water treatment
Making water safe
Water treatment is the process of improving water quality for a specific purpose—drinking, industrial use, irrigation, or safe return to the environment.
Municipal water treatment removes contaminants and adds disinfectants to make tap water safe.
Wastewater treatment processes sewage before discharge.
The city upgraded its water treatment plant after contamination concerns.
Disinfecting with a halogen
- ozonationDisinfection using O3 gas
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
- chloramineNitrogen-chlorine disinfecting compound
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
sterilization · germicidal · chlorine dioxide · bromine · iodine · oxidation · residual chlorine · contact time
Thin tissue sheet
- reverse osmosisPressure-driven membrane filtration
- activated carbonPorous charcoal for filtration
- sand filterGranular water purification system
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
screen · strainer · clarification · coagulation · flocculation · cartridge · permeate · diatomaceous earth
Liquid refuse in drains
- effluentDischarged liquid waste
- greywaterLight household wastewater
- septicInfected with bacteria
- sewerageWastewater removal infrastructure
sludge · biosolids · clarifier · lagoon · digester · nitrification · denitrification · COD
Purification via vaporization
- deionizationRemoval of ionic content
- softeningBecoming less firm
- aerationInfusing with oxygen
- desalinationExtracting salt from seawater
adsorption · dechlorination · demineralization · polishing · condensate · brackish · alkalinity · conductivity
Recovery of something lost
- recyclingReprocessing used materials
- rainwater harvestingGathering precipitation for later use
- non-potableNot safe to drink
- closed-loopSystem with feedback control
Waste disposal fixtures
- latrinesCommunal pit toilets
- hygienePractices maintaining cleanliness
- public healthCommunity-level disease prevention
- excretaDischarged bodily waste
handwashing · contamination · potable · cholera · typhoid · dysentery · borehole · cistern
chlorination
Disinfecting with a halogen
- ozonationDisinfection using O3 gas
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
- chloramineNitrogen-chlorine disinfecting compound
disinfectant · sterilization · germicidal · chlorine dioxide · bromine · iodine · oxidation · residual chlorine · contact time · cryptosporidium
membrane
Thin tissue sheet
- reverse osmosisPressure-driven membrane filtration
- activated carbonPorous charcoal for filtration
- sand filterGranular water purification system
sedimentation · screen · strainer · clarification · coagulation · flocculation · cartridge · permeate · diatomaceous earth · sieve
sewage
Liquid refuse in drains
sewerage · sludge · biosolids · clarifier · lagoon · digester · nitrification · denitrification · COD · outfall
distillation
Purification via vaporization
- deionizationRemoval of ionic content
- softeningBecoming less firm
- aerationInfusing with oxygen
desalination · adsorption · dechlorination · demineralization · polishing · condensate · brackish · alkalinity · conductivity
reclamation
Recovery of something lost
- recyclingReprocessing used materials
- rainwater harvestingGathering precipitation for later use
- non-potableNot safe to drink
toilets
Waste disposal fixtures
- latrinesCommunal pit toilets
- hygienePractices maintaining cleanliness
- public healthCommunity-level disease prevention
excreta · handwashing · contamination · potable · cholera · typhoid · dysentery · borehole · cistern
- water supplywells, pumps, pipes, freshwater, pumping stations
- sanitationsewage, sewers, cleaning, sewer, disinfecting
- water systemsirrigation ditches, irrigation, pipes, tanks, wells
- utilitieselectricity, public utilities, gas service, gas, power
- cleanup costsoil spill cleanup, waste disposal, debris removal, disposal fees, decontamination
- environmental serviceswaste management, remediation, air quality, recycling, pollution control
water treatmentwater contamination
Harmful substances in drinking supply
water pollution · water poisoning · contamination · pollution · toxic runoff
water, treat, treatment, watery, watered, treated, watering, treats, waters