Coagulation / Flocculation: During coagulation, liquid aluminium sulfate (alum) and/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. Next, groups of dirt particles stick together to form larger,
heaier particles called flocs which are easier to remoe !y settling or filtration.
Sedimentation: "s the water and the floc particles progress through the treatment process, they
moe into sedimentation !asins where the water moes slowly, causing the heay floc particles to
settle to the !ottom. #loc which collects on the !ottom of the !asin is called sludge, and is piped to
drying lagoons. $n Direct #iltration, the sedimentation step is not included, and the floc is remoed
!y filtration only.
Filtration: Water flows through a filter designed to remoe particles in the water. %he filters are
made of layers of sand and grael, and in some cases, crushed anthracite. #iltration collects the
suspended impurities in water and enhances the effectieness of disinfection. %he filters are
routinely cleaned !y !ackwashing.
Disinfection: Water is disinfected !efore it enters the distri!ution system to ensure that any disease&
causing !acteria, iruses, and parasites are destroyed. 'hlorine is used !ecause it is a ery effectie
disinfectant, and residual concentrations can !e maintained to guard against possi!le !iological
contamination in the water distri!ution system.
Sludge Drying: (olids that are collected and settled out of the water !y sedimentation and filtration
are remoed to drying lagoons.
Fluoridation: Water fluoridation is the treatment of community water supplies for the purpose of
ad)usting the concentration of the free fluoride ion to the optimum leel sufficient to reduce dental
caries. *unter Water is required to fluoridate water in accordance with the N(W #luoridation of
+u!lic Water (upplies "ct ,-./.
pH Correction: 0ime is added to the filtered water to ad)ust the p* and sta!ilise the naturally soft
water in order to minimise corrosion in the distri!ution system, and within customers1 plum!ing.

Microfiltration : the water passes through a mem!rane with tiny holes 2 hundreds of times
smaller than a human hair 2 that trap !acteria.
Reverse-osmosis: process in which it3s pushed through a second, semi&permea!le mem!rane that
!locks salt, iruses and pharmaceuticals.
UV reatment: the water is 4apped with high&intensity ultraiolet light and hydrogen peroxide to
kill any trace organics.
!" Screening:
Wastewater entering the treatment plant includes items like wood, rocks, and een dead animals.
5nless they are remoed, they could cause pro!lems later in the treatment process. 6ost of these
materials are sent to a landfill.
#" $umping:
%he wastewater system relies on the force of graity to moe sewage from your home to the
treatment plant. (o wastewater&treatment plants are located on low ground, often near a rier into
which treated water can !e released. $f the plant is !uilt a!oe the ground leel, the wastewater has
to !e pumped up to the aeration tanks (item 7). #rom here on, graity takes oer to moe the
wastewater through the treatment process.
%" &erating:
8ne of the first steps that a water treatment facility can do is to )ust shake up the sewage and expose
it to air. %his causes some of the dissoled gases (such as hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten
eggs) that taste and smell !ad to !e released from the water. Wastewater enters a series of long,
parallel concrete tanks. 9ach tank is diided into two sections. $n the first section, air is pumped
through the water.
"s organic matter decays, it uses up oxygen. "eration replenishes the oxygen. :u!!ling oxygen
through the water also keeps the organic material suspended while it forces 3grit3 (coffeegrounds,
sand and other small, dense particles) to settle out. ;rit is pumped out of the tanks and taken to
landfills.
'" Removing sludge
Wastewater then enters the second section or sedimentation tanks. *ere, the sludge (the organic
portion of the sewage) settles out of the wastewater and is pumped out of the tanks. (ome of the
water is remoed in a step called thickening and then the sludge is processed in large tanks called
digesters.
(" Removing scum:
"s sludge is settling to the !ottom of the sedimentation tanks, lighter materials are floating to the
surface. %his 3scum3 includes grease, oils, plastics, and soap. (low&moing rakes skim the scum off
the surface of the wastewater. (cum is thickened and pumped to the digesters along with the sludge.
6any cities also use filtration in sewage treatment. "fter the solids are remoed, the liquid sewage
is filtered through a su!stance, usually sand, !y the action of graity. %his method gets rid of almost
all !acteria, reduces tur!idity and color, remoes odors, reduces the amount of iron, and remoes
most other solid particles that remained in the water. Water is sometimes filtered through car!on
particles, which remoes organic particles. %his method is used in some homes, too.
)" *illing +acteria:
#inally, the wastewater flows into a 3chlorine contact3 tank, where the chemical chlorine is added to
kill !acteria, which could pose a health risk, )ust as is done in swimming pools. %he chlorine is
mostly eliminated as the !acteria are destroyed, !ut sometimes it must !e neutrali4ed !y adding
other chemicals. %his protects fish and other marine organisms, which can !e harmed !y the
smallest amounts of chlorine.
%he treated water (called effluent) is then discharged to a local rier or the ocean
R" ,aste-ater Residuals:
"nother part of treating wastewater is dealing with the solid&waste material. %hese solids are kept
for <= to 7= days in large, heated and enclosed tanks called 3digesters.3 *ere, !acteria !reak down
(digest) the material, reducing its olume, odors, and getting rid of organisms that can cause
disease. %he finished product is mainly sent to landfills, !ut sometimes can !e used as fertili4er.