WATER QUALITY CRITERIA

BS-CHM (MORNING B)
 WORLD’S WATER
DISTRIBUTION
• Water is a finite source.The earth cleans and
replenish the water supply through
hydrological cycle.
• Water covers the 71% of earth surface in
which:

97% Oceans and sea

2% Glacier ,polar
icecaps
Less than 1% Fresh water

• Just only 1% of water are for exploitation

of humans including
drinking,cooking,washing and other
purposes.
 WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY
CRITERIA
WATER QUALITY:
Water quality describes the condition of water including biological,chemical and physical
characteristics ,usually with respect to its sustainability For a particular purposes such as drinking and
swimming.
For example;in the Florida keys, Good quality water is an essential to a healthy marine ecosystem

WATER QUALITY CRITERIA:

Water quality criteria are threshold limits for pollutants or other contaminants and hazards factors in the
ambient water environment which are based on scientific experiments and exploration.
OR
Water quality criteria refers to specific levels of water quality desired for identify uses including drinking,
Recreation,farming,propagation of other aquatic life, and all other agricultural and industrial purposes
IMPORTANCE OF WATER QUALITY:

• Water quality is very important to our health and well

being.
• The majority of our human body is comprised 70% of
water.
• We use water daily throughout our homes to including
cooking,washing,drinking and a host of other purposes.
• Water Quality is also one important factors for a healthy
aquatic ecosystem.
• Clean water support the diversity of plants as well as
animals.
• But unfortunately our human activities affect the quality
of water.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD QUALITY
WATER:
• Water is a good solvent.
• Water never occur in pure forms. All water contains some dissolved substances.
• The quality of water is determined by these substances. It has ability to dissolve many
organic and inorganic substances.
• Pure water is colorless. The coloured water can indicate pollution.
• The pure water clear and does not absorb light.
• Pure water always colorless and tasteless.
• It is odorless ( does not have any smell). Does not contain any visible solid particles.
• It is not contaminated no unhealthy , toxins or chemicals.
• The water is rich in minerals. However one may say it tastes good, this is because when one
drink water he or she tends to wants more especially if one is very thirsty and dehydrated.
WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS

There are following parameters of water quality;

