Waste Water Treatment

1
When raw sewage comes into Blue Plains debris and grit are removed and trucked to a landfill. (Rosanne Skirble/VOA)

2
Sewage flows into primary sedimentation tanks that separate more than half of the suspended solids from the liquid. (Rosanne Skirble/VOA)

3
After primary sedimentation, the fluid flows into secondary tanks where oxygen is pumped into it so microbes can break down the organic matter. (Rosanne Skirble/VOA)

4
In a laboratory at Blue Plains, researchers are working on a cost-saving measure that would deploy a newly discovered microbe that can break down organic matter without oxygen. (Rosanne Skirble/VOA)