Industries
Surface Water Treatment
Bringing river, lake and reservoir raw water up to drinking and process water standard.
Raw water drawn from rivers, lakes and reservoirs swings widely in turbidity, colour, organic matter and microbiological load with the season and rainfall. That variability means surface water treatment plants must be designed for a range rather than a single operating point. The classic flow sheet runs coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation and filtration, with disinfection added for potable duty. In coagulation the dosed chemical neutralises the charge on colloidal particles so they can stick together. Flocculation then grows those particles into settleable flocs under slow mixing. Sedimentation separates the flocs; where land is tight, lamella plate packs multiply the settling surface within the same tank. Filtration captures the remaining suspended matter. The most critical point in this chain is coagulant dose. Turbidity can multiply within hours after rainfall; on a plant running a fixed dose that means either chemical waste or inadequate treatment. Automatic dosing driven by online turbidity measurement both lowers chemical cost and keeps outlet quality stable. Where lake sources suffer algal blooms or natural organic matter is high, an ozone or activated carbon stage is added; it resolves taste and odour complaints permanently and reduces the risk of trihalomethane formation during chlorination.
Problems We Solve
- Seasonal turbidity swings
- Coagulant dosing must self-adjust from online measurement after rainfall spikes; a fixed dose creates both waste and risk.
- Algae, taste and odour
- Blooms in lake sources blind filters and trigger consumer complaints. An ozone or activated carbon stage provides a lasting answer.
- Disinfection by-products
- Chlorination with high natural organic matter raises trihalomethane formation risk; the organics must be removed before chlorine.
- Backwash efficiency
- Uneven nozzle distribution causes channelling and shortens filter runs. Combined air-water washing cleans more effectively with the same water volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which process suits which source?
The decision follows raw water analysis — turbidity, total organic carbon, colour and microbiological parameters. A series of samples across different periods should be assessed, not a single one, so seasonal variation is visible.
Can the plant run fully automatically?
Yes. Automatic dosing driven by online turbidity, pH and chlorine measurement minimises operator intervention, and remote monitoring with alarm management can be set up over SCADA.
What does using lamella packs gain?
Many times the settling surface in the same footprint. Added to an existing clarifier, they allow a capacity increase without building a new tank.
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