Drinking water treatment and micropollutants

How to reduce contaminants, supply safe municipal water, and meet regulatory standards

Tight standards exist for over 50 substances found in surface and groundwater. It’s no wonder drinking water purification is a hot topic. How can you reduce potentially hazardous micropollutants to safe levels without using chemicals and whilst protecting the environment? The answer requires proven municipal water treatment systems and specialist water treatment expertise.

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What are drinking water micropollutants?

Micropollutants come from commonly used biological and chemical products. These include industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and pesticides. Metallic contaminants are another source of micropollutants. Some, such as iron and manganese, occur naturally. Others might come from infrastructure materials such as copper pipes. With micropollutants defined as ‘less than one microgram per litre’, trace quantities can enter the watercourse via wastewater, surface, or ground sources. They can cause damage to plants and aquatic life too, so to protect our climate we must manage them effectively. When you’re treating wastewater to supply drinking water to homes around the country, public health relies on controlling micropollutant levels. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) monitors municipal drinking water systems in the UK and advises the government regularly.

Trihalomenthanes (THMs) in drinking water

As well as managing micropollutants, water companies must control THMs forming in municipal drinking water treatment systems. THMs can develop when adding chlorine to water that contains high levels of organic material. Their concentration depends on the level of material, the amount of chlorine added, and the temperature of the water.

Whilst we recognise chlorine as a valuable addition for safe drinking water, the risk from THMs is inconclusive. Classed as ‘potentially carcinogenic’, the European legal limit for THMs in drinking water is 100 micrograms per litre. Studies into THMs continue. It’s understood you can inhale, ingest, and absorb them. So, municipal drinking water treatment systems must have a rigid process in place to control the level of THMs.

Actiflo® Carb : high-performance water clarification

There’s too much at stake to risk your drinking water quality. That’s why Veolia Water Technologies has helped water companies control micropollutants and THMs for decades. The Actiflo® Carb is a patented clarification process for water treatment. And it’s ideal for drinking water. Handling high water loads with ease, the process is fast and thorough.

Supporting you behind the scenes, Actiflo® Carb ensures you consistently provide safe drinking water to your customers. Talk to our experts about your next water treatment project. We can help you specify the best technology and manage your project. We can also keep you on the front foot with guidance on emerging drinking water purification trends.