In 1972, growing public awareness and concern for pollution in the water led to
the enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments. This law
became commonly known as The Clean Water Act after it was amended in 1977.

Wastewater is the discharge waste with a high organic content. If this waste is
allowed to get into the local waterways it would pollute the receiving water.
Pollutants in water can cause fish kills due to various reasons including oxygen
depletion.

Oxygen depletion is caused by wastewaters that have oxygen demanding organic
material. Microbiological organisms in the wastewaters are the oxygen demanding
materials, but they are vital to the treatment process.

Due to concerns to public health, wastewater treatment facilities became necessary
to build. Wastewater Treatment plants treat pollutants through various processes.
Each process uses biological organisms to feed on the organic matter in the water
to remove them from the water stream. Some of the common types of wastewater
treatment plants are:

• Trickling Filter • Rotating Biological Contactors • Activated Sludge

The wastewater treatment cycle has produce two distinct environmental products.
One product is a biomass commonly known as sludge. The other is a disinfected non-pathogenic water known as reuse or reclaimed water. Sludge or Solids
management is a major component of a well operated treatment plant. There are
several tools that can be used to determine the health and efficiency of a
wastewater treatment facility. Plant sampling is one of these tools used to determine
how a plant is performing.

Wastewater treatment plants are regulated by national and state agencies
by a National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Each
permit instructs the utility in various facets. Plants must stay compliant in
staffing qualified treatment plant operators, wastewater sampling, sludge disposal,
industrial pretreatment, and maintenance. A qualified licensed operator, who is
either the utility director or manager, is responsible to keep the utility in
compliance at all times with the regulatory agencies.

Published in http://www.water-wastewater-resources-online.com/wastewatertreatment.html