Drinking Water Supply Research Articles

Impact of copper sulphate treatment on cyanobacterial blooms and subsequent water quality risks

Control of algal blooms and associated biologically-induced water quality risks in drinking reservoirs is problematic. Copper sulphate (CuSO4) treatment is one intervention that has been utilised for >100 years. Evidence indicates a favourable short-term reduction in Cyanobacterial biomass (e.g. bloom termination), but here we indicate that it may also increase longer-term water quality risk. In 2022, we investigated the impacts of CuSO4 spraying on Cyanobacterial communities and nutrient levels within a drinking water supply reservoir using environmental DNA (eDNA) to assess community shifts, alongside monitoring nutrient fractions, orthophosphate (OP) and total phosphate (TP), post-treatment. CuSO4 application successfully reduced Cyanobacterial abundance, however elimination of Cyanobacteria resulted in a shift in bacterial dominance favouring Planctomycetota throughout the summer and a combination of Actinobacteriota and Verrucomicrobiota, throughout autumn. As Cyanobacterial abundance recovered post-treatment, Cyanobacterial genera demonstrated greater diversity compared to only three Cyanobacterial genera present across samples pre-treatment, and included taxa associated with water quality risk (e.g. taste and odour (T&O) metabolite and toxin producers). The increase in Cyanobacteria post-treatment was attributed to an increase in biologically available nutrients, primarily a significant increase in OP. Overall, findings suggest that the significant shift in biodiversity likely induces a less stable ecosystem with greater plasticity of response to changing environmental and biogeochemical variables. Legacy implications of CuSO4 spraying, in terms of shifts in ecosystem and nutrient balance over time, may have implications for drinking water quality, but importantly also for reservoir management options. As such, the effects of CuSO4 spraying should be considered carefully before consideration as a contender for in-reservoir biological control.

Occurrence and Implications of De Facto Water Reuse on Drinking Water Supplies (EPA)

Occurrence and Implications of De Facto Water Reuse on Drinking Water Supplies (EPA)

Improving the drinking water supply system in the capital of Tomia Timur Subdistrict, Tomia Island, Wakatobi Regency

This research aims to improve the Municipal Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM IKK) in East Tomia, Wakatobi Regency, using a combined method approach and involving 76 participants. The findings indicate that water services in East Tomia adhere to the 4K principles (Quantity, Quality, Continuity, and Accessibility), with an increase in water volume despite some distribution challenges. Water quality remains high due to regular testing, and continuous service is ensured through ongoing maintenance, making the service accessibility for the community. Strategic improvements over the next 5-10 years include the implementation of solar-powered pumps, expansion of storage infrastructure, and enhancement of the distribution system to improve efficiency and sustainability. Recommendations include infrastructure upgrades, adoption of green technology, consistent quality checks, and support from proactive local government policies.

Vulnerability of drinking water supply and respondent’s perception on the quality of water supply in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Vulnerability of drinking water supply and respondent’s perception on the quality of water supply in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Model linkage to assess forest disturbance impacts on water quality: A wildfire case study using LANDIS(II)-VELMA

Wildfires in western US forests increased over the last two decades, resulting in elevated solid and nutrient loadings to streams, and occasionally threatening drinking water supplies. We demonstrated that a linked LANDIS (LANDscape DIsturbance and Succession)-VELMA (Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments) modeling approach can simulate wildland fire effects on water quality using the 2002 Colorado Hayman Fire. Utilizing LANDIS-II's forest landscape model to simulate forest composition and VELMA's eco-hydrologic model to simulate pre- and post-fire water quantity and quality, the best calibration performance yielded a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.621 during 2000–2006 (most optimal annual - 0.921) in comparison to North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) runoff. Pre-fire modeled runoff, nitrate, and surface water temperature (SWT) correlated with observations. Simulated post-fire runoff (229%) and SWT (20.6%) were elevated relative to pre-fire, with nitrate concentrations 34 times greater than the aquatic life threshold (0.01 mg N/L).

Sediment analysis and water quality assessment in the Pixquiac basin: drinking water supply of Xalapa city (Veracruz, Mexico).

