WELCOME!

Water Treatment
Math

Your Moderator Today…

Angela Hengel
Ahengel@[Link]

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 WELCOME!

This training is presented by RCAC with

funding provided by the California State
Water Resources Control Board
Division of Drinking Water (DDW)

The Rural Community

Assistance Partnership

RCAC

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 RCAC Programs

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financing (Loan Fund)
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Performance Assessment
Rating Tool (PART)

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was presented today?
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Controls

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Attendee
List

Today’s
Materials

Chat here

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 Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

Your Trainer Today

 John Hamner - Rural Development Specialist

jhamner@[Link]

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 Your Trainer Today

Turn on the recorder!

WELCOME!

Water Treatment
Math

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 Water Math Topics Today
 Expected Range of Knowledge
 Basic conversions
 Volumes
 Chlorination & chemical feed
 Detention time
 Filtration
 Velocity

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9
 What are we actually doing?

We are CONVERTING!

Pay attention to the units of

measure…

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 Units of Measure Examples…

24 hr/day x 60 min/hr x 60 sec/min = sec/day

MGD x 8.34 lbs/gal x ppm = lbs/day

50 ft x .433 psi/ft = psi

Water Math – Terms, Definitions

and Water Measurements

 Gallons per cubic ft = gal/cu ft

 Pounds per gallon = lbs/gal
 Pounds per square inch = psi
 Gallons per day = gpd
 Gallons per minute = gpm
 What about percentages?

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What would 75% be in the form of a
decimal?

75
.75
7.5
75.0
.075
75.0

What would 5% be in the form of a

decimal?

5
.05
5.0
5.00
.005
005.0

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 NO UNIT OF MEASURE!

Percentages as a decimal

Ratios

Pi (3.14)

.785 = 78.5% (diameter)

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Units and ft/sec/MGD

State of
California
Math
Conversion
Sheet
Provided
At Exam

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CHLORINATION

Dosage, mg/l = (Demand, mg/l) + (Residual, mg/l)

(Gas) lbs = (Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mgl) x (8.34 lbs/gal)

HTH Solid (lbs) =

(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34lbs/gal)
( % Strength / 100 )

Liquid (gal) =
(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34 lbs/gal)
( % Strength /100) x Chemical Wt. (lbs/gal)

PRESSURE

PSI = ( Head, ft. ) PSI = Head, ft. x 0. 433 PSI/ft.

2.31ft./psi

lbs Force = (0.785) ( D, ft. )2 x 144 in2/ft2 PSI.

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VOLUME
Rectangular Basin =
Volume, gal
(Length, ft) x (Width, ft) x (Height, ft) x7.48 gal/[Link].

Cylinder , Volume, gal =

(0.785) x (Dia, ft)2 x (Height, Length, Depth, in ft.) x 7.48 gal/ft3

Time, Hrs. = Volume, gallons )

(Pumping Rate, GPM, x 60 Min/Hr )

Supply, Hrs.= Storage Volume, Gals

( Flow In, GPM – Flow Out, GPM) x 60 min/hr.)

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General
($) Cost / day = Lbs/day x ($) Cost/lb

Removal, Percent = (In - Out ) x 100

In
Specific Capacity, GPM/ft. = Well Yield, GPM
Drawdown, ft.

Gals/Day = (Population) x (Gals/Capita/Day)

GPD = (Meter Read 2 - Meter Read 1)

(Number of Days)

Volume, Gals = GPM x Time, minutes

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18
 Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

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 My biggest tip for newbies!

Cancelation of
units!

Simple conversions – box 1

1. Convert 10 cubic feet of water into

pounds of weight

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 Simple conversions – box 1

1. Convert 10 cubic feet of water into

pounds of weight

10 cu ft x 62.38 lbs/cu ft =

Simple conversions – box 1

2. How many pounds does 15 gallons

of water weigh?

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 Simple conversions – box 1

2. How many pounds does 15 gallons

of water weigh?

