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Glossary N

Natural fertilizers

  1. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)

Natural filtration process

The process by which soil and vegetation naturally filter and treat wastewater before it enters groundwater or surface water.

  1. Overview

Nitrate

A compound that can be found in wastewater and can cause environmental problems if not properly treated.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Clearing Confusion (Guide)
  3. Overview
  4. Oxygen Requirement Difference
  5. Septic Tanks vs Mound Systems: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  6. Septic Tanks vs Sand Mounds: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  7. Septic Tanks vs Subsurface Wetlands: What’s Better? (Basics)
  8. Soil Absorption System vs Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)
  9. What To Do After Septic Tank Is Pumped?

Nitrate levels

The concentration of nitrate in water, which can be used as an indicator of water quality and potential pollution.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Leach Fields: Understanding the Connection (Basics)

Nitrate pollution

The presence of excess nitrate in water bodies that can cause harmful algal blooms and other negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Soakaways: Understanding the Differences (Basics)

Nitrification

The process by which ammonia is converted into nitrate by bacteria in the environment.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Clearing Confusion (Guide)
  3. Septic Tanks vs Aerated Lagoons: Know the Difference (Guide)
  4. Overview
  5. Oxygen Requirement Difference
  6. Soil Absorption System vs Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)

Nitrogen

A chemical element that is essential for plant growth and is often found in excess in wastewater, leading to pollution and other negative impacts on water quality.

  1. Overview
  2. Oxygen Requirement Difference
  3. Septic Tanks vs Subsurface Wetlands: What’s Better? (Basics)
  4. Step 1: Anaerobic Digestion Process
  5. Septic Tanks vs Package Plants: Clearing the Confusion (Basics)
  6. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  7. Soil Absorption System vs Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)
  8. Septic Tanks vs Constructed Wetlands: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  9. Septic Tanks vs Mound Systems: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  10. Concrete vs Plastic Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)
  11. Septic Tanks vs Pressure Distribution Systems: Key Differences (Guide)
  12. Are Septic Tanks Bad?
  13. Single Chamber vs Two Chamber Septic Tanks (Guide)
  14. Gravity vs Pump Septic Systems: What’s Better? (Basics)
  15. Septic Tanks vs Sand Mounds: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  16. Septic Tanks vs Rotating Biological Contactors: Key Differences (Guide)
  17. Septic Tanks vs Biodigesters: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  18. Septic Tanks vs French Drains: What’s the Connection? (Basics)
  19. How To Increase Bacteria In Septic Tank Naturally?
  20. Septic Tanks vs Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Clearing Confusion (Guide)
  21. Septic Tanks vs Municipal Sewage: Key Differences (Guide)
  22. What Does A Septic Tank Look Like?
  23. Septic Tanks vs Leach Fields: Understanding the Connection (Basics)
  24. Septic Tanks vs Aerated Lagoons: Know the Difference (Guide)
  25. How To Build A Septic Tank?
  26. What Happens When Septic Tank Is Full?

Nitrogen and phosphorus removal

  1. Septic Tanks vs Subsurface Wetlands: What’s Better? (Basics)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Aerated Lagoons: Know the Difference (Guide)
  3. Septic Tanks vs Drain Fields: Understanding Differences (Basics)
  4. Overview

Nitrogen cycle

The natural process by which nitrogen is converted between different forms, such as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrogen gas, in the environment.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Clearing Confusion (Guide)
  2. Oxygen Requirement Difference
  3. Septic Tanks vs Pressure Distribution Systems: Key Differences (Guide)
  4. Septic Tanks vs French Drains: What’s the Connection? (Basics)
  5. Septic Tanks vs Sewer Systems: Clearing Confusion (Basics)
  6. Gravity vs Pump Septic Systems: What’s Better? (Basics)
  7. Overview
  8. Septic Tanks vs Leach Fields: Understanding the Connection (Basics)
  9. Septic Tanks vs Mound Systems: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  10. Septic Tanks vs Sand Mounds: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  11. Overview

Nitrogen reduction process

The series of steps involved in reducing excess nitrogen in wastewater, including biological and chemical treatment methods.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Mound Systems: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)

Nitrogen removal

The process of removing excess nitrogen from wastewater to prevent pollution and protect water quality.