Fluvial sediment analysis and water quality assessment are useful to identify anthropic and natural sources of pollution in rivers. Currently, there is a lack of information about water quality in the Pixquiac basin (Veracruz state, Mexico), and this scarcity of data prevents authorities to take adequate measures to protect water resources. The basin is a crucial territory for Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz state, as it gets 39% of its drinkable water from it. This research analyzed 10 physicochemical parameters and 12 metal concentrations in various rivers and sources during two seasons. Dissolved metals presented average concentrations (µg/L): Al (456.25) > Fe (199.4) > Mn (16.86) > Ba (13.8) > Zn (7.6) > Cu (1.03) > Pb (0.27) > As (0.12) > Ni (0.118) (Cd, Cr and Hg undetectable). Metals in sediment recorded average concentrations (ppm): Fe (38575) > Al (38425) > Mn (460) > Ba (206.2) > Zn (65.1) > Cr (29.8) > Ni (20.9) > Cu (16.4) > Pb (4.8) > As (2.1) (Cd and Hg undetectable). During the rainy season, Water Quality Index (WAWQI) classified stations P17 and P18's water as "unsuitable for drinking" with values of 110.4 and 117.6. Enrichment factor (EF) recorded a "moderate enrichment" of Pb in sediment in P24. Pollution was mainly explained by wastewater discharges in rivers but also because of erosion and rainfall events. Statistical analysis presented strong relationships between trace and major metals which could explain a common natural origin for metals in water and sediment: rock lixiviation.

Implementation of an intelligent drinking water supply system using GIS mapping and smart metering for reliable water supply management

ABSTRACT The demand for water resources has increased due to population growth and the effects of cyclical droughts on irrigated agriculture. Due to these current circumstances, there is an imbalance between the limited supply of water and the rising demand for water. According to this perspective, accurate data on the spatial and temporal patterns of stockholder water demand can only be obtained through effective water planning and management. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping and smart metering are being used to implement intelligent water supply systems for dependable water supply management. In water supply systems, GIS models aid in data comprehension, analysis, and querying using advanced technologies that can significantly enhance work in the field of urban planning.

Sustainable Management of Water Resources for Drinking Water Supply by Exploring Nanotechnology

Freshwater is a limited resource that is needed by all living things. However, the available amount of it cannot counterbalance the explosion of the human population in recent years. This condition is worsened because of the contamination of many bodies of water by industrialization and urbanization. Nanomaterials offer an alternative sustainable solution due to their unique size-dependent properties, i.e., high specific surface area and discontinuous properties. These advantages can be utilized to reuse wastewater to become a sustainable water source for drinking water. Many recent studies have proven that nanotechnologies in the forms of nano-adsorbents, nanomembranes, and nano-catalysts have high performances in water contaminants removal. This review provides a comprehensive discussion around these nanotechnologies from the mechanism, applications, efficacy, advantages, disadvantages, and challenges in applications for producing drinking water including by wastewater reusing. Each nanotechnology reviewed here has been proven to perform effectively for water contaminants removal in laboratory scale. An initial study is also performed in this review to analyze the sustainability of nanotechnology for producing drinking water. In spite of the great efficacy, nanotechnologies utilization in commercial scales is still limited which requires further studies.

SODIS with hydrogen peroxide: an effective household water treatment option under sub-tropical climatic conditions of bangladesh.

Solar disinfection (SODIS) is an affordable and sustainable Household Water Treatment (HWT) method endorsed by WHO. However, its limitations include longer sunlight exposure requirements, incomplete microbial inactivation, and post-SODIS microbial regrowth during monsoon and winter seasons in subtropical climates. To address these limitations, the performance of SODIS with H2O2 for microbial inactivation during the monsoon and winter seasons in Bangladesh was evaluated following the WHO HWT protocols. Moreover, the process was verified using drinking water samples collected from restaurants, households, and slums. All SODIS experiments were conducted using reflective reactors with PET bottles and plastic bags, adding 10 mg/L of H2O2, and exposing them to sunlight for 6 h. The results showed that E. coli was completely inactivated within 2 h in plastic bags and within 3 h in PET bottles during the monsoon season, achieving an LRV of > 5. In winter, both achieved an LRV > 5 within 3 h and plastic bags showed more efficient in microbial inactivation than PET bottles. The microbial inactivation rates were 5 times higher than those of conventional SODIS. No regrowth of microorganisms was observed during the subsequent post-SODIS period of 12 h and 24 h at room temperature. The study findings suggest that SODIS with H2O2 has the potential for complete microorganism inactivation with shorter sunlight exposure in subtropical climates with moderate to low solar irradiation and can be adopted as a reliable disinfection option for rural and urban communities with unsafe drinking water supply.

