Wastewater is any used water, originating from individuals, businesses, agriculture or industry. Since wastewater is contaminated, it cannot be used further until it has been treated. Wastewater treatment involves figuring out the types of wastewater, depending on the source of the water and the components in it.
First, wastewater can be divided into two main categories – sewage and non-sewage.
Sewage is wastewater that comes from household activities. This includes houses, public toilets, schools, hotels and hospitals. These buildings produce large amounts of wastewater every day, which often contains urine and feces.
Non-sewage covers all other types of wastewater. This includes rainwater, water from commercial activities such as garages or laundries, and water from factories.
Types of wastewater
Wastewater can usually be divided into three types: black water, yellow water and gray water.
Black water
Black water is wastewater that comes from kitchen sinks and toilets and urinals. Black water contains feces, urine and toilet paper, some discarded food, and a lot of cleaning fluids and chemicals. This water is highly contaminated and often carries bacteria, viruses and other pathogens and can cause disease.
Grey water
Grey water is dark water without urine, feces or food residue. It comes from bathtubs, bathroom sinks and washing machines. While it does contain chemicals and cleaning solutions, it is more reusable because it does not cause disease.
Yellow water
Yellow water is essentially pure urine. It is urine that comes from a specific source and does not contain any of the contaminants found in gray or black water, such as chemicals, toilet paper, feces and food particles.
Treating wastewater
Wastewater is treated to remove contaminants so it can be reused or discharged into the natural environment, so it is important to dispose of it properly. To be reused, it must meet specific standards and guidelines – depending on the nature of the reuse. KUOSI offers industry-integrated solutions for wastewater treatment and provides all types of wastewater treatment equipment. Contact us for a wastewater treatment solution or equipment quote.