Discharge into Seas and Oceans

Oceans are extensively used for wastewater disposal because of their great assimilation capability. Wastewater is of lower density than seawater, and consequently, upon discharge, the effluent forms a rapidly rising water plume, which entrains large amounts of ambient water, enhancing wastewater dilution. If the water is not stratified, the plume will rise to the surface, where ambient currents will dilute the wastewater. A marine outfall should be designed to ensure enough dilution of the effluent before it reaches the surface of the water or is carried inshore through ambient currents. The outfall carries the wastewater to an offshore discharge point by a pipe laid on or buried within the ocean floor. The discharge might be through a single-port or a multiport outfall structure which is same to a river outfall .