How City Water Purification Works: Drinking and Wastewater

Cities purify millions of gallons of drinking and wastewater daily. This incredible process happens behind the scenes, day and night. Let's take a closer look at the processes that make it all possible!
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:17 Drinking Water
0:41 Intake
1:15 Coagulation and Flocculation
2:56 Ozonation
4:29 Filtration
5:35 Final Disinfection
6:11 Clearwell (storage)
6:35 Wastewater
6:55 Headworks
7:48 Grit Chamber
8:38 Primary Clarification
10:05 Secondary Treatment
11:10 Final Clarification
11:30 Final Disinfection
11:43 Outfall

[@philstuf]

I work for a water/wastewater processing company. 100% can confirm this is accurate. Excellent video.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Why did they do this overly conflated system? Why not just boil a big vat of water and turn it into steam, pump the steam to another tank where it will condense and then you just scrape the gunk out of the bottom and the heat kills all the possible viruses ECT. Can a virus even survive on a super hot steam particle?

[@philstuf]

@@TheAnnoyingBoss While I agree that distilling the water also works, and is nearly bulletproof from a safety standpoint, the energy requirements to boil and cool that volume of water would be massive; we generally flow 5 million gallons or so per day, and we only serve about 70K consumer points (IE: households, not individuals).

[@MrFrhnba]

We need answers. Please someone confirm this because I’ve been using water bottles and some taste weird. Tap water taste good but can’t take chances due to my immune system

[@philstuf]

@@MrFrhnba I would suggest taking a sample from your tap and having it tested (And not by the door to door sales folks that want to test your water to sell you a filter system). In some environments, it is possible to have roots break into pipes and possibly contaminate water, while still allowing the pipe not to leak due to the way hydrodynamics can work. You could also call your water provider and ask for input on getting a sample tested as well. They would likely want to get something like that fixed ASAP if that were the case. That being said, it could also be the plumbing of the house that is affected, not necessarily the line from the water provider...

[@roybruno7535]

Can i ask why the treated wastewater and untreated water cant share the same water system? or he says in the video they almost never share the same water system. and also assuming that the water purification plant is in a lake where fish may be how does this affect them? i am doing an assignment on clean drinking water and your feedback would be extremely helpful

[@manthanpanchal3279]

The amount of detail in this video, be it the animation or the voice over is just phenomenal. The video reflects the amount of hardwork the creator has put in. I wish you reach millions of followers soon and the world appreciates your content.

[@brodriguez11000]

Even better it covers some details most other videos do not without making things too complicated to understand.

[@nuckels188]

Yeah this guy should have millions of subscribers

[@zakkhuitema3748]

ive worked in waste water treatment for about 17 years, and have never seen a step by step of how the magic happens so clean and well thought out. this needs to be in every sydney water office as a base to their inductions. amazing stuff. you have gained +1 sub

[@Mattthewanderer]

Wow, this was remarkably accurate without drowning the viewer in unneeded details. These processes are crucial all over the world and we can never let up on doing them right.

[@grondhero]

👍

[@shivaargula4735]

Would love to see something like this for trash processing. I know there is a lot of variation depending on where you go but knowing what's "normal" would be nice.

[@humorss]

that will likely be at movie length since they are separated at the bin already. multiple complexly different processes

[@eriklarson9137]

@@humorss Username does not check out.

[@Arhitecto]

I was working on site for a new sewege water tretmant. It's an amazing process and this video is really accurate!

[@mainpage725]

As a wastewater operator this is a great video for those inquisitive individuals who always wondered what happens to water before and after their sink/shower/toilet. Great Job y'all!!! Thank you for this video! I'm referencing this video as a teaching aid!

