What purpose do water treatment plants serve?

Water treatment plants play a crucial role in providing safe and clean drinking water to the public. The primary function of these facilities is to remove various impurities and contaminants from raw water sources, such as rivers, lakes, or underground aquifers. This process involves several stages, including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection, which work together to eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and sediments. By ensuring that the water is thoroughly treated and meets regulatory health standards before it is distributed to homes and businesses, water treatment plants contribute significantly to public health and safety.

The other options, while related to water management, do not accurately reflect the main role of water treatment plants. For example, storing excess water during floods pertains more to flood control than to treatment, while distributing water to industrial areas focuses on supply rather than purification. Monitoring water flow in rivers deals with hydrology and environmental studies, but again, this is separate from the primary purpose of treating water to make it consumable.