How the City of Cedar Rapids Treats It’s Drinking Water: A Step-By-Step Process

As the second most populous city in Iowa, Cedar Rapids has a massive responsibility to provide clean drinking water to it’s over 138,000 residents. This is something that the city does not take lightly and has an advanced technological approach to accomplishing.

Take a look through the lens of the City’s water treatment crew to understand the process of providing clean and safe water to all of its residents. From the collection pumps to UV light treatment, the seemingly mundane process has much more to it than meets the eye.

Cedar Rapids has 45 vertical wells and 6 horizontal collector wells. They bring the water to the treatment plant. The water is gravity-fed up and pumped into the distribution system.

Next, water falls down through trays and is oxidized. 
Volatile organic compounds come out of the water, and ammonia is added. Tests for pH, hardness, alkalinity, and more are run every two hours.

Then, lime slurry is mixed in so small particles, calcium, and magnesium bind up and sink to the bottom of the water, killing pathogens and viruses. Water filters into troughs and into recharge basins, where a carbonic acid solution is mixed with the water, preparing it for disinfection and for corrosion control. 
Chlorine is added, mixing with ammonia to disinfect the water.

Water gravity feeds down through filter media. The remaining particles absorb to the outside of that medium. Next, UV disinfection uses ultra-bright light to purify water without adding chemicals.

The last step in the treatment process is the addition of orthophosphate for corrosion control and fluoride for cavity protection and dental health. From there, the water goes to the pump room, where it’s sent out to Cedar Rapids.