Monocacy Water Treatment Plant (Frederick, Maryland)

 water supply treatment plant  Add category

 Upload a photo

frederickcountymd.gov/index.aspx?NID=1284
www.cityoffrederick.com/Index.aspx?NID=69

schools.fcps.org/outdoor/Documents/Frederick_City_Water...

Water for this plant comes from the Monocacy River. The plant supplies approximately 1.5 - 2.0 million gallons of water daily to Frederick City. Water from the Monocacy River flows through the intake into the traveling screen which removes the larger debris. The raw water is then pumped into the basement of the building where some of the chemicals are injected into the water in a horseshoe shaped pipe. The water then travels to the flash mixer where the chemicals are mixed. From the flash mixer the water flows into the flocculation tanks (there are 2 of these) where the flocculators, or large paddles, agitate the alum. The water flows into the large sedimentation basin where the alum and the sediment forms a floc and settles to the bottom. The top several inches of water in the sedimentation basin flows inside the building into the sand filters. Once in the sand filter the water slowly percolates through the sand and gravel which filters out the smallest of particles. Beneath the sand filters are the clear wells where the water is stored until it is pumped into the large tanks around Frederick City

Chemicals used:
aluminum sulfate (alum) - Has a positive charge to attract the sediment (negative charge)
charcoal (activated carbon) - Removes taste and odor
chlorine - kills germs and bacteria
lime - raises pH
zinc phosphate - coats inside of pipes to prevent lead from entering water
fluoride - prevents cavities in teeth