At the onset of its existence, no one had to think about treating America’s wastewater. Left to nature, the purification process took place slowly but surely. However, now that the population has grown by leaps and bounds and additional contaminants are being allowed to filter into the water supply, measures need to be taken in order to assist with nature’s cleaning process. The Clean Water Act of 1972 was created to be used as a basis for maintaining the country’s most important resource, clean water. Municipal water treatment has become a part of our daily lives.

Up until the mid twentieth century, the nation’s waterways in urban areas were filled with pollutants, but no one was overly concerned about it. In today’s world, however, we not only realize that clean drinking water is a precious commodity but also that clean water is imperative to maintaining the ecosystems of our world and vital in safeguarding national health. Cities, then, have became responsible for taking the steps necessary to treat the wastewater generated in their community and eradicating toxic pollutants. Municipal water treatment plants were built to handle the process of filtering the water and making it clean again.

Different types of filtration have been tried with varying amounts of success. Back in 1892, there were only 27 American cities that provided wastewater treatment for their citizens. Now we have an estimated 16,000 water treatment facilities spread all over the country. Municipal water treatment systems start when wastewater comes into the treatment plant where it is filtered through screens of different densities. Some screens with holes about ½” square filter out large contaminants from the water, while screens with smaller mesh remove even very tiny particles.

Ion-exchange resins are usually used in the water purification process. These are made up of insoluble beads with a surface punctured highly-structured pores in which ions are easily ensnared and released. Ion-exchange resins are used successfully to remove poisons and heavy metals from water. Once in awhile the resins are mixed with an activated-charcoal filter which has the capabilities to remove organic contaminants from water.

The filtration methods used by municipal water treatment plants are complex. After all, wastewater can be filled with microorganisms or pathogens that cause human diseases. Therefore, the processes used to clean the water are all important in the lives of everyone.

In the United States, there have been different types of filtration with varying amounts of success dating back tp 1892. Today, we have modern Municipal water treatment systems that ensure our water will be free from parasites and other dangerous organisms that could pose a threat to our health and well being.