Runoff |
(Environmental Engineering) The water that flows overland to lakes or streams during and shortly after a precipitation event. |
Saltwater intrusion |
(Environmental Engineering) The gradual replacement of freshwater by saltwater in coastal areas where excessive pumping of groundwater occurs. |
Secondary standards |
(Environmental Engineering) Recommended drinking water quality standards which relate to aesthetics and/or health. These standards are recommended, not required. See primary standards. |
Secondary treatment |
(Environmental Engineering) In wastewater treatment, the conversion of the suspended, colloidal and dissolved organics remaining after primary treatment into a microbial mass with is then removed in a second sedimentation process. Secondary treatment included both the biological process and the associated sedimentation process. |
Secured landfill |
(Environmental Engineering) A landfill which has containment measures such as liners and a leachate collection system so that materials placed in the landfill will not migrate into the surrounding soil, air and water. |
Shock load |
(Environmental Engineering) Influent wastewater entering the plant which has an unusually high organic content and/or high flow rate. |
Site remediation |
(Environmental Engineering) The process of cleaning up a hazardous waste disposal site that has either been abandoned or that those responsible either refuse to cleanup or are financially unable to cleanup. |
Siting |
(Environmental Engineering) Obtaining government (federal, state, and local) permission to construct an environmental processing, treatment, or disposal facility at a given site. |
Softening |
(Environmental Engineering) The removal of divalent cations by precipitation or ion exchange. |
Source reduction |
(Environmental Engineering) The elimination or reduction of the waste at the source by modification of the actual process which produces the waste. |