What is Effluent ?

The outflow of water from any industrial establishment to a natural body of water is referred to as “Effluent” often termed as “Wastewater”. Industrial establishments that do not have a water treatment facility must follow the guidelines established by various pollution control authorities.

United States Environmental Protection Agency defines effluent meaning as “wastewater – treated or untreated – that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall.

Untreated wastewater from various industrial establishments causes the major source of water pollution, resulting into disturbance to the defined ecosystem. Untreated wastewater consist of large quantities of Oil and Grease, Chemicals, Detergents, Solid Waste, Food Waste, Plastics, Toxic Elements etc. These contaminants can enter our food chain and may cause severe diseases, often referred as chemical toxicity.

Treatment guidelines

Before discharging effluent into bodies of water, different countries have different wastewater treatment guidelines that must be followed. Due to environmental implication, these recommendations vary depending on the industry and treatment technology available. Environmental Protection Agencies enforce effluent discharge guidelines to reduce water wastage. 

Because, for well-established industrial areas of similar industries, a common effluent treatment plant would be preferable to having individual, full-fledged Treatment Plants. This will lead to lower operational costs, more available space, and more time saved in the long run.

Benefits of Effluent Treatment

Although the Wastewater Treatment Plant requires some additional space, the benefits are far greater.

• Clean and Reusable Water
• Reduction in Quantity of Waste Generated
• Saving Ecosystem
• Clean Odorless Environment
• Improvement in livelihood etc.

Read About Sewage: https://www.wastewaterclub.com/what-is-sewage/

Hope after reading this article you would surely understand the Effluent meaning.