wastewater

American  

[weyst-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈweɪstˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

noun

1. water that has been used in washing, flushing, manufacturing, etc.; sewage.

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Etymology

Origin of wastewater

1400–50; late Middle English waste watre

Example Sentences

They frequently appear in wastewater and can end up in biosolid fertilizer, also called sewage sludge, which is produced during wastewater treatment.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

"The latest theory is related to some of the chemistry that goes into ensuring that the wastewater doesn't develop any biofilms," or microorganisms, he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Asian carp originated in China and Russia and were brought to the U.S. in the 1970s to control algae blooms in ponds and wastewater treatment plants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Adapting to these changes requires new thinking and new approaches, he said, including efforts to use water more efficiently, recycle more wastewater, capture more runoff to replenish groundwater, and change how reservoirs are operated.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Although a decontamination process could remove some of the radioactive isotopes from the water, it couldn’t clean all of it, so most of the wastewater was stored in tanks.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland