The fluctuation of inlet flow to a water treatment plant makes a serious problem that it can change the outlet flow-rate from each process abruptly, and ultimately occur the detachment of the attached particles inside each unit process. Also, since it takes very short time for the surface wave occurred from the fluctuation of inlet flow to reach the latter processes, it is impossible for operators to cope with that stably. Therefore this study was conducted to suggest the methodology for accurately predicting the travel time of surface wave occurred from the fluctuation of inlet flow to reach the latter process. Through the experiment, which was carried out for the full-scale water treatment plants(capacity : 2,000m3/d), it could be confirmed that the flow rate fluctuation from equalization tank produce the surface wave. And the wave transfer velocity is a function of the hydraulic radius and the length of each open type tanks which are comprised in the latter processes.
