What do the quality and quantity of chemical solids depend on?

The quality and quantity of chemical solids in a surface water treatment context are influenced significantly by treatment requirements and the removal of hardness. Treatment requirements dictate the processes and chemicals needed to purify the water, impacting the amount and type of solids produced during treatment. For instance, the treatment processes may involve coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation, leading to the generation of chemical solids that can vary based on the specific contaminants present and the desired water quality.

Additionally, hardness removal is pertinent because hardness is primarily due to calcium and magnesium ions in the water. Effective removal of these can involve precipitation processes, which generate additional solids that must be accounted for when assessing the overall chemical solid composition. As such, both the treatment requirements and hardness removal are crucial in determining the characteristics of the chemical solids produced in water treatment settings.