1.

The quality of water

Water should be free from any odour. The temperature of water
should be reasonably good. It should neither be corrosive nor scale forming
and should be free from minerals that can produce undesirable
physiological effects.

2. Physical Characteristics of water

- Temperature
- Turbidity
- Color
- Taste and odour
- Specific condition of water

3. Chemical characteristics of water

- Total solids and suspended solids
- pH value
- hardness
- chloride
- nitrogen content
- iron
- manganese and other contents
- dissolved gases

4. Treatment of water
The available raw water has to be treated to make it fit, i.e. potable,
means safe for human consumption. It should satisfy the physical, chemical
and bacteriological standards by various methods.

5. Various methods of water treatment

- Screening
- Plain sedimentation
- Sedimentation aided with coagulation
- Filteration
- Disinfection
- Aeration
- Softening
 - Miscellaneous treatment like defluoridation, recarbonation desalination
etc.

6. BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) defined as the oxygen required for

micro-organisms to carry out the biological decomposition of dissolved
solids or organic matter in the waste water under aerobic condition at
standard temperature.
COD (chemical oxygen demand) the total oxygen demand of bio
degradable and non-bio degradable organic matter.

7. Solid waste defined as discarded solid fraction produced from domestic,

commercial trade, industrial, agricultural, institutional, mining activities and
public services.

8. Garbage waste produced from households, institutions and commercial

centers such as hotels stores, restaurants, markets, etc. Garbage is waste
from preparation, cooking and serving of food market refuse, waste from
handling storage and role of meat and vegetables.
Rubbish waste produced from households, institutions and commercial
centers such as hotels stores, restaurants, markets, etc. Rubbish is
combustible paper, cardboards, cartons, wood boxes, plastics, rags, clothes,
beddings, lather rubber grass, leaves yard trimming and non-combustible
metals, tin cans, metal foils, dirt, stones, bricks, ceramics, crackery, glass
bottles, other mineral refuse.