After municipal water is aerated, it is pumped into a clarifier to be what?

After municipal water is aerated and then pumped into a clarifier, it undergoes the coagulation process. Coagulation is crucial in water treatment because it helps to aggregate small suspended particles or impurities present in the water into larger clumps called flocs. This step is essential for improving the clarity and quality of the water.

Aeration introduces air into the water, which aids in the removal of certain dissolved gases and helps in the oxidation of contaminants. Once the water is in the clarifier, the coagulation process can effectively remove these particles by allowing them to settle out of the water due to gravity, significantly purifying the water before further treatment steps like filtration or disinfection.

The other processes mentioned, such as filtering, chlorination, and temperating, occur at different stages in the water treatment process, but are not the primary function of the clarifier following aeration.