3. It Starts Here... A day in the life of your waste water...

4. …collects in sewer pipes...

5. …and arrives at your local waste water treatment facility.

6. Removes 40-50% of the solids

7. Chunks of debris, sticks, sand, condoms, etc… They get caught on the bar screens as the sewage enters the plant.

8. Next, it goes into the grit chamber sand, grit and heavy solids settle to the bottom

9. Primary Sedimentation Tank Smaller particles settle; scrapers collect the solid matter plus scum or grease floating on top of the tank

10. 85-90% of pollutants are removed

11. The 1st step is AERATION... Microorganisms and oxygen are mixed with the wastewater. Air speeds the growth of the bacteria which eat the waste matter.

12. Followed by... SECONDARY SEDIMENTAITON Solids clump together (activated sludge) and settle out for reuse in the aeration tanks.

13. Added as a disinfectant before the wastewater leaves the plant to kill disease-causing organisms

14. We’re not done yet! What do you do with all of the... You know… The ”S” Word NO! SLUDGE!

15. Digesters Huge tanks in which the sludge is stored to allow it to continue to decompose

16. Filters, drying beds and presses remove excess water from the sludge.

17. A source of methane for powering small power plants Bury it in approved landfills Burn it in specially designed plants to prevent air pollution Compost it

18. What if you are not connected to a sewer line? …then you have a SEPTIC SYSTEM

19. Leeching Fields

20. Do: Inspect your tank for signs of sludge buildup. Pump your tank every 2-3 years. Keep a grease can handy. Protect your system from vehicles and encroaching trees and shrubs. Install water saving devices to conserve water. Use non-toxic cleaning products such as baking soda to scrub toilets, or boiling water to help clear clogged drains. The Dos and Don’ts of Septic Maintenance

21. Don't: use a garbage disposal - it adds 50 % more solids to your system. pour automotive oil, cooking oil, grease or paint or paint thinner down the drain. drive vehicles over the septic system/fields. plant bushes or trees over the leach field. use too much water, especially during rainy, wet seasons when the ground is saturated. use drain cleaners and other toxic chemical products. use chemical or biological septic system cleaners which can plug up leach fields and ruin your system. The Dos and Don’ts of Septic Maintenance

22. You can learn all this and more in the monthly editions of Pumper magazine; the magazine of the elite septic system maintenance professional!