Headworks is a term used in the water treatment industry to refer to the initial stage of the treatment process, i.e., the process of removing debris, grit, and other large particles from the water. Some synonyms for the term include pretreatment, primary treatment, wastewater screening, pre-settling, and grit removal. These terms refer to the same process that begins the water treatment process. Each term is used depending on the context. For example, wastewater screening is used when referring to the treatment of wastewater, while pre-settling is used when referring to removing sediments that settle at the bottom of the water. Regardless of the term used, the process aims to remove undesirable materials from the water before it undergoes further treatment.