M.Sc.

EST Semester – I
Subject: - EST - 104: Environmental Pollution
Unit: - 2) Water Pollution
Prepared By: - Dr. Dipen Shah
➢ Contents:
Unit 2) Water Pollution
2.1. Definition
2.2. Types of water pollution
2.3. Effect of water pollution
2.4. Physico-chemical and microbial characteristics of domestic, industrial and agricultural
Waste water
2.5. River pollution
2.6. Marine pollution
2.7. Drinking and irrigation water quality parameters: Criteria and standards
2.7.1. Municipal water treatment
2.7.2. Treatment of water for Industrial use
2.8. Water pollution control

2.1. Definition
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and
groundwater), very often by human activities. It occurs when pollutants (particles, chemicals or
substances that make water contaminated) are discharged directly or indirectly into water
bodies without enough treatment to get rid of harmful compounds.
Pollutants get into water mainly by human causes or factors. Water pollution is the second most
imperative environmental concern along with air pollution. Any change or modification in the
physical, chemical and biological properties of water that will have a detrimental consequence
on living things is water pollution.

Sources of Water Pollution

There are various classifications of water pollution. The two chief sources of water pollution can
be seen as Point and Non-Point.
• Point refer to the pollutants that belong to a single source. An example of this would be
emissions from factories into the water.
• Non-Point on the other hand means pollutants emitted from multiple sources.
Contaminated water after rains that has travelled through several regions may also be
considered as a Non-point source of pollution.

1. Point source pollution

Point source pollution refers to contaminants that enter a waterway through a discrete
conveyance, such as a pipe or ditch.
Examples-
✓ Discharges from a sewage treatment plant, a factory,
✓ A city storm drain.
2. Non-point source pollution
Non-point source (NPS) pollution refers to diffuse contamination that does not originate
from a single discrete source.

✓ NPS pollution is often accumulative effect of small amounts of contaminants

gathered from a large area
✓ The leaching out of nitrogen compounds from agricultural land which has been
fertilized is a typical example.

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2.2. Types of Water Pollution
There are many types of water pollution because water comes from many sources. Here are a
few types of water pollution:

1. Nutrients Pollution
Some wastewater, fertilizers and sewage contain high levels of nutrients. If they end up in
water bodies, they encourage algae and weed growth in the water. This will make the water
undrinkable, and even clog filters. Too much algae will also use up all the oxygen in the
water, and other water organisms in the water will die out of oxygen starvation.
2. Surface water pollution
Surface water includes natural water found on the earth's surface, like rivers, lakes,
lagoons and oceans. Hazardous substances coming into contact with this surface water,
dissolving or mixing physically with the water can be called surface water pollution.
3. Oxygen Depleting
Water bodies have micro-organisms. These include aerobic and anaerobic organisms. When
to much biodegradable matter (things that easily decay) end up in water, it encourages
more microorganism growth, and they use up more oxygen in the water. If oxygen is
depleted, aerobic organisms die, and anaerobic organism grow more to produce harmful
toxins such as ammonia and sulphides.
4. Ground water pollution
When humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils,
they are washed deep into the ground by rain water.
This gets to underground water, causing pollution
underground. This means when we dig wells and bore
holes to get water from underground, it needs to be
checked for ground water pollution.
5. Microbiological
In many communities in the world, people drink untreated water (straight from a river or
stream). Sometimes there is natural pollution caused by micro-organisms like viruses,
bacteria and protozoa. This natural pollution can cause fishes and other water life to die.
They can also cause serious illness to humans who drink from such waters.
6. Suspended Matter
Some pollutants (substances, particles and chemicals) do not easily dissolve in water. This
kind of material is called particulate matter. Some suspended pollutants later settle under
the water body. This can harm and even kill aquatic life that live at the floor of water
bodies.
7. Chemical Water Pollution
Many industries and farmers work with chemicals that end up in water. This is common
with Point-source Pollution. These include chemicals that are used to control weeds,
insects and pests. Metals and solvents from industries can pollute water bodies. These are
poisonous to many forms of aquatic life and may slow their development, make them
infertile and kill them.
8. Oil Spillage
Oil spills usually have only a localized effect on wildlife but can spread for miles. The oil
can cause the death to many fish and get stuck to the feathers of seabirds causing them to
lose their ability to fly.
9. Industrial causes of water pollution
a. Industrial waste
Industries cause huge water pollution with their
activities. These come mainly from: Sulphur – This
is a non-metallic substance that is harmful for
marine life.
b. Oil Pollution by Oil Industries
Routine shipping, run-offs and dumping of oils on
the ocean surfaces happen every day. Oil spills cause
major problems, and can be extremely harmful to
local marine wildlife such as fish, birds and sea
otters and other aquatic life. Because oil does not

