Questions about any process which makes water more acceptable for an end use.
Water treatment, which is defined as any process which makes water more acceptable for an end use, includes treatment of water for drinking and it includes treating water for safe discharge into the environment. Water treatment, which is a sub-discipline of environmental engineering, includes practical applications of physics, microbiology, and chemistry.
Drinking water treatment is divided into three parts: clarification, filtration, and disinfection.
- Clarification removes particles which cause turbidity. Chemical means may be used to decrease turbidity.
- Filtration removes particles which will not settle. Chemical means may be used make particles coagulate.
- Disinfection involves chemical processes, such as chlorination, to remove pathogenic particles.
Wastewater treatment is divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Primary water treatment, which is usually the first stage, involves mechanical screening to remove large or floating particles. The removal of these particles can be accelerated by chemical means.
Secondary treatment involves removal of organic components through biological means. Chemical treatments may be necessary to condition water for biological treatment, usually aeration.
Tertiary treatment involves the removal of nutrients such as nitrate and phosphates from water.
This topic covers any subtopic mentioned in this tag.
Topics not included in this tag are:
- medical questions
- political or policy questions
- water testing questions - unless it relates directly to treatment processes.