[@thedarklord573]

I’m a water engineer for a city that provides water for 7-10M people (through city services and customer cities which are cities that buy water from other cities instead of treating it themselves) and I can tell you this is pretty accurate. I do have a few comments: 1. The lake is typically not on site and is usually pulled through a network of pipes. 2. In the coagulation, typically an iron coagulant is used. 2. The injection of ozone is one of the most expensive processes in water treatment because ozone is typically produced on site for larger cities, which requires TONS of electricity. This is just a fun fact. 3. I didn’t see him touch on chlorination prior to injection into the public use system. Bacteria can develop in older pipes so some chlorination is added to prevent harmful bacteria from traveling through the pipe network.

[@glenngardin3561]

Thanks for the additional info!

[@user-cn3ev6ib8e]

I'm a water plant operator and we almost strictly use chlorination. Some of our smaller unmanned plants use Sodium Hypochlorite, but most (including the one I am currently manning) use chlorine gas. UV is still kind of being phased in simply because we don't really have any way of knowing whether it truly works in disinfecting as we don't use any means of testing it. We rely on chlorination.

[@BuddysDIY]

bro you're a beast. these videos are insane. i could only imagine the amount of planning, research, and animation editing it takes to make one of these! you should make another car one! maybe the hvac system in a car, suspension system, transmission systems, drivetrain/differential system, braking system, power steering system! p.s i am uploading my next big video tomorrow and i voiced over some of your graphic work threw your website in the description as well. keep it up mate!

[@animagraffs]

:D Always glad to see you in the comments, Buddy, and I'll check out your new vid to see how you were inspired to use my work! I like the sense of community, really makes it more worth it to be creating this stuff.

[@BuddysDIY]

@@animagraffs should be out 2 pm tomorrow!! And yeah man you're comment section has alot of good feedback. That's how you know your channel will grow brother 💪

[@tinetannies4637]

100%. I just discovered this channel and am amazed at the detail and research here. Wonderfully informative.

[@trumanhw]

Why is there a DIVER in the waste water ..? Can they even see anything?

[@Grandizer8989]

@@trumanhwmaybe for scale

[@jaymacpherson8167]

Excellent work. This is one example of an array of options to treat water. In the US, if the source water is surface water or E. Coli-contaminated groundwater, a “residual disinfectant “ is required which is not shown (such as addition of chlorine or chloramine).

[@FirstnameLastname-fn6ik]

I love how high quality your videos are, it is clear you put a lot of time and effort into each one.

[@JaredOwen]

Great video!

[@newaccount8935]

the goat.

[@kristers68]

I smell a collab brewing! :D

[@cobytang]

The legend himself approves!!!!!!

[@hanjek]

I hear a battlefield horn :D

[@jasonsecretkhorsecret8515]

Amazing..

[@N0Xa880iUL]

Really cool topic. Great graphics.

[@williamwilliams3447]

abbreviated version - "If you live in New Orleans, St Louis or Baltimore and DC, the glass of water you are drinking has already been in and passed through seven people." Great video! I spent years upgrading, pouring concrete and expanding the Charlotte Mecklenburg NC water purification and wastewater cleaning plants. I gladly drink tap water daily from our kitchen sink and enjoy it without fear and without plastic bottle waste. The LORD is great and I am 62 and have no liver or kidney or digestive trouble. My mom is 92, has done the same and has no problems with our CM water system. Her problem is soda pop and fritos.

[@jonathansiders9779]

😅

[@aimankamil4818]

What's your opinion on the supposed abundance amount of chlorine and and fluoride in the water. While it's still relatively small, overtime usage of it can't be good right?

[@meanuncledavid]

I’m curious how they remove chemicals and heavy metals from the wastewater when they turn it into drinking water.

[@aimankamil4818]

@@meanuncledavid how do they remove the hormones bruh, and American sure love their drugs.

[@fahoudey]

I'm glad I found a gem channel like yours, hope you grow to the millions subscribers mark soon !

[@animagraffs]

woot woot! LET'S GOOOO

[@MaulaBolla]

Bruh, I studied Civil Engineering in college and I remember taking Water Resources lecture/lab. At that time, I had a fairly decent knowledge of how this works and can somewhat explain the overall process, but you just helped me understand it even more. You literally gave me the bigger picture while handling the smaller details in a non-overwhelming fashion. Holy shit. Awesome fucking job.

