
Water treatment steps
- Coagulation. Coagulation is often the first step in water treatment. During coagulation, chemicals with a positive...
- Flocculation. Flocculation follows the coagulation step. Flocculation is the gentle mixing of the water to form larger,...
- Sedimentation. Sedimentation is one of the steps water treatment plants use to separate out solids from the...
What are the 5 stages of water treatment?
Water Treatment Process: Follow Water Through a Surface Water Treatment Plant
- Coagulation. ...
- Flocculation. ...
- Sedimentation (or Clarification) The water continues on to the sedimentation basin, or clarifier, after the flocs have been formed. ...
- Filtration. ...
- Disinfection. ...
- Chlorination Operations. ...
- Conclusion. ...
How many steps are in the water treatment process?
What are the steps in water treatment plant?
- Screening. …
- Aeration. …
- Coagulation and flocculation. …
- Sedimentation. …
- Filtration. …
- Chlorination. …
- Supplementary treatment.
What are the three steps to purify water?
Two Ways to Purify Water
- Collect water from your source
- Filter the water
- Disinfect the water
What is the first step to treating water?
What is the second step in water treatment?
- The first step is coagulation, which involves adding chemicals to the water. …
- The second step is called flocculation, in which larger particles called flocc form after coagulation.
- Sedimentation occurs next when the heavy flocc settles to the bottom and is cleared away.

What are the steps for water treatment?
These include: (1) Collection ; (2) Screening and Straining ; (3) Chemical Addition ; (4) Coagulation and Flocculation ; (5) Sedimentation and Clarification ; (6) Filtration ; (7) Disinfection ; (8) Storage ; (9) and finally Distribution. Let's examine these steps in more detail.
What are the five steps of water treatment?
Pre-Sedimentation The 5 major unit processes include chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection (described below). There are chemicals added to the water as it enters the various treatment processes.
What are the three main steps of water treatment?
There are three main stages of the wastewater treatment process, aptly known as primary, secondary and tertiary water treatment.
What are the 4 steps of water treatment PDF?
So, the groundwater required chemical treatment more than the physical one.Collection of Water. The water is collected from the sources like a lake, river, or reservoir. ... Screening. ... Sedimentation. ... Clarification or Sedimentation with Coagulation. ... Filtration. ... Disinfection. ... Water Softening. ... Other Treatment Methods.
What do you mean by water treatment?
the act or process of making water more potable or useful, as by purifying, clarifying, softening, or deodorizing it.
What are the 7 steps of wastewater treatment?
Treatment StepsStep 1: Screening and Pumping. ... Step 2: Grit Removal. ... Step 3: Primary Settling. ... Step 4: Aeration / Activated Sludge. ... Step 5: Secondary Settling. ... Step 6: Filtration. ... Step 7: Disinfection. ... Step 8: Oxygen Uptake.
How many types of water treatments are there?
There are four common types of household water treatment systems, and they are: Filtration System: This is a water filter device that will remove impurities by means of a physical barrier, chemical, or a biological process.
What are the stages of treating wastewater?
Many different processes are taken place to produce treated wastewater and can be broken down into three main steps, primary, secondary and tertiary.Pre-treatment. ... Primary Treatment. ... Secondary Treatment. ... Tertiary Treatment.
What is water treatment?
The water treatment process to deliver safe and wholesome water to customers includes many steps. Coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection are the water treatment processes that make up a conventional surface water treatment plant. These water treatment processes ensure that the water consumers receive is safe ...
How does surface water treatment work?
In order to meet the requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule, a water system must both remove and inactivate the pathogens in the water. This process begins with coagulation, which destabilizes the particles in the water. Then, during flocculation, the destabilized particles bump into each other and form larger and larger flocs. These large flocs are given adequate time to settle out of solution via gravity during sedimentation. Any remaining particles and pathogens will be removed during the filtration treatment process. Finally, the water is disinfected to inactivate any remaining pathogens prior to entering the water system’s distribution system.
What is coagulation in water treatment?
History of Coagulation in Drinking Water Treatment. Coagulation has been an important process in high-rate filtration plants in the United States since the 1880s. Aluminum and iron salts have been used in the coagulation process since the beginning. These salts are still the most commonly used coagulants today.
What is turbidity in water?
This cloudiness is known as turbidity . Visual turbidity is unpleasant to consumers. Visual turbidity is also an indicator to operators and regulators that the water may still contain pathogens. The Surface Water Treatment Rule therefore requires that turbidity be removed to very low levels.
