{"id":407,"date":"2020-12-28T19:49:19","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T19:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org\/blog\/?p=407"},"modified":"2020-12-28T19:49:19","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T19:49:19","slug":"how-a-wastewater-treatment-plant-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org\/blog\/2020\/12\/28\/how-a-wastewater-treatment-plant-works\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Wastewater Treatment Plant works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sewage pollution is a pernicious ocean threat, due to the many types of pollutants it contains. Typical components of sewage include water, nutrients, organic matter, bacteria, viruses, parasites, endocrine disruptors, suspended solids, micro and macro plastics, microfibers, industrial chemicals, slaughterhouse wastes, sediments and heavy metals\u2014each of which individually and together work to harm coastal and marine ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides having a detrimental impact on the marine ecosystem, wastewater pollution flowing into the ocean has a direct contribution to green house gas (GHG) emissions at 3 to 5%, based on 2010 data of IPC. Of this total, 97% is due to methane emissions. In addition, sewage pollution is a direct threat to our health due to its toxicity when we swim and surf in the polluted sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Santa Teresa and surrounding areas, wastewater pollution is a big issue we face daily. <\/strong>There is no adequate centralized sanitation system that cleans the grey and black waters, so every drop of water that we use ends up contaminating the ocean if not properly treated on an individual basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Components of sewage need proper treatment to avoid negative impacts on the environment and our health. Generally, Costa Rica relies on septic tanks and drainages as sanitation methods; however, these might not be so efficient in places where the water table is high, thus discharging polluted water back into nature. Today we want to break down for you how a wastewater treatment plant runs and its benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A wastewater treatment plant works in multiple stages, it allows a more efficient purifying method which releases water in greater conditions into nature, leaving it almost perfectly clean. In comparison with a septic tank and a drainage, a treatment plant lets you analyze the quality of the water after it’s treated. With a septic tank you are obliged to build it in a certain kind of soil and extract the septic sludge on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A wastewater treatment plant has three main stages: a primary treatment which includes grids that stop bigger solids wastes. Afterwards, there is a secondary treatment where, through a biological process, different types of bacteria help decompose waste in the water, this can work with oxygen injection (aerobic) or without oxygen (anaerobic). Subsequently, the secondary sedimentation happens which separates treated water from septic sludge. At last, the treatment plant disinfects the water. Once the water is treated, it can be used for irrigation without risk of contamination or health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Santa Teresa, there are many treatment plants at hotels, hostels, rental houses, and restaurants. If you are interested in installing one, it is essential to get informed about the Ministry of Health\u2019s criteria, as well as to seek professional help capable of designing your wastewater treatment plant according to the quality and quantity of water you generate, location, and other main points. For more information contact the Governing Area of \u200b\u200bPeninsular Health of the Ministry of Health ars.peninsular@misalud.go.cr<\/a> or call them 2650 0101<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C\u00f3mo funciona una Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales -PTAR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

La contaminaci\u00f3n por aguas residuales es una grave amenaza para los oc\u00e9anos debido a los muchos tipos de contaminantes que contienen. Los componentes t\u00edpicos de las aguas residuales incluyen agua, nutrientes, materia org\u00e1nica, bacterias, virus, par\u00e1sitos, disruptores endocrinos, s\u00f3lidos en suspensi\u00f3n, micro y macro pl\u00e1sticos, microfibras, productos qu\u00edmicos industriales, desechos de mataderos, sedimentos y metales pesados, cada uno de los cuales trabaja individual y conjuntamente para da\u00f1ar los ecosistemas costeros y marinos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adem\u00e1s de tener un impacto perjudicial en el ecosistema marino, la contaminaci\u00f3n de las aguas residuales que fluyen hacia el oc\u00e9ano tiene una contribuci\u00f3n directa a las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) del 3 al 5%, seg\u00fan los datos de 2010 de IPC. De este total, el 97% se debe a las emisiones de metano. Adem\u00e1s, la contaminaci\u00f3n por aguas residuales es una amenaza directa para nuestra salud debido a su toxicidad cuando nadamos y surfeamos en el mar contaminado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En Santa Teresa y las \u00e1reas circundantes, la contaminaci\u00f3n de las aguas residuales es un gran problema al que nos enfrentamos a diario.<\/strong> No existe un sistema centralizado de saneamiento que limpie las aguas grises y negras, por lo que cada gota de agua que usamos termina contaminando el oc\u00e9ano si no lo tratamos apropiadamente de manera privada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los componentes de las aguas residuales necesitan un tratamiento adecuado para evitar impactos negativos en el medio ambiente y nuestra salud. Por lo general, Costa Rica usa el sistema de tanques s\u00e9pticos y drenajes como m\u00e9todo de saneamiento; sin embargo, este sistema podr\u00eda no ser eficiente especialmente en lugares en donde el nivel del agua es muy alto y as\u00ed estar\u00edamos descargando agua contaminada directo a la naturaleza. Hoy queremos contarles c\u00f3mo funciona una planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales (PTAR) y sus beneficios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Una PTAR funciona en m\u00faltiples etapas, permite un m\u00e9todo de purificaci\u00f3n m\u00e1s eficiente, libera el agua tratada en mejores condiciones a la naturaleza, dej\u00e1ndola casi perfectamente limpia. En comparaci\u00f3n con un tanque s\u00e9ptico y un drenaje, una PTAR te permite analizar la calidad del agua despu\u00e9s de ser tratada. Con un tanque s\u00e9ptico est\u00e1s obligado a construirlo en un cierto tipo de suelo y realizar una extracci\u00f3n regular de los lodos s\u00e9pticos, en cambio con una PTAR no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Una planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales tiene tres etapas principales: un tratamiento primario que incluye rejillas que detienen los desechos s\u00f3lidos m\u00e1s grandes. Posteriormente, hay un tratamiento secundario donde, mediante un proceso biol\u00f3gico, diferentes tipos de bacterias ayudan a descomponer los desechos en el agua, esto puede funcionar con inyecci\u00f3n de ox\u00edgeno (aer\u00f3bico) o sin ox\u00edgeno (anaer\u00f3bico). Posteriormente, ocurre la sedimentaci\u00f3n secundaria que separa el agua tratada de los lodos s\u00e9pticos. Finalmente, una depuradora desinfecta el agua. Una vez tratada el agua, se puede utilizar para riego sin riesgo de contaminaci\u00f3n ni problemas de salud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En Santa Teresa existen muchas plantas de tratamiento en hoteles, hostales, casas de alquiler y restaurantes. Si est\u00e1s interesado en construir una, es fundamental informarse sobre los criterios del Ministerio de Salud y buscar ayuda profesional capaz de dise\u00f1ar su planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales de acuerdo con la calidad y cantidad de agua que gener\u00e1s, ubicaci\u00f3n y otros criterios importantes. Para mayor informaci\u00f3n contactar al \u00c1rea Rectora de Salud Peninsular del Ministerio de Salud ars.peninsular@misalud.go.cr o llamar al 2650-0101.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sewage pollution is a pernicious ocean threat, due to the many types of pollutants it contains. Typical components of sewage include water, nutrients, organic matter, bacteria, viruses, parasites, endocrine disruptors, suspended solids, micro and macro plastics, microfibers, industrial chemicals, slaughterhouse wastes, sediments and heavy metals\u2014each of which individually and together work to harm coastal and… <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHow a Wastewater Treatment Plant works - Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org\/blog\/2020\/12\/28\/how-a-wastewater-treatment-plant-works\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How a Wastewater Treatment Plant works - Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sewage pollution is a pernicious ocean threat, due to the many types of pollutants it contains. 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