Lake water and other surface waters are widely used as raw water sources throughout the world. Unlike groundwater, lake water is continuously influenced by weather, seasons, biological activity and human impact. Water quality may therefore vary considerably over time and often requires multiple treatment barriers to achieve the desired quality.
DABCE’s Offgrid Water Treatment System (OWTS) is designed to produce safe water from local water sources without relying on extensive infrastructure. The system can be adapted for lake water, surface water and groundwater by combining treatment stages such as filtration, ozone, activated carbon, UV disinfection and other technologies depending on raw water quality and intended use.
Common Challenges
- Particles and Turbidity
- Humic Substances and Organic Matter
- Taste and Odour
- Algae and Algal Blooms
- Bacteria, Viruses and Parasites
- Seasonal Variations
Common Treatment Methods
- Screen Filtration
- Sand and Multimedia Filtration
- Ozone
- Activated Carbon
- UV Disinfection
- Membrane Filtration
Advantages
- Large Water Resource
- Typically Low Salinity
- Common Drinking Water Source
Limitations
- Water Quality Varies Throughout the Year
- Often Requires Multiple Treatment Stages
- May Contain High Organic Loads
- May Be Affected by Algal Blooms
Example Treatment Trains
Lake Water
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Screen Filter
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Sand Filter
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UV Disinfection
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Drinking Water
Lake Water
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Screen Filter
↓
Sand Filter
↓
Ozone
↓
Activated Carbon
↓
UV Disinfection
↓
Drinking Water
Lake Water
↓
Screen Filter
↓
Sand Filter
↓
Ozone
↓
Activated Carbon
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Fine Filtration
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UV Disinfection
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Drinking Water
Lake water often contains microorganisms, organic matter and suspended particles that vary throughout the year. For this reason, multiple treatment barriers are commonly used, where filtration reduces particles and UV or other disinfection methods provide microbiological protection.