Technology
Water treatment process
Water treatment involves removal of undesirable constituents from water and then disposal of them in easiest and safest manner. To achieve these goals, a variety of treatment operation and processes are utilized, which exploit various physical and chemical phenomena to remove or reduce the undesirable constituents from the water.
Screen
Water from is pumped through a screen to remove large debris such as sticks, leaves and rocks. If algal blooms are present in the raw water withrawn from the river, it is treated with a chemicals.
Coagulation
Water is treated with compounds that make small suspended particles stick together and settle out of the water. This particle conglomerate is removed from the water prior to filtration.
Sedimentation
Water is passed through a settling basin or clarifier allowing time for mud, sand, metals and other sediment to settle out.
Filtration
Water is passed through a dual media (sand and anthracite) filter, which removes many remaining pollutants.
Disinfection
Chlorine is added to the water to kill and/or inactivate any remaining pathogens. Fluoride is added to prevent tooth decay and a rust inhibitor is added to preserve the pipes that deliver the water to homes and businesses.
To Homes
The treated water is stored in three storage tanks and is gravity-fed to houses and businesses when needed. The water is sampled at the plant, in the distribution system and at the tap in homes and businesses for lead, copper, other potential harmful chemicals, bacteria and residual chlorine.
