Nothing refreshes like a cool drink of water on a hot day. When you fill a glass from your faucet, you rarely consider how far the water has come — yet each drop travels through multiple stages that protect your health. Let's walk the journey of water to your tap.
Water Sources: Where the Adventure Begins
Our drinking water starts as groundwater or surface water. Groundwater comes from rock or sediment that holds water, called aquifers. Surface water includes lakes, rivers, and streams.
Some communities harvest rainwater or recycle wastewater into drinking supplies. Others rely on desalination to purify salt water. Every system adapts to local challenges while working to keep your water safe.
The First Stop: Water Treatment Plants
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces the Safe Drinking Water Act. As part of the Act, drinking water must undergo filtration and treatment. Here's what happens at a water treatment plant:
- Coagulation: Chemicals added to the water bind dirt and particles together.
- Flocculation: During flocculation, the particles form larger clusters, known as floc.
- Sedimentation: In this stage, solids and water separate. Floc weighs more than water, so it sinks to the bottom, leaving clear water on top.
- Filtration: Clear water passes through different filters, such as gravel, sand, or charcoal. This process removes germs and impurities.
- Disinfection: Low levels of disinfectant in the water kill pipe-dwelling germs on the way to your tap. Some plants use ozone or ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect the water.
Next Stop: Storage and Distribution
Treated water sits in large storage tanks or towers until needed. Storing the water ensures a dependable supply for drinking, bathing, and fire suppression. To reach your tap, the water enters a vast network of underground pipelines, which run under sidewalks and streets.
Final Stop: Your Tap
Your drinking water's journey ends when you turn on your faucet, tapping into the public water distribution network using a private service line. Pressure from the storage tanks pushes the water through your tap and into your glass.
Understanding your drinking water's journey will help you appreciate the effort behind every sip. It's also a reminder that water quality can vary. Extra filtration measures are your best bet for the cleanest, safest water.
Add Home Filtration for More Peace of Mind
Enjoy fresher, healthier water with water treatment services from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Our licensed plumbers will test your water, recommend solutions, and maintain your system. We install whole-home filters, reverse osmosis systems, and water softeners to prevent mineral deposits. Financing options available.
Give us a call or contact us online to get started today.
