Interceptors are also used in separate sanitation systems to collect the flows from main and trunk sewers and carry them to the points of treatment. Ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms which can be drawn from waste water during the electrodialysis process. Lateral sewers are the pipes that run under the streets of a city and into which empty the sewers from homes or businesses. Lagoons are ponds, usually man-made to rigid specifications, in which sunlight, algae, and oxygen interact to restore water to a reasonable state of purity. Mechanical Aeration uses mechanical energy to inject air into water, causing the waste stream to absorb oxygen from the atmosphere.
Microbes are minute plant or animal life.
Some microbes which may cause disease exist in sewage. Mixed Liquor is a mixture of activated sludge and waters containing organic matter undergoing activated sludge treatment in the aeration tank. Organic Matter is the carbonaceous waste contained in plant or animal matter and originating from domestic or industrial sources. Oxidation is the addition of oxygen which breaks down organic wastes or chemicals in sewage by bacterial and chemical means. Oxidation Pond is a man-made lake or body of water in which wastes are consumed by bacteria.