Free Waste Water Treatment Essay Sample

Waste water treatment dates back to ancient times wherein the technology involves simple burying, pit privies and open ditches to flushing waste water in sewers. As the awareness of the importance of waste water treatment grew, every house was required to have their own toilet which was flushed into the waterways. Later on in the 1800s, the process of wastewater treatment was done by collecting water and letting it flow into a central location for treatment or disposal, or decentralized, where the wastewater is primarily treated or disposed of on-site or near the source. In the 1900s, septic systems were introduced and the use of decentralized waste water treatment systems were encouraged. Water pollution was controlled from the 1930s to the 1950s through pit privies, septic tanks, cesspools, construction of sewers and dilution of sewage. Primary treatment units were also constructed. In the 1950s to the 1980s, chemical treatments, aeration and biological nutrient removal technologies began. Moreover, water reuse technology started to gain ground. Today wastewater treatment has expanded to include nutrient removal, sludge treatment and disposal, reed beds and constructed wetlands, anaerobic treatment and membrane systems.
Waste water treatment is important because if waste water is left untreated it poses a threat to public health as it contains bacteria, viruses and parasites. Waste water causes waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, swimmer's itch, gastro-enteritis, dermatitis, viral hepatitis, wound infections, cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery. Aside from the threat to human health, untreated waste water causes pollution; thus, damaging the natural environment. If the bodies of water are contaminated with pathogenic organisms, recreational waters and consumption of sea food will no longer be safe. With the growing population and increased industrialization, it is vital that all societies be concerned with waste water treatment.

Works Cited

Burian, Steven J., et al. "Urban wastewater management in the United States: Past, present and future." Journal of Urban Technology (2000): 33-62.
Steinbeck, Steve J. "An abridged history of onsite wastewater." 2005.< http://ehs.ncpublichealth.com/oet/docs/cit/oswpmod/HistoryOfOSWW.pdf>
Tata, Prakasam. "Evolution of advanced wastewater treatment technologies." n.d. < https://cis.uchicago.edu/outreach/summerinstitute/2010/documents/sti2010-tata-advanced-wastewater-treatment.pdf>