everythingaboutwater

[everythingaboutwater]

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[everythingaboutwater]

By Mr. Arun Lakhani, Chairman & Managing Director, Vishvaraj Infrastructure Ltd

While the world continues to fight COVID-19, there is another long-term existential threat that requires equally urgent global attention. Climate Change is intensifying, and it is exacerbating water stress across the globe, thereby endangering the lives of millions. Water availability is becoming less predictable in many places, and increased incidences of flooding threaten to destroy water points and sanitation facilities and contaminate water sources. The situation in India is quite critical. India has the dubious honor of being the world’s 13th most water stressed country in the world and has and has more than three times the population of the other 17 extremely highly stressed countries combined1. With nearly half of the country’s population facing severe water duress, there is an urgent need to implement more sustainable practices to strengthen water management and achieve the 2030 SDG Goals on clean water and sanitation. Left unchecked, the rising population and growing industrialization will deepen the demand-supply water divide, which in turn will impact livelihoods, aggravate food insecurities, and increase water pollution. By 2030the country could face severe water shortages when the demand is expected to outstrip supply by c.100%2. For far too long, the world has observed a linear approach, which assumes natural resources to be abundant and has followed a take-make-dispose model. Now, countries are moving towards a circular economy approach to mitigate the pressure on finite resources. The shift to a circular economy will reduce the dependency on natural resources by following a reuse-recycle concept. With India’s annual per capita water availability already falling below 1,500 cubic meters and fast approaching the official water scarcity level of 1,000 cubic meters, applying this paradigm shift in outlook to water management is not only a civic necessity but also the only solution to avert a major humanitarian crisis in the country. Nearly 80% of the water that is supplied to cities and towns comes back in the form of sewage; this is too high a volume to be ignored. Given the rate at which natural water resources are depleting, adopting a circular water economy will enable cities to diversify their water sources in a cost-effective manner and, ultimately, also help minimize economic losses. This opens up avenues for cities to build resilient water systems alongside opening up additional revenue streams. As an example, the byproducts from wastewater treatment can be used to create fertilizers or generate energy which can generate financial benefits. Treated water can be well used for varied non potable purposes such as watering public parks, construction work, and industrial use in power plants, paper mills and manufacturing units. This will reduce the burden on existing resources and make cities self-sufficient in terms of water needs. Nagpur, for example, is one of the first Indian cities that has already taken steps towards being water-secure. The Nagpur Reuse Project focuses on treating nearly 200 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage and treating it for reuse. In turn, this allows 200MLD of fresh water to be released for consumption by citizens and secures city’s additional water requirement for the next 25 years. While this is a start, the magnitude and complexity of water challenges requires collective action from all fronts. As governments actively explore methods to conserve and reuse water by redesigning water systems, private players also need to step in and play their part for this to be a success. A strengthened wastewater treatment and management industry offers a high value proposition for the entire country. This can be a promising investment opportunity if the role and objectives of all players are clearly laid out and an ecosystem of trust is created between the private and public players. Establishing a market for treated water will enable India to secure a fast paced economic development while ensuring the society’s wellbeing at the same time. This onus, however, goes beyond the private and public sector. Water stewardship efforts are meaningless without the support of the largest stakeholder group — people. As agents of change, people can play an integral role in driving projects forward whilst managing the equation between demand and consumption. Yes, the transition won’t be easy but it is not impossible. Cities like Cape Town have already set the precedent. Within days of the Day Zero deadline announcement, the public took it upon them to be more waterwise. This changing attitude and behavior from the public towards water consumption played a central role in enabling the city to avert its Day Zero deadline. Two years later, recycling and reuse are not just concepts to the city’s residents but inherent practices. The growing scarcity of water resources will see treated water becoming a primary source for industrial and other commercial uses and promoting its usage will require a combined effort from all stakeholders. Implementing customized treatment and reuse solutions that address local water challenges and progress mapping to measuring impact calls for a 4P (Public, Private, and People Partnership) model to ensure that projects are attuned to diverse needs and are sustainable in the long run. Under the able guidance of our Prime Minister and the Jal Jeevan Mission program, five crore households in India now have water connection and tap water is reaching every household in about 1.25 lakh villages. With the Union Government working towards providing every household with access to piped water by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission, emphasis on sustainable water management through wastewater treatment will secure supply of clean running water in the taps for all future generations. By adopting this model, India can drive measurable improvements in water self-sufficiency and become “sujalamsufalam” once again.

[everythingaboutwater]

By Subhash Sethi, Chairman, SPML Infra Limited

More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, but for our actual water supply, we have very limited sources.

