Veepuhastusjaam

Veepuhastusjaam, often translated as water treatment plant, is a facility dedicated to making raw water suitable for a specific purpose, most commonly for drinking or for industrial use. The process involves a series of physical, chemical, and biological treatments to remove impurities, contaminants, and pathogens.

The initial stage typically involves screening to remove large debris such as leaves, branches, and plastic. Following screening, sedimentation, also known as clarification, allows suspended solids to settle out of the water by gravity. This is often aided by coagulants and flocculants, which cause smaller particles to clump together, forming larger, heavier flocs that settle more readily.

Next, filtration is employed to remove remaining suspended particles. Various filtration methods exist, including sand filters, multimedia filters, and membrane filters, each with different pore sizes and efficiencies. After filtration, disinfection is a crucial step to kill harmful microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Common disinfection methods include chlorination, ozonation, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation.

Additional treatments may be necessary depending on the source water quality and the intended use of the treated water. These can include activated carbon filtration to remove dissolved organic compounds that cause taste and odor issues, ion exchange to remove specific dissolved ions, and pH adjustment to ensure water is not corrosive or scale-forming. The treated water is then stored and distributed through a network of pipes. Regular monitoring and testing are performed throughout the treatment process to ensure the water meets required quality standards.