Water Treatment

A sound water-treatment design starts with the evidence-not the equipment...

Does variable raw-water quality make process selection uncertain?

Are sizing calculations hard to trust when assumptions are unclear?

Can operational faults be traced without relying on guesswork?

Connor Butcher's Water Treatment: Principles and Design Handbook links treatment science to real engineering decisions. Worked calculations, process diagrams, comparison tables, troubleshooting sequences, and verification checklists show how methods work, where they fit, what limits them, and how to test performance. Its UK focus recognises jurisdictional differences and the need to confirm current official requirements.

Inside the handbook, you'll discover:

• Raw-water characterisation
• Sampling and data validation
• Treatment objectives and design basis
• SI units and conversions
• Mass balances and hydraulics
• Preliminary tank sizing
• Coagulation and flocculation
• Clarification and sedimentation
• Filtration and backwashing
• Chemical dosing calculations
• Disinfection and contact conditions
• Membranes, activated carbon, and ion exchange
• Advanced oxidation and emerging contaminants
• UK drinking-water requirements and safety planning
• Commissioning, troubleshooting, and performance verification

These practical tools help readers compare options, expose weak assumptions, understand process interactions, and explain recommendations with greater confidence.

A practical guide should not sacrifice engineering depth, and a comprehensive reference should not be difficult to use. This handbook bridges that gap with step-by-step calculations that show inputs, units, assumptions, substitutions, and result interpretation. It supports preliminary design and structured troubleshooting while identifying when detailed standards, laboratory or pilot testing, specialist modelling, or qualified review are still needed.

If you want to make more defensible preliminary design decisions, then explore the handbook.