Water is essential for life. We need water for everything; from our personal use, to grow food, and to produce virtually everything required for our survival on the planet earth. Water is also equally important for the economic growth of the nation. Practically all of society’s commercial activities, from agriculture, industrial and electricity generation to the production of consumer goods depend on the availability of water. For years, we have taken the water supply for granted. Earlier the availability was much more than any demand for water and drinking water used to flows in abundance from the taps in homes, schools, and workplaces. Many of us did not give a second’s thought to the challenges that lie behind getting clean water to our taps or indeed how much of this finite resource we consume on a daily basis.But for most of the world, clean drinking water is now a precious commodity and the same is true for India. Although water covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, but we have to rely on annual rainfall for our actual water supply. About two-thirds of annual rainfall evaporates into the atmosphere, and another 20–25% flows into the oceans and is not fit for human use. This leaves only about 10% of all rainfall available for personal, agricultural and industrial use. India has about 4% of world’s freshwater resources ranking it among the top ten water rich countries. The situation is changing very fast and as per international reports, India is designated to become a ‘water stressed region’ with current utilizable freshwater standing at 1122 cubic meter (cum) per capita per year compared to international standards of 1700 cum. The per capita water availability in the country is reducing due to increase in population and several other factors. The average annual per capita availability of water taking into consideration the population in various censuses has come down by 70% from 1951 to 2011, in a span of 60 years. The per capita availability of water as per 1951 census was 5177 cubic meters. In future, at the current rate it is expected that India with high demands will be termed a ‘water scarce region’ as utilizable freshwater level falls below the international standard of 1000 cum per capita. Water demand is on a high from industries along with the traditional demand for agriculture.

The Challenges Limited Supply India with the current population of 1.39 billion people gets over 4000 cu km of freshwater in the form of rain and snowfall, of which 2047 cu km return to oceans or is precipitated. A small percentage is stored in inland water bodies and groundwater aquifers. Topographic constraints, distribution pattern, technical limitation, and poor management do not allow India to harness its water resources efficiently. Moreover, precipitation is not evenly distributed and millions of people are living in areas of water scarcity. Pollution has also made much of that water undrinkable and unsafe for use. Meeting India’s increasing water needs has fast becoming one of the biggest challenges being faced by the water utilities. The available resource has reduced over the years but the demand escalated due to population growth, rapid urbanization, higher level of industrialization and it is projected to very soon overtake the availability of water. The per capita availability of water has significantly reduced and is likely to reduce further. As per the Ministry of Water Resources per capita water availability in 2025 and 2050 is estimated to come down by almost 36% and 60% respectively of the 2001 levels.

Demand for Water Demand of water in India is growing exponentially and projected to very soon overtake the availability. In some regions of the country, it has already happened. With fast paced urbanization and changes in economy, the water demand will continue to grow and by the year 2025, it is expected to increase by over 20% fueled by the industrial requirements which are projected to double from 23.2 trillion liters at present to 47 trillion liters. Domestic demand is expected to grow by around 40% from 41 to 55 trillion liters while irrigation will require 14% more to 592 trillion liters up from 517 trillion liters currently. The water ministry predicts that per capita water availability will reduce by 36% in 2025 and by about 60% by the year 2050 from the level of 2001. While agriculture will remain be the major water user in India, the challenges posed by growing urbanization on municipal water supply calls for a monumental change. But there is reason for optimism; in the past, shortage of vital resources has driven the need to innovate, discover new materials and generate new technologies. The water challenge is no exception, and countries across the globe are seeking to find solutions for water demand supply problem.

Population Growth India’s population is growing faster than many countries and currently equivalent to 17.82% of the total world population, the second most populated country in the world. Kingslay Davis’s report shows that India’s population remained almost stationary since 1800 at around 125 million for about 50 years. The rate of population growth was moderate till 1921. The year of 1921 is known as the year of great divide. The rate of population growth fluctuated between 1.0 and 1.35 per cent per annum during the 30 years period of 1921 to 1951. In 1951, total population was recorded to the extent of 361 million only. The year of 1951 is also termed as population explosion year. During the period of ten years, population increased by 7.81 million at the growth rate of 21.5% in the decade of 1951–61 compared to the previous ones. During the period of 30 years from 1961 to 1991, population has increased by 400 million at the rate of around 25%. This increase was 10 times more than the increase in the previous 30 years, from 1901 to 1931. The population of India reached 1.02 billion by the year 2001. The main factor responsible for this tremendous rise in population in the last 50 years was fall in death rate due to improvement in medical facilities whereas the birth rate continued on the same pattern. With annual increase of about 1.3%, India’s current population has reached around 1.39 billion. The water sources remained unchanged and the pressure of population explosion is evident with the availability of water supply.

