HOW and WHY do we manage DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION?

Summary

Veolia is dedicated to improving resource access while ensuring their preservation and replenishment. They produce drinking water by extracting it from natural environments and groundwater, using tailored water treatment technologies that meet public-health standards. The process involves screening, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection with methods like ozone, chlorine, or ultraviolet rays. Continuous monitoring and adjustments maintain water quality, ensuring it's safe for human consumption before distribution.

Takeaways

• 💧 Veolia is dedicated to improving access to water resources while ensuring their preservation and replenishment.
• 🚰 They produce drinking water daily to meet people's needs and secure long-term supplies.
• 🌐 Veolia's water treatment technologies are adapted to local conditions and adhere to public health standards.
• 🏞️ Water is sourced from natural environments like rivers, lakes, and groundwater tables.
• 🔍 Long-term resource protection involves monitoring water availability, quality, and extraction volumes.
• 🚫 A screen at the water intake prevents large objects from entering the water supply.
• 🔄 The water is pumped to treatment plants where suspended matter is removed through screening and coagulation.
• 🌀 Coagulants are added to bind dust and soil particles into flocs, which are then settled out in a pond.
• 💦 Clean water is harvested from the surface, and further filtered through sand or other materials.
• 🛡️ Disinfection is achieved using ozone, chlorine, or ultraviolet rays to eliminate viruses and bacteria.
• 🔬 A final chlorine dose is added for safety, and sensors and analyses are used to continuously monitor water quality.
• 🏡 The treated water is safe for human consumption and can be stored in tanks before distribution.

Q & A

What is Veolia's main objective in terms of water management?

Veolia's main objective is to improve access to resources while preserving and replenishing those resources, particularly focusing on producing drinking water to meet people's needs and securing supplies over the long run.

How does Veolia ensure the water treatment technologies meet public-health standards?

Veolia tailors its water treatment technologies to local conditions and ensures they all meet public-health standards through a series of processes including screening, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.

What methods does Veolia use to extract water from natural environments?

Veolia extracts water from natural environments such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater tables, and measures and monitors water availability, quality, and extracted volumes over time to protect the resource.

What is the purpose of the screen covering the water intake?

The screen covering the water intake is used to block the largest objects and solid waste, preventing them from entering the water supply.

How does the coagulant process work in water treatment?

A coagulant is added to the water, causing dust, soil particles, and other residual materials to gradually combine into clots called 'flocs'. These flocs are then dragged to the floor of a settling pond by gravity and removed.

What is the role of filtration in the water treatment process?

Filtration is a key step in the water treatment process where one or several thick layers of sand capture the finest materials, and in some cases, activated carbon or porous membranes are used to ensure the water is clean.

How does Veolia disinfect the water, and what are the methods used?

Veolia disinfects the water using ozone, a gas that destroys viruses and bacteria. Other methods include using chlorine or ultraviolet rays.

Why is chlorine added at the end of the treatment process, and how much is added?

Chlorine is added at the end of the treatment process to prevent microorganisms from developing while the water is in the network. Veolia adds one drop of chlorine for the equivalent of five bathtubs of water.

How does Veolia monitor and maintain water quality throughout the treatment process?

Veolia uses sensors and runs analyses to monitor water quality at each step in the treatment process, adjusting it as required to ensure the water is fit for human consumption.

What happens to the water after it is deemed fit for human consumption?

Once the water is fit for human consumption, it is stored in tanks before being distributed to consumers.

Outlines

00:00

💧 Water Treatment and Supply at Veolia

Veolia is dedicated to improving access to water resources while ensuring their preservation and replenishment. They produce drinking water that not only meets daily needs but also maintains supply for the long term. The company employs water treatment technologies that are customized to local conditions and adhere to public health standards. Veolia extracts water from natural environments like rivers and lakes or from groundwater tables, and they monitor water availability, quality, and extraction volumes to protect the resource. The water is treated through a series of steps including screening, pumping, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection using ozone, chlorine, or ultraviolet rays. A final step involves adding a small amount of chlorine to prevent microbial growth in the distribution network. Throughout the process, sensors and analyses are used to monitor and adjust water quality. The end result is potable water that is safe for human consumption, which can be stored in tanks before distribution.

Keywords

💡Access to Resources

Access to resources refers to the availability and ability to obtain necessary materials or services, such as water, for communities. In the context of the video, Veolia's mission is to improve this access while also ensuring the sustainability of these resources. The script mentions producing drinking water to cover people's needs, which directly relates to providing access to a vital resource.

💡Preservation

Preservation in this video script pertains to the act of maintaining and protecting natural resources over time. It is a key aspect of Veolia's operations as they aim to secure water supplies for the long run. The script discusses monitoring water availability and quality to ensure the resource is not depleted, which is a direct example of preservation efforts.

💡Replenishing Resources

Replenishing resources is the process of restoring or renewing resources that have been used or depleted. The video emphasizes the importance of not only using resources but also ensuring they are replenished. This is crucial for the long-term sustainability of water supplies, as the script indicates through the mention of securing supplies over the long run.

