Water Treatment Processes eLearning Series

Pretreatment Essentials provides water treatment operators and maintenance personnel with a foundational understanding of pretreatment processes in drinking water systems. Participants will learn how screening, straining, sedimentation, aeration, preoxidation, and chemical addition protect downstream equipment, improve water quality, and support regulatory compliance. The course emphasizes operational considerations, chemical safety, and strategies for adapting pretreatment to changing source water conditions.

Module 1: Why Pretreatment?
Module 2: Key Pretreatment Techniques
Module 3: Chemical Addition
Module 4: Pretreatment Strategies

Learning Objectives

• Describe the purpose and benefits of pretreatment in drinking water systems.
• Identify key pretreatment techniques used in drinking water systems and the conditions under which they are required.
• Explain how chemical addition — including pH adjustment, oxidation, coagulation, and disinfection — improves water quality at key application points.
• Recognize variations in source water and adjust pretreatment strategies to maintain compliance and performance.
• Explain how chemical addition — including pH adjustment, oxidation, coagulation, and disinfection — improves water quality at key application points.

This course provides knowledge and practical skills needed to understand and operate coagulation and flocculation processes in conventional surface water treatment. It covers basic water quality concepts, coagulant chemistry, jar testing, process monitoring, common operational issues, and safety.

Module 1: Coagulation Comes First
Module 2: Your Dose Never Lies
Module 3: Coagulants & Their Aids
Module 4: Read The Jar. Run The Plant.
Module 5: Control the Feed. Control the Process.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain how coagulation and flocculation remove turbidity, color, and natural organic matter from surface water.
• Explain the key coagulation mechanisms — charge neutralization and sweep floc — using operator-friendly terminology.
• Identify common coagulants and coagulant aids, and explain how pH and alkalinity influence their performance.
• Apply proper chemical handling and PPE requirements when working with coagulants.
• Interpret jar test results to evaluate coagulation effectiveness and support chemical dose adjustments.
• Recognize signs of poor coagulation — including rising turbidity, floc carryover, and settled water issues — and communicate findings appropriately.
• Perform basic dose, feed rate, and solution strength to support chemical feed system operation.

Sedimentation and Clarifiers introduces the principles and practices of sedimentation and clarifier operation in drinking water treatment. Participants will learn how sedimentation improves water quality, the science behind particle settling, and the role of clarifiers in the treatment process. The course covers clarifier types, operational best practices, process control, and troubleshooting common issues.

Module 1: Coagulation, Flocculation, and the Sedimentation Process
Module 2: Clarifiers and Monitoring the Settling Process

Learning Objectives:

• Describe coagulation and flocculation
• Explain the process of sedimentation in water treatment
• Identify different clarifier types and their components
• Locate and describe effluent weirs
• List the three components controlled during the sedimentation process
• Apply operational best practices for sludge removal and flow control
• Name common operational issues
• Describe coagulation and flocculation
• Explain the process of sedimentation in water treatment
• List the three components controlled during the sedimentation process
• Describe coagulation and flocculation
• Explain the process of sedimentation in water treatment
• List the three components controlled during the sedimentation process

Disinfection is an essential part of a water treatment strategy.

This course covers the process of drinking water disinfection at a utility, starting with an overview of waterborne pathogens commonly found in source waters. Using this knowledge, learners will then cover the complexities of water chemistry as related to the disinfection process. Using these data, learners will also learn about disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which can result from different disinfection processes. This course covers both chlorination and chloramination from both a process overview and a chemistry perspective. Finally, learners will learn about associated metrics of success and apply what they learn in a series of realistic disinfection scenarios.

Module 1: Why Disinfect?

Module 2: Disinfection Options

Module 3: Chlorination

Module 4: Chloramination

Module 5: Disinfection Scenarios

Learning Objectives:

Explain why disinfection is important.
Determine the best disinfection option for a treatment goal.
Understand the factors of chlorination and when chloramination is the next option.
Identify the benefits and drawbacks of Chloramination.
Articulate disinfection process strategies for your utility.

This course introduces advanced treatment processes used in drinking water systems beyond conventional filtration and disinfection. Technologies such as membrane filtration, activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange, and advanced oxidation are covered. Operators will learn the purpose, basic operation, monitoring requirements, and troubleshooting strategies for these processes, focusing on practical skills and regulatory compliance.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain why advanced treatment is used
2. Identify technologies used in advanced treatment processes
3. Identify different membranes and when they are used
4. List responsibilities for membrane monitoring and maintenance
5. Describe when activated carbon is used and how to monitor the process
6. Apply key features of activated carbon adsorption
7. List responsibilities and perimeters monitored during ion exchange
8. Describe the purpose of advanced oxidation processes
9. List common AOP combinations
10. List the common integration points in treatment trains
11. Explain the rationale for using advanced treatment
12. Identify technologies used in advanced treatment processes
13. Identify different membranes and their applications
14. List responsibilities for membrane monitoring and maintenance

• Describe when activated carbon is used and how to monitor the process
• Identify the two types of activated carbon
• Explain the difference between adsorption vs absorption
• Apply key features of activated carbon adsorption
• List the two types of activated carbon treatment

• Describe basic operational principles and how ion exchange works
• List responsibilities and perimeters monitored during ion exchange

• Describe the purpose of advanced oxidation processes
• List common AOP combinations
• List the common integration points in treatment trains
• Perform basic checks and troubleshooting of UV, ozone, chemical feed, and water systems