Employment generation potentials in the implementation of a rural drinking water supply program: evidence from India's Jal Jeevan Mission

ABSTRACT Policymakers in India are finding it challenging to generate adequate employment to meet the requirements of growing population. An avenue consistently used is to invest in large-scale public infrastructure projects. In 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched with the aim of providing potable drinking water to every rural household in India. Underscoring the large investments in infrastructure development, the mission holds significant potential to create employment. The evidence base of studies assessing the effect of rural development programs on employment was weak. Against this backdrop, we assessed the employment generation potential of JJM at various phases of its implementation. We utilized secondary and scheme-level primary data across states of India and used the input-output model and ratio method to assess employment prospects. Our results suggest that JJM has the potential to generate an average of 5.99 million person-year of direct and 22.25 million person-year of indirect employment during the construction phase, and 1.11 million person-year of additional direct employment annually during the maintenance phase. Our study highlights the spillover effects of public investments in the form of employment generation and indicates that the impact of JJM is likely to be substantial once the program is complete and operational.

Bacterial Contamination and Antimicrobial Resistance in Two-Spotted (Gryllus bimaculatus) and House (Acheta domesticus) Cricket Rearing and Harvesting Processes.

Food safety for cricket production is a crucial factor in producing edible crickets with safety for consumers and sustainability for two-spotted (Gryllus bimaculatus) as well as house (Acheta domesticus) cricket production. This study was conducted by simultaneously rearing two cricket species, comprising two-spotted crickets (G. bimaculatus) and house crickets (A. domesticus). A total of 16 rearing crates were used for the present study, which were allocated into 8 rearing crates for each studied cricket species, including paper egg cartons. Cricket eggs were incubated in the rearing crates. Once the crickets hatched, tap water and powdered feed were provided ad libitum throughout the experiment. At the end of this study (35 and 42 days for the two-spotted and house crickets, respectively), all crickets were harvested, rinsed in tap water, and boiled in water for 5 min. During the rearing and harvesting processes, samples were collected from various potential contamination points for bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella spp. There were samples of the initial input (feed, drinking water, and staff hands), rearing environment (water pipe, crate wall, living cartons, frass, and cricket surface), and harvesting crickets (harvested, washed, and boiled crickets), with a 2-week sampling interval, except for the last round of sampling for the two-spotted crickets. Subsequently, all samples were submitted to isolate and identify contaminated bacteria. The samples from the last round of sampling for both kinds of crickets were submitted to quantify the level of contamination for E. coli and Salmonella spp., including antimicrobial resistance by the disk diffusion method for the positive isolate. The results showed that bacterial contamination was found in the rearing of both cricket species, primarily involving Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp., mainly found in prepared drinking water and the water pipes of drinking water supply equipment, which are potential sources of contamination with cricket frass. E. coli was found in 4.8% and 4.3% of the two-spotted and house crickets, respectively, while no presence of Salmonella spp. was detected in any submitted samples. The quantification of E. coli and Salmonella spp. indicated E. coli contamination near the water pipe and the frass of two-spotted crickets, but Salmonella spp. was undetectable in both two-spotted and house crickets. The antimicrobial resistance of isolated E. coli mainly involved penicillin G, amoxicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, lincomycin, and tiamulin. Thus, good farm management with proper sanitation practices (such as cleaning and keeping the environment dry), as well as boiling crickets during the harvesting process, may help ensure the safety of edible cricket production.