💡Water Treatment Technologies

Water treatment technologies are the methods and processes used to make water safe for human consumption. The video script highlights that Veolia uses technologies tailored to local conditions, which meet public-health standards. This includes processes like coagulation, filtration, and disinfection, all of which are aimed at producing clean and safe drinking water.

💡Local Conditions

Local conditions refer to the specific environmental and geographical factors of a particular area that can affect water treatment processes. The script mentions that the water treatment technologies used by Veolia are tailored to these local conditions, which could include factors like water source quality, climate, and infrastructure, ensuring that the treatment is effective and appropriate for each location.

💡Public-Health Standards

Public-health standards are the guidelines and regulations set to ensure the safety and well-being of the public, particularly in regards to health-related issues. In the video, it is emphasized that all water treatment technologies used by Veolia meet these standards, which is crucial for producing water that is safe for human consumption and protecting public health.

💡Water Intake

Water intake is the process of drawing water from natural sources like rivers, lakes, or groundwater. The script describes how Veolia extracts water from these sources, which is the first step in the water treatment process. The intake process is important for securing a supply of raw water that can be treated and made safe for consumption.

💡Coagulation

Coagulation is a water treatment process where a coagulant is added to the water to cause small particles to clump together, forming larger particles that can be more easily removed. The script mentions adding a coagulant to the water, which helps in the removal of suspended matter and is a critical step in the purification process.

💡Filtration

Filtration is a physical process used to remove impurities from water by passing it through a medium that traps the impurities. In the video script, filtration is described as a key step where layers of sand or other materials capture fine materials, ensuring that the water is further cleaned before disinfection.

💡Disinfection

Disinfection is the process of eliminating or reducing the number of disease-causing microorganisms in water to make it safe for consumption. The script explains that Veolia uses ozone, chlorine, or ultraviolet rays for disinfection, which is essential for destroying viruses and bacteria and ensuring the water is safe to drink.

💡Chlorine

Chlorine is a chemical compound widely used in water treatment for disinfection. The script mentions adding a drop of chlorine to a large volume of water, which serves to prevent the growth of microorganisms in the water distribution network. Chlorine is a common and effective method for ensuring the ongoing safety of drinking water.

💡Sensors and Analyses

Sensors and analyses are used to monitor and assess the quality of water throughout the treatment process. The script discusses the use of sensors and analyses to ensure that water quality is maintained and adjusted as needed. This is crucial for maintaining the safety and quality of the water before it reaches consumers.

Highlights

Veolia's mission is to improve access to resources while preserving and replenishing them.

Daily production of drinking water to meet people's needs and secure long-term supplies.

Water treatment technologies are customized to local conditions and adhere to public health standards.

Efforts to bring water to areas lacking it and to protect the environment.

Water is extracted from natural environments like rivers, lakes, or groundwater tables.

Long-term resource protection through monitoring water availability, quality, and extraction volumes.

Use of screens at water intake to block large objects.

Pumping and channeling water to drinking water production plants.

Removal of suspended matter through screens and rakes.

Addition of coagulant to bind dust and soil particles into flocs.

Gravity-driven settling of flocs in a large pond for removal.

Harvesting clean water from the surface using a system of inlets.

Water filtration using layers of sand or activated carbon and porous membranes.

Disinfection of water with ozone, chlorine, or ultraviolet rays to destroy viruses and bacteria.

Final chlorination step to prevent microorganism development in the water distribution network.

Use of sensors and analyses to monitor and adjust water quality at each treatment stage.

The resulting water is safe for human consumption and can be stored for distribution.

Transcripts

Improving access to resources, while preserving

and replenishing those resources, is what we do at Veolia.

Each day, we produce drinking water to cover people’s needs,

while securing supplies over the long run.

The water treatment technologies we use are tailored to local conditions,

and they all meet public-health standards, bring water to the places

that lack it, and protect the environment.

Here’s how and why, at a glance.

We extract water in natural environments – rivers or lakes for example.

We can also draw it from groundwater tables.

To protect this resource over the long term, we measure and monitor water availability,

quality and extracted volumes over time.

A screen covering the water intake blocks the largest objects.

Then we pump the water and channel it to the drinking water production plant.

First, we remove the suspended matter in the water.

Here, screens block the solid waste and rakes then lift it out.

Then we add a coagulant to the water.

The dust, soil particles and other residual material gradually combine into clots,

which are called “flocs”

Gravity drags these flocs to the floor of a large settling pond, and we remove them.

Meanwhile, a system of inlets harvests the clean water at the surface.

Then we filter the water.

This is the key step during this first phase.

One or several thick layers of sand capture the finest materials.

In some cases, activated carbon or porous membranes can also be used.

Then we disinfect the water with ozone, a gas that destroys viruses and bacteria.

We can also do this with chlorine or ultraviolet rays.

Lastly, we add one drop of chlorine for the equivalent of five bathtubs of water.

Chlorine prevents microorganisms from developing while the water is in the network.

We use sensors and run analyses to monitor water quality, and adjust it if and as required,

at each step in the treatment process.

Now the water is fit for human consumption, meaning it is perfectly safe to drink.

We can store it in tanks before we distribute it to consumers.