Water Quality One of the major concern is the poor quality of water that is available in many states of India. Millions of people in India are still deprived of piped water supply and despite progress made in several fields; the level of water pollution is increasing considerably. Many residents of urban areas are not connected to a proper sewerage system and the wastewater from these households is released into the environment without any form of treatment, polluting groundwater and surface waters in the process. Solid waste is also frequently dumped into water sources. Industrial effluents are inadequately treated and being dumped into local rivers and water bodies further limiting the availability of clean water sources. It is estimated that almost 70 per cent of generated wastewater in India is not being properly treated and untreated sewage is released to water bodies thus contaminating the already depleting groundwater sources. The range of potential pollutants is enormous, threatening the environment and human health, and their impacts are widespread. Excessive groundwater extraction increases soil salinity. Heavy metals and toxic compounds from industrial processes further contaminate drinking water.

Aging infrastructure As the economy of the country developed, people have steadily moved from rural to urban areas to improve their standard of living and quality of life. In 1901, only 11% of India’s population was urban as compared to over 34% of people now living in urban areas which are expected to grow further to reach 60% by the year we reach 2050. A rapidly increasing urban population and the expanding middle class have driven up water demand. There are several challenges being faced by water utilities in India, but ageing infrastructure is at the root of them all. In particular, urbanization and population growth contribute to water scarcity and intensify the strain caused by ageing infrastructure. Water utilities in India are faced with the need to address all these challenges and revamping of infrastructure on priority for social, economic and environmental implications. Global non-revenue water estimates ranges from 30 to 40% of water produced, whereas it is as high as 50 to 60% in several cities in India and main reason behind it is the aging and debilitated water infrastructure. Water supply and sewer systems have a service life of roughly 60 to 80 years and in many cities of India, our water infrastructure have reached the end of their useful lives. In addition, the water mains are not being adequately maintained. Therefore, huge investments are needed in many areas to repair and upgrade the aging water infrastructure. Among other key challenges is the problem of water loss or non-revenue water. In India, it is the considerable loss for the utilities that the amount of water put into distribution system and the actual water billed to consumers varied drastically. A phenomenon called as non-revenue water (NRW), a well-known issue that results in large volumes of water being lost through leaks in supply system. The classic example of NRW management in India is the Bangalore water loss management project which is being executed by SPML Infra Limited. By using innovative technology of helium leak detection to accurately identify and locate hidden leaks in large and small pipes, the NRW reduced significantly from 53% at the beginning of the project to 21% currently thus saving 48.34 million liters drinking water per day. The water saved from the project is being used to provide drinking water facilities to over 110 new residential colonies. Same type of project needs to be initiated by all major cities in the country where NRW level is well above 40% to improve upon the services and reduce the financial loss of water utilities substantially.

The Solution

Consolidation and privatization The water industry in India is fragmented and over the last two decades has seen a number of consolidation and partial privatization under public private partnership mode which is expected to continue. Consolidation of the water industry opens up opportunities for private sector service providers. SPML Infra has executed such projects earlier. The management contract of water supply and distribution network is another mode of consolidation where the private companies are given charge of infrastructure development and rehabilitation along with operation and maintenance for a specified period.

SPML Infra is currently executing several such 24×7 urban water supply projects in Delhi and Karnataka whereas it is providing drinking water facilities to over 1.5 million people. In recent years, the number of people whose drinking water and wastewater services are provided by private companies has increased. Globally, about 14% of the world’s population is served by private operators that provide drinking water and wastewater treatment services, and this figure is expected to rise to 21% by 2025. Water Tariffs Water tariffs are essential to ensuring that utilities can cover the costs of providing services to the citizens as well as raising enough funds to expand and upgrade the existing water distribution infrastructure. It is also an important mechanism to encourage consumers to use water more carefully. Normally consumers tend to use too much water if the water prices are too low thus putting pressure on utilities to supply more water. In India, due to political and social considerations and due to poverty and affordability issues, water tariffs can take the form of a tiered pricing system. This enables water provision at very low prices to cover basic household needs, typically 30–50 liters per person per day, but acts as a deterrent to overuse. Tiered pricing schemes have been successfully implemented in Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, USA and several other countries. In India, it is also being followed by few utilities which need to be considered nationally. Water Reuse The total volume of municipal wastewater produced per day in India is estimated to be about 72,368 million liters per day and the total capacity of sewage treatment per day is only about 31,841 million liters

. The operation and maintenance of existing plants and sewage pumping stations are not satisfactory and actual sewage being treated is much lower than the capacity. We need to develop not only the treatment plants, but also making reuse of treated water obligatory for select sectors and agriculture. The challenge lies not only in channeling used water back into the waterways once it has been treated, but also in processing it so that it can be reused for other applications. There has been a growing trend towards water reuse projects in Singapore, Australia, USA and Israel to deliver high-quality treated water that can be used to augment the potable water supply. India needs to follow the best practices from these countries to make water reuse a lucrative affair. Desalination Desalination is a viable solution to water scarcity, especially in dry, coastal regions like Mumbai, Chennai and other cities where no other options exist. Globally, coastal regions where water is scarce are increasingly trying to expand their freshwater supplies by installing desalination plants. It is estimated that over 150 countries are using desalination facilities to serve more than 300 million people. More than 90 million cubic meters water per day is being produced by desalination plants. In India, there are around 1,000 desalination plants having total capacity at about 0.3 million cubic meters per day.

