Catanduanes State University

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Virac, Catanduanes

TE2 - WATER AND WASTEWATER ENGINEERING

BSCE 5A
4:005:30/MTh

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY ASPECT OF WATER SUPPLY
Reporter: ROY D. TABLATE

HYDROLOGY - Is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on
Earth.
Why is it important to have a hydrological analysis of water?
By analyzing the statistical properties of hydrological records, such as rainfall or river flow,
hydrologists can estimate future hydrologic phenomena. When making assessments of how
often relatively rare events will occur, analyses are made in terms of the return period of
such events.
WATER SUPPLY - Is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organizations,
community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps or
pipes.
CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY - Continuity of water supply is taken for granted in most developed
countries, but is a severe problem in many developing countries, where
sometimes water is only provided for a few hours every day or a few days a
week. It is estimated that about half of the population of developing countries
receives water on an intermittent basis.
WATER QUALITY - Quality of drinking water has a micro-biological and a physic-chemical
dimension. There are thousands of parameters of water supply. In public
water supply systems water should, at a minimum, be disinfectedmost
commonly through the use of chlorination or the use of ultraviolet lightor
it may need to undergo treatment, especially in the case of surface water.
WATER PRESSURE - Water pressure varies in different locations of a distribution system. Water
mains below the street may operate at higher pressures, with a pressure
reducer located at each point where the water enters the building or a house.

WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY

Reporter: PAULO A. GONZALES

WATER QUALITY

WATER QUALITY - refers to the chemical, physical, microbiological, and radiological

characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to
the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or
purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against
which compliance can be assessed. The most common standards used to
assess water quality relate to health of ecosystems, safety of human contact
and drinking water.
Water Quality is described by the following factors:
1. Physical: Physical characteristics relate to the quality of water for domestic use. They include
color, turbidity, temperature, and, in particular, taste and odor.
2. Chemical: Chemical factors includes concentration of ions, pollutants, etc. Chemical
characteristics of waters are sometimes evidenced by their observed reactions, such as the
comparative performance of hard and soft waters in laundering.
3. Microbiological: Microbiological agents are very important in their relation to public health
and may also be significant in modifying the physical and chemical characteristics of water.
4. Radiological: Radiological factors must be considered in areas where there is a possibility that
the water may have come in contact with radioactive substances. The radioactivity of the
water is of public health concern in these cases.
Physical Characteristics:
a. Color. Color of the water should be clear in color not of apparent color. Apparent color is
like the color of tea.
b. Taste and Odor. Algae are frequently the source of T&O in surface water supplies. T&O
can also result as a byproduct of chlorine disinfection. Drinking water should be free
from any objectionable taste or odor at the point of use.
c. Temperature. The most desirable drinking waters are consistently cool and do not have
temperature fluctuations of more than a few degrees. Groundwater and surface water
from mountainous areas generally meet these criteria.
d. Turbidity. The presence of suspended material such as clay, silt, finely divided organic
material, plankton, and other particulate material in water is known as turbidity.

Chemical Characteristics
a. Arsenic is present naturally due to geologic formations but Arsenic in drinking water
has been linked to lung and urinary bladder cancer.
b. Chloride - Most waters contain some chloride. The amount present can be caused by the
leaching of marine sedimentary deposits or by pollution from sea water, brine, or
industrial or domestic wastes. Domestic water should contain less than 100 mg/L of
chloride to be palatable.
c. Fluoride In some areas, water sources contain natural fluoride. Where the
concentrations approach optimum levels, beneficial health effects have been observed.
d. Iron Water with iron is reddish in color.
e. Lead present in water due to corrosion of pipes but can cause kidney damage, and
impaired cognitive performance.
f. Manganese present in water due to discarded batteries and some agricultural products
used.
g. Sodium The presence of sodium in water can affect persons suffering from heart,
kidney, or circulatory ailments.
h. Zinc is found in some natural waters, in areas with zinc ore deposits. Zinc is not
considered detrimental to health, but it will impart an undesirable taste to drinking water.
Microbiological Characteristics
Water for drinking and cooking purposes must be made free from pathogens. These
organisms include viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and worms. Some organisms that cause disease in
people originate with the fecal discharges of infected individuals. Others are from the fecal
discharge of animals.
Radiological Characteristics
The use of atomic energy as a power source and the mining of radioactive materials, as
well as naturally occurring radioactive materials, are sources of radioactive substances in
drinking water. Drinking water standards have been established for alpha particles, beta particles,
photons emitters, radium-226 and - 228, and uranium.

