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Water treatment plants are facilities that remove contaminants from water so it can be used for drinking or other purposes. The process of treating contaminated water includes four operations. The first of these is pre-treatment. Since the water will be passing through pumps and other equipment, it is necessary to remove large objects such as [...]

Water treatment plants are facilities that remove contaminants from water so it can be used for drinking or other purposes. The process of treating contaminated water includes four operations. The first of these is pre-treatment. Since the water will be passing through pumps and other equipment, it is necessary to remove large objects such as trash, sticks and leaves. The most basic pre-treatment process is screening in which the water passes through mesh filters, ensuring that there is nothing large enough to clog the system or damage equipment. After this, there are various operations to remove contaminants. Depending on the location, size of the facility and the specific needs of the area, one or all of these may be used. One pre-treatment process performed in many water treatment plants is the removal of grit. The water passes into a chamber where its speed is reduced so grit, rocks and other objects will settle to the bottom. While some smaller facilities do not find this necessary, it is generally done in larger plants. Another pre-treatment process is the removal of grease and fat. Since these are lighter than water, they tend to float to the surface where they can be skimmed off. To help this happen, the water is passed into a chamber where one of two methods are used. The first method is to use air blowers in the base of the tank to whip the grease into a froth that can be removed by skimmers. The second method is to use chemical products called primary clarifiers to encourage the grease to rise to the surface so the skimmers can do their work. After pre-treatment, the water is put through three more processes called primary, secondary and tertiary treatment. Primary treatment continues the operation of removing sludge, grease and oil. The water is placed in sedimentation tanks where the grease is skimmed off the top and the sludge is removed through openings in the bottom of the tank. This removes about 50 to 70 per cent of suspended solids. Secondary treatment involves using natural bacteria and protozoa to cause chemical changes in biological contaminants. These microorganisms are able to eat fats, sugars and organic carbon. They can also remove many other materials by binding them into a substance called floc that settles to the bottom. Tertiary treatment is the final process used to restore the water to usable quality before releasing it into the environment. This may involve the use of filtration or the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus to discourage the growth of algae. If there is a problem with disease-bearing microorganisms in the water, it may have to be disinfected using ozone, chlorine, ultraviolet light or sodium hypochlorite. If you are seeking a wastewater treatment plant in Perth, Western Australia, Tristar Water is a Perth based company specialising in wastewater technologies, water treatment and recycling.