Drinking Water Treatment 101

Introduction

Typically, the plant-based water treatment makes the water clean, safe, and fresh. However, it may still have the presence of some contaminant elements. And that’s because water distribution is bound to attract various species of algae, bacteria, viruses, and invertebrates. You may not be aware of it but even the safest water has the presence of non-pathogenic microbes.

Although every glass of water may contain these non-non-pathogenic microbes, several contaminants are not harmful to humans. Common pathogens like Cryptosporidium, E.coli, and Giardia usually lead to flu and gastrointestinal issues. Yes, even the mild contaminants are dangerous to some degree.

Remember that there is more than one element and method in drinking water treatment. Whether water passes through reservoirs, lakes, or rivers, the treatment facilities have the methods and machines at the plant to filter and clean the water. After that, it gets distributed to schools, hospitals, homes, and industrial, and commercial buildings.

Importance of Drinking Water Treatment

When it comes to the drinking water treatment, the mechanics and methodologies are not as complex as you might think. Today, human health is vulnerable to some of the most dangerous waterborne viruses, infections, and pathogens. These risks often exist in water and enter into the commercial and residential water distribution system.

The good news is that people are fortunate enough to enjoy safe running water straight to their residential buildings and homes. But it is crucial to take into account that color, odor, and taste can impact the quality and aesthetic water. If it causes issues for consumers, there is a negative report filed back to the water service provider.

Now, to remove containments, homeowners and entities look for the most cost-effective and efficient solutions. The focus of most drinking water treatments is to improve the water quality and minimize the environmental impact at the same.

Factors like pipe age or material and water conservation or distribution system can influence the quality of drinking water and even how homeowners manage the water in the first place. At its core, the water chemistry has to be as safe and sound as possible to ensure public safety.

Control and Monitoring

Control and monitoring of water treatment systems is important to make sure the water in the residential and commercial buildings is safe to use and drink. Typically, keeping track of water treatment solutions involves performing various chemical tests and making comparative analysis of the results to check control limits of specific chemicals in the water.

The timeframe to conduct tests can be once a month or day. Ideally, routine testing of water treatment makes more sense to ensure better hygiene and review the integrity of the water system. With routine testing, consumers can check for corrosion and contaminants in the water.

With early detection, users can adopt a new method to treat water and address a specific issue. You can test the water for the total viable count, pseudomonas, legionella, chemical makeup, metal parameters, and even physical parameters.

Drinking Water Treatment: Standard Methods and Solutions

Sedimentation

When it comes to the water supply, floc settles down right at the bottom. Since it carries a lot of weight, this water treatment process is famous as a sedimentation process.

Coagulation and Flocculation

In the water treatment process, coagulation and flocculation are standard techniques to purify water. It involves using chemicals that add a positive charge to the water. This positive charge made out of chemicals ultimately neutralizes the dirt and similar dissolved water particles. The same chemical binds the water particles and creates larger particles that become floc.

Filtration

One of the most common drinking water treatment processes is the filtration of the entire water supply. The objective of every filtration system is to get rid of dissolved particles like parasites, viruses, bacteria, dust, and other chemicals from the water. Water filter is arguably the most used device that eliminates water impurities through a physical, biological, or chemical process.

Disinfection

It is hard to separate the filtration treatment process from the disinfection process. This approach adds chloramines or chlorine to kill remaining parasites, viruses, or bacteria and provide heightened protection from germs throughout the water supply for safe commercial and residential consumption.

Technically, disinfection can be a chemical or physical process to deactivate or altogether kill pathogenic microorganisms from the water. The most used and effective chemical disinfectants are chlorine dioxide, ozone, and chlorine. On the other hand, physical examples of disinfectants include electronic radiation, heat, and ultraviolet light.

Distillation Systems and Water Softeners

Distillation refers to a process where you boil impure water and collect its steam through a condensed container. As a result, it leaves out physical contaminants behind and consumers are left with the purified water. Conversely, a water softener refers to a device that decreases the overall water hardness. Water softeners use potassium ions or sodium in order to replace elements like magnesium and calcium ions that render hardness.

Modern-day Drinking Water Treatments

Today, there are numerous methods to treat drinking water for residential and commercial consumption. The most advanced drinking water treatment processes effectively cut out contaminants from the water and makes extracted water safe for consumption.

Ideally, residential buildings and household communities opt for a recognized water treatment solution to curb contaminants and micro-pollutants in the drinking water. A modular and flexible water treatment system optimizes the water quality and ensures future-proof treatment of the water.

Final Thoughts

The drinking water treatment process varies and depends on the quality and type of the raw water. Most drinking water treatment approaches involve flocculation, aeration, filtration, disinfection, sedimentation. The focus of all water treatment methods is to ensure the water is safe to consume.

With the advent of technology, water analysis has become more advanced and has paved the way for more advanced water treatment methods. In fact, companies use these tactics to monitor present substances and contaminants in the water. But each new method of water treatment usually has its own process and parameters.

Whether it’s the method to supply water to residential and commercial buildings, storage and distribution of water, or drinking water quality, each process comes with a set of water treatment regulations and processes. The burden of responsibility lies on the commercial and residential spaces to meet standard water treatment requirements.