What is the process of increasing the tendency of small particles to attach to one another and to attach to surfaces such as the
Coagulation . Coagulation is defined as the water treatment process of increasing the tendency of small particles to attach to one another and to attach to surfaces such as the grains of a filter bed. Many surface water supplies contain particles that are too small to settle out of solution on their own.
How does contact time work in water treatment?
In order for systems to be sure that they are properly disinfecting the filtered water, the Surface Water Treatment Rule requires systems to provide enough contact time. Contact time (CT) is a function of the known disinfection concentration and the amount of time that the disinfectant is in contact with the water. Contact time is expressed in terms of mg/L-min. The EPA has published tables that show how much CT credit water systems will receive. In order to use these tables you use the concentration of chlorine, time, water temperature and pH.
What is the process of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration?
The water treatment process of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration remove the pathogens. The disinfection water treatment process inactivates them. The small particles in water may consist of silt and clay, color bodies, precipitated iron or manganese oxides, and even bacteria and algae. Together, these particles make the water ...
What is the process of reducing turbidity in water?
Step 2 – Sedimentation Sedimentation is a physical treatment process used to reduce the turbidity of the water. Remember that turbid water looks cloudy, dirty, or muddy and is caused by sand, silt, and clay that are floating in the water.
What are the three chemicals used to clean water?
Three common chemicals used as ways to clean water and aid in sedimentation are aluminum sulphate, polyaluminum chloride (also known as or liquid alum) and ferric sulphate. Native plants are traditionally used in some countries in Africa and Latin America to help with sedimentation.
How does sedimentation work?
The sedimentation process can be quickened by adding special chemicals or native plants, also known as coagulants, to the water. Coagulants help the sand, silt and clay join together and form larger clumps, making it easier for them to settle to the bottom of the container.
Step 1: Collection
The source water for a water treatment plant is usually a local river, lake, or reservoir. Often, the collection process involves a series of pumps and pipelines for transporting the water for processing. Water treatment companies tend to use gravity water flow as much as possible. This reduces the cost of pumping this water.
Step 2: Screening & Straining
Lakes and rivers often contain a range of different materials of varying sizes, from tiny microorganisms to tree trunks. Water treatment companies screen out these out bigger items with a large metal screen. One of the most important water treatment jobs involves the regular checking and cleaning of these screens.
Step 3: Coagulation & Flocculation
Water treatment systems must then add chemicals with a positive charge to the water. The positive charge of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and particles in the water. These particles then bind together to form heavier, larger particles, which are called floc.
Step 4: Sedimentation & Clarification
During sedimentation, the heavier floc settles to the bottom of the water supply. A rake then scrapes away the settled floc to clarify the water before filtration. This avoids overloading the filters with large unwanted particles.
Step 5: Filtration
Clarified water enters the filters from the top, as gravity pulls it down to be collected in a drain system for filtering. Sand and gravel were once the most common filtering materials. Now, most water treatment systems use granular activated carbon.
Step 6: Disinfection
Next, water treatment companies add chlorine to destroy any remaining bacteria and viruses. That said, even after disinfection, your water may still be hard due to significant amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium. You can check your water hardness by zip code, or with a home water filtration system.
Step 7: Storage & Distribution
Once disinfected, the companies store this water in underground storage tanks called “clear wells”. Underground pipelines all over town distribute this water via underground pumps, overhead water storage tanks, fire hydrants, and front yard water meters.
What Are the Steps to Water Treatment?
In the US, 92 percent of US drinking water meets all EPA safety requirements. This high level of water safety is thanks to the country’s strict water treatment processes.
Step 1: Collection
The source water for a water treatment plant is usually a local river, lake, or reservoir. Often, the collection process involves a series of pumps and pipelines for transporting the water for processing. Companies tend to use gravity water flow as much as possible. This reduces the cost of pumping this water.
Step 2: Screening & Straining
Lakes and rivers often contain a range of different materials of varying sizes, from tiny microorganisms to tree trunks. Water treatment companies screen out these bigger items with a large metal screen. One of the most critical water treatment jobs involves the regular checking and cleaning of these screens.
Step 3: Coagulation & Flocculation
Water treatment systems must then add chemicals with a positive charge to the water. The positive amount of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and particles in the water. These particles then bind together to form heavier, larger particles, called floc.
