Wastewater treatment plant virtual tour Fact sheets Glossary

Wastewater Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Re-use and

journey Primary treatment Secondary treatment Tertiary treatment recycling

Glossary
Aerobic An environment that is characterised by the presence of oxygen (O2)
environment

Algal bloom A rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Although there is
no officially recognised threshold level, algae can be considered to be blooming at
concentrations of hundreds to thousands of cells per millilitre. Algal bloom
concentrations may reach millions of cells per millilitre and blooms are often green
but can also be yellow-brown or red, depending on the species of algae.

Alum This is the most common coagulant (the process causing particles to stick together)
used in water treatment. It is a salt consisting of a combination of an alkali metal,
such as sodium, potassium, or ammonium and a trivalent metal, such as aluminum,
iron, or chromium. Adding alum decreases the pH of treated water.

Ammonia A compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. Ammonia normally
occurs as a gas with a strong odour. It is caustic, hazardous and usually used as a
commercial cleaner.

Anaerobic Environments lacking free oxygen but sometimes containing atomic oxygen bound
environments in compounds such as nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), and sulfites (SO3).

Anoxic Absence of free oxygen

Bacterial The breakdown of organic matter by bacteria.

decomposition

Biological A measure of the oxygen used by microorganisms in water to breakdown waste. It

Oxygen Demand is not a precise quantitative test, although it’s widely used to indicate the quality of
(BOD) water and can be used to gauge the effectiveness of wastewater treatment
processes.

Biological The processes of living organisms. They are made up of a number of chemical
processes reactions or other events that result in a transformation.

Biological A process used in wastewater treatment where bacteria and other simple organisms
reactor are used to treat organic waste material.
processes

Biosolids An organic by-product of wastewater treatment, which is used in agriculture,

rehabilitating land and composting.

Chlorine A chemical element that may take a number of forms. As the solid chloride ion, it is
part of common salt and other compounds. In its elemental form (Cl2 or dichlorine)
under standard conditions, chlorine is a powerful oxidant and is used in bleaching
and disinfectants, as well as being an essential reagent in the chemical industry. It

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 can also be a gaseous chemical element (eg chlorofluorocarbons) found in the
upper atmosphere.

Clarification A physical water treatment process used to settle out suspended solids in water
under the influence of gravity.

Coagulant Chemicals that attract and bind small particles together so they can be easily
removed.

Coagulation Causing particles to group together and form floc. This makes them bigger heavier
and easier to remove.

Complex Chemical compounds whose molecules contain organic material such as carbon,
organic along with several other chemical elements.
compounds

Cryptosporidium A one-celled protozoan parasite that affects the intestines of mammals. The
parasite is transmitted by microbial cysts (oocysts) that, once ingested, exist in the
small intestine and result in an infection of intestinal epithelial tissue.

Desalination The process of removing salt from seawater to make drinking water.

Dissolved air A tank where the process of dissolved air floatation (DAF) takes place. DAF is a
flotation tank water treatment process where wastewater is clarified by the removal of suspended
matter such as oil or solids. Air is dissolved under pressure in wastewater and then
released at atmospheric pressure in a tank. The released air forms tiny bubbles
which stick to the suspended matter causing it to float to the surface, where it is
removed by a skimming device.

Ecosystems An area within the natural environment in which physical (abiotic) factors such as
rocks and soil, function together with interdependent living (biotic) organisms, such
as plants and animals, within the same habitat.

Effluent Treated wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants.

Environmental Water is released to make sure rivers and the plants and animals that rely on them,
river flows remain healthy.

Equalisation A tank used to temporarily store wastewater to be processed. The tank acts like a
tank gateway that controls the amount to be processed.

Fermenter A tank where fermentation (the process of breaking down solid organic matter in
wastewater into harmless, soluble substances and carbon dioxide by the actions of
enzymes secreted by bacteria) takes place.

Fermenter tanks A tank where fermentation takes place.

Ferric chloride An iron based chemical used in water and wastewater treatment.

Flash mixer A tank where additives like alum is mixed into wastewater to treat it.

Floc A flake of precipitate (a solid), that comes out of a solution during the process of
flocculation.

Flocculation The removal of a sediment from a fluid, often through agitation or the addition of
flocculating agents.

