 11

They bake it into brownies.