Lecture 6: Water pollution and its control,

characteristics of safe water

Definitions
MCLG: It is defined as the
maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs)
which are the maximum levels of a contaminant in drinking water at
which no known or anticipated adverse effect on human health would
occur and allow for a margin of safety.

MCL: it is defined as the

maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), which
are the maximum allowable concentration of the contaminant in
drinking water. MCLs are enforceable and are mandatory for all
public water supplies.

TT; special treatment technique

Process of rainwater pollution

Precipitation in the form of rain, snow or hail contains very few or no
impurities. However, it may entrain traces of minerals, gases and
other substances as it forms and falls through the earth’s atmosphere.
In the course of rainfall through the atmosphere, the rainwater
may dissolve gases and particulate matters such as dust particles,
unburnt carbon particles, carbon di oxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides,
which may leads to the formation of acid rain.
 Once the precipitation reaches the earth’s surface and runs
over and through it, mineral and organic substances, microorganisms,
and other forms of pollution (contamination) may get dissolved into
the rainwater causing pollution.
When water forms, streams and rivers the industrial and
domestic wastes are disposed of in them causing pollution.
These are the major phenomenon of pollution through which
the rainwater becomes useless for drinking and domestic applications
without prior treatments.

Effects of contaminants in water

1. Physical effects: Physical characteristics of water are related to
the quality of water for domestic use and are usually associated
with the appearance of water, its color or turbidity, temperature,
taste, and odor. The pollutants in water may change its color, taste
and odor.
2. Chemical effects: Chemical effects such as pH, water hardness
and chemical performance of the waters are affected due to the
introduction of the contaminants in water.
3. Biological effects: Biological agents such as bacteria, virus,
algae, fungi etc. are very important in their relation to the public
health and may also be significant in modifying the physical and
chemical characteristics of water
4. Radiological effects: Interaction of water radioactive
contaminations cause radiological changes in the water that may
be have come in contact with radioactive substances.

Reuse of potable water

Potable water reuse is defined as the renovation of sewage effluent to
a water product that is suitable for human consumption and the
recycling of that water into a water supply system.
Potable reuse can be accomplished in any of three ways:
1. Direct potable reuse: It is the reintroduction of highly treated
sewage effluent from the treatment plant directly back into the
existing water distribution system.
2. Planned indirect reuse: This involves the purposeful discharge of
highly treated wastewater upstream from a water supply intake
3. Groundwater recharge: This involves either the injection of
effluent into an aquifer that is the source of potable supply or the
“spreading” of effluent on the ground to allow it to filter down to
the aquifer