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FCE 581: Public Health Engineering

Continuous Assessment Test - 1 hr Dec. 11th 2023

1. Describe how turbidity is removed from water in the conventional water

treatment plant.
- Turbidity is caused by colloidal particles 1
- stable and would take very long to settle 1
- A coagulant is added to the water to destabilize the particles and make them
come together1
- The formed flocs are made to grow using a flocculator 1
- The flocs are settled out is a sedimentation basin 1
- The water is the filtered in a sand bed filter 1 6
2. Describe design factors that should be taken into consideration for good
performance of a sedimentation tank.
- Length to bread ratio to reduce short circuiting
- Inlet baffle to uniformly distribute the water
- Clarified water collected by weirs for slow uniform removal
- Depth of about 2 m
- Overflow rate of 1 m/hr 1½ max 6
3. Explain how a rapid sand filterbed is cleaned after it clogs up.
- Rapid sand filter is cleaned by the process of backwashing 1
- Treated water and air is passed from the bottom upwards 1
- The bed expands and; 1
- releases the impurities 1
4. Explain why for water supplies in Kenya, the chlorine for disinfection is
preferred to the ozone.
- Readily Available
- It is relatively cheap
- It is easy to apply
- Provides post treatment protection 1@ = 4
5. A 450 mm concrete sewer has a slope of 0.5%. Estimate the maximum
population that it can serve assuming a water consumption of 80 l/c/d.
Assume the peak factor is given by Pf = 14P(-1/6).
D =450 mm 450
At 0.5% Qfull = 300 0.5
For d/D , 0.5, Qa = 0.4 Qfull 0.4 0.5
Qfull = 0.4x 120 0.5
Assume Peak factor = 2.2 2.2 0.5
Qave = Qp/pf 54.55 0.5
Water consumption = 80 l/c/d 80
Wastewater generation factor = 0.8 0.8 0.5
No. of people = 3,636 0.5
Refine Pf = 14P-1/6 = 2.16 0.5
Qave = Qp/pf = 55.49 0.5
Water consumption = 80 l/c/d 80
Wastewater generation factor = 0.8 0.8
Refined No. of people = 4,915 0.5
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6. A sewage pumping station is to be constructed for a 10,000 m 3/d sewerline.

Determine the required (i) the number of 150 m3/hr pumps (ii) Volume of 1
hr capacity sump (iii) area of one (1) day capacity, 2 m deep emergency
lagoon with vertical sides.

- No. of pumps – Q/ pump capacity = 10000/(150*24) = 2.77 (1½)

- Say 3 (½)
- Provide 33% standy – 1
- Total 4no. 1
Flow 10000
capacity 24
Sump 1 hr Vol.: 416. 7
450 1
Flow 10000
Depth 2
Emergency pond area 5000 1 5
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FCE 581: Public Health Engineering I

Continuous Assessment Test - 1 hr Dec. 11th 2023

1. Explain why topographical survey is necessary for selection of a suitable site

for a dam.

- Maximize storage 1½

- Minimize costs 1½

- Topographic survey provides contours 1 which show sites where

contours converge at the dam site and open up diverge upstream 1 5
2. When computing the yield Q, of a borehole, the radius of influence R is usually
assumed to be 300 m. Find and comment on the percentage error in
computing Q, if the actual radius of influence is 250 m, for a 30 cm diameter
well with a drawdown of 3.5 m and transmissivity of T of 0.03 m2/s. You may
use the following formula

𝒎𝟑 2.72𝑇𝑍𝑤
𝑄( ) = 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝒔 10 𝑅/𝑟𝑤

300 Q300 = 0.08651845 2

250 Q250 = 0.088644757 1

% error2.398683022 1

Comment - % the error is small for the large error in R 1

3. Explain why headloss and effluent quality are important parameters in filter
control.

- Headloss - the head of water required to maintain flow in the filter –

high headloss shows the filter is clogged and it is not able to sustain
flow. 2
 - If effluent quality does not meet the standards, then the filter is in
efficient and should be removed from service for backwashing 2

4. State the drawbacks of using ozone for disinfection in a water supply,

Expensive/requires skills 1

Ozone does not provide post treatment protection 2

5. Suppose that while walking along a trunk sewer line in a field with no
connection, you observe two manholes 20 m apart. Suggest reasons why
manholes would have been constructed at the locations
- Change of slope 1
- Change of direction 1
- To maintain maximum interval 1
- Drop in elevation 1
6. A low density (50-100 p/ha/d) residential area of 200 ha is to be served with
a trunk sewer. Select an appropriate size of sewer pipe from the commercial
sizes given below if the water consumption is 200 l/d.