than 300 million people. More than 90 million cubic meters water per day is being produced by desalination plants. In India, there are around 1,000 desalination plants having total capacity at about 0.3 million cubic meters per day. Smart Water Technologies Globally, utility companies could save an estimated USD 7–12 billion each year by using smart water solutions such as advanced leak detection and pressure management techniques to maintain and build water networks; information systems enabling the collection and interpretation of data, which can optimize capital expenditure management; and smarter water quality monitoring systems that include remote-controlled devices and sensors. SPML Infra has indigenously developed an Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) for smart management of water utilities. A powerful enterprise management system designed specifically as per Indian requirements and working conditions to meet day to day operations of water utilities to develop and manage smart water supply system. It provides technologically advance services which include GIS, Network Analysis, Hydraulic Modeling, Water Loss Reduction thru NRW & UFW Management, Demand Management, Customer Relationship, Financial Management, and complete Asset Management of the system. Smart Metering Smart water metering is crucial to limiting water losses in the distribution network and reducing non-revenue water. The faulty water meters contribute to water loss as it is not billed due to leakage, illegal use and inadequate measurement. In order to reduce NRW rates, water needs to be metered to identify and track water leakage rates. At the same time, consumers need to be billed based on their water use to encourage water conservation. Modern water meters now have components that automatically record and/or transmit electronic data on water use directly to the utilities. SPML Infra follows modern metering techniques with AMR meters using AMI technology to help water utilities in NRW management, accurate billing, online reading, data analytics, and optimized network management. Way Forward Water recycles and reuse, groundwater development (new resources and artificial recharge) and desalination are key supply options that should be pursued with dedicated planning and resources. There should be strong focus on protecting water quality, resolving regional disputes and contentious issues, application of new technology, reduction in water loss, smart metering solution, and enabling municipal water conservation and water demand management activities. The national water regulatory authority along with a strategy steering committee consisting of representatives from state government and other key stakeholders involved in water resources management must be setup to support the development of a robus

Globally, utility companies could save an estimated USD 7–12 billion each year by using smart water solutions such as advanced leak detection and pressure management techniques to maintain and build water networks; information systems enabling the collection and interpretation of data, which can optimize capital expenditure management; and smarter water quality monitoring systems that include remote-controlled devices and sensors. SPML Infra has indigenously developed an Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) for smart management of water utilities. A powerful enterprise management system designed specifically as per Indian requirements and working conditions to meet day to day operations of water utilities to develop and manage smart water supply system. It provides technologically advance services which include GIS, Network Analysis, Hydraulic Modeling, Water Loss Reduction thru NRW & UFW Management, Demand Management, Customer Relationship, Financial Management, and complete Asset Management of the system.

Smart Metering Smart water metering is crucial to limiting water losses in the distribution network and reducing non-revenue water. The faulty water meters contribute to water loss as it is not billed due to leakage, illegal use and inadequate measurement. In order to reduce NRW rates, water needs to be metered to identify and track water leakage rates. At the same time, consumers need to be billed based on their water use to encourage water conservation. Modern water meters now have components that automatically record and/or transmit electronic data on water use directly to the utilities. SPML Infra follows modern metering techniques with AMR meters using AMI technology to help water utilities in NRW management, accurate billing, online reading, data analytics, and optimized network management.

Way Forward Water recycles and reuse, groundwater development (new resources and artificial recharge) and desalination are key supply options that should be pursued with dedicated planning and resources. There should be strong focus on protecting water quality, resolving regional disputes and contentious issues, application of new technology, reduction in water loss, smart metering solution, and enabling municipal water conservation and water demand management activities. The national water regulatory authority along with a strategy steering committee consisting of representatives from state government and other key stakeholders involved in water resources management must be setup to support the development of a robus.

[everythingaboutwater]

By Preeti Shinde, Application Specialist, Hanna Equipment's India Pvt. Ltd.

The holy river of Ganga is the largest river in India. The Ganges is threatened by severe pollution. This poses a danger not only to humans but also to animals; the Ganges is home to approximately 140 species of fish and 90 species of amphibians. The river also contains reptiles and mammals, including critically endangered species such as the gharial and South Asian river dolphin.

The Ganges River Dolphin can only be found in the fresh water rivers of Bangladesh, India and Nepal. These river dolphins are often known as the ‘Tiger of the Ganges’, since the river dolphin is an indicator animal, which has the same position in a river ecosystem as a tiger in a forest.