[@FreQuenczy]

Love these videos. Always to the point easy to understand. So many videos have obnoxious narrators always begging for more subs and "Remember to click that bell!" I don't need anyone "reminding" me to subscribe. If a video's quality can speak for itself, then you've earned my sub, and the first animagraff I watched months ago earned you my sub. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@tm502010]

First one of these I saw, I hit that button so fast I scared it! These videos are Amazing! ❤

[@mitsunori222000]

Amazingly well produced: great animations and commentary pitch perfect. Thank you.

[@MisterElement]

Great: editing, animation, research, voiceover, information and overall vibe! Concise and yet well detailed.

[@by.myself42]

Beautiful great illustration. Thanks

[@Attexi]

Wow impressive animations and great explanations! I really hope that millions of people get to know you! :)

[@eefm99]

I actually always wondered how water treatment plants worked, but never searched for it. This now solves it, and in a visually beautiful and well explained video.

[@danieltadd]

Engaging, informative, easy-on-the-eye, good to listen to! I really enjoyed this. I didn't know I needed to know how it all works, but I'm glad the youtube algorithm told me I did.

[@MH-Tesla]

I went on a school field trip to the local water treatment plant. That was 1981. 5 the grade. To this day I remember it as the best field trip I ever went on. I was just amazed at how it all worked and learned so much. Every other field trip was a vacation from learning.

[@morefiction3264]

I had a similar experience in high school.

[@rodoto2557]

Great subject, great animation and great explainations. Please, keep doing more.

[@ref1c]

Thank you so much. Excellent video.

[@MyHandleIsGood]

I once went on a tour in a water recycling plant. We got to see the input and output. The difference was so amazing, especially since it started off quite brown and ended up completely clear.

[@Mrzoux1]

I'd ask you to post more, cause these videos are addicting af, but just imagining the amount of work it takes to just make one I get why you can't. Amazing work, really captivating!

[@XSR_RUGGER]

I was thinking the same thing 😂. I want more but the amount and quality of information and animation makes me feel bad about asking or making suggestions. I hope he's making enough money or will in the future from these.

[@olamideolayinka4130]

Thanks for this…appreciate the knowledge you are sharing💙

[@humanbeing5529]

Wow man. Really awesome stuff. Hoping this blows up sooner. This is very informative and easy to follow

[@ivveG]

This is great stuff! You're a great creator for sure, keep up the good work!

[@awsalfaris9620]

Great video. You summarized everything in just few minutes, which was very nice to watch and simple to understand. Thank you

[@TitaniumZX]

Very well done with the information, animation and narration. Thank you.

[@Mrfourstones]

What a brilliant work, BIG THANKS!!

[@MultiOllieollieollie]

A prime example of an excellent conveyor of information, I love the visuals and the pacing of the video. Now subscribed!

[@sakethedpuganti5697]

Brilliant work and really clear explanations! You'll be huge in no time!

[@stevekeller8876]

This is my favorite channel in all of youtube. Keep up the amazing work!

[@Skullkid16945]

I originally found this channel by looking up how antique mechanical pocket watches work. So far, I have watched every one of your videos and subscribed with notifications. I love this kind of content that shows how things work. I am a visual and hands-on type of learner, and just reading about something and looking at pictures does not click for me. I have to be able to see it in action to properly get a grasp of it, and your videos help me do just that. Thanks for this amazing content and I hope you can continue to do this. I do not know the reason as to why you make these videos, but for whatever it may be, don't make yourself hate doing it by doing it too much to where it is like a job. Go at your own pace and do what you like. :D

[@jonathansiders9779]

Yes, this is my first Animagraff experience. Who is this person who takes the time and care to research and create these? What a resource! Is it altruism or the curiosity about these subjects that propels this work?

[@aquaticinformatics]

Excellent video!! Great overview of the process and the visualization is perfect.

