Water Treatment Steps

1. Have water tested.
2. Remove fine sand, silt, clay and other particles, using a mechanical filter or sedimentation.
3. Treat bacterial contamination, using chlorination or other forms of disinfection.
4. Remove hydrogen sulfide gas and other odor-causing substances, using chlorination, an oxidizing filter, or activated carbon.
5. Remove insoluble iron and manganese particles using a mechanical filter; a water softener, for small amounts of dissolved iron and manganese; an oxidizing filter for higher amounts of dissolved iron and manganese; or a chlorinator followed by a mechanical filter or an activated carbon filter for very high amounts of dissolved iron and manganese.
6. Treat for hardness using a water softener.
7. Neutralize acidity using a neutralizing filter.
8. Remove volatile organic chemicals, trihalomethanes, certain pesticides and radon using an activated carbon filter.
9. Remove heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, arsenic or cadmium, with reverse osmosis units or a distiller.

Source: University of Georgia
Prepared by: Dale Dorman, Extension Housing Specialist
http://www.engr.uga.edu/service/extension/publications/c819-10c.html