
Water Treatment Plant Process
- Chemical Coagulation. The first chemical added is chlorine dioxide and it is an oxidant used to break down naturally occurring organic matter such as decaying leaves and other ...
- Flocculation. The coagulated water then flows to the next major unit process, the flocculation process. ...
- Sedimentation. ...
- Disinfection. ...
- Filtration. ...
What are the steps of a water treatment plant?
What are the steps in water treatment plant?
- Screening. …
- Aeration. …
- Coagulation and flocculation. …
- Sedimentation. …
- Filtration. …
- Chlorination. …
- Supplementary treatment.
What are the functions of a water treatment plant?
Water Treatment Plant (WTP) processes that are commonly used in getting clean potable water to your household. Civil Engineers design, monitor and maintain water treatment plants and water supplies. Civil engineers are vital in the treatment and delivery of water to your household. Water supply is the water that comes
How is the water treated in a water treatment plant?
- Makeup water intake. As water circulates through a cooling tower system, a portion is lost to evaporation, bleed to drain, and leaks. ...
- Filtration. Upon intake, the stream is typically filtered through one or more filtration units for removal of sediment, turbidity, and organic material. ...
- Softening. ...
- Chemical addition. ...
- Side-stream filtration. ...
- Post-treatment. ...
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. ...

What are the steps of a water treatment plant?
Water treatment stepsCoagulation. Coagulation is often the first step in water treatment. ... Flocculation. Flocculation follows the coagulation step. ... Sedimentation. Sedimentation is one of the steps water treatment plants use to separate out solids from the water. ... Filtration. ... Disinfection.
What is a water plant treatment?
A water treatment plant is a destination where wastewater (water which is no longer fit for its current purpose) moves to once it leaves homes and businesses through sewage pipes. The sewage system contains miles of pipes below ground where wastewater flows to the treatment plant for processing.
What are the 3 stages 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 four basic processes of water treatment system?
Chemical processes such as neutralisation, disinfection, flocculation and precipitation. Membrane processes such as filtration, osmosis and nanofiltration.
What are the types of water treatment?
Four Common Water Treatment Methods:Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration. Reverse Osmosis is a process where water pressure is employed to force water through a semi-permeable membrane. ... Ultraviolet Water Sterilization and Filtration. ... Filtration. ... Distillation.
What is plant treatment?
A treatment plant refers to a plant or installation that is used to purify contaminated substances. These substances may be solid, liquid and semi-solids. Treatment plants are named after their treated substances, for example: Wastewater treatment plant – treated wastewater. Effluent treatment plant – treated effluent.
What is BOD and COD in ETP?
The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) represents the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) consumed by biological organisms when they decompose organic matter in water. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) is the amount of oxygen consumed when the water sample is chemically oxidised.
What is the BOD in water?
BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen required to remove waste organic matter from water in the process of decomposition by aerobic bacteria (those bacteria that live only in an environment containing oxygen).
What is the first step in water treatment?
The first step is coagulation, which involves adding chemicals to the water. That causes small particles to adhere to one another, or coagulate. The second step is called flocculation, in which larger particles called flocc form after coagulation.
What are the 7 methods of water treatment?
Top 7 Methods of Water TreatmentCoagulation / Flocculation. Coagulation is adding liquid aluminum sulfate or alum and/or polymer to raw or untreated water. ... Sedimentation. When water and flocs undergo the treatment process, they go into sedimentation basins. ... Filtration. ... Disinfection. ... Sludge Drying. ... Fluoridation. ... pH Correction.
What are the 7 steps in wastewater treatment?
The Wastewater Treatment ProcessStage One — Bar Screening. ... Stage Two — Screening. ... Stage Three — Primary Clarifier. ... Stage Four — Aeration. ... Stage Five — Secondary Clarifier. ... Stage Six — Chlorination (Disinfection) ... Stage Seven — Water Analysis & Testing. ... Stage Eight — Effluent Disposal.