  1. Overview
  2. Oxygen Requirement Difference
  3. Septic Tanks vs Trickling Filters: Understanding Differences (Basics)
  4. Septic Tanks vs Package Plants: Clearing the Confusion (Basics)
  5. Single Chamber vs Two Chamber Septic Tanks (Guide)
  6. Soil Absorption System vs Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)

Nitrogen removal capacity

The maximum amount of excess nitrogen that a treatment system can remove from wastewater.

  1. Oxygen Requirement Difference

Nitrogen removal efficiency

The percentage of excess nitrogen that is successfully removed from wastewater during treatment.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Mound Systems: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Package Plants: Clearing the Confusion (Basics)
  3. Single Chamber vs Two Chamber Septic Tanks (Guide)

Nitrogen removal processes

  1. Septic Tanks vs Package Plants: Clearing the Confusion (Basics)
  2. Overview

Nitrogen removal techniques

Methods used to remove excess nitrogen from wastewater, such as denitrification, nitrification, and biological nitrogen removal.

  1. Step 1: Anaerobic Digestion Process

Non-flushable items

Items that should not be flushed down the toilet, such as wipes, feminine hygiene products, and paper towels, as they can cause clogs and other problems in septic systems.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Municipal Sewage: Key Differences (Guide)

Non-point source pollution

Pollution that comes from diffuse sources, such as runoff from agricultural fields or urban areas, rather than from a single point source.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Soakaways: Understanding the Differences (Basics)

Non-potable water source

Water that is not suitable for drinking, but can be used for other purposes, such as irrigation or flushing toilets.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Greywater Systems (Understanding Differences)

Nutrient leaching

The process by which excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, move through soil and into groundwater or surface water.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Evapotranspiration Systems: Key Differences (Guide)

Nutrient management practices

  1. Septic Tanks vs Drain Fields: Understanding Differences (Basics)

Nutrient overload

The condition in which water bodies receive an excessive amount of nutrients, leading to harmful algal blooms and other negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

  1. Step 1: Understanding the Basics

Nutrient pollution

The presence of excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in water bodies that can cause harmful algal blooms and other negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Evapotranspiration Systems: Key Differences (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  3. Overview
  4. Septic Tanks vs Aerated Lagoons: Know the Difference (Guide)
  5. Septic Tanks vs Biodigesters: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  6. Septic Tanks vs Municipal Sewage: Key Differences (Guide)
  7. Septic Tanks vs Pressure Distribution Systems: Key Differences (Guide)
  8. What Happens When Septic Tank Is Full?

Nutrient recovery

The process of extracting and reusing nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from wastewater for beneficial purposes.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Leach Fields: Understanding the Connection (Basics)

Nutrient recycling

The practice of reusing nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from wastewater for agricultural or other purposes.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)

Nutrient reduction

  1. Septic Tanks vs Rotating Biological Contactors: Key Differences (Guide)

Nutrient removal capability

The maximum amount of excess nutrients that a treatment system can remove from wastewater.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Cisterns: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Rotating Biological Contactors: Key Differences (Guide)
  3. Soil Absorption System vs Septic Tanks (Understanding Differences)

Nutrient removal efficiency

The percentage of excess nutrients that are successfully removed from wastewater during treatment.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Aerated Lagoons: Know the Difference (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Trickling Filters: Understanding Differences (Basics)

Nutrient removal process

The series of steps involved in removing excess nutrients from wastewater, including primary treatment, secondary treatment, and tertiary treatment.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Constructed Wetlands: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  3. Septic Tanks vs Evapotranspiration Systems: Key Differences (Guide)

Nutrient removal techniques

Methods used to remove excess nutrients from wastewater, such as biological treatment, chemical treatment, and physical filtration.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Privies: What’s the Connection? (Basics)
  3. Step 1: Anaerobic Digestion Process

Nutrient-rich effluent

Wastewater that contains high levels of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which can be beneficial for soil and plant growth.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Biodigesters: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)
  3. Septic Tanks vs Rotating Biological Contactors: Key Differences (Guide)

Nutrient-rich fertilizer

Fertilizer that is produced from the treated wastewater that is generated by the septic tank and contains nutrients that are beneficial for plant growth.

  1. Septic Tanks vs Biodigesters: Clearing the Confusion (Guide)
  2. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)

Nutrient-rich soil

  1. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)

Nutrient-rich soil production

  1. Septic Tanks vs Composting Toilets: What’s Better? (Basics)

Nutrient stripping

  1. Septic Tanks vs Lagoons: What’s Better? (Guide)