Treatment Process
The Water Treatment Process at Anderson Regional Water System
(Joint Water System)
The Joint Water System draws its raw water supply from the Six and Twenty Branch of Lake Hartwell. Lake Hartwell is an excellent source of water--a relatively abundant high quality supply.
Water from all rivers and reservoirs can contain a variety of organisms and inorganic material that must be removed at a water treatment plant before the water is safe for drinking and other uses. Different treatment plants can vary in the specific processes they use, but they generally follow the same basic steps.
In the water treatment process, a coagulant is added to the water to encourage suspended organic material to bind together into large clusters, called flocs. These flocs are heavier than water and, along with larger particles such as sand and silt, are allowed to settle out. This process removes over 80% of suspended matter in the water.
Smaller particles that do not settle out are removed in a separate filtering process. The Joint Water System employs a conventional dual media gravity filtering method for treating water at the plant. Under this method, the settled water is allowed to pass through layers of sand, anthracite coal, and gravel that capture any remaining particles. This method of separating water molecules from contaminants has been proven to be economical, safe and highly effective in producing high-quality treated water. Federal standard for removing suspended particles (turbidity) is 1 unit or less. The Lake Hartwell Treatment Plant averages 0.06 of 1 unit. Water that has been filtered has had over 99.99% of the suspended matter removed.
Next, the water travels to the filtration system. The filtration system removes any remaining floc that may be present after clarification. The filters are constructed of dual media containing anthracite coal and sand. Water flows down through the dual media system and yields high-quality, clean water.
Finally, to eliminate organisms that can cause disease or unpleasant odors and taste in water, a long-lasting disinfecting chemical is applied that will keep water safe and healthy for the days or weeks it may travel through pipelines to reach homes and businesses. The Joint Water System employs a mixed oxidant, or MIOX, system of disinfectant that is generated at the plant. MIOX has proven to be longer lasting and more effective in maintaining water quality in the distribution system than conventional gas chlorine while being safe to handle.
