1. Our water source. The Youghiogheny River.
2. Intake screens keep large debris such as sticks, rocks, and leaves from
entering the treatment plant.
3. Bulk tank where raw water is collected and in-flow chemicals are added.
4. These chemicals are added to the raw water during pre-treatment.
5. Large pumps that send the water into the treatment plant.
6. The mixer makes sure all in-flow chemicals are thoroughly mixed into the raw
water.
7. Claricones are where water is held to allow larger suspended particles to
drop to the bottom. Cleaner water is gathered from the top.
8. Cleaner water coming from the claricones slowly percolates through a
charcoal/sand/gravel filter to remove very small particles.
9. Chemicals are added to the final water for disinfection, corrosion control
and fluoridation.
10. The clearwell is a large storage area where finished water is held prior to
being pumped into the distribution system.
11. Powerful pumps send the finished water out into the distribution system.
12. Water is stored in large tanks to allow for system demand and fire
protection.
13. Customers enjoy safe, clean water.
14. The backwash water storage tank holds water that is used when the filters
are periodically cleaned.
15. The sediment from the claricones is fed into a thickener where it gathers
into a "sludge" texture.
16. The sludge pump sends the sludge to the belt filter press.
17. The belt filter press "squeezes" all of the water out of the
sludge.
18. The backwash water settling tank contains the water coming from the belt
filter press and from
the filters when they are cleaned.
19. Dried sludge is hauled away.
20. Recycled water is returned to the Youghiogheny River.
