If you own an industrial facility that contributes to the growing problem of wastewater, then it would be valuable for you to understand why wastewater treatment is such an important subject to consider. It can play a huge role in your business’s health. When you overlook this pressing concern, you subject yourself to lawsuits or fines. Why put public health and the environment at risk, when there are so many wastewater treatment companies out there?
Before discussing further why you should go for water treatment Australia, let’s find out what all pollutants are present in wastewater-
- BOD or biochemical oxygen demand is not a pollutant but a concern. It’s the quantity of oxygen that remains dissolved in water. This oxygen is used by the aerobic organisms that live in the water. With the available oxygen, they break organic matter into tiny molecules. High biological oxygen demand means there is more biodegradable material contained in the wastewater. This could be due to the presence of fertilizer or faecal waste in the water. Since this causes the oxygen present in water to lessen slowly, from which aquatic organisms greatly suffer. Some of the consequences are the death of fish, algal blooms, and other undesirable changes in the aquatic ecosystem.
- Nitrates and phosphates are industrial by-products that increase the biological oxygen demand in water. As a result of which, phytoplanktons, algae, and weed grow uncontrollably. This is not healthy for aquatic organisms.
- Wastewater also contains a lot of pathogens. Some of them are viruses and bacteria. These microorganisms might cause a lot of health problems starting from impaired digestion and skin irritation to general sickness and death. Even dangerous diseases like botulism, hepatitis A, and cholera can spread because of these harmful organisms. Since both human beings and animals are likely to consume this contaminated water, both can get affected.
- Industrial processes often release by-products that contain metals. When these metals reach water bodies, they contaminate the water in it. Generally, these metals are not going to cause any issue. Still when they are present in extremely high concentrations, they can be hazardous not just to animals but also to human beings. Some of the most common metals that may be found in wastewater are mercury, manganese, lead, copper, chromium, and cadmium. The reason why they are more dangerous than other pollutants is that they do not break down or degrade. So, the metals that are getting accumulated in a water body are not going anywhere. You can imagine the toxicity level of a water body that constantly receives wastewater from various sources.
- Chemicals are also one of the major pollutants present in wastewater. A lot of manufacturing processes use pesticides and other similar chemicals. These chemicals are harmful to all living beings. Despite being a threat to the health of humans and animals, they are a big concern for the environment. DDT, PCBs, dioxin, etc. are some of the most common and harmful chemicals generally found in wastewater. These are so harmful that they can cause the endocrine system in the body to go haywire. As a result of which hormones won’t function the way, they should work. This is a fatal condition.
If you think these pollutants can harm the environment as well as life on earth, then it would be wise of you to go for water treatment Australia. Don’t waste time wondering how you will get the wastewater treated from your factory as there are number of wastewater treatment companies these days. All you need is to find the right one for your industry, and you are good to go.