UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

WATER UTILISATION DIVISION

WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT

WQB 780

2012 SEMESTER TEST

19 April 2012

Examiner: Prof. E. M. N. Chirwa Time: 150 minutes

Date & Time: 8:00 AM Maximum: 100 points

Instructions: 1. This is a CLOSED BOOK test. Consultation among candidates and reference
to material not supplied by the examiner and invigilator will result in
expulsion from the examination room and a failing grade for this test.
2. This test contains 6 questions. Please ANSWER ALL questions.
3. Write your answers in the answer book provided.
4. Write your name and student number on all submitted materials.
Q1 (a) Which of the following statements is true about the Thomas Slope Method for Statistical
determination of ultimate BOD, Lo, and biodegradation rate coefficient, k: ( 3 pts )

(
A. It is based on the simplified form of the convergent Taylor Series for the term Lo 1 − e − kt )
B. It is based on the simplified form of the convergent Taylor Series for the term
⎡ ⎛ kt ⎞ −3 ⎤
Lo ⎢kt ⎜1 + ⎟ ⎥
⎣⎢ ⎝ 6 ⎠ ⎦⎥
( )
C. It is based on the second derivative of the BOD removal term Lo 1 − e − kt which yield
⎡ ⎛ kt ⎞ −3 ⎤
the term Lo ⎢kt ⎜1 + ⎟ ⎥
⎢⎣ ⎝ 6 ⎠ ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎛ kt ⎞ −3 ⎤
( )
D. The series for the BOD term Lo 1 − e − kt and the term Lo ⎢kt ⎜1 + ⎟ ⎥ are equal up to
⎣⎢ ⎝ 6 ⎠ ⎦⎥
the third term, thus the latter term can be used to calculate BOD as a function of time.

(b) The velocity of water in a river soon after a strong storm event ( 3 pts )

A. increases drastically
B. increases marginally such that it can be considered unaffected during calculations
C. decreases as the cross sectional area of flow increases
D. is only a function of the flow rate Q

(c) For a water sample with the concentrations of Ca2+ = 74 mg/L and Mg2+ = 18.3 mg/L, the
hardness of the water in terms of calcium carbonate equivalents is ( 4 pts )

A. 260 mg/L as CaCO3

B. 66 mg/L as CaCO3
C. 4.7 mg/L as CaCO3
D. 1.3 mg/L as CaCO3

(d) In the case of Retief versus Louw in which the honourable Judges Bell and Cloete ruled against
Retief based on the Riparian Principle in the Roman Water Law, indicate how the Roman Water
Law might have been misapplied in the case. ( 4 pts )

[ 14 points ]
Q2 (a) Explain the significance of the reliability test in water analysis. ( 4 pts )

(b) A BOD5 test was conducted using seed wastewater with a strong BOD as seed in a standard
BOD5 test where the values of initial DO and the DO at day 5 were 8.8 and 2.4 mg/L,
respectively. A volume of 4.5 mL was used in the BOD test on the seed wastewater.

In the test on the target wastewater – a treated wastewater from the secondary clarifiers – the test
was seeded with 0.5 mL of the seed wastewater above. The test was conducted on 50 mL of
sample and the initial DO value of 7.8 mg/L and final DO value of 3.1 mg/L was recorded.

(i) Determine BOD5 of the seed wastewater. ( 2 pts )

(ii) Determine the BOD5 value of the effluent from the secondary clarifiers (sample) ( 3 pts )

(iii) Does the BOD5 value you find in (ii) above make sense? Explain. ( 2 pts )

(iv) If a blank of nutrient rich dilution water only has initial and final DO values of 8.7 and 7.5
mg/L, respectively, adjust the BOD value obtained in (ii) above to correct for the oxygen
demand of the dilution water. ( 5 pts )

(v) If degradation rate coefficient kd is equal to 0.47 d-1 (base e), determine the approximate
BODu of the secondary clarifier effluent. ( 2pts )

(vi) In this particular sample from the wastewater treatment plant, there is one component of
the BOD system that is ignored. State this missing component and how it could influence
the BOD analysis. ( 4 pts )

[ 22 points ]

Q3 (a) State the first principle of the Roman Water Law. ( 4 pts )

(b) Compare and contrast the old philosophy for Reserve Allocation to the new paradigm under the
National Water Act, No 36 of 1998. ( 4 pts )

(c) State how the general water allocation principles derived from the Roman Water Law apply to
pollutant load allocation to different users during the development of an Instream Water Quality
Management Programme. ( 6 pts )

[ 14 points ]
Q4 The following table shows results obtained from a chemical analysis of a decant from an
abandoned mine. The pH of the water has dropped drastically due to the formation of H2SO4 upon
contact with air. Determine the accuracy of the analysis and advise as whether further analysis is
required.