Assume a maximum available slope of 0.5%. Commercial sizes 150, 225, 300,
375, 450, 525, 600, 675, 750, 825, 900, 1050 mm. You may use Gifft Equation:
Pf = 14P(-1/6)

- Assume 75 p/ha
- Population = 75*200 = 15000 people 1
- Wastewater generation factor 0.81
- Water consumption l/d =150 l/d
- Wastewater generation – 15000*200*0.8/86400 = 1
- Peak factor = 14P-1/6 = 14*15000-1/6 = 1
- Peak flow Qp = 1
- For d/D <0.5, Qfull = Qp/0.4 = 1
- For slope s = 0.5 D = 1
- Provide commercial size = 1
- Vfull = 0.5
- From chart Vact/Vfull = 0.5
- Vact -= ok 1
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FCE 581: Public Health Engineering I

Continuous Assessment Test - 1 hr Dec. 11th 2023

1. Describe the circumstances under which one would use the following water
abstraction structures Side intake, dam, borehole
- Side intake: - River with sufficient safe yield to meet the demand 2
- Dam – on a river whose safe yield does not meet the water demand to
impound a reservoir to provide sufficient storage 2
- Borehole – when the available rivers and stream are inadequate for supply
or dam construction and there are aquifers with sufficient yield. 2 6
2. A horizontal flow baffle flocculator treating 1000 m 3/d of water has 16
channels with a channel velocity of 0.3 m/s and 15 slots with slot velocity 0.4
m/s. Compute: (1) the power requirement, (ii) the volume of the basin.
- V1 0.3 m/s
- V2 0.4 m/s
- Q 1000 m3/s
- P = ρgQH 0.5
- H = nV12/(2g) + (n-1)v22/(2g) 1
- = 16x0.3^2/2/9.81+16x0.4^2/2/9.81 = 0.196 1
- P = 1000x9.81x1000/86400x = 22.22 1
- G = √(P/(µV)) , V = P/ (G2µ) 1
- Try G s-1, 25 0.5
- V (m3) = 35.20 1
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3. A filter 4x6 m is to be backwashed at a rate of 50m/hr for 8 minutes.
Determine the required volume of backwash tank.
- Vol. of backwash tank =vol. of back was water 1
= Area x backwash rate x backwash period 1
= 4x6x50/60x8 = 160 m3 2 4
4. Assume that while working at Kiamumbi Water Treatment Plant, a Member
of the County Assembly Water, Energy and Environmental committee ask
why the treatment plant has a water cascade while the rest treatment plants
in the County do not. Prepare a suitable response.
 - A cascade is used for aerating 1 water to oxidize and then precipitate metals 1
- Usually iron and manganese 1 that cause colour and taste 1 4
5. Discuss the basic considerations in the design of a water supply for a low
income community.

- Maximize use of gravity process

- Low operational costs e,g power consumption
- Minimum mechanization
- Minimize use of chemicals
- Minimum skills 1@x4 4
6. Select an appropriate size of sewer pipe from the commercial sizes given
below to convey sewage from 500 ha middle density residential (100-200
p/ha) area with a water consumption of 150 l/d. Assume a maximum
available slope of 0.5% and a peak factor given by pf = 14P-1/6, where p is the
population served. Commercial sizes 150, 225, 300, 375, 450, 525, 600, 675,
750, 825, 900, 1050 mm. (10 marks)

Area 500
Assume 150 p/ha 150 0.5
Population = 150*500 = 15000 people 75000 0.5
Wastewater generation factor 0.8 0.8 0.5
Water consumption l/d 150
Wastewater generation l/s – 75000*150*0.8/86400 = 104.2 0.5
Peak factor = 14P-1/6 = 14*75000-1/6 = 2.16 0.5
Peak flow Qp = 224.6 0.5
For d/D <0.5, Qfull = Qp/0.4 = 561.4 0.5
For slope s = 0.5% D = 0.5
Provide commercial size = 0.5
Vfull = 0.5
From chart Vact/Vfull = 0.5
Vact -= ok 0.5
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FCE 581: Public Health Engineering I

Continuous Assessment Test - 1 hr Dec. 11th 2023

1. Suggest the factor that should be considered in selecting between

groundwater and surface water sources for a water supply.
- Quantity/ Yield – Is it adequate – preference – surface water2
- Quality - is it acceptable or easily treatable 2
- Cost of exploiting the source – how they compare 1 5
2. The power supplied by a mechanical flocculator is 520 W.

a. Explain why the power is required

- F/Flocculator – causes flocs that are formed in the coagulation process

to come together and form larger particles 1

- Power is required to make the particles close paths and come together 1

b. Compute the volume of basin required to achieve a G value of 20-100

and Gtd of 20,000 – 200,000 for a flow of 10,000 m3/d.

