What is the main goal of tertiary treatment?

Tertiary treatment is a crucial step in the sewage treatment process that focuses on further enhancing water quality after primary and secondary treatments have occurred. The primary purpose of this stage is to eradicate remaining impurities and pollutants that may still be present in the treated water, ensuring that it meets stringent environmental standards for discharge or can be safely reused.

This process often entails sophisticated treatments such as advanced filtration, chemical coagulation, and disinfection methods like chlorination or UV radiation, which target specific contaminants, including nutrients, pathogens, and total suspended solids. Ultimately, the goal is to produce effluent that is clean enough to be released into natural water bodies or repurposed for applications, such as irrigation or industrial processes, thus playing a critical role in water resource management and conservation.

The other potential goals, such as complete microorganism removal, natural evaporation, or reintroducing chemicals for nutrient balancing, do not accurately reflect the focus of tertiary treatment in the broader context of sewage treatment processes. The emphasis remains on ensuring the water is appropriately treated to reduce environmental impact and promote public health.