Water treatment describes those industrial-scale processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use.

These can include use for drinking water, industry, medical and many other uses. Such processes may be contrasted withsmall-scale water sterilization practiced by campers and other people in wilderness areas. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the concentration of such contaminants so the water becomes fit for its desired end-use. One such use is returning water that has been used back into the natural environment without adverse ecological impact. The processes involved in treating water for drinking purpose may be solids separation using physical processes such assettling and filtration, and chemical processes such as disinfection and coagulation. Biological processes are employed in the treatment of wastewater and these processes may include, for example, aerated lagoons, activated sludge or slow sand filters. Water purification

Abandoned Water Purification Plant

Water purification is the removal of contaminants from untreated water to produce drinking water that is pure enough for the most critical of its intended uses, usually for human consumption. Substances that are removed during the process of drinking water treatmentinclude suspended solids, bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, minerals such as iron, manganese and sulfur, and other chemical pollutantssuch as fertilisers. Measures taken to ensure water quality not only relate to the treatment of the water, but to its conveyance and distribution after treatment as well. It is therefore common practice to have residual disinfectants in the treated water in order to kill any bacteriological contamination during distribution. World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines are generally followed throughout the world for drinking water quality requirements. In addition to the WHO guidelines, each country or territory or water supply body can have their own guidelines in order for consumers to have access to safe drinking water.

Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment is the process that removes the majority of the contaminants from wastewater or sewage and produces both a liquid effluent suitable for disposal to the natural environment and a sludge. To be effective, sewage must be conveyed to a treatment plant by appropriate pipes and infrastructure and the process itself must be subject to regulation and controls. Some wastewaters require

different and sometimes specialized treatment methods. At the simplest level, treatment of sewage and most wastewaters is carried out through separation of solids from liquids, usually by sedimentation. By progressively converting dissolved material into solids, usually a biological floc, which is then settled out, [1][2] an effluent stream of increasing purity is produced.

In developing countries
As of 2006, waterborne diseases are estimated to have caused 1.8 million deaths each year. These deaths are attributable to inadequate public sanitation systems and in these cases, proper sewerage (or [3] other options as small-scale wastewater treatment) need to be installed. Appropriate technology options in water treatment include both community-scale and household[4] scale point-of-use (POU) designs. Such designs may employ solar water disinfection methods, using solar irradiation to inactivate harmful waterborne microorganisms directly, mainly by the UV-A component of the solar spectrum, or indirectly through the presence of an oxide photocatalyst, typically [5] supported TiO2 in its anatase or rutile phases. Despite progress in SODIS technology, military surplus water treatment units like the ERDLator are still frequently used in developing countries. Newer military style Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPU) are portable, self-contained water treatment [6] plants are becoming more available for public use. In order for the decrease of waterborne diseases to have long term effects, water treatment programs implemented by research and development groups in developing countriesmust be sustainable by their citizens. This can ensure the efficiency of such programs after the departure of the research team as monitoring is difficult because of the remoteness of many locations.

Industrial water treatment[edit]

Two of the main processes of industrial water treatment are boiler water treatment and cooling water treatment. A lack of proper water treatment can lead to the reaction of solids and bacteria within pipe work and boiler housing. Steam boilers can suffer from scale or corrosion when left untreated leading to weak and dangerous machinery, scale deposits can mean additional fuel is required to heat the same level of water because of the drop in efficiency. Poor quality dirty water can become a breeding ground for bacteria such asLegionella causing a risk to public health. With the proper treatment, a significant proportion of industrial on-site wastewater might be reusable. This can save money in three ways: lower charges for lower water consumption, lower charges for the smaller volume of effluent water discharged and lower energy costs due to the recovery of heat in recycled wastewater. Corrosion in low pressure boilers can be caused by dissolved oxygen, acidity and excessive alkalinity. Water treatment therefore should remove the dissolved oxygen and maintain the boiler water with the appropriate pH and alkalinity levels. Without effective water treatment, a cooling water system can suffer from scale formation, corrosion and fouling and may become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as those that cause Legionnaires' Disease. This reduces efficiency, shortens plant life and makes [7] operations unreliable and unsafe.

Water treatment: Disinfectants and Other

Disinfectants Ozone is a gas that can be found in the stratosphere due to the fact that ultraviolet (UV) radiation is emitted by the sun on oxygen molecules. Accordingly, it provides protection against harmful UV radiation. Ozone is made up of three atoms of oxygen as its chemical formula O 3 indicates. Ozone, as a very strong oxidant, is one of the main disinfectants when purifying water. As ozone breaks down in the water, a complex chain reaction mechanism occurs under the effect of the various solutes in the water or released during purification treatment. Ozone is known to be the most powerful chemical disinfectant used in water purification treatment. Its ability to inactivate living cells can be extended to the point of [8]:356357 provoking their lysis. Ultraviolet(UV) radiation is produced using ultraviolet lamps with quartz covers. UV produces a minimum [8]:364365 of by-products when treating the water. Other An advanced oxidation process (AOP) is a system to purify water by chemical oxidation to deactivate residual organic pollutants. AOPs are capable of generating a more powerful and less selective secondary oxidant in the reaction medium by activating an available primary oxidant. AOP has been only gradually used in the water treatment industry. One of the many AOP systems, the combined [which?] O3/H2O2, is the most widely used one especially for the purpose of destroying pesticides in order to produce water for human consumption.