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 dissolve, it stays on the water surface and suffocates fish. Oil also gets caught in the
feathers of sea birds, making it difficult for them to fly. Some animals die as a result.
10. Other causes of water pollution
a. Sewage and waste water
Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often
contains feces, urine and laundry waste. The sewage
and waste water that is produced by each household
is chemically treated and released in to sea with
fresh water. The sewage water carries harmful
bacteria and chemicals that can cause serious health
problems. Pathogens are known as a common water
pollutant.
b. Mining activities
Mining is the process of crushing the rock and
extracting coal and other minerals from
underground. These elements when extracted in the
raw form contains harmful chemicals and can
increase the number of toxic elements when mixed
up with water which may result in health problems.
c. Ocean and marine dumping
Again, think of the rubbish we all make each day.
Paper waste, food waste, plastic, rubber, metallic and
aluminium waste. In some countries, they are
deposited into the sea. All these waste types take
time to decompose.
11. Underground storage and tube leakages
Many liquid products (petroleum products) are stored
in metal and steel tubes underground. Other sewage
systems run in underground tubes. Overtime, they
rust and begin to leak. If that happens, they
contaminate the soils, and the liquids in them end up
in many nearby water bodies.

2.3. Effect of Water Pollution

The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on what chemicals are dumped and in
which locations. Many water bodies near urban areas (cities and towns) are highly polluted. This
is the result of both garbage dumped by individuals and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally
dumped by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools and market places.
✓ Disruption of food-chains
Pollution disrupts the natural food chain
as well. Pollutants such as lead and
cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Later,
these animals are consumed by fish and
shellfish, and the food chain continues to
be disrupted at all higher levels.
✓ Diseases
Eventually, humans are affected by this process as well. People can get diseases such as
hepatitis by eating seafood that has been poisoned. In many poor nations, there is always
outbreak of cholera and diseases as a result of poor drinking water treatment from
contaminated waters.
✓ Destruction of ecosystems
Ecosystems (the interaction of living things in a
place, depending on each other for life) can be
severely changed or destroyed by water
pollution. Many areas are now being affected by
careless human pollution, and this pollution is
coming back to hurt humans in many ways.

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2.4. Physico-chemical and microbial characteristics of Waste water
(Domestic, Industrial and Agricultural)
Wastewater: is simply that part of the water supply to the community or to the industry which
has been used for different purposes and has been mixed with solids either suspended or
dissolved. Wastewater is 99.9% water and 0.1% solids. The main task in treating the wastewater
is simply to remove most or all of this 0.1% of solids.
Type of wastewater from household
Type of Wastewater Source of wastewater
Gary water Washing water from the kitchen, bathroom, laundry (without faeces and
urine)
Black water Water from flush toilet (faeces and urine with flush water)
Yellow water Urine from separated toilets and urinals
Brown water Black water without urine or yellow water
Physical, chemicals and biological properties of wastewater
Characteristic Sources
Physical properties:
Color Domestic and industrial wastes, natural decay
of organic materials
Odor Decomposing wastewater, industrial wastes.
Solids Domestic water supply, domestic and
industrial wastes, soil erosion, inflow
infiltration
Temperature Domestic and industrial wastes
Chemical constituents:
Organic: Carbohydrates Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Fats, oils, and grease Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Pesticides Agricultural wastes
Phenols Industrial wastes
Proteins Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Priority pollutants Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Surfactants Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Volatile organic compounds Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Other Natural decay of organic materials
Inorganic: Aikalinity Domestic wastes, domestic water supply,
groundwater infiltration
Chlorides Domestic wastes, domestic water supply,
groundwater infiltration
Heavy metals Industrial wastes
Nitrogen Domestic and agricultural wastes
PH Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
Phosphorus Domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes
natural runoff
Priority polluter Sulfur Domestic water supply; doestic, commercial.
And industrial wastes
Gases: Hydrogen sulfide Decomposition of domestic wastes
Methane Decomposition of domestic wastes
Oxygen Domestic water supply, surface- water
infiltration
Biological constituents:
Animals Open watercourses and treatment plants
Plants Open watercourses and treatment plants
Eubacteria Domestic wastes, surface water infiltration,
treatment plants.
Archaebacteria Domestic wastes, surface-water infiltration,
treatment plants
Viruses Domestic wastes
Physical characteristics- Solids
Solids are classified into three main types:
1. Total Solids (TS): All the matter that remains as residue upon evaporation at 103°C to
105°C.

