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Lecture 11
Environmental
Engineering Solutions
(Part 1-Water Supply
Systems)
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Introduction

 In providing engineering interventions on pollution

problems, engineers apply mathematics and sciences, such
as physics, to find novel solutions to problems or to improve
existing solutions.
 If multiple solutions exist, engineers weigh each choice
based on their merit and choose the solution that best
matches the requirements.
 The task of the engineer is to identify, understand, and
interpret the constraints on a solution in order to yield a
successful result.
 Constraints may include available resources, physical,
imaginative or technical limitations, flexibility for future
modifications and additions, and other factors, such as
requirements for cost, safety, marketability, productivity,
and serviceability.
 By understanding the constraints, engineers
derive specifications for the limits within which a viable
object or system may be produced and operated.

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Introduction

 Engineers typically attempt to predict

how well their solutions will perform to
their specifications prior to full-scale
production. They use, among other
things: prototypes, scale
models, simulations, destructive
tests, nondestructive tests, and stress
tests. Testing ensures that products will
perform as expected.
 Engineers take on the responsibility of
producing solutions that will perform, will
not cause harm to the public and
physical environment, and comply with
existing government standards.
 Engineers typically include a factor of
safety in their designs to reduce the risk
of unexpected failure.
Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD
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Engineering solutions

Prevention Removal Reduction Standard

s

Treatment

• The first priory of Engineers is to prevent the pollutants from

approaching the human environment by designing barriers.
• If the pollutants are already in the human environment, the Engineer
should design a system on how to remove it.
• If the pollutants can not be removed, the Engineer should at least
reduce it to a tolerable level based on existing standards
• Removal or reduction of pollutants is a form of treatment
Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD
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Engineering
Solutions for
Contaminated
or Polluted
Drinking-Water

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Unsafe drinking-water

• Contaminated water that is unfit for human consumption

• Contains pathogenic microorganisms and toxic chemicals

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Prevention of water
contamination

 Protection of water sources from pollution thru linkage to tree

planting, proper sanitation, solid waste management, and
wastewater management
 Tree planting will prevent erosion that is causing high level of
turbidity
 Sanitation will prevent the spread of microbial contamination.
 Proper solid waste and wastewater management will prevent
microbiological and chemical contamination.

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Removal or reduction of water
contaminants

 Physical contaminants – e.g. coagulation, flocculation,

sedimentation, filtration
 Chemical contaminants- e.g. ion-exchange, filtration, distillation
 Microbiological contaminants- e.g. disinfection (heat, chemicals)

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Need for treatment

• To make water safe for drinking, appropriate water treatment

should be applied
Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD
Typical Water Treatment Technologies 10
(Surface Water)

Coagulation/ Sedimentation Turbidity

Flocculation

Turbidity

Disinfection Filtration Turbidity

Microorganisms

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

 Typical Water Treatment Technologies 11
(Groundwater)

Aeration Filtration Oxidized dissolved chemicals

Dissolved impurities, e.g. Iron

Disinfection

Pathogenic microorganisms, e.g bacteria, viruses

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Dealing with
physical impurities
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Coagulation/Flocculation

 Addition of coagulants
-Natural
-Chemical
to raw water so that
suspended particles will
attach to each other and
settle down by gravity
 A method for
reducing turbidity.

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Natural Coagulants

 Moringa oleifera (Malunggay)

 Seeds are dried and ground into powder
 Strychnos potatorum
 Also known as clearing nuts, nirmali
 Prickly pear cactus
 Sap from leaves is used

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Chemical Coagulants

 Commonly used in community water treatment,

some use in households
 Aluminium sulphate (alum)
 Polyaluminium chloride (PAC, liquid alum)
 Alum potash
 Iron salts (ferric sulphate, ferric chloride)

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Chemical Coagulants

Alum block (Credit: www.cdc.org) Alum potash

(Credit: www.germes-online.com)

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Sedimentation

 Physical treatment using gravity to

remove suspended solids and
reduce turbidity
 Different methods:
 Settling
 Natural Coagulants
 Chemical Coagulants

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Filtration

• A mechanical or
physical operation
which is used for the
separation of solids from
fluids by interposing a
medium through which
only the fluid can pass.

