Water Treatment

Siddharth Mehndiratta

1
 Component of Water Treatment
Raw water
Screening Filtration
sludge sludge
Alum
Coagulation Cl2 Disinfection
Polymers

Flocculation Storage

2
Sedimentation Distribution
sludge
Typical layout of a water treatment plant

3
 Screening

Removes large solids

logs
branches
rags
fish
Simple process
may incorporate a mechanized trash removal
system
Protects pumps and pipes in WTP 4
 Aeration

Process of adding air into wastewater to allow aerobic biodegradation of the pollutants.

Used to remove undesirable gases dissolved in water like CO2 and H2S

Oxidation of undesirable substances like oils, algae etc.

More often used for ground water

5
 Sedimentation

Sedimentation
Plain aided with
Sedimentation coagulation

To remove very fine

To remove
suspended particles
suspended coarser
and colloidal
particles
particles 6
 coagulation
Sedimentation Chemical mixed with
water to form floc

Chemical used are

called coagulants
Sedimentation
Plain aided with
Sedimentation coagulation

To remove very fine

To remove
suspended particles
suspended coarser
and colloidal
particles
particles 7
 Commonly used Coagulants
Alum [Al2(SO4)3]

Copperas [Ferrous sulphate + Lime]

Chlorinated copperas [Ferric Sulphate]

Sodium Aluminate [Na2(Al2O4)]

8
 Flocculation
Agglomeration of particles
Adding Alum Flocculation

9
 Coagulant
Alum Copperas Chlorinated Sodium
Amount of copperas Aluminate
pH Require Useful for water
Coagulant → alkalinity which does not
have alkalinity
depends on turbidity
Effective if Effective if Works in large
and color of raw pH = 6.6 - 8.5 pH = 8.5 above pH range
water. Normal Dose 10-30 mg/l 10-30 mg/l 10-30 mg/l 10-30 mg/l
Advantage • Cheap Forms heavy - React with Ca
• Flocs are flocs and Mg →
stable ppt. of Ca and
• Also remove Mg aluminate
color and
odour Also reduce
hardness
10
Disadvantage Difficult to Used for water - Costlier than
dewater sludge which is not Alum
formed colored
 Coagulant

Alum: For treating water

Iron salts: For treating sewage

Al2(SO4)3.18H2O + 3Ca(HCO3)2 → 3CaSO4 + 2Al(OH)3 + 6CO2 + 18H2O

Permanent
ppt.
hardness

Alkalinity is required for the functioning of Coagulant 11

 Sedimentation
Tank

Intermittent Continuous
tank Tank

Water is
Flow velocity
completely
is reduced
brought to rest 12
 Detention Time
Dt = 4 – 8 hrs (for plain sedimentation tank)

Dt = 2 – 4 hrs (for sedimentation aided with coagulation)

13
 Filtration
Removes fine floc particles, dissolved minerals and microorganism

It also remove suspended solids that does not get removed in sedimentation

Filters are classified as

Slow sand Filter

Rapid sand Filter

Pressure Filter
14
 Theory of filtration
Mechanical Straining

Flocculation and Sedimentation

Biological Metabolism

Electrolytic Charges

15
 Types of gravity Filter
Slow sand Filter
Rapid Sand Filter

Rate of filtration: 100-200 l/hr/m2

16
 Types of gravity Filter
Slow sand Filter
Rapid Sand Filter

Rate of filtration: 3000-6000 l/hr/m2

17
 Pressure filter
Water is forced through the filter (3 to 7 kg/cm2)

Working is similar to RSF

Rate of filtration is 6000-15000 l/hr/m2

Installed for colonies of few houses, individual industries etc.

18
 Double filtration
Roughing filter (Preliminary filter)

RSF → SSF

Do not require coagulants

Double the capacity of SSF

19
 Disinfection
Process of killing pathogenic bacteria.

Methods

Boiling of water

can not used for large quantities of public water supplies

20
 Disinfection
Process of killing pathogenic bacteria.

Methods

Boiling of water

Treatment with excess lime

Effectively kills bacteria but can not safe guard against future contamination

Recarbonation is necessary 21
 Disinfection
Process of killing pathogenic bacteria.

