Wastewater is produced from various industrial processes such as mining, power generation, petroleum refineries, breweries, dairy processing, chemical production, food production and many more.
Most industries are now required to treat their wastewater on site before it is discharged to river or sewer (to meet a discharge consent limit), but this treatment will vary depending on the contaminants present. Domestic wastewater will include both sewage and ‘grey’ water, such as outflow from baths and washing machines, and underground pipes will collect the wastewater, which ends up at a centralised urban wastewater treatment works (UWwTW).
Wastewater can be defined as water which is of no further immediate value to the purpose for which it was used or in the pursuit of which it was produced, because of its quality. However, it is possible that wastewater from one producer can be used as a potential supply to another organisation. Typical methods of treatment include chemical immobilisation, neutralisation and precipitation. Three broad types of treatment are distinguished: primary, secondary and tertiary.
Wastewater is mainly divided into two categories, one is domestic wastewater from household activities, and the other is industrial wastewater produced by industrial or commercial use. The rapid development of the contemporary economy has also led to an increase in the amount of wastewater, especially in industries with rapid economic growth, such as the steel industry, mining, chemical industry, food industry, etc. In addition to polluting the air due to unpleasant odors, wastewater may also threaten human health by penetrating into groundwater, soil, and surface water. Therefore, it is also necessary to detect the contaminations in the wastewater. As an expert in water quality testing, CSRA Analytical Laboratories is able to provide you with comprehensive analytical services for wastewater.
The CSRA Analytical Laboratories, Inc, conducts tests and monitoring to help make sure the environment is protected. More than 5,000 samples each year are analyzed according to US EPA requirements. Over 15 different tests are regularly performed in our laboratory and in the field – tests that include biochemical oxygen demand 5 day (BOD5), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia nitrogen (NH3:N), dissolved oxygen (DO2) and fecal coliform bacteria. A computerized Laboratory Information Management System is used to record all samples and test results. Quality Assurance and Control procedures ensure results meet needed quality.
Labs must ensure municipal or industrial wastewater is safe before its discharge into surface waters in accordance with regulations in the U.S. EPA Clean Water Act (CWA). To comply, scientists must test for safe levels of inorganic ions, metals, organic, and other contaminants in wastewater using a range of analytical solutions. Only after testing shows wastewater is safe can discharge permits from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program be obtained.
