Do you want to know the process behind treating water? Do you want to know how water treatment plants work? Then you are in the right place. Water plays a critical role in our everyday life. But we often don’t realize that there’s extensive treatment work done before the water reaches our taps.
If you were to ask a person on the street how water treatment plants work, they would tell you they’re unsure. And that’s okay—until it’s not. What do we mean by this? We suggest that, unless you’re in the business of water treatment, chances are you don’t know much about the process.
But here’s the thing: if you keep consuming and drinking water without knowing how it’s treated, sooner or later, it will affect your health—and not in a good way.
So let’s change that! By taking just a few minutes to read this article, you can arm yourself with the knowledge to make informed choices about your water consumption for years to come. And if you’re already in the water treatment industry, this article has everything you need to stay ahead of the curve and up-to-date on all the latest information in your field.
Canada’s water quality is one of the best globally, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. One of Canada’s most common forms of pollution control in wastewater treatment.
Wastewater treatment plants play a vital role in keeping Canada’s water clean and safe to drink. These plants treat wastewater from homes, businesses, and industries all over the country. They process and purify our water to be safely released into lakes and rivers.
The majority of wastewater treatment plants in Canada use a process called “secondary treatment.” This is because secondary wastewater treatment is the cheapest way to treat wastewater. In fact, it’s so cheap that the Canadian government is even subsidizing this wastewater treatment method.
1. Bar Screening
As the wastewater enters the plant, large objects—such as rags and trash—are removed by a bar screen. The bar screen is a steel grate with small openings for water to pass through. Anything bigger than those openings gets stopped by the bars.
2. Screening
Next, the water is screened before entering the rest of the system. Screening can remove any remaining debris and grit (like sand or small rocks) using a grit chamber or screen. Debris and grit can damage equipment and prevent water filtration later in the process.
3. Primary Clarifier
We separate solid organic matter from wastewater during this part of the process. The primary clarifier removes most of the suspended solids and oils from the wastewater. That’s because solids and oils naturally tend to float to the surface. They form a thick layer called “sludge when they get there.”