BUEE - LEC. No. 3

College of Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Lecture No. 3
Prof. Dr.- Eng.: Mosaad Khadr
Civil Engineering Department

Water Molecules
❑ Composed of 2 Hydrogen atoms

and 1 oxygen atom covalently
bonded (H2O)
❑ Electrons stay with Oxygen more

which leads to polarity
❑ Polarity = molecule has a positive

(H) end and a negative end (O)
❑ Polarity gives water unique

properties
Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 2

Water Molecules
Some unique properties of water
1)High Boiling Point = 100oC (212oF)
2)Solid form is less dense than liquid form (ice floats in liquid water)
3) Cohesion = water molecules wanting to stay together, keeps water
in puddles instead of widespread droplets or molecules
4) Adhesion = water molecules wanting to stay connected to other
polar surfaces (glass)

Water Molecules
More unique properties of water
• Capillary action = water rising on its own up through a thin

column
• Combination of adhesion attracting water molecules to the

side of the column and cohesion pulling more water up into
the column
• Glass tubes and plant roots are good examples

Water Molecules
Make it Happen
1) get a partner
2) get a dish and a capillary tube
3) get some water in the dish
4) add food coloring to water
5) show your teacher capillary action using the tube

pH of solutions
❑ pH describes the concentration of H+ ions in a solution (acidity)
❑ Water has a fairly neutral pH because not many of its molecules
lose a hydrogen ion
❑ Some solutions have an abundance of H+ ions and are called
acids
❑ Some solutions have a lack of H+ ions (or abundance of OH-) and
are called bases

Water Pollution
Types of water ?
• Rain water
• Storm water
• River water/ Lake water
• Ocean water
• Domestic water
• Industrial water
• Drinking water
• Agricultural water
• Irrigation water
• Sewage etc.
Water Pollution
Blue water = good quality water

Water Pollution
Green water = nutrient-enriched water

Brown water comes from swamps & forests

Water Pollution
Water pollution from poor land use practices

Water Pollution
Algal bloom – sign of eutrophication

Water Pollution
Weed infestation of water bodies is driven by
nutrient enrichment

Water Pollution
Water hyacinth in lakes and rivers due to pollution
-chokes fish landing sites, e.t.c.

Water Pollution
Water Pollution
• Refers to degradation of water quality.
– Generally look at the intended use of the water
– How far the water departs from the norm
– Its effects on public health
– Or its ecological impacts
• Physical or chemical change in water that adversely affects

the health of humans or other organisms
• Global problem
Water Pollution
• Water pollutants includes
– Heavy metals
– Sediment
– Certain radioactive isotopes
– Heat
– Fecal coliform bacteria
– Phosphorus
– Nitrogen
– Pathogenic bacteria and viruses

Water Pollution
• Primary water pollution problem is the lack of clean,

disease free drinking water.( Sanitary water)
– Outbreaks of waterborne disease affects several billion

people worldwide
– E.g. cholera
• Quality of water determines its potential uses.
• All segments of society may contribute to water pollution.

Water Pollution
Sources of Water Pollution
❑ Point source: specific spot
❑Nonpoint source
➢ Enters over a large area
➢ Runoff (agriculture or, urban
lawns) or Multiple factors: Land-
use, Climatic, hydrologic,
topographic, geologic
Water Pollution
Oxygen-demanding waste
• Dead organic matter decomposed and consumed by aerobic
bacteria, which need oxygen to live
• BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of oxygen

used for bacterial decomposition
• High BOD, associated with a high level of decaying organic matter

in water, reduces O for other healthy organisms
• Sources of oxygen-demanding waste:

Natural processes, agricultural applications (33%),
urban sewage, and runoff

Water Pollution
Eutrophication
• Build up of nutrients in a body of water

• Naturally occurs slowly
• Humans cause imbalances
by creating pulses of
nutrients due to over-
fertilizing crops & lawns
and raising animals in
confined areas
Nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorus-containing

compounds that are essential to life in small quantities
but harmful in excess.
Water Pollution
Pollution in Streams
Normal clean water organisms