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 2. Settleable solids: Settleable solids are measured as ml/L, which is an approximate
measure of the sludge that can be removed by primary sedimentation.
3. Suspended solids (SS) and Filterable solids (FS).

Physical characteristics- Odor

✓ Odor is produced by gas production due to the decomposition of organic matter or by
substances added to the wastewater.
✓ Detection of odor: Odor is measured by special instruments such as the Portable meter
which is used for measuring the concentration of hydrogen sulfide.

Compound Chemical Formula Odor quality

Amines CH3NH2, (CH3) 3H Fishy
Ammonia NH3 Ammoniacal
Diamines NH2 (CH2)4 NH2, (CH2)5 Rotten eggs
NH2 H25
Mercaptans
(E. g, methy1 and ethy1) CH3SH, CH3 (CH2) SH Decayed cabbage
Organic sulfides Rotten cabbage
Skatole Fecal matter

Physical characteristics- Temperature

Temperature of wastewater is commonly higher than that of water supply. Depending on the
geographic location the mean annual temperature varies in the range of 10 to 21°C with an
average of 16°C.
Importance of temperature: -
Affects chemical reactions during the wastewater treatment process.
Affects aquatic life (Fish, …………).
Oxygen solubility is less in worm water than cold water.
Optimum temperature for bacterial activity is in the range of 25°C to 35
Aerobic digestion and nitrification stop when the temperature rises to 50°C. When the
temperature drops to about 15°C, methane producing bacteria become in active.
Nitrifying bacteria stop activity at about 5°C.
Density: - Almost the same density of water when the wastewater doesn't include significant
amount of industrial waste.
Color: -
Fresh waste water → light brownish grey With time → black (septic)
More time → dark grey Sometimes pink due to algae or due to industrial colors.
Turbidity: - It's a measure of the light – transmitting properties of water.
Chemical characteristics of wastewater: -
Points of concern regarding the chemical characteristics of wastewater are:
-Organic matter -Gases
-Measurements of organic matter -pH
-Inorganic matter
Organic matter (Ca Hb Oc).
75% SS → organic. (Suspended Solids) 40% FS → organic. (Filtered Solids)
Organic matter is derived from animals & plants and man activities.
Proteins (40-60%). Fats, Oils, and Grease (10%).
Carbohydrates (25-50%).
Measurements of organic matter: -
Many parameters have been used to measure the concentration of organic matter in wastewater.
The following are the most common used methods:
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
BOD5 is the oxygen equivalent of organic matter. It is determined by measuring the dissolved
oxygen used by microorganisms during the biochemical oxidation of organic matter in 5 days at
20oC
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
It is the oxygen equivalent of organic matter. It is determined by measuring the dissolved oxygen
used during the chemical oxidation of organic matter in 3 hours.
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Total organic carbon (TOC)
This method measures the organic carbon existing in the wastewater by injecting a sample of
the WW in special device in which the carbon is oxidized to carbon dioxide then carbon dioxide
is measured and used to quantify the amount of organic matter in the WW. This method is only
used for small concentration of organic matter.
Theoretical oxygen (ThOD)
If the chemical formula of the organic matter existing in the WW is known the ThOD may be
computed as the amount of oxygen needed to oxidize the organic carbon to carbon dioxide and a
other end products.
Inorganic Matter
The following are the main inorganic materials of concern in wastewater treatment:
1. Chlorides: -
• High concentrations indicate that the water body has been used for waste disposal.
• It affects the biological process in high concentrations.
2. Nitrogen: -
TKN = Total Kjeldahl nitrogen.
= Organic Nitrogen + ammonia Nitrogen (120 mg/l).
3. Phosphorus: -
• Municipal waste contains (4-15 mg/l).
4. Sulfur: -
• Sulfur Exit in waste and necessary for synthesis of protein.
Biological Characteristics: -
The environmental engineer must have considerable knowledge of the biological of waste water
because it is a very important characteristics factor in wastewater treatment.
The Engineer should know: -
1. The principal groups of microorganisms found in wastewater.
2. The pathogenic organisms.
3. Indicator organisms (indicate the – presence of pathogens).
4. The methods used to amount the microorganisms.
5. The methods to evaluate the toxicity of treated wastewater
Main groups of Microorganisms: -
The main microorganisms of concern in wastewater treatment are Bacteria, Fungi, Algae,
Protozoa, Viruses, and pathogenic microorganisms’ groups.
Bacteria: -
Types: Spheroid, rod curved rod, spiral, filamentous.
Some important bacteria: -
Pseudomonas: - reduce NO3 to N2, so it is very important in biological nitrate removal in
treatment works.
Zoogloea: - helps through its slime production in the formation of flocs in the aeration tanks.
Sphaerotilus natuns: : - Causes sludge bulking in the aeration tanks.
Bdellovibrio: - destroy pathogens in biological treatment.
Acinetobacter: - Store large amounts of phosphate under aerobic conditions and release it
under an – anaerobic condition so, they are useful in phosphate removal.
Nitrosomonas: - transform NH4 into NO2-
Nitrobacter: - transform NO- to NO –