𝑃 ½ 1 𝑃𝑉
𝐺 = (𝜇𝑉) 𝐺𝑡𝑑 = √𝜇
𝑄

Assume 𝜇 = 1.01x10-3 kg/s/m

Try G =60, 1 V = P/(G2𝜇)

G 60
µ 0.00101
P 520
V 1.904037 m3 2

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3. Describe the circumstances that lead to stratification in rapid sand filters
- Rapid sand filters are cleaned by backwashing 1
- During backwashing the bed is expanded. 1
- The larger particles float higher than the larger one
- When the backwashing is stopped, the larger grains settle faster than the
lighter grains 1thus stratifying the bed. 1 - 4
4. With the aid of a suitable curve, explain why the residual chlorine in a treated
water sample is not directly proportional to the added chlorine

- Curve 1
- When chlorine is added to water it first meets the oxygen demand giving
end products without a residue 1
- If ammonia is present, the added chlorine forms combined chlorine with
amines 1
- As more chlorine is added the combined chlorine then breaks down to
end products without a residue up to breakpoint chlorination1
- It is only after the breakdown chlorination that all added chlorine
appears as residual chlorine and is therefore proportional 1 5
5. Assume that an upcoming industrialist has been advised to soften borehole
water before using it in the boiler. Explain why he may need to apply both
lime and soda ash for the softening process.

- Water is softened to remove hardness that comprises Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions
1
- Lime is used to carbonate hardness by precipitating CaCO3 and Mg(OH)2
1 and raise pH (1)
- Soda ash is used to remove non-carbonate hardness (1) 4
6. Determine the minimum slope that a section of trunk sewer may be laid in
order to serve a town with a population of 25,000, with a water consumption
rate of 90 l/c/d. Assume the Gifft peak factor Equation: Pf = 14P (-1/6) applies.
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FCE 581: Public Health Engineering I

Continuous Assessment Test - 1 hr Dec. 11th 2023

1. Describe how you would determine the safe yield of a water source.
- Obtain river flow data N from river gauging stations 1
- Arrange the flows in descending order 1
- Rank the flows, n 1
- Compute the probability of exceeding the flow as n/(N+1) 1
- Select the flow with the specified reliability as the safe yields 1 5
2. The velocity of water in the screens of a river side intake is limited to 1.0 m/s.
a. Give reasons why the velocity is limited.

- So as not to dislodge already removed objects 1

b. If the screens have 6 mm wide bars and spaces of 30 mm, sketch the
bar arrangement and compute the velocity in the approach channel
(assume no change in water depth).

- Sketch 1
- Assume water depth d – Area of flow = 30d 0.5
- Q = AV =30dx1 0.5
- Let Velocity of approach = Va
- Area of flow = (30+6)d = 36d 0.5
- Qa = 36dva 0.5
- From continuity of flow, Qa= Qs, 0.5 Va = 30d/36d = 0.833 m 0.5 5
3. State the factors that affect the settling velocity of a particles
- Diameter 2
- Viscosity/Temperature of water 1
- Density of the particle 1
- Shape 1 5
4. A newly constructed tank contains 400 m3 of water. The tank is to be
disinfected using bleaching powder, which has 30% available chlorine. It is
intended to prepare a stock solution containing 10,000 mg/L of chlorine
before transferring it to the tank so as to achieve an initial chlorine
concentration of 12 mg/l. Find
 (i) The minimum size of the container to be used to prepare the stock
solution
- Concentration 10,000 mg/l =mass/V;
thus V = 12mg/L*400 m3x1000 l/M//10,000 mg/l = 480L 3
(ii) The mass of bleaching powder to be used

- Bleaching powder = 30% chlorine – mass of powder = 4.8/0.3 = 16 kg 2 5

5. The capacity of a 600 mm trunk sewer has been identified as the limiting
factor to upgrading of an unserved slum to high-rise apartment buildings. The
critical section of the trunk sewer has a slope of 0.5% and a peak flow depth
0.2 m. Establish how many more houses can be served by the reserve capacity
of the sewer. Assume a water consumption of 100 l/p/d and a peak factor of
2. You may use the attached proportionate and Colebrook-White equation
charts.
D = 600 mm 0.60
Qfull at 0.5% slope l/s 270 0.5
For d/D=0.5, Qa 0.5= 0.4 Qfull 0.4 0.5
Thus Qa0.33 = (Qa/Qfull)*Qfull 162 0.5
d = 0.2 m 0.2
d/D 0.33 0.5
Qa/Qfull (from chart) 0.18 0.5
Thus Qa = (Qa/Qfull)*Qfull 47.25 0.5
Availabe capacity 114.75 0.5
Peak factor 2
Qave = Qp/pf 57.38 0.5
Water consumption = 100 l/c/d 100
Wastewater generation factor 0.8 0.5
No. of people = Qave/gener/cons 61,965 0.5
Pers per hse 5 0.5
No. of houses 12,393 0.5
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6. Discuss the need of pumping in an area with the following characteristics
(This question was a follow-up on sewerage as sequenced in the course
outline)
a. Many ridges and hills
- Pumping stations are required to overcome the obstacles of ridges and hills
to enable the water flow to the treatment works 2
b. Relatively flat
- Pumping stations are required to occasionally raise the wastewater to avoid
deep excavations 2