Wastewater screening, washing and dewatering system

In a wastewater treatment system having an open wastewater channel containing a wastewater stream with solid matter in the form of a particle mixture of non-degradable, inorganic matter and degradable organic putrescible matter, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a liquid screening mechanism for removing solid matter in excess of a predetermined size from the wastewater stream in the open wastewater channel, the liquid screening mechanism, including:
• a screen member immersed in the wastewater stream across the open channel, the screen member having a screen surface that captures solid matter in excess of a predetermined size from the wastewater stream and passes solids smaller than such predetermined size;
• a vacuum assembly with a vacuum header having an elongated, vertical suction orifice wholly immersed in the wastewater stream positioned proximate the screen member and displaced from the screen surface on which solid matter in excess of said predetermined size is captured, wherein the vacuum assembly includes a pivotal mounting pivotally mounting the vacuum header relative the screen member, and a suction generating pump connected to the vacuum header that generates a liquid suction at the suction orifice, the suction generating pump having a liquid discharge;
• and
• a displacement mechanism for displacing the vacuum header wherein the displacement mechanism includes an actuator connected to the pivotal mounting structure that pivots the vacuum header, wherein the suction orifice when immersed in the wastewater stream and displaced from the screen surface sweeps horizontally across the screen surface in a hack and forth motion and pulls liquid from the wastewater stream and solid matter captured on the screen surface into the vacuum header and wherein the liquid and solid matter are transported from the wastewater stream and discharged from the discharge of the suction generating pump.