Coliform bacteria: - The most common type is E-Coli or Echerichia Coli, (indicator for the
presence of pathogens). E-Coli is measured in (No/100mL)
Fungi:
• Important in decomposing organic matter to simple forms.
Algae:
• Cause eutrophication phenomena. (negative effect)
• Useful in oxidation ponds. (positive effect)
• Cause taste and problems when decayed. (negative effect)

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Protozoa:
• Feed on bacteria so they help in the purification of treated waste water.
• Some of them are pathogenic.
Viruses:
Viruses are a major hazard to public health. Some viruses can live as long as
41days in water and wastewater at 20 °C. They cause lots of dangerous diseases.
Pathogenic organisms:
The main categories of pathogens are: -
Bacteria, Viruses, protozoa, helminths
Typical Wastewater Composition
Concentration
Contaminants Unit Weak Medium Strong
Solids, total (TS) mg/L 350 720 1200
Dissolved, total (TDS) mg/L 250 500 850
Fixed mg/L 145 300 525
Volatile mg/L 105 200 325
Settle able solids (SS) mg/L 100 220 350
Fixed mg/L 20 55 75
Volatile mg/L 80 165 275
Settle able Solids mg/L 5 10 20
Biochemical oxygen demand, mg/l:
C) °C (BOD5,20° 5-day, 20 mg/L 110 220 400
Total organic carbon (TOC) 80 160 290
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) mg/L 250 500 1000
Nitrogen (total as N) mg/L 20 40 85
Organic mg/L 8 15 35
Free ammonia mg/L 12 25 50
Nitrites mg/L 0 0 0
Nitrites mg/L 0 0 0
Phosphorus (total as P) mg/L 4 8 15
Organic mg/L 1 3 5
Inorganic mg/L 3 5 10
Chlorides mg/L 30 50 100
Sulfate mg/L 20 30 50
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) mg/L 50 100 200
Grease mg/L 50 100 150
Total coliform no/100 ml 106 - 107 107 – 108 107 – 109
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Mg/L <100 100 - 400 > 400

