Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater Treatment
Water
Treatment
and
Testing
Water Treatment
Public water systems often
use a series of water
treatment steps that include
coagulation, flocculation,
sedimentation, filtration,
and disinfection.
Coagulation
• Coagulation is often the first step in water
treatment. During coagulation, chemicals with
a positive charge are added to the water.
• The positive charge neutralizes the negative
charge of dirt and other dissolved particles in
the water.
• Particles bind with the chemicals to form
slightly larger particles.
• Common chemicals used in this step include
specific types of salts, aluminum, or iron.
Flocculation
• 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.
Sedimentation
• Sedimentation is one of the steps water
treatment plants use to separate out solids
from the water.
• During sedimentation, flocs settle to the
bottom of the water because they are heavier
than water.
Filtration
• Once the flocs have settled to the bottom of the water, the clear
water on top is filtered to separate additional solids from the water.
• Clear water passes through filters that have different pore sizes and
are made of different materials (such as sand, gravel, and
charcoal).
• These filters remove dissolved particles and germs, such as dust,
chemicals, parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Activated carbon filters
also remove any bad odors.
• Water treatment plants can use a process called ultrafiltration in
addition to or instead of traditional filtration. During ultrafiltration, the
water goes through a filter membrane with very small pores. This
filter only lets through water and other small molecules (such as
salts and tiny, charged molecules).
Disinfection
• After the water has been filtered, water treatment
plants may add one or more chemical
disinfectants (such as chlorine, chloramine, or
chlorine dioxide) to kill any remaining parasites,
bacteria, or viruses.
• To help keep water safe as it travels to homes
and businesses, water treatment plants will make
sure the water has low levels of the chemical
disinfectant when it leaves the treatment plant.
What is Wastewater?