What is the primary purpose of wastewater treatment?

The primary purpose of wastewater treatment is to remove contaminants from wastewater. This process is essential for protecting public health and the environment. Wastewater can contain a variety of harmful substances, including pathogens, organic matter, harmful chemicals, and nutrients that can lead to water pollution and negatively affect aquatic life.

During treatment, physical, chemical, and biological methods are employed to effectively reduce or eliminate these contaminants before the treated water is either discharged into natural waterways or reused. This treatment often involves several stages, including preliminary treatment to remove large debris, primary treatment to settle solids, secondary treatment to biologically digest organic matter, and sometimes tertiary treatment to further refine the water quality.

While reducing the volume of wastewater can be a secondary benefit of treatment, the main goal remains the removal of harmful substances to ensure safe water outcomes. Increasing the temperature of wastewater or adding chemicals may occur during certain processes, but these actions are not the primary objective; instead, they can serve as part of the broader goal of purification and contamination removal.