What is Mud? - Encyclopedia of the Mud

What is mud?

Mud (or sludge) is a mixture of very fine-grained solids and a relatively small amount of liquid, usually water. It often forms through sedimentation, the settling of suspended solids in a liquid. Colloquially, sludge also refers to mud, mire, or damp earth.

Raw Mud / Fresh Mud
Untreated sludge from wastewater treatment plants; not stabilized, prone to fermentation and odor.

Primary Mud
Forms in the mechanical treatment stage through the settling of undissolved solids (e.g., screenings, grit chamber).

Secondary Mud / Excess Mud
Sludge from the biological treatment stage, usually from the secondary clarifier.

Mixed Mud
Combination of primary and secondary mud.

In geology and hydrology, a distinction is also made between:

Mud – fine-grained, water-rich sediment
Silt – very fine, soft sediment, usually found in water
Silt – fine mineral sediment between sand and clay

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