Investigate the Water Quality of Flood Effected Areas and Design a Low Cost Water Purification Model to Reduce Contamination for Domestic Use

Abstract

Floods are the unannounced natural disaster that destroys both the lives and the infrastructures. Last year, in July 2010 an unpredictable and huge flood struck the most part of Pakistan, especially the catchment area the River Indus, extending from the north part of the KPK province and ending at the Arabian Sea. The top five rainfall intensities recorded at Risalpur, Islamabad, Murree, Cherat and Ghari Dopatta were 416mm, 395mm, 370mm, 375mm and 349mm, respectively. The Flood- 2010 affected nearly 20 million people spreading over 36 different districts of the country. Since, the water resources of the flood affected areas were totally submerged, causing highly turbidity and microbial contamination in the drinking water sources of the flood belts, therefore, the study is carried out to analyse the water quality of the flood affected areas, and to design a water treatment filter using indigenous media.Water quality analysis of the flood affected areas of the District Muzaffargarh and DG khan in terms of physio-chemical and biological characteristics. Designing a sand filter for the drinking water purposes of the single family that should work for at least 3-4 months after flood, the main purpose of the study was to analyse the water quality of the flood effected areas, determining the optimum alum dosage for the removal of excessive turbidity and to design a low-cost water purification model, using indigenous material to reduce the turbidity and microbial contamination. Various water samples were collected from the Flood-2010 effected areas of Muzaffargarh and DG khan District. The samplings were analyzed by using lab techniques as per AWWA (American Water Works Association). The objective of samplings is to collect a water so small enough in volume to be carried easily and handled in the lab while still representing the whole water being sampled and it is a portion of it. So it implies that the relative concentrations of all related components will be the same in the samples as in the material being sampled, and that the sample would be handled in such a way that no significant changings in composition occur before the test are made. The results obtained from the lab tests shows that the water quality in most parts of the selected area is polluted. The main pollutants came out in the sample is highly turbid microbial contaminated water. These samples were than tested by plain sedimentation process and then by adding different types of coagulants like during the Jar Test in lab to find an optimum treatability solution for sample. Mainly the coagulants used were ,potash alum, lime and magnesium sulfate. At regular interval of time 20 minutes , 40 minutes , 60minutes.....and 220 minutes, the percentage removal of microbial contamination and turbidity were analyzed. The optimum turbidity and microbial contamination by using an alum dosage of 160mg/L were observed as 7.85% and 38.5%, respectively. The optimum turbidity and microbial contamination by using a lime dosage of 38mg/L were observed as 15.3% and 88%, respectively. And the optimum turbidity and microbial contamination by using a magnesium sulfate dosage of 65mg/L were observed as 6.8% and 28.5%, respectively. From the cost and treatability analysis of samplings, alum is determined as the most working coagulant for the treatabilitiy performance of flood polluted water containing turbidity and microbial contamination. The cost required in one day for the maximum treatability of water quality is found as Rupees 15, and after that water is ready for domestic uses.