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TREATMENT OF TOWN WATER SUPPLY

The treatment procedures of Town water is very essential in the purification of large quantities
of water which are purposed to be supplied over a large area of land. Such procedures are
industrial (complex) and are adopted in water purification in most Water Board companies
around.
These procedures are grouped into 5:

a. Coagulation:

Here, the coagulation of dirt, dust and other filth substances in the water to be treated
coagulate on addition of Alum. Due to the chemical reaction that occurs between the water and
the added Alum, these particles immediately fuse together, thus forming large and heavier
particles of dirt in the water.

Action: The Addition of Alum element brings about the effect of coagulation of dirt particles in
water.

b. Sedimentation:

This is an aftermath of the coagulation process. Once dirt particles are coagulated in the water,
they form stronger, larger and heavier particles thus leading to an inevitable submergence to the
bottom of the containing vessel.

Action: The coagulated particles sink to the bottom of the vessel, natural process as a result
of the coagulation process.

c. Filtration:

This is one of the physical processes of water treatment. Here, the water is passed through a
sand bed – an effective filter bed that is able to trap particles as small as sand – where these
coagulated particles and other fine particles in the water are trapped and separated from the
water.

Action: The use of the sand bed is used to bring about the effective filtration of the water
from foreign particles.

d. Chlorination:

This is a major chemical process of water purification; it takes care of the chemical and
bacterial purification of the water. Chlorine (liquid) is added here, this in effect kills all germs,
bacteria etc in the water. This is due to the toxicity of chlorine; this therefore makes Chlorine the
germicide for water purification. A while after Chlorine addition, the strong effect of chlorine
begins to fade (represented as its string smell also begins to fade). A re-filtration or boiling
could be advisable.

Action: The addition of chlorine to the water kills all inherent germs in the water, thus
making the water chemically safe for drinking.

e. Supplementary:

This process is not just a supplementary process but also quite mandatory for the completion of
water purification. It involves the addition of fluorine and Iodine which help in the formation of
strong teeth and prevents goiter respectively. This is due to the possibility, that the water being
purified may not contain these vital elements.

Action: The addition of fluorine and iodine supplements the usefulness of the water being
purified to the body.

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