KKKH4334

GROUNDWATER ENGINEERING

LECTURERS:
Prof. Madya Dr. AHMED HUSSEIN KAMEL AHMED NASSER ELSHAFIE
Dr. MUHAMMAD MUKHLISIN

Task 1 and 2
Zam-zam Water and Storativity

STUDENTS NAME:RESHMINDER KAUR

MATRIX NO: A132843

TASK 1:ZAM-ZAM WATER

The Well of Zamzam (or the Zamzam Well, or just Zamzam) is a well located within
the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 20 m (66 ft) east of the Kaaba, the holiest place in
Islam. According to Islamic belief, it is a miraculously-generated source of water from God.
The Zamzam well was excavated by hand, and is about 30 m (98 ft) deep and 1.08 to 2.66 m (3 ft
7 in to 8 ft 9 in) in diameter. It taps groundwater from the wadi alluvium and some from
the bedrock. Originally water from the well was drawn via ropes and buckets, but today the well
itself is in a basement room where it can be seen behind glass panels (visitors are not allowed to
enter). Electric pumps draw the water, which is available throughout the Masjid al-Haram via
water fountains and dispensing containers near the Tawaf area.
The Saudi Geological Survey has a "Zamzam Studies and Research Centre" which analyses the
technical properties of the well in detail. Water levels were monitored by hydrograph, which in
more recent times has changed to a digital monitoring system that tracks the water level, electric
conductivity, pH, Eh, and temperature.Other wells throughout the valley have also been
established, some with digital recorders, to monitor the response of the local aquifer system.
The water level is 3.23 m (10.6 ft) below the surface. A pumping test at 8,000 litres per
second (280 cu ft/s) for more than a 24-hour period showed a drop in water level to 12.72 m
(41.7 ft) below the surface and then to 13.39 m (43.9 ft), after which the water level stopped
receding. When pumping stopped, the water level recovered to 3.9 m (13 ft) below surface only
11 minutes later.This data shows that the aquifer feeding the well seems to recharge from rock
fractures in neighbouring mountains around Mecca.

Dimensions and the Well of Zam-zam Profiles

Form of the well of Zam-zam can be seen below.

The well has a depth of about 30.5 meters. To a depth of 13.5 meters through the top layer of the
Wadi Ibrahim alluvium. This layer is a layer of sand is very porous. This layer contains
sandstone result of transport from other places. Perhaps there once flowed a river valley that is
now dry. Or it can also be a result lowland buildup of debris or rock weathering higher
topography

Zamzam spring

Under Ibrahim Wadi alluvial layers have two feet (0.5 m) layer permeable to water.

Depth of 17 meters further down, these wells penetrate the hard rock layers that form
igneous rock diorite. This type of igneous rock (diorite) is rather rarely found anywhere in the
world, but very often found in the Arabian Peninsula.
There is a gap (fracture) which extends towards the Black Stone with a length of 75 cm height 30
cm premises, as well as some small gaps towards Shaffa and Marwa.
Geometric description of other, well below the gap where Thawaf 1:56 m, a total depth of 30 m
from the edge of the well, water from the edge of the well depth = 4 m, 13 m depth of the spring,
from spring until the bottom of a well 17 m, and diameter of the wells ranged from 1:46 up to
2.66 meters.

Rainwater as a source of blessing

City of Makkah is located in the valley, according to SGS (Saudi Geological Survey) which
supplies a broad basin catchment area is an area of 60 km2 only, of course, not too wide as a
receiver basin rain. Source of the Well of Zam-zam water primarily from rain that fell in the area
around Makkah.
These wells need a serious care. This includes maintaining the well-care hygienic quality of
water and environmental wells and maintain water supply to be able to meet the needs of the
pilgrims in Makkah. Land clearing for settlement around Makkah is very cleanly laid out to
avoid a reduction in the capacity of these wells.

Location of the well of Zamzam

The image above shows the location of the well of Zamzam is located in the middle of the valley
that extends. Haram Mosque in the center among the hills, the hills around it.

Catchment area of only 60 sq km is certainly small enough to catch the rain water is very scarce
in Makkah, so it requires supervision and maintenance of highly specialized.
The well of Zamzam was, once again in view of (scientific) hydrogeology, just like ordinary dug
wells. Not too special compared to other wells dug. However, because these wells religious
significance, then it needs to be maintained.

Formerly on the well is there a building with an area of 8.3 m x 10.7 m = 88.8 m2. Between the
years 1381-1388 was abolished H building to expand the Tawaf. So the place to drink Zamzam
water moved into the basement. Under this land provided a place to drink zam-zam water with
some 350 taps (220 taps for men and 130 faucets for women), female-male entered the room
were separated.

