Water Treatment

Chapter Contents

1. Water Quality
1.1 Impurities of Water
1.1 Physical water quality parameters
1.2 Chemical water quality parameters
1.3 Biological water quality parameters
1.4 Drinking water quality standards
How is water Treated ?
Chapter One

Water Quality

“Water is life”
 Introduction

o Pure water - is colorless, tasteless, and odorless.

 It is an excellent solvent that can dissolve most minerals
that come in contact with it.
 There is no such thing as “pure water” in nature it always
contains biological and chemical impurities.
 As rain falls through the atmosphere it dissolves oxygen,
nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases.
 At the ground surface it picks up silt, microorganisms and
organic compounds.
 As water percolates into the ground, most of the suspended
solids and bacteria are removed however it dissolves
various minerals during passage through the soil.
 Impurities Of Water
• The impurities present in water may be
categorized into following categories:
Impurities..
 Sources of Impurities

• Following are the sources of impurities in water:

 Gases (O2, CO2 etc.) are picked up from the atmosphere by
rainwater.
 Decomposition of plants and animals remains introduce organic
impurities in water.
 Water dissolves impurities when it comes in contact with ground,
soil or rocks.
 Impurities are also introduced in water when it comes in contact
with sewage or industrial waste.
 Characteristics Of Water

o There are Three categories used to describe drinking

water quality.

Physical characteristics : relate to the quality of water for

domestic use and are associated with the appearance of water.
Chemical characteristics : derived from organic and inorganic
matter and usually have significant health effects.
Microbiological characteristics : relate to public health and can
influence the physical and chemical characteristics of water
 Physical Characteristics of Water

Physical parameters include:

• Turbidity
• Color
• Taste and odor
• Temperature
• Conductivity
• PH
• Alkalinity
• Hardness
• TDS
 Physical Characteristics of Water

Turbidity
 Is the measure of suspended matter in water.
 Mostly caused by colloidal matter.
 Tends to protect pathogens from the disinfection
treatment of drinking water.
 The unit of measure is a nephelometric turbidity unit
(NTU).
 Regulations: 0.1 NTU as a goal, less than 1 NTU as a
standard; less than 5 NTU as an exception for potable
water.
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
Legedadi Raw Water Geffersa Raw Water
( 400 NTU) ( 60 NTU)

13
 Physical Characteristics of Water

Taste and Odor

 Mostly derived from natural biological process.
 In surface water taste and odor is caused by algae.
 In Ground water one of the most common offensive chemical is
hydrogen sulfide which imparts rotten egg odor.
 One of the most often reported complaint by drinking water
consumers is “chlorine taste”.
 To control taste and odor problems, watershed supervision, use
of algaecides and water filtration treatment.
 When preventive action and conventional treatment not effective
activated carbon is used.
 DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Taste/Odor Chemical Source
Chlorine taste & odor Chlorine Too much chlorine

Chlorine odor Chloramines Chlorine below breakpoint

Fruity odor Aldehydes Ozonation

Rusty or metallic taste Iron Naturally occurring, corroded

pipes

Rusty or metallic taste Manganese Naturally occurring

Sulfur taste and odor Hydrogen Sulfide Naturally occurring

Musty taste and odor Geosmin Blue-Green Algae

Musty taste and odor 2-Methylisoborneol (MIB) Blue-Green Algae

Fishy, grassy Various Algae

Chemical Characteristics of Water

chemical parameters
 Metals and related substances
Lead, mercury, arsenic, Iron etc.
 Organic micro-pollutants
Pesticides, hormones, etc.
 Disinfection byproducts
Bromate, trihalomethanes, etc.
 Other compounds
Nitrate, Fluoride, etc.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

PH
 Raw water examined for potential use as drinking water
has expected PH between 4 and 9.
 The PH is altered in water treatment process by addition
of chemicals.
 Even mildly acidic water influence the corrosive action of
water in the distribution system.
 In the range of PH expected in drinking water, there is no
direct effect on health.
 The minimum and maximum allowable PH range is
between 6.5 – 8.5 (WHO).
 Physical Characteristics of Water

