Absolutely pure water is that which contains only hydrogen

and oxygen i.e. H2O and is never found in nature.

The water found nature contains a number of impurities in
varying amounts.
Therefore, removing these impurities up to certain extent so
that it may not be harmful to the public health is necessary,
the process of removing the impurities is called water
treatment and the Treated water is called wholesome water.
The following are the requirement of wholesome water
It should be free from bacteria which may cause
diseases
it should be colorless
It should be tasty, odor free and cool.
It should not corrode pipes.
It should free from all objectionable matter.
It should have dissolved oxygen and free carbonic
acid that it may remain fresh.
Methods of Water Treatment
The common methods/processes of water treatment (water purification) are:
1. Aeration
2. Screening and grit removal
3. Plain sedimentation
4. Coagulation and flocculation
5. Secondary sedimentation
6. Filtration
7. Adsorption
8. Softening
9. Disinfections
Aeration
It is the process of bringing water in intimate contact with air, while doing so
water absorbs oxygen from the air. Aeration may be used to remove undesirable
gases dissolved in water i.e. CO2, H2S, etc (degasification) or to add oxygen to
water to convert undesirable substance i.e. Iron (Fe 2+) & Manganese to more
manageable form (oxidation).
The Iron and Manganese may be removed as a precipitate after aeration.
Chemically, these reactions may be written as follows:
4Fe2+ + O2 + 10H2O →4Fe(OH) 3¯ + 8H+
4Mn2+ + O2 + 2 H2O → 2MnO2 ¯ + 4H+
Different types of aerators are available
• Gravity Aerator
• Spray aerator
• Air diffuser
• Mechanical Aerator
i. Gravity aerators
a) Cascade towers
c) Tray aerator
In tray aerator water falls through a series of trays perforated with small holes, 5 - 12mm
diameter and 25 - 75mm spacing center to center. They are often built in stacks of 4 - 6 trays
giving a total height of 1.2 - 3m. The trays may be filled with layers of coke or gravel of 50 mm
size to insure purification.
ii. Spray aerators: -
spray droplets of water into the air from stationary or moving orifices or
nozzles. Water is pumped through pressure nozzles to spray in the open air as
in fountain to a height of about 2.5m.
iii. Air diffuser
In diffused aeration systems, water is contained in basins. Compressed air is
forced into this system through the diffusers. This air bubbles up through
the water, mixing water and air and introducing oxygen into the water.
Vi Mechanical Aerator
Mechanical aeration systems are fairly simple, but they are not among the most
common purification techniques. These aerators work by vigorously agitating
source water with mechanical mixers. As the waters churn, they become infused
with purifying air. Mechanical aeration systems are able to remove most volatile
contaminants, but they are limited to removals of 50 to 80 percent, depending on
conditions.

Fig. 5 Mechanical aerator

2 .Screening
Screening usually involves a simple screening or straining operation to remove large
solids and floating matter as leaves, dead animals, etc.
a) Bar screens- with openings of about 75 mm
b) Mesh screens –with opening of 5-20 mm

3. Plain Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the removal of particles (silt, sand, clay, etc.) through gravity setting in
basins. No chemicals is to enhance the sedimentation process
4. Coagulation (chemically assisted sedimentation) very fine suspend clay particles are
not removed by plain sedimentation .in addition, water also contains electrically charged
colloidal matter which are continuously in motion and never settle down due to
gravitational forces .such impurities i.e. fine clay and colloidal matter can be removed by
the use of chemicals followed by sedimentation and such type of water treatment is called
Coagulation.
The principle of coagulation can be explained from the following two conditions:

1. Flock formation
When coagulants (chemicals) are dissolved in water and thoroughly mixed with it, they
produce a think gelatinous precipitate. This precipitate is known as floc and this floc has
got the property of arresting suspended impurities in water during downward travel
towards the bottom of tank.

2 Electric charges
Most particles dissolved in water have a negative charge, so they tend to repel each other. As a
result, they stay dispersed and dissolved or colloidal in the water.
The ions of floc are found to possess positive charge. Hence, they will attract the
negatively charged colloidal particles and thus they cause the removal of such particles
3. Flocculation

Flocculation is used to denote the process of floc formation and thus follows
addition of coagulants .Flocculators are slow stirring mechanisms, which form
floc .they mostly consist of paddles which are revolving at very slow speed about
2-3 rpm. The folcculators provide numbers of gentle contacts between the
flocculating particles which are necessary for the successful formation of floc. In
this operation the floc which has been formed above is allowed to settle and is
separated from the water by keeping the water in sedimentation tanks.
The following are the most commonly used coagulants:
1) Aluminum sulfate [Al 2(SO4)318H2O] .it is also called Alum
It reacts quite quickly giving excellent stable flocs. It reacts with the
natural alkalinity in water & if natural alkalinity is not sufficient,
lime may be added and forms aluminum hydroxide floc.
Chemical Reaction Taking Place
i) Al 2(SO4)3.18H2O + 3Ca (HCO3) 2→2Al(OH)3 ↓ +3CaSO4+
6CO2+18 H2O
ii) Al(SO4)3.18H2O+ 3Ca(OH)2 → 2Al(OH)3 ↓
+3CaSO4+18H2O
iii) Al2(SO4)318H2O+3Na2CO3 → 2Al(OH)3 ↓
+3Na2SO4+3CO2+18H2o
2) Sodium aluminates (Na2Al2O4)
Chemical Reaction Taking Place
i) Na2Al2O4+Ca(HCO3)2→CaAl2O4↓+Na2CO3+CO2+H2O
ii) Na2Al2O4+CaSO4→CaAL2O4↓+Na2SO4
iii) NaAl2O4+CaCl2 → CaAl2O4 ↓ 2NaCl
5 .Filtration
The effluent obtained after coagulation does not satisfy the drinking
water standard and is not safe. So it requires further treatments. If
water is allowed to pass through a bed of sand or fine granular
material, the effluent obtained is clear and sparkling with negligible
turbidity. This process is known as filtration. Filtration also removes
bacteria, taste &odor.
Filtration
The effluent obtained after coagulation does not satisfy the drinking water standard and is
not safe. So it requires further treatments.
Filtration is one of the water purification process in which water is allowed to pass through
a porous medium to remove remaining flocs or suspended solids from the previous
treatment processes.
Filtration process assist significantly by reducing the load on the disinfections process,
increasing disinfection efficiency.
Types of filters