What are the three main purposes of water treatment?
Water treatment is a process involving different types of operations (physical, chemical, physicochemical and biological), the aim of which is to eliminate and/or reduce contamination or non-desirable characteristics of water.
What is the process at a water treatment plant?
You can find praises of water treatment plants anywhere. You may have read long passages of how useful these plants are and wondered, but what is the process at a water treatment plant? How do they purify the water?
Types of water treatment plants
Two types of water treatment plants are commonly seen in Bangladesh. Effluent treatment plants are used to deal with wastewater filled with toxic and chemical waste in industries that produce it in bulk.
What kind of water treatment plant should you get?
What kind of water treatment plant you should get mainly depends on what do you want it for. ETP has a more complex mechanism than STP. It is more expensive to build an effluent treatment plant.
What is the Cajon City water treatment plant?
The Cañon City Water Treatment Plant is a conventional surface water treatment plant that diverts water from the Arkansas River to produce drinkable (potable) water, which meets or exceeds all Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Primary Drinking Water Standards.
What is the process of passing water through material such as a bed of coal, sand, or other
Filtration is the process of passing water through material such as a bed of coal, sand, or other granular substance to remove particulate impurities that were not removed during the sedimentation process. The water treatment plant uses rapid rate multi-media gravity filter beds.
What is the process of flocculation?
The flocculation process promotes contact between the floc particles and the particulates (sediment) in the water. Generally, these contacts or collisions between particles result from gentle stirring created by a mechanical or hydraulic means of mixing.
How does sedimentation work?
Sedimentation is accomplished by decreasing the velocity of the water being treated below the point where it can transport settleable suspended material, thus allowing gravitational forces to remove particles held in suspension. When water is almost still in sedimentation basins, settleable solids will move toward the bottom of the basin. This process of sedimentation removes almost ninety percent of the solids in the water. The clearer water on the surface is collected in the launder tubes that direct the water to the filter gallery to remove the remaining ten percent of solids.
How does the pre sedimentation process work?
The raw water is delivered to the headworks of the water treatment plant where the first of 5 major unit water treatment processes start the treatment to make the water safe to drink. 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.
How is potable water run?
Potable water is run backwards through the filters releasing the entrapped particulates that are collected in drain troughs. The backwash water is sent to the Backwash Recovery Pond and, after a settling process, the backwash water is returned to the raw water settling pond for re-use.
What is the first chemical added to water?
The first chemical added is chlorine dioxide and it is an oxidant used to break down naturally occurring organic matter such as decaying leaves and other plant material. A chemical coagulant known as aluminum sulfate is used as the primary coagulant. A polymer, a long chain of synthetic organic compounds, is also added to the water as a coagulant aid to help in strengthening the primary coagulant’s bonding chains. The coagulants are added at the rapid mix unit; this is a unit that creates turbulent mixing energies to help thoroughly disperse the chemical coagulants into the raw water and to begin the coagulation process. The coagulants that cause very fine particles to clump together into larger particles that can then be removed later in the treatment process by settling, skimming, draining or filtering.
When was the first potable water treatment plant?
Already in 2001, the first potable water treatment plant using a MIEX® -DOC process was launched in Australia. In this plant, the MIEX ® -DOC step was introduced prior to conventional treatment, and a significant improvement in water quality was observed.
What is centralized water treatment?
Centralized water treatment plants are based on coagulation, flocculation and disinfection processes and found to be most cost-effective in treating large quantities of water.
What is the water district in Orange County?
Orange County Water District (OCWD). OCWD located between Los Angeles and San Diego counties in southern California manages the groundwater basin that supplies about 3.0 × 10 8 m 3 per year potable water to a population of more than 2 million.
What is the water used in CMF-S?
