GROUNDWATER, NATURE’S PERFECT BREW

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WATER

Water is the most important compound on earth, it composes of two elements Oxygen and Hydrogen in the ratio of 1:2 respectively. Water is the major constituent of all cells of animal and vegetables, it takes 60% or 45 litres of an adult body.
Without water there can be no processed foods and Beverages water cleans ,conveys and in many cases become part of final product.
In most area ground water is a more consistent source of good water than lakes or rivers. Over 80% of work force worldwide are water dependents.

ENTERPRISE

In Lagos Nigeria , about 540 million gallons per day of water is required but Lagos water corporation can provide only 210mg/day leaving a short fall of 330mg/day 61%..Entrepreneus in water production could latched on to this untapped potential.

WATER SOURCES

Water could be found from various sources such as rain water, surface water, pond, Lakes and ground water shallow or deep well. Usually water from the surface sources pick up impurities such as carbon dioxide, Oxygen, Organic as well as inorganic pollutants . Ground water from shallow well could be either hard or soft depending on the mineral characteristics of the environment. Deep well contains a considerably high concentration of dissolved minerals eg ferrous than surface pollutants.

AQUIFER

Ground water is stored in cracks and crevices of rocks and in the pores of geological materials in the earth crust. An identifiable usable significant underground source of ground water is called aquifer, Aquifer can be anywhere from a few feet to hundred of feet thick and lie just beneath the surface or hundred of feet deep. Some aquifer lie under a few acres of ground, some under thousands of square kilometers.

THREAT TO WATER

Danger to our ground water resources take two forms, OVERDRAFT and CONTAMINATION.

OVERDRAFT– occurs when water is pumped out of an aquifer faster than it is replenished. In Nigeria, where public water utilities are almost absent, over a 500% increase in total withdrawal of ground water has occurred, with every home having their own private wells and boreholes.

OVERDRAFT of ground water in coastal areas allows salt water to intrude into the fresh water aquifer, making the water unusable for most purposes. This problem may force the affected communities to use recycled water. This could be used for irrigation in farms, parks, and other green areas.

CONTAMINATION of ground water happens in two general ways .The first involves sources such as Waste disposal site , storage tank leaks and hazardous chemical spills that create high concentration of a variety of toxic metals, organic chemicals and petroleum products. The second kind of ground water contamination occurs on broader scale from sources as agriculture, Urban run off, Construction, forestry and mining. activities, industrial and municipal effluent and on site domestic septic system.

Water Treatment

This is key to solving inadequate water supply in the society.
Water treatment plants are diverse in function and operations, the followings are different types of treatment plants :

• Filtration Plants – chemical, sand and carbon filter.
• Reverse Osmosis and Membrane.
• Ozononator, and Ultraviolet ( UV) sterilizer.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CRITERIA FOR WATER STANDARD ARE BASED ON

• PHYSICAL – Appearancce, Taste, Temperature, Odour, Turbidity, Total solids, pH, Conductivity etc
• CHEMICAL — Total acidity, Total alkalinity, Floride, Chloride, Nitrate,Phosphate, Sulphate etc
• Trace/Toxic Heavy metals. — Calcium, Magnesium, Cadbium, Colbalt, Ferrous, Lead, Silver, Mercury etc
• MICRO BIOLOGY –Total plate count ,Coliform Test (Confirmatory feacal test)

AERATION

Water from borehole are pumped up and sprayed in a counter flow against air , this causes oxidation of the ferrous into ferric ( Iron remover ).

COAGULATION IN REACTION TANK.(chemical treatment)

This is a process in which finely suspended insoluble matters are made to combine, forming a large particle size of enough density to settle out of water through both chemical and physical action.

• Known Coagulants are Ferrous Sulfate, Aluminum Sulfate, and Sodium Aluminate.
• Ferrous sulfate is recommended due to its easily controlled nature—forming ferric hydroxide.

The success of water purification through coagulation is dependent on formation of floc and subsequent settling out of these particle prior to flitrahtòon.. If in two hours floc is not formed addition of floculent aids such as polyelectrolites or clay is recommended.
Floc formation= Feso4 +Ca( oH )2= Fe(oH )2 + Ca So4.
—- 2Fe (OH)2 + H2O= 2Fe (OH)3.à

LIME

This is used to reduce alkalinity and the adjustments of pH for optimum Coagulation. On addition into water it converts the soluble salts of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate into insoluble salt calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide which precipitates – hence, reducing the alkalinity.

Its important to note that lime is alkaline, hence, the addition should be in the right proportion and for quick reaction time. excess of calcium ions must be present in water.
With the less alkaline water, it’s necessary to increase Hardness by addition of Cacl2 or Caso4.
The application of lime should be with the use of feed pump .
Ca(HCO3 )2 +Ca(OH )2 = 2 Cacl3 + 2H2O
Mg Co3 + Ca(OH )2= Caco3 + Mg(OH ).

Water filters

The process of removing suspended particles through a porous medium is referred to as filtration. It’s very essential that prior to filtration, the water is treated chemically as untreated water will not only produce inferior water but will reduce the efficiency of the filters.
The three types of filters employed are :

• Sand filters consist of about five different grades of soil i.e. : Coarse Gravel, …….
• Activated Carbon filters
• Water polishers.

DESCRIPTION OF WATER STANDARD.

• TURBIDITY -Cloudiness of water as a result of light dispersion by insoluble suspensions in water eg, iron, finely divided particles of clay etc.
• Colour — These are the general pigmentation impacted by metallic salts, or organic matters .Colour is not desirable in water.
• Taste/Odour – Could be impacted by decay organic matters, algae, microbes, dissolved gases eg, chlorine.
• Dissolve solids — These cloud be organic or inorganic – this could contribute to undesirable taste and sedimentation.
  *Alkalinity- Is the ability of water to neutralize acid.
  *Hardness – Caused by the presence of calcium bicarbonate
  and magnesium carbonate.
  *Chlorine – A medicinal taste in water not desirable. water must be chlorine free after treatment.
• Iron – Present in almost all water existing in ferrous form.must be rid off water.

WATER IS LIFE

At WUFAS AGR0Net , we are competent and reliable food processing technologists in human capital development consulting in food processing technology, enhancing global competitiveness and international best practices for startups, teeming youthful population, unemployed graduates, propreneurs, and other food handlers.

Through our Entrepreneurial/Empowerment Demonstrative Seminars in FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY. We have the required expertise to eliminate undesirable constituents of water to provide clean potable water through a complete water treatment plant by oxidation, coagulation, chlorination, filtration, and annihilation.
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