PROCESS OF DRINKING WATER TREATMENT

Follow a drop of water from the source through the treatment process. Water may be treated differently in different communities depending on the quality of the water which enters the plant. Groundwater is water located under ground and typically requires less treatment than water from lakes, rivers, and streams. Stop at each treatment point to show where the water is along the treatment path. You may click on each treatment point on the image for a little information about that treatment point.

THE WATER TREATMENT CYCLE: Coagulation Sedimentation Filtration Disinfection Storage

coagulation Coagulation removes dirt and other particles suspended in water. Alum and other chemicals are added to water to form tiny sticky particles called "floc" which attract the dirt particles. The combined weight of the dirt and the alum (floc) become heavy enough to sink to the bottom during sedimentation. sedimentation The heavy particles (floc) settle to the bottom and the clear water moves to filtration.

 filtration The water passes through filters, some made of layers of sand, gravel, and charcoal that help remove even smaller particles.

disinfection A small amount of chlorine is added or some other disinfection method is used to kill any bacteria or microorganisims that may be in the water.

storageWater is placed in a closed tank or reservoir in order for disinfection to take place. The water then flows through pipes to homes and businesses in the community.

POLLUTION CONTROL
Water pollution prevention and control measures are critical to improving water quality and reducing the need for costly wastewater and drinking water treatment. Because water pollution can come from many different sources, a variety of pollution prevention and control measures are needed.

Green Infrastructure / Low Impact Development

Green infrastructure and low impact development approaches and techniques help manage water and water pollutants at the source, preventing or reducing the impact of development on water and water quality. Learn about these cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly approaches to wet weather management.

Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads

States, territories, and tribes must protect water bodies and to address water bodies that do not meet water quality standards (i.e., impaired waters). Find information on regulations, guidance, and technical resources relating to impaired waters and TMDLs.

NPDES Permit Program

EPA's national Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program plays an important role in minimizing the wastes and pollution load released into receiving bodies. Find basic information on the major features and elements of the NPDES permit program.

Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution)

Polluted runoff is caused by rainfall and snowmelt moving over and through the ground that, picks up and carries with it natural and human-made pollutants, depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. Find information on managing nonpoint source pollution. Sediments Sediments are fragmented materials that originate from weathering and erosion of rocks or unconsolidated deposits and are transported by, suspended in, or deposited by water. Contaminated Sediments Suspended and Bedded Sediments Source Water Protection Find information about the efforts of public water systems, communities, resource managers and the public to protect the lakes, rivers, aquifers, and other waterbodies that provide our drinking water. Stormwater Stormwater runoff is generated when rain and snowmelt do not soak into the ground but flow over land or impervious surfaces, accumulating pollutants that could adversely affect water quality. This page provides technical and regulatory information about the NPDES storm water program. Vessel Sewage Discharges Sewage discharge from commercial and recreational boats poses a hazard to human health and the ecosystem. Find information about vessel sewage discharge and learn what you can do to help curb the problem. Wastewater Programs EPA's Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) oversees a range of programs contributing to the well-being of the nation's waters and watersheds. Learn about OWM

programs that promote compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act through effective and responsible water use, treatment, disposal, and management and by encouraging the protection and restoration of our watersheds.

Watershed Management
Our individual actions can directly affect the watersheds we live in. Discover ways you can help protect our water resources.

WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT WATER.

Provides information on how you can get involved including ways to protect human health and the environment by raising awareness about potential threats to your drinking water, local rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, the fish and shellfish you eat, and aquatic ecosystems. Adopt Your Watershed This program challenges you to serve your community by taking part in activities to protect and restore your local watershed. Pollution Prevention Water pollution and control measures are critical to improving water quality and lessening the need for costly wastewater and drinking water treatment. Find information on a variety of water pollution prevention and control measures. Protect Your Health Offers information on how to protect yourself from water-related health risks such as microbes in tap water and in water bodies used for swimming, and contaminants in fish and shellfish. Protecting Drinking Water - People who travel abroad know the familiar problem with unsafe drinking water. At home, we scarcely give it a thought. Usually, we are right. But the sources of our drinking water are constantly under siege from naturally occurring events and human activities that can pollute our sources of drinking water. Volunteer Monitoring - EPA encourages all citizens to learn about their water resources and supports volunteer monitoring because of its many benefits. Water Efficiency - Efficient use of water helps reduce the demands on our water supplies, as well as on both drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, as using less water means moving and treating less water.