History of water treatment

Abstract

The history of water treatment is still being written, as discoveries continue to document its origins. There is evidence, however, that even in ancient times people saw the importance of treating water in some way before drinking it. Ancient Egyptians treated water by siphoning water out of the top of huge jars after allowing the muddy water from the Nile River to settle. Hipocrates, known as the father of medicine, directed people in Greece to boil and strain water before drinking it. In turn, the Romans passed water from aqueducts through settling basins to clarify it (remove impurities). Back then the focus was on the aesthetic quality of water i.e. if the water was clear and had no smell it was considered clean. The first water facility to deliver water to an entire town was built in Paisley, Scotland in 1804 by John Gibb to supply his bleachery and the town and, within three years, filtered water was even piped directly to customers in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1806, a large water treatment plant began operating in Paris.

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