5.

1 Water Quality Wastewater – term for previously used water from

a municipality, or industry that contains dissolved
or suspended matter.
WATER QUALITY
Water pollution – any condition caused by human
activity that adversely affect the quality of a
stream, lake, ocean or sources of groundwater. It
is also the presence of any harmful chemical or
other constituent present in concentration above
the naturally occurring level.
Fig 1.0  Natural water

This topic  will include characteristics of natural

water, water pollution sources and how pollution
affects water quality.

It will also include water and its availability,

parameters of measuring water quality, typical Fig. 3.  Water Pollution
qualities of rivers and lakes, characteristics of
wastewater and stream pollution.  

BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER

Natural water always contain dissolved and
suspended substances of organic and mineral
origin. These enter the water with atmospheric
precipitation and from soils with which water
comes into contact in underground streams or in
surface water bodies (rivers, lakes ,etc.)
Aside from obvious uses, such as drinking, and for
cooking, washing, etc. and irrigating farms, the
following are uses of water:
Aside from obvious uses, such as drinking, and for
cooking, washing, etc. and irrigating farms, the
following are uses of water:

1.  Power plant use – major use of water to

remove waste heat from coal fired or nuclear
powered boiler

Fig 2.0  Natural water, springs

Moreover, water is polluted with the metabolites

of aquatic plants and animals and the products of
their decay.

Ground water contains mostly dissolved

substances, while surface waters are rich in
suspended matter. The large amounts of . 
suspended solids are present in open bodies
2.  Agricultural uses – irrigation of lands.
during autumn and spring floods.

Wastewater
The use of water for agriculture has changed the
production of crops dramatically in the 20th
century.
Agricultural use of water accounts for nearly 70%
of the water used throughout the world, and the
majority of this water is used for irrigation.
An increase in irrigation development guarantees
an increase in crop production in many countries.
Irrigation allows the land that does not recieve
enough precipitation annually to become land
that can be used for productive agriculture.
2.  Industrial uses – process component, for
cooling or as solvent. Water is an essential
commodity in pharmaceutical sector, being used
both as an ingredient material in a wide range of
research procedures and drug formulations.
3.  Recreational uses – swimming, water skiing, ice
skating, surfing and boating
MEASURING WATER QUALITY
Dissolved Oxygen – the amount of molecular
oxygen dissolved in water Dissolved oxygen
analysis measures the amount of gaseous oxygen
(O2) dissolved in an aqueous solution.
Total dissolved gas concentrations in water should
not exceed 110 percent. Concentrations above
this level can be harmful to aquatic life. Fish in
waters containing excessive dissolved gases may
suffer from "gas bubble disease".
Adequate dissolved oxygen is necessary for good
water quality. Oxygen is a necessary element to all
forms of life. Natural stream purification processes
require adequate oxygen levels in order to
provide for aerobic life forms.
MEASURING WATER QUALITY
Oxygen Demand
1. Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD) – the
amount of oxygen required to oxidize any organic
matter present in water biochemically.
It is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by
aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to
break down organic material present in a given
water sample at certain temperature over a
specific time period.
2.  Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand
(CBOD) – the amount of oxygen required to
oxidize carbon containing matter in water.
3.  Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) – equivalent
amount of oxygen required to oxidize any organic
matter in water sample using chromic acid, a
strong oxidizing agent.
4.  Theoretical Oxygen demand (ThOD) – the
amount of oxygen required to oxidize a known
compound completely to carbon dioxide and
water.
It can also be use to calculate amount of oxygen
required to oxidize ammonia present in water or
wastewater.
ORGANIC CONTENT
1.  Total organic carbon (TOC) – amount of
organic carbon in a sample. This measurement
provides an estimate of the amount of organic
contamination contained in water or wastewater
sample.
2.  Oil and grease – measure of oily and grease
substance in water sample without determination
of the exact chemical compounds involved.
SOLIDS
a) Total Solids (TS) – amount of organic and
inorganic matter contained in a water.
b) Volatile solids (VS) – the amount of matter that
volatizes or burns when a water sample is heated
to 550oC.
c ) Fixed solids – solids that do not volatilize at
5500C.
d) Total suspended solids (TSS) – the amount of
matter suspended in water 
e)Volatile suspended solids (VSS) – the
nonfilterable residue from the firing of total
suspended solids at 5500C
f) Fixed suspended solids (FSS) – the matter
remaining in suspended solid analysis that will not
burn at 5500C
g)  . Total dissolved solids (TDS) – the amount of
dissolved matter in a water
NUTRIENTS
1.  Nitrogen – is an important parameter in both
natural water and wastewater because
it can act as a nutrient stimulating organism
growth, and because of oxidation of reduced
oxygen forms, can consume considerable amount
of oxygen.
2.  Ammonia nitrogen – commonly measured for
domestic wastewater and comes from either
ammonia or ammonium.
3.  Nitrate nitrogen – encourages the production
of bacteria and algae in water. It is commonly
measured in drinking water and wastewater
4.  Organic nitrogen - contained as amines in
organic compounds such as amino acids and
proteins
5.  Phosphorus – stimulates rapid growth of algae
in water and can be measured by several
chemical methods.
OTHER QUALITY PARAMETERS
1.  Turbidity – measurement of clarity of water
used for potable water monitoring or assess
wastewater treatment process.
It is gauged with an instrument that measures the
amount of light scattered at an angle 900 from
source of beam.
2.  Hardness – concentration of multivalent
cations measured as calcium carbonate
3. Alkalinity – capacity of water to neutralize acids 
4.  pH – negative log of the hydrogen ion
concentration
SOURCES AND QUALITIES OF WATER
POLLUTION
1.   Municipal and Wastewater pollution – Publicly
Owned Treatment Works (PPOTWS) – receive
wastewater from the sewer pipes of homes,
business and industries. They contain much
suspended and dissolved organic matter and
trace amounts of organic to inorganic toxins.
2.  Industrial Wastewater Pollution – industries use
vast quantities of water, and much of it is used for
cooling purposes carrying away waste heat.
Unwanted or dangerous materials is also present
in many industrial wastewater. Industries
discharging into municipal sewer system are
required to preheat wastewater to remove toxic
substances that interfere with municipal plant
operation.
3.   Non Point Source Pollution – a non point
source is any origin that cannot be attributed to a
pollution discharge point.
Reaeration – the dissolving of molecular oxygen in surface water runoff, making it difficult to
from the atmosphere into a water comply with water quality legislation.

