We all know that treating wastewater or raw sewage is imperative for the safety of our environment. If left to its own devices, wastewater can be seriously detrimental to the environment. To minimise the impacts of sewage and wastewater, different types of bacteria are utilised as a form of treatment. You may be unfamiliar with wastewater treatment and wonder ‘why are bacteria used in sewage treatment?’. Read on to find out why bacteria are used in sewage treatment and why they’re so important.

Why are bacteria used in sewage treatment?

If left untreated sewage and wastewater can be incredibly toxic, especially if it gets into the environment. Sewage and wastewater do not naturally break down or decompose on their own. Instead, it causes pollution in our streams and oceans and can even destroy the surrounding ecosystem in serious cases. Treatment is essential to ensure that this doesn’t happen.

Bacteria are an important component of the sewage treatment process. They are responsible for a whole host of different processes that help to break down and treat the wastewater to help make it safe for the environment and minimise the impact on people and animals nearby.

Which bacteria is utilised?

It is common that several different types of bacteria are used in the sewage treatment process. These include-

• Anaerobic bacteria- Anaerobic bacteria are the most common type of bacteria used. This type of bacteria helps to drastically reduce the amount of sludge that is created while also assisting in the production of methane gas from the sludge. When this methane gas is cleaned and handled properly it can and is commonly used as an alternative form of energy.
• Aerobic bacteria- Aerobic bacteria work by using the oxygen that is in the water to break down the pollutants as a food source. They grow and thrive off these food sources which makes them incredibly efficient.
• Facultative microorganisms- Facultative microorganisms are special bacteria that can change between aerobic or anaerobic forms depending on what the environment needs and the conditions they are living in. While they prefer aerobic environments, they help to speed up the process of treating sewage and wastewater.

Together these different types of bacteria and microorganisms speed up the biological decomposition of sewage and wastewater. This, combined with several other sewage treatment processes results in the safe disposal of human, animal and industrial effluents. Once successfully treated with the bacteria, the water is safe enough that it can be returned to the water cycle with minimal impact on the environment.

Get in touch with our team today

If you have any further questions about the importance of bacteria in sewage treatment, contact us today. By Jas specialises in sewage and wastewater treatment. Visit us at www.byjas.com.au or call us on (03) 5979 1096. We have been in the industry for 35 years and are family owned and operated. We service many areas across Australia, including regional town centres, remote regional areas, and main capital cities.