2.5. River pollution

Water is the source of life. It covers 70% of the Earth. But only a small portion of this precious
natural resource is fit for human consumption. Out of the earth’s total water, 97% is stored in
oceans which is not fit for human consumption. The further 3% is stored in various sources like
rivers, lakes, and under-ground aquifers.
Pollution of Rivers
The spiritual reverence for rivers remains intact. But the physical wellbeing of the rivers show
that we have totally failed in keeping our reverence for rivers. Rapid growth in industrialization
to support the country’s growing population and economy has polluted our rivers like never
before. Studies show that domestic and industrial sewage, agricultural wastes have polluted
almost all of Indian rivers. Most of these rivers have turned into sewage carrying drains. This
poses a serious health problem as millions of people continue to depend on this polluted water
from the rivers. Water-borne diseases are a common cause of illness in India today. The bad
effects of river pollution are not limited to human population only. Pollution of river has affected
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animals, fish, and bird’s population, sometimes threatening their very existence. Polluted water
seriously affects the reproductive ability of animal and fish species in rivers thus making them
extinct in future.
Causes of Pollution
There is no sign of river pollution being stopped. It is increasing day by day. There are several
sources of water pollution, which work together to reduce overall river water quality. Industries
discharge their liquid waste products into rivers. Our agriculture practice that uses chemical
fertilizers and pesticides also contribute to river pollution as rainwater drains these chemicals
into the rivers. Domestic wastes that we throw into rivers adds to pollution levels. As population
grows, the size of towns and cities also grows. With that the amount of domestic wastes that we
throw into river increases. In most of the towns and cities, the municipal drains carry our
wastes to rivers. There are examples of rivers catching fire because of high pollution levels. This
shows how seriously polluted our rivers are. In our everyday life we can easily see symptoms of
river pollution. The floating dead fishes in our river, any coloured water in the river, or a bad
smell from the river point towards river pollution. If you see or feel any of these things in a river
be sure that the river is a victim of pollution. River pollution can be due to the causes below:
✓ Acid Rain, Industrial pollution, Agricultural pollution, Oil Pollution
✓ Phosphorus from household waste water and sewage is another powerful pollutant. It
comes from detergents and stays in rivers for a long time where it takes up valuable
oxygen. Only few sewage systems are equipped to remove phosphates.
✓ Disposal of solid waste, plastic bags and flower garlands into rivers.
✓ People defecating in open and near rivers contribute to river pollution.
✓ Animals washing and wallowing in the river
✓ The practice of dumping human remains in the river also poses health threats because of
the unsustainable rate at which partially burned bodies are dumped. The dumped dead
bodies of people suffering from certain infectious diseases spread pollution and epidemics.
How to control river pollution?
Controlling river pollution is in our own interest. As citizens of India we have constitutional duty
to protect our environment. Similarly, the government also has a duty to protect the
environment for the welfare of its citizens. There are many ways we can protect the river from
pollution. Some immediate ways to control pollution are:
✓ Industries should install machineries to remove contaminants from their effluents and
wastewater. One way to do so is installation of Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). This way we
can control pollution at the source itself.
✓ The towns and cities should also have facilities to clean the sewage effluent. All towns and
cities must have Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) that clean up the sewage.
✓ Farmers should give up chemicals and pesticides in farming and should instead adopt
organic methods of farming thus reducing chemical pollution of rivers.
✓ We should stop our religious practices that pollute river water.
✓ Proper drainage and sewage systems should be adopted that will not allow the polluted
water to mix with river water.
How should I contribute to make the rivers clean?
As pointed out above, it is our duty to protect our environment. An individual effort may not be
sufficient to clean our rivers, but when all of us contribute towards this goal it becomes a big
effort. Thus, it can help in cleaning up our rivers. There are many ways you can contribute
towards a clean river in your locality:
✓ Promoting community’s participation in local river cleaning up
✓ Organizing awareness programs and meetings on the river pollution and its threats
✓ Distribution of literature on the causes and ill effects of river pollution
✓ Talking to our family and friends for spreading awareness on the importance of good
water quality and clean rivers.

2.6. Marine pollution

✓ Oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface.
✓ They play an important role in the chemical and biological balance of the life on the earth.
✓ They are vital to our food security, commerce and transportation.
✓ But human activity has troubled the health of oceans.
✓ The habitats of marine mammals and fish have been degraded severely, with pollution
responsible for the mass deaths of fish, mammals and corals.

