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Potable Water Treatment

This course is currently in Draft status. If approved this course is scheduled to run from 26 January 2011 to 9 March 2011. Signup will open a few weeks prior to start date.

Potable Water Treatment

Course organiser: Alison Jean Cole

About the Course Organiser:

This course is part of the larger syllabus for my personal learning project called "a handmade master's" in which I study ecological design. I'd like to add a social element to my project and learn this material with others. What's my role? To facilitate discussions around readings and coordinate tasks and projects.

No of Seats:

Course Status:

Draft in progress

Members

admin

Aliso

Without it we're dead! Water is essential, but what processes must it go through to become fit for human consumption?

Summary

This unit from Open University's open courseware (OCW) will guide us through the continuous cycling of water between land, open water surfaces and the sea before moving on to an overview of the water treatment and supply process. We'll add some activities along the way and end with a project.

Learning objectives

After studying this unit we should be able to:

describe the operation and mechanisms of the hydrological cycle;
list and describe the major physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clean fresh water, and explain their effects on aquatic organisms;
explain the mode by which potable water is produced through the processes of screening, microstraining, aeration, coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, flotation, filtration and disinfection;
explain how the issues of nitrates, trace organics, fluoridation and plumbo-solvency can be dealt with in potable water supply;
describe the main desalination processes used to produce potable water from saline or brackish sources;
explain the function of transmission mains, ring mains, service reservoirs and water towers, and discuss the merits and disadvantages of different types of piping materials.

Schedule/Syllabus

Syllabus for Potable Water Treatment

Prerequisites

This course is introductory at the university level. A basic understanding of biology and hydrology will be helpful but not required. The course materials and discussion will be held in English so proficiency is required.

Sign-Up Task

Please note: The sign-up task is listed here as background information. Please only submit your answers via the sign-up form (not as comments or direct messages to the course organizer).

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