Sources of Water Supply

& Water Quality

DWCL CE526 AY15-162S Lecture 3
Russela Louise V. Barcenas-Alvarado, CE

Sources of Water Supply

Distribution of Earths Water

Hydrologic Cycle

Surface Water Hydrology

Stream flow

Precipitation

Direct runoff
GW exfiltration

Abstractions
Evaporation
Infiltration
Interception
Trapping

Groundwater Hydrology

Water Table (unconfined) Aquifer

Springs
Perched Water Table
Artesian (Confined) Aquifer

Groundwater Aquifers

Water Quality

Drinking Water Quality Categories

Physical
Chemical
Microbiological
Radiological

Physical Characteristics
Turbidity

Presence of suspended material

Turbidity Unit (TU) or Nephlometric Turbidity Unit (NTU)

Colour

Caused by dissolved organic material

Colour produced by 1 mg of Pt in a litre of water

Taste and
Odour

Caused by foreign matter such as organic compounds,

inorganic salts or dissolved gases

Temperature

GW and SW from mountainous areas are generally cool

Most palatable: 10-15 (N. America), 4.4-10 (India)

Chemical Characteristics

Total Solids and Suspended Solids

PH Value
Hardness
Chloride

Chemical Characteristics

Nitrogen
Metals
Dissolved Gases
Bio-Chemical Oxygen Demand

Microbiological Characteristics
The examination of water for the presence of bacteria is
important for the water supply engineer from the viewpoint
of public health. The bacteria may be harmless to mankind
or harmful to mankind. The former category is known as
non-pathogenic bacteria and the later category is known as
pathogenic bacteria.
The selective medium that promote the growth of particular
bacteria and inbuilt the growth of other organisms is used in
the lab to detect the presence of the required bacteria,
usually coliform bacteria.

Microbiological Characteristics

Plant
Count
Test

Total number of bacteria presents in an ml of water is counted

M.P.N.
Test

MOST PROBABLE NUMBER (MPN) of B-coli per 100ml of water

as referred to the standard statistical tables (Maccardys)

Drinking water should not have more than 10 coliforms/100ml

For drinking water, the M.P.N. should not be more than 2

Radiological Characteristics
The development and use of atomic energy and the mining
of radioactive materials, as well as naturally occurring
radioactive materials, have made it necessary to establish
limiting concentrations for the intake into the body of
radioactive substances, including drinking water.
Water with high radioactivity is not normal and is confined
in great degree to areas where nuclear industries are
situated.

PNSDW 2007

Philippine National Standards

for Drinking Water 2007

Standard Values for Physical & Chemical

Quality for Acceptability Aspects

Constituent

Max Level (mg/L) or

Characteristic

Method of Analysis

Taste

No objectionable taste

Sensory Evaluation Technique

Odour

No objectionable odour

Sensory Evaluation Technique

Colour Apparent
True

10 colour units
5 colour units

Visual Comparison
Colorimetric

Turbidity

5 NTU

Turbidimetry

Aluminium

0.2

FAAS, EAAS, ICP, Colorimetry

Chloride

250.0

Argentometric Method, IC

Copper

1.0

FAAS, EAAS, ICP, Neocuproine

Method, Bathocuproine Method

Hardness

300 as CaCO3

FAAS, EAAS, ICP, Colorimetry

Standard Values for Physical & Chemical

Quality for Acceptability Aspects

Constituent

Max Level (mg/L) or

Characteristic

Method of Analysis

Iron

1.0

Phenanthroline, AAS, ICP, Colorimetric

Method

Manganese

0.4

Persulfate Method, AAS, ICP/MS

pH

6.5 8.5

Electrometric method

Sodium

200

AAS (Flame absorption mode) ,

ICP/MS, Flame Photometry

Sulphate

250

Turbidimetric Method, Ion

Chromatography, Gravimetric Method

TDS

500

Gravimetric, dried at 180oC

Zinc

5.0

FAAS, ICP, ICP/MS