[@marcusmartinez7855]

Fascinating video and very thorough - thanks Jake!

[@briandye6938]

A lot of people don’t realize how good we have it. Infrastructure is amazing

[@Surrenitie]

Truest statement of the century. This video actually made me feel a lot better about how we handle our water

[@peacefulearth4us]

Awesome job!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for putting your work, time, talent... into this.

[@commenter557]

Salute to your work This take a lot of efforts in all the aspects to give such a precious knowledge in one combined video 🙏🙏

[@christopherscott8822]

Perfect video with excellent detail. Thank you

[@josenilsongobira4044]

Excellent job. A true professional in graphic design with an impressive teaching style to teach various subjects.

[@saikumardesu1700]

Awesome information, and thank you very much for sharing, looks like tremendous effort in making it.

[@Octoberfurst]

I always wondered how water got purified and what they did with waste water. Now I know! This truly was amazing! I look forward to more things like this!

[@guNNer4evah]

Thank You Sir. With your videos we better understand how things works. Even more we can appreciate now the people who created/ manufactured such things.

[@yigithan3713]

amazing work, as always. thank you for the content

[@josephmorrone2660]

One of the best channels on You Tube , WELL DONE !

[@avistop1]

Thank you very much for your work! I learned a lot.

[@thecombativeone9675]

I absolutely love your videos please never stop making them

[@nunyabusiness863]

Nicely done. Thanks for this.

[@jayd831]

Thank you for making this!

[@brightside5626]

Yes Bro. You are totally perfect. Thank you so much for the sharing.

[@daganor]

Awesome video., great detailed explanation and the animation is amazing. Congrats.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Outstanding Video... THANK YOU!!

[@FALprofessional]

It's interesting to see the different modes of treatment implemented in slightly different ways than I learned (i.e. in my Environmental ENG class most active carbons, rocks, and microsands were at the inlet or just after the inlet in drinking water treatment, and the bacteria were introduced in the sedimentation tanks instead of separate aeration tanks for waste water treatment). Many ways to skin a cat and all that.

[@royx23]

Really great video! Another important thing to mention is that many times the water going back into the river after treatment is actually cleaner than the river water itself.

[@PeteCorp]

Nice. I always wondered.

[@achmadalhabsyi3575]

This video is another level not just detail but also head to tail.

[@quick_xplorer312]

You should know that your work is a piece of art, congratulations!

[@bdwalker43]

Probably the best info video I’ve seen regarding anything ever. I work at a power plant with a full water treatment system and this is accurate.

[@gideonmundjele9246]

This awesome!keep the rolling

[@elleorhighwater]

Wow. This is a fantastic visual explanation 👏 👏 👏

[@Electrobuzz17]

Wow man , such detailed work. Couldn't stop myself from subscribing. Amazed at the technology behind the water we drink and water treatment. Glad to live in a generation of technology

[@pegahkarimi5252]

That was so informative and comprehensive! thank you!

[@I_am_a_cat_]

This channel is amazing. Love the most recent video on 18th century ships. Keep up the good work, thank you for teaching me so much! My mind has been blown many times, seeing just how much goes into some things.

[@Gome.o]

Heyyy we get a VO! Nice... you're a delight to listen to

[@abdali1755]

thanks for the sharing the knowledge

[@pouryaahmadi615]

thanks for the good information and representation

[@rozinaakter7147]

Really mind-blowing

[@noahlemasters]

You're a damn genius with animation and video creation. Hope you have an amazing career. Saw the first video and instantly said, "this guy has a lot of talent".

[@aurorajones8481]

Great video Jake. Seriously well done.

[@nelsonolivera8059]

I was mesmerized by the presentation that I almost "forgot" to pay attention to the content! Wow job, thank You!

[@TG-Maverick22]

Your animation is simply amazing. 100/100!

[@kevy-kev3339]

Thank you for the trip down memory lane. This video meant a lot to me. You just got a new subscriber.

