What happens to my wastewater?

What happens to my wastewater?. . There are two main ways wastewater is treated. In rural areas septic tanks are common, in more populated areas homes are connected to wastewater treatment plants., A Septic Tank is a concrete or steel tank buried near a home. Raw sewage flows into the tank from the house., Solids separate from the liquid and are consumed by bacteria in the tank. The liquid flows out into a drainfield where it filters through gravel and eventually trickles through the soil., Failing septic tanks, sewage infrastructure, and wastewater treatment plants can allow wastewater to enter our groundwater and rivers!, Wastewater goes down the drain into a sewer pipe that takes water to a treatment plant where it passes through several stages of treatment. Once water is treated it is put back into a stream or river.