The filtration of public water-supplies: Third edition, revised and enlarged.Hazen, Allen
Science
The filtration of public water-supplies: Third edition, revised and enlarged.
Hazen, Allen
Filters and filtration; Water-supply
Translating Mr. Fuller’s results into terms of turbidity, the 125
parts per million of suspended matters in the raw water represent a
turbidity of about 0.40, and the 30 to 70 parts of suspended matters in
the settled water represent turbidities from 0.20 to 0.40, the average
of 50 parts of suspended matters corresponding to a turbidity of about
0.30.
Upon this basis, then, sand filters are capable of treating raw waters
with average turbidities up to 0.40, or settled waters with average
turbidities up to 0.30, but waters more turbid than this are incapable
of being successfully treated without the use of coagulants or other
aids to the process. These results are in general accordance with
the results of the experiments at Pittsburg, and demonstrate that
while sand filters as generally used in Europe are adequate for the
clarification of many, if not most, river waters in the United States,
there are other waters carrying mud in such quantities as to make the
process inapplicable to them.
EFFECT OF MUD UPON BACTERIAL EFFICIENCY OF FILTERS.
The question is naturally raised as to whether or not the presence of
large quantities of mud in the raw water will not seriously interfere
with the bacterial efficiency of filters. Experiments at Cincinnati
and Pittsburg have given most conclusive and satisfactory information
upon this point. Up to the point where the effluents become quite
turbid, the mud in the raw water has no influence upon the bacterial
efficiency; and even somewhat beyond this point, with effluents so
turbid that they would hardly be suitable for the purpose of a public
water-supply, the bacterial efficiency remains substantially equal to
that obtained with the clearest waters. Only in the case of excessive
quantities of mud, where, for other reasons, sand filters can hardly
be considered applicable, is there a moderate reduction in bacterial
efficiency. As mentioned above, particles constituting turbidity are
often much smaller than the bacteria, and in addition, the bacteria
probably have an adhesive power far in excess of that of the clay
particles. For these reasons clay particles are able to pass filters
under conditions which almost entirely prevent the passage of bacteria.
On the other hand, it does not necessarily follow that the removal
of turbidity is accompanied by high bacterial efficiency. Although
this is often the case, there are marked exceptions, particularly in
connection with the use of coagulants, where very good clarification is
obtained, and notwithstanding this, effluents are produced containing
comparatively large numbers of bacteria.
LIMITS TO THE USE OF SUBSIDENCE FOR THE PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF MUDDY
WATERS.
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