Water treatments are critical to keep water safe for consumption and use, while also making the water more palatable by eliminating strange tastes and smells. Water goes through an extensive process, requiring multiple steps before it reaches your faucet, and it may need extra in-home treatments before use.

Removing Contaminants

Water includes both suspended and dissolved contaminants, so the first stage is to remove these contaminants. Contaminants include microorganisms, heavy metals, and other debris. The process of coagulation and flocculation addresses these issues. Chemicals are added to the water to cause particles to coagulate. To assist in the formation of clumps, or flocs, the water is mixed gently so the contaminants more readily form clumps. Flocculation must occur at a specific rate, otherwise, too much agitation of the water will cause the flocs to break, making it harder to remove the contaminants. After coagulation and flocculation, the water goes through the sedimentation process. During this stage, the flocs are filtered from the remaining water, which should be clear at this point but is still not safe to use.

Disease Prevention

Water can contain any number of disease-causing microbes, making the disinfection process one of the most critical for public safety. The water is typically disinfected using chemical agents like chlorine. Chemical agents eliminate microbes, but microbes can still enter the water at other places along the way. Before the disinfected water leaves the treatment plant, most of the disinfecting agent is removed. The small, remaining amount of disinfecting agent should be enough to prevent microbes from contaminating the water as it travels through pipes. Other disinfection methods include the use of ultraviolet light. However, this disinfection method is only effective at the treatment plant. To keep water microbe-free during its transit to homes and businesses, it will be necessary for residual amounts of chemical disinfectants to remain.

Improved Taste And Use

No matter how safe water is after processing, there can be residual issues that affect taste and water quality. If your water does not taste good or you experience hard water, it will be necessary to install whole-house systems to improve your water quality. Many people choose to install a water filter. Water filtration removes chemicals and other contaminants that might enter the water from pipes. There are several types of water filtration systems that might include UV light or passing the water through filters. You might also need water softening, which is a different issue. Sometimes water has high amounts of dissolved minerals, which prevent soaps from lathering and can cause buildup on appliances. Water softening systems make household water more effective for cleansing and reduce damage to appliances.

Water goes through an extensive process before it is considered safe to drink. Even water that is safe for consumption and use may need extra treatments before it reaches the ideal quality. For more information, contact a company like Quality Safe Water of Florida.