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✓ Organ chloric pollutants, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and a range of other
toxic pollutants accumulate within fishes later moving up the food chain to cause
reproductive disorders.
✓ It is defined as discharge of waste substance into the see resulting in harm to living the
resources, hazards to human health, hindrance to fishery and impairment of quality for use
of sea-water.
✓ Marine pollution is associated with the changes in physical, chemical and biological
conditions of the sea water.
POLLUTANTS: SOURCES

Pollutants can simply define as the materials which cause pollution. The following are the
important pollutants that cause the marine pollution.
Sewage Sediment plumes (by deep sea mining)
Pesticides Heat
Plastic wastes Radioactive waste
Metallic wastes Dredge spoil
Oil
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF MARINE POLLUTION
✓ Stabilization of the ecosystem
✓ Reutilization, recycling, renovation and recharge of the waste
✓ Removal of the pollutants
✓ To control the oil pollution, following methods are used

– Skimming
– By spreading a high-density powder over the oil patch, it can be sunk to the bottom.
– Biodegradation Burning
– Using a suitable absorbing material.
✓ Heat can be removed from condenser cooling waters prior to their disposal into the marine
water.
✓ Removal of phosphorus by electrolysis.
✓ Adopting appropriate methods to remove heavy metals from the marine water.
✓ Radioactive wastes can be removed or reduced by the ion-exchange techniques, precipitation
of radio-nuclides.
✓ The impacts of deep-sea mining can be minimizing or reduced by using proper mining
techniques.
✓ Creating awareness on marine pollution.
✓ Local communities near sea must protect sea.
✓ Management by government
✓ Incentives must be offered for conservation.
✓ Industrial units should be equipped with pollution control instruments.
2.7. Drinking and irrigation water quality parameters: Criteria and standards
Water Quality Standards for Drinking Water
Water quality standards means to provide safe drinking water to the citizens. Safe drinking
water does not represent any significant risk to health over the life time of consumption,
including different sensitivities that may occur between life stages. The World Health
Organization (WHO) has provided general guidelines for drinking water, based on scientific
research. To overcome this generality, many countries have prepared their own water quality
standards according to their economic, technical, social, cultural, and political requirements.
WHO Standards
The World Health Organization (WHO) has prepared standards for drinking water. The chemical
qualities, other parameters and Disinfectants and Disinfectant By-products are given in Tables
1, 2 and 3, respectively. The values of seventeen parameters are given in Table 1, related to
define water quality chemically. The excess in the level of theses parameters as described can
cause different diseases and is dangerous to human health. Therefore, water quality should be
tested against all these parameters prior to use for drinking. The miscellaneous parameters also
have their own importance regarding human health.

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Table 1 Chemical Qualities (WHO)

Inorganic Value Inorganic Value Inorganic Value

(mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)
Antimony 0.005 Copper 2.000 Chromium 0.003
Selenium 0.010 Nitrate (NO3) 50.00 Nitrite (NO2) 03.00
Cyanide 0.070 Arsenic 0.010 Nickel 0.020
Manganese 0.500 Fluoride 1.500 Mercury 0.001
Molybdenum 0.070 Lead 0.010 Barium 0.700
Cadmium 0.300 Chromium 0.050

Table 2 Miscellaneous Parameters

Inorganic Value Unit Inorganic Value Unit

Manganese 0.1 mg/L Synthetic detergents - -
Sodium 200 mg/L Hardness, pH, DO - -
Chloride 500 mg/L Taste, Odour. - -
TDS 1000 mg/L Colour 15 TCU
Zinc 3 mg/L Turbidity 5 NTU
Aluminium 0.2 mg/L Dichlorobenzene 5-50 mg/L
Toluene 24-170 mg/L Sulfate 250 mg/L
Copper 1 mg/L Ethyl-benzene 2.4-200 mg/L
Eylenes 20-1800 mg/L Hydrogen Sulfide 0.05 mg/L
1,2 dichlorobenzenes 1-10 mg/L 1,4 dichlorobenzenes 0.3-30 mg/L
Ammonia 1.5 mg/L Iron 0.3 mg/L

