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My community takes water from Lake Charles. In other places,
water comes from rivers or underground
aquifers
. Aquifers contain
water that has soaked into the ground and is stored in layers of rock.
Water is usually treated before it reaches our faucets. Water-treatment
plants filter and treat the water, making it clear and safe for people
to use.
First, water is screened to remove fish, leaves, and large objects
such as logs or trash. Next, a machine called a flash mixer stirs the
water with chemicals. Four chemicals are commonly mixed with
water. They are lime, carbon, chlorine, and alum. Lime softens the
water. Carbon
absorbs
materials that smell bad. Chlorine kills
bacteria. Alum makes particles of clay clump together.
The mixed water goes to a settling tank. Clay clumps, silt, and
other particles drift to the bottom. From there, the water passes
through sand, gravel, and charcoal filters. A chemist at the water-
treatment plant tests the water every day. This is to make sure that
all harmful bacteria are killed. Purified water is pumped into tanks
and towers. It reaches our homes through underground pipes.
Water Coming into Our Homes
by Keira
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