1. Physical Parameter

2. Chemical parameter

3. Biological parameter

4. Radiological Parameters
 PHYSICAL PARAMETERS:
• TURBIDITY
• TEMPERATURE
• ODOUR AND TASTE
• COLOUR
 1. TURBIDITY
• Turbidity is tendency of light scatter at 90°degree.In
other words,turbidity is measure of clarity of water.
• In turbidity of water is given by the materials like
suspended Solids,dissolved materials and microbial
growths.In general,turbidity increase with increase of
presence of these materials in water.
• Some materials that gives turbidity may be toxic to
consumers.Therefore,turbidity is not suitable for drinking
purposes.
• Furthermore,turbidity decrease the efficiency of
disinfectants.
• Turbidity is measured by Turbiditimeter in NTU.
• Pure water should be clear and Turbidity less than 5NTU.
 2.TEMPERATURE
• Temperature is an essential to all environmental
studies and it also control many biological,
Chemical and ecological processes.
• T value of water varies with space and time.Depth
also has influenced on T value.
• Temperature is not directly determine whether
water is potable or not.
• In natural water system like river and lakes, T
value is very important physical factor that
determine quality of water.If T value
increase,solubility of Oxygen in water decreases.
• Rise in T value increase the microbial growth
which consume more O2 and decrease dissolved
O2.
• Temperature affect disinfectant process because at
low T value, low disinfect process.
 3.TASTE AND ODOUR
• Pure water is always tasteless and odourless.
• Therefore,If any type of taste or odour is present,it
indicates water pollution.
• Water taste may develop due to artificial or natural
regions.
• Artificial region for taste and odour in water is due
to disinfectant process (chlorination).
• Natural impurities dissolve in water also give it
odour and taste.For example;
• Inorganic salts such as KCl and NaCl etc. dissolve
in water gives taste while compounds like H2S gas
give odour and taste.
• Compounds that giving taste and odour is toxic to
consumers.So,water should be tasteless and
odourless.
 4.COLOUR
• The Pure water is colourless.Therefore,any type
of color in water indicate water pollution.
• Natural water system is often colored by often
foreign materials.If color is due to suspended
particles is known as apparent color.Color are
due to dissolved material that remains even
removal of particles is called true color or real
color.
• Colour of water ranges from Light to dark
brown.
For example,brownish color of water is due to
presence of iron.Similarly,greenish color of water is
due to presence of algae growth.
• The maximum acceptable level color of
drinking water is 15 TCU.
 CHEMICAL PARAMETERS
1. PH
2. DO
3. COD
4. BOD
5. HARDNESS
6. SALINITY
7. TDS( TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS)
 1.PH
• PH levels is less than 7 ,may cause severe
corrosion of metals in the distribution of pipes
and elevated levels of certain chemical
substances , such as lead may result .
• At pH levels above 8, there is a progressive
decrease in the efficiency of the chlorine
disinfection process .
• An acceptable pH drinking water is between
6.5 and 8.5.
• High ph causes a bitter taste, water pipes and water – using appliances become
encrusted with deposits, and it depresses the effectiveness of disinfection of
chlorine , thereby causing the need for additional chlorine when ph is high.
 2.DO ( DISSOLVED OXYGEN)
• Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free , non compound oxygen present in
water or other liquids. It is an important perameter in assessing water quality
because of its influence on the organisms living within a body of water.
• DO drives from atmosphere are oxygen- producing biological process ( e.g photosynthesis )
• DO level in water reflect balance between oxygen available and oxygen consumed ( e.g
aerobic respiration)
• DO level is inversely related to temperature and salinity, and directly related to partial pressure
across the water surface
• Percent DO saturation (% DO ) is independent of temperature and salinity.DO levels arrange
0-14 mg/l in water and 210,000 mg/l in air.
• DO levels are typically are higher on the surface and decrease with depth ( mixing , wind
action , diffusion serve to provide DO below water surface ).
• Low DO levels also occur in winter at high latitude due to decay of organic matter under ice
cover
• .Oxygen super saturation ( %DO>100%) can occur in surface water due to high photosynthetic
activity during long summer days.
 3.COD
• COD ( chemical oxygen demand)is test of level of organic matter that is chemically
oxidised.
• It is used to indirectly measure the amount of organic compound in water.Most
common application of COD determine the amount of organic pollutants found in
surface water or waste water , making COD useful measure of water quality.
• It is expressed in milligrams per liter ( mg/L) indicate the mass of oxygen consumed
per liter of solution.
• Chemical oxygen demand is an important parameter because ,similar to BOD it
provide an index to assess the effect discharged wastewater will have on the receiving
environment
• Higher the COD levels mean a greater amount of oxidizable organic material in the
sample, which will reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) levels.
• A reduction in DO can lead to anaerobic condition, which is deleterious to higher
aquatic life form.
• reduction in DO can lead to anaerobic condition, which is deleterious to higher aquatic life form.
• The CoD is often used as alternate to BOD due to shorter length of testing time The COD often
measured using a strong oxidant under acidic condition.
• Once oxidation is complete , the concentration of organics in the sample is calculated by
measuring the amount of oxidant remaining in the solution.
 4. BOD
• BOD ( biochemical oxygen demand) is the test of level of organic matter that is biologically oxidised.
• BoD is the amount of dissolve oxygen needed by aerobic bilogical organism in a body of water to
breakdown the organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over specific
time period.
• BOD value most commonly expressed in milligrams .Biochemical oxygen demand is an important
water quality parameter because it provide an index to assess the effect discharged waste water will
have on the receiving environment.
• Microorganisms such as bacteria are responsible for decomposing organic waste. When organic matter
such as dead plants, leaves, grass clippings ,manure ,sewage or even food waste is present in a water
supply, the bacteria will begin the process of breaking down this waste.
• When this happens, much of the available dissolved oxygen is consumed by aerobic bacteria, robbing
other aquatic organisms of the oxygen they need to live.
• If there is larger quantity of organic waste in water supply, there will be a lot of bacteria.
• The higher the BOD value , the grater the amount of organic matter or food available
for oxygen consuming bacteria.
• If the rate of DO consumption by bacteria exceed the supply of DO from aquatic
plants, algae photosynthesis or diffusing from air , in favourable Conditions occur.
Depletion of DO cause stress on aquatic organisms , making the environment
unsuitable for life.
 5.HARDNESS AND SALINITY
• Hardness:
• Hardness is a natural characteristics of water which can enhance it’s prolatability and consumer
acceptability for drinking purpose.
• Health studies in several countries in recent years indicate that mortality rates from heart attack
are lower in areas with hard water.
• Originally taken to be the capacity of water to destroy lather of soap ,hardness was determined by
titration with soap solution.
• Now a day’s analysis comprises the determination of calcium and magnesium which are main
constituent of hardness. Although barium, strotinum and iron can also contribute to hardness, but
their concentration normally low that they can be ignored.
• Salinity:
• This specific parameter is of interest only in tidal waters or in other surface water where they be
infiltration of seawater.
• The presence of high salt content may rander a water unsuitable for domestic, agricultural or
industrial use or may be affect it’s suitability for shell fish.
 TDS (TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS)
• TDS is the term used to describe the inorganic salts and small amount of organic matter present in
solution in water.
• The principal constituents calcium , magnesium , sodium and potassium cations and carbonates,
chloride and nitrate anions .
• Concentration of non- volatile substances present in colloidal are molecular state.Total of all ions
present in water, expressed in ppm or mg/L .Increases due to dissolution of more mineral substances by
water on its path .
• TDS determines the suitability of water for our use and consumption. The greater TDS content is , the
lower the turbidity of water.
• The level of TDS in drinking water affects the taste of water. Higher level of TDS can make water taste
bitter, salty or brackish..
• TDS in water is removed by reverse osmosis, Reverse osmosis removes virtually all dissolved
substances, including many harmful minerals such as salt and lead.
 BIOLOGICAL PARAMETER:
• Biological indicators of water quality include algae and phytoplankton.
• These parameters are relevant not only to surface water studies of the ocean, lakes and rivers,
but to groundwater and industrial processes as well.
▪ Biological parameters are important factor that determine quality of drinking
water. It is more important than physical and chemical parameters in term of
direct effect on human health.
▪ Some important biological characteristics affecting quality of drinking water
includes bacteria, protozoa, virus and algae.
1. Bacteriological aspects of water pollution:
▪ Human beings and other animals discharge large number of intestinal bacteria
into stool and urine. Therefore bacteria appears in drinking water when water
source is contaminated with stool.
▪ Some pathogenic bacteria includes- Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholera, Yersinea
Enterocolitica.
2.Viriological aspects of water pollution:
▪ Drinking water must be free from viruses.
▪ Sometime viruses from intestinal tract of infected person get access to water
along with faeces.
▪ Some intestinal pathogenic viruses which are transmitted through
contaminated water are- Rotavirus, Poliovirus, Hepatitis A and E.

