wastewater

noun

waste·​wa·​ter ˈwāst-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce wastewater (audio)
-ˌwä-
: water that has been used (as in a manufacturing process) : sewage

Examples of wastewater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For instance, in the Florida Keys, the discovery that a bacterium found in human wastewater was behind white pox disease in elkhorn coral led to sewage system upgrades. JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025 For decades, leaders looked the other way as the Tijuana River Valley filled with trash, sediment and untreated wastewater. Paloma Aguirre, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025 Unfortunately, conventional wastewater systems are not equipped to eliminate such resilient molecules. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025 Gaza’s fuel shortage, caused by Israel’s blockade of the territory, led to the shutdown of essential infrastructure such as water and wastewater treatment necessary for environmental and public health. Simmone Shah, Time, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wastewater

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wastewater was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Wastewater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wastewater. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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