Wastewater Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wastewater Management - Essay Example With the increase in population, the demand for water has increased drastically over the years. As a matter of fact, besides the water that is locked in the glaciers and icecaps, about 97 % of the fresh water is in the lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. The pollution of these water resources is a serious concern all over the world. As the number of industries is increasing, growing volumes of industrial wastewater are being discharged to surface waters. Due to the lack of funds and proper initiatives, the treatment provided is usually poor to protect the desired uses of the receiving waters. Before getting into the principal steps involved in industrial wastewater treatment, it is important to understand that reducing the generation of waste through proper management of resources could be an easier step than treating the effluents. Thus, through this process, the companies will benefit from the reduced input cost or the expenditure on raw materials and also reduces the wastewater treatment costs. It also improves the efficiency and the working conditions in the industry. Industries that use large amounts of water for processing have the potential to pollute waterways. Industrial waste consists of both organic and inorganic substances. Organic wastes include pesticide residues, solvents and cleaning fluids, dissolved residue from fruit and vegetables, and lignin from pulp and paper industry. Effluents can also contain inorganic wastes such as salts and heavy metals. When these effluents are released into the water bodies without proper treatment, it can cause serious damage to the ecosystem. Besides, it can also affect the people who use this water for drinking or any other household purposes. It is therefore essential that the industrial effluents are treated to high standards before they are released.