Photo Credit: Alyssa Jenkins
This is an aerated lagoon used for wastewater treatment. These ponds employ diffused aeration for mixing as well as adding oxygen to promote the degradation of organic compounds by microorganisms. Aerated biological treatment is typical of conventional wastewater treatment processes. These methods can achieve significant reduction in oxygen demanding compounds and nutrients present in the water before discharge back into the environment.
Photo Credit: Alex Mead
Pictured above is the Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant solids incinerator in Detroit, MI. This waste water plant is the largest of its kind in the United States. The three smoke stacks vent the incinerators that are used to burn the solids retrieved from the clarifiers. The smoke is actually a yellowish green and the smell surrounding the facility is nearly unbearable, which is typically why waste water plants are located away from large populations.
Photo Credit: Alex Mead
Seen here is an extremely valuable piece of equipment to many home owners who have septic tanks across the country. This machine empties the septic tank of its built up solids via a hose from the back end of the truck. Emptying the solids is important to do every two to three years to maintain proper septic tank function for an ordinary family home. The solids are then delivered to a local waste water treatment plant for disposal in the manner that ordinary municipal waste is dealt with.