Step 4: Sedimentation & Clarification
During sedimentation, the heavier floc settles to the bottom of the water supply. A rake then scrapes away the settled floc to clarify the water before filtration. This avoids overloading the filters with large unwanted particles.
Step 5: Filtration
Clarified water enters the filters from the top, as gravity pulls it down to be collected in a drain system for filtering. Sand and gravel were once the most common filtering materials. Now, most systems use granular activated carbon. Some advantages include its excellent mechanical filtration and ability to remove organic compounds.
Step 6: Disinfection
Next, water treatment companies add chlorine to destroy any remaining bacteria and viruses. That said, even after disinfection, your water may still be challenging due to significant amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium. You can check your water hardness by zip code or a home water filtration system.
Why is water treatment important?
Water treatment is important because if water is not treated properly, it can cause you to get very sick. Water in rivers, lakes, and streams can be polluted with germs that must be removed before you drink or use it, so your city's water treatment center cleans and disinfects water before you use it.
What is the process of water coagulation?
When they stick together, the process is called flocculation, and those clumps are known as 'flocs' for short.
How does filtration work?
It goes over rocks, sand, and other materials that filter the water, which means they catch and remove additional tiny particles from water. Filtration stops particles from floating around in the water. 5. Then the water goes through disinfection, which cleanses the water of germs.
What is the next step in the floc process?
The next step is called sedimentation. When the floc sticks together, it usually settles at the bottom of the water. At this point, the floc is removed to begin the cleaning process. 4. After that, the water is moved through a filtration system.
What chemicals are used in disinfection?
Some of these germs are bacteria, viruses and fungi. Chlorine, ammonia and ozone are powerful chemicals that are used in the disinfection process and can kill all of these germs. Workers at the water treatment facility do many tests to make sure that the germs have been totally removed.
Is water safe to drink in your home?
Water has to be treated for it to be safe enough for it to come into your home. There are many steps that your town's water department goes through to ensure that your water is safe and healthy. Let's explore these steps. Create an account.
What is the process of disinfecting water?
Chlorine or other disinfecting chemicals kill any remaining microorganisms or bacteria in the water and help keep the water clean until distribution. If a water treatment facility uses ground water as its only water source, disinfection may be the only step required to sufficiently treat the water. After it is disinfected, the purified water sits in the closed tank or reservoir until it flows through pipes to homes and businesses.
Why is water purification important?
Water purification plays a key role in ensuring access to safe drinking water. Safe drinking water positively impacts the health of the entire community. Systems are in place to ensure ongoing water quality, including water quality testing. The testing helps ensure the water treatment process results in a product that meets federal water quality ...
What causes floc to form in water?
Treatment plant workers add alum and other chemicals to the water, which cause tiny sticky particles, or floc, to form. These floc attract dirt particles, making them eventually heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the water storage tank.
What is the purpose of a water screen?
When the water source is a lake or river, the screen serves an important function, keeping out large natural contaminants such as plants and wood, or fish.
How deep is the sand layer in a water filter?
The gravel layer is often about 1 foot deep and the sand layer about 2½ feet deep.
What is the process of wastewater treatment?
Wastewater then goes through screening, in which large items, such as bottle tops and plastics, are removed from the water supply.
What is the purpose of a water treatment system?
These tanks mix wastewater with a small amount of sludge, known as seed sludge, to promote the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that will consume the remaining organic matter.
What is tertiary treatment?
Tertiary Treatment. The tertiary stage of treatment is where wastewater’s impurities are actually removed from the supply. During this stage, as much as 99% of the impurities are eliminated, making water that is close to drinking water quality.
How much of the Earth's water is fresh water?
Out of all of the water on the Earth, just 3% of it is fresh water.

Coagulation
- Flocculation follows the coagulation step. Flocculation is the gentle mixing of the water to form larger, heavier particles called flocs. Often, water treatment plants will add additional chemicals during this step to help the flocs form.
Flocculation
Sedimentation
Filtration
Disinfection
Chlorination Operations
- Following the coagulant chemical addition and the rapid mix processes, the raw water will continue on to a flocculation basin. The goal of the flocculation treatment process is to increase the size of the flocs in order to increase their ability to settle out.
Conclusion
- The water continues on to the sedimentationbasin, or clarifier, after the flocs have been formed. The goal of this stage of the treatment process is to reduce the amount of solids in the water before the water is filtered in the next treatment step. The large flocs will settle out of suspension via gravity. Clarifiers can remove a very large percen...