Due to extensive pollution in the Ganges River these Dolphins are getting extinct. The stretch of the Ganges river, also known as Hooghly in West Bengal, is roughly 500 km long and it passes through the densely populated Kolkata before merging with the Bay of Bengal in the Sundarbans, this is where the first community reserve for the mammal has been formed. The two main parameters that largely contribute towards the survival of dolphins is temperature and food. Thus, the conservation team, post treatment of the stretch of the river had to maintain several water quality parameters, such as the pH, the conductivity and DO of the river bodies so that the small fishes and the shrimps could also breed efficiently there.

What is water quality?

Water quality is a measure of water’s suitability to be used for a specific purpose, such as swimming, farming, or power generation. Water that is considered unsuitable for one application may be perfectly acceptable for another purpose. Quality is a statement of the physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of water based on key conditions. These conditions can vary by location, such as at different points in a river or by time depending on the climate. Surface water and ground water can also affect the quality of each other, since these two are connected at the water table. It is important to recognize that water quality can be adversely impacted by both natural and man-made factors. Regularly monitoring water sources can help identify potential issues before they cause serious harm.

There are a number of parameters that can be measured to indicate water quality. These parameters can be a measure of physical characteristics such as pH, conductivity, or temperature; a statement of the levels of various nutrients in water, such as nitrates and phosphates; or an indication of key elements and compounds in water, such as dissolved oxygen. Each parameter has some general standards and guidelines for determining if a tested sample should be considered acceptable or hazardous. The results of these tests are not necessarily absolute, since they must be compared in relation to what is considered normal levels for a body of water.

Aquatic organisms such as fish and plankton are cold-blooded, so the temperature of water has a direct impact on their body temperature. These organisms have ranges of temperature in which they can survive, or thrive. As the temperature reaches the high limit of its range for an organism, biological activity will be at a peak. This activity will decrease at the bottom of the range. If the temperature exceeds the acceptable range for an organism, the available supply of oxygen may be too low to sustain life. This is because warm water has an oxygen saturation point much lower than cold water. If temperature is below the acceptable range, not enough activity takes place to grow the species. High temperatures also contribute to the growth of algal blooms. Oxygen is consumed as these blooms are decomposed by bacteria, thus reducing the available dissolved oxygen supply.

Temperature in a water body varies based on the time of day and the amount of sunlight heating the surface of the water. Acceptable temperatures also vary depending on the type of river or stream being monitored. This depends on the watershed feeding the stream. If the stream is fed by a mountain spring, for example, the natural temperature of the stream may be quite cool (less than 68 degrees F). A stream that is considered warm water will have an average temperature greater than 68 degrees F but less than 89 degrees F. Temperature can also be influenced by the flow rate of a body of water. If the flow of water is increased, perhaps as a result of a heavy rainfall, the temperature can be expected to decrease. The increased current has a cooling effect on the temperature of the water.

High concentrations of TDS can lower water quality and cause water balance problems for individual organisms. On the other hand, low concentrations may limit the growth of aquatic life. Some of the effects discussed for the acidity and carbon dioxide parameters have relevance for EC, such as its negative impact on photosynthesis. This is because increased solids make water murkier, which slows down the rate of photosynthesis. EC provides an indication of total dissolved solids, of which total dissolved salts are a component. If the level of salts in TDS is high, this could also contribute to the acidity of the water. However, if the level of carbonates in TDS is high, this could contribute to an increase in alkalinity, which helps protect against acidity changes. This is a good example of the interrelationships between water quality parameters.

DO levels can help indicate the relative health of a water body. If DO levels are normal or high, the water is a good environment for a variety of aquatic life to flourish. If DO levels are low, it may indicate the presence of pollutants in the water. Some aquatic life can exist in water with a wide range of DO, but others cannot survive in a low DO environment.

DO measurements are expected to have large fluctuations if the water has significant plant life. This is due to the photosynthesis process. Since there is less photosynthetic activity at night, when light is not present, plants and animals in the water consume oxygen through respiration, but not as much oxygen is produced at the same time. As a result, DO levels in early morning are lower compared to other times of day. Once photosynthesis begins, DO levels will rise. This is a good example of the benefits of measuring parameters at various times throughout the day. If only a pre-dawn DO measurement is taken, an inaccurate conclusion may be drawn regarding the healthiness of the water.

While DO levels are partially influenced by photosynthetic activity, a large source of DO is from atmospheric oxygen mixing with water. This happens in larger amounts if the water is turbulent. The turbulence increases the surface area of the water, so atmospheric oxygen can mix with it more easily. Air has an oxygen concentration that is over 20 times higher than oxygen concentration in water. This concentration difference results in atmospheric oxygen dissolving in water when the two meet. If there is more water surface at this interface, then more oxygen from the air will be absorbed.