Raw (surface) water is pre-screened, and dosed with lime and carbon dioxide in a contact reactor to control alkalinity and corrosion. Next, water is dosed with a coagulant, liquid aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH) prior to entering the CMF-S plant to remove colour, some organic content, and dissolved metals.
What is the Bendigo water treatment plant?
I. Bendigo water treatment plant (BWTP). The 12.54 × 10 4 m 3/day (33 MGD) BWTP has been producing drinking water for nearly 1 million people in central Victoria, Australia since 2002. It is one of the largest if not the largest MF plant in the world. The plant combines submerged microfiltration (CMF-S), ozonation and biological activated carbon (BAC) to treat a variable and difficult raw water. Raw (surface) water is pre-screened, and dosed with lime and carbon dioxide in a contact reactor to control alkalinity and corrosion. Next, water is dosed with a coagulant, liquid aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH) prior to entering the CMF-S plant to remove colour, some organic content, and dissolved metals. The coagulant dosage is typically 5–6 mg/l. The coagulant precipitate is removed by MF. The coagulant/CMF-S process removes up to 15% of the dissolved organic carbon.64
What is water treatment automation?
Automation of water treatment plant involves the control system opening and closing valves and starting and stopping equipment in predefined sequences to complete specific tasks or to provide the desired process plant output. To achieve these results the automation system relies on signals from correctly selected and placed instruments, devices such as actuators and motor control circuits and reliable control logic. The degree of automation to be used is fundamental to developing an automation system.
What is make up water treatment?
Make up water treatment. Treated raw water is mixed with potable water and pumped to the boiler feedwater treatment system. The system is designed to remove 99% of the dissolved minerals and provide high-purity water to the boiler.
What are the steps of water treatment?
Today, the most common steps in water treatment used by community water systems (mainly surface water treatment) include: Coagulation and flocculation are often the first steps in water treatment. Chemicals with a positive charge are added to the water.
How does a water treatment unit work?
Even though EPA regulates and sets standards for public drinking water, many Americans use a home water treatment unit to: 1 Remove specific contaminants 2 Take extra precautions because a household member has a compromised immune system 3 Improve the taste of drinking water
What is the process of boiled water?
Distillation is a process in which impure water is boiled and the steam is collected and condensed in a separate container, leaving many of the solid contaminants behind. Disinfection. Disinfection is a physical or chemical process in which pathogenic microorganisms are deactivated or killed.
What is a water softener?
Water Softeners. A water softener is a device that reduces the hardness of the water. A water softener typically uses sodium or potassium ions to replace calcium and magnesium ions, the ions that create “hardness.”. Distillation Systems.
What is the most common type of water treatment system?
The most common types of household water treatment systems consist of: Filtration Systems. A water filter is a device which removes impurities from water by means of a physical barrier, chemical, and/or biological process. Water Softeners. A water softener is a device that reduces the hardness of the water.
Why is chlorine added to water?
After the water has been filtered, a disinfectant (for example, chlorine, chloramine) may be added in order to kill any remaining parasites, bacteria, and viruses, and to protect the water from germs when it is piped to homes and businesses.
Why do people use water treatment units?
Even though EPA regulates and sets standards for public drinking water, many Americans use a home water treatment unit to: Remove specific contaminants. Take extra precautions because a household member has a compromised immune system. Improve the taste of drinking water.
What is industrial water treatment?
An industrial water treatment system treats water so it is more appropriate for a given use, whether for consumption, manufacturing, or even disposal. That said, each system will vary depending on the facility’s needs and many of the technologies that make up these systems can be similar.
How does a raw water treatment system work?
Nonetheless, the following steps demonstrate how a raw water treatment system will usually work: Intake. Raw water is drawn into a plant through gravity and/or pumps. The water is usually passed through a metal grate or mesh screen to prevent large objects from entering the system. Clarification.
What is a membrane filtration unit?
When used for pretreatment ahead of IX and other equipment, membrane filtration units can be a cost-effective means of preventing fouling and excess maintenance of downstream equipment. Softening. IX is often used for removing hardness from boiler feed water, including bicarbonates, sulfates, chlorides, and nitrates.