Deoxygenation – consumption of oxygen by Some SuDS   (Sustainable drainage systems ) 

aquatic organisms as they oxidize materials in the
aquatic environment.
5.3| Discussion about Water Quality
Water quality describes the condition of the water,
including chemical, physical, and biological
characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability
for a particular purpose such as drinking or
swimming.
Water quality is measured by several factors, such
as the concentration of dissolved oxygen, bacteria
levels, the amount of salt (or salinity), or the
amount of material suspended in the water
(turbidity). In some bodies of water, the
concentration of microscopic algae and quantities
of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other
contaminants may also be measured to determine
water quality.
components provide water quality improvements
by reducing sediment and contaminants from
runoff either through settlement or biological
breakdown of pollutants.
This can improve the quality of downstream water
bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, bathing or
shellfish waters.
Furthermore, where SuDS reduce flows entering
combined sewers, this can lead to reduced
combined sewer overflow discharges (controlled
discharge of surface water runoff and sewage),
again improving the quality of the receiving water
body.
Such water quality improvements (or prevention
of deterioration) can lead to a number of benefits
including aesthetic, health (eg reduced risk of
infection from bathing) or enhanced recreation
and opportunities for wildlife and biodiversity

Although scientific measurements are used to

define water quality, it is not a simple thing to say
“that water is good” or “that water is bad.” So, the
determination is typically made relative to the
purpose of the water – is it for drinking or to wash
a car with or for some other purpose?

Poor water quality can pose a health risk for

people. Poor water quality can also pose a health
risk for ecosystems
Water quality management benefits

Our activities lead to numerous pollutants (such as

oil, sediments, fertilisers, pesticides, animal waste
and litter) that can cause diffuse pollution and
adversely affect the environment.

Often, this is not managed by traditional piped

drainage. Pollutants or contaminants can be
washed into sewers and eventually watercourses