In 1971 conducted research (research) hydrology by a hydrology expert from Pakistan named
Tariq Hussain and Moin Uddin Ahmed. This is triggered by a statement of a doctorate in Egypt
which claimed Zamzam water and hazardous waste contaminated water for consumption. Tariq
Hussain doubted the speculation of a long fissure that connects the red sea by the Well of Zamzam, since Mecca is located 75 Kilometres from the beach. The study of Tariq Hussain spurred
the government of Saudi Arabia to pay attention to the Well of Zamzam .Currently, many new
buildings are built around the Grand Mosque, also lots of tunnels built around Mecca, so that the

current construction should really be tightly controlled because it will affect the local
hydrogeological conditions.

The Research Agency under the well of Zamzam SGS(Saudi Geological Survey) duty to:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Monitor and maintain to keep from these wells dry.

Keeping the surrounding urban Wadi Ibrahim because it affects water filling.
Regulate the flow of water from the catchment area (recharge area).
Maintaining groundwater movement and also maintain the quality through building

control.
5. Upgrading pumps and tanks and fences.
6. Optimize the distribution of supplies and airZam-zam
7. The development of care well of Zamzam.

Long ago, Zamzam was taken with a scoop or bucket, but then the water pump was built in
1373 H/1953 M. These pumps deliver water from the wells to water reservoirs, and including
also the tap-tap around the Zamzam well.

Pumping test (pumping test) have been conducted on these wells, the pumping of 8000
liters / sec for more than 24 hours showed the well water level from 3.23 meters below the
surface to 12.72 meters and then until 13:39 meters. After it stopped pumping water level is back
to 3.9 meters below the surface of the wells in 11 minut after the pump is stopped. So easily
believed that the aquifer that supplies water comes from several cracks (fissures) in the hills
around Makkah.
Many things have been done the Saudi government to maintain these wells, among others, by
forming a special agency in the year 1415 AH (1994). and currently has built a channel to
channel to the Zam-zam water storage tanks with a capacity of 15,000 m3, continued with
another tank at the top of the Grand Mosque in order to serve the pedestrians and travelers.
Additionally Zam-zam water also transported to other places to use them to tank truck Nabawi
Mosque in Madina Al-Munawarrah.

Mineral Content

Unlike a common mineral water, the water of Zamzam is unique in containing natural
elements of 2000 mg per liter. Usually the natural mineral water (hard carbonated water) will not
be more than 260 mg per liter. Chemical elements in Zamzam water sometimes can be grouped
into ,first, positive ions such as sodium (250 mg per liter), calcium (200 mg per liter), potassium
(20 mg per liter), and magnesium (50 mg per liter).Second, negative ions such as sulfur (372 mg
per liter), bicarbonates (366 mg per liter), nitrate (273 mg per liter), phosphate (0.25 mg per liter)
and ammonia (6 mg per liter).
Zam zam water Molecules

The contents of chemical elements is what makes the taste of the water of Zamzam is very
distinctive and can be trusted to provide special properties. Water that has been prepared foods
that are scattered around the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah is the water
that has been processed so it is safe and refreshing drink, there are already cooled and there is a
cool (warm). But supposedly this higienisation process does not use chemical processes to avoid
changes in taste and content of this water.

TASK 2:STORATIVITY

Storativity or the storage coefficient is the volume of water released from storage per unit
decline in hydraulic head in the aquifer, per unit area of the aquifer, or:

Storativity is the vertically integrated specific storage value for a confined aquifer or aquitard.
For a confined homogeneous aquifer or aquitard they are simply related by:

Storativity is a dimensionless quantity,where Ss is specific storage [L-1] and b is aquifer (or

aquitard) thickness [L],and ranges between 0 and the effective porosity of the aquifer; although
for confined aquifers, this number is usually much less than 0.01.
The storativity or storage coefficient of an unconfined aquifer is approximately equal to the
specific yield

, since the release from specific storage,

is typically orders of magnitude less.

In examining logs of wells/test holes in confined aquifers in measuring sections of exposed rocks
that dip down beneath confining beds to become confining aquifers,the storage coefficient may
be estimated from the following rule of thumb relationship

b(ft)

S/b (ft-1)

10-6

10

10-5

10-6

100

10-4

1000

10-3

One may either multiply the thickness in ft times 10-6 ft-1 or interpolate between values in the
first two columns,thus for b= 300 ft S= 3X 10-4 and so on
Values thus estimated are not absolutely correct and no allowances have been made for
porosity or compressibility of aquifer but they are fairly reliable for most purposes .Such
estimates may be improved upon by compression with value obtained from reliable
pumping/flow test,then extrapolated to other parts of an aquifer with adjustments for thickness
needed.