WATER AND WASTEWATER

ENGINEERING
ASSIGNMENT 01

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Table of Contents
Question 1...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Question 2...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
References7

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Question 1

1. What parameter values included in the SLS 614 would you suggest to revise, giving reasons for new
values.

Taste and odor

According to the drinking water regulation manganese, iron, copper, Zinc, chloride and sulfate are such
contaminants to cause the odor in water. Bio film growth also major factor of arising taste and odor.
Therefore it is not a simple procedure to give quantitative guideline for taste and odor of drinking
water. Because it can vary for person to person and also day to day for the same person. But in luxury
resort area operators should have provide good quality of water than general cases. Colour is
influenced by the presence of iron and other metals. Moreover, industrial effluents can also affect that.
Level of colour below 15 HU are often acceptable. High colour from organic carbon could show that
high propensity to produced by-products from disinfection process. (WHO, 2012).

Turbidity
Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of
suspended particulates. Excessive turbidity in drinking water is aesthetically unappealing, and may also
represent a health concern. Turbidity can provide food and shelter for pathogens. By the presence of
fine suspended matter such as clay, silt, plankton and other microscopic organisms, turbidity can be
occurred in water. Therefore in SLS 614(2013) standard the limiting value of 2NTU for turbidity should
maintain for such luxury resort area to ensure the quality of water.

pH
One of the major objectives in controlling pH is to minimize corrosion and encrustation in pipes and
fittings. Corrosion can be reduced by the formation of a protective layer of calcium carbonate on the
inside of the pipe or fitting, and the formation of this layer is affected by pH, temperature, the
availability of calcium (hardness) and carbon dioxide. When pH is below 6.5 or above 11, the water may
corrode plumbing fittings and pipes. Chlorination of water supplies can decrease the pH, while it can be
significantly raised by lime leached from new concrete tanks or from pipes lined with asbestos cement
or cement mortar. Values of pH above 9.5 can cause a bitter taste in drinking water, and can irritate
skin if the water is used for ablutions. According to SLS 614, the recommended range is 6.5 to 8.5. But
based on Australian standards the reticulated supplies pH ranges between 6 and 10.8. The guideline
value is based on minimizing corrosion and encrustation of plumbing fittings and pipes. Water with a
pH between 6.5 and 8.5 should deposit a protective coating of calcium carbonate and prevent
corrosion. High pH can cause scaling and encrustation problems, while lower pH can result in corrosion.
New concrete tanks and cement–mortar lined pipes can significantly increase pH and a value up to 9.2
may be tolerated, provided microbiological monitoring indicates no deterioration in bacteriological
quality.

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

TDS represents the total concentration of dissolved substances in water. TDS is made up of inorganic
salts, as well as a small amount of organic matter. Common inorganic salts that can be found in water
include calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, which are all cations, and carbonates, nitrates,
bicarbonates, chlorides and sulfates, which are all anions. Increased concentrations of dissolved solids
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can also have technical effects. Dissolved solids can produce hard water, which leaves deposits and
films on fixtures, and on the insides of hot water pipes and boilers. A very low concentration of TDS has
been found to give water a flat taste, which is undesirable to many people. According to SLS 614, the
allowable TDS is 500 mg/l. But if it is less than 600mg/l, it is generally good. (WHO, 2012). By
considering Australian standards, 0 – 600 mg/l have good palatability, 600 – 900 mg/l represents fair
palatability and above that, it is poor and unpalatable. On other hand TDS with very high and very low
TDS will lead to corrosion.

Total Hardness
Acceptable content of total hardness in water (Dissolved calcium and magnesium carbonates in water)
does not affect to the human health by drinking them, But some challenges and difficulties may occur
such as gray staining of washed clothes, scum on wash and bath water after using soap or detergent,
buildup of scale on heating elements and boilers and reduced water flow in hot water distribution pipes
due to scale buildup. Then this resort area should maintain softened water (at least 76 to 150mg/l) for
better water supply.

What parameters would you suggest to include, giving reasons for such additions;

Iodine
The few amount of Iodine is important for human body to make thyroid hormones. If limiting value of
iodine exceed it will cause metallic taste, soreness of teeth and gums, burning in mouth and throat,
increased saliva, throat inflammation, stomach upset, diarrhea, wasting, depression, skin problems,
and many other side effects. In SLS 614; iodide guidelines are not given. In treated water, the
concentration is recommended to range from 0.005 to 2.9 mg/l.

Microorganisms
Viruses are a major cause of human waterborne and water-related diseases. Waterborne diseases are
caused by water that is contaminated by human and animal urine and feces that contain pathogenic
microorganisms. Due to this pandemic situation and as a adoption of new regulations, SLS 614 should
consider virus in water. The prevention measures should be taken to ensure the absence of Adenovirus,
Enterovirus, Hepatitis virus, Norovirus and Rotavirus. The focus should be on monitoring of control
measures, including prevention of source water contamination by human waste, effective disinfection,
and protection of distribution systems from ingress of faecal material.

Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free, non-compound oxygen present in wateror other liquids. It is
an important parameter in assessing water quality because of its influence on the organisms living within
a body of water. The low concentration of dissolved Oxygen is damaged to the aesthetic quality of the
water and increase corrosion of pipes and fittings. (Generally it should be preserved more than 85% of
concentration of dissolved Oxygen).

What parameters you would suggest to remove from SLS 614, giving reasons;

 High iron intake may cause mild affects for animals. Most iron salts have been inactive in tests for
mutagenicity and do not induce chromosome aberrations in human cells. No health-based
guideline value has been set for iron and it can be removed from SLS.

