TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS ASSESSMENT
OF THE DRINKING WATER TREATMENT AT TARGU-MURES WATER TREATMENT PLANT
CORNELIA DIANA HERTIA , ANCA ELENA GURZAU ,MARIA ILONA SZASZ
ABSTRACT. –
This paper intends to assess the technological process of obtaining drinking
water at Targu-Mures water treatment plant. The assessment was performed before
changing the technological process and four months were chosen to be analized
during 2008: January, April, July and October for its efficiency analysis on
treatment steps. Mures River is the water source for the water treatment plant,
being characterized by unsteady flow and quality parameters with possible
important variability in a very short period of time. The treatment
technological process is the classic one, represented by coagulation,
sedimentation, filtration and disinfection, but also prechlorination was
constantly applied as additional treatment during 2008. Results showed that for
the measured parameters, raw water at the water treatment plant fits into class
A3 for surface waters, framing dictated by the bacterial load. The treatment
processes efficiency is based on the performance calculation for sedimentation,
filtration, global and for disinfection, a better conformation degree of
technological steps standing out in January in comparison to the other three
analyzed months. A variable non-compliance of turbidity and residual chlorine
levels in the disinfected water was observed constantly. Previous treatment
steps managed to maintain a low level of oxidisability, chlorine consumption and
residual chlorine levels being also low. 12% samples were found inconsistent
with the national legislation in terms of bacteriological quality. Measures for
the water treatment plant retechnologization are taken primarily for
hyperchlorination elimination, which currently constitutes a discomfort factor
(taste, smell), and a generating factor of chlorination by-products.
Keywords: drinking water, water treatment plant, water source.