Examining Decentralized Treatment of Wastewater

Centralized wastewater treatment centers have been the standard for years. In this system, wastewater is collected via a sewer system and transported to a single processing plant that serves a large municipal area. Here, the sewage is processed via coagulation, flocculation, and eventually filtration and disinfection. In recent years, though, the possibility of decentralized wastewater treatment has become an increasingly popular option. You might be wondering, what is a decentralized water treatment system — and which is better centralized or decentralized water treatment plant? Read on to understand some of the benefits a decentralized water treatment plan can offer.

Protect Water Quality

One of the most important benefits of a decentralized water treatment system is its ability to improve the quality of local watersheds. Rather than transport all wastewater to one primary treatment facility, a decentralized treatment system offers full or partial processing of wastewater via smaller facilities that are located closer to the source. This protects the quality of groundwater by allowing for the removal of pollutants as wastewater percolates the soil. This avoids contamination of surface water while enriching the quality of the water table.

Reduce Environmental Risk

The environmental impact of water processing should not be overlooked. Centralized sewage treatment centers are a known source of consideration carbon emissions, but until recently, there have been few solutions proposed to this problem. Luckily, decentralized water treatment systems are offering an alternative that may have a positive effect on the environment. Decentralized water treatment can minimize the environmental risks associated with treatment plants that reach or exceed their functional capacity. When this happens, it can cause environmental damage, and it can be a major liability, too. Water treatment insurance can cover the costs of such incidents, but prevention is the best strategy.

Serve Diverse Customer Base

Decentralized water treatment systems are also beneficial because of their ability to serve a range of source locations. Both urban and rural areas can benefit, and homes, businesses, and industrial areas can enjoy its advantages. Because decentralized treatment systems make water recycling easier, they can give communities greater access to the tools for more effective water resource management. This is especially true in areas of the country that are arid and prone to droughts.

Offer Support to Other Plants

The reduced risk of overload is indeed one of the greatest benefits that a decentralized water treatment system can offer. Even if the majority of the treatment process takes place at a central location, decentralized treatment stations can offer support to the infrastructure that creates more options for the sewer mining and pretreatment portion of water treatment. This is an invaluable resource for centralized sewage treatment plants that are located within expansive service areas.

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