Does the Water Supply System Meet Need of the Current Customer - Coursework Example

Water Supply System Water Supply System Table of Contents 1.0 Abstract ………………………………………………………………………… 3 2.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 4 3.0 Research Plan ………………………………………………………..…………. 4 4.0 Results …………………………………………………………….……………. 5 5.0 Discussion …………………………………………………………………….... 7 6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations ……………………….…………………… 10 7.0 References …………………………………………………….……………….. 11 1.0 Abstract Clean and safe drinking water, good hygiene and sanitation, are fundamental aspects of human health, growth, survival and general development. The global community, through the establishment of the millennium development goal for drinking water and sanitation, seeks to ensure that the entire world’s population has access to clean and safe water for purposes such as drinking and cooking. Nearly 1.1 billion people across the globe do not have access to safe water, while 2.6billion people lack basic sanitation. While these two aspects are critical to human survival and development, they are sometimes taken for granted. Efforts to prevent death through water borne diseases such as trachoma, ascaris and dracunculiasis, are doomed to fail unless people’s need for access to clean and safe water are not met (Baker, 2009). While achieving efficient water supply in New Zealand and across the globe is essential, it is also plagued by a number of limitations. In order to determine the capacity of water supply systems to meet the needs of current consumers, it is essential to measure the viability of water supply systems in terms of accessibility, safety and cleanliness, efficacy and limitations. Ideally, a water supply system is meant to provide readily accessible, clean and efficient water supplies. Introduction Efforts to ensure that water supply systems meet the needs of the current consumer are important because not only is water the most essential commodity for human survival, clean water is the epitome of survival. Lack of access to clean and safe water inhibits the learning ability of millions of school-going children who become infested with intestinal worms and other water borne illness. In addition, inability by adults to access clean and safe water deters development, both in the community and nationally. This is because when adults’ water solutions do not meet the required degree of safety, the individuals are bound to suffer from diseases and will hence not be able to work (Thornton, 2005). Over a century ago, millions of people in cities and towns globally were at an immense risk of dying or becoming ill from consuming contaminated water. Currently, Hamilton’s water supply system utilizes up to ten distinct defenses in its water treatment, distribution and water management regiments. This is done in an effort to ensure that by the time water reaches the consumer, it is clean and utterly safe for consumption. Perhaps the most formidable surety of water safety is the removal of all harmful organisms that are commonly found in water sources such as rivers and dams. This paper will look into the present water supply systems in New Zealand, examining whether these water supply systems meet the needs of the current water consumer in terms of accessibility, safety and efficacy. 3.0 Research Plan Looking into the success of the current water supply systems in terms of meeting the needs of the current consumer requires a critical analysis of the available literature and consultation of specialized persons in the field of water supply. The vast information provided in articles and books with regards to water supply systems’ provision of safe and readily available water to consumers will provide in-depth info essential for the conduct of this research. Examining water supply systems in New Zealand such as the Hamilton City’s Water Treatment Plant in terms of its fulfillment of the area residents’ needs is a viable way of responding to the research question of whether or not water supply systems meet the needs of current consumers. This is measured in terms of the water supply’s ability to meet the volume demands of consumers, deliver timely, and safe water to households and other entities. An all-embracing literature search was done to collect sufficient data sufficient to formulate an appropriate position on the efficacy and ability of water supply systems to meet the needs of current water consumers. Because the reason for this research is to uncover whether the current water supply systems in New Zealand are able to meet the water requirements of the current consumer, the following parameters were used to gather findings: i. Availability/ Accessibility ii. Cleanliness and Safety iii. Efficiency iv. Limitations 4.0 Results i. Accessibility/ Availability The accessibility or availability of safe water for human consumption in New Zealand is guaranteed by a number of water plants that are spread all over the nation. The nation has a rich supply of water treatment plants that ensure constant and ready supply of cleans and safe water to the populace all year round. Maintaining water accessibility means there is a need for water management where the distribution process is well managed to allow for water availability in homes and institutions always. ii. Safety and Cleanliness In order to ensure water cleanliness, a series of consecutive steps are initiated. Water treatment involves the use of both chemical and mechanical processes that ultimately guarantee water cleanliness and safety. iii. Efficiency While the current water supply systems in New Zealand are relatively effective in terms of meeting the water demand of residents, it is apparent that there is a need to upgrade these systems to ensure their meet the supply demands of both current and future consumers. Most water supply systems were established long ago, and were tailored to suit the demands of yesteryears. However, with the rapid population growth witnessed in the country between the mid to late 20th century and the 21st century, it is clear that water supply systems do not typically meet the growing demand of water for the nation. Water is necessary for many uses as the following diagrams show: iv. Limitations Efficient provision of clean, safe and readily available water supplies is hindered by a series of limitations. Firstly, accessibility to water sources has become relatively limited as a result of climatic changes and global warming that has resulted in a drastic reduction, in precipitation, which is the primary source of water for sources such as rivers, lakes and dams. In addition, despite the numerous efforts initiated by the government and other stakeholders in water treatment, it is highly common to find water treatment plants that do not meet the required guidelines of water treatment and supply. Through such rogue water treatment plants, the quality and safety of water is significantly undermined. 