WATER TREATMENT

Any process that improves the quality of water to make it more acceptable for a specific
end-use. The end use may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, river flow maintenance
or many other uses. Water treatment removes contaminants and undesirable components or
reduces their concentration so that the water becomes fits for its desired end-use.

WATER TREATMENT PROCESS

1. Coagulation/Flocculation

During coagulation, liquid aluminium sulfate (alum) or polymer is added to untreated raw
water. When mixed with the water, this causes the tiny particles of dirt in the water to stick
together or coagulate. Then, groups of dirt particles stick together to form larger, heavier
particles called flocs which easier to remove by settling or filtration.

2. Sedimentation
As the water and the floc particles progress through the treatment process, they move into
sedimentation basins where the water moves slowly, causing the heavy floc particles to settle to
the bottom. Floc which collects on to the bottom of the basin is called sludge and is piped to drying
lagoons. In direct filtration, the sedimentation step is not included, and the floc is removed by
filtration only.

3. Filtration

Water flows through a filter designed to remove particles in the water. The filters are made of
layers of sand and gravel in some cases, crushed anthracite. Filtration collects the suspended
impurities in water and enchances the effectiveness of disinfection. The filters are routinely
cleaned by backwashing.

4. Disinfection

Water is disinfected before it enters the distribution system to ensure that any disease-causing
bacteria, viruses, and parasites are destroyed. Chlorine is used because it is a very effective
disinfectant, and residual concentrations can be maintained to guard against possible biological
contamination in the water distribution system.

5. Sludge Drying

Solids that are collected and settled out of the water by sedimentation and filtration are
removed to drying lagoons.

6. Fluoridation

Water fluoridation is the treatment od community water supplies for the purpose of adjusting
the concentration of the free fluoride ion to the optimum level sufficient to reduce dental caries.

7. ph Correction

Lime is added to the filtered water to adjust the pH and stabilize the naturally soft water in
order to minimize corrosion in the distribution systems, and within customers plumbing.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT

A process used to remove contaminants from wastewater or sewage and convert it into an effluent
that can be returned to water cycle with minimum impact on the environment or directly reused.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS

1. Wastewater collection

Collection systems are put in place by municipal administration, home owners as well as
business owners to ensure that all the wastewater is collected and directed to a central point.
This water is then directed to a treatment plant using underground drainage systems or by
exhauster tracks owned and operated by business people. The transportation of wastewater
should however be done under hygienic conditions.

2. Odor Control

Odor control is very important at treatment plant. Wastewater contains a lot of dirty substances
that can cause a foul smell over time. So that, for ensure the surrounding areas are free from
the smell, odor treatment processes are initiated at the treatment plant.

3. Screening

This is the next step in wastewater treatment process. Screening involves the removal of large
objects for example nappies, cotton buds, plastics, diapers, rags, sanitary items, nappies, face
wipes, broken bottles or bottle tops that in one way or another may damage the equipment.
Failure to observe this step, results in constant machine and equipment problems.
4. Primary Treatment

This process involves the separation of macrobiotic solid matter from the wastewater. Primary
treatment is done by pouring the wastewater into big tanks for the solid matter to settle at the
surface of the tanks. The sludge, the solid waste that settles at the surface of the tanks, is
removed by large scrappers and is pushed to the center of the cylindrical tanks and later
pumped out of the tanks for further treatment.

5. Secondary Treatment

The secondary treatment stage involves adding seed sludge to the wastewater to ensure that is
broken down further. Air is first pumped into huge aeration tanks which mix the wastewater
with the seed sludge which is basically small amount of sludge, which fuels the growth
of bacteria that uses oxygen and the growth of other small microorganisms that consume the
remaining organic matter.

6. Tertiary Treatment

This stage is similar to the one used by drinking water treatment plants which clean raw water
for drinking purposes. The tertiary treatment stage has the ability to remove up to 99 percent
of the impurities from the wastewater. This produces effluent water that is close to drinking
water quality.

7. Disinfection

After the primary treatment stage and the secondary treatment process, there are still some
diseases causing organisms in the remaining treated wastewater. To eliminate them, the
wastewater must be disinfected for at least 20-25 minutes in tanks that contain a mixture of
chlorine and sodium hypochlorite. The disinfection process is an integral part of the treatment
process because it guards the health of the animals and the local people who use the water for
other purposes.