Water is cleaned through a multi-stage process involving filtration and disinfection to remove impurities and make it safe for consumption.
Here's a breakdown of the common steps:
- Filtration: This process removes suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and toxic chemicals.
- Sand filters: Water is passed through beds of sand to trap solid particles.
- Gravel filters: Similar to sand filters, but using gravel for larger particle removal.
- Charcoal filters: These remove dissolved particles and impurities, often improving taste and odor.
- Disinfection: This final stage eliminates any remaining harmful microorganisms. The most common method is chlorination.
These steps can be further broken down:
- Coagulation and Flocculation: Chemicals are added to the water to clump together small particles into larger, heavier clumps called "floc."
- Sedimentation: The water, now containing floc, is allowed to sit undisturbed. The floc settles to the bottom due to its weight.
- Filtration (as described above): Removing remaining particles.
- Disinfection (as described above): Using chlorine or other disinfectants to kill pathogens.
These processes ensure that water is free from harmful contaminants and safe for drinking and other uses.
