IDEQ WASTEWATER REUSE LAGOONS

Idaho Wastewater Land Application (Reuse) Sites, Lagoons. and HMU Buffer Zones Wastewater is spent or used water, such as from households and businesses, that contains enough harmful material to damage the water's quality. Every building with running water generates some sort of wastewater. Wastewater may contain contaminants such as oil, dirt, human waste, and chemicals. Untreated wastewater can cause serious harm to the environment and threaten human health. Proper management and disposal of wastewater is essential to protect public health and Idaho's surface and ground water resources. DEQ's Wastewater Program establishes standards for on-site wastewater systems (septic systems) and issues wastewater reuse permits limiting the amount of wastewater that may be land-applied for irrigation. Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems Any structure or facility that generates wastewater must dispose of it through some sort of wastewater treatment and disposal system, either centralized or decentralized. Large-scale public sewer systems (municipal wastewater treatment plants) are centralized systems. Homes and other buildings that are not served by public sewer systems depend on decentralized "on-site" septic systems to treat and dispose of wastewater. Learn more. In some situations, treated wastewater can be applied to land for irrigation. The small amount of pollutants remaining in the wastewater after treatment are absorbed by the crop or are assimilated into the soil structure. Depending on the contaminants, the water may require pretreatment prior to discharge to meet water quality standards. DEQ issues permits for facilities treating wastewater and sludge through this method. Wastewater in Idaho Idaho DEQ Home Page