Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Wastewater Treatment


Yesterday on an Environmental Science field trip we went to Moscow's wastewater treatment plant. It was indeed an adventure. I now feel more educated about water, how much we consume and what we do to maintian our environment but really, there are certain phases I think I could have gone without actually seeing...and smelling.

Pulling paper and such out of the wastewater.

They keep the water moving so that the bacterias can get oxygen.

The Final Product.
Mmm doesnt that make you want to go drink a glass of water?

3 comments:

Jamie said...

I wanna take an environmental science class and learn all that cool stuff!

JHNickodemus said...

My environmental science class makes me think a LOT of you Jamie! Especially because tomorrow we're going to the recycling center!

Anonymous said...

Hey Jessica,
Glad to see you enjoyed your trip to the wastewater plant. I am thrilled to see your excitement of environmental engineering isues.

There is nothing that compares to the fresh scent of hydrogen sulfide at the plant headworks. You obviously enjoyed the aeration pond as well. While dissolved O2 is necessary part of the oxidation process, the stench is something most can do without. Did the plant have anareobic digestors as well? Can you say rotten chunkies?

Hopefully, your class spent time discussing reuse of wastewater. While wastewater treatment is a fairly mechanical process, the policies, guidelines and practices of diposal and reuse are key to maintaining a sustainable environment.

Rod McNeely, P.E.