pH vs Alkalinity in Wastewater & Drinking Water Treatment

Welcome! I’m a California Grade 4 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator and Chief Plant Operator. I also hold a CA D3 Drinking Water Distribution Operator Certificate and a CA T2 Drinking Water Treatment Plant Operator Certificate. In this tutorial, we break down the difference between pH and alkalinity in both wastewater and drinking water treatment. You’ll learn: How pH and alkalinity interact — and why they’re not the same How to measure pH accurately What levels of alkalinity are needed for different treatment processes A unique metal-temperature metaphor to help you visualize the difference Real-world examples from anaerobic digesters, aeration basins, and chlorine disinfection This video is perfect for wastewater operator exam prep (Grades III–V, Class A & B), and anyone wanting to understand how pH and alkalinity control affect process stability and disinfection. Chapters 00:00 – 01:08 pH vs Alkalinity Overview 01:08 – 05:20 pH Scale Explained 05:20 – 08:12 What Is Alkalinity? 08:12 – 09:43 Metal & Temperature Metaphor 09:43 – 12:13 Anaerobic Digester Example 12:13 - 13:36 Aeration Process Example 13:36 – 16:07 Chlorine Disinfection Example 16:07 – 16:26 Wrap-Up Links: Wastewater Anaerobic Digestion Part 1: Exam Prep and Repairing the Supernatant Return Line    • Wastewater Anaerobic Digestion Part 1:  Ex...   Wastewater Whiteboard: Nitrification/Denitrification Exam Prep and Ops Scenarios Part 1 (BNR)    • Wastewater Nitrification & Denitrification...   #pH #alkalinity #wastewatertreatment #wastewateroperator #anaerobicdigestion #drinkingwatertreatment #operatorcertification #buffercapacity #nitrification #activatedsludge #disinfection