WATER QUANTITY

Distribution of Freshwater on Earth

Glaciers and permanent snow cover - 68.7%
Groundwater - 30.1%
Freshwater Lakes - 0.26%
Rivers - 0.006%
Atmosphere - 0.004%
Biosphere - 0.003%

Water Quantity Estimation

The quantity of water required for municipal uses for which the water supply scheme has to be
designed requires following data:
1. Water consumption rate (Per Capita Demand in liters per day per head)
2. Population to be served.
Quantity= Per capita demand x Population

Water Consumption Rate

Water Consumption for Various Purposes
Types of Consumption
Domestic Consumption
Industrial and Commercial Demand
Public Uses including Fire Demand
Losses and Waste

Normal Range
(lit/capita/ day)
65-300
45-450
20-90
45-150

Average

160
135
45
62

35
30
10
25

Factors affecting per capita demand:

a. Size of the city: Per capita demand for big cities is generally large as compared to that for
smaller towns as big cities have sewered houses.
b. Presence of industries.
c. Climatic conditions.
d. Habits of people and their economic status.
e. Quality of water: If water is aesthetically medically safe, the consumption will increase as
people will not resort to private wells, etc.
f. Pressure in the distribution system.
g. Efficiency of water works administration:
Leaks in water mains and services; and unauthorized use of water can be kept to a
minimum by surveys.
h. Cost of water.
i. Policy of metering and charging method:
Water tax is charged in two different ways:
1. On the basis of meter reading
2. On the basis of certain fixed monthly rate.
Water quantity sometimes do not meet the demand so distribution is needed. To meet the
demand, the supply pipes, service reservoirs and distribution pipes must be properly
proportioned. The water is supplied by pumping directly and the pumps and distribution system
must be designed to meet the peak demand.

DRINKING WATER STANDARD

Reporter: JOIO FRANZ C. GIANAN

Access to safe drinking water is not simply for the promotion and protection of public health but
it is a BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

Standards:

Europe - European Drinking Water Directive

USA - the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes standards as
required by the Safe Drinking Water Act
Standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to those countries that doesnt set
standard.
Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water 2007 (DOH ADMINISTRATIVE
ORDER No. 2007- 0012)

Where drinking water quality standards do exist, most are expressed as guidelines or
targets rather than requirements, and very few water standards have any legal basis or, are
subject to enforcement. Two exceptions are the European Drinking Water Directive and the
Safe Drinking Water Act in the USA, which require legal compliance with specific standards.
In Europe, this includes a requirement for member states to enact appropriate local
legislation to mandate the directive in each country. Routine inspection and, where required,
enforcement is enacted by means of penalties imposed by the European Commission on noncompliant nations.
Definition of Terms:

Parameters substance or organism tested routinely in drinking water.

Level I (or point source) a protected well or a developed spring with an outlet but
without distribution system, generally adaptable for rural areas where the houses are
thinly scattered. A level I facility normally serves 15 to 25 households and its outreach
must not be more than 250 meters from the farthest user. The yield or discharge is
generally from 40 to 140 liters per minute.
Level II (communal faucet system or stand posts) a system composed of source, a
reservoir, piped distribution network and communal faucets, located no more than 25
meters from the farthest house. The system is designed to deliver 40 to 80 liters per capita
per day to an average of 100 households, with one faucet per 4 to 6 households. It is
generally suitable for rural and urban areas where houses are clustered densely to justify a
simple pipe system.
Level III (waterworks system or individual house connections) a system with a source,
a reservoir, a piped distribution network and household taps. It is generally suited for
densely populated areas. This level of facility requires a minimum treatment of
disinfection.

PARAMETERS
1. Microbiological Quality
Drinking-water supplies should be free from contamination by human and animal
excreta, which can contain a variety of microbial contaminants. It can cause diseases like
Salmonella, E. coli, cholera etc.

Minimum Frequency of Sampling for Drinking-Water Supply Systems for

Microbiological Examination

2. Chemical and Physical Quality

Various forms of chemicals, which occur naturally in the environment and in raw, water
or used in agriculture, industries, and water treatment processes or domestically may be
found in drinking water supplies. There are few chemical constituents of water that can
lead to acute health problems except through massive accidental contamination of
drinking water supply. In such incidents, water usually becomes undrinkable owing to
unacceptable taste, odor, and appearance.

Minimum Frequency of Sampling for Drinking-Water Supply Systems for Physical and
Chemical Analysis

Comparison of Parametric Values

Antimony

World Health
Organization
ns

European
Union
5.0 g/l

Arsenic

10g/l

Barium

Parameter

United States

China

Philippines

6.0 g/l

2g/l

10 g/l

10g/l

50g/l

50g/l

700g/l

ns

2 mg/L

700g/l

Benzene

10g/l

1.0 g/l

5 g/l

Boron

2.4mg/l

1.0 mg/L

0.5 mg/L

Bromate

10 g/l

10 g/l

Cadmium

3 g/l

5 g/l

5 g/l

5 g/l

3 g/l

Copper

2.0 mg/l

TT

1 mg/l

Fluoride

1.5 mg/l

1.5 mg/l

4 mg/l

1 mg/l

1 mg/l

Lead

10 g/l

15 g/l

10 g/l

10 g/l

Mercury

6 g/l

1 g/l

2 g/l

0.05 g/l

1g/l

Nickel

20 g/l

20 g/l

ns no standard exists
no standard has been identified by editors of the article
3. Radiological Quality
Radioactive contaminants in drinking water may come from naturally-occurring
radionuclides present in rocks and soils from earth's formation and from man-made
radionuclide arising from power generated by nuclear energy. Deep wells, groundwater
and mineral springs have been known to be sources of natural radioactivity, principally
radium and radon.
Sampling Frequency Requirements for Radiological Constituents

Based on its health significance and acceptability, the following priority parameters shall
be tested:
1. microbiological
2. arsenic
3. cadmium
4. lead

5. nitrate
6. benzene
7. color
8. turbidity

9. iron
10. pH
11. manganese
12. chloride

13. Sulfate
14. TD S