wastewater wastewater wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes.: 1 another definition of wastewater is "used water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff / storm water, and any sewer inflow or sewer infiltration".: 175 in everyday usage, wastewater is commonly a synonym for sewage (also called domestic wastewater or municipal wastewater), which is wastewater that is produced by a community of people. part of a series onpollutionair pollution from a factory air acid rain air quality index atmospheric dispersion modeling chlorofluorocarbon exhaust gas haze indoor air internal combustion engine global dimming global distillation ozone depletion particulates persistent organic pollutant smog aerosol soot volatile organic compound biological biological hazard genetic introduced species (invasive species) digital information electromagnetic light ecological overillumination radio spectrum natural ozone radium and radon in the environment volcanic ash wildfire noise transportation land water air rail sustainable transport urban sonar marine mammals and sonar industrial military abstract noise control radiation actinides bioremediation depleted uranium nuclear fission nuclear fallout plutonium poisoning radioactivity uranium electromagnetic radiation and health radioactive waste soil agricultural herbicides manure waste pesticides land degradation bioremediation defecation electrical resistance heating soil guideline values phytoremediation solid waste biodegradable waste brown waste electronic waste battery recycling food waste green waste hazardous waste biomedical waste chemical waste construction waste lead poisoning mercury poisoning toxic waste international waste industrial waste lead smelting litter mining coal mining gold mining surface mining deep sea mining mining waste uranium mining municipal solid waste garbage nanomaterials plastic microplastics packaging waste post-consumer waste waste management landfill thermal treatment space satellite thermal urban heat island visual air travel advertising clutter overhead power lines traffic signs vandalism war chemical warfare herbicidal warfare (agent orange) nuclear holocaust (nuclear fallout - nuclear famine - nuclear winter) scorched earth unexploded ordnance war and environmental law water agricultural wastewater diseases eutrophication firewater freshwater groundwater hypoxia industrial wastewater marine debris monitoring nonpoint source see misc section nutrient ocean acidification oil spill pharmaceuticals freshwater salinization septic tanks sewage septic tanks pit latrine shipping stagnation sulfur water surface runoff turbidity urban runoff water quality misc point source area source legacy pollution lists diseases law by country most polluted cities least polluted cities by pm2.5 treaties categories by country environment portal ecology portal as a generic term, wastewater may also describe water containing contaminants accumulated in other settings, such as: industrial wastewater: waterborne waste generated from a variety of industrial processes, such as manufacturing operations, mineral extraction, power generation, or water and wastewater treatment. cooling water, released with potential thermal pollution after use to condense steam or reduce machinery temperatures by conduction or evaporation. leachate: precipitation containing pollutants dissolved while percolating through ores, raw materials, products, or solid waste. return flow: the flow of water carrying suspended soil, pesticide residues, or dissolved minerals and nutrients from irrigated cropland. surface runoff: the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. urban runoff, including water used for outdoor cleaning activity and landscape irrigation in densely populated areas created by urbanization. agricultural wastewater: animal husbandry wastewater generated from confined animal operations.