Water Quality Assessment

ECW445 Env. Eng.
& Sustainability
At the end of this week, students should be

able to
1. Compare and differentiate the
characteristics of water
2.
3.
Evaluate the standard of drinking water,

particularly in Malaysia
Justify and select the standard parameter
ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability
The water you drink has been circling around in the

water cycle for millions of years - that means the
same water exists now as when dinosaurs were on
the Earth!
Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the
earths surface is covered with water.
Your brain is made up of approximately 85%
of water and your bones are approximately 33%
World Water Day is 22 March and
World Toilet Day is 19 November.
Malaysia lies entirely in the equatorial zone. The

climate is governed by the regime of the northeast
and southwest monsoons.
The average temperature throughout the year is
very stable (26C), and the mean annual rainfall is
3,000 mm.
Streams or river with or without impounding
reservoirs contribute about 99% of raw water for
water supply in Malaysia with the remaining 1% of
raw water coming from groundwater
Out of an annual rainfall volume of 990 km3, 360

km3 (36 percent) are lost to Evapotranspiration.
The total surface runoff is 566 km3, and about 64
km3 (7 percent of the total annual rainfall)
contribute to groundwater recharge. 80 % of the
groundwater flow returns to the rivers and is
therefore not considered an additional resource.
Water Sustainability Index (WSI) measures the

sustainability of water resources both in terms of
availability and usage.
The WSI showed a decrease from 64% in 1992 to
33% in 2002 a reflection that Malaysias water
resources are rapidly depleting and have been
managed unsustainably.
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological

characteristics of water in relationship to a set of
standards.
Water quality standards are created by state agencies
for different types of water bodies and water body
locations per desired uses.
The primary uses considered for such characterization
are parameters which relate to drinking water, safety of
human contact, and for health of ecosystems.
Industrial pollution is a major cause of water pollution,
as well as runoff from agricultural areas, urban
stormwater runoff and discharge of untreated sewage
(especially in developing countries).
The physical characteristics of water are

perhaps the oldest set of factors that
people have used to assess water quality.
For the most part, these features can be
crudely evaluated simply by using our five
senses, although special instruments are
used to accurately measure them.
The five most commonly considered
physical characteristics are, taste, odour,
temperature, colour, suspended solids and
turbidity.
Taste & odour the terms taste and odour are

themselves definitive of this parameter.
Temperature usually changes according to
the sun and precipitation.
Colour pure water is colourless, but water in
nature is often coloured by foreign substances.
Two (2) types of colour; apparent colour and true
colour.
Turbidity - a measure of the cloudiness of the water and is

measure in nephelometric turbity units (NTU).
Turbidity in open water may be caused by growth of
phytoplankton, human activities that disturb land, such as
construction, storm water runoff
solids can be dispersed in water in both

suspended and dissolved forms.
solids suspended in water may consist of
inorganic (clay, silt etc) or organic particles
(algal cells, bacteria etc)
The chemical characteristics of water are

numerous. Every substance that dissolves in water
can be called a chemical water quality characteristic.
Water is called the "universal solvent" because it
dissolves more substances than any other liquid. This
means that wherever water goes, either through the
ground or through our bodies, it takes along valuable
chemicals, minerals, and nutrients.
Some of the important chemical characteristic of
water are its TDS, DO, COD, BOD, hardness, pH,
corrosiveness, conductivity, nitrate-N, iron and
manganese.
The material remaining in the water after filtration for

suspended solids analysis is considered to be dissolved.
This material is left as a solid residue upon evaporation of

the water
Solvent materials result from the solvent action of water

on solids, liquids and gases.
Examples of inorganic material include mineral, metal and

gases.
Materials such as decay products of vegetation or from

chemical are examples for organic dissolved materials.
DO analysis to measure the amount of gaseous

oxygen (O2) dissolved in an aqueous solution.
BOD The amount of oxygen required by aerobic
microorganisms to decompose the organic matter
COD commonly used to indirectly measure the
amount of organic compounds in water. Most
applications of COD determine the amount of
organic pollutants found in surface water (e.g.
lakes and rivers).
Water hardness is a measure of the amount of

calcium and magnesium salts in water.
The simplest way to determine the hardness of
water is the lather/froth test: soap or toothpaste,
when agitated, lathers easily in soft water but not
in hard water
pH is a measure of the
acidic or basic (alkaline)
nature of a solution. The
concentration of the
hydrogen ion [H+]
activity in a solution
determines the pH.
The biological characteristics of a water body refer to a

variety of living organisms that can be found in water.
These include microscopic viruses, bacteria and
protozoan; as well as phytoplankton (microscopic
algae), zooplankton (tiny water animals), insects,
worms, large plants and fish.
Of significance to humans is that disease-causing

viruses and bacteria can be present and transported in
water.
Tests for specific pathogens are usually made only
when there is a reason to suspect that those particular
organisms are present using indicator organism.
An indicator organism is one whose presence

presume that contamination has occurred in
the water.
The ideal pathogen indicator would;
1.
Be applicable for all types of water
2.
Always be present when pathogens are present
3.
Always be absent when pathogens are absent
4.
Not interfere with the test result
5.
Not be a pathogen itself.
Find out the Malaysian

