Chapter 3

Water Treatment
C LO 1 : E X P L A I N C L E A R LY T H E WAT E R R E S O U R C E S , WAT E R D E M A N D A N D
U S A G E , R AW WAT E R T R E AT M E N T P R O C E S S A N D R E L AT E D
C O N S T I T U E N T S , (C 3 , P LO 1 )
3.1 Water Quality Standard
• Portable Water Quality Standards (WHO)
• Portable Water Quality Standards (MOH)
• Chlorine residue for water supply
Portable Water Quality Standards (WHO)
• WHO's Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, set up in Geneva, 1993,
are the international reference point for standard setting and
drinking-water safety.
• Lists of Parameter can be referred to;
http
://www.lenntech.com/applications/drinking/standards/who-s-drinking-w
ater-standards.htm
Portable Water Quality Standards (MOH)
• Parameters of the standards can be viewed at;
• http://kmam.moh.gov.my/public-user/drinking-water-quality-standard.
html
 Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS Malaysia),
DOE
Classes
Parameters (Units)
l llA llB lll lV V
DO mg/l 7 5-7 5-7 3-5 <3 <1

COD mg/l 10 25 25 50 100 > 100

BOD mg/l 1 3 3 6 12 > 12

Total Dissolved Solids mg/l 500 1000 - - 4000 -

Total Suspended Solids mg/l 25 50 50 150 300 > 300

counts/1
Faecal Caliform 10 100 400 5000 5000 -
00ml

counts/1 >500
Total Coliform 00ml 100 5000 5000 5000 5000 00
Class Description
l represents water bodies of excellent quality. Standards set for the conservation of
natural environment in its undisturbed state. Water bodies such as those in the
national park areas, fountain heads, and in land and in undisturbed areas come
under this category where strictly no discharges of any kind is permitted. Water
bodies in this category meets the most stringent requirements for human health
and aquatic life protection.
ll represents water bodies of good quality. Most existing raw water supply sources
come under this category. In practise, no body contact activity is allowed in this
water for the prevention of probable human pathogens. There is a need to
introduce another class for water bodies not used for water supply but similar
quality which may be referred to as Class IIB. The determination of Class IIB
standards is based on criteria for recreational use and protection of sensitive
aquatic species.
lll is defined with the primary objective of protecting common and moderately
tolerant aquatic species of economic value. Water under this classification may be
used for water supply with extensive/advanced treatment. This class of water is
also defined to suit livestock drinking needs.
lV defines water required for major agricultural activities which may not cover minor
applications to sensitive crops.
V represents other water which do not meet any of the above uses.
Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations, 1979.
Maximum Effluent Parameter Limits Standards A and B.
Standard
Parameters (Units)
A (1) B (2)
1 Temperature C
o
40 40
2 pH - 6.0 - 9.0 5.5 - 9.0
3 BOD5 @ 20oC mg/l 20 50
4 COD mg/l 50 100
5 Suspended Solids mg/l 50 100 Standard A for
6 Mercury mg/l 0.005 0.05
7 Cadmium mg/l 0.01 0.02 discharge upstream of
8 Chromium, Hexalent mg/l 0.05 0.05 drinking water take-
9 Arsenic mg/l 0.05 0.10 off
10 Cyanide mg/l 0.05 0.10
11 Lead mg/l 0.10 0.5
12 Chromium, Trivalent mg/l 0.20 1.0
Standard B for
13 Copper mg/l 0.20 1.0 inland waters
14 Manganese mg/l 0.20 1.0
15 Nickel mg/l 0.20 1.0
16 Tin mg/l 0.20 1.0
17 Zinc mg/l 1.0 1.0
18 Boron mg/l 1.0 4.0
19 Iron (Fe) mg/l 1.0 5.0
20 Phenol mg/l 0.001 1.0
21 Free Chlorine mg/l 1.0 2.0
22 Sulphide mg/l 0.50 0.50
23 Oil and Grease mg/l Not detectable 10.0
3.2 Design Criteria In Water Treatment
System
• Planning and environmental constraint
• Plant Design Site Factor
• Environmental Factor
 Treatment Plant Location
• Water treatment plant location is important in water treatment system
• The location acted as the quality control centre in overall the system
• The economical and functionality of the plant depends on the location
of the plant
• Incomplete design or unsuitable location will effect the management,
maintenance, quality and quantity of supplied water
 WATER TREATMENT PLANT AREA
• Located nearer to the area of service to avoid contamination
• Units of plant located in order of sequence and flow by gravity
• Sufficient area should be reserved for future expansion
• Staff quarters and office provided near the treatment plant
• Treatment plant should be neat and give very good aesthetic
appearance
Design of Treatment Plant
• In designing stage, the consideration that should always included
is the space or interval for modification or enlargement of the
plant, operation and environmental requirements
• Initial investigation should consider the factors below
• Future requirement of the plant
• Treatment process
• Chemical storage and truck routes
• Space for sludge and effluent
• Water storage for raw water and treated water
• Power supply either from domestic or diesel
• Intake storage location
• Workers space or residential location
• Plant components such as hydraulic design, chemical flow, Sanitation, overflow etc
Site factor

