A Few Points On Municipal Water Treatment In Kenya

الثلاثاء، 19 يونيو 2018

By Betty Murray


Treatment of water is essential in making it safe for human consumption. Other than drinking, it is important to treat it for other domestic purposes such as washing, cooking and even for use by animals . Hard water may not lather easily when washing clothes. Untreated water used for bathing can result in skin infections and allergies. Municipal water treatment in Kenya should be given utmost consideration in all places across the country to safeguard the lives of citizens.

The process involves various steps including chlorination, aeration, filtration and sedimentation. The method of choice depends on what harmful substance is being eliminated. Aeration and chlorination remove dissolved manganese and iron. Filtration and sedimentation are ideal for large particles. In addition to getting rid of elements, chlorination also helps in doing away with algae. Other types of microbes are dealt with through disinfection.

Large particles are better treated with filtration combined with sedimentation while dissolved substances such as iron and manganese are done away with through chlorination and aeration. Chlorination additionally serves the purpose of eliminating plants that grow in aquatic environments, commonly referred to as algae. Disinfectants help in treating against microorganisms such as bacteria and protozoa.

Poor sanitation in municipal areas has resulted in high mortality due to diseases. This can be counteracted through the use of small scale treatment. Households need to invest in solar systems. Solar rays help to directly kill any unwanted microorganisms. Programs can be started at community level to find sustainable ways of carrying out the process.

Management of effluent utilizes electricity for effectiveness in a large scale setting. Running electricity is expensive in the long run and thus may not be affordable for the low social economic class. For this reason, the government and its citizens should be creative enough to come up with an alternative cheaper source of energy.

Electricity is the main source of energy for running treatment plants. When it is to be done on a large scale, it becomes quite expensive for the companies involved. Renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind energy should be embraced whenever possible to lower these costs. In Kenya, geothermal power is available in plenty and all that is needed is more investment and it will prove to be a cheaper alternative to hydro-power.

In using sand, filtration is made possible by the presence of a biological film on the surface of the sand. The sand only acts as a substrate. The system is composed of a depth, width and length if it is created in a rectangular manner. The cylindrical cross section is another option. The advantage of using such biological methods is that they reduce the expense of energy as occurs when using electricity. However, slow sand filters may not be sustainable for large scale treatment.

In summary, various approaches are available for treating drinking water and effluent. They may be chemical, biological or electrical. Unfortunately, while use of electricity may be fast and suitable for large scale treatment, it consumes very large amounts of energy. Biological method should be considered strongly as they help in saving electricity costs.




About the Author:



ليست هناك تعليقات:

إرسال تعليق

 

Blogger news

Blogroll

Most Reading