[@brandonspence2189]

As a union pipefitter that works at these plants, nice job!

[@JRLastActionHero]

Love this.helps me learn as well as showing my kids

[@nagesh007]

Amazing , awesome and mind blowing... thanks a lot

[@SRVandDtrouble]

I just discovered your videos today and have to say these are on par with any learning videos I've seen. My only critique would be to work on the intro and outro especially. A conclusion statement to me would cap off all the great narration for the project. At any rate thank you to you and your team for all the hard work and look forward to seeing what's next.

[@thomasfreeman7770]

Great video. As a retired water purification plant operator of 40 years. Your description shows the actiflo process of coagulation.. My plant used it and conventional basin type of coagulation then ozonation and filtration. Since a disinfectant residual must be in the water as it leaves the plant, we used chlorimination to do so just before the clear well. Also fluoride was added just before the clear well and any other ph and alkalinity adjusting chemicals.

[@garrymcgaw4745]

WOW!, i had no idea how involved this process was, these vids are a real eye opener. Thank you. I'll just scroll up and smash the 'Subscribe' button. Cheers from Aussie.

[@476429]

Excellent. I had been wondering about this.

[@gregoryrice6918]

Fantastic demonstration well done.

[@unicehackel664]

I am in love with these videos. Thank you very much.🙏

[@dineshnagwekar3173]

Wow! Excellent vide. Great info. This video must be shown in the schools to students to understand the peocess. It will help them from childhood to understand & responsible use of water in the first place & not to mix things into the water which makes process exhausted. Thank you for uploading.

[@qg4720]

Thank you for this i finally have an idea how this works. Well explained in sinple terms

[@Ikbeneengeit]

This is great, thank you

[@bekindandmerciful5145]

simply incredible research production analysis and content.

[@csbanki]

Last year we organized a visit to a water purification plant. I wasn't able to attend in the end, so I'm thankful for this video explaining everything in details with amazing graphics. Thank you so much, incredible work as always!

[@jochemcorstens1101]

He's back!!! Love the vids keep up the great work!

[@multiversejc]

thank you, this was helpful

[@oliverthorcollington8948]

Thank you for the effort to educate others❤️

[@EUATeamah]

a very well animated video

[@electron2601]

Great modeling, animation, and narration!

[@BryanO92]

I can't believe how much I've learned from your very few videos. The graphics are beautiful and the topics are explained so even a dummy like me can follow along, You need to make more of these!

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

But you swam through it. I think that makes you very smart. I would die if I had tried to swim through it like you.

[@jonathansiders9779]

😂, you’re too humble, my friend !

[@adoRADHble]

thank you so much for this free amazing video

[@jhogan1960]

Very accurate description, down to the correct terminology. I'm a water treatment plant operator. We still use chlorination for disinfection, though UV is used in a lot of wastewater treatment plants, Ozone is used in a lot of water treatment plants for pretreatment to rid raw water of organic material. Great animation.

[@dannydaw59]

Are there places where our poo poo has to be shoveled from one collection spot to a truck? I'd hate to have that job.

[@JSNtunes]

@@dannydaw59 mate, I did that job for 7 years. The floculated sludge from the clarrifiers has to go somewhere; usually drying beds or a screw press or belt press. In the case of drying beds, you wait until the access moisture drains and re-enters the start of the process, then its shovel time. It sounds worse than it is. By the shovelling stage, its more like ashy dirt. We call it 'cake'. its light and has lost its smell thanks to the nitro bacta disolving the ammonia into nitrogen in the aeration tanks. Old mate mentioned that it is used for fertilizer but thats illegal in australia. We send it to landfill - which sounds bad - but its highly nitrified organic matter so the earth loves it. I work with drinking (potable) water now but waste water is way more fun and technical.

[@user-bp8yg3ko1r]

Very informative and well explained!

[@hungrybirdnotbad5780]

Bro your just fulfilled my expectations. Thanks a lot.