3.Parasitological aspects of water pollution:

▪ Drinking water should be free from disease causing parasites.
▪ Many species of protozoa and helminthes that causes water borne disease
contaminates water through stool of infected patients

4.Algae
▪ Growth of algae in water affects the quality of water by various ways.
• Algae gives characteristic color, odor and taste to water. Also algae prevent
penetration of light to bottom of water system affecting photosynthetic organisms.
 RADIOLOGICAL ASPECTS

• Radiology contamination of drinking water can result from naturally occurring

concentrations Of radioactive species (such as radionuclides of thorium and uranium
decay series is drinking water sources) technological processes involving naturally
radioactive materials (for example, the mining and processing of mineral sand or
phosphate fertilizer production) or manufactured radionuclides, (produced and used in
unsealed form) which might enter drinking water supplies in case of improper medical or
industrial use and disposal radioactive materials.
• Some drinking water supplies, in particular those sourced from ground water, may contain
radon. Radon can enter the indoor air in buildings through its release from water from tap,
significant source of radon in indoor air arises through natural accumulation from
environment.
 WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
• Water quality standards WPS are provisions of state, territorial authorized tribal or Federal laws
approved by EPA that describe the desired condition of a water body d and the mans by which
that condition will be protected or achieved
• It is is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance,
generally achieved true treatment of water can be assessed.
• To protect human health and aquatic life state territories and authorized tribes establish water
quality standard

1.Criteria to protect
2.Designated uses
3.Anti degradation requirements to protect existing Uses and high quality Water.
4.General policies to address implementation issues.
 1.Designated uses
• The Water Quality Standards Regulation requires states, territories and authorized tribes to
specify goals and expectations for how each water body is used.
• Typical designated uses include:
• Protection and propagation of fish, shellfish and wildlife
• Recreation
• Public drinking water
• supplyAgricultural, industrial, navigational and other purposes.
 2.Criteria
• States, territories and authorized tribes adopt water quality criteria to protect the designated
uses of a water body.
• Water quality criteria can be numeric (e.g., the maximum pollutant concentration levels
permitted in a water body) Or narrative (e.g., a criteria that describes the desired conditions
of a water body being “free from” certain negative conditions).
• States, territories and authorized tribes typically adopt both numeric and narrative criteria.
3.Anti degradation requirements:
• One of the principal objectives of the Clean Water Act is to “maintain the chemical, physical
and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.”
• Antidegradation requirements provide a framework for maintaining and protecting water
quality that has already been achieved
• Designated uses and water quality criteria are the primary tools states to achieve the
objectives and goals of the Clean Water Act.
• Antidegradation requirements complement these tools by providing a framework for:
maintaining existing uses, protecting waters
4.General policies:
• states, territories and authorized tribes may adopt
policies and provisions regarding water quality
standards implementation
• mixing zone
• variance
• Low-flow policies
Such policies are subject to EPA review and approval.
GUIDELINES OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY
• Drinking-water safety, including minimum procedures and specific guidelineValues and how these
are intended to be used;
1. Approaches used in deriving the Guidelines, including guideline values;
2. Microbial hazards, which continue to be the primary concern in both developing And developed
countries. Experience has shown the value of a systematic approach To securing microbial safety.
3. This edition builds on the preventive principles Introduced in the third edition on ensuring the
microbial safety of drinking-Water through a multiple-barrier approach, highlighting the importance
of source Water protection;
4. Climate change, which results in changing water temperature and rainfall patterns, Severe and
prolonged drought or increased flooding, and its implications for Water quality and water scarcity,
recognizing the importance of managing these Impacts as part of water management strategies;
REFERENCES:
• https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/bala1957/water-quality-parameters
• https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/dannadannadanna/lecture-12-water-quality
• https://www.ysi.com/parameters
• https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/dwq-guidelines-4/en/
• www.epa.ie>pubs>advice
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_quality
• WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality 3-Chapter9 Draft -17 February 2003
• https://caravanbookhouse.com/product/principle-of-environmental-chemistry-for-m-sc/
• www.onlinebiologynotes.com ›biology
ANY QUESTION
THANK YOU