Forced vortex A process causing grit and organics to spiral to the bottom of a grit removal
chamber.

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 Giardia A microorganism (bacteria), that causes stomach and intestinal illness. Giardia
colonise and reproduce in the small intestines of several vertebrates, causing
giardiasis.

Grit Heavy particles in wastewater like sand, gravel, ash, glass and metal.

Heavy metals Individual metals and metal compounds that negatively affect people's health.
Heavy metals may build up in biological systems and become a significant health
hazard.

High-speed Very fast industrial centrifuges that rotate treated sludge around a fixed axis,
centrifuges applying a force perpendicular to the axis. The force removes excess water from
the material.

Intermittently A tank where wastewater undergoes treatment processes in rotation including

Decanted sedimentation, biological treatment and clarification.
Aerated
Lagoons
(IDALs)

Inorganic Compounds that don’t contain at least one carbon atom such as nutrients, nitrogen
compounds and phosphorous. Inorganic compounds are considered to be of mineral rather than
biological origin.

Managed water The natural water cycle that has been modified by people to ensure a constant
cycle water supply and the safe disposal of wastewater.

Mixed liquor A combination of wastewater and biological mass.

Natural water The cycle of water in nature including the processes of evaporation, transpiration
cycle condensation and precipitation.

Nitrates A common nutrient found in fertilisers. Excessive levels can lead to algal blooms in
water systems.

Nitrification A biological process using bacteria to convert ammonium into nitrate in wastewater.

Nitrogen A naturally occurring element that can enter water through a catchment and is used
by plants as a nutrient.

Organic food A supply of food from something that was once living but is now decayed.
supply

Organic matter Material from something that was once living but now decayed.

Oxidation A reaction with oxygen.

Parasites An organism that lives on or inside a host organism which disadvantages the host.

Pesticides Any substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy or repel

pests.

Phosphates An element essential for all living organisms. A nutrient commonly included in
fertilisers and washing detergents.

Phosphorus An inorganic form of phosphate mined for use in agriculture and industry.

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 Recycled Treating wastewater to a high quality before it is re-used for industrial processes,
wastewater irrigation and household uses.

Re-using The use of wastewater for many purposes such as irrigation.

wastewater

Secondary Tanks where mixed liquor is separated into biological sludge and clear liquid.
clarifiers

Sedimentation A treatment process usually in a pond or tank, that enables sediment to settle out
of water or wastewater.

Sedimentation Tanks where the process of sedimentation takes place. Sedimentation is a physical
tanks wastewater treatment process used to settle out suspended solids in water under
the influence of gravity.

Seed sludge Solid matter (also called Return Activated Sludge) that is returned to the start of
the aeration system (aerobic zone) to re-seed the new wastewater entering the
tank.

Sewage Wastewater from homes and businesses that is discharged to the sewer. It is made
up of 99% water.

Sewer Pipes that transport wastewater to a wastewater treatment plant.

Sewage Wastewater that escapes or is discharged from the sewage system due to a high
overflow volume passing through the network.

Sewerage The network of pipes, pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants used to
system collect, transport, treat and discharge wastewater.

Sludge Solid matter that is removed during wastewater or water treatment. It can be
processed into a material called biosolids.

Sodium A dry granular acid salt also known as sodium hydrogen sulfate (NaHSO4).
bisulphate Solutions of sodium bisulfate are acidic usually having a pH of less than 1.

Stormwater Rainwater that runs off the land into stormwater drains and natural channels that
take it to creeks, rivers, and the ocean.

Surface aerators Vertically mounted tubes of up to one metre in diameter extending from just above
the base of a deep concrete tank to just below the surface of the wastewater liquor.
At the surface end the tube is formed into a cone with helical vanes attached to the
inner surface. When the tube is rotated, the vanes spin liquor up and out of the
cones drawing new wastewater liquor from the base of the tank.

Trade Industrial or commercial wastewater with significant potential contaminants usually

wastewater set by agreements with trade waste limits.

Viruses A biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. Host cells are
forced to produce many thousands of identical copies of the original virus at an
extraordinary rate.

Wastewater Water that has been used by people and goes into the sewerage system.
Wastewater is treated at a wastewater treatment plant and water recycling plant.

Weir A raised platform or spillway which water flows over at a steady rate.

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 © 2010 Sydney Water

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