Standard for Drinking Water.
Parameter
Sample
1
Sample
2
Sample
3
Turbidity
(NTU)
0.92
10
>10
pH
7.24
7.5
4.7
BOD (mg/l)
0.5
15
69
1. Which sample is the

best in water quality
and the worst?
2. Find out the sources
of the samples
according to the water
quality parameter
3. Discuss on the limit

values according to
standard of drinking
water
4. Any parameter should
be included? Why?
Eng. & Sustainability

SourceECW445
: Dr. Env.
Zulkifli
Abdul Rahman, DOE, Malaysia
The objectives are;

Pollution prevention
Extensive monitoring network
Database for baseline studies
Three (3) types of water quality monitoring;

Groundwater monitoring
Marine water monitoring
River monitoring
National Monitoring Network Established in 1978.

The aims;
a) To establish the status of river water quality;
b) To detect changes in water quality as a result of
development activities
To date, 902 manual stations in 120 basins.

Program include :
a) In-situ measurements
b) Sampling and laboratory analysis ( 24-physicochemical and biological parameters
In situ measurements of more than six (6) parameters turbidity,

DO, salinity, temperature, pH and electrical conductivity.
Lab analysis of as many as 24 other chemical and biological

parameters.
10 automatic water quality monitoring stations on major rivers
To detect changes in river water quality on a continuous basis.
Water quality levels violating the ambient standard for specific

parameters will be transmitted real-time to DOE
Immediate inspection will be conducted at the suspected point
River
classifications for major rivers has

been completed 24 rivers
Under
the 8th Malaysian Plan (2001 2005)

and the 3rd Outline Perspectives Plan (2001
2010), emphasis given to improve river
water quality and integrated river basin
management.
Some
river have been set to attain Class II
Program for the pollution prevention improvement

of river water quality has been planned and
implemented as of 2001.
26 rivers have been identified.
In 2001, the program started with six (6) rivers

namely, Langat River, Skudai River, Segget River,
Tebrau River, Melaka River and Miri River.
The effort aims to ensure the sustainability of the
water uses in the river basin

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
PROGRAM STRATEGIES:
Pollution Control and prevention
Sustainable Development through Conservation
of Resources
Integration of Environmental Factors in
Development Planning
Promotion of Environmental Education and
Awareness
Public Participation
Inter-Agency and Federal-State Cooperation
International Cooperation
(EXAM!) Table below shows results of water quality

monitoring program for a water distribution system:
Sampling
Location
Turbidity
(NTU)
Color
(TCU)
pH
Hardness
(ppm)
0.5km
from
reservoir
3.4
6.8
50
0.75km
from
reservoir
5.1
11
6.3
50
1 km from
reservoir
7.7
16
6.7
60
1. Based on the results,

what is your
evaluation of the water
coming to the
reservoir?
2. What are the possible
causes of water quality
deterioration in the
distribution system?
3. Recommend 3
measures that can be
taken to improve the
situation. Explain
Monitoring
program has proven to be useful

although they can be expensive.
Such
activity becomes more important in

the river restoration and rehabilitation
works to a desired natural river conditions
The
need to use latest technology and

know-how of river restoration to have an
efficient monitoring program.

Water Quality Assessment

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Water Quality Assessment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ECW445 Env. Eng.

At the end of this week, students should be

Evaluate the standard of drinking water,

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The water you drink has been circling around in the

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Malaysia lies entirely in the equatorial zone. The

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Out of an annual rainfall volume of 990 km3, 360

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Water Sustainability Index (WSI) measures the

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The physical characteristics of water are

Taste & odour the terms taste and odour are

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Turbidity - a measure of the cloudiness of the water and is

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

solids can be dispersed in water in both

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The chemical characteristics of water are

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The material remaining in the water after filtration for

This material is left as a solid residue upon evaporation of

Solvent materials result from the solvent action of water

Examples of inorganic material include mineral, metal and

Materials such as decay products of vegetation or from

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

DO analysis to measure the amount of gaseous

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Water hardness is a measure of the amount of

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The biological characteristics of a water body refer to a

Of significance to humans is that disease-causing

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

An indicator organism is one whose presence

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Find out the Malaysian

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

1. Which sample is the

3. Discuss on the limit

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

ECW445 Env. Eng. & Sustainability

The objectives are;