Water Treatment Has Evolved

Water being poured into a glass | Water treatmentEvidence of water treatment systems is traceable as far back as 2000 B.C. in ancient manuscripts written in Greece and India. Clean drinking water was difficult to obtain before modern sewage and water systems were in place. It was the murky water that provided the impetus for early water treatments.

But back then, little was known about microorganisms or chemical contaminants. The focus was as simple as making sure water was clear enough to drink.

Throughout history, mankind has made massive strides towards cleaner water. Presently, clean water is more readily available than ever before. Nowadays, water treatment progress and experimentation mainly focus on disinfection by-products.

A trihalomethane (THM) formation from chlorine disinfection is one example, where there was a link between these organics and cancer. Mankind has learned how to clean water, but now the focus has shifted to the development of water treatment processes that are increasingly safe and effective. Here are 4 ways this knowledge is being applied today:

1. Legionella Water Treatment

Someone rinsing their hands in water | Water treatmentRivers and streams naturally contain Legionellae; organisms that are only dangerous under specific conditions and high concentrations. While Legionella exists in natural bodies of water, they are relatively harmless in these natural states. It is uncommon for these bacteria to flourish enough to pose a significant health risk.

Historically, Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks have mostly occurred in industrial and commercial water supplies, like cooling towers and swimming pools. Legionnaires’ disease is an unpleasant variation of pneumonia, which is best avoided.

To avoid this risk, high-performance equipment and chemicals are requirements for treating legionella. It is important to find highly trained technical consulting experts who specialize in system facility operations, preventive care, and protection against Legionella by using state-of-the-art technology to track and report systems performance. This will get you the safest, most long-term results.

How Legionellae Spread

The Legionella bacteria grow and multiply in a building water system, spreading in small droplets small enough for people to breathe in. People can contract Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever through breathing in water droplets that contain these bacteria.

Occasionally, people can become ill by aspirating water contaminated with Legionella. When water accidentally enters the lungs while drinking, this can happen. Those with swallowing difficulties are at greater risk of aspiration.

2. Flocculation Water Treatment

Various beakers and vials filled with water | Water treatment methodsCoagulants and flocculants are used in all industrial water treatment processes. There is a wide range of particle sizes and charge requirements in wastewater slurries. Solids are separated from wastewater using an optimal coagulant and flocculant treatment, which requires precise dosages.

The molecular weight and charge are matched to the slurry’s unique characteristics to improve performance. High-quality dry-powder flocculants will exhibit consistent quality and high active polymer content.

An effective proprietary sieving process eliminates dust fines and reduces human exposure and slippery residue in the makedown area. When combined with a dry polymer process, which achieves high molecular weights, costs are reduced.

When you choose a water treatment company like ChemREADY, you can also consider investing in high-performance emulsion flocculants. An emulsion breaker, when combined with a carrier system, results in reduced polymer emulsion settling rates and low formation of insoluble material. If you’re seeking this level of quality, ChemREADY can deliver.

Water treatment cooling tower from ChemREADY

3. Cooling Tower Treatment

Cooling tower water treatment solutions do much more than just protect cooling systems from corrosion, deposits, and microbiological growth. The right cooling tower treatment solutions can maximize the life of a system while keeping energy, water, and maintenance costs low.

4. Soda Ash Water Treatment

There are three main options typically represented in the marketplace for Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) when faced with treating alkalinity: magnesium hydroxide, lime slurry, and caustic soda. The following outlines the good and the bad of each, hopefully providing needed guidance for decision-making at WWTPs. This depends on the plant’s final requirements and its discharge permit.

The use of the following chemicals will address and adjust Alkalinity issues in your plants, and provide the best soda ash water treatment:

  • Magnesium Hydroxide,
  • Lime Slurry
  • Soda Ash
  • Caustic Soda

Most wastewater treatment plants involve using select filtration technologies and chemical products to remove toxic or damaging impurities from cooling tower systems. Through cooling tower water treatment, you can solve the top cooling tower issues, including:

  • Biofilm and fouling
  • Dirt and fine particulate
  • Scale
  • Corrosion
  • Excessive Foam

What Chemicals Should I Use for My Cooling Tower Water Treatment?

Finding the right chemicals to treat cooling tower water requires an analysis of both system and water, as well as a sound understanding of what specific problems are present. Chemically treating water will balance the chemical properties of the water, decreasing the chances of issues. To achieve an optimal chemical balance, ChemREADY may suggest a combination of the following:

  • Water softeners and ion exchangers
  • Corrosion and scale inhibitors
  • Biocides and algaecides
  • Anti-foaming agents
  • pH adjusters

It is also of note that wastewater treatment plants function best at some ideal pH and a minimum threshold of alkalinity. Without these conditions, helpful microorganisms will not survive. Too often, the values of pH and alkalinity are incorrectly used interchangeably. The value of a thorough understanding of each parameter’s true relationship to biological stability and optimal performance cannot be understated. Luckily these technicalities are not lost in translation at ChemREADY.

Want to learn more about water treatment methods. Visit ChemREADY’s website to browse their products and learn everything you need to know about advanced water treatment.

ChemREADY | The Clear Choice for Water Clarity
By Published On: July 21, 2021Categories: Water Treatment4.8 min read900 wordsViews: 636