CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

WATER

PBH 101

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INTRODUCTION:
Water is one of the basic ingredients
for sustaining life.
A human body can survive about 40
days without food but can only
survive for 4 days without water.

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DAILY REQUIREMENT OF
WATER:
The daily requirement is measured by using the formula:
Body weight in pounds 2 = No. of ounces of pure
water required per day.
Example: A 180 pound man requires 180 2 = 90
ounces of water per day .
*Fluids and pure water are not same. Many fluids such
as beverages contain sugar, caffeine, alcohol,
preservatives, acids and other toxins which are
processed by the body and excreted. Fluids containing
toxic products contribute to dehydration rather than
hydration of our body. So our body requires Pure
water, not commercial water
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CRITERIAS OF POLLUTED
WATER:
When water contains:
Infective and parasitic agents
Poisonous chemical substances
Industrial waste
Other house/ street waste
Sewage.

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CRITERIAS OF SAFE AND

WHOLESOME WATER:
The water should:
Be completely free from pathogenic microorganisms
Contain no compound that can cause adverse effect
on human health
Be fairly clear and colorless
Not be saline
No offensive taste or odor
Free from harmful chemical substances
Have a temperature acceptable to the consumers
Usable for domestic purpose
Can not harm, when ingested over prolonged period.
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USE OF WATER:
Domestic use for
Drinking, Washing, Bathing, Gardening and Flushing toilet

Public use for

Public cleansing, Fire fighting and Garden maintenance

Industrial use for

Processing, Cooling
Agriculture use for
Irrigation

Other uses for

Power production, Carry away waste
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HAZZARDS OF WATER
POLLUTION:
Biological hazards caused by presence of infectious agent:

Viral: Viral hepatitis A and E, Poliomyelitis, Rota viral

Diarrhea

Bacterial: Cholera, Typhoid, Paratyphoid, Bacillary

dysentery, E. coli diarrhea

Protozoa: Amebic dysentery, Giardiasis

Helminthes: Round worm infection, Thread worm infection

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Chemical hazards:

Toxic compounds
Bleaching agents
Detergent solvent
Pigment and dyes
Heavy metals
Organic acid

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HARDNESS OF WATER:
DEF: It is the soap destroying power of
water. Large amount of soap is
required to produce lather.

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TYPES OF HARDRDNESS:
Temporary hardness/ Carbonate
hardness:
This is due to the presence of
Calcium bicarbonate and Magnesium
bicarbonate.

Permanent hardness/Non carbonate
hardness:
This is due to the presence of
Calcium and Magnesium Sulphet,
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DISADVANTAGES OF HARD
WATER
Consume more soap and detergent
High fuel consumption during
heating
Affects color and appearance of
cooked food
Fabrics washed with hard water loss
longevity
Economic loss in industries
Shortens the life of pipes and fixtures
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REMOVAL OF HARDNESS
Temporary by:

Boiling
Lime process
Lime and soda ash process

Permanent by:

Addition of Sodium bicarbonate

Base exchange process
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SOURCES OF WATER
RAIN: It is the prime source of all water
CHARACTERISTICS OF RAIN WATER:
Purest water in the nature
It is clear, bright and sparkling
Very soft water
Dissolved solid impurities are only in trace
amount
It becomes very less impure as it passes
through atmosphere
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SURFACE WATER
Impounding reservoir where large
quantity of water are stored.
Example:
Artificially constructed lakes
Damp across the river
Mountain stream

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Rivers:
Characteristics of river water:
Turbid during rainy season
Contains all dissolved and
suspended impurities
Bacterial count is very high

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Sea water
Characteristics of sea water:
Contains 3.5% salt in solution
Desalting and demineralization is highly
costly
Tanks and ponds:
Characteristics of pond water:
They are large excavations in which surface
water stored
They are highly contaminated
Dangerous as a source of drinking water
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GROUND WATER:
Characteristics of ground water:
It is the cheapest and most practical means of
providing water to small communities
It is generally clear and colorless with little or
no suspended solids
It has relatively constant temperature
It is free from microorganism
It contains minerals of varying concentration
It is abstracted by installations of tube wells
for supply
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TYPES OF TUBEWELLS:
Shallow tube well: It is sunk in to
the first water bearing stratum. It is
cheap.

Deep tube well: It is prepared by

drilling through successive sub strata
of gravel or rock. It is costly but ideal
supply
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PARTS OF A TUBE WELL:

A pipe of galvanized iron
A strainer fitted at the bottom of the
pipe
A hand pump at the top
A water tight concrete platform

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PURIFICATION OF WATER:
Small scale purification for domestic/ house hold use
Large scale purification for supply water

Types of small scale purification:

Boiling- Boiling of water in boiling points for 5 to 10 minutes

Chemical disinfection by:

Bleaching powder
Chlorine solution
Alum
Chlorine tablet
Iodine
Filtration: By using household filters
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Steps of large scale

purification:
Storage: In rectangular tanks in rows. They are water
tight, made of cement and bricks, thickness 1 meter.

Filtration: These are mechanical filters consists of

steel chamber containing sand and gravel up to a
height of 4 feet. It absorbs bacteria and helps
purification.

Distribution: The distribution is done through under

drainage system. At the bottom of the filter bed there
are porous and perforated pipes, which serve as the
outlet for filtered water.
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Thank you

NSU -- PBH-101