15 gal x 8.34 lb/gal =

Simple conversions – box 1

8. How many gallons of water are in 3

acre feet of water?

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 Simple conversions – box 1

8. How many gallons of water are in 3

acre feet of water?

3 ac ft x 325,829 gal/cu ft =

Simple conversions – box 1

10. How many gallons are pumped

each day if a pump is capable of
pumping 50 gallons per minute and
the pump runs for 9 hours a day?

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 Simple conversions – box 1

10. How many gallons are pumped

each day if a pump is capable of
pumping 50 gallons per minute and
the pump runs for 9 hours a day?

50 gal/min x 60 min/hr x 9 hr/day =

Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

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CHLORINATION

Dosage, mg/l = (Demand, mg/l) + (Residual, mg/l)

(Gas) lbs = (Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mgl) x (8.34 lbs/gal)

HTH Solid (lbs) =

(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34lbs/gal)
( % Strength / 100 )

Liquid (gal) =
(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34 lbs/gal)
( % Strength /100) x Chemical Wt. (lbs/gal)

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 What am I adding to the water to
treat it?

 Chemicals
 Chlorine
 Gas
 Calcium hypochlorite
 Sodium hypochlorite

Water Math Conversions –

Chemical/Chorine Dosage

In dosage problems, quantities of chemical

are given in the following increments:
 Lbs or lbs/day
 Gallons (chemical solution quantity) or
Gal/day
 mg/L or ppm
 MG or MGD

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 What does Miller Genuine Draft
have to do with water
treatment?
When working dosage, convert Q to MG or
MGD!

How many MGD is 2,000,000 gal/day?

A. 2 MGD
B. .2 MGD
C. .02 MGD

What is not given in the question?

 THE CONVERSION NUMBER!

 8.34 lbs/gal
 Chemical weight
 8.34 lbs/gal X specific gravity

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 Dosage

 Example: If a given water source had a chlorine

demand of 3 mg/L and you wanted a chlorine
residual of .5 mg/L leaving the plant, what
would your dose be?

Dosage, mg/l = (Demand, mg/l) + (Residual, mg/l)

Chlorination – box 2

1. If the chlorine dose added to drinking water

equaled 10 mg/L and the chlorine demand
was 9 mg/L, what is the chlorine residual in
ppm?

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 Chlorination – box 2

1. If the chlorine dose added to drinking water

equaled 10 mg/L and the chlorine demand
was 9 mg/L, what is the chlorine residual in
ppm?

10 mg/L – 9 mg/L = 1 mg/L

Chlorine Gas  Chlorine gas is fed

in lbs or lbs/day

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a chlorine gas concentration of 15

ppm were added to a storage tank holding 2.5
MG, how many lbs of chlorine would be
needed?

(Gas) lbs = (Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mgl) x (8.34 lbs/gal)

Chlorination – box 2

2. If a storage tank had 1 MG of water and it

needed to be dosed with 11 mg/L of gas
chlorine, how many pounds of chlorine would
this take?

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 Chlorination – box 2

2. If a storage tank had 1 MG of water and it

needed to be dosed with 11 mg/L of gas
chlorine, how many pounds of chlorine would
this take?

1 MG x 8.34 lb/gal x 11 mg/L = 91.74 lb

Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a new storage tank measured 40 ft

in diameter and were 30 ft tall, how many
pounds of chlorine gas would be needed to
dose this tank at 9 mg/L?

(Gas) lbs= (Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mgl) x (8.34 lbs/gal)

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a new storage tank measured 40 ft

in diameter and were 30 ft tall, how many
pounds of chlorine gas would be needed to
dose this tank at 9 mg/L?

.785 x 40 ft x 40 ft x 30 ft x 7.48 gal/ft3 = 281,846

(Gas) lbs= (Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mgl) x (8.34 lbs/gal)

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 Chlorination – box 13

2. If a treatment plant had a daily flow of 900,000

gallons per day and it needed to be dosed with
8 mg/L of gas chlorine, how many pounds of
chlorine would this take?

