It is called the receiving body, in a generic way, a watercourse, river or stream; a lake, or a marine environment, bay, estuary, gulf, to which an effluent of sewage is discharged, whether from urban areas, industries, or irrigation systems.
Surface water is classified, according to its expected use, and this classification establishes minimum water quality conditions, and consequently conditions the water quality of the effluents. As a consequence, the classification of the receptor body, which is associated with a series of limit values not to be exceeded for the main parameters of water quality, defines minimum requirements for the treatment of effluents.
Generally the receiving bodies are classified into five classes, with decreasing water quality requirements: Clase 1
Clase 2
Clase 3
Clase 4
Clase 5
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