Location and capacity allocation for emergency contact points in large-scale power outages

AbstractNowadays, industry and individuals alike are highly dependent on a reliable power supply. A large-scale power outage, commonly known as a “blackout” is caused by natural disasters, cyber attacks, technical failure, or human errors, and can lead to a variety of severe consequences. The far-reaching dynamics of blackouts can even result in the collapse of critical public service infrastructure reliant on electricity (e.g., communication, water supply, medical services, public safety). Particularly, the loss of information and communication infrastructure essential to reporting medical emergencies, and the collapse of the drinking water supply are two critical stressors for the population to cope with. One attempt to tackle this situation is to install temporary emergency contact points (ECPs) into existing infrastructure. These can be approached by the population to communicate with medical personnel and to receive drinking water. Different types of professional personnel, which is a limited resource, are required to run such ECPs. Our study introduces this tactical decision problem. We formulate it as an integer linear program for the optimal spatial allocation of ECPs, such that multiple types of human resources that are required for operating such locations can be efficiently assigned. A comprehensive numerical study, based on data of the City of Vienna, demonstrates how to reduce the walking distance of inhabitants while increasing the efficiency of resource allocation. Matrix pruning based on an enforced limit of the walking distances together with a decomposition approach is utilized to solve the considered instances.

Assessment of metals and other trace elements in the drinking water along River Indus, Allai and Nagar

Trace element contamination in water is a global issue due to its widespread occurrence and health effects. Regular intake of elevated metal levels in drinking water can unequivocally cause several types of cancers. This study was primarily focused to assess the quality of drinking water in Allai, Nagar and along River Indus. So for this study a total of 64 spring, 14 waterfall and 7 glacier water samples were collected. Additionally, 13 sediment samples were also collected from Allai and Nagar which were located in the vicinity of mountainous River Indus, Pakistan. The samples were tested for arsenic, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy so as to get the elemental concentrations in parts per billion. The range of metals and other trace elements were compared with the guidelines of World Health Organization (WHO) and the standards laid down by Environmental Protection Agency of Pakistan. The results revealed the (minimum-maximum) concentrations (µg/L) of drinking water quality parameters as follows: arsenic 0-0.06, calcium 1.74-176.87, chromium 0-0, copper 0-0, iron 0-0.25, sodium 1.27-292, potassium 0-24.01, magnesium 0.05-120.22, lead 0-0 and zinc 0-0. Moreover, the (minimum-maximum) concentrations (µg/L) of sediment samples were recorded as arsenic 0-0. 88, calcium 42.98-2068, chromium 0.16-0.65, copper 0.12-1.76, iron 166-544, sodium 8.99-15.36, potassium 35.57-247, magnesium 47.14-453, lead 0-0.23 and zinc 0.67-1.66. The study concluded that all the samples collected from the vicinity of River Indus had elemental concentrations within the recommended guidelines set by the National Drinking Water Quality Standards of Pakistan and WHO. Furthermore, a detailed study encompassing samples from the springs, glaciers, waterfalls and lakes is recommended to evaluate the possible trace element contamination either due to deposition or mixing of metal bearing rocks with water both in the low lying and highland areas of Upper Indus Basin. The outcomes of this research can be useful for the concerned authorities of Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in the provision of safe drinking water to the people living in the vicinity of River Indus, Pakistan.

Impacts of Community Participation on Sustainability of Rural Water Supply Sytems: A Study from District Lahore, Pakistan

The availability and functionality of an improved water supply system among the population are basic human rights and imperative to prevent numerous viral/infectious diseases. The provision of safe drinking water, improved sanitation, and hygiene plays a central role in individual and communal health, but unfortunately, the situation is strikingly poor among nations, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. To understand the existing situation and the impacts of community participation on the sustainability of the water supply system, this study was conducted in the district of Lahore, Pakistan. The prime objective was to find out the participation of the community in planning, execution, operation and maintenance, evaluation process, and the management approaches and techniques with a view of seeing how best community participation level contributed to the sustainability of the water supply program. For this purpose, a simple random sampling procedure was applied to draw the sample from the population. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection and validated through pilot testing. Results showed that participatory approaches in water supply program planning, execution, operation, maintenance, and evaluation led to community satisfaction and program sustainability.