• Intake location
• If the river are the source of intake, the plant should be built at the nearest
location to avoid the increasing numbers of pipes usage
• The height of intake also should be considered and fit the pump ability
• The plant location also should supply the water to the area of demand with
the minimum cost

• Hydraulic design
• Location of the intake should follow the natural hydraulic slope to ensure the
supply to the area of interest are within gravity system
• This requirement will be fulfilled if the supply location is lower than the plant
location
• Land
• Treatment plant generally built up in government land to avoid problems with
individual land

• Plant routes
• The plant should be built nearest to the main entrance

• Flood
• The location of the plant should be not in flooding area or in any flood return
period area

• Ground Condition and ground water level

• Avoid location with high water level
• Avoid boulders area
• Increase the design and construction cost
Environmental Factors
• The EIA need to be done to study the impact of the plant to the
environmental and nearest area
• The study should included
• Noise in operation (pump, generator and chemical plant)
• Noise in construction process
• Dust control
• Odor from sludge and chemicals
• Sludge removal effects and effluents from the treatment process
3.3 Process of Water Treatment Plant
Purpose of water treatment
• Remove the pathogenic microorganism and dirt
• Remove the odour, taste and un-needed color
• To improve the quantity of dissolved oxygen in water
• Remove unwanted gasses
• Dissolved minerals in water
• Reduce the ability of rusting
TYPICAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT
TYPIC
AL
PROC
ESSES
OF
 WATER TREATMENT PROCESS
• Water Intake
• Screening
• Coagulation
• Mixing & Flocculation
• Sedimentation
• Filtration
Intake
• Raw Water Storage
• Generally used if the river selected as the main sources to supply water
• Main reason of the storage is to stabilize the flow of the water
• Also to eliminate the low quality of water at the slow flow rate
• Generally early settlement will happened here
• Time of storage around 7-15 days
Screening
• The intake screens prevent debris from entering the treatment facility.
• The screens are located off the bottom of the river to avoid bringing
sediments into the treatment plant and below the surface to avoid
bringing oils or other floating material into the treatment plant.
• Involved Gross screening, Moderate Screening and Micro Screening
• Two screening design existed: Open channel and Single routes
• Removes suspended materials with 25mm size in gross screening.
• Moderate screening and micro screening will removed suspended
material which pass the gross screen.
SCREENING
Coagulation
• Coagulation is a process of adding chemicals into water to destabilize
particles and enable them to become attached to other particles so that
they can be removed in subsequent process.
• Typical chemicals used in coagulation called Coagulant
• Types of coagulants used are;
• Aluminium Sulphate
• Sodium Sulphate
• Ferric Sulphate
• Ferric Chloride
• Polymers
• Factors affecting coagulation process
• Coagulant dosage (Generally 10-50 mg/L)
• Adjustment of pH (optimum pH 5-8)
• Turbidity ( Higher turbidity required more coagulant)

• Mixing
• Rapid mixing used in coagulation process to provide a uniform dispersion of
coagulants chemical throughout the water influent
• Two methods of rapid mixing
• Mechanical Process
• Hydraulic Process
Determination of Coagulant Dosage
• Jar Test used to calculate the quantity of coagulant to be used in
water treatment plant.
• Jar test must be performed on each water that is to be coagulated
and must be repeated with each significant change in the quality of
water.
Flocculation
• Flocculation is slow mixing process in which these particles are
brought into contact in order to promote agglomeration
• Flocculation process relies on turbulence to promote collisions
between destabilized particles to form large and dense flocs
• Types of flocculation
• Mechanical Flocculation
• Hydraulic Flocculation

• The sediments forms called floc.

