Unit operations and processes of

water treatment systems

Subject Code: CE 305
Subject Name: Water Supply Engineering

Dr. Kulkarni Vihangraj Vijaykumar

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
National Institute of Technology Silchar, Assam
 Standard line of treatment for water

• The standard unit operation and processes that

make up a conventional water treatment plant
are:
– Primary sedimentation
– chemical feed
– rapid mix
– flocculation
– Secondary sedimentation
– filtration
– disinfection
 Sources of water

Surface water Ground water

Engineered systems for
water treatment

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 Line of treatment for Ground water
Processes Chemicals added
Aeration:
Removes undesirable gases (degasification) Raw water
and/or oxidation of iron and manganese.
Gases to
During this process: 1 atmosphere
Fe, Mn – soluble in water, converted to
insoluble precipitates.
e.g. CO2, H2S produced due to bacterial
decomposition of OM are escaped to atm.
Softening: Sludge dispose or reuse
Removes Calcium or Magnesium hardness. The Lime
CaCO3
CaCO3 and Mg(OH)2 precipitates and are CaO 2
settled by gravity. Soda Mg(OH)2
ash
Filtration:
Pass the water through a stationary bed of 3 Backwash water
granular medium (sand). Removes residual Chlorine Sand Decanted;
CaCO3 crystals and Mg(OH)2 flocs left over from filter Sludge removed
softening; disinfectant may also be added to to be disposed
prevent biological growth on filter medium. 5
 Line of treatment for Ground water
Processes Chemicals added
Disinfection:
Water from 3
Destroys pathogens, enough chlorine is
added to provide a residual in the Chlorine Sludge to be
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distribution system. disposed

Storage:
Provides contact time for disinfection and 5
store water for peak demands To distribution
system

Generally, groundwaters are free from suspended solids and

microorganisms  contain more dissolved salts  a cause of
hardness, and Fe, Mn content  therefore softening and Fe, Mn
removal can be sufficient.
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 Line of treatment for Surface water
Processes Chemicals added
Screening:
Removes floating matters Raw water

Floating objects
1 disposed

Pre-sedimentation: Sludge
Removes large suspended matters (physically Chlorine removed
separating solid materials from water) – 2 periodically
common technique is gravity. Sometimes, and disposed
chemicals are added to oxidize organics Ammonia

coagulation, flocculation and settling:

Removes turbidity by coagulating colloids and Sludge
settling them out; may also remove color by removed
Alum 3 continuously;
large organic molecules –
e.g. Hydrolysis of alum produces aluminum Disposed after
hydroxide – Al(OH)3, forms flocs (sticky) heavier dewatering to
than water in which colloids are entrapped and landfill
settled by gravity.
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 Line of treatment for Surface water
Processes Chemicals added
Filtration:
Water from 3
Removes the remaining turbidity; Backwash water
disinfectant may be added to prevent Chlorine decanted;
biological growth on filter medium 4 dewatered
sludge disposed
Adsorption:
Necessary when water contains dissolved Once carbon
organics. Activated carbon column can be Is exhausted,
used to remove odors present in water. 5 to be disposed
(powder activated carbon can be also or reused
added)
Disinfection:
Destroys pathogens, enough chlorine is Chlorine 6
added to provide a residual in the
distribution system.
Storage:
To distribution
Provides contact time for disinfection and 7 system 8
store water for peak demands
Screening
• Unit operation
• Removes floating materials
• Coarse screens
• Fine screens
Screening

• Unit operation
• Removes floating materials
• Coarse screens
• Fine screens
Aeration
 Water treatment process
The process of converting raw water to drinking water involves:

• Pre sedimentation- velocity of the water is lowered to remove larger

suspended solid.

• Coagulation - the addition of chemicals to add weight to particulates in

the water

• Flocculation - the grouping of solids in the water due to gentle mixing.

• Filtration - removing the solids

• Disinfection - destruction of pathogens in the water

• Storage - water towers

• Supply
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Thank you

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