Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chain Profiles

The following documents provide a description of the supply chain for chemicals directly used in water treatment or used to manufacture water treatment chemicals. Each profile provides information about water treatment applications, competing uses, manufacturing methods, trade, history of supply disruptions, and an assessment of the risk of future supply disruptions. The methodology used to develop the profiles and conduct the risk assessment is described in a companion report, Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chains and the Risk of Disruptions. 

The profiles are listed in alphabetical order, with a brief description of the chemical’s use in water treatment or in the production of other water treatment chemicals. 

• Acrylamide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (815.18 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-009 )  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of polyacrylamides, which are used in coagulation. 
• Aluminum Hydroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (916.42 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-010)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of aluminum sulfate, which is used in coagulation. 
• Aluminum Sulfate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.2 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-011)  Used in coagulation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.26 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-012)  Used in disinfection, specifically to generate chloramines. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Anhydrous Ammonia Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.23 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-013)  Used in disinfection, specifically to generate chloramines. Production of anhydrous ammonia can generate carbon dioxide, which is used for pH control. 
• Bauxite Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.12 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-014)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of aluminum-based coagulants. 
• Calcium Carbonate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.02 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-015)  Used for pH and alkalinity adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of calcium oxide, which is used in precipitative softening. 
• Calcium Hydroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.49 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-016) Used for pH and alkalinity adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of calcium hypochlorite, which is used in disinfection. 
• Calcium Hypochlorite Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.45 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-017)  Used in disinfection. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Calcium Oxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1004.77 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-018)  Used in precipitative softening. Precursor to the manufacture of calcium hydroxide, which is used for pH control. 
• Carbon Dioxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (2.03 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-019)  Used for pH adjustment. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Chlorine Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.5 MB, 03/29/2023, 817-F-22-020)  Used in disinfection. Precursor to the manufacture of hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, ferric chloride, and ferrous chloride. 
• Citric Acid Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.2 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-021)  Used for membrane cleaning. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• DADMAC Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (878.48 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-022)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of polyDADMAC, which are used in coagulation. 
• Disodium Phosphate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.86 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-023)  Used in corrosion control. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium polyphosphates. 
• Ferric Chloride Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.46 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-024)  Used in coagulation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Ferric Sulfate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.44 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-025)  Used in coagulation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Ferrous Chloride Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.11 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-026)  Used in coagulation. Precursor to the manufacture of ferric chloride. 
• Ferrous Sulfate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.76 MB, 03/29/2023, 817-F-22-027)  Used in coagulation. Precursor to the manufacture of ferric sulfate. 
• Fluorosilicic Acid Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.44 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-028)  Used in water fluoridation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Hydrochloric Acid Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.4 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-029)  Used for pH adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of polyaluminum chloride, ferric chloride, ferrous chloride, and zinc orthophosphate. 
• Hydrogen Peroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.64 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-030)   Used for oxidation and dechlorination. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium chlorite.  
• Ilmenite Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (980.21 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-031)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of ferric chloride and ferrous sulfate, which are used in coagulation. 
• Manganese Dioxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (917.88 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-032)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of potassium permanganate, which is used for oxidation. 
• Monosodium Phosphate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.2 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-033)  Used in corrosion control. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium polyphosphates. 
• Oxygen Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.4 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-034)  Used for onsite generation of ozone and aeration. Precursor to the manufacture of calcium hydroxide, ferric chloride, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium chlorite, and sulfuric acid. 
• Phosphate Rock Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.29 MB, 03/29/2023, 817-F-22-035)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of phosphoric acid and fluorosilicic acid.  
• Phosphoric Acid Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (2.04 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-036) Used in corrosion control and for pH adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium ortho- and polyphosphates, and zinc orthophosphate. 
• Polyaluminum Chloride Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.49 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-037)  Used in coagulation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Potassium Chloride Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1008.87 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-038)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of potassium hydroxide and chlorine. 
• Potassium Hydroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.31 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-039)  Used for pH adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of potassium permanganate and polyacrylamides.  
• Potassium Permanganate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.55 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-040)  Used for oxidation. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Silica Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (970.58 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-041)  Used as filtration media. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium silicate, which is used for corrosion control. 
• Sodium Carbonate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.53 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-042)  Used for pH and alkalinity adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium silicate and sodium phosphate, which are used for corrosion control. 
• Sodium Chlorate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1004.65 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-043)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of sodium chlorite and chlorine dioxide. 
• Sodium Chloride Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.33 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-044)  Used for onsite generation of sodium hypochlorite and for regeneration of ion exchange resins. Precursor to the manufacture of chlorine, sodium hydroxide, and sodium chlorate. 
• Sodium Chlorite Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.2 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-045) Used for onsite generation of chlorine dioxide. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Sodium Hydroxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.31 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-046) Used for pH adjustment and precipitation of metals. Precursor to the manufacture of aluminum hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, disodium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, and sodium silicate. 
• Sodium Hypochlorite Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.41 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-047) Used in disinfection. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Sodium Salts of Polyphosphates Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.73 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-048) Used in corrosion control. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Sodium Silicate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.63 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-049) Used in corrosion control. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. 
• Sulfur Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (849.72 KB, 03/29/2023, 817-F-22-050)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide. 
• Sulfur Dioxide Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.1 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-051)  Used for dechlorination. Precursor to the manufacture of sulfuric acid and sodium metabisulfite. 
• Sulfuric Acid Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.44 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-052)  Used for pH adjustment. Precursor to the manufacture of aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, phosphoric acid, and fluorosilicic acid. 
• Zinc Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (956.79 KB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-053)  Not used in water treatment. Precursor to the manufacture of zinc orthophosphate. 
• Zinc Orthophosphate Supply Chain Profile (pdf) (1.54 MB, 03/2023, 817-F-22-054)  Used in corrosion control. Not used in the manufacture of other water treatment chemicals.