Water Supply & Treatment

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to water supply and treatment.

Water sources

Oceans (≈90% of Earth's water), glaciers/snow, groundwater, surface water, atmosphere.

Groundwater

Water stored in aquifers, pores of sand, gravel, or fractured rock.

Flocculation

Gentle agitation that allows tiny particles to collide and form larger flocs that settle.

Disinfection

Processes to kill or inactivate microbes, typically using agents like chlorine, ozone, or UV light.

Filtration system

Process where water passes through filter media to remove suspended solids.

Rapid mixing

The quick dispersion of coagulants in water, typically occurring in 10-30 seconds.

Coagulation

Addition of chemicals (like alum) to neutralize particle charges and allow floc formation.

Sedimentation

Gravity removal of flocs in clarifiers where heavier particles settle out of the water.

Chloramines

Compounds formed when chlorine reacts with ammonia; extend chlorine's disinfection residual.

Trihalomethanes (THMs)

Disinfection by-products created when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter; regulated due to carcinogenic potential.

Solar disinfection (SODIS)

A method using sunlight to inactivate microbes in water contained in clear PET bottles.

Aeration

The process of injecting air into water, helping to remove volatile compounds and improve taste.

Anaerobic digestion

Biological conversion of organic sludge to methane-rich biogas and stabilized biosolids.

Municipal solid waste (MSW)

Consists of various waste materials from households, industrial, and commercial sources.

Hazardous waste

Wastes that pose a threat to human health or the environment, regulated under RCRA.

Oxidation ponds

Shallow, sun-lit basins where algae produce oxygen for aerobic degradation of organics.

Augmented water supply

Using treated wastewater for irrigation, industrial processes, or groundwater recharge.

Gravity settling

Passive removal of suspended solids by allowing them to fall out of water column under gravity.

Cationic polymers

High-molecular-weight organic polymers that help bridge particles together as coagulant aids.