c




  

The water requirement of a modern city is so great that a system capable of
supplying a sufficient quantity of potable water is necessary. The first step in the
design of a water supply system is the determination of the quantity of water that
will be required with provision for the estimated requirements of the future.

The essential elements of a water supply system are as follows: source of supply,
collection system, Treatment or purification plant, Distribution system.

 
  

The source of supply is of two types: Surface water supply, Ground water supply.
The water running across the surface of the ground has been called as surface
water. The surface water which seeps into the ground is designated as ground
water or sub surface water.





The collection system is a sort of engineering works designed to convey from a

source to a treatment plant. The following are essential units in a collection
system- Intake, Intake main, Transmission main, Pumping station.

An intake is a device or a structure placed in the source of water to permit the

withdrawal of water from source to source and discharge it into an intake pipe
(intake main). Intake structure consists of intake tower, submerged intake, intake
pipes or conduits, movable intake and shore intakes.

The following factors must be considered in designing and locating intakes-

a)p ½ocation of the best quality of water available,

b)p Possibility of wide fluctuations of water level,
c)p Characteristics of intake surrounding i.e. depth of water, character of the
river bottom, navigation requirements, the effects of wave, flood, storms
upon the intake structure.
d)p Formation of shoals and bars
e)p Possible sources of pollution.
A pipe line must be used to deliver water from the source to the treatment plant.
This pipe is called intake main. A pumping station is essential for pumping water
from source to the treatment plant through intake main and transmission main.

T





In case of surface water, the treatment is necessary for removal of bacteria,

turbidity, odor, color and taste. Ground water may be treated to reduce hardness,
iron, corrosive qualities and arsenic.

 


The Distribution system is often a major investment of a municipal water works.

This includes:

a)p arious pipes that convey water to the consumer

b)p Storage reservoirs that are provided to aid distribution of water
c)p Pumping station and other equipments,
d)p Fire hydrants, valves, meters etc.