Protecting Our Environment - Wastewater Happens
| Related Pages | |
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| Ocean Monitoring (The PLOOM Project) | |
| Managing Perth's Wastewater System | |
| Publications | |
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For most people wastewater is a hidden part of everyday life. Today more than 1.4 million people live in the Perth metropolitan area and produce 320 million litres of wastewater every day –that’s enough to cover Subiaco Oval to the height of the goalposts every day of every year forever!!
In Western Australia the Water Corporation is responsible for the treatment and disposal of wastewater. We operate in excess of 100 wastewater treatment facilities around the State. The three large metropolitan plants at Beenyup, Subiaco and Woodman Point treat approximately 80% of the State’s wastewater.
What is Wastewater?
Wastewater is the spent or used water from a community. It comes from domestic, commercial and industrial sources. The average person produces 200 litres of wastewater every day. The collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater is an integral part of the water cycle that maintains the balance of water in nature.
Wastewater is 99.97% water because by far the greatest volume comes from showers, baths and washing machines. The rest is dissolved and suspended matter. Wastewater also comes from industrial processes.
How is wastewater treated?
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Wastewater treatment is a series of processes that remove the pollutant materials from wastewater such as, solids, oil and greases, detergents, nutrients, heavy metals and bacteria. These processes are carried out at wastewater treatment plants.
The end products of the treatment are:
- treated wastewater
- biosolids
The treated wastewater is either returned to the marine environment via ocean outfalls; re-used in horticulture or to irrigate recreational areas or allowed to infiltrate back into the ground.
Biosolids are primarily organic matter similar to material found in soil and animal manure. They are used as a low grade fertiliser or as a soil conditioner. The Water Corporation has partnered with Sita Environmental Solutions in a joint venture initiative called BioWise to produce premium quality compost utilising biosolids.
What can you do to help?
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Everything you pour down the kitchen sink or any item you put down the toilet doesn’t just disappear. It goes through the wastewater system to a treatment plant where the Water Corporation processes it to ensure it can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
There are many everyday items that should not enter the wastewater system. Disposing of household wastes correctly not only prevents damage to the wastewater treatment plant, it also helps protect the environment.
Listed below are ways of disposing of common substances:
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Cooking oil / grease |
Wrap and place in bin |
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Chemicals eg. paint, cleaning products, pesticides |
Give to a licensed hazardous wastes contractor or contact your local council |
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Food scraps |
Place in bin or compost |
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Newspaper / plastics |
Recycle – contact your local council |
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Engine oils |
Take to local garage or oil recycling centre |
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Unused medicines |
Return to pharmacy |
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Nappies, razors, cotton buds, syringes |
Wrap and place in bin |