HI98494 is a meter Hanna can suffice such requirements. The new Multi-parameter pH/EC/DO Portable Meter includes Bluetooth® (HI98494) and optical DO technology. This new product combines Hanna’s rugged meter design with advanced digital sensors for testing up to 12 different water quality parameters, making it perfect for environmental testing. With the integrated Bluetooth® connection, users can easily transfer data to a smart device. Hanna’s portable meter (HI98494) is stored in a convenient carrying case and is always prepared for successful testing.

The meter offers easy Sensor replacements which are quick and easy with field replaceable, screw type connectors and are color-coded for easy identification. Tougher by design, this portable meter is waterproof, IP67-rated and can withstand immersion in water of 1m for up to 30 minutes. The meter connects to the multi-parameter probe through a single waterproof connector and makes attaching and removing the probe quick and easy. The meter automatically detects the probe when connected. The meter connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to a smart device with the Hanna Lab App.Bluetooth® 5.0 Connectivity of HI98494 offers the ability to connect wirelessly to a smart device running the Hanna Lap App. Using the app, log lots canbe e-mailed or downloaded for review.

Sensor replacement is quick and easy with field replaceable, screw type connectors and are color coded for easy identification. These meters automatically recognize sensors. The optical dissolved oxygen sensor uses a smart cap that has an RFID tag that stores calibration coefficients unique to each cap. The RFID keeps track of the age of the cap and alerts the user when it should be replaced.

HI98494 can be used to log one data point or do interval logging for continuous logging at a specified interval. All logs have the option to store data into a named lot and the ability to add remarks. Both help to provide for meaningful data including notes on local environmental conditions.

About the Author

Ms. Preeti Shinde is an Application Specialist with Hanna Equipments India Pvt. Ltd. She has been with Hanna for more than 4years. She supports Pan India technical issues and queries. Preeti Shinde’s hobbies are sketching and traveling. To know more about the contributor of this article , you can write to us.

[everythingaboutwater]

By Hemalatha A G, Water Management SME, Embassy Services

Executive summary

Water is one of the basic essential elements to all living creatures in the world. We are experiencing water scarcity because of exponential increase in population and unethical sewage/waste disposal to the water source. Providing good quality water in sufficient quantities to end users is a big challenge for the facility management teams. Small modifications in treatment processes can help the maintenance team to perform better. Using Disc filters& Screen filters in place of pressure sand filter is just one of the few ideas that can better the efficiency. The disc & screen filter require less space, are more efficient, provide uniform output & more water saving in terms of backwash water.

Treatment units Whether it may be water or wastewater, proper treatment systems need to be adopted in the property to achieve a good, treated water quality for primary/secondary use and to fulfil statutory compliance. The treatment of water & wastewater has been divided into 3 stages: 8 Physical treatment: involves removal of floating and suspended solids. Terms belonging to this category are screens, sedimentation, sand filters, carbon filters, etc. 8 Chemical treatment: involves removal of pollutants. Terms belonging to this category are coagulation & clari-flocculation, disinfection using chlorine, etc. 8 Biological treatment: heart & art of sewage treatment through aerobic treatment & anaerobic treatment; Where microbial growth happens in controlled environment to reduce the organic pollution load from sewage.

Present Challenges: Above treatment sequences are typical conventional treatment methods in general. In the present condition, the chances of modifying the existing system into new technology requires high Capex and Opex costs, larger space availability, and good expertise on treatment processes. Due to the above concerns, organizations are hesitant to take up modifications with the treatment process. Though old conventional methods perform moderately well, to achieve best quality output and meet standard requirement for high customer satisfaction, new and improved technology adoption is a must.

Suggestions:

8 adoption of conventional ASP to SBR/MBBR/ MBR technology

8 Adopt UV disinfection instead of Chlorine disinfection These are some of the approved technologies by Pollution Control Boards:

Disc Filters and Screen Filters (Replacing Pressure sand filters with Disc filters at STP &Screen filters at WTP): Pressure sand filters are used to remove suspended solids present after Secondary treatment of sewage. Recently, the technology of disc filter has been improvised which can be used in lieu of pressure sand filter. This can save significant water used for backwash and reduce maintenance costs. These Screen & Disc filters are proven technologies used in Israel.

