Process for the treatment of effluents, consisting in the separation of the constituents in suspension which are present in the aqueous phase of the said effluents. It consists: a) in bringing the said effluents into contact either with a dielectric material capable of being electrostatically charged negatively if it is desired to separate off the constituents in suspension of positive charge, or a dielectric material capable of being electrostatically charged positively if it is desired to separate off the constituents in suspension of negative charge, in order to perform a neutralisation of the charges of the constituents in suspension in the aqueous phase of the said effluents, b) in carrying out a process of precipitation of the effluents whose constituents in suspension have their charge neutralised, and then c) after precipitation, in separating the aqueous phase from the sludge consisting of the constituents which have precipitated. The invention also relates to a plant for implementing this process. <IMAGE>
