Design and Operation Data on Large Rapid Sand Filtration Plants in the United States and Canada

Abstract

a member of an AWWA task group on high-rate filtration which was later expanded and assigned the task of revising Chapter 11 of the AWWA manual Water Quality and Treatment, the author was given the project of bringing up to date the information on rapid sand filtration plants in the United States and Canada. The new information was to follow the general pattern used in the article by Eugene A. Hardin which was previously published in the Journal (1). To carry out this assignment, questionnaires were sent to plant personnel in all cities with populations over 100,000, as indicated by the 1950 census. Cities with metropolitan areas in excess of 100,000 were also included. The cooperation of the many plant superintendents who answered the questionnaires is greatly appreciated. Reports were received from 79 plants, as compared to the 56 plants reported approximately 10 years ago (i), and the present classification is somewhat different, including a few more of the smaller plants. Where replies were not received, information was freely borrowed from the earlier