Raw water from any source contains impurities in varying amounts. Before this raw water can be used for common industrial and household applications, it requires treatment to remove these impurities. Depending on the water quality required, water treatment plants usually provide some degree of water clarification. Many water treatment plants also provide facilities for water softening.

Water clarification is the process of removing suspended solids from the water. Water softening is the process of removing, or reducing the amount of, materials dissolved in the water that affect the water's hardness and its alkalinity.