Borehole water treatment is an effective way to ensure water security at a commercial facility with a large population.
A turnkey water solution incorporating borehole population, pre-treatment, and filtration ensured that our client, a correctional facility in the Western Cape, has an uninterrupted supply of high quality potable water as an alternative water source. This guarantees water security in an industry where having a stable, consistent supply of quality water is essential in providing a good quality of life to the prison inmates.
The correctional facility sought to make use of an alternative water source in order to ensure water security for their various operations, which includes supplying quality drinking water to the inmates. To this end, they drilled two boreholes and subsequently needed the assistance of a reputable water treatment company in getting the groundwater from the boreholes to a potable standard.
This is where we came in.
After conducting thorough water analyses, we established that the main points of concern with regards to the groundwater quality were iron, manganese, turbidity, and microbial content.
As part of the research phase, we ensured that the borehole equipment was sized correctly and the best method of control was selected in order to remain within the geohydrologist’s specifications, promoting best borehole practice.
Borehole Population
Our first step was to install a submersible pump to populate the boreholes. Control of the boreholes is facilitated by a variable frequency drive with the aid of a magnetic flow meter and pressure transducer.
Population of the boreholes enabled the following:
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Monitoring and logging of water levels
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Allowing constant flow at varying borehole water levels
Having successfully populated the two on-site boreholes, we were able to install the containerised water treatment system with the assurance that the borehole is fully capable of supplying the plant with a consistent flow of feed water.
Pre-treatment
A pre-treatment stage is required before commencing with filtration to assist in the removal of dissolved metals, organics, and microbial content.
We installed a circulation configuration consisting of dosing pumps along with pH and ORP probes and controllers. The dosing pumps’ purpose is to introduce sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite that assists in pH correction and oxidation respectively.
Filtration
Filtration is the next step of treatment and it facilitates the removal of suspended and dissolved matter. The system is designed to implement two stages of filtration: Media and bag filtration.
Media Filtration
Media filtration assists the effective removal of precipitated particles. We used recycled glass as a filter media. A major benefit of using recycled glass is that it requires less backwashing than other types of media. As a result it uses less water, making it one of the most cost-effective and ecofriendly types of filter media.
Bag Filtration
After undergoing media filtration, the water passes through a number of bag filters. This stage ensures the removal of particles above a size of 5 micron.
Conclusion
The final result was a comprehensive water treatment solution that delivered a total of 400 000 liters of potable water per day – a consistent supply of water that fulfils their daily water-related needs, hassle free. The final product water quality meets the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s standards, meaning that the water is perfectly safe for consumption.
Get in touch with our water treatment specialists at WPS if you too are interested in investing in borehole population and water treatment at your business.
