Why Industrial wastewater treatment is the need of the hour?
An increase in industrialization has affected our nature tremendously, where industries create employment, opportunities, and at the same time pollution especially related to water. According to the UN-Water department, Indian industries produce 13468 MLD wastewater, of which only 60% is treated. As a result, untreated sewage is released into the ecosystem, polluting our freshwater sources and giving rise to water scarcity.
Untreated wastewater contains several pollutants as various industries produce different types of waste in the water like oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, paper, chemical debris, dirt, metal scraps, hazardous solvents, and many others. Because of poor industrial wastewater treatment and management, around 38 million people suffer from water-borne diseases every year in India. This lack of caution encourages the global pollution problem.
As wastewater is not treated, the need for water increases. The decline in groundwater level and increase in water pollution imply that industrial wastewater treatment is imperative.
Why is treating industrial wastewater essential?
Industrial operations produce a large amount of wastewater in a day containing hazardous compounds and microorganisms that are lethal to humans, flora, and fauna. Many times the wastewater is released on land, stimulating land pollution. Moreover, industries use a considerable amount of water resulting in depletion of groundwater levels. Let us review how industrial wastewater treatment and management can be a win-win for both industries & nature.
Save water
Industrial wastewater possesses minerals, ores, chemicals, microbes, and many other elements. Various chemical and biological techniques can treat this wastewater, and treated wastewater can be used widely in mining industries. As a massive amount of water is needed to clean the ores in mining industries, it can be used as a substitute for fresh water to clean minerals. This way, Industrial wastewater treatment can assist in solving the global water scarcity problems.
Uses in different areas of work
“Water is our most precious resource, a ‘blue-gold’ to which more than 2 billion people do not have direct access. It is not only essential for survival but also plays a sanitary, social and cultural role at the heart of human societies” – Director-General of UNESCO.
When industrialization is at its peak, industries can help to solve the water scarcity problem by treating the maximum amount of wastewater. Treated wastewater is used in agriculture, horticulture and can be effective in crop production and gardening. It is also used in thermal power plants to treat fly ash.
Environment protection
With the industrial revolution life of people improved, but it also proved harmful. Water being the primary need, is used in extreme quantities in industrial operations, resulting in more and more wastewater production. Industrial wastewater containing toxic gases, oils, and chemicals, is discharged into lakes and rivers, destructing nature, marine life, and humans. With modernization, industrial wastewater treatment is easily possible using modern technologies and equipment.
Seen as a resource
Industrial wastewater treatment can be economically and financially beneficial, as industrial wastewater is seen as a resource rather than a waste. Businesses use treated wastewater as a coolant, washing agent for fabricating, diluting, and numerous other processes, making ‘Industrial symbiosis’ a norm.
How can wastewater treatment help overcome the hazards of industrial wastewater?
Untreated industrial wastewater flows in the lakes, rivers, and oceans – the only freshwater sources. The study says, in India, 250 million liters of industrial effluent are released in the Ganges every day. Industrial wastewater treatment is crucial for human health and vital for our heritage and culture.
Stop it at the start.
Efficient industrial wastewater treatment and management focus on minimizing pollution. However, it becomes troublesome to treat natural water flow once the untreated wastewater is released. Therefore, industries must treat wastewater near its origin. Many advanced technologies and water treatment plants can treat wastewater efficiently.
Reuse before you use
As mentioned earlier, treated wastewater can be used in many areas of life. The treated wastewater proves to be a righteous substitute for freshwater and can be used in industries and day-to-day life to preserve freshwater resources.
Industrial wastewater treatment is no more an option but a necessity to save the planet from rising water scarcity. If we preserve water today, we can use it tomorrow.
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