What is the primary purpose of sewage treatment?

The primary purpose of sewage treatment is to remove contaminants from wastewater. This process is crucial for protecting public health and the environment. Wastewater contains a variety of pollutants, including organic matter, nutrients, pathogens, and chemicals, which can pose significant risks if released untreated into natural water bodies.

By effectively removing these contaminants, sewage treatment helps to reduce the potential for waterborne diseases, minimize environmental pollution, and ensure that the treated water meets regulatory standards for safe discharge or reuse. This function is the foundation of sewage treatment processes, which often involve physical, chemical, and biological methods to achieve the desired level of purification.

The other choices, while they may involve aspects of wastewater management, do not represent the primary aim of sewage treatment. Increasing the volume of wastewater is not desirable, nor is creating fertilizer from waste or recycling water the main goal of sewage treatment, although these can be beneficial outcomes within broader waste management strategies.