Indian Standards for drinking water

If no alternative source available, limit

Parameter Desirable-Tolerable
extended upto

Physical
Turbidity (NTU unit) < 10 25
Colour (Hazen scale) < 10 50

Taste and Odour Un-objectionable Un-objectionable

Chemical
pH 7.0-8.5 6.5-9.2

Total Dissolved Solids mg/l 500-1500 3000

Total Hardness mg/l (as CaCO3) 200-300 600

Chlorides mg/l (as Cl) 200-250 1000

Sulphates mg/l (as SO4) 150-200 400

Fluorides mg/l (as F ) 0.6-1.2 1.5

Nitrates mg/l (as NO3) 45 45

Calcium mg/l (as Ca) 75 200

Iron mg/l (as Fe ) 0.1-0.3 1.0
 Functions of Water Treatment Units

Unit treatment Function (removal)

Aeration, chemicals use Colour, Odour, Taste

Screening Floating matter

Chemical methods Iron, Manganese, etc.

Softening Hardness

Sedimentation Suspended matter

Coagulation Suspended matter, a part of colloidal matter and bacteria

Filtration Remaining colloidal dissolved matter, bacteria

Disinfection Pathogenic bacteria, Organic matter and Reducing substances

 Source Treatment required
1. Ground water and spring water No treatment or Chlorination
fairly free from contamination

2. Ground water with chemicals, Aeration, coagulation (if necessary),

minerals and gases filtration and disinfection

3. Lakes, surface water reservoirs Disinfection

with less amount of pollution

4. Other surface waters such as Complete treatment

rivers, canals and impounded
reservoirs with a considerable
amount of pollution
Water Quantity Estimation
The quantity of water required for municipal uses for which the water
supply scheme has to be designed requires following data:
1.Water consumption rate (Per Capita Demand in litres per day per head)
2.Population to be served.
Quantity= Per capita demand x Population
Water Consumption Rate
It is very difficult to precisely assess the quantity of water demanded by the public, since there are
many variable factors affecting water consumption. The various types of water demands, which a city
may have, may be broken into following classes:
Water Consumption for Various Purposes:

Types of Consumption Normal Range Average %

(lit/capita/day)
1 Domestic Consumption 65-300 160 35
2 Industrial and Commercial
45-450 135 30
Demand
3 Public Uses including Fire
20-90 45 10
Demand
4 Losses and Waste 45-150 62 25
Fire Fighting Demand:
The per capita fire demand is very less on an average basis but the rate at which the water is
required is very large. The rate of fire demand is sometimes traeted as a function of population and is
worked out from following empirical formulae:

Authority Formulae (P in thousand) Q for 1 lakh

Population)

American Insurance Q (L/min)=4637 P (1-0.01 P) 41760

Association
1

Kuchling's Formula Q (L/min)=3182 P 31800

2

Freeman's Formula Q (L/min)= 1136.5(P/5+10) 35050

3

Ministry of Urban Q (kilo liters/d)=100 P for P>50000 31623

Development
4 Manual Formula
Factors affecting per capita demand:
Size of the city: Per capita demand for big cities is generally large as compared
to that for smaller towns as big cities have sewered houses.
Presence of industries.
Climatic conditions.
Habits of people and their economic status.
Quality of water: If water is aesthetically $ medically safe, the consumption
will increase as people will not resort to private wells, etc.
Pressure in the distribution system.
Efficiency of water works administration: Leaks in water mains and services;
and unauthorised use of water can be kept to a minimum by surveys.
Cost of water.
Policy of metering and charging method: Water tax is charged in two different
ways: on the basis of meter reading and on the basis of certain fixed monthly
rate.
Fluctuations in Rate of Demand
Average Daily Per Capita Demand
= Quantity Required in 12 Months/ (365 x Population)
If this average demand is supplied at all the times, it will not be sufficient to meet the fluctuations.
Seasonal variation: The demand peaks during summer. Firebreak outs are generally more in summer,
increasing demand. So, there is seasonal variation .
Daily variation depends on the activity. People draw out more water on Sundays and Festival days,
thus increasing demand on these days.
Hourly variations are very important as they have a wide range. During active household working
hours i.e. from six to ten in the morning and four to eight in the evening, the bulk of the daily
requirement is taken. During other hours the requirement is negligible. Moreover, if a fire breaks out,
a huge quantity of water is required to be supplied during short duration, necessitating the need for a
maximum rate of hourly supply.
So, an adequate quantity of water must be available to meet the peak demand. To meet all the
fluctuations, the supply pipes, service reservoirs and distribution pipes must be properly
proportioned. The water is supplied by pumping directly and the pumps and distribution system must
be designed to meet the peak demand. The effect of monthly variation influences the design of
storage reservoirs and the hourly variations influences the design of pumps and service reservoirs. As
the population decreases, the fluctuation rate increases.
Maximum daily demand = 1.8 x average daily demand
Maximum hourly demand of maximum day i.e. Peak demand
= 1.5 x average hourly demand
= 1.5 x Maximum daily demand/24
= 1.5 x (1.8 x average daily demand)/24
= 2.7 x average daily demand/24
= 2.7 x annual average hourly demand
Design Periods & Population Forecast
This quantity should be worked out with due provision for the estimated
requirements of the future . The future period for which a provision is made in the
water supply scheme is known as the design period.
Design period is estimated based on the following:
Useful life of the component, considering obsolescence, wear, tear, etc.
Expandability aspect.
Anticipated rate of growth of population, including industrial, commercial
developments & migration-immigration.
Available resources.
Performance of the system during initial period.
Population Forecasting Methods
The various methods adopted for estimating future populations are given below.
The particular method to be adopted for a particular case or for a particular city
depends largely on the factors discussed in the methods, and the selection is left
to the discrection and intelligence of the designer.
Arithmetic Increase Method
Geometric Increase Method
Incremental Increase Method
Decreasing Rate of Growth Method
Simple Graphical Method
Comparative Graphical Method
Ratio Method
Logistic Curve Method