Proposed Treatment Process for Safe Drinking Water in Two Water Types

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Proposed treatment process for the two water types to provide safe drinking water for the
community
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Abstract
This paper specifically addresses the treatment processes of water in instances where the
total dissolved solid, turbidity, dissolved organic carbon and turbidity levels were found to be
undesirable for drinking water. All references of these parameters are compared to the Australian
water quality guidelines hence determining the need for the water treatment so that safe water for
drinking is made available to consumers. Two contexts are applicable, water quality
characteristics during drought and during flooding. Water quality characteristics to be found
unsuitable are recommended for treatment before its use. The treatment process is as discussed in
the following section based on the water characteristics determined.

1. Introduction
Secure and safe water supply for drinking water is essential for ensured and guaranteed
public health. This can be aided by ensuring that the water quality for drinking is significantly
adhered to as stated in the Australian drinking water guidelines. This is attainable through water
treatment process and procedures to rid of any dangerous levels of pollutants (Anon Australian
Drinking Water Guidelines, 2011). For instance, in this case there has been notable observation
on the variations on levels of water characteristics such as amount of total dissolved solids
(TDS), color, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and turbidity levels hence a cause of concern
since these levels fluctuate to unsafe levels hence compromising quality of drinking water for the
community. The variations in these water characteristics have been identified to vary seasonally,
that is during dry (drought conditions) and rainy (flooding) seasons (McNamara, 2012). The
cause of these variation in water characteristics therefore can be identified to be majorly as a
result of changing source water conditions such as flooding. In this regard therefore, this paper
focuses to propose water treatment processes for the river during drought as well as during
flooding to ensure supply of safe drinking water to the community in both seasons.
Total dissolved solids TDS is defined as the level of dissolved particles in water
including suspended particles not passing the filter system. In a river TDS include both organic
(e.g. planktons, silt, sewage, plant leaves and floating vegetation etc.) and inorganic materials
(rocks and compounds of iron, Sulphur calcium and other mineral constituents). Water color
measure is obtained by use of an arbitrary standard scale that measures color intensity in water
samples. Dissolved organic carbon DOC is defined as the sum amounts of organic carbon
compounds passing the 45 micrometer filter. DOC influences water characteristics such as color,
pollutants degradation, and depth of the photic zone as well as PH levels through its influence on
the geochemical processes in water. Decomposition of plant and/ or mineral particles is the
primary source of organic carbon in water. Turbidity on other hand measures relate water clarity
and is influenced by factors such as soluble colored organic compounds, planktons, silt, clay etc.
(Gray, 2008).
2.0 Proposed treatment process for the river during both the seasons is discussed in the
following section:
2.1 Total dissolved solids (TDS).