WATER QUALITY

Water Quality
■ Water quality refers to the basic chemical and
physical characteristics of water that
determine its suitability for life or for human
uses.
■ Some basic water quality variables include:
– Color, Taste and Odor
– Temperature
– Conductivity
– pH
– Turbidity
– Alkalinity
– Hardness
 Water Quality Analysis
■ Physical Factors including suspended
materials (called suspended solids) and
dissolved substances (dissolved solids)

■ Chemical Factors including concentrations

of ions, pollutants, etc…

■ Biological Factors including presence of

organisms, plankton, fish, nutrients, etc…
Water Quality: Color, Taste & Odor

■ Pure water is colorless, tasteless

and odorless in nature.
■ But in most origins T/O are natural.
■ Bacteria large contributor as water
flows through geologic deposits.
■ Salt or seawater intrusion in coastal
areas.
Water Quality: Color, Taste & Odor
■ Human sources – landfill activities,
agricultural activities, industrial waste
disposal.
■ Hydrogen Sulfide most common odor.
■ Dissolved iron create some taste,
unpalatable.
■ Brown water is most common
complaint.
 Water Quality: Temperature
■ Temperature is a basic water
quality variable
■ Temperature determines the
suitability of water for various forms
of aquatic life
 Water Quality: Conductivity
■ Conductivity measures the ability of
water to conduct an electrical
current
■ Conductivity is a good way to
determine the ionic strength of
water because the ability of water
to conduct a current is proportional
to the number of ions in the water
 Water Quality: pH
■ pH is a measure of
the acidic or basic
characteristics of
water
■ Specifically,
pH = -log [H+]
■ So a pH of 7 means
the [H+]=10-7
■ A pH of 7 is
considered neutral,
below 7 is acidic
and above 7 is basic
 Water Quality: pH
■ Organisms generally
prefer a pH of 5-9
with some being
even more picky
■ A near neutral pH
will allow the
greatest diversity of
life
 Physical Factors
TSS – Total Suspended Solids can be
measured by taking the amount of solid
separated from a water sample.
Measurement in mg/L

TDS – Total dissolved solids can be

measured through evaporation and
measured in mg/L
 Measuring Water Clarity
■ Turbidity is a measure of the degree to
which the water looses its transparency
due to the presence of suspended
particulates.

■ A turbidity measurement could be used

to provide an estimation of the TSS
(Total Suspended Solids)
 Causes of Turbidity
■ There are various parameters influencing the
cloudiness of the water. Some of these are:

– Sediments from erosion

– Resuspended sediments from the bottom
– Waste discharge
– Algae growth
– Urban runoff
 Water Quality: Alkalinity
■ The alkalinity of water is a measure
of its capacity to neutralize acids.
■ Alkalinity of natural waters is due to
the salts of carbonates,
bicarbonates, borates, silicates and
phosphates along with the hydroxyl
ions in the Free State.
 Water Quality: Alkalinity
■ The ability of a water
body to resist
acidification is called
alkalinity
■ Alkalinity is generally
attributable to the
amount of carbonate
(CO3-2) and
bicarbonate (HCO3-)
in the water
■ Alkalinity is generally
measured in units of
mg/L as CaCO3
 Water Quality: Alkalinity
■ CO3-2 can absorb one H+ to become HCO3-
■ HCO3- can absorb another H+ to become
H2CO3
 Water Quality: Alkalinity
■ Alkalinity
values provide guidance
in applying proper doses of
chemicals in water and wastewater
treatment processes, particularly in
coagulation, softening and
operational control of anaerobic.
 Water Hardness
■ Water hardness is a traditional measure
of the capacity of water to precipitate
soap.
■ Hardness of water is not a specific
constituent but is a variable and
complex mixture of cations and anions.
■ It is caused by dissolved polyvalent
metallic ions.
 Water Hardness
■ Infresh water, the principal
hardness-causing ions are calcium
and magnesium which precipitate
soap.
■ Total hardness is defined as the
sum of the calcium and magnesium
concentration, both expressed as
CaCO3, in mg/l.
 Water Hardness
Temporary:
■ Ca and Mg Bicarbonates
■ Will precipitate minerals upon heating
Permanent:
■ Ca and Mg Sulfates or Chlorides
■ Use of ion-exchanger is necessary –
Adds sodium
 Carbonate &Non –carbonate
Hardness
■ Carbonate (temporary / equivalent
to total alkalinity)
■ Non-carbonate (permanent /
excess of total alkalinity )
 Carbonate Hardness
■ When total hardness is numerically
greater than that of total alkalinity
expressed as CaCO3, the amount
of hardness equivalent to total
alkalinity is called 'carbonate
hardness'.
 Carbonate Hardness
■ Carbonate hardness refers to the
amount of carbonate and
bicarbonates in solution that can be
removed or precipitated by boiling.
■ This type of hardness is
responsible for the deposition of
scale in hot water pipes and kettles
 Non-carbonate Hardness
■ When total hardness is numerically
greater than that of total alkalinity
expressed as CaCO3, the amount
of hardness which is more than the
total alkalinity is called ‘non
carbonate hardness'.
 Non-carbonate Hardness
■ Non-carbonate hardness is caused
by the association of the hardness-
causing cation with sulfate, chloride
or nitrate and is referred to as
"permanent hardness".
■ This type of hardness cannot be
removed by boiling.
 Advantage of Hard Water
■ Mayhave firming effect on fruits
and vegetables
 Disadvantages
■ Scale formation
■ Reduce heat exchange rate
■ Corrosion – Salts make water more
basic
■ Difficulties in cleaning
 Degree of Hardness
PPM Calcium
■ Soft – Less than 20
■ Slightly Hard - 20-40
■ Hard 40-80
■ Very Hard Above 80