In a wastewater treatment facility, what do the terms influent and effluent denote?

In the context of a wastewater treatment facility, the term influent specifically refers to the incoming wastewater that is being directed into the treatment process. This is the raw sewage or wastewater that needs to be treated to remove contaminants. On the other hand, effluent denotes the treated water that is discharged from the facility after it has gone through the necessary treatment processes. This treated water is typically cleaner and can be released into the environment or reused in various applications, depending on the treatment level.

Understanding the difference between influent and effluent is critical for wastewater management. It highlights the flow of water through the treatment facility: starting with the influent as the starting point of the treatment process and concluding with the effluent as the end product of that process.