WATER AND WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

 Water is the most basic and fundamental component of life on earth.

Approximately three fourths of the earth's surface is covered by water. Water
plays a key role in the metabolic breakdown of essential molecule as proteins
and carbohydrates. This process called hydrolysis goes on continually in
living cells.

 In recent years, ground water has become the central issue in protecting our
water resources. Ground water is a great source for supplying our water
needs, but it is also one that is susceptible to contamination. Once a ground
water is contaminated, it takes decades to recover. As human consumption
places greater demands on ground water resources, it becomes increasingly
important for us to keep these systems free from contamination.

Properties of Water

Heat Capacity

Water has the ability to absorb heat without becoming much warmer itself. It has
greater heat capacity than any other substance except ammonia.

Surface Tension

It is the ability of water to stick to itself and pull itself together, Water, has an
extremely high surface tension. Water molecules cling together so tightly that it can
support objects heavier than itself. This can be demonstrated on a dripping tap. As
the water drips, each drip cling to the tap, stretches, is released and forms into a
tiny ball.

Capillarity

Is the ability of water to climb up a surface against the pull of gravity.

Dissolving Ability

Water has the ability to dissolve almost any substance, it is known as a universal
solvent,

Definitions

A. Natural Water

Readily found in nature, as impounded from precipitation, contains impurities

(physical, chemical, bacteriological or radiological)

B. Purified Water
Water which undergoes treatment, physical, biological or chemical means to
improve water quality. Purification is an artificial means of obtaining chemically
pure water.

C. Contaminated Water

Water with any material or substance that affects the quality of water and
affects the health of an individual.

D. Polluted Water

Water with the presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic,

radiological, biological) which tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute health
hazard and impair the potability of water.

E. Hard Water

Water with the presence of elements such as Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg),
Iron (Fe) and Aluminum (AI) which causes hardness. This is characterized by the
difficulty of producing lather from detergents and the presence of scale deposits in
pipes and heaters or boilers.

F. Soft Water

Water without the presence of calcium and magnesium. This is characterized

by easiness of producing lather from detergents and absence of scale formation in
boilers, heaters and pipes.

G. Grey Water

Water from laundries, wash basins, sinks, shower, bathtubs.

H. Black Water

Water-plus-human waste that is flushed out of toilets and urinals.

I. Storm Water

Rain, surface run-off

Uses of Water

1. Nourishment

Much of the human body is water, the most abundant chemical in our body as well
as in our diet.

2. Cleansing and Hygiene

Water is a nearly ideal medium for the dissolution and transport of organic waste,
and its high heat storage capacity makes the attainment of comfortable
temperatures for bathing easy. Much larger quantities of water are used for
cleaning than for nourishment.

3. Ceremonial Uses

Largely through its association with cleaning, water acquired a ceremonial

significance that remains particularly evident in religious services.

4. Transportation Uses

Even before land transportation was discovered man had already ventured into the
water as a transportation medium. Waterways had been developed for this purpose
to allow the passage of water vessels and to be able to transport large quantities of
goods as well as people.

5. Cooling Medium

Water has a remarkable cooling potential: it stores heat readily, removes large
quantities of heat when it evaporates, and vaporizes readily at temperatures
commonly found at the human skin surface. Water is also used in some devices that
need the removal of heat easily and efficiently.

6. Ornamental Element

In almost any landscaping application, indoors or out, water becomes a center of

interest. Our association of water with nourishing, cleansing, and cooling make a
very powerful design element - a fact recognized by landscape designers
throughout history.

7. Protective Uses

Water is an essential element in fire protection. The vast quantities of water

potentially required for firefighting must be delivered quickly; the result is pipes of
enormous sizes regulated by very large valves. Despite its size and guarantee of at
least partial exposure in public places, a fire protection water supply system is
rarely treated as a visually integral design element.

Water Quality

1. Physical Characteristics

Water from surface sources (roof runoff, streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc..) is
particularly subject to physical pollutants.

1.1 Turbidity
Caused by the presence of suspended materials, such as clay, silt, other inorganic
material, plankton's or finely divided organic materials.

1 .2 Color

This is often caused by dissolved organic matter, as from decaying vegetation.

1.3 Taste and Odor

it can be caused by organic compounds, inorganic salts, or dissolved gases. This

condition can be treated only after a chemical analysis has identified which source
is responsible.

1.4 Temperature- In general, water supplied between 50° an; 6O° F is preferred.

2 Chemical Characteristics

Ground water is particular to chemical alteration, because as it moves downward

from the surface it slowly dissolves some minerals contained in rocks and soils.

2.1 Alkalinity

This is caused by bicarbonate, carbonate or hydroxide components. Testing for

these components of water's alkalinity is key to which treatments to use.

2.2 Hardness

Hardness is a relative term, hard water inhibits the cleaning action of soaps and
detergents, and it deposit scale on the inside of hot water pipes and cooking
utensils. Hardness is caused by calcium and magnesium salts and can be classified
as temporary (carbonate) and permanent (bicarbonate). Temporary hardness is
temporarily removed by heating, it forms scale. pH is a measure of water's
hydrogen ion concentration, as well as its relative acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7 is
neutral. Measurements below 7 indicate that water is acidic

2.3 Toxic Substances

Toxic substances are occasionally present in water supplies. Authorities have

established information about concentration of such substances such as arsenic
(As), Barium (Ba), Cadmium (Cd), Cyanides (CNN), Fluoride (F), Lead (Pub),
Selenium (Se) and Silver (Ag).