Ace Your 2025 AWWA Water Treatment Operator Test – Dive Into Success!

Heterotrophic bacteria are pivotal in biological treatment processes, particularly in wastewater treatment systems. These types of bacteria thrive on organic matter, breaking it down through metabolic processes. By doing so, they assist in the removal of pollutants from wastewater, converting organic contaminants into biomass, carbon dioxide, and other simpler compounds, which can further be removed from the treatment system.

In contrast, pathogenic bacteria are those that can cause disease, which are not desirable in treatment processes as they pose health risks. Autotrophic bacteria, while important in certain environments (such as in nitrification), primarily utilize inorganic compounds for their growth and are not the main drivers in breaking down organic matter. Thermophilic bacteria thrive at higher temperatures, which can be a factor in specific processes like anaerobic digestion, but again, they do not play the central role that heterotrophic bacteria do in the general biological treatment of wastewater. Thus, heterotrophic bacteria are the key players in the biological treatment processes due to their ability to effectively decompose organic materials.