Which of the following is NOT a typical step in the wastewater treatment process?

Incineration is not a typical step in the wastewater treatment process. The standard wastewater treatment process generally consists of several key stages: preliminary treatment, secondary treatment, and tertiary treatment.

Preliminary treatment involves the physical removal of large materials and debris from the wastewater, such as sticks, leaves, and plastics, to protect subsequent treatment equipment. Secondary treatment focuses on biological processes to break down organic matter, utilizing microorganisms to decompose waste. Tertiary treatment is an advanced stage that further improves water quality, often involving filtration, nutrient removal, and disinfection methods like chlorination or UV treatment before the effluent is discharged or reused.

While incineration is a method that can be used in the treatment of sludge generated from the wastewater treatment process, it is not part of the main treatment steps aimed at treating the liquid wastewater itself. Instead, incineration can be considered more in the context of solid waste management or disposal of residuals after the water treatment processes are complete.