Last month we took a closer look at our Clarifiers, which separate heavier solids from water and lighter materials. This month let’s look at the path our heavier solids take during our treatment process.
These solids make their way to our anaerobic digesters to become activated sludge. You can think of these tanks as being the stomachs of wastewater. They work in a very similar fashion, activating the sludge with microorganisms, much like those present in your own stomach, to breakdown the solids and other contaminants into biosolids.
Once dewatered, biosolids can be hauled off and safely used as fertilizers in agriculture. However, when hazardous (and illegal) materials are sent down the drain they can contaminate our biosolids, which must be sent to a landfill instead of being recycled into rich fertilizers.
Though Ventura Water has many operational check points and compliance staff to prevent contamination, we also ask our residents to keep this in mind when sending things down the drain. Remember, think before you flush and only flush the 3 P’s - pee, poo and paper!
To learn more about the City's wastewater treatment process, visit our Wastewater page.