Current challenges:

8 For WTP, even though the quality of potable water is good, sand filters are used, and backwash is done manually. There is no mechanism to prevent unnecessary backwashes and the pressure gauge‘delta p’ method is not always accurate 8 If the backwashing schedule is missed, there are chances of sand carrying over due to channeling 8 Requires yearly media replacement which involves cost and shut down time

8 Most of the filters are kept at basement level with which makes movement of media difficult 8 The old media needs to be disposed off

8 Internal painting is needed every year to prevent corrosion. A workman entering inside the small vessel and painting it involves safety risk due to low oxygen concentration and toxic paint VOC

8 Bacterial growth in the sand media which increases chlorination requirement

8 Sand filters cannot be adjusted to varying TSS loads

The Solution:

SCREEN FILTER FOR WTP THE FILTRATION PROCESS:

Raw water enters through the filter inlet and passes through the screen. Clean water flows through the filter outlet. The gradual dirt buildup on the screen’s inner surface causes a filter cake to develop, creating an increase in the pressure differential across the filter system. A differential pressure (DP) switch senses the pressure differential and when it reaches a pre-set level, the self-cleaning process begins.

THE SELF-CLEANING PROCESS: The self-cleaning cycle is initiated by any one of the following conditions: 8 Signal from the DP switch, pre-set at 7 psi (0.5 bar) 8 Time interval parameter set at the controller 8 Manual start triggered by the electronic controller keypad 8 The flush valve opens to atmosphere creating a strong suction force at the scanner nozzles, effectively removing dirt particles from the screen and discharging them from the filter.

DISC FILTER FOR STP

THE FILTRATION PROCESS: The discs are stacked on the spine and assembled according to pre-determined water filtration requirements. During filtration, the discs are compressed by means of a pre-loaded spring and differential pressure, forcing the water to pass through the grooved disc surface, thus trapping the solids.

THE BACKWASH PROCESS: Activated by a pre-determined time trigger or differential pressure, the filter enters backwash mode. The inlet valve port shuts while the drain valve port opens. Water flows through a bypass filter screen into the outlet valve and into the filter. During the backwash process, pressure is released, and the spine’s piston elevates, releasing the compression on the discs. Tangential jets of filtered water are then forced through the nozzles positioned along the spine. At this stage the discs spin freely, loosening the trapped solids which are then flushed out.

ADVANTAGES & FEATURES: 8 Micron-precise depth filtration of solids 8 Innovative disc technology captures and retains large amounts of solids 8 Long-term operation with minimum maintenance -less need for media replacement since the Disc/Screen lasts for over 5 years 8 Fully automated, simple to operate 8 Short automatic backwash with regulated water volume for a small water footprint 8 Backwash time as low as 15–20 seconds per cycle 8 Zero biological growth in the disc/screen due to innovative MOC used.

Case study on savings through water efficiency generated byusing Screen Filter: 8 Quantity of water treated : 304 KL 8 Quantity of water consumed for back wash : 105 Lts against 35 KL thru PSF 8 Percentage of water saving by using screen Filter in place of PSF: 11% of total flow

NON-QUANTITATIVE SAVINGS: Reduction in environmental impact by eliminating the use of sand in the filters and reduced human hours for activities like cleaning, painting, etc

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Sustainable Water Management With Reuse Of Waste Water | EverythingAboutWater

Water has been the backbone of evolution of life. Starting from mere existence to engineering achievement, the usage of water has been the catalyst.The water source decided the course of all the civilizations. It boosted the economy and trade. Along with improvising the standards of living, the anthropogenic water application equally resulted in the exploitation of the hydrosphere. Agriculture led to formation of civilized colonies and the later era industrial revolution led to urbanization in selected regions. Thus, started the challenge of water & wastewater management. Water due its chemical nature can dissolve a large range pollutants. The direct human generated waste was categorized as sewage and the other contaminated water was generally termed as wastewater. As the human activities increased, the need the use of fresh water increased, resulting in raise in generation of contaminated wastewater. With developing countries like India working hard to boost the economies, the demand for fresh water will increase rapidly.Based on the quality and demand, over the last decade there is a huge focus on various technologies to retrieve pollutant free water from all sources. In India as fore casted by the ministry, the water demand shall be 1180 billion cubic meters by 2050 from the existing usage of 750 billion cubic meter.

(1) Strikingly the supply of fresh water cannot be completely under the human governance. Unlike the past where the abundance of water decided the growth, in present conditions the efficient water management will decide the growth of the nation. Globally 72% of all water withdrawals are used by agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries. (2). There can be variation based on the country’s main economic activity strlike India being an agricultural country, almost 91% of water is used by the irrigational sector, followed by Industrial & domestic use. Though the industrial share of usage is 2% of total water demand, the water usage efficiency in Indian industries is far beyond the global standards.(1)

Striking the balance

With the widening supply to demand gap, the cost of raw water in arid semi-arid zones are reaching new heights over the years. Water is emerging as one of most influential commodities. Global & national governing bodies are declaring new targets of water use efficiency (WUE) in agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses. National water mission, India has set up the goal raising the WUE to 20%, which is still less than the global average. Though all these measures appear to strike only one side of the balance- the management of fresh water, there is the major insight of water reuse and recycle. Managing to save the depleting source of fresh water, the necessity for the search of sustainable water management has also evolved. The Indian water governance body, Jal sakthi aims to meet a considerable amount of urban water needs through reuse and recycling. The Industrial sector is also regularized on water reuse, recycle under Goal of Zero liquid discharge.

