Category 1: Municipal Treatment Steps
This initial step involves adding chemicals to raw water that cause solid particles to clump together.
What is coagulation?
This advanced technology purifies water by forcing molecules through a selectively permeable membrane with tiny pores.
What is reverse osmosis?
$200 Clue: More than 1 in this number of U.S. residents rely on private wells rather than public city water.
What is seven (1 in 7)?
During this period, water sits undisturbed in large tanks so heavy solid particles can sink to the bottom.
What is settling (or sedimentation)?
Magnesium and calcium ions give water this quality, causing scaly deposits on pipes and household fixtures.
What is "hard" water?
Private wells are not regulated under this federal legislation, leaving owners responsible for their own testing.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
This process uses gentle shaking or spinning to help tiny clumped particles form larger masses.
What is flocculation?
Water plants use this type of system to separate and remove contaminants according to their electric charge.
What is an ion-exchange system?
The EPA requires cities to take action when lead levels in municipal water exceed this threshold.
What is 15 parts per billion (ppb)?
To kill disease-causing bacteria and viruses before distribution, water plants treat water with chemicals or this type of radiation.
What is ultraviolet (UV) light?
Faucet filters are point-of-use devices often installed to remove toxic heavy metals such as arsenic and this brain-damaging metal.
What is lead?
This Virginia Tech engineer helped uncover the Flint water crisis and led research testing thousands of private wells.
Who is Marc Edwards?