The water trickles downward crossing millions of square feet of the media surface. This process greatly reduces the amount of carbon based nutrients found in the wastewater and fecal material. The wastewater is then pumped to the aeriation tanks. The primary purpose of the activated sludge process is to reduce the organic pollutants and achieve nitrification. The activated sludge process is a biological treatment, which takes place in the aeriation tanks, and depends on the lush growth of aerobic microorganisms in the system for successful treatment.
Microorganisms feed on both the dissolved and suspended organic material in the wastewater.
Food sources are present in wastewater in the form of human waste, ground garbage, oils grease, etc. These aerobic microorganisms require air in order to sustain life. Air is supplied to the tanks by large blowers. The supplied air creates an environment to accelerate the growth of the organism, thus increasing their need for food. Different populations will break down different nutrients, some carbon and others ammonia based compounds.