The Water Authority gets its water from the New River.
The river is located appox. 2 miles west of the treatment plant.
The authority has 2 raw water pumping stations
located at the river.
In these stations we have traveling trash screens that remove most leaves,
sticks, algae, fish and other debris. Also located in these stations are 6
raw water pumps that pump the raw water directly to the treatment plant.
Once the water reaches the plant it is immediately dosed with chlorine to
kill most diease causing organism's. This also helps to eliminate any taste
and odor problems.
The water then goes into the flash mixer. This is a rapid mixer
that mixes chemicals with the raw water that contains fine particles
that will not settle or filter out of the water on their own.
At this point we also add Fluoride. Since there isn't enough fluoride in
the river water, a small amount must be added to aid in the proper
development of young peoples' teeth.
Next the water flows into the flocculators. These are slower
spinning mixers that gathers together fine, light particles with
the chemicals to form larger particles (floc) to aid the sedimentation
and filtration process.
The water then flows into the
settling basins. Here the
larger suspended particles settle to the bottom of the basins.
Next the water flows into the plant where the
filters are located.
These filters catch the remaining suspended particles that were too
light or small to settle out in the basins.
From the filters the water goes into the plant clearwell. This clearwell
holds 360,000 gallons. In the clearwell the water is chlorinated again to
kill any remaining disease causing organisms. This also provides for the
chlorine residual for the distribution system.
In the clearwell we also add caustic soda for pH control and a
corrosion inhibitor for the pipe system.
The water is now safe for consumption. It is delivered
to the public by 6 finished water pumps that take the water
out of the clearwell and deliver it to the
distribution system.
From River to Tap Glossary
