What is Potable Water & How is it Treated?

The Role of Water Treatment in Providing Safe Drinking Water

Potable water is water that is safe to drink or use for food preparation. The terms “potable water” and “drinking water” can be used interchangeably. If you’ve been wondering about the following questions, rest assured you’ve been safely consuming potable water your entire life:

• What is potable water?
• What is potable water used for?
• What is an example of potable water?

Potable water is taken from surface and groundwater sources. The federal government and state governments set benchmarks for water quality, and potable water is treated to meet all those standards, with measures for acceptable appearance, taste and smell.

Drinking water standards vary by state, but the goal is always the same: guarantee a clean water supply by removing contaminants from water. Dependable water treatment systems create a higher quality of life, so it’s essential to understand how water is contaminated, how it is treated and what part we all play in this process.

Understanding Potable Water Contamination

Until you think about it in depth, it’s difficult to know how many threats there are to safe drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency organizes these threats into four categories: organic contaminants, inorganic contaminants, radiological contaminants and waterborne pathogens.

• Organic contaminants: Pesticides and other industrial chemicals are common organic contaminants, often entering water through industrial and agricultural runoff. If untreated, organic contaminants can cause numerous health problems. 
• Inorganic contaminants: Non-carbon-based pollutants like metals, cyanides and mineral acids can cause neurological defects, most frequently in children. Heavy metals like lead have received national press coverage in the past decade, causing cancer, developmental effects and reproductive issues when appearing in drinking water. 
• Radiological contaminants: Radioactive material has been known to cause cancer when appearing in drinking water. Radon, plutonium and uranium are examples of this material. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers across the United States.
• Waterborne pathogens: Viruses, bacteria and parasites are bad news for your stomach, brain and eyes. These pathogens usually enter a water supply through feces and result in potentially fatal diseases like dysentery, diarrhea and cholera. Some waterborne diseases have been known to cause blindness, as well. 

These four categories are well-established, but as time marches on, our water treatment systems face other emerging threats. Pharmaceutical contaminants have become a greater issue in recent years, as have pollutants from livestock operations and invasive species.

Potable Water Reuse & Drinking Water

Potable water reuse is the process of treating wastewater to make it safe for consumption. This process is especially important in regions with limited water resources. There are two main methods for treating potable water: indirect potable reuse and direct potable reuse. 

Regardless of which method is used, consumers can be confident in the quality of their potable water. The Clean Water Act & Safe Drinking Water Act hold water treatment systems to a high standard, ensuring that everyone receives safe drinking water. 

Indirect Potable Reuse

During indirect potable reuse, treated wastewater is introduced into an environmental buffer before being removed and treated again. Lakes, rivers and reservoirs are examples of buffers. Treated water should mimic the natural dilution processes within these buffers—this further ensures its safety before being re-treated at a facility. 

Direct Potable Reuse

In direct potable reuse, water is treated and distributed without an environmental buffer. This process includes thorough quality monitoring and a multi-step purification ladder.

How the Drinking Water Treatment Process Works

The water treatment process can be broken down into four main steps: coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation and filtration. Let’s dive into how water starts at a natural source and eventually enters sinks and fountains throughout your community. 

Coagulation

After water reaches a treatment plant, chemicals are added to it. These chemicals make dirt and other pollutants group together. 

Flocculation

Flocculation is a continuation of coagulation. As water is mixed, particles continue grouping to form larger masses. These masses are called flocs. More chemicals are added during this phase, leading to further grouping. 

Sedimentation

Solids are separated from water during the sedimentation phase. Since flocs are heavier masses, they sink to the water’s bottom. 

Filtration

During filtration, several filters remove germs, parasites, chemicals and foul odors. Each filter has a different pore/hole size than the last. Some facilities use a process called ultrafiltration, which employs filters with very small pores to restrict passage, allowing only water and minute particles to pass through. 

Reverse osmosis is another water filtration method. It forces water through semi-permeable membranes, filtering particles based on their molecular weight. A water treatment facility may use reverse osmosis to treat recycled water or salt water. 

Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Drinking Water for the Future with AQUALIS

Water is our most precious resource, which is why governments and treatment plants take so many steps to ensure water safety and compliance. Managing water quantity and quality is no easy task, especially for property managers, but AQUALIS’s sustainable water engineering experts know how to help.

We provide potable water testing and water quality testing to ensure that your properties are safe, sustainable and government-compliant. If we find problems with your system, we can build innovative and compliant plans to quickly restore safe drinking water. We use a mix of natural and engineered strategies to address the issue at its source, benefitting your properties and your surrounding community. 

A safer water supply builds a safer future. Take the first step by contacting AQUALIS today. Together, we can effect change that protects your community, lowers costs and preserves the environment.

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