Chlorination – box 13

2. If a treatment plant had a daily flow of 900,000

gallons per day and it needed to be dosed with
8 mg/L of gas chlorine, how many pounds of
chlorine would this take?

.9 MGD x 8.34 lb/gal x 8 mg/L = 60 lb/day

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 Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

5 minute
break

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 Dosage, Calcium Hypochlorite

 An operator may be given dry chemicals

(usually chlorine) that is not 100% strength

 Consider this in the dosage problem

 Remember to convert the % to a decimal

(divide by 100)

Percentages

 How would an operator enter the percentage

70% into the calculator?
A. 70
B. 7.0
C. .70

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Calcium Hypochlorite

Calcium Hypochlorite

72

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a storage tank with 0.5 MG was

treated with 65% calcium hypochlorite and the
dose was 10 ppm, how many pounds of
chemical would be needed?

HTH Solid (lbs) =

(Vol MG) x Dosage, mg/L) x (8.34lbs/gal)
( % Strength/100)

Chlorination – box 2

3. If a 500,000 gallon storage tank was going to

be dosed with 8 ppm of 65% HTH, how many
pounds of HTH would this take?

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 Chlorination – box 2

3. If a 500,000 gallon storage tank was going to

be dosed with 8 ppm of 65% HTH, how many
pounds of HTH would this take?

.5 MG x 8 ppm x 8.34 lb/gal = 51.31 lb

.65

Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a storage tank 50 feet in diameter &

40 feet tall was treated with 70% calcium
hypochlorite at a dose of 10 ppm, how many
pounds of chemical would be needed?

HTH Solid (lbs) =

(Vol MG) x Dosage, mg/L) x (8.34lbs/gal)
( % Strength/100)

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If a storage tank 50 feet in diameter &

40 feet tall was treated with 70% calcium
hypochlorite at a dose of 10 ppm, how many
pounds of chemical would be needed?

.785 x 50 ft x 50 ft x 40 ft x 7.48 gal/ft3 =

.587 MG x 8.34 lbs/gal x 10 ppm = 69.9 lbs

.70

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 Dosage –box 13

 Example: If 70% available HTH chlorine were

added to water at a concentration of 15 ppm in
a daily flow of 2.5 MGD, how many lbs would
be used daily?

Lbs/day = MGD x 8.34 lbs/gal x (ppm or mg/l)

% purity

Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

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 Disinfection with bleach

 Liquid comes in;

 Gallon containers
 55 gallon drums
 Large totes, bulk
 Does not weigh the
same as a gallon of
water, but…
 Assume it does if they
do not mention it!
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Percentages

 How would an operator enter the percentage

5.25% into the calculator?
5.25
.525
.0525
.00525
.05

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If .75 MG was treated with a 15%

chlorine solution and a dose of 10 ppm was
desired, how many gallons of solution would be
required?

Liquid (gal) =
(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34 lbs/gal)
( % Strength /100) x Chemical Wt. (lbs/gal)

Chlorination – box 2

4. A water storage tank with 1.2 MG is going to

be chlorinated using 15% liquid chlorine at a
dose of 4 ppm. How many gallons of chlorine
will this take?

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 Chlorination – box 2

4. A water storage tank with 1.2 MG is going to

be chlorinated using 15% liquid chlorine at a
dose of 4 ppm. How many gallons of chlorine
will this take?

1.2 MG x 4 ppm x 8.34 lb/gal = 32 gal

.15 x 8.34 lb/gal

Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If 500,000 gallons was treated with a

5.25% chlorine solution weighing 9 lbs/gal and
a dose of 10 ppm was desired, how many
gallons of solution would be required?

Liquid (gal) =
(Vol, MG) x (Dosage, mg/l) x (8.34 lbs/gal)
( % Strength /100) x Chemical Wt. (lbs/gal)

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 Chlorination – box 2

 Example: If 500,000 gallons was treated with a

5.25% chlorine solution weighing 9 lbs/gal and
a dose of 10 ppm was desired, how many
gallons of solution would be required?

