Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia

This research assesses the efficacy of the water treatment plant in Shire Indassilassie, Tigray, Ethiopia, focusing on the slow sand filtration system. Despite the inclusion of horizontal roughing filtration and a sedimentation tank, the water treatment plant struggles with an inadequate and turbid...

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Main Authors: Nguse Mekonen Mesfun, Sisay Demeku Derib
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2024-12-01
Series:Water-Energy Nexus
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588912524000146
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author Nguse Mekonen Mesfun
Sisay Demeku Derib
author_facet Nguse Mekonen Mesfun
Sisay Demeku Derib
author_sort Nguse Mekonen Mesfun
collection DOAJ
description This research assesses the efficacy of the water treatment plant in Shire Indassilassie, Tigray, Ethiopia, focusing on the slow sand filtration system. Despite the inclusion of horizontal roughing filtration and a sedimentation tank, the water treatment plant struggles with an inadequate and turbid water supply. This study evaluates the water treatment plant’s performance through field evaluation, interviews, and laboratory experiments, concentrating on major treatment processes to identify performance-limiting factors. The water source had an average turbidity of 29.70 ± 1.03 NTU in the dry season and 94.27 ± 16.71 NTU in the summer. Results indicate that horizontal roughing filtration, sedimentation tank, and slow sand filtration achieve average turbidity removal efficiencies of 42.02% ± 4.00%, 5.67% ± 3.15%, and 83.51% ± 8.75%, respectively, during the dry season. In the summer or wet season, these treatment units achieve efficiencies of 40.06% ± 3.26%, 28.17% ± 4.62%, and 77.07% ± 4.61%, respectively. Additionally, the average run times for slow sand filtration are 22 days in the dry season and 13 days in the summer. Total and fecal coliform removals were effective, except in the sedimentation tank. A one-way ANOVA confirms a significant difference in turbidity among treatment units. Factors such as fine filter sand particles causing faster clogging, pipe misconnections, inadequate cleaning practices, irregular filtration rates, air binding due to a lack of backfilling at startup, and a lack of periodic monitoring and emergency response lead to suboptimal turbidity removal and shorter slow sand filtration run times. The study underscores the need for corrective measures to address these issues, enhancing water treatment plant sustainability in the region.
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spelling doaj-art-bbec797f3f9548818596c3a8a2030db42025-08-20T01:57:20ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Water-Energy Nexus2588-91252024-12-01723524210.1016/j.wen.2024.08.001Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, EthiopiaNguse Mekonen Mesfun0Sisay Demeku Derib1College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 16417, Ethiopia; Faculty of Water Technology, Department of Water Supply and Environmental Engineering, Aksum University, Shire Indassilassie Tigray Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 314, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 16417, Ethiopia; Construction Quality and Technology Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 16417, EthiopiaThis research assesses the efficacy of the water treatment plant in Shire Indassilassie, Tigray, Ethiopia, focusing on the slow sand filtration system. Despite the inclusion of horizontal roughing filtration and a sedimentation tank, the water treatment plant struggles with an inadequate and turbid water supply. This study evaluates the water treatment plant’s performance through field evaluation, interviews, and laboratory experiments, concentrating on major treatment processes to identify performance-limiting factors. The water source had an average turbidity of 29.70 ± 1.03 NTU in the dry season and 94.27 ± 16.71 NTU in the summer. Results indicate that horizontal roughing filtration, sedimentation tank, and slow sand filtration achieve average turbidity removal efficiencies of 42.02% ± 4.00%, 5.67% ± 3.15%, and 83.51% ± 8.75%, respectively, during the dry season. In the summer or wet season, these treatment units achieve efficiencies of 40.06% ± 3.26%, 28.17% ± 4.62%, and 77.07% ± 4.61%, respectively. Additionally, the average run times for slow sand filtration are 22 days in the dry season and 13 days in the summer. Total and fecal coliform removals were effective, except in the sedimentation tank. A one-way ANOVA confirms a significant difference in turbidity among treatment units. Factors such as fine filter sand particles causing faster clogging, pipe misconnections, inadequate cleaning practices, irregular filtration rates, air binding due to a lack of backfilling at startup, and a lack of periodic monitoring and emergency response lead to suboptimal turbidity removal and shorter slow sand filtration run times. The study underscores the need for corrective measures to address these issues, enhancing water treatment plant sustainability in the region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588912524000146
spellingShingle Nguse Mekonen Mesfun
Sisay Demeku Derib
Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
Water-Energy Nexus
title Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
title_full Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
title_fullStr Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
title_short Performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant, Shire Indassilassie, Ethiopia
title_sort performance evaluation and factors influencing a drinking water treatment plant shire indassilassie ethiopia
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588912524000146
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