• Removed the bacteria and microorganism which was trapped with the
floc formed
 Click icon to add picture

Coagulation &
Flocculation
Ctd..
Mixing of
Coagulant
 Scums and
precipitation
 Click icon to add picture

Coagulation
tank
 Click icon to add picture

Flocculation Baffles
Tank
Sedimentation Process
• Preliminary Sedimentation;
• Raw water contains various suspended matters such as reduced iron and manganese, bacteria and
organic colloids as impurities. These can be allowed to settle and removed when the water stands still.
• Done if detected of high concentration of suspended materials in water
• High rate of turbidity
• Retention time generally around 30-60 mins

• When permanganate is added as an oxidant along with a chemical to neutralize the pH,
reduced iron and manganese compounds are rapidly oxidised. For other suspended
particles flocculants may be necessary.
• All these flocculated materials settle out in the sedimentation tanks in the form of
sludge. Most of the microorganisms are also removed in sedimentation.
 Click icon to add picture

Sedimentation
Process
 Click icon to add picture

Sedimentation Tank
Sedimentation
Tank
Sedimentation
Tank
Sedimentation
Tank
Filtration
• Filtration is a passage of water through a porous medium to remove
suspended solids and microorganism
• Needed for most surface waters in order to provide a second barrier against
the transmission of water borne disease
• Filtration can assist significantly by reducing the load on disinfection process,
increasing the disinfection efficiency
• Types of filtration
• Pressure Filter System (Waste Water)
• Gravity Filter System (Drinking Water)
• Rapid Sand Filter (Gross sizes sand)
• Slow Sand Filter (Small sizes sand)
Filter Tank
Filter Tank
Filter Inlet
Air Blower Pipe

Underdrain Pipe System below Filter

Bed (Including Wash Water System)

Filter Media (Sand)

3.3.2 Water Treatment Plant Component
• Flocculation Tank
• Sedimentation Tank
• Filtration Tank
Flocculation Tank
• The mixing system include:
• Mechanical Flocculator
• Prevents water from rotating continuously in the same direction around the shaft
• Low velocity around the shaft
• High maintenance and operation cost
• Hydraulic Flocculator
• Simple to construct and operate
• Less chance of short circuiting
• Speed cannot be easily adjust
• Increase head loss
Sedimentation Tank
• Types of Settling Tanks
• Sedimentation  tanks  may  function  either  intermittently  or
continuously.
• The intermittent tanks also called quiescent type tanks are those which
store water for a certain period and keep it in complete rest.
• In a continuous flow type tank, the flow velocity is only reduced and the
water is not brought to complete rest as is done in an intermittent type.
• Settling basins may be either long rectangular or circular in plan. Long
narrow rectangular tanks with horizontal flow are generally preferred to
the circular tanks with radial or spiral flow.
Types of Sedimentation Tank
Filtration Tank
• Design of filtration tank depends on mechanism of filtration
• Three types of filtration mechanism
• Mechanical straining – size of suspended solids is bigger than the size of porous
medium
• Electrolytic action – occurs due to the friction between medium and suspended
solids
• Sedimentation and adsorption – suspended particles smaller than the voids in
filter bed. The particles stick on the grains because of physical attraction and the
existence of gelatinous coating form by bacteria and colloidal matters.
3.3.2 Chemical Process
• Softening
• Iron and Manganese Removal
• Disinfection & Miscellaneous Treatment
 Water Softening Process
• Water softening applied to the water which contain hardness
greater than 150 mg/L as CaCO3
• Softening is the reduction of the concentration of calcium,
magnesium, and certain other metal cations in hard water.
• These "hardness ions" can cause a variety of undesired effects
including interfering with the action of soaps, the build up of
limescale, which can foul plumbing, and galvanic corrosion.
• Water softening regulated by controlling the pH, neutralized free
acids and if necessary CO3 2- will be added
Water Softening Process
 Io n an d M an ga n e s e Re m o v a l

• Iron and manganese occur naturally in water, especially groundwater.

• Ion and manganese essential to the human diet, but water containing
excessive amounts of iron and manganese can stain clothes, discolor
plumbing fixtures, and sometimes add a “rusty” taste and look to the
water.
• Concentration exceeds 0.3 mg/L will require iron and manganese
removal.
• Oxidizing agents could be; atmospheric oxygen, chlorine. Ozone,
permanganate etc
Iron And Manganese Removal
Disinfection & Misc
• Disinfection
• Disinfection adds to prevent bacterial contamination as the treated water flows through the
distribution system to customers.
• Must be meet possible fluctuation in composition, concentration and condition of treated water
• Common methods used are Chlorination, Ozonation and Ultraviolet Light

• Fluoridation
• Addition of fluoride to prevent dental caries and tooth decay
• Common used fluoride compounds; sodium fluoride, sodium silicoflouride

• pH Correction
• Adjust ph to be 7.0 at the outlet of contact tank by adding lime.
• pH correction make coagulation, oxidation of iron & manganese and chlorination more effective
Chlorine Residue
• Chlorination is effective and the most common application in water
treatment process
• Available in granular, powdered, liquid and gasses form
• Provide residual in water
• Production of trihalomethanes and can cause cancer
• Disinfection practice is based on establishing a given amount of chlorine
residuals (≈2mg/L) during treatment and then maintaining adequate
residual.
• Chlorine effectively kill bacteria but protozoa and virus more resistant to
chlorine