How is the Coast’s wastewater treated?
When wastewater leaves buildings connected to the Coast’s sewerage systems, it flows through pipes and pump stations to treatment plants where it is treated and cleaned. The treatment processes used include the use of helpful bacteria. The bacteria need controlled conditions, including dissolved oxygen which is provided through aerating the mixture. The wastewater is then allowed to settle so that the solids sink to the bottom of the tank, leaving only the cleanest water to go to the next stage of treatment. What happens next depends on the actual treatment plant: a variety of methods are used including treatment with ozone and activated carbon. The final stage of all wastewater treatment processes is disinfection by the use of ultraviolet light or chlorine. The treated wastewater is discharged into rivers, the ocean or used for irrigation and industrial purposes.
