Wastewater

<p>Wastewater (or waste water) is water generated after the use of <a href="/facts/Fresh_water/xMP2TxwI">freshwater</a>, <a href="/facts/Raw_water/9rfIIced">raw water</a>, <a href="/facts/Drinking_water/FmSJcKGG">drinking water</a> or <a href="/facts/Saline_water/Tgw5AgL8">saline water</a> in a variety of deliberate applications or processes.: 1  Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff / storm water, and any <a href="/facts/Infiltration/Inflow/wrHe6Ee7">sewer inflow or sewer infiltration</a>".: 175  In everyday usage, wastewater is commonly a synonym for <a href="/facts/Sewage/aC5N1kls">sewage</a> (also called domestic wastewater or municipal wastewater), which is wastewater that is produced by a community of people.
</p><p>As a generic term, wastewater may also describe water containing contaminants accumulated in other settings, such as:
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Industrial_wastewater/401ph19H">Industrial wastewater</a>: waterborne waste generated from a variety of industrial processes, such as manufacturing operations, mineral extraction, power generation, or water and <a href="/facts/Wastewater_treatment/b5bJ6aJm">wastewater treatment</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Cooling_water/XLrzhCJS">Cooling water</a>, is released with potential <a href="/facts/Thermal_pollution/E205RVnA">thermal pollution</a> after use to condense steam or reduce machinery temperatures by conduction or evaporation.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Leachate/zmUXV7Bb">Leachate</a>: precipitation containing pollutants dissolved while percolating through ores, raw materials, products, or solid waste.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Return_flow/jgcTIBwR">Return flow</a>: the flow of water carrying suspended soil, pesticide residues, or dissolved minerals and nutrients from irrigated <a href="/facts/Cropland/Neh9clB1">cropland</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Surface_runoff/zPxoaA0D">Surface runoff</a>: the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess <a href="/facts/Rain/MLqcQEyx">rainwater</a>, <a href="/facts/Stormwater/CX4EcIWu">stormwater</a>, <a href="/facts/Meltwater/SYU7KHgg">meltwater</a>, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate the <a href="/facts/Soil/5Ddpr3QM">soil</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Urban_runoff/GEvrwc1f">Urban runoff</a>, including water used for outdoor cleaning activity and landscape irrigation in densely populated areas created by <a href="/facts/Urbanization/GQq0oqft">urbanization</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Agricultural_wastewater_treatment/ha4dUGdF">Agricultural wastewater</a>: <a href="/facts/Animal_husbandry/aJforlQp">animal husbandry</a> wastewater generated from <a href="/facts/Intensive_animal_farming/YabemH5u">confined animal</a> operations.</li></ul>

Wastewater open-in-new

Wastewater