Table 3 Disinfectants and Disinfectant By-products

Name Value Name Value

2,4,6, Trichlorophenol 2-300 2,4-dichlorophenol 0.3-40
2-chlororphenol 0.1-10 Chlorine chlorophenol 600-1000

Irrigation Water Quality Standards

There are mainly two irrigation water sources in semi-arid and arid regions such as canal water
and tube well water pumped from aquifer. Water from these sources contains considerable
amount of unnecessary or unwanted substances dissolved in water that may deteriorate soil
fertility and crop growth and crop yield. These unwanted substances have come from natural or
manmade (domestic and industrial effluents) sources and its severity depends upon the type of
substance and its quantity which resulted in deteriorated water quality. Followings are the main
characteristics to assess the quality of irrigation water:
• Electrical Conductivity (EC) • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
• Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) • Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
There are various water quality standards by different organizations. The US Regional Salinity
Laboratory and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have given the quality of irrigation
water as shown in bellow Table.
Irrigation Water Quality Standards (US Regional Salinity Laboratory and FAO)
Water Quality Salinity Hazard SAR RSC
Classification EC at 25 °C TDS (meq/L) (meq/L)
(Micromhos/cm) (mg/L)
Excellent <250 <160 Up to 10 <1.25
Good 250-750 250-750 10-18 1.25-2.5
Medium 750-2250 500-1500 18-26 >2.5
Bad 2250-4000 1500-2500 >26 -
Very Bad >4000 >2500 >26 -

2.7.1. Municipal water treatment

Basic Processes, Typical Municipal Sewage Treatment
✓ Primary treatment to remove solid material
✓ Secondary treatment

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 o Digest dissolved and suspended organic material
o Nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus
o Sometimes disinfection to kill pathenogenic bacteria
✓ Tertiary treatment as needed…
o Reverse osmosis
o Advanced disinfection
✓ Sludge Treatment turns solids into fertilizer or fuel
Goal of Treatment
✓ Produce effluent that will do as little or no harm to the surrounding environment when
released
✓ Various demands depending on type of influent
✓ Various demands depending on where the water goes
✓ Closed cycle systems?
Process Flow: Typical Large-Scale Treatment Plant

Pretreatment (mechanical) removes all materials that can be easily collected

✓ Objects commonly removed include trash, tree limbs, leaves, branches, and other large
objects.
✓ Bar Screen to remove all large objects like cans, rags, sticks, plastic packets etc.
✓ Solids are collected and later disposed in a landfill, or incinerated.
Primary Treatment: Sedimentation Phase
✓ Sewage flows through large tanks aka settling basins, sedimentation tanks or primary
clarifiers
✓ Grit Removal by slowing velocity to allow gravity to work
✓ FOG removal. Small tank with skimmers to collect fat on the surface
✓ Mechanical scrapers drive sludge towards hopper in the base of the tank.
✓ Sludge pumped to and treated at sludge treatment facilities
Secondary Treatment (Biological)
✓ Degrade biological content using aerobic biological processes
o Bacteria & protozoa do the work
o Require oxygen (pumping air in these tanks is biggest consumer of electricity in the
process)
o May also use anaerobic sections to
✓ May include secondary clarifier to settle out & separate biological floc
✓ Output still has high mineral content
Tertiary Treatment (Chemical)

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 ✓ Anything more than primary and secondary treatment in order to allow injection into a
highly sensitive or fragile ecosystem (estuaries, low-flow rivers, coral reefs,...)
✓ May be disinfected chemically (chlorine, ozone, etc)
✓ Physically (by sand filters, lagoons and microfiltration)
✓ Reused: for the irrigation of a golf course, green way or park
✓ Groundwater replenishment or agricultural purposes if sufficiently clean
Biological Nutrient Removal
✓ May be considered a type of secondary process or tertiary treatment process
✓ Focused on removal or nitrogen and phosphorus
o Note: both of these cause weeds or high algae growth which leads to low oxygen
content in water and dead zones
✓ Nitrification is a 2 step aerobics process using different types of bacteria
o Oxidation of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite, (NO2-) by 1 bacterium
o From nitrite, (NO2-) to nitrogen (N2) by another
o Which bacteria species is controlled by oxygen content of water and starting
material?
Additional Areas of Concern
✓ Pharmaceuticals
✓ Ingredients of household chemicals
✓ Methods costly since small amounts
✓ Little to no on-line measurement of these parameters
Instrumentation & Automation
✓ Pumps, mechanical movement of solids and liquids
✓ Aeration
✓ Flow, pH, ORP, oxygen, chlorine, phosphate, nitrate, turbidity, UV, ozone, etc

