Water quality implies judgment about the suitability

of water for a particular use. It is influenced by the

following parameters:

Physical
Chemical
Bacteriological/Microbiological
PHYSICAL PARAMETERS

These are characteristics that respond to the

sense of sight, touch, taste and smell.

The physical parameters include:

Color
Turbidity
Taste
Odor
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
Temperature
Natural color reflects the presence of complex
organic molecules derived from vegetable matter
(humic) such as peat, leaves, and branches.
Exceptionally, natural color may arise from the
presence of colloidal iron or manganese in a water
but organic matter is almost always the cause.
Causes of colored water:

Green or blue water

Usually caused by corrosion of

copper plumbing. If corrosion
is occurring, dripping water
will leave a bluish-green stain
on porcelain fixture.
Black or dark brown water

Often caused by manganese in

the water or pipe sediment.
However, manganese does not
pose a threat to human health.
Brown, red, orange or yellow
water

Usually caused by iron rust.

Galvanized iron, steel, or cast
iron pipes can cause rusty
water. While unpleasant and
potentially damaging to
clothes and fixtures, iron in
drinking water is not a human
health concern.
Objections to high color are generally on aesthetic
grounds rather than on the basis of a health hazard.
Consumers are reluctant to drink water, however safe,
which has a yellowish-brown color.

It is desirable that the drinking water be colorless.

Desirable limit: 5 Hazen unit

Permissible limit: 25 Hazen unit
Turbidity is caused by suspended solids, such as sand,
silt and/or clay.

Desirable Limit: 5 NTU

Permissible Limit: 10 NTU
Other units used to analyze
turbidity:

Jackson Turbidity Units

(JTU)
Formazin Turbidity
Units (FTU)
Customers find cloudy or turbid water objectionable
primarily because of its appearance, but the main
reason turbidity is a concern is its interference with
disinfection processes.

Bacteria, which are usually present in turbid water, can

be shielded from chlorine and other disinfectants
because the turbidity-causing particles use the chlorine
first.
 Severe tastes can be caused by the presence of
excessive amount of metals or dissolved salts.
Taste buds in the oral cavity specially detect inorganic
compounds of metals like magnesium, calcium,
sodium, copper, iron and zinc.
Water should be free from objectionable taste and
odor.
 Total suspended solids is the measure of the
sediment suspended in the water.
It is related to turbidity.
Water with high TSS usually has high Total Dissolved
Solids (TDS).
 WATER
SAMPLE

GLASS-FIBER
FILTER PAPER

EVAPORATION EVAPORATION
OF FILTER OF FILTRATE

TOTAL SUSPENDED TOTAL DISSOLVED

SOLIDS SOLIDS
CHEMICAL PARAMETERS

These are substances that dissolve in water.

The chemical parameters include:

pH
Hardness
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Metals
Organic Compounds
Nutrients
 In any given solution,
some atoms of water
dissociate to form
hydrogen ions (H+) and
hydroxyl ions (OH-).

The pH scale ranges

from 0 to 14. It is a
means of showing which
ion has a greater
concentration.
 At a pH of 7.0, the
concentrations of
hydrogen ions and
hydroxyl ions are equal.
Pure water has a pH of
7.0.

When the pH is less than

7.0, there are more
hydrogen ions than
hydroxyl ions, and the
water is said to be
acidic.
 When the pH is greater
than 7.0, there are
more hydroxyl ions than
hydrogen ions, and the
water is said to be basic
or alkaline.

Extremes of pH has a
corrosive effect on
distribution systems.

Desirable limit: 6.5 to

8.5
 It is taken to be the
capacity of water to
destroy the lather of
soap.

Calcium and magnesium

are the main constituents
of hardness.
Permanent hardness is due to the solution of calcium
chloride and magnesium sulfate. This form cannot be
removed by boiling the water.

Temporary hardness is derived from the bicarbonates of

magnesium and calcium. This form may be removed by
boiling the water.
 TDS is the measure of the material dissolved in water.
Hard water has more TDS than soft water.
 One of the earths most plentiful resource
Appreciable amounts of iron may be present in ground
water
Landry becomes stained if washed in water with
excessive iron
Metallic taste problem may occur
Acceptable limit: 0.3 mg/L
 Occurs naturally
Long term consumption above permissible level can
cause dental fluorosis (mottling of teeth)
Acceptable limit: 1 mg/L
Maximum permissible limit: 1.5 mg/L
 Occurs in ground water
It is introduced in water through industrial wastes
Very toxic to humans; some arsenical compounds are
carcinogens (can cause skin and lung cancer)
Acceptable limit: 0.05 mg/L
 Does not pose a health hazard to humans
Acceptable limit: 250 mg/L
At levels above 250 mg/L, water will begin to taste
salty
High chloride levels may also render freshwater
unsuitable for agricultural irrigation
BACTERIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS

Living organisms that can be found in water

These may lead to bad taste, odor, and
corrosion problems
Pathogens
Capable of infecting and transmitting diseases to human:
Bacteria
Virus
Protozoa
Fungi
Algae
Source: Presentation of Group 2