scholarly journals Household Water Filtration Technology to Ensure Safe Drinking Water Supply in the Langat River Basin, Malaysia

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1032
Author(s):  
Minhaz Farid Ahmed ◽  
Mazlin Bin Mokhtar ◽  
Nuriah Abd Majid
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
Water Filtration ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Filtration System ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Langat River

Populations in the Langat River Basin, Malaysia, frequently experience water supply disruption due to the shutdown of water treatment plants (WTPs) mainly from the chemical pollution as well as point and non-point sources of pollution. Therefore, this study investigated the aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) concentrations in the drinking water supply chain at the basin because of its prolonged persistence and toxic characteristics in the aquatic environment. Three replicates of water samples were collected from the river, outlets of WTPs, household tap and filtered water, respectively, in 2015, for analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Higher concentration of these metals was found in household tap water than in the treated water at the WTPs; however, the concentration of these metals at the four stages of the drinking water supply chain conformed to the drinking water quality standard set by the World Health Organization. The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests also found that metal concentration removal significantly varied among the eight WTPs as well as the five types of household water filtration systems. With regards to the investigated household filtered water, the distilled filtration system was found to be more effective in removing metal concentration because of better management. Therefore, a two-layer water filtration system could be introduced in the Langat River Basin to obtain safe drinking water supply at the household level.

scholarly journals Investigating the Status of Cadmium, Chromium and Lead in the Drinking Water Supply Chain to Ensure Drinking Water Quality in Malaysia

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2653
Author(s):  
Minhaz Farid Ahmed ◽  
Mazlin Bin Mokhtar ◽  
Lubna Alam ◽  
Che Abd Rahim Mohamed ◽  
Goh Choo Ta
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
Northeast Monsoon ◽  
Langat River ◽  
The Status

Prolonged persistence of toxic cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in the aquatic environment are due to its nonbiodegradable characteristic. A few studies have reported higher concentrations of these metals in the transboundary Langat River, Malaysia. This study determined the spatial and temporal distributions of Cd, Cr and Pb concentrations (2005–2015) in the Langat River along with assessing the status of these metals in the drinking water supply chain at the basin. Water samples were collected once in 2015 from the drinking water supply chain, i.e., from the river, treated water at plants, taps and filtration water at households. Determined mean concentrations of Cd, Cr and Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the Langat River were within the drinking water quality standard of Malaysia and the WHO, except for the Pb (9.99 ± 1.40 µg/L) concentration, which was at the maximum limit, 10 µg/L. The spatial and temporal distribution of these metals’ concentrations indicate dilution of it downstream, along with the increasing trend in rainfall and water flow, especially during the northeast monsoon. Significant correlation and regression analysis of the Cd, Cr and Pb concentrations also indicate that the sources of this metal pollution are mainly the natural weathering of minerals along with anthropogenic activities in the basin. The determined overall water quality of the Langat River is categorized Class IIA (i.e., clean), which requires conventional treatment before drinking; however, the maximum removal efficiency of these metals by the plants at the basin was about 90.17%. Therefore, the proactive leadership roles of the local authorities will be appropriate to reduce the pollution of this river as well as introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the Langat River Basin to accelerate the achievement of a sustainable drinking water supply.

scholarly journals Health Risk of Polonium 210 Ingestion via Drinking Water: An Experience of Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minhaz Ahmed ◽  
Lubna Alam ◽  
Che Mohamed ◽  
Mazlin Mokhtar ◽  
Goh Ta
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Effective Dose ◽  
Annual Effective Dose ◽  
Carcinogenic Risk ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
World Health ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Langat River

The presence of toxic polonium-210 (Po-210) in the environment is due to the decay of primordial uranium-238. Meanwhile, several studies have reported elevated Po-210 radioactivity in the rivers around the world due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, the primary source of Po-210 in Langat River, Malaysia might be the natural weathering of granite rock along with mining, agriculture and industrial activities. Hence, this is the first study to determine the Po-210 activity in the drinking water supply chain in the Langat River Basin to simultaneously predict the human health risks of Po-210 ingestion. Therefore, water samples were collected in 2015–2016 from the four stages of the water supply chain to analyze by Alpha Spectrometry. Determined Po-210 activity, along with the influence of environmental parameters such as time-series rainfall, flood incidents and water flow data (2005–2015), was well within the maximum limit for drinking water quality standard proposed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and World Health Organization. Moreover, the annual effective dose of Po-210 ingestion via drinking water supply chain indicates an acceptable carcinogenic risk for the populations in the Langat Basin at 95% confidence level; however, the estimated annual effective dose at the basin is higher than in many countries. Although several studies assume the carcinogenic risk of Po-210 ingestion to humans for a long time even at low activity, however, there is no significant causal study which links Po-210 ingestion via drinking water and cancer risk of the human. Since the conventional coagulation method is unable to remove Po-210 entirely from the treated water, introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the basin can be useful to achieve SDG target 6.1 of achieving safe drinking water supplies well before 2030, which might also be significant for other countries.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Indicators for Cyanobacterial Risk in 108 Temperate Lakes Using 23 Years of Environmental Monitoring Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
JING LI ◽  
Kenenth M Person ◽  
Heidi Pekar ◽  
Daniel Jansson
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment Plants ◽  
Monitoring Strategies ◽  
Level 1

