Water Treatment

Drinking Water Treatment

The objective of drinking (potable) water treatment is to produce a safe and aesthetically pleasing water. It is not sufficient to produce a safe water, because if it is not aesthetically pleasing some users may seek alternate, unsafe, supplies.

Drinking Water Quality Regulations

1914 -- bacteriological quality -- applicable only to water transported interstate (?)

1925 -- additional bacteriological quality plus metals: lead, zinc, copper

1942 and 1946 -- tighter standards on bacteriological quality

1962 -- pesticides standards

1974 -- Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

• The first enforceable federal drinking water quality standards
• SDWA gave enforcement of drinking water quality to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Greatly expanded the coverage -- supplies serving 25 persons daily for 60 or more days or more than 15 service connections were now covered
• 1979 -- trihalomethanes
• 1980 -- corrosion standards
  • corrosion dissolves copper, lead, zinc, etc. into the water

1991 -- additional corrosion standards

Water Treatment Process

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