| dc.description.abstract | The paper describes an investigation into the
efficiency of the water treatment process used in the
Mullaitivu well field in Sri Lanka. The well field
experiences significant groundwater extraction,
approximately 1,440,000 liters per day, due to
developments and resettlements in the area over the past
decade. However, the groundwater quality does not meet
the standards set in SLS 614;2013. The treatment process
employed in the well field includes a fountain type aerator
and vertical-flow roughing filters. The fountain type
aerator has four drops with varying heights. The water then
passes through four medial filter layers in the roughing
filters, each with different particle sizes and layer
thicknesses. To assess the effectiveness of the treatment
process, water samples were collected at regular intervals
of 6 hours during 72 hours continuous operatio. The
samples were taken before and after aeration and after
passing through the roughing filters. The selected water
quality parameters tested in the study were turbidity, color,
total iron, and manganese. The results showed that the
treatment process using the aerator and roughing filters
significantly removed color and total iron from the raw
water. The removal efficiencies were found to be 84% for
color and 88% for total iron. Additionally, the treated
water's turbidity was well below the threshold limit of 2
NTU, the treated manganese level was below the limit of
0.1 mg/l, and the treated total iron level was below the limit
of 0.3 mg/l specified in SLS 614;2013 for drinking water.
Based on the findings, the paper recommends including
pre-chlorination in the treatment process to enhance
oxidation and increase the total iron and manganese
removal efficiency. By doing so, the removal efficiency for
turbidity and color will also be improved. Overall, the
investigation suggests that the combination of the fountain
type aerator and vertical-flow roughing filters can
effectively improve the water quality in the Mullaitivu well
field. The findings could be valuable for addressing the
water quality challenges in the area and ensuring a safe
drinking water supply for the local population. | en_US |
