Sources of Water Supply
Surface Sources
1. Ponds And Lakes
2. Streams And Rivers
3. Storage Reservoirs
4. Ocean – Not Used For Water Supply
Sub Surface Sources
1 Springs
2 Infiltration Gallery
3 Infiltration Wells
4 Wells And Tube-Wells
Ponds And Lakes
Pond Lake
Pond:- A natural large sized depression form on the surface of earth, when filled up
with water is known as pond or lake.
1. If size of depression is small it is termed as pond
2. when the size is large it maybe termed as lake.
Quality
1. The quality of water in a lake is generally good and does not need much purification.
Larger and older lakes provides comparatively pure water than smaller .
2. Self purification of water due to sedimentation of suspended matter, bleaching of color,
removal of bacteria, makes the lake water pure and better.
3. In still waters of lakes and ponds, algae, weeds and vegetation growth takes place freely
and it produces bad smell, taste and colour to their water
Quantity
Quantity of water available from lakes is generally small.
It depends on catchment area of lake basin, annual rainfall and geological
formations.
Due to smaller amount of water available with them, Lakes are not considered
principle source of water supply.
Therefore they are only useful for small towns and in hilly areas.
Streams And Rivers
River Stream
• Stream is a flowing body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream
banks . Streams are important as conduits in the water cycle, instruments in ground
water recharge.
• River is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a
lake, a sea or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or
dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Rivers have been used as
a source of water, for obtaining food, for transport, as a defensive measure, as a
source of hydropower to drive machinery, for bathing and a means of disposing of
waste.
Rivers are most important source of water for public water supply scheme, most cities
are settled near rivers.
Perennial rivers: Rivers in which water is available throughout the year.
1. They are filled in monsoon by rains and summers by snow melting.
2. It can be directly used as water supply source.
Non perennial rivers: Rivers in which water available only in monsoon season.
1. Can be used as water supply source by providing storage on upstream side.
2. This water can also be used or Irrigation, Hydropower etc.
Quality
The quality of water obtained from river is generally not reliable.
It contains large amount of silt, sand and lot of suspended matter.
The disposal of the untreated, treated sewage into the river is further liable to
contamination.
The river water must be therefor be properly analysed/checked and well treated
before supplying to public
Storage Reservoir
A barrier in the form of dam may be constructed across a river so as to
form a pool of water on the up stream side of the river.
Sub Surface or Underground Sources
The water which gets stored in the ground water reservoir through infiltration is
called underground water.
The water is generally pure because it undergoes natural filtration during percolation
through the soil pores.
These waters are less likely to be contaminated by bacteria.
Some times this water is bought to surface by natural process like springs and can be
artificially tapped by tube wells, open wells.
Springs
• The natural outflow of groundwater at earth surface is called spring.
• The springs are generally capable of very small amount of water and therefore not
regarded as source of water supplies.
• Example: At manikaran near manali on parvati river in HP state usually emits
sulphur mixed water and that can not be used for water supply.
Aquifers
Unconfined Aquifers
Confined Aquifers
• The aquifers in which water table
• The aquifers in which ground water is
serves as upper surface of the zone
confined under pressure greater than
of saturation is Unconfined aquifer.
atmospheric pressure by over lying
• Also called as non artesian aquifer. impermeable strata.
Infiltration Wells
• These are shallow wells constructed in series along the banks of river to collect through their
bottom.
• Constructed with brick masonry with open joints and cover at top (a man- hole is provided for
maintenance)
Jack well:
• Various infiltration wells are connected
by pipes to a main/sump well called
as jack well.
• The water is then lifted treated and supplied
to consumers.
Infiltration gallery (horizontal wells)
• Infiltration galleries are the horizontal tunnels constructed at Shallow depth (3 to 5m)
along the banks of river through the water strata.
• These galleries are generally constructed of masonry walls with roof slabs and collect
water from the aquifer by various porous lateral drain pipes located it suitable intervals
in the gallery.
• These pipes are generally covered with gravel to prevent the entry of fine sand particles
into the pipes.
• These tunnels or galleries generally laid at the a slope and the water collects into the
Sump well from where it is pumped, treated and distributed to the consumers.
The infiltration gallery whose width is about 1m, depth 2m and length varies from 10 to
100m(depends on water field) used generally.
Darcy’s law:- Q = KiA.
Water is available sufficiently just below ground level.
INTAKES
Intakes are structures used for admitting water from surface sources and
conveying it further to the treatment plant.
Intake is a masonry or concrete structure with an aim of providing relatively
clean water free from pollution, sand and objectionable floating material
Selection of site
1. The site should be near to the treatment work as possible.
2. Free from mud, sand or other floating matter and should be located at site free from rapid
currents.
3. At well upstream from point of discharge of sewage and industrial waste.
4. Should not interfere with river traffic, if any.
5. There should be a good foundation and least possible scouring.
6. Further expansion should be possible in future.
7. To reduce load on treatment plant intake should be at pure zone in source.
Types of intake
Submerged intake
constructed under water. Commonly used in lake.
Exposed intake
Is in form of a well or tower constructed near banks of river
Wet intake
In intake tower the level of water is practically same as source of supply.
Example for such intake is jack well.
Dry intake
There is no need of maintaining water level in tower the water is directly conveyed through pipes.
River intake
Located at upstream of city so that pollution is minimized.
There are entry points known as penstocks with suitable screens.
Lowest entry point is placed below lowest water level of river in summer .
Canal intake
Concrete or masonry intake chamber of rectangle shape, admitting water through
coarse screen.
Lake intake
Mostly submerged intakes are used.
Reservoir intake
When the water level in river is not guaranteed throughout a year.
Practically similar to the river intakes.
Except these are located at upstream face of dam where maximum depth is available.
Reservoir intake
Typical intake of earth dam are several entry points.
Types of intake based on source
1. Lake intakes .
2. River intake.
3. Reservoir intake
4. Canal intake.
Transmission system or Transportation
If source is at higher level then water can flow under gravitational force (open channels,
aqueducts or pipe lines).
If source is underground water is first transported to overhead tanks then through there
under gravitational force.
In case of reservoirs transportation is carried through pressure pipes.
Distribution system
The function of carrying the water from treatment plant to the individual homes through
well planned systematic manner is called distribution system.
Types
1. Gravity system.
2. Pumping system.
3. Combined (gravity and pumping) system.
Requirements of good distribution system
1. It should be capable of supplying water at all intended places in the city with suitable
pressure head.
2. You should be cheap with least capital construction cost.
3. It should be safe as not to cause the failure of pipelines.
4. It should be capable of supplying the required amount of water for firefighting.
5. It should be water tight so as to keep the losses due to leakage to a minimum.
Gravity system
Pumping system
Combined gravity and pumping system
Distribution network
Depending upon local conditions and road orientations
1. Dead end system.
2. Grid end system.
3. Ring system.
4. Radial system.
Dead end system
Grid end system
Ring system
Radial system
