a new wastewater treatment plant opens in an area where raw sewage used to be dumped directly into a bay. which two types of pollution will be reduced the most by the new plant?
Which two types of pollution will be reduced the most by the new wastewater treatment plant?
Answer:
The establishment of a new wastewater treatment plant in an area where raw sewage was previously being dumped directly into a bay will significantly reduce two main types of pollution: organic pollution and nutrient pollution.
Organic Pollution Reduction: Raw sewage contains high levels of organic pollutants such as human waste and food scraps. These organic materials consume oxygen when they decompose, leading to the depletion of oxygen levels in the water. This reduction in dissolved oxygen can harm aquatic life and ecosystems. With the new wastewater treatment plant in place, the organic pollutants will be broken down and treated before the effluent is discharged into the bay, significantly reducing organic pollution levels in the water.
Nutrient Pollution Reduction: Raw sewage also contains high levels of nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, which can cause nutrient pollution in water bodies. Excessive nutrient levels can lead to eutrophication, where algal blooms grow rapidly and deplete oxygen levels when they die off. This process can create dead zones in aquatic environments and harm aquatic organisms. The new wastewater treatment plant will effectively remove and reduce nutrient levels in the treated wastewater, thereby decreasing nutrient pollution and its harmful effects on the bay’s ecosystem.