Water Treatment Jar Testing
Small scale; big impact
In its simplest form, water treatment is a basic chemistry experiment: raw water is treated with chemicals and physical processes which remove contaminants and impurities, and clean water results. The water is then sent into the distribution system for the community, millions of gallons all day, every day! Sounds simple enough, right? Well, we know that it’s not that simple; it takes a lot of excellent equipment, processes, and people to keep the water flowing – safely, reliably, and efficiently.
Once quality and reliability are established, efficiency is the next focus of the water steward. To experiment and test to maximize efficiency is a difficult task, with changing raw water characteristics and a process that’s always online. As such, it is possible to take the large-scale process of treating water at a plant and simulate it on a bench scale in a lab, known as Jar Testing, enabling operators to optimize elements of the treatment process.
Benefits of jar testing:
- Improve plant efficiency
- Lower chemical costs
- Improve water quality
- 3rd party evaluation & validation
Our Jar Testing services simulate the Rapid Mix and Flocculation/Sedimentation processes at the start of the conventional treatment process. In the lab (either at the plant or our office), raw and finish water samples are subjected to several chemical analyses, including measuring manganese, iron, pH, and turbidity. Then the chemistry experiments begin by adding various doses of chemicals that are part of the normal treatment process, simulating plant operations on a small scale.
Turbidity and filterability are then measured in the samples, and an analysis of the results determines which chemical dose yields optimum levels. These results can be scaled and applied to your plant, maximizing water quality, while minimizing chemical inputs and costs.
When to Jar Test?
Quarterly jar testing is recommended for most plants. Jar testing is particularly effective during the change of seasons, or after changes to equipment or chemicals. Routine testing also provides water treatment operators time with our operations and engineering team, who not only bring years of experience and insight into plant operations and water quality issues, but also help keep operators up to date on compliance matters.