• Used after
sedimentation to further
reduce turbidity and
remove pathogens

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Slow Sand Filtration

Flow rates between 0.1 to

0.3 m3/h per square
meter of surface or 100
to 300 lit/hr per sq.m of
filter area.
Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD
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Rapid Sand Filtration

Flow rate: 3000 to 6000 lit/hr

per sq.m of filter area.
Velocity: 4-12 meters/hour

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Biosand Filter

 Adaptation of traditional slow sand filter

 Smaller and adapted for intermittent use
-Suitable for households
 Container can be concrete or plastic
 Filled with layers of sieved and washed sand and gravel
 Biological layer develops at the sand surface, contributes to water
treatment
-Also known as the biolayer or schmutzedecke

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Biosand Filter

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Ceramic Pot Filter

 Made from clay mixed with a

combustible material like sawdust,
rice husks or coffee husks
 Colloidal silver is necessary to help
with pathogen removal and prevent
grow-through of bacteria in filter
media
 Water is poured into a ceramic pot,
and is collected in another container
that has a tap at the bottom

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Membrane Filtration

-Removesminute, microscopic, and dissolved

contaminants

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Dealing with
chemical
contamination
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Aeration

 Brings water and air in

close contact in order
to remove dissolved
gases (such as carbon
dioxide) and oxidizes
dissolved metals such as
iron, hydrogen sulfide,
and volatile organic
chemicals (VOCs)

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Ion-exchange

• Ions of one substance are

replaced by similarly
charged ions of another
substance. This can be used
in reducing hardness
(calcium and magnesium) of
water)

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Dealing with
microbiological
contamination
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Disinfection

 Removal, deactivation or killing of

pathogenic microorganisms
 Does not reduce turbidity
 Different methods:
- Use of heat
- Use of UV light
- Use of chemicals
- Use of ozone

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Boiling

 Oldest and most common

method
 Bring water to a rolling boil
 Different fuel sources can
be used
 Boiling kills or deactivates
all pathogens
 Effectiveness not Boiling kettles (Credit: Philtar)
impacted by turbidity, pH,
water chemistry

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Distillation

• A method of water
treatment by
heating water to its
boiling point then
collecting the water
vapor as it
condenses

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Solar Distillation

 Process of evaporating water into

vapour, and then capturing and
cooling the vapour so it condenses
back into a liquid
 Any contaminants in the water are
left behind when the water is
evaporated
 Can be used for treating
saline/brackish water

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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UV radiation

• A method of
disinfection using
short wave UV
radiation (200-
295 nm) emitting
from a UV lamp

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Solar Disinfection (SODIS)

 Combines solar radiation and

temperature to kill pathogens
 Disinfects small quantities of water with
low turbidity
 Transparent, non-coloured 1−2 litre
plastic bottles
 Made from polyethylene terephthalate
(PET)
 Exposed to direct sunlight for a
minimum 6 hours

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

 Chlorination and other
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compounds

 Widely used for disinfection

 Provides protection against recontamination
 Effectiveness affected by turbidity, organic
matter, ammonia, temperature and pH
 For high turbidity levels, the water should first
be sedimented or filtered
 Some protozoa and helminths are resistant to
chlorine but can be handled by chlorine
dioxide

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Chlorine solution

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Chlorine Gas

• A method of
disinfection to kill
bacteria and virus

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Sodium Hypochlorite

 Various products available,

including household bleach
 Chlorine concentrations of
liquid products range from
0.5% to 10%
 Each product should have
instructions for dosing and
contact time

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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NaDCC Tablets

 Often used in emergencies, now widely

available for household water
treatment
 Different NaDCC contents (e.g. 3.5 mg
to 8.68 g) to treat different volumes of
water (e.g. 1 to 2500 litres)
 Various manufacturers

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Combined flocculant/disinfectant

 Sachets that contains both coagulants

and a timed-release form of chlorine
 Reduces turbidity and disinfects
 Some products also provide moderate
effectiveness against arsenic
 Sold in single packets designed to treat
10−15 litres

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD

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Ozonation

 A disinfection
process that
destroys bacteria
and other
microorganisms
through an infusion
of ozone

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Drinking-water systems

Engr Bonifacio B. Magtibay, PhD