The Journey from Source to Tap
💧 The Journey from Source to Tap
Water treatment plants are like giant cleaning factories! Raw water enters dirty and contaminated, goes through multiple cleaning stages (screening, settling, filtering, disinfecting), and comes out pure and safe. Just like a car wash has different stages — rinse, soap, scrub, final rinse — water treatment has screening, sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination!
Chemistry glossary
- What is potable water?
- Water that is safe to drink (low levels of dissolved salts and microbes)
Water pollution comes from three main sources that contaminate our rivers, lakes, and groundwater supplies.
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🧠 Memory Aids
SSFC — The 4 stages of drinking water treatment:
S.S.F.C. = "Some Students Find Chemistry (easy!)"
- Screening — removes large debris with grids
- Sedimentation — particles settle under gravity
- Filtration — sand and gravel remove smaller particles
- Chlorination — kills remaining microorganisms
For sewage treatment, remember P-B-C (Physical, Biological, Chemical):
- Primary = Physical (screening + settling tanks)
- Biological = Bacteria break down organic matter
- Chemical/Tertiary = Chemical disinfection (Higher Tier)
Potable vs Pure: "POTable water is POTentially drinkable but not necessarily pure."
Now try it yourself
Quiz · Question 1 of 23
What does the term 'potable water' mean?
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This topic in real past papers
Every real exam question we've found on water treatment, with a full worked answer.