Two types of filter:

1. Gravity filter system

i. Slow Sand Filter (SSF)

ii. Rapid Sand Filter (RSF)

2. Pressure filter system

i. Slow Sand Filters
The slow sand filter removes particles from the water through adsorption and straining.
It also removes a great deal of turbidity from water using biological action. A layer of
dirt, debris, and microorganisms builds up on the top of the sand.
ii. Rapid Sand Filter
The rapid sand filter differs from the slow sand filter in a
variety of ways, the most important of which are the much
greater filtration rate ranging from 100 to 150m3/m2/day,
the ability to clean automatically using backwashing and
require small filter area. The mechanism of particle removal
also differs in the two types of filters - rapid sand filters do
not use biological filtration and depend primarily on
adsorption and some straining.
iii. Pressure Filter
Pressure filter is type of rapid sand filter in a closed water tight
cylinder through which the
water passes through the sand bed under pressure. All the operation
of the filter is similar to rapid gravity filter; expect that the
coagulated water is directly applied to the filter without mixing and
flocculation. These filters are used for industrial plants but these are
not economical on large scale.
Pressure filters may be vertical pressure filter and horizontal
pressure filter. Backwash is
carried by reversing the flow with values. The rate of flow is 120 to
300m3/m2/day.
Disinfection
The process of killing harmful bacteria from
water and making it safe to the consumers is
said to be disinfection.
The materials which are used for
disinfection of water are called the
disinfectants.
Requirements of Good Disinfectant
1) Destroy bacteria/pathogens within a practicable period of time, over an expected
range of water temperature.
2) Effective at variable compositions, concentration and conditions of water treated.
3) Neither toxic to humans and domestic animals nor unpalatable or otherwise
objectionable in required concentration.
4) Not change water properties
5) Have residual in a sufficient concentration to provide protection against
recontamination
6) Can be determined easily, quickly, and preferably automatically.
7) Dispensable at reasonable cost
8) Safe and easy to store, transport, handle and supply
9) Not form toxic by-products due to their reactions with any naturally occurring
materials
in water.
Dosage of Chlorine
(A) Plain Chlorination
Plain chlorination is the process of addition of chlorine only when the surface water
with no other treatment is required. The water of lakes and springs is pure and can be
used after plain chlorination. A rate of 0.8mg/lit/hour at 15N/cm2 pressure is the
normal dosage so as to maintain in residual chlorine of 0.2 mg/lit.
(B) Super Chlorination
Super chlorination is defined as administration of a dose considerably in excess of that
necessary for the adequate bacterial purification of water. About 10 to 15 mg/lit is
applied with a contact time of 10 to 30 minutes under the circumstances such as during
epidemic breakout water is to be dechlorinated before supply to the distribution
system.
(C) Brake Point Chlorination
The graph below shows what happens when chlorine (either chlorine gas or a
hypochlorite) is added to water. First (between points 1 and 2), chlorine reacts with
reducing compounds in the water, such as hydrogen sulfide. These compounds use up
the chlorine, producing no chlorine residual.
(D) De-chlorination
Removal of excess chlorine resulting from super chlorination in part or completely is
called ‘De-chlorination’. Excess chlorine in water gives pungent smell and corrodes the
pipe lines.
Hence excess chlorine is to be removed before supply.
Physical methods like aeration, heating and absorption on charcoal may be adopted.
Chemical methods like sulphur dioxide (SO2), Sodium Bi-sulphate (NaHSO3), Sodium
Thiosulphate
(Na2S2O8) are used.
Points of Chlorination
Chlorine applied at various stages of treatment and distribution accordingly they are
known as pre, post and re-chlorination.
a) Pre-Chlorination
Chlorine applied prior to the sedimentation and filtration process is known as Pre-
chlorination.
This is practiced when the water is heavily polluted and to remove taste,
odour, colour and growth of algae on treatment units. Pre-chlorination
improves coagulation and post chlorination dosage may be reduced.
b) Post Chlorination
When the chlorine is added in the water after all the treatment is known as
Post-chlorination.
After chlorination water is sent for distribution to the consumers.
c) Re-Chlorination
In long distribution systems, chlorine residual may fall tendering the water
unsafe. Application of excess chlorine to compensate for this may lead to
unpleasant smell to consumers at the points nearer to treatment point in such
cases chlorine is applied again that is re-chlorinated at intermediate points
generally at service reservoirs and booster pumping stations.

THE END !!