Optimisation of coagulation and chlorination in drinking water treatment: laboratory and full-scale studies

The paper deals with laboratory and full-scale studies aimed at optimising treatment processes at the Balkfontein plant of Sedibeng Water in South Africa. The raw water is highly eutrophic and contains a large fraction of treated effluent from domestic and industrial sources as well as agricultural runoff. The eutrophic nature and changing raw water quality give rise to many operational difficulties and high treatment costs as well as problems with the final water quality. Optimisation of the coagulation and chlorination processes was seen as a cheaper solution to these problems than to install advanced processes such as ozonation and activated carbon adsorption that would add greatly to treatment costs. The laboratory studies indicated that through optimisation of coagulation-flocculation and by replacement of pre-chlorination by intermediate chlorination (after primary sedimentation) most of the treatment problems could be solved and final water of the required quality produced without a large increase in treatment costs.