Determinants of Community Participation in Sustainable Management of Rural Water Supply System: Evidence from District Lahore, Pakistan

Sustainable functionality of rural water supply systems is one of the most imperative aspects to ensure the provision of safe drinking water for communities. In recent decades, a number of projects have been initiated by national and international organizations to meet the desired need for safe drinking water and sanitation, but a large proportion of these development projects fail shortly after their execution. The majority of water supply projects fail in rural communities within three years after development due to the least level of community participation regarding decision-making, site identification, planning, execution, monitoring, evaluation and management process and, above all, unawareness, lack of basic technical and management skills. This study presents the most influencing determinants of community participation that are compulsory for the sustainable functionality of rural water supply systems. This study was conducted in the district of Lahore, Pakistan and simple random sampling methods and techniques were applied to draw the sample from the population. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. The result of the study indicated that a significant association existed among community participation in planning, execution, operation, maintenance & evaluation processes and sustainability functionality of rural water supply systems.

Research on hydrogen sulfide removal from water using a hydroejector

The war in Ukraine has significantly impacted the country's water resources, leading to deteriorated water quality, threats to drinking water supplies, and long-term environmental issues. Intensive pollution of surface water sources has necessitated increased use of groundwater for drinking purposes. The quality of groundwater in Ukraine varies greatly, often containing concentrations of iron, manganese, hardness salts, and hydrogen sulfide that exceed acceptable limits. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations in different regions range from 1 to over 20 mg/dm³, far exceeding the permissible limit of 0.05 mg/dm³ for drinking water. In the southern regions of Ukraine, such as Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa oblasts, hydrogen sulfide levels exceed the norm by more than 100 times. Existing water purification methods for hydrogen sulfide require the construction of expensive aeration facilities with various loadings, biological reactors, and oxidation filters, which entail significant capital and operational costs. Moreover, these facilities do not always ensure the desired water quality. Therefore, developing new methods and technologies aimed at intensifying hydrogen sulfide removal from water, along with various devices and structures for their implementation, is a pressing issue related to supplying the population with quality water. Among the developed approaches, the use of aeration as an independent method for purification is notable; however, it is used for low hydrogen sulfide concentrations and is most effective at low water pH levels. This article presents the results of experimental studies on the purification of groundwater from hydrogen sulfide by aeration using a hydroejector. Optimal parameters for the hydrogen sulfide removal process, depending on its concentration and water pH, were determined. The effectiveness of water purification using the hydroejector was substantiated and investigated. The key operational parameters of the hydroejector were established.

Projected Analysis of Fulfilling Pdam Clean Water Needs in Domestic Customers of Waginopo Village, Wangi-Wangi District, Wakatobi District

Clean water is a very vital need for society, to meet the needs for drinking water, bathing, cooking, washing and including industrial needs. The existence of clean water in an area is very important considering the very dynamic activities of society. In its implementation, the drinking water supply system in Waginopo Village has not been able to run smoothly. In fact, according to a temporary survey that has been carried out, PDAM water only flows once every 2 days, once a week and the maximum flow time is only 12 hours. The aim of this research is to calculate the amount of clean water needed for the service area of Waginopo Village, Wangi-Wangi District, Wakatobi Regency until 2033. In this research, not only numerical data will be collected, but also information about what the community desires regarding the performance of the clean water distribution system, so this research study approach uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. From the results of the analysis it can be said that the total water demand of PDAM Wakatobi Regency for the Waginopo Village service area in 2033 is 867,894 m3/year. Meanwhile, based on water demand in 2024, it is 592,737 m3/year. So the calculation results from 2024 to 2033 have increased.