.5 MG x 8.34 lbs/gal x 10 ppm = 88 gal

.0525 x 9 lbs/gal

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 Dosage – box 13

 Example: If 15% chlorine bleach were added

to your water at a concentration of 15 ppm,
and your daily flow was 2.5 MGD, how many
gallons would be needed daily?

GPD = (MGD) x (8.34 lbs/gal) x (ppm or mg/l)

(% purity) x lbs/gal

Dosage – box 13

 Example: If 12.5% chlorine bleach were added

to a flow of 850,000 gal/day at a concentration
of 6 ppm, and the product weight 10 lbs/gal,
how many gallons would be needed daily?

GPD = (MGD) x (8.34 lbs/gal) x (ppm or mg/l)

(% purity) x lbs/gal

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 Dosage – box 13

 Example: If 12.5% chlorine bleach were added

to a flow of 3 MGD at a concentration of 6 ppm,
and the bleach had a specific gravity of 1.2,
how many gallons of bleach would be needed
daily?

GPD = 3 MGD x 8.34 lbs/gal x 6 ppm

.125 x (8.34lbs/gal x 1.2)

Dosage – box 13

 Example: If 75 gal/day of 15% chlorine bleach

were added to a flow of 950,000 gal/day, and
the product weight 10 lbs/gal, what is the
dosage rate in mg/L?

Ppm = gallons x % purity x lbs/gal

MGD x 8.34 lbs/gal

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 Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

Detention Time – box 11

 Detention time refers to the time that it

takes a volume of water to move through
a process or vessel

 This time can be determined by dividing

the vessel volume (in gallons) and time
per day by the flow

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 Rectangular Sed Basin Example

95

Factors Affecting
Sedimentation

Dissolved substances
Flocculation
characteristics
Environmental (wind
etc)
Basin hydraulics
96

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SEDIMENTATION
Surface Loading Rate, (GPD/ sq. ft.) =( Total Flow, GPD )
( Surface Area, [Link].)

Detention Time = Volume

flow

Detention Time hours = volume (cu ft) x 7.48 gal/cu ft x 24 hr/day

Gal/day

Flow Rate = Volume

Time

Weir Overflow Rate, GPD/L.F. = ( Flow, GPD)

( Weir length, ft. )

Detention Time – box 11

 Example: What is the detention time in hours

for a flow of 2,200,000 gal/day through a tank
that measures 50 ft long, 40 ft wide and 30 ft
tall?

DT hours = volume (cu ft) x 7.48 gal/cu ft x 24 hr/day

Gal/day

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 Detention Time – box 11

 Example: What is the detention time in hours

for a flow of 2,900,000 gal/day through a tank
that measures 50 ft in diameter by 60 feet tall?

DT hours = volume (cu ft) x 7.48 gal/cu ft x 24 hr/day

Gal/day

Detention Time – box 11

 Example: If 300,000 gal/day flows through a

sedimentation basin that measures 60 ft in
diameter and 20 ft tall, what is the detention
time in days?

___ft x ___ft x ___ x 20 x 7.48 gal/ft3 x 1 day

___gal/day

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 Detention Time – box 11

 Example: How many minutes would it take a drop of

water to pass though a contact basin 20 ft in
diameter, 10 ft tall if the flow were 800,000 gal/day?

__ft x ___ft x ___ x ___ft x 7.48 gal/ft3 x 1440 min/day

800,000 gal/day

Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

51
 Velocity

Water traveling through a pipe will need to

be converted into cu ft/sec and divided by
the square footage (area) of the pipe
Q÷A=V

OR

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 Velocity – box 7

 Example: If a flow of 1,200,000 gpd were

flowing through a 18 inch pipe, what is the
velocity in ft/sec?