What happens if you don't treat boiler feed water?
Without proper treatment, boiler feed water can cause scaling, corrosion, and fouling of the boiler and downstream equipment, which can result in costly plant downtime, expensive maintenance fees, increased fuel consumption and boiler failure.
What is the best way to capture hardness ions from a stream?
This is accomplished by using a softening resin, which is typically a strong acid cation resin that allows it to effectively capture hardness ions from the stream. Dealkalization. Alkalinity can cause foaming and carryover in boilers, as well as corrosion in piping.
Why is lime used in stream softening?
In some cases, a lime softening step may be added to reduce hardness in streams with high mineral or sulfate content. The process involves the application of lime or lime soda to raise the pH of the stream, which in turn encourages mineral constituents to precipitate out of solution. Ion exchange (IX).
What is boiler feed water?
A boiler feed water treatment system will typically include some or all of the following steps: Makeup water intake. As boilers are used, they lose water to steam consumption, loss of condensate return, and leaks. This water must be replaced with what is known as makeup water.
What is water treatment?
Water treatment means the cleansing of water through various phases to be available for end-use by the people. The treated water is then used for various purposes like irrigation, industrial water supply, drinking, river flow maintenance, or any other such uses. The treatment of water removes harmful contaminants and compounds or the concentration of these is reduced for public use. This treatment is mandatory to promote human health and its uses for drinking and irrigation.
Why is water treatment important?
The availability of pure water is of utmost importance in society. The water treatment process caters to this by supplying suitable water for industries or individuals. Only when the contaminants are removed from the water can they be used and accessible to everyone. Several processes like filtration and disinfection are used to purify water.
What is treated raw water?
Raw water must be treated before use in utility processes. The treatment removes harmful substances like suspended and dissolved solids and other kinds of impurities that are present in large numbers. Treated raw water can be used for various purposes like cooling water, rinsing water, purified, and even drinking water. The process of raw water treatment includes:
What is the chemical used to disinfect water after sedimentation?
To further disinfect the water after sedimentation a chemical called chlorine is used to help remove pathogenic microorganisms. The remaining chlorine is known as residual chlorine which gets through the process of the distribution system.
What is the process of adsorption?
The adsorption process removes both organic and inorganic contaminants from water. Adsorption forms on the surface by the accumulation of a solid called adsorbents. They include stationary media like metal oxide, ion exchange, and activated carbon. Flocculation forms floc that can adsorb both inorganic and organic carbon like arsenic. Activated carbon helps in removing hundreds of organic contaminants.
What is filtration in water?
These filters are composed of sand and gravel or crushed anthracite. Filtration combines all the dangerous impurities and particles that float on the water. This helps boost the effectiveness of disinfection. Filters are regularly serviced by backwashing for better filtration.
Why is fluoride used in water?
Fluoridation is used mainly in communities as it treats water supplies to bring a balance in the concentrated free fluoride ions. This is done till an optimal level is reached which helps avoid dental cavities.
What is the first stage of wastewater treatment?
The first mechanical stage is called preliminary treatment or rather pre-treatment. Water flows through gravel chamber for settling out the grit from water. Afterwards, gravel is disposed of at the dump. Water further reaches the bar screens used to remove large objects from the wastewater.
What is wastewater in agriculture?
What is wastewater? It is used water originating from domestic, industrial, agricultural, and medical or transport activities. Used water becomes wastewater upon the change of its quality, composition and/or temperature. However, wastewater does not include water released from ponds or reservoirs for fish farming.
How long does it take for sludge to dry out?
9. Sludge, digested and dewatered to the optimal degree, is finally disposed of at the dump. In about a month, sludge is adequately dried out and ripe. If it complies with agricultural standards, it can be reused for fertilisation of industrial crops.
