Recycling water helps us to reuse it continually. The process of water recycling helps remove contaminants from wastewater to make it suitable to enter the local system for use in homes and businesses.
Water recycling systems vary according to the type of water being recycled and the intended use after recycling. There are different water sources for reuse, including stormwater, agricultural runoff, and municipal water. The water recycling process involves physical and chemical principles to remove the contaminants. A physical system to recycle water is called primary treatment, while the use of the chemical or biological processes is called secondary treatment. Many companies such as Cleanawater advocate the use of sophisticated water recycling processes to prevent wastage. The water recycling process is systematic and involves the following steps.
Bar screen
The first water recycling process involves removing large particles such as plastic sticks and rugs from the wastewater; there a horizontal rake on a toothed gear that captures the particles. The materials are removed and disposed to the sanitary landfill.Grit chamber
The wastewater flows into an aerated grit chamber where the stream is saturated with air bubbles to settle the small grit particles.Clarification
The water flows into the primary clarifiers. Here the flow is slowed down to encourage the solid to settle. In this stage, the bio-solid are removed and digested where they are used for other beneficial purposes. After the primary treatment, the biological process is used to remove different contaminants.Aeration basin
Here the basin is supplied with oxygen that is mixed with water. The oxygen supply encourages the growth of bacterial micro-organism, which consumes the food materials. They also convert the nonsettleable particles to settleable particles, which are later captured in the final clarifiers.Removing chemicals
The next step in the water recycling system is removing surfactants and chemicals that are primarily found in detergents. Detergents make it easy for oil and soil to mix with water effectively. The presence of calcium and magnesium binds with the surfactants to make the water hard, which forms unpleasant residue. To remove this ion and soften the water, you need to add builders.Sterilization
After removing chemicals now, you start the sterilization process. The sterilization process involves getting rid of the disease-causing pathogens such as viruses and parasites found in dirty water. This process is essential especially if the recycled water is to be used by humans. You can achieve this by adding chlorine to water .chlorinated water is safe for human consumption and can be stored for future use. Another method of sterilization is the use of UV light rays. The UV sterilized water is suitable for immediate use.Outfall
Once the water is pure and ready for consumption, it is realized in the environment. This process is called outfall.The by-product of residues that are generated during the recycling process is known as biosolids. They are natural soil conditioners and organic fertilizers, which are necessary for agricultural use. They can be used directly or be made into compost for later use. The bio-solid are pushed into the pressure chambers where the air is turned into liquid. It is then forced into the anaerobic digester for stabilization; anaerobic bacteria exist since there is no dissolved oxygen. The slug is squeezed to realize water through a process called dewatering.
