1 What Is Wastewater?

"Wastewater," also known as "sewage," originates from household wastes, human and animal wastes, industrial wastewaters, storm runoff, and groundwater infiltration. Wastewater, basically, is the flow of used water from a community. It is 99.94 percent water by weight (Water Pollution Control Federation 1980). The remaining 0.06 percent is material dissolved or suspended in the water. It is largely the water supply of a community after it has been fouled by various uses.