Sustainable reuse

When it comes to benefiting out of fresh water, the complexity of treating is less as it is considerably purer than the generated used water. Converting the wastewater (Sewage, industrial effluent) up to the standards of reuse, equivalent to the standards of fresh water is the challenge for the Industry. Thanks to the technological advancements, where there is a focussed treatment, removal process aiming at different micro level pollutants based on their nature. Conventional treatment methods had held their guard when it comes to pollution mitigation. Whereas reuse demands advanced treatment technologies so that the recovered water meets the best of its quality, sometimes even exceeding the raw water. The advanced technologies are upgradations which have overcome the conventional limitations and thus they have set the new standards of reusable water. Physical unit operations, chemical & biochemical unit processes have always been the crux of wastewater treatment.

The Era of polymeric membranes With the invention of polymeric membranes, membrane seperation techniques have long been applied in process industries. Out of all Membrane

high recoveries and low power consumption (3). In 1962 when Loeb and Surirajan succeeded in a polymeric membrane fabrication methodology, the membranes with improved physiochemical structure, high strength and high recoveries were commercially available. These UF membranes were getting applied in wastewater treatment for solids separation and thus a full-fledged Membrane bioreactor was commercialized. The Biological treatment technologies had the limitation on maintaining the microbial population, since the sedimentation and recirculation was dependant on the settling nature of the biomass. The Membrane bio reactors came as boon to face this challenge. Changing the concept of settling to filtration, the biological system has better control on the microbial population because the retention of biomass is no more dependent on the settling characteristics of the consortium. The multiple benefits being more microbes can be accommodated without fear of bulking with higher recirculation rate and the predatory slow growers have enough sludge retention time for their effective action on the organics. Since the MLSS is subjected to membrane filtration, the quality of recovered water is far better than the conventional clarifiers making it for reuse directly

. Different waste waters require different treatment

Not all waste waters will require immense biological treatment since they would have lesser organic load. Interestingly we could find one such application, where the used water required a polishing treatment, and it could be used back in process. The sugar industry is known as of the most water intensive industry and generates effluents with high organic load. The industry was facing a deep-water crisis and was totally dependent on its ground water borewells. Depleting borewells had set us on search for opportunities to look for reuse options. Out of conventional outcomes, the condensate from the sugar processing unit was identified as renewable source. From the analysis, it could be concluded that it was a low — medium strength wastewater and required biological treatment but the residual organics to be removed effectively as the intended use was for boilerfdi The challenges of microbial contamination and Consistency of water quality had set the faintest hopes for the conventional filters to match the requirement.Ultrafiltration at a filtration range of 0.01 to 0.1μm was the best fit for microbial & residual colloidal contaminant removal. With Phase 1 upgradation, it was evident that Ultrafiltration would deliver consistent output quality, better than the earlier bore well water. The Bore well also had the limitations of silica, since the condensate is free of silica, the end user’s efforts for silica removal was also reduced By end of phase 1, the client was all set to let go 1 out of 4 of their borewells for fresh water and the wastewater discharge was reduced by 50%. The Volumetric reduction for silica treatment was rendering a savings of INR 25 per cubic meter of raw water treated. Thus,wastewater reuse and recovery were paving their way to achieve sustainable water management, as result of which, phase II expansion with Ultrafiltration had commenced & commissioned successfully. The other unit of the same industry at Bagalkot, Karnataka are adapting the same treatment structure to enhance their water reuse standards.

Conclusion: Global water sustainability goals (SDG 6) have been set with a broader objective of providing water and sanitation for all. Driving deep into this objective, when we need to revive around 733 million people who are under extreme water stress, renewable water sources and sustainable water management becomes the fundamental approach. Beyond the regulatory acts, the driving force should be how best can we use Figure 8: MOWS Ultra Klean UF train — Phase II condensate treatment, Sugar processing Unit, Nellikuppam, Tamilnadu. our water. While wastewater recycle and reuse are significantly cutting down the expenditure on freshwater usage, it is also reducing the impact on the surrounding environment. Each industry must relook on their water footprints and compare with the global averages. There is a constant drive to improve the sustainability index across all segments, thus there should be ceaseless watch for new technologies and adaptation of new practices which can improve the water footprint. Periodic water audits can be eye openers for a new source of used water which can be treated and reused with minimal technologies. As our search for water is exceeding our planetary boundaries, the responsibility of maintaining a better planet still lies with us. After all we can find, extract, treat,reuse, and replenish water but can never create the elixir.