Ion (FW)* mg/l eq wt meq/l ΣTotals

Ca2+ 40 150
K+ 39.1 180
Cu2+ 65.55 88
Mg2+ 24.3 65
Na+ 23 12
FeIII(LIQUID PHASE) ? 133
HCO3- 61 658
CO32- 60 68
HS- 33.07 133
SO42- 96 295
-
Cl 35 17
pH = 1.8

FW = Formula weight

The following are the equilibrium equations of ferric iron in water.

Fe(III)TOTAL = Fe3+ + Fe(OH)2+ + Fe(OH)2+ + Fe(OH)3 + Fe(OH)4-

The dissociation coefficients for the ferric iron species are shown below:

[OH - ][Fe(OH) 2+ ]
Ka,1 = = 1.58 × 10 3, pKa,1 = -3.2
[Fe(OH) +2 ]

[OH - ][Fe(OH)2+ ]
Ka,2 = = 1.0 × 10 1, pKa,1 = 1.0
[Fe(OH)3 ]

[OH - ][Fe(OH)3 ]
Ka,3 = = 3.16 × 10 –2, pKa,1 = 2.5
[Fe(OH)-4 ]

(a) Complete the table. ( 9 pts )

(b) Perform an ion balance analysis and determine whether the analysis is acceptable or not.
( 5 pts )

[ 14 points ]
Q5 (a) In terms of the National Water Act 36, 1998, explain the difference between a "General
Authorisation" and an "Entitlement" to water use. Where a water use has been made permissible
under a license, for how long is the license issued under the Act valid? ( 6 pts )

(b) State at least 4 conditions under which a transfer of a Water Use License (WUL) can be
permitted in compliance with the National Water Act (Act 36, 1998). ( 4 pts )

(c) The International Labour Organisation (ILO) regulates the international trade practices and is
involved in legal aspects contracts across borders. Naturally, there is variations in legal
implications as they are formulated to protect the rights of citizens and safeguarding the future
of societies for which the laws are drafted. In the case of South Africa, there legal requirements
that all entities operating within the borders of South Africa will need to fulfil under the SA
National Water Act and Water Service Act.

(i) State at least 4 of the “performance requirements” in the context of SA that may not be
catered for under the ILO structures and policies. ( 4 pts )

(ii) What measures can be made to accommodate the participation of foreign entities to create
an investment friendly environment while protecting the political goals of the South African
society. ( 4 pts )

[ 18 points ]
Q6 The concentration of UBOD in a runoff of 600 L/s distributed over a river leach, L = 5 km, is
165 mg/L. The flow of the river at point A, QA = 135 000 m3/d. UBOD in leach A-B decays
with a rate coefficient of Kd1 = 0.48 d-1, base e. The starting cross sectional area at point A is
approximately equal to 20.00 m2.
20 km
Figure 1
w

Point Source 2
Point Source 1
Studied zone Qw2 =0.5 m3/s
Qw1 =0.6 m3/s
UBOD = 90.6 mg/L
UBOD = 1900 mg/L
5.0 km

x?
S
(
s = D 1 − e − K d 1⋅ x U
K
) s = so ⋅ e −Kd 2 ⋅x U

s=0 Y

20 km 38 km

A B X

Assuming the loading conditions calculated in the first 5 km persist for a distance of 20 km as a
continuous distributed load, and ignoring the effects of dilution along the section A-B:

(i) Calculate the UBOD and flow rate concentration in the river at the point B before adding
the Point Source 1. ( 6 pts )

(ii) Calculate the UBOD and flow rate concentration in the river at the point B after adding
the Point Source 1. ( 4 pts )

(iii) Calculate the UBOD concentration at a downstream point X, 38 km from point B,

assuming constant velocity in the stream. The microbial community downstream of B is
highly enriched by the incoming waste stream at B such that a higher degradation rate
coefficient, Kd2 = 0.74 d-1, is observed. ( 2 pts )

(iv) The 38 km location downstream of B is used as an intake to fish farms and the UBOD
limit at this location is stringently regulated at 10 mg UBOD/L. Assuming that load
superimposing could work, determine the distance upstream of the point X where a second
waste load of UBOD = 90.6 mg/L and Qw2 = 0.5 m3/s should be located without violating
the ambient limit of UBOD ≤ 10 mg/L at point X. ( 8 pts )

[ 20 points ]

TOTAL POINTS ..................................................................................................................... [ 100 pts ]

 APPENDIX 1

BOD in batch