3/15/24, 5:36 PM Water Treatment Process for Municipal Plants

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The Liquid Filtration Process for

Municipal Water Treatment
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It is estimated that in the United States about 34 billion gallons of wastewater is processed  OEM Stocked
every day. What are the steps in the treatment of municipal water? There are 5 important Products
steps in treating municipal water: chemical addition, coagulation and flocculation,  Staffed Experts
sedimentation and clarification, filtration, and disinfection. Let’s look at this process in  Hard to Find Items
further detail.
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Steps in the Municipal Water Treatment Home

Process Popular Articles

The process for treating municipal water includes 5 crucial steps that ensure clean and
• Understanding Micron
safe water.
Ratings
• Wye Strainer Sizing
Step 1: Chemical Addition Guide
Chemical addition is the process in which a chemical is added that reacts along with the • Pleated vs. Wound
natural alkalinity to form an insoluble precipitate. The chemicals help make the suspended Filter Cartridges
particles floating in the water clump together to form a gelatinous particle called a floc, • Raised Face vs. Flat
which is usually larger and heavier than a single particulate. Face Flanges
• Simplex vs. Duplex
There is a variety of different chemicals that can be used in this process. These chemicals Strainers
are called coagulants. Probably the most popular chemical used is aluminum sulfate or • Bag vs. Cartridge
alum. A few other coagulants are ferrous sulfate, sodium aluminate, ferric chloride, and Filters - How to Choose
manufactured chemicals, which are compounds called polymers. The polymers are • Filter Bag Sizing
classified as cationic polymers, anionic polymers, and nonionic polymers. No matter which Guide
coagulant or combination of coagulants are used, they must be mixed extremely well with
the water to form a heavier floc. Popular Brands We
Carry
Step 2: Coagulation and Flocculation
Coagulation and flocculation is where chemicals with a positive charge are added to the Caleffi Hydronic
water. These chemicals neutralize the negative charge of dirt and other dissolved particles Eaton Filtration
in the water. Particles bind with these chemicals, forming floc, similar to the process in the Filtration Group
chemical addition step. The treatment unit where coagulation and flocculation are (Nowata)
performed is called the “flocculator.” Hayward Flow Control
Filtration
Step 3: Sedimentation and Clarification Mueller Steam Specialty
Shelco Filters
After the flocculation process is complete, the water will then head over to the center of the Titan Flow Control
clarifier or sedimentation basin for sedimentation and clarification. The water will make Filtration
its way from the center of the clarifier to the saw tooth weir at the perimeter of the unit. The
large floc of particles are allowed to settle out to the bottom of the clarifier. A rake is Popular Liquid
continuously traveling across the bottom of the clarifier to scrape the floc to the middle of Filtration Products
the unit. To pull the settled sludge out of the clarifier and send it into a sedimentation or
disposal pond, pumps are used. With this process, the majority of suspended material can Model 72 Strainer by
be removed prior to clarification. This avoids overloading the filters and allowing more Eaton Help
water to be filtered before the filters are required to be backwashed.

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3/15/24, 5:36 PM Water Treatment Process for Municipal Plants

Step 4: Filtration Model 53 BTX Strainer

by Eaton
During the filtration process, clarified water enters the filters from above then is collected Model 85 Y Strainer by
in a drain system at the bottom of the filter unit. Filters are made up different materials or Eaton
media, such as sand or gravel. Granular activated carbon is becoming the media of choice Sentinel Filter Bags by
in many conventional plants because it provides mechanical filtration of particulate matter Micron
and it removes organic compounds which are often associated with taste and odor ST053030BR33TS - 3
problems. Inch Eaton 53BTX
Strainer
Step 5: Disinfection MAHLE Filter Cartridge
Elements
After the filtration process, the water is clear and as clean as it can get but there may still
Eaton SENTINEL Filter
be bacteria and viruses present. To destroy the viruses and bacteria, the disinfection
Bags (02)
process begins. In the United States, chlorination is commonly used for disinfection.
Shelco MicroSentry
Chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide, and hypochlorite are just a few of the different forms that
Filter Cartridges
chlorine comes in. Chlorine is added to the water in an amount that will ensure all
Eaton DURAGAF Filter
microorganisms are destroyed. Chlorine levels are continuously and very carefully
Bags
monitored by the water plants because enough chlorine must be added to ensure the water
Titan Flow Control
is disinfected but also to avoid excess that can cause taste and odor problems when
Replacement Parts
delivered to the customer.

