Question

What are the types of waste water?

Answer 1

Waste water is of two types:

(a) Domestic effluents: Liquid wastes from domestic sources such as kitchens, toilets, and other household waste-waters are discharged directly into rivers or into a large water body nearby. Domestic effluents carry organic wastes such as detergents and the decayed remains of vegetables and fruits. An excess input of these organic wastes into water bodies leads to an increased nutrient content, resulting in eutrophication.

(b) Industrial wastewater: Industries are a major source of water pollution. For example, coastal waters are exposed to pollution through the effluents of coastal prawn-culture farms and fish processing industries. Industrial pollutants contain large quantities of nitrogenous substances, minerals, organic acids, heavy metals (lead, mercury), detergents, alkalis, phenols, dyes, pigments, tanning agents and other toxicants. Most components of industrial effluents are toxic to the ecological system even at low concentrations and many of them are non-biodegradable.