What are the Reasons for Water Treatment?
Water treatment helps keep the water safe for people, the environment, and industry use by removing harmful toxins and bacteria that may be lurking in the water.
Safer Water for People
People often don’t think about where the water they use comes from. The water must undergo an entire water treatment process for it to become safe to use. A few things water treatment can remove from the water include:
- Bacteria
- Parasites
- Viruses
- Chemicals
- Minerals
Since these are not ideal for humans to encounter, water treatment can remove almost all the potentially harmful substances found in the water. Treating the water helps prevent sickness and disease.
Discharging Water into the Environment
Wastewater needs to be treated before being discharged back into the environment to meet standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If the water does not meet the standards of removal prior to discharging into the environment, companies can face hefty fines and penalties until the effluent water meets the standards. When wastewater is treated properly, it is often cleaner than the water source it is being discharged into shown by turbidity and microbiological tests.
Industrial Water Treatment
With a high mineral content found in water, problems arise for use in industry. The minerals can build up in components of equipment, like boilers, resulting in scaling. Scaling can lead to several issues including:
- Reduces Performance
- Decreases energy efficiency
- Increases operational costs
- Shutting down equipment for cleaning
Water treatment processes can be used to remove minerals so, these problems occur less frequently allowing for smooth operation and a more efficient plant.
Water Treatment Techniques
By using a combination of the following techniques, source water or wastewater can become equally usable for use in industry, human use, or environmental discharge.
- Coagulation
- Flocculation
- Sedimentation
- Filtration
- Disinfection
- Distillation
Looking for Water Treatment Chemicals?
For all your water treatment needs, Ecolink is here to help! Contact us or request a quote to find the right chemicals for you!
