Post-storm events / post-monsoon's effects on drinking water quality

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What could be the possible changes to drinking water quality caused by extreme storm events and monsoon season that can cause flash floods as it happens often in South Asia. How can these effects be best managed to maintian the quality of drinking water supplied?

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9 Answers

  2. This it will affect the process during dosing stage. For example lets say we are using Ferric Chloride and dosing with 2.5mg/sec. Suddenly storm water get into the process. Then the quality of water will be affected, because of the colour of the water. Also sometimes it can happen that the flocs not attracting ea other, the they repel ea other. All flocs it will absorbed the Chlorine. Endup supply community with millions of bacteria. Moreover E. coli counts per 100ml.

    It depend on the process if is rapid or pressure fillitration, possibility is 100% to get non compliance of water quality.

    But if is slow sand filitration the possibility of non compliance is less (

  3. Storm events and monsoon season will cause soil erosion, surface flow carrying eroded soil/silt, contamination from overflowing drains, sewers, leaching from garbage dumps, leaching of chemicals/fertilisers from fields, fecal contamination, contaminations due to open defecation animals dungs will enter the water sources. It will increase the flow in drains and causes floods and flash floods and affecting the drinking water sources with high contamination and high turbidity with debries and silt load. Consumption of such affected water can cause many health deceases, gastroenteritis and epidemics episodes in the affected localities. These can’t be avoided without turbidity reduction and disinfection of affected water sources. Water quality will be affected badly.

    Management:

    1. Proper drainage system shall be planned to carry the storm water load, planned plantations for avoiding soil erosion, gutters with inspection chambers carrying storm water shall be constructed. Open defecation shall be avoided by awareness camps among the communities in the localities, no over flow sewers shall exist. Garbage shall be dumped properly following solid waste management techniques to avoid leaching and flowing with surface water.
    2. Wait for reduction in turbidity level for proper functioning of water treatment plants avoiding choking of the system.
    3. Water shall be get filtered through cloths, charcoal, sand and keep for stagnation to settle down the silt load.
    4. Chlorination/Chlorine tablets may be used for disinfection followed by boiling the water for drinking.
    5. Drinking water sources shall be sealed properly before monsoons so that such episodes may be avoided.

  4. Biggest problem is most likely contamination of wells with organics from flooding. Disinfection of wells. Construct wells above flood waters.

     

    Disinfection of potable water is the step that should be taken to minimize the risk to the public.

  5. I concur with the other comments. Storm water will likley increase turbidity, erode soil, and flush various sources of fecal contaminants into the drinking water source. Should there be any chemicals stored in the affected area, these could also flush into the drinking water source. Dependending on the source of drinking water, river, lake or groundwater, will determine your course of action to protect it. Some plants will shut down until flood waters receed. This requires planning and storage if storage is availble such as water tanks. I hope this helps.

  6. one problem can be, that flood-water is getting into the well.to avoid that, you should extend the well during the dry periods to get it higher than maximum flood level and second you should seal the well outside against a drainage-impact between earth and metal-body. for that you can use expansive mortar and/or clay.

    next is to search leaks in the nearer environment of the well. this could be deep roots, hedges or stakes of fences for example. to find them, often tracer-gas is used (you press it from the well outside and detect it with adequate meters.

    Short version : seal the well as good as possible before it gets flooded

  7. Storms cause increased run-off and aquifer recharge. Both can have an impact on water quality. On the one hand, if there agricultural areas nearby, the pollutants contained in fertilizers (e.g., phosphate, nitrate and friends) may be flashed and reach surface water bodies. Not to mention (as Felicien partly did referring maybe to human open defecation, also common) is there's ranching industry nearby. That means a party of Scherichia Coli in your water. On the other hand, the pollutants can also reach aquifers and contaminate ground water. Ways to tackle this problem: many. First of all, culture (e.g., no stinky open defecation). Second, more culture and increasingly restrictive laws, on modern, less potentially contaminant fertilizers. Third, more culture on storage of animal stinky sub-products. Fourth, modelling of flood risk and of the corresponding correction measures. Hope this helps.

  9. After important storms, the microbiologic contamination in drinking water sources is likely to increase if open defecation is a common practice. Furthermore important storms can induce an increase of contaminants concentration (e.g nitrate) in the drinking water sources.