How does a Water Reclamation Facility work?
Water reclamation facilities are in essence, recycling plants for water. Buried pipes will deliver wastewater to the East Fort Myers Water Reclamation Facility from pumping stations throughout the community. At the facility, the wastewater will undergo several steps of treatment before leaving the facility as beneficial reclaimed water. These steps can vary depending on the specific equipment selected, but typically include:
- Screening: The water passes through screens to remove larger solid debris such as plastics, rags and other objects. This is the first step of cleaning the water and protects equipment from damage.
- Grit removal: Equipment removes sand and other heavy material (grit) that is small enough to pass through the screens. This keeps this material from settling out downstream.
- Biological Treatment: Micro-organisms are used to clean wastewater in this step. These micro-organisms help decompose the wastes in the water. How? It is their food supply. The micro-organisms eat the waste. This part of the process is similar to what occurs in septic tanks.
- Clarification: Next the wastewater is sent to a settling tank called a clarifier. The water stays there long enough for the micro-organisms to settle to the bottom where they are collected and removed from the water. The collected material is called biosolids. At the end of this step, 90 percent of the pollutants have been removed from the water.
- Filtration: The water then passes through filters to further remove remaining solids.
- Disinfection: The wastewater is disinfected during the final treatment step. Treated water can be disinfected by adding chlorine or by using ultraviolet light.
The reclaimed water can now be distributed for irrigation or other beneficial uses within the community. The use of reclaimed water reduces the demand on potable water resources, benefiting the environment.