Water Quality & Ecological Engineering Lab Report - 1: ABRAR AL MAHMUD (6963614) DIVYANSH KUMAR (6860709) Sagar Koirala (
Water Quality & Ecological Engineering Lab Report - 1: ABRAR AL MAHMUD (6963614) DIVYANSH KUMAR (6860709) Sagar Koirala (
Water Quality & Ecological Engineering Lab Report - 1: ABRAR AL MAHMUD (6963614) DIVYANSH KUMAR (6860709) Sagar Koirala (
Based on these values and ranges of pH, Conductivity, Turbidity and colour, the sources of different
water samples were later determined.
OBSERVATIONS:
Properties Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5
pH 7.19 8.12 7.89 8.41 8.48
Conductivity 171 2730 435 28300 758
(µS/cm)
Temperature 20.2 17.5 17 17 17.3
(°C)
Turbidity 1.05 0.454 11.7 5.30 52.0
(NTU)
Colour 0.001 0 0.051 0.023 0.106
(absorbance at
400 nm)
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS:
Sample Colour Unit (PCU) pH
W1 1 7.19
W2 0 8.12
W3 57.22 7.89
W4 26.11 8.41
W5 118.33 8.48
Calibration curve
0.2
0.18
0.16
Absorbance at 400 nm
0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Color Unit
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
ANSWER 1:
Calibration curve
0.2
0.18
0.16
Absorbance at 400 nm
0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Color Unit
ANSWER 2:
Properties Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5
pH 7.19 8.12 7.89 8.41 8.48
Conductivity 171 2730 435 28300 758
(µS/cm)
Temperature 20.2 17.5 17 17 17.3
(°C)
Turbidity 1.05 0.454 11.7 5.30 52.0
(NTU)
Colour 0.001 0 0.051 0.023 0.106
(absorbance at
400 nm)
ANSWER 3:
SAMPLE SOURCE REMARK
W1 TAP WATER From the Sydney Water’s
Annual water quality report
it was observed that the pH
of water in Illawarra lies
between 7.1 & 7.6 and the
colour was observed to be
less than 2 PCU. Therefore,
it has been concluded that
this water sample is Tap
water.
W2 SWIMMING POOL Since the ideal turbidity of
swimming pool water was
found out to lie between 0
to 0.5 NTU and the ideal
colour for swimming pool
water was found out to be
close to 0. Therefore, it has
been concluded that the
source of this water is
swimming pool.
W3 CREEK WATER As discussed in the relevant
theory, the conductivity of
major rivers and creeks lies
between 200 to 1000
µS/cm. Since the conductivity
of this sample is found out to
be 435 µS/cm, it is concluded
to be creek water.
W4 LAKE WATER The conductivity of this
sample was found out to be
the maximum of all i.e:
28,300 µS/cm which is
mainly due to the high salt
content in this sample.
W5 FLOOD WATER The observations from the
experiment illustrate that
this sample has the highest
turbidity of 52 NTU and
apparent colour of 118.33
due to large number of
suspended solids present in
this sample.
ANSWER 4: The alkalinity of the 5 samples would have given us a better idea about the potential
sources of water. Alkalinity is basically the measure of the water to neutralise acid. It is expressed as
mg/L CaCO3. Alkalinity of some major water sources are as follows:
BOD: Biochemical Oxygen Demand referred to as BOD is the amount of oxygen required by micro-
organisms to oxidise organic matter under aerobic conditions. It is tested to identify polluted water.
For example: creek water, flood water, etc.
ANSWER 5:
SAMPLE SOURCE
W1 TAP WATER
W2 SWIMMING POOL
W3 CREEK WATER
W4 LAKE WATER
W5 FLOOD WATER
ACCURACY AND ERRORS: While calibrating pH meter and spectrophotometer there were some very
negligible standard sample errors. The results may be inaccurate due to fingerprints on sample test
tubes. There were some decimal point adjustments during the calculation of colour units from the
calibration curve.
ANSWER 6:
Parameters like pH, Conductivity, temperature, turbidity and colour are measured in
treatment plants before and after the treatment of water to ensure that the quality of water
has improved significantly for safe usage.
Moreover, it is also used to analyse the quality of water to decide weather or not it usable
for industrial applications.
It is also helpful in determining the quality of wastewater before it is drained into sources
after industrial usage.
Water parameters are also widely used in bio-floc fish farming.
ANSWER 7:
Mines release many vital health hazard effluents like arsenic, cyanide, mercury etc. into the receiving
waters such as rivers and creeks. While there are many different kinds of mines available, treating a
regular mine water drained river or creek water consists of many stages. Some of the most common
process are:
On the other hand, lake water treatment for drinking is relatively easier. It is much cleaner than the
water of river or creek that contains mine water. The treatment process removes algae, suspended
clays, dissolved materials and bacteria. Most of the lake water treatment processes consist of 6
stages.
Chlorination
De-gasification
Flocculation
Clarification
Filtration
Carbon adsorption
As mine water contaminates receiving water heavily, thus it needs more treatment processes to
qualify as potable water. Therefore, lake water is the most suitable between the options given
economically and less time consuming. It also contains much less health hazardous substances.
ANSWER 8:
Flow chart of treating lake water to drinking water:
W4
Drinking
water
Storage
Coagulation
Chlorination
Flocculation
Secondary treatment
pH
adjustment/
Sedimentation Acid Injection
Primary treatment
with bar
filtration
AC Filter/
Membrane Granular Carbon
Filtration Media Filter
Desalination De-gasification
REFERENCES
2006. WATER QUALITY IN THE LAKE ILLAWARRA CATCHMENT. [ebook] Wollongong: M.
O’Donnell. Available at: <https://wetlandsaustralia.com/articles/276/galley/279/download/> [Accessed
5 September 2020].
2020. Quarterly Drinking Water Quality Report. [PDF] Sydney: Sydney Water, p.11. Available at:
<https://www.sydneywater.com.au/web/groups/publicwebcontent/documents/document/zgrf/mji2/~edi
sp/dd_226732.pdf> [Accessed 4 September 2020].
Hub, C. and pools, M., 2020. Measuring Turbidity In Swimming Pools | Palintest. [online] Palintest.
Available at: <https://www.palintest.com/content-hub/measuring-turbidity-in-swimming-
pools/#:~:text=What%20levels%20of%20turbidity%20are%20acceptable%20in%20a%20swimming
%2Dpool%3F&text=The%20National%20Sanitation%20Foundation%20standard,6%20hours
%20(NSPF%202005)> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Pahlen. 2020. Ph And Chlorine Values Swimming Pool - Water Quality Pool. [online] Available at:
<https://www.pahlen.com/users-guide/ph-and-chlorine/> [Accessed 6 September 2020].