Functions of Units of Water Treatment Plants

1. Intake Well:
• Intake Wells are used for collecting water from the surface sources
such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs and conveying it to the water
treatment plant.
• These structures are masonry or concrete structures and provides
relatively clean water that is free from pollution, sand and
objectionable floating material.

2. Screen:
• Screening is the first unit operation used at Wastewater
treatment plants (WWTPs).
• Screening removes objects such as rags, paper, plastics and metals
to prevent damage and clogging of downstream equipment,
piping and appurtenances.
• Some modern wastewater treatment plants use both coarse
screens and fine screens.
3. Aerators:
• Aerators are various devices used for aeration or mixing air with
another substance such as soil or water. These devices are used to
add oxygen to the water.
• It brings water and air in close contact in order to remove dissolved
gases (such as carbon dioxide) and oxidizes dissolved metals such as
iron, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).

4. Coagulant Tank:
• It is used to add a coagulant into the water to be treated.
• A Coagulant (typically a metallic salt) with the opposite charge is
added to the water to overcome the repulsive charge (Colloidal
particles) and "destabilize" the suspension.
• Alum is the most commonly used coagulant.
5. Flash Mixer:
• The main function of the flash mixer is to properly mix the added
coagulants. It undergoes a mixing process called Flash mixing.
• Rapid or Flash mixing is the process by which a coagulant is rapidly
and uniformly dispersed through the mass of water.
• The chemicals introduced into the water stream will attract any very
fine particles such as silt, that will not readily settle or filter out and
hence make them clump together.

6. Clariflocculator:
• Clariflocculator is a combination of flocculation and clarification in a
single tank.
• By doing flocculation process “Flocs” are formed and when the flocs
settle down they are removed by clarification.
7. Filter Beds:
• Filter beds help remove the fine and colloidal particles present in water.
• Sand filters are the commonly used filters which are Rapid sand filters and
Slow sand filters.

8. Disinfection:
• It helps to kill micro-organisms and also destroy organic impurities.
• Microorganisms are destroyed or deactivated, resulting in termination of
growth and reproduction.
• When microorganisms are not removed from drinking water, drinking
water usage will cause people to fall ill.

9. Distribution System:
• The purpose of distribution system is to deliver water to consumer with
appropriate quality, quantity and pressure.
• Distribution system is used to describe collectively the facilities used
to supply water from its source to the point of usage.
• Water quality should not get deteriorated in the distribution pipes.