5.0 Discussion New Zealand has a diverse array of water supply systems that either deal with the purification of water from natural water sources such as rivers and lakes, or treatment of waste water from homes and institutions in New Zealand. Some renowned water treatment plants in New Zealand include among others the Hamilton City’s Water Treatment Plant, Hull City Water Treatment Plant. In addition, in order to enhance the availability of safe water for supply in homes and institutions, in New Zealand, a number of plants conduct waste treatment where sewage and grey water are harnessed, treated and reverted to homes and institutions for consumption. Some waste treatment plants include the Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is one of the largest water treatment plants in New Zealand. The Rosedale WWTP, which is located north of Auckland, provides primary, secondary as well as advanced treatment of waste matter for nearly 185, 000 residents. The region of Auckland, New Zealand produces nearly 130m3 off effluent on an annual basis. Up to 19.7m3 of this waste water is treated at the Rosedale WWTP. Due to rapid population growth in New Zealand, a need to improve the current water supply systems has emerged. Population demographics of New Zealand indicate that rising birth rate, as well as migration trends, are key contributors to the rapid growth in population. By the year 2050, the population of New Zealand is expected to reach 6.5 million, up from 2011’s total of 4.4 million. This is implicit of the need to rethink some of the most fundamental national resources and utilities such as the provision of readily available clean and safe drinking water for the entire nation’s populace (Kawamura, 1991). The rising population has exerted pressure on the current water supply systems that were established to meet the needs of a particular number of consumers, who have since grown exponentially. For instance, waste water treatment plants such as the Rosedale WWTP were constructed to meet the water needs of a population of 70,000 persons; however, following population growth, such a system is rendered ineffective in terms of meeting the demand of current consumers who are significantly more in numbers than consumers in previous times. In addition, the efficiency of a water supply system is measured in terms of its ability to use current water or waste water capacity to produce clean and safe water. With regard to using available resources, water supply systems such as waste water treatment plants were established at a time when effluent was minimal in terms of quantity. This means that because of the increase in population, especially in urban areas as a result of urbanization, the supply of effluent is relatively higher than most waste water treatment plants can handle (Seidenstat, Haarmeyer and Hakim, 2002). Most water supply systems are designed to guarantee that urban areas have access to sufficient water at the appropriate flow and pressure. This means that water treatment plants provide sufficient water for home, institutional and other uses such as fire trucks. For instance, Hamilton City Council produces at least 2,385 glasses of high quality, safe drinking water per water. This water is sufficient to provide adequate amounts of safe water for more than 51,000 homes and other institutions. While a large quantity of this water is used for toilet flushing, watering gardens, swimming pools, bathing and other utilities such as washing machines and dish washers. Only a small fraction of water is used for drinking, but it is still critical that all water is treated to ensure safety for all purposes. On average, each person in Hamilton uses at least 224 liters of water on a daily basis. The Hamilton treatment plant is efficient in supplying the required amounts of water to residents of Hamilton. In order to ensure it provides sufficient amounts of water to its customers, Hamilton City Council Water Treatment, which currently produces 64 million liters of safe water paper day, initiated an upgrading program to have the capacity to produce 106 million liters per day. This effort is sufficient to ensure sufficient water supplies both currently and in the future. In order to guarantee water safety and cleanliness, water supply systems initiate a sequence of treatment processes. For instance, in the treatment regiment from water from the Waikato River, screening is done to remove large debris from water. Sedimentation is done to remove large organisms and small debris. Filtration through the use of sand filters removes impurities found in river water. Filtration is performed mechanically and through chemicals. Chlorination is then done where chorine is added to water to kill bacteria before water is then subjected to UVdisinfection where Ultra Violet light where microorganisms that are resistant to chlorination are inactivated. Fluoridation then occurs where fluoride is added to drinking water in adherence to the Ministry of Health guidelines of 0.75 parts of fluoride per million. The last step in water treatment is the correction of pH. Through the entire treatment process, chemicals are used that subsequently increase or lower water pH. Lime is added at the final stage to ensure water meets the appropriate pH levels. Through this intricate process, water is made safe for consumption for the current consumers and meets the needs completely (MWH, 2005). Because of the adverse effects of global warming, it is apparent that water sources have drastically reduced in size, and it has thus become difficult to access water for treatment and supply. This means that there are fewer water resources to use during treatment and for supplies. 6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations Water is the most essential commodity for life. However, the quality of water and its accessibility is a critical factor to the survival of mankind. The current water supply system of New Zealand meets the needs of the current consumer in terms of ensuring efficient supplies, safety and availability. However, there is a need to implement improvements in water supplies and safety to ensure that the current water supply systems are effective to meet consumer needs in the future. References Baker, L. A. (2009). The Water Environment of Cities. New York: Springer. Kawamura, S. (1991). .Integrated Design of Water Treatment Facilities. London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. MWH. (2005). Water Treatment: Principles and Design (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley. Seidenstat, P., Haarmeyer, D. and Hakim, S. (2002). Reinventing Water and Wastewater Systems: Global Lessons for Improving Water Management. New York: Wiley. Thornton, J. (2005). The Water Book: Find it, move it, store it, clean it and use it. Guernsey Centre for Alternative Technology Publications.  Read More