Trash fish (trout, perch, bass,
Fish absent, mayfly, stonefly)
Trash fish fungi, (carp, gar,
Normal clean water organisms (carp, gar, sludge leeches) 8 ppm
Types of (trout, perch, bass, leeches) worms,
organisms mayfly, stonefly) bacteria
(anaerobic)
8 ppm
Dissolved
oxygen
(ppm)
Biological Clean Zone

oxygen
Recovery
demand
Septic Zone Zone
Decomposition
Clean Zone Zone

Water Pollution
Groundwater contamination

Water Pollution
Groundwater contamination
Sources of contamination

Water Pollution
Controlling Water Pollution
1. Source Reduction (Pollution Prevention)

– Cheapest and most effective way to reduce
pollution is to avoid producing it or releasing it
into the environment.
• Design products that do not pollute
• Soil Conservation
2.Ban release of pollutants
3.Reward purchasing environmentally preferable
products (e.g. rebates)

Water Quality Monitoring
Defining Monitoring
❑ Monitoring is defined by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) as: “the programmed process of sampling, measurement and
subsequent recording or signaling, or both, of various water characteristics,
often with the aim of assessing conformity to specified objectives”.
❑ This general definition can be differentiated into three types of monitoring
activities that distinguish between long-term, short-term and continuous
monitoring programs

Why Monitor Water Quality?
5 Reasons:
1.Characterize waters and identify changes or trends in water
quality over time
2.Identify specific existing or emerging water quality problems
3.Gather information to design specific pollution prevention or
remediation programs
4.Determine whether program goals --such as compliance with
pollution regulations or implementation of effective pollution
control actions --are being met
5.Respond to emergencies, such as spills and floods
Characteristics of water
•Based on 3 criteria : Physical, Chemical and Biological Characteristics

Drinking water quality standards

Drinking water quality standards

Water Quality
Types of monitoring
Ambient monitoring
• Status and trend detection
• Testing of water quality standards
• Calculation of loads
Effluent monitoring
• Calculation and control of discharge standards
• Monitoring of plant performance
Early warning
• Warning for calamities
• Protection of downstream functions
Operational monitoring
Monitoring for operational uses such as irrigation, industrial
use, inlets for water treatment works.

❑ Parameters often monitored:
–pH
–Conductivity
–Dissolved oxygen
–Nitrates
–Phosphorus
–Bacteria

Monitoring and sampling of surface runoff

Water Quality Instruments
Turbidity Temperature Metals, Nutrients, etc.

pH, EC, ORP Salinity
scientist measures the depth

at which the secchi disk is no
longer visible

BUEE - LEC. No. 3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

BUEE - LEC. No. 3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

College of Engineering

Prof. Dr.- Eng.: Mosaad Khadr

Civil Engineering Department

❑ Composed of 2 Hydrogen atoms

❑ Electrons stay with Oxygen more

❑ Polarity = molecule has a positive

❑ Polarity gives water unique

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 2

1)High Boiling Point = 100oC (212oF)

3) Cohesion = water molecules wanting to stay together, keeps water

in puddles instead of widespread droplets or molecules

4) Adhesion = water molecules wanting to stay connected to other

polar surfaces (glass)

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 3

More unique properties of water

• Capillary action = water rising on its own up through a thin

• Combination of adhesion attracting water molecules to the

• Glass tubes and plant roots are good examples

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 4

2) get a dish and a capillary tube

3) get some water in the dish

4) add food coloring to water

5) show your teacher capillary action using the tube

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 5

❑ pH describes the concentration of H+ ions in a solution (acidity)

❑ Water has a fairly neutral pH because not many of its molecules

lose a hydrogen ion

❑ Some solutions have an abundance of H+ ions and are called

❑ Some solutions have a lack of H+ ions (or abundance of OH-) and

are called bases

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 8

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 9

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 10

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 11

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 12

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 13

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 14

• Physical or chemical change in water that adversely affects

– Certain radioactive isotopes

– Fecal coliform bacteria

– Pathogenic bacteria and viruses

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 16

• Primary water pollution problem is the lack of clean,

– Outbreaks of waterborne disease affects several billion

• Quality of water determines its potential uses.

• All segments of society may contribute to water pollution.

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 17

❑ Point source: specific spot

• BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of oxygen

• High BOD, associated with a high level of decaying organic matter

• Sources of oxygen-demanding waste:

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 19

• Build up of nutrients in a body of water

Nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorus-containing

Normal clean water organisms

Biological Clean Zone

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 21

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 22

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 23

1. Source Reduction (Pollution Prevention)

Prof. Dr.-Eng. Mosaad Khadr 24

❑ Monitoring is defined by the International Organization for Standardization