MODULE 2

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY: SOURCES AND PURIFICATION PROCESS

What are the General Sources of Public Water Supply?

The 2 General Sources of Public Water Supply are: 1. Surface Waters: Streams, Rivers & Lakes a. Upland Surface Water b. Lowland Surface Water

2. Ground Water
DANILO V. RAVINA, NAMPAP - CEBU

Upland Surface Waters:

DANILO V. RAVINA, NAMPAP - CEBU

Water Divides & Watersheds:

DANILO V. RAVINA, NAMPAP - CEBU

Metro Cebu Watersheds:

The 3 Watersheds identified as major water sources for Metro Cebu: 1. Kotkot Watershed 2. Lusaran Watershed 3. Mananga Watershed

DANILO V. RAVINA, NAMPAP - CEBU

Metro Cebu Ground Water Source:

Metro Cebu Water Supply & Demand Projections (2000 2015)

MCWD supplies only 40% of Metro Cebus population.

What is the Purification Process for Surface Water Supply Source?

Surface water basic treatment process employed by commercial water provider, including the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) treats the water using the conventional method comprising of the following: 1. Storage 2. Aeration 3. Coagulation / Flocculation 4. Sedimentation 5. Filtration

Surface Water Supply and Treatment System

The Buhisan Dam at Kalunasan, Cebu City

Runoff or surface water is first stored in the Dam. Suspended matters tend to sink to the bottom. In the course of time, diseaseproducing organisms tend to die out. Thus the storing of water improves its quality.

MCWD Tisa Filtration Plant at Labangon, Cebu City

Aeration: Water is sprayed into the air or cascaded in order to release trapped gases & absorb additional oxygen for better taste. It also removes iron compounds.

Sample of a Spray Aerator

Section / Elevation of Spray Aerator for the removal of Iron and Manganese

Coagulation and Flocculation:

Coagulation is the chemical process in which the coagulant reacts with the sediment to make it capable of combining into larger particles. Alum is the common coagulant used. Flocculation is the physical process in which the sediment particles collide with each other and stick together.

Sedimentation:
This is the process by which suspended solids are removed from the water by gravity settling and deposition. The objective of this process is to remove most of the suspended solids and thus reducing the loads on the filters.

Contents in the Sedimentation Tanks

Filtration:
Water is passed through a bed of fine sand in which the suspended matters that did not settle during sedimentation are trapped and held in place by the force of gravity or by the direction of flow.

What are the types of Filters?

The types of filters are: 1. Slow Sand Filter consists of large tanks with a filter bed of 600mm to 1000mm of fine sand over 300mm of gravel, with suitable drainage pipes to conduct water after passing through the filter under its own weight. 2. Rapid Sand Filter a. Rapid Gravity Filter b. Rapid Pressure Filter

Sample Plan of a Slow Sand Filter & Filtered Water Storage Tank
The organic matter which accumulates on the surface of the sand forms a jelly-like film which does stops the passage of organisms. Cleaning of the filter bed is done through scraping off a thin layer of sand together with the surface film. There must be at least 2 filters in any filtration system.

Sections of a Slow Sand Filter and Filtered Water Storage Tank

Section of a Rapid Gravity Filter

When the filter requires cleaning, it is emptied down to the level of the waste channel. The sand is agitated from below by means of compressed air delivered through the same pipes which previously collected the filtered water. The cleaning is completed in a few minutes and the filter is ready for use again immediately.

Section of a Rapid Pressure Filter

This is generally used for the purification of water used in swimming pools. The cleaning process consists of reversing the flow of water through the filter and allowing the washings to flow through the washout valve. While the flow of water is reversed, the sand is agitated from below by mechanical stirrers or by compressed air injected from below the filter bed.

Chlorination:
Chlorination is the method of introducing a controlled amount of chlorine gas or chlorine salts to the water in order to attain a desired degree of disinfection. Chlorine kills any disease producing organisms in the water.

Groundwater Supply and Treatment System

Equipment used in Chlorination

Pot Chlorinator Used in disinfecting wells

Floating Bowl Chlorinator

References:

Cebu for Sustainable Water Resource. Metro Cebu Water District. Nebel, B.J. and Wright, R.T.: Environmental Science 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1993 National Water Resources Council. Rural Water Supply Design Manual, Volume 1, NWRC, Quezon City, 1980 Doyle, K.M.: Plumbing and Gas Fitting, Volume 1, Government Printing Office, Mulgrave St., Wellington, 1990