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  Ammonia can be removed from SLS 614 since concentration of ammonia causes health effects. It
is defined for drinking water supplies.

Question 2
Select one microbiological parameter, one physical parameter and five chemical parameters that are
regulated by Water Quality Guidelines/Standards/Regulations.
State the limiting value for each parametric value, and discuss how the limiting value has been decided
by referring to any criteria proposed by the Water Quality Guidelines/Standards/Regulations that have
been introduced during the lectures.

Microbiological parameter
Coliphages
The absence of coliphages from treated drinking-water supplies does not confirm the absence of
pathogens such as enteric viruses and protozoan parasites. Coliphages should not be detected in any
100 ml sample of drinking water. Coliphages in drinking water can be two types: Somatic coliphages
and F-RNA coliphages. Both of them are found in sewerage. Somatic coliphages can be found by
relatively simple and inexpensive plaque as says, which will yield results within 24 hours. In order to
detect F-RNA coliphage are not simple. The presence of coliphages is indicative of the likely presence of
faecal contamination, and they are more robust than bacterial indicators. Coliphages can be used in
source water quality assessment to help detect the presence of possible viral contamination.

Physical parameter
Physical parameters define those characteristics of water that respond to the senses of sight, touch,
taste or smell. Some of them are suspended solids, turbidity, colour, taste and odour and temperature.
Temperature
No any guidelines are given due to the impracticality of controlling water temperature. Low water
temperature decreases the efficiency of water treatment process such as disturbance in formation rate
and sedimentation rate. When the temperature increases, the chemical reactions also increases and it
will cause corrosion of pipes. Generally, the range of drinking water temperature is recommended to
be between 10 °C to 30 °C. Based on other country guidelines, the European Economic Community
Standards have a guideline value of 12 °C with a maximum of 25 °C. The Canadian Guidelines
recommends 15 °C.

Chemical parameters
Iron
Iron is the most abundant element, by weight, in the earth's crust. Iron is the second most abundant
metal in earth's crust. It is an essential element in human nutrition. The 1958 WHO International
Standards for Drinking-waterand Sri Lanka Standards for potable water SLS-614,(1983) suggested that
concentrations of iron greater than 1.0 mg/litre would markedly impair the portability of the water.
(WHO 1988, Board of Investment of Sri Lanka 2011). According to the Sri Lanka Standards for potable
water-SLS 614: 2013 the Limiting value specified as 0.3mg/L.

Arsenic
Arsenic occurs naturally in rocks and soil across Minnesota and can dissolve into groundwater. Drinking
water that contains arsenic can increase your risk of cancer and other serious health effects. 0.01 mg/l
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is recommended by all water guidelines: Sri Lanka Standards SLS 614:2013, Australian water quality
guidelines, USEPA regulations and WHO guidelines. This guideline is based on considerations of the
lowest concentration that is reasonably and economically achievable with water treatment
technologies, measurability of arsenic at low concentrations, and lack of observed effects in humans at
such low concentrations.

Cadmium
Cadmium occurs naturally in zinc, in lead and copper ores, in coal and other fossil fuels, in shales and is
released during volcanic action. These deposits can serve as sources to ground and surface waters,
especially when in contact with low total dissolved solids (TDS) and acidic waters. Cadmium has the
chronic potential to cause kidney, liver, bone and blood damage from long- term exposure at levels
above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). There is inadequate evidence to state whether or not
cadmium has the potential to cause cancer from lifetime exposures in drinking water. The guidelines
suggest cadmium level as follow.
 SLS 614:2013 - 0.003 mg/l
 Australian water quality guidelines - 0.002mg/l
 USEPA regulations - 0.01 mg/l

Fluoride
Based on health considerations, the concentration of fluoride in drinking water should not exceed 1.5
mg/L. Concentrations above 1.5 mg/L may disturb tooth mineralization in children up to about 6 to 8
years, leading to dental fluorosis, a mottling of the teeth or spotted tooth enamel which can
occasionally occur to a repulsive degree. High fluoride concentrations in drinking water which means
more than 4 mg/L can cause skeletal fluorosis. Skeletal fluorosis, characterized by permineralization
and thus brittle bones. It generally occurs after exposure of several years and is reversible, it means if
the exposure is removed, the fluoride levels in bones gradually decline.

Total hardness
Hardness is the amount of dissolved Calcium and Magnesium in the water. Objectionable taste, scale
deposits in hot water pipes or water heaters and difficulty in producing form with soap are main
drawbacks of hardness. The guidelines suggest Total Hardness level 200 mg/l(Australian water quality
guidelines) or 250 mg/l (SLS 614:2013). Consuming hard water can cause stones in the kidney.
Generally,hardness of groundwater is higher than surface water. The guideline value is based on these
two aspects. The first one is Difficulty in obtaining form with soap and Water with a total hardness (as
calcium carbonate)above 200 mg/L can cause a rapid build-up of undesirable deposits, orscale, in hot
water pipes or water heaters. It needs more cost to remove the deposits.

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References
 Drinking-water quality regulation [online]. WHO. [Viewed 15 January 2021]. Available from:
https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/water-sanitation-and-
health/water-safety-and-quality/drinking-water-quality-regulation
 WHO guidelines chemical fact sheet
 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
 APHA Method 4500-F- Part C (1992). Fluoride: Ion-selective electrode method. Standard Methods
for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18th edition. American Public Health Association,
Washington.
 FAO Food and Nutrition Series, No. 23