Types of Filtration Systems Used for

Product Technical
Spec Sheets

Treating Municipal Water

Eaton Product Spec
A process that removes particles of a certain size from liquids is called liquid filtration. Sheets
Filtration systems vary based on the condition of the water coming into the system and the Caleffi Product Spec
required purity of the water to be reused after being filtered. Particle filtration and Sheets
membrane filtration are the two primary types of filtration municipal water treatment Hayward Product Spec
systems. Sheets
Mueller Product Spec
Particle Filtration Sheets
Shelco Product Spec
Particle filtration is a system using either mechanical or physical means to separate solids
Sheets
from liquids. For treatment of contaminated wastewater, particle filtration is commonly one
All Product Spec Sheets
of the first steps. Particle filtration takes place early in the treatment process because it is
by Brand
designed to remove solids measuring larger than one Micron. Cartridge filtration, bag
filtration, and self-cleaning filters are the three common filter types for particle filtration.

Cartridge Filtration is meant to trap particles, and even chemicals, using cartridge filters.
These filters utilize pleated fabric or another type of screen. Typically separated into two
categories, cartridge filters are either surface filters or depth filters. Surface filters retain
particles on the surface of the liquid while depth cartridge filters use a thick media to create
a twisted path that retains particles.

Bag filtration is a great option for smaller systems and applications where minimizing
waste is an important factor. Bag filters are in the shape of an elongated bag where
wastewater travels into the bag and solid particles from the water are caught, allowing only
clean water to flow through the pores of the bag. Depending on the different sized pores of
the bag, particles of various sizes can be caught, depending on the system's needs. Multi-
bag filtration allows for a higher flow rate within the system.

Self-cleaning filters set themselves apart from other filters because of their ability to clean
themselves, which is considered one of the most useful aspects of these filters. In high
demand, these filters are enabled to be customized with a number of different sizes and
materials. Self-cleaning filters are ideal within systems that cannot be shut down for
cleaning purposes. To remove debris, self-cleaning filters typically utilize mechanical
processes or backwashing.

Membrane Filtration
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3/15/24, 5:36 PM Water Treatment Process for Municipal Plants
When particle filtration alone is not sufficient for water reuse in municipal water treatment,
membrane filtration is typically the go to process. When the highest water quality is
required, membrane filtration systems are the most used. Reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration,
and microfiltration are the common types of membrane filtration.

The reverse osmosis process helps remove and reduce the presence of very small
organic particles. Reverse osmosis offers the highest level of filtration, helping filter out
contaminants other systems may not even be able to filter.

Where water is pushed through small pores of a filter between 5 and 100 nanometers,
ultrafiltration is used. This type of filtration is performed under low pressure. The system
helps remove silt, high molecular weight organic material, and even water borne pathogens
like viruses. At times, chemicals can also be added to the backwash of the filter to provide
additional aid in the cleaning process. Ultrafiltration and microfiltration are commonly used
prior to reverse osmosis treatment.

The Importance of the Municipal Water Treatment

Plants Process
Chemical addition, coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation and clarification, filtration,
and disinfection are the 5 steps in the liquid filtration process for cleaning municipal water.
The filtration process is important for many reasons: it allows for water companies to
reduce water, diminish possible chemical consumption, and lower their water use. If you
need filtration solutions for your municipal water treatment plant, check out Commercial
Filtration Supply’s filtration systems and filters today.

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