Accelerated settlement of flocs after electrocoagulation/electrochemical process using ballasted flocculation

A water treatment system comprising:

• a source of water including one or more contaminants selected from the group consisting of suspended solids, heavy metals, oxyanions, anions, or emulsified oils;
• an electrocoagulation cell including a housing defining a fluid flow conduit, an anode disposed within the fluid flow conduit, and a cathode disposed within the fluid flow conduit, the housing including an inlet fluidly connectable to the source of water and an upper outlet disposed at an upper portion of the housing and configured to capture floc and solids-lean liquid from within the fluid flow conduit, a lower outlet disposed at a lower portion of the housing and configured to capture settled floc and solids-lean liquid from within the fluid flow conduit, and one or more sludge outlets configured to remove settled sludge from within the fluid flow conduit;
• a solids/liquid separation system having an inlet fluidly connectable to the upper outlet and to the lower outlet of the housing of the electrocoagulation cell, a solids-rich outlet, and a solids-lean outlet;
• and
• a ballast feed system configured to deliver a ballast to the solids/liquid separation system.