5 Important Reasons Why You Need Wastewater Treatment

Many companies go through lengths to treat their wastewater and make it acceptable for disposal and viable for reuse. But why do you really need to treat your wastewater? Why is it important and what are the benefits you can get from it?

1. Protect the Environment

Wastewater contains chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals and even plants. Untreated wastewater has various negative effects to the environment. Among these are: oxygen depletion in water resulting to fish kills, habitat degradation of aquatic organisms and excess of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in water resulting to red tides and production of other toxins. Humans can then be affected if they ingest contaminated fish or inhale toxins carried by the wind.

Treating wastewater before disposing them would protect the environment from these dangerous effects. You and your company can become protectors of the environment by ensuring no harm will go its way. By making sure your company’s wastewater is properly treated you prevent these hazards from entering the earth’s water. You also prevent them from damaging not only the environment but also the animals and humans living in it.

2. Save Water

Only 3% of the earth’s water is fresh and only 1% is safe for human use. Now countries all over the world are experiencing drought and decreased water supply. To save water, large industries need to first make sure their wastewater is treated, and then second make efforts to reuse their effluents.  The demand for potable water will decrease if effluents are used in its stead. Effluents can be used for irrigation, flushing toilets, watering gardens, industrial plant uses and even for drinking.

3. Save Costs

If companies treat their water and use their effluents instead of using their water supply, they would be able to save on their water costs. This is especially applicable for large industries where they constantly need water for their cooling towers, for cleaning their facilities and for other industrial operations. If they use their effluent they reduce their water consumption and save on costs.

4. Contribute to Economic Growth

Wastewater facilities produce jobs, whether it may be in research or operations. Aside from this, making sure wastewater is treated before disposal would ensure that ponds and rivers are safe and clean. This will preserve the natural environment and allow tourism to flourish. In places where the residents’ main source of income is fishing, making sure your wastewater is treated before disposal would also allow residents to carry on with their means of living.

5. Prepare for the Future

Wastewater treatment initiatives not only provide positive effects for the present but also offer long-term effects for the next generation. By participating in these initiatives you secure your communities’ future.

Some examples of these are:

• Pilbara Wastewater Treatment Alliance – In Western Australia, the drought they experienced led various groups to work together. Water Corporation partnered with Tenix, an infrastructure maintenance provider in Australia, to upgrade their current wastewater services. In line with their goal to have a drought-proof state, the project aimed to accommodate the projected population growth of the various towns included in the Pilbara Water Supply Scheme. Through the project, they are not only solving their current water problem but also ensuring their community is secured for the future.
• Illinois Clean Water Initiative – In the United States, Illinois implemented a program allowing local governments to loan at low-interest for projects aimed to improve their communities’ wastewater and drinking water. Through this initiative their goal was to keep their water safe and clean for current Illinois residents and also have an effective water system that will benefit future residents for years to come.

Wastewater treatment brings a bucket load of benefits to the table. It may be more costly and more time-consuming than just dumping your waste into the ocean but the positive effects you get it from it is beyond measure. The benefits you get is not only for yourself and for your company, it will also be for the environment and future generations.

Debra Wright blogs about a plethora of topics including wastewater treatment and its benefits to businesses. Wright considers Tenix as one of the leading providers of wastewater infrastructure solutions.