What happens to p**p and sewage after it's been filtered out of the water supply?

Question

What happens to p**p and sewage after it's been filtered out of the water supply?

Answer 1

I hear that they filter it out, and then they dry it, burn it, and it gets recycled in the potting soil/fertilizer industry or something like that...

Answer 2

ask the farmers

Answer 3

In Oregon they dump it on ranches to fertilize the hay that cattle eat.

Answer 4

actually it is clarified, not filtered.

heavy material sinks to the bottom of a circular clarifyer and lighter water overflows to a secondary clarifyer for further clarification.

the heavy material is de-watered and the light material is spread over a media (gravel) populated with beneficial bacteria which break down the  toxic ammonia compounds into less harmful nitrogen compounds.

the dewatered sludge is incinerated, deposited into a landfill, dumped at sea or used a fertilizer.

Answer 5

it is organically treated and becomes bio degradable absorbed by the environment as compost

Answer 6

Fertilizer.

Answer 7

It's called "sludge" and many states are trying to pawn it off on other states.  Basically, it's shipped to another environment and put on the soil there. Studies are being conducted to find if there are any adverse effects from this, the jury is still out.

Answer 8

I use some of it on my lawn as fertilizer.

Answer 9

in Northern Ontario some communities mix it in with mine tailing's to add organic material to the waste tailing's.I do not believe it is ever applied to farm lands as the pathogens in the sludge are detrimental to humans as it is human waste byproduct so to contaminate the growth medium (soil) with these possible deadly pathogens would not be a good idea

Answer 10

First the majority of the material is used by bacteria in biological systems for food and is converted to carbon dioxide, water, and basic nitrogen and phosphorus compounds.  The material is cycled and the dead bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorus can be used as fertilizer, it can be burned, or it can be landfilled.  You can see details of the system at the references.