Abstract
The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of raw water pH and basicity of coagulants on turbidity removal with several raw waters having different level of turbidity, alkalinity and pH. Raw waters were sampled from M, S and B water treatment plants(WTP) located at Miryang, Nakdong, Han river, respectively. Six coagulants which have different levels of basicity and aluminum contents were used for this evaluation. High basicity of the coagulant helped to properly control coagulation processes for treating turbid and low alkali raw water. It was difficult for operators to determine optimum coagulant dose for high basicity coagulants, since residual turbidity tended to decrease continuously as coagulant dose increased. Turbidity removal efficiencies with high basicity coagulants(E and F) were higher than the other coagulants at ambient pH for the M WTP. Turbidity removal efficiencies, however, at adjusted pH 7.0 showed similar among six coagulants. Residual turbidity kept low at excess dosages with high basicity coagulants. Optimum coagulant dosages at adjusted pH 7.0 showed higher than those at ambient pH in M WTP. On the contrary in B WTP, optimum coagulant dosage at ambient pH were higher than that at adjusted pH 7.0.