Water treatment is a system of using a series of physical, chemical, and biological methods to remove impurities, harmful substances, and pollutants from natural water sources (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater) to meet the standards required for drinking water or industrial use. The main objectives of water treatment are to ensure the safety of drinking water, improve its taste and appearance, and meet the stringent water quality requirements of various industrial and commercial applications.
Water treatment typically involves three main stages: pre-treatment, membrane purification, and post-treatment. Pre-treatment removes suspended particles and dissolved substances from the water, laying the groundwork for subsequent treatment steps. Membrane purification, through techniques such as ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, deeply purifies the water. Post-treatment, which includes activated carbon filtration and UV disinfection, ensures the microbiological safety and stability of the treated water.
Wastewater treatment is the system of treating wastewater generated from industrial, domestic, and other activities to meet discharge or reuse standards, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Wastewater typically contains harmful substances, including suspended solids, organic pollutants, heavy metals, and pathogens, which, if not treated, can cause significant harm to water bodies, soil, and ecosystems.
Wastewater treatment is generally divided into primary, secondary, tertiary, and advanced treatment stages (such as DTRO treatment). Primary treatment mainly uses physical methods to remove large particles and suspended solids from the wastewater. Secondary treatment employs biological processes to degrade organic pollutants. Tertiary treatment uses chemical and physical methods to further purify the wastewater, ensuring it meets more stringent discharge standards. DTRO treatment is used for treating high-concentration, toxic, and hazardous wastewater, and is particularly common in industrial wastewater treatment. These treatment processes effectively purify wastewater, enabling it to meet environmental standards and, in some cases, be reused or recycled.