Abstract Background: Cyanobacterial blooms are of increasing concern for drinking water supply. Cyanobacterial risk in 108 temperate freshwater lakes were examined for drinking water supply. Results: In Sweden, a survey among drinking water producers showed that the sense of urgency was little. At 60 % of the Swedish drinking water treatment plants, operators lacked monitoring strategies. The study shows that blooms can produce a variety of toxins such as anatoxins, cylindrospermopsins, microcystins and saxitoxins. We confirmed the anthropogenic activities’ impact on cyanobacterial risk and evaluated that total phosphorus (TP) concentration can be used to indicate cyanobacterial risk by applying non-linear quantile regression for 108 Swedish monitoring lakes.Conclusion: We suggest that TP concentration should be investigated thoroughly to provide important knowledge which can be used to set nutrient targets to sustain safe drinking water supply and recreational services.TP should be targeted lower than 15 μg L-1, allowing 10 % exceedance of WHO Drinking Water Alert Level 1.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Impact of Rainfall Variability on Drinking Water Production at Treatment Plants in Nzoia River Basin, Kenya

2021 ◽  
pp. 8-29
Author(s):  
Ernest Othieno Odwori
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Monthly Rainfall ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Drinking Water Production

Increased wet season rainfall is associated with improved water supply at point water sources and improved river flows and water reservoir levels. For piped water supply schemes with surface water intakes, this is supposed to enhance operations since there is adequate raw water unlike in the dry season where operations are interrupted due to insufficient flows. However, this is not the case in Nzoia River Basin as established by this study. As rainfall increases, drinking water production in treatment plants at Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies decrease and vice versa. Nzoia River Basin is one of the regions that is highly vulnerable to climate variability in Kenya, hence understanding rainfall variability and trends is important for better water resources management and especially drinking water supply. This study aimed at assessing rainfall variability and trends for 3 rainfall stations in Nzoia River Basin; Leissa Farm Kitale, Webuye Agricultural Office and Bunyala Irrigation Scheme and its impact on drinking water production at Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies treatment plants. The rainfall data used in this study covers 31 years period from 1970 to 2001 and was obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), Nairobi, Kenya. Monthly water supply production data for Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies covering 15 years period from 2000 to 2014 was obtained from the County governments of Uasin Gishu, Kakamega and Busia. Rainfall variability and trend was analysed using the parametric test of Linear regression analysis and the non-parametric Mann Kendall statistical test. Monthly rainfall and monthly drinking water production was analysed using Pearson moment correlation to establish the relationship between monthly rainfall and monthly drinking water supply production at Mois Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia Water supplies treatment plants. The results of variability and trend in annual rainfall shows Webuye Agricultural Office recording declining rainfall at -0.8994 mm/31 years (-0.029 mm/ year); whereas Leissa Farm Kitale shows increasing rainfall at 1.0325 mm/31 years (0.033 mm/ year) and Bunyala Irrigation Scheme’s rainfall is increasing at 0.5245 mm/31 years (0.017 mm/ year). Drinking water supply production at Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies has been increasing with time between 2000 and 2014. The results of Pearson moment correlation coefficient shows a strong negative relationship between monthly rainfall and monthly drinking water supply production at 0.05 significance level for Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies. This shows that as rainfall increases, drinking water supply production in treatment plants at Moi’s Bridge, Lumakanda and Busia water supplies decreases. During the rainy season, the cost of water treatment goes up as a result of increased turbidity. Increased rainfall in Nzoia River Basin presents water treatment challenges to the existing water supply treatment plants resulting into reduced production.Water supply managers should improve the capacity of the existing water supply treatment plants to cope with the increased rainfall variability under the changing climatic conditions.

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