In order to have clean drinking water, safety regulations and proper testing and treatment procedures have to be in place, and provincial laboratories must process the majority of tests to look for microbiological contaminants. These measures will help maintain quality control and will detect problems right away.
Such safeguards help those in Edmonton have clean drinking water, and treatment systems help protect the water source to prevent any deterioration in the distribution system. Treatments consist of basic processes, and most utilities place their intake parts at deep parts of the river, after which this raw water is temporarily held to allow some of the solids to drop out. Sometimes, the raw water is pumped directly to the treatment plant, and at this point of the process, a coagulant is added, and the water is mixed to create clumps of particles, which settle at the bottom of a clarifying basin so that sledge can then be removed.
Next, the water is filtered, and sand is used in Edmonton for this process. It is important to achieve a low turbidity in drinking water, and this refers to cloudiness, which occurs whenever particles are suspended in the water. Contaminants like bacteria and even viruses can become attached to the suspended solids in drinking water, so high turbidity would mean that contaminants are at a high level, which would be very problematic. Treatment plants aim for low turbidity levels, and once this is achieved, disinfection will follow. This last step will kill any remaining microbes, and in most cases, some form of chlorination is used.
Microbiological pathogens are the main focus of water testing, and the city requires that all utilities ensure its treatment facilities are working properly. This includes the constant monitoring of turbidity and chlorination of the treated water. It is generally assumed that if the treated water is consistently clear and contains disinfectant, it should be safe from microbial hazards. In addition to this kind of testing, the province also asks that each utility check the performance of its filters once per day along with the water’s acidity and temperature. Utilities must also grab samples of drinking water from the community, and this must be done at least once a day. Samples can be acquired from the town reservoir, public places, local businesses, and even kitchen taps. These samples allow them to test for turbidity and chlorination to ensure that at least some level of disinfectant remains in the water as it moves through the pipes from wells to the cities.
If you’d like information about wastewater management, Taber Solids Control can help. Our team is committed to safety, and we offer rental centrifuges, dredges and other wastewater management equipment. Our tools will make a big difference, so contact us today if you are looking for effective water treatment solutions!