Alkalinity
 Alkalinity is defined as the capacity of water to
neutralize acid.
 Due to the presence of bicarbonate, carbonate and
hydroxide.
 A minimum of approximately 15 mg/l is necessary for
Coagulation; a maximum of 100 mg/l is acceptable for
domestic use.
 There is no correlation between alkalinity and health in
evaluation of drinking water quality.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Hardness
 Is represent the total concentration of calcium and
magnesium ions, reported as calcium carbonate.
 Hard water require more soap to produce foam.
 The other negative aspect of hard water is it produce scale
in hot water pipes, boilers and heaters.
 Also hard water cause hair breakage and hair loss.
 A positive aspect is less dangerous to corrosivity and with
certain limit better taste.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Hardness
 Many studies in US, Canada and Europe relating to soft
water and a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases as
compared to the population served by hard water.
 The theorized protective agents include Ca, Mg and
suspected harmful agents include metals Cadmium, Lead,
copper & Zinc ( which are found in higher concentration
in soft water due to corrosiveness.
 Surface water is softer than ground water.
 Softening treatment required when hardness is greater
than 150 mg/l.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Arsenic
 GW expected to contain higher arsenic concentration than
surface water because of its presence in geological materials.
 The arsenic species present in groundwater and surface
water are largely arsenate and arsenite.
 Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to lung, skin
and urinary bladder cancer.
 Arsenic in drinking-water will cause 200,000 – 270,000
deaths per year from cancer in Bangladesh alone.
 Standards : WHO guideline < 0.05 mg/l
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Fluoride
 Fluorine appears in almost every kind of rock, therefore it is
exposed to weathering and transport to the surface and
groundwater.
 Ethiopia is one of the 23 countries where the population
suffers from the consumption of fluorine rich drinking water.
 Concentrations in drinking water above 1.5 mg/L cause dental
fluorosis.
 Prolonged intake of waters with a fluorine content higher than
4 mg/L cause skeletal fluorosis.
 Sharply reduce dental caries formation the fluoride level is 0.8
mg/l.
 WHO Guideline 1.5 mg/l.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Iron
 In surface water supplies, presence of iron is due to corrosion
of pipes.
 In Ground water supplies, high content of iron encountered due
to elevated iron level in the earth strata.
 Water with dissolved iron (Fe) may appear clear at first,
but may form red particles as it oxidizes.
 Fe can form reddish-brown stains on laundry and
plumbing fixtures.
 Taste and odor problems may be caused by iron bacteria.
 WHO guideline < 0.3 mg/l.
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Nitrate
 Lakes and Reservoir usually have less than 2 mg/l of nitrate.
 Higher value of nitrate is found in ground water ranging up
to 20 mg/l.
 Methemoglobinemia (infant cyanosis or “blue baby
syndrome”) has occurred in infants who have been given
water or fed formula prepared with water having high
concentrations of nitrate.
 WHO Guideline < 10 mg/l
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Organic micropollutants (OMPs)

 Pesticides - DDT
 Pharmaceuticals – prescribed drugs (antibiotics
and synthetic hormones)
 Human care products - cosmetics
 Gasoline
Genotoxic, endocrine disruptors, carcinogenic
 Chemical Characteristics of Water

Disinfection by-products (DBPs)

Disinfectants react with natural organic matter and
bromide:
 Trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, and chlorite
Chlorine by-products
 N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
Chloramine by-product
 Bromate
Ozone by-product
 Microbiological Characteristics of Water

Microbiological Parameters include :

• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Algae
• Protozoa
• Fungi
• Helminths
 Microbiological Characteristics of Water

 In nature, water contains all kinds of organisms and

they are present in large numbers.
 Also in drinking water many different organisms are
found.
 Most of the microorganisms found in drinking water
are harmless to human health.
 However there are also microorganisms that harmful to
health, so called pathogenic micro-organisms.
 Pathogenic microorganisms, are not present in water by
nature, but they enter the water through feces and urine
from humans and animals.
 Microbiological Characteristics of Water

 Pathogenic microorganisms can cause different diseases, which

may become epidemic rather quickly in water.
 They can be divided into three main groups, each with their
own individual characteristics:

Pathogenic microorganisms Illness

Protozoa Diarrhea & stomach complaints

Bacteria Typhoid fever and cholera

Viruses Hepatitis and polio

 Drinking water quality standards

• MCL – maximum contaminant level

- highest level of a contaminant allowed in
drinking water
- enforceable standard

• SMCL – secondary maximum contaminant level

- non-enforceable guideline for managing
drinking water for to taste, odour, and colour.
 Primary MCLs: inorganic chemicals

MCL
Contaminants Health effects (mg/L)
Arsenic Nervous system effects 0.05
Asbestos Possible cancer 7 MFL
Cyanide Nervous system effects 0.2
Lead Nervous system and kidney effects, TT
toxic to infants

Mercury Kidney, nervous system effects 0.002

 Primary MCLs: organic chemicals

MCL
Contaminants Health effects (mg/L)
Benzene Possible cancer 0.005
Total trihalomethanes
Possible cancer risk 0.1
(TTHM)
Carbon tetrachloride Possible cancer 0.005
Nervous system, liver,
Endrin 0.002
kidney effects
Vinyl chloride Possible cancer 0.002
SMCL
Thank you!