MGD x 1.55 cu ft/sec/MGD = cu ft/sec = ft/sec

.785 x pipe diam ft x pipe diam ft = sq ft

Velocity – box 7

 Example: If a flow of 1,200,000 gpd were

flowing through a 18 inch pipe, what is the
velocity in ft/sec?

1.2 x 1.55 cu ft/sec/MGD = cu ft/sec = ft/sec

.785 x 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft = sq ft

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 Velocity – box 7

• Example: If 240,000 gpd were flowing through

an 8 inch pipe, what is the velocity through the
pipe in ft/sec?

8 inches ÷ 12 in/ft = .666 ft

.24 MGD x 1.55 cu ft/sec/MGD = cu ft/sec = ft/sec

.785 x .666 ft x .666 ft = sq ft

Filtration Rates

 The surface area

of filtration media
is where most
material is
removed

54
 How
Filters
Work

109

Filtration Rates

 Filtration rates are

determined by
dividing the flow
(usually in gpm) by
the square footage
of the filter media
material

 Gpm/sq ft

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FILTRATION (number 1)

Filtration Rate (GPM/[Link]) = Filter Production (gallons per day)

(Filter area sq. ft.) x (1,440 min/day)

Loading Rate (GPM/ sq. ft.) = ( Flow Rate, GPM )

( Filter Area, sq. ft. )

Daily Filter Production (GPD) =

(Filter Area, sq. ft. ) x (GPM/ sq. ft. x 1,440 min/day)

Backwash Pumping Rate (GPM) =

(Filter Area, sq. ft.) x (Backwash Rate, GPM/ sq. ft.)

FILTRATION (number two)

Backwash Volume (Gallons) =

(Filter Area, sq. ft. ) x (Backwash Rate, gpm/ sq. ft. ) x (Time, min).

Backwash Rate, GPM/ sq. ft. = ( Backwash Volume, gallons)

( Filter Area, sq. ft.) x (Time, min)

Rate of Rise (inches per min.) = (backwash rate gpm/[Link].) x 12 inches /ft
7.48 gal/[Link].

Unit Filter Run Volume, (UFRV) = (gallons produced in a filter run)

(filter area sq. ft.)

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 Area in Filtration Units – Problem
and Set Up

 Example: How many square feet of surface

area are there in two filter units that
measure 20 feet wide and 40 feet long ?

 Set up:
___ft x ___ft x ___ = sq ft

Filtration Rates

 Example: What is the filtration rate in gpm/sq

ft if a flow of 1,000,000 gal/day flows through
a filter measuring 20 ft by 25 ft?
 Set up:
__________gal/day ÷ 1440 min/day = gpm
___ft x ___ft = sq ft

Gpm ÷ sq ft = gpm/sq ft

57
 Filtration Rate Flow

 Example: When the flow to a filter is shut off

and the water drops 20 inches in 9 minutes,
how fast is the water dropping in feet per
minute?
 Set up:
___in ÷ 12 in/ft = ft

___ft ÷ 9 min = ft/min

Filtration Rate Flow

 Example: What is the flow through a filter in

cu ft/min if the water drops .18 ft per minute
and the filter is 25 ft wide and 30 ft long?
 Set up:

___ft x ___ft x ___ft/min = cu ft/min

58
 Filtration Rate Flow

 Example: What is the flow through a rapid

sand filter in gpm if flow = 135 cu ft/min?

 Set up:
___cu ft/min x 7.48 gal/cu ft = gpm

Backwash rates

 Example: What is the backwash flow

required in gpm to backwash a 25 ft wide by
30 ft long filter if a backwash flow of 20
gpm/sq ft is required?

 Set up:
___ft x ___ft = sq ft

___sq ft x ___gpm/sq ft = gpm

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 Questions?

Text your questions and comments

anytime during the session

Thank You For Attending!

We look forward to seeing you

in future online classes!
ahengel@[Link]
jhamner@[Link]

60
Thank You For Attending!

Neil Worthen
nworthen@[Link]
(575) 527-5372

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