Chemicals Used in Water Treatment
What each treatment chemical does, how to dose it, how to handle it safely, and the feed math to check it, taught through a surface water plant and a small well system.
CEUs not yet approved, for learning only
Who it is for
Small and medium system water operators, including operators who hold both water and wastewater licenses, and anyone who orders, stores, feeds or checks treatment chemicals.
Format
Online, self-paced. Take it when it suits your shift.
Length and price
4 hours, $120.
What you will learn
10 modules. Worked examples use fictional drinking water systems.
- The Chemical Toolbox and How Strength Is ExpressedWhy water plants feed chemicals, where each is fed at White River and Cedar Grove, certification of treatment chemicals, and how strength is stated (percent, trade percent, specific gravity, lb/gal).
- Coagulants, Coagulant Aids and Filter AidsHow coagulation works (charge neutralization and sweep floc), alum, ferric salts and polyaluminum chloride, alkalinity use, polymers, and enhanced coagulation for TOC removal.
- Jar Testing and Coagulant Dose ControlRunning a jar test, making stock solutions, reading the jars, streaming current and turbidity trends, and signs of under and over dosing.
- pH, Alkalinity and Adjustment ChemicalspH and alkalinity in plain words, why pH matters for coagulation, disinfection and corrosion, and caustic soda, lime, soda ash and carbon dioxide.
- Chlorine: Gas, Sodium Hypochlorite and Calcium HypochloriteThe three forms of chlorine, available chlorine, effect on pH, storage and strength loss, chlorate, gas cylinder basics and emergency response.
- Fluoride Chemicals and Feed ControlFluoride chemicals, the recommended level and federal limits, natural fluoride, feed calculations, overfeed protection and policy changes.
- Corrosion Control and OrthophosphateWhere lead and copper come from, Lead and Copper Rule concepts, pH and alkalinity control, orthophosphate, blended phosphates and sequestering, and the effect on the wastewater plant.
- Oxidants and Adsorbents: Permanganate and Powdered CarbonPotassium permanganate for manganese, iron and taste and odor, stoichiometric doses, pink water, and powdered activated carbon for geosmin and MIB.
- Chemical Safety, Storage and HandlingSafety data sheets, PPE, unloading procedures, labeling and locked fill lines, containment, incompatible pairs, eyewash and showers, and spill and release response.
- Chemical Feed CalculationsThe pounds formula, solution gallons per day, feed pump mL/min, drawdown calibration, dilution, percent strength and days of supply, with White River and Cedar Grove problems.
What operators take away
- Why each chemical is fed, where, and what goes wrong when the dose is off.
- Strength terms (percent, trade percent, specific gravity, lb/gal) that make feed math work.
- A safe unloading and storage routine, and the chemical pairs that must never meet.
- Feed math you can check yourself: pounds per day, gallons per day, mL/min, pump calibration and days of supply.
- A certification quiz for paid students, and a certificate of completion from Wastewater Academy™ when you pass it. The certificate does not carry CEU credit.
- A student manual to download (comes with the class).
Look inside
A few sample pages from the student manual. Tap a page to open it full size.
These are sample pages only. The full student manual comes with the class.
Register
4 hours, $120.
CEUs for this class are not yet approved in any state. If you need CEU credit, please wait; we'll announce approval here. Purchase is for learning only.
Need CEU credit? Ask us to tell you when CEUs are approved (tell us your state and this class), or email help@ActivatedSludge.com.
Registration is open for learning only. At checkout you confirm that you understand this class has no CEU credit yet.
After you pay, you are taken to a page where you download the student manual. The class includes a certification quiz, which opens for you after you pay, and a certificate of completion from Wastewater Academy™ when you pass it. Online access, including the manual, quiz, and certificate, lasts 90 days from purchase.
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