HYDROLOGICAL AND HYDROCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER STATUS OF THE SOUTHERN BUG RIVER WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF VINNICHCHINA

It is highlighted that in modern conditions, the surface waters of land are subject to significant anthropogenic influence, as a result of which their natural state is significantly changed and the possibility of using certain water bodies for economic and drinking needs is significantly limited. Since the drinking water supply of Ukraine is carried out mainly at the expense of surface water, objective information about the condition of water bodies, established on the basis of hygienic and ecological criteria, becomes extremely important and relevant. It was established that the influence of the economic and household activities of the village of Kolyukhiv, Vinnytsia region, on the pollution of the South Bug River within its borders is determined by the influx of nitrogenous substances, which lead to an increase in the concentration of ammonium nitrogen, nitrites and nitrates. The source of nitrogen input to the river water is surface runoff washing and the development of soil erosion processes from the adjacent shorelines, which are used for homestead farming and gardening. As a result of the research, it was found that in a sample of water taken from the South Bug River within the village of Kolyukhiv, Vinnytsia region, 1 km upstream in the forest plantation zone, the hydrogen pH is 7.8, the ammonium nitrogen content is 0.3 mg/l nitrite concentration – 2.7 mg/l, nitrate content – 39.6 mg/l, calcium content – 86.0 mg/l, chloride – 147.4 mg/l, and in the selected water sample 1 km downstream in the zone of intensive farming (homesteads), the hydrogen pH was 8.4, the content of ammonium nitrogen was 0.8 mg/l, the concentration of nitrites was 3.7 mg/l, the concentration of nitrates was 69.3 mg/l, the content calcium – 96.6 mg/l, chlorides – 164.2 mg/l. The main way to limit the flow of nitrogenous substances into the river is to observe sanitary protection zones along the river's perimeter. The sanitary and protective zone of the South Bug River should be 100 m, and in fact it is 10 m within the village. Therefore, the main measure is the expansion of the sanitary and protective zone to 100 m and its observance, which will allow reducing the content of ammonium nitrogen in the river water by 62% , nitrates – by 27%, nitrites – by 48%.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ МЕСТОРОЖДЕНИЙ ПОДЗЕМНЫХ ВОД КАЗАХСТАНСКОЙ ЧАСТИ ПРЕДГОРИЙ КИРГИЗСКОГО АЛАТАУ ДЛЯ ОРОШЕНИЯ И ХОЗЯЙСТВЕННО-ПИТЬЕВОГО ВОДОСНАБЖЕНИЯ СЕЛЬСКИХ НАСЕЛЕННЫХ ПУНКТОВ ЖАМБЫЛСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

In this area, 4 large deposits of groundwater were explored, including for irrigation. Prospects for the use of groundwater in the Kazakhstan part of the foothills of the Kyrgyz Alatau for irrigation and domestic and drinking water supply to rural settlements in the southern part of Zhambyl region to ensure economic growth and development of agriculture in the region

Hydrogeochemical signatures of spring water in geologically diverse terrains: a case study of Southern Western Ghats, India.

Out of 5 million Indian spring water systems, a few were characterised for hydrochemistry and freshwater potential. The present study focuses on analysing the hydrochemistry, discharge, and drinking/irrigation water quality of both cold and thermal spring clusters namely Southern Kerala Springs (SKS) and Dakshina Kannada Springs (DKS) of Southern Western Ghats, India. Currently, eleven springs from SKS and ten from DKS including one thermal spring (TS) with temperature ranges from 34 to 37°C were considered. The study revealed that cold springs (CS) of SKS are Na-Cl type, while the thermal and cold-water springs in DKS are Na-HCO3 and mixing water type, respectively. Two distinct mechanisms predominantly define the hydro-chemical composition of the springs-SKS are influenced by precipitation, whereas DKS is likely by chemical weathering processes. While comparing the major ions and saturation indices of thermal springs (TS), it is evident that silicate minerals predominantly affect the chemical composition of water. CaCO3- is oversaturated in TS water and tends to precipitate as a scale layer. PCA showed that both geogenic and anthropogenic factors influence water chemistry. WQI categorized the CS in both the clusters are in the "Excellent" rank as compared to TS. Irrigation water quality signifies that the cold springs are only suitable for irrigation. Moreover, it is evident from the discharge that both SKS and DKS were rainfed in nature. Discharge monitoring designated that the CS could augment drinking water supplies in the nearby regions indicating the necessity of conservation and sustainable use considering future freshwater scarcity.