Use of carbon in increasing the quality of drinking water – Case study: the wells of Savejbolagh villages

Abstract

The drinking water of Jangale Dar village, environ of Savejbolagh city of Alborz province, is provided from a well located at this village. The water of this well is appropriate and within standard range in terms of qualitative factors, but the quality of the water becomes inappropriate in terms of turbidity, color, taste and smell due to the creation of bad taste and smell, especially in some days a year (mainly in spring and formation of runoffs); so that the consumers are not satisfied with this water. In this study, the effect of active carbon, as an actual absorbent, on the elimination of turbidity, color, taste and smell has been investigated in order to improve the quality of drinking water. The results of the study indicated that active carbon, as a strong absorbent with high porosities and broad lateral surface, are effective to eliminate turbidity, color, and smell. It was also observed that, the elimination percentage of turbidity, color, and smell on the beds with 30cm combination of sand and active carbon on 10cm fine sands is more than the beds with 35cm combination of sand and active carbon on 5cm fine sand). After investigating the elimination of turbidity, color, taste and smell in drinking water of Jangale Dar by absorbent on the bed with 35cm combination of sand and active carbon on 5cm fine sand within 3.5 minutes retention time, 63%, 85%, and 75% respectively were obtained, and the bed with 35cm combination of sand and active carbon on 5cm fine sand, in which the output water of prior bed was entered, within 7 minutes retention time, 82%, 100% and 100% respectively were obtained. After investigating the elimination of turbidity, color, taste and smell in drinking water of Jangale Dar by absorbent on the bed with 30cm combination of sand and active carbon on 10cm fine sand within 4 minutes retention time, 75%, 90%, and 85% respectively were obtained, and the bed with 30cm combination of sand and active carbon on 10cm fine sand, in which the output water of prior bed was entered, within 8 minutes retention time, 94%, 100% and 100% respectively were obtained.