How is wastewater drained to the WWTP?
1. Firstly, wastewater is drained to the WWTP by gravity through the main sewer system of the size of a car. Having such size, objects you could hardly imagine reach the WWTPs, ranging from mattresses, fridges, tree branches to wallets disposed of by thieves in order to get rid of the evidence. 2.
What is wastewater water?
Wastewater can be divided into two major groups: Sewage water is all wastewater used in domestic dwellings (e. g. originating from toilets, showers or sinks). Industrial wastewater originates from production, industrial and commercial activities, and has a different chemical composition to sewage water.
What is the purpose of bar screens in wastewater treatment?
Water further reaches the bar screens used to remove large objects from the wastewater. At first come the coarse screens and then the fine screens which remove smaller objects such as matches, cigarette butts or undigested foods. 3. After the removal of large objects, grit is to be removed from the wastewater.
What is secondary treatment?
The secondary treatment, also called biological stage, is based on natural processes. WWTPs use bacteria which consume the contaminants, in particular biodegradable organics, carbon and phosphorus. Dead bacteria and organic residues subsequently transform into sludge. 6.
What do water treatment plants use?
Water treatment plant operators typically do the following: Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect water or other liquids. Inspect equipment on a regular basis. Monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges. Collect and test water and sewage samples.
How to operate a water treatment plant?
Water treatment plant operators typically do the following: 1 Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect water or other liquids 2 Inspect equipment on a regular basis 3 Monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges 4 Collect and test water and sewage samples 5 Record meter and gauge readings, and operational data 6 Operate equipment to purify and clarify water, or to process or dispose of sewage 7 Clean and maintain equipment, tanks, filter beds, and other work areas 8 Stay current on environmental laws and regulations 9 Ensure safety standards are met
What is wastewater operator?
Operators are trained in emergency management procedures and use safety equipment to protect their health, as well as that of the public. Wastewater treatment plant and system operators do similar work to remove pollutants from domestic and industrial waste. Used water, also known as wastewater, travels through sewage pipes to treatment plants ...
What causes large amounts of storm water to flow into sewers?
For example, weather conditions may cause large amounts of storm water or wastewater to flow into sewers, exceeding a plant’s capacity. Emergencies also may be caused by malfunctions within a plant, such as chemical leaks or oxygen deficiencies.
What do sewage workers do?
Many others work for water, sewage, and other systems utilities and for waste treatment and disposal services. They work both indoors and outdoors. They may be exposed to noise from machinery and are often exposed to unpleasant odours.
Where does used water go?
Used water, also known as wastewater, travels through sewage pipes to treatment plants where it is treated and either returned to streams, rivers, and oceans, or used for irrigation. Are you suited to be a water treatment plant operator? Water treatment plant operators have distinct personalities. They tend to be realistic individuals, which means ...
How many hours a day do plant operators work?
Plants operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In small plants, operators are likely to work during the day and be on call nights and weekends. In medium and large sized plants that require constant monitoring, operators work in shifts to control the plant at all hours.

Flocculation
- 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.
Sedimentation
- 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 percentage of the suspended materials in water. I…
Filtration
- The final water treatment process in removing particulates is filtration. The sedimentation process will have already removed a large percentage of the suspended solids. Sedimentation is unable to remove many small particles in water though. Filtration will remove these microorganisms and other suspended material that did not settle out previously.
Disinfection
- As discussed previously, the surface water treatment rule requires both the filtration and disinfection of surface water sources. The water must be disinfected now that it has been filtered.
Chlorination Operations
- Chlorination was one of the first drinking water disinfection methods. It is still the most commonly used disinfection method used today. The filtered water is injected with either liquid sodium hypochlorite, gaseous chlorine, or solid calcium hypochlorite. Chlorine is a strong oxidant. It is used to both disinfect and also to remove color, taste and odor compounds, iron and manganes…
Conclusion
- 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 se…