2.7.2. Treatment of water for Industrial use

Industries use water that obtained from the water treatment system for a variety of purposes,
such as
- For manufacturing goods.
- For heating.
- For cooling.
- As carrier of raw material.
- As carrier of waste matter.
- As a solvent.
The resulting water is then classified as a wastewater.
The indiscriminate discharge of these wastewater streams into the environment can
- Render soils "sick ".
- Pollute the receiving bodies of water.
- Cause air pollution by generating obnoxious gases.
Discharge untreated wastewater into the domestic sewer system makes the task of treating
domestic sewage, a very difficult and costly exercise.
To prevent any health hazards caused by discharging wastewater into the environment and
protect domestic sewage, the wastewater must be treated before discharge.
Important Contaminants Of Concern In Wastewater Treatment
✓ Suspended solids
o Lead to the development of sludge deposits and anaerobic conditions when untreated
wastewater is discharged into the aquatic environment.
✓ Nutrients (P, N2 & C)
o When discharged into the aquatic environment, these nutrients can lead to the growth
of undesirable aquatic life. When discharged in excessive amounts on land, they can
also lead to the pollution of groundwater.
✓ Priority pollutants
o Organic and inorganic compounds selected on the basis of their known or suspected
carcinogenicity, or high acute toxicity. Many of these compounds are found in
wastewater.
✓ Refractory organics
o These organics tend to resist conventional methods of wastewater treatment. Typical
examples include surfactants, phenols, and agricultural pesticides.
Prepared By: D r . Dipen Shah M.Sc. (EST) / MATERIAL / SEM-I / EST - 104: Environmental Pollution Page: 12 of 13
 ✓ Heavy metals
o Heavy metals are usually discharged to wastewater from commercial and industrial
activities and have to be removed if the wastewater is to be reused.
✓ Dissolved inorganics
o Inorganic constituents such as calcium, sodium, and sulfate are added to the
original domestic water supply as a result of water use and may have to be removed if
the wastewater is to be reused.
Common Types Of Wastewater Treatment Methods
1. Physical Unit Operations
✓ Treatment methods in which the application of physical forces predominates.
✓ Screening, mixing, flocculation, sedimentation, flotation, filtration, and gas transfer
are typical unit operations.
2. Chemical Unit Processes
✓ Treatment methods in which the removal or conversion of contaminants is brought
about by the addition of chemicals or by other chemical reactions.
✓ Precipitation, adsorption, and disinfection are the most common examples used in
wastewater treatment.
3. Biological Unit Processes
✓ Treatment methods in which the removal of contaminants is brought about by
biological activity.
✓ Biological treatment is used primarily to remove the biodegradable organic substances
(colloidal or dissolved) and nutrients (nitrogen & phosphorus) from wastewater.
✓ Basically, these substances are converted into gases that can escape to the
atmosphere and into biological cell tissue that can be removed by settling.

2.8. Water pollution control

Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone (including governments and local
councils) needs to get involved with. Here are a few things you can do to help:
Never throw rubbish away anyhow. Always look for the correct waste bin. If there is none
around, please take it home and put it in your trash can. This includes places like the beach,
rives side and water bodies.
Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the
amount of water you use in washing and bathing. If we all do this, we can significantly prevent
water shortages and reduce the amount of dirty water that needs treatment.
Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many
cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals.
Check with your local authorities if there is chemical disposal plan for local resident.
Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for use at home and other public places. They
are less dangerous to the environment.
If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse
pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the chemical into nearby water sources.
Start looking at options of composting and using organic manure instead.
If you live close to a water body, try to plant lots of trees and flowers around your home, so that
when it rains, chemicals from your home does not easily drain into the water.

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