Methods
Boiling of water
Treatment with excess lime
Ozone – costlier than Cl2
Iodine and Bromine pills – Costly, provide longer lasting effect (removes
taste and odour)
Chlorination 22
 Chlorination
Universally adopted → residual disinfecting effect for long period

Take care of future contamination

Imparts bad taste

No change in pH

Not effective if water is alkaline

23
 Forms of Cl2
Bleaching Powder [Ca(OCL)2]

30-35 % available Cl2

Not used for public water supplies

Chloramines

Chlorine gas or Liquid Cl2

Chlorine dioxide
24
 Forms of Cl2
Bleaching Powder [Ca(OCL)2]

Chloramines

Do no cause bad taste

Residual effect last for longer duration

Weaker than free Cl2

Chlorine gas or Liquid Cl2

25

Chlorine dioxide
 Forms of Cl2
Bleaching Powder [Ca(OCL)2]

Chloramines

Chlorine gas or Liquid Cl2

Universally adopted

Powerful and remain water as residual for longer time

No sludge is formed
26

Chlorine dioxide
 Forms of Cl2
Bleaching Powder [Ca(OCL)2]

Chloramines

Chlorine gas or Liquid Cl2

Chlorine dioxide

Oxidizing capacity 2.5 times that of Cl2

Costly
27
 Storage & Distribution
After the water purification process has been completed, the water is pumped
into water storage tanks. The clean, safe drinking water is then pumped to
homes and businesses when needed.

Water purification is a specialized and involved process that focuses on keeping

communities healthy. These steps guarantee continuous access to safe drinking
water.

28
Typical layout of a water treatment plant

29
 Organics
Biodegradable and non-biodegradable organics.

Biodegradable: utilized for food by microorganisms

E.g. Starch, fats, protein, alcohol acids etc

Microbial utilization of dissolved organics → oxidation, reduction

Aerobic: reaction in presence of O2 → stable end product

Anaerobic: reaction in absence of O2 → unstable end produt

 Organics
Biological oxygen demand: O2 consumed during microbial utilization
of organics.

BOD after 5 days at 20°C → standard BOD

BOD5 =  Initial Dissolved oxygen-Final dissolved oxygen ×Dilution factor

Final Volume
Dilution factor =
Sample Volume
 Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
BOD is defined as the amount of oxygen demanded by the micro-organisms in the sewage for
the decomposition of bio-degradable matter under aerobic condition. This is the most commonly
used parameter to determine the strength of municipal or organic quality of the water.

The standard BOD test determines the amount of oxygen required by the micro-organisms for
the decomposition of the bio-degradable matter present in the wastewater sample under 5 days
of aerobic condition at a temperature of 20 degree Celsius. It is measured in mg/l.

BOD is determined for designing treatment facilities. It is used to determine the size of activated
sludge units and trickling filter units. It is also used to determine the efficiency of various
treatment units.
 Example
6 ml of wastewater is diluted to 300 ml distilled water in standard
BOD bottle. Initial DO in the bottle is determined to be 8.5 mg/l. DO
after 5 days at 20 C is found to be 5 mg/l. Determine BOD5 of
wastewater
 Organics
P.L. of BOD: zero
 Non Biodegradable organics
Cellulose, phenol, tannic acid etc.

Decompose slowly

Molecules with strong bond→ benzene, industrial chemicals, detergent

compounds

Measurement → COD
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
The amount of oxygen that is required for the chemical oxidation of the organic
and inorganic chemicals present in the wastewater by utilizing oxidizing agents
like Potassium permanganate, Potassium dichromate etc. is called as chemical
oxygen demand (COD).
To determine COD, the sample water is taken in a closed container and
incubated with a strong oxidant like potassium dichromate with sulphuric acid
under standard conditions of temperature and time. COD is the oxygen demand
that is consumed by both inorganic and organic matter present in the wastewater
sample. The chemical oxygen demand is expressed as the mass of oxygen
consumed over the volume of the solution. Its SI unit is milligrams per liter
(mg/l).
 Water Borne Diseases
Bacteria
Typhoid fever, Diarrhea, Cholera, Bacillary Dysentery
Virus
Jaundice, Poliomyelitis, Infection hepatitis
Protozoa
Amoebic dysentery