At some point, we have probably all wondered what happens when things go down the drain. We know this for a fact because of how often we are fishing children’s toys out of toilets and drains. (We really don’t mind though) What goes down the drain holds a bit of mystery for all of us. In this blog, we want to cover a little bit more of what happens when things go down the drain.
Initially, most all the water and material that goes down our drains gets brought to a water treatment center.
There are three steps that these treatment facilities take to help treat the water. First, they need to remove any large particles or items that came with the water. Usually, this involves a large screen that all the water flows through. Anything that is larger than a few centimeters is filtered out during that first step. That material is usually ground up and brought to a landfill.
The second step involves skimming scum off the top and letting any remaining particles in the water settle at the bottom. Then there are a few steps here that include growing good bacteria and single cell organisms that take out waste from the water. The sludge during this phase is gathered and disposed.
The next step involves bacteria that break ammonia that is in the water and turning that into nitrates. The nitrates are then removed by a process that allows them to turn into a gas so they are no longer part of the water. The final step involves disinfection to kill any pathogens that may be in the water so that the water is now pure enough to be used again.
There are a lot of steps that go into making your used water usable again. Help out the water treatment centers by not putting these products down the drain: grease, feminine products, paint, auto fluids, cleaners, and medicines. Not only does it make it harder for excellent water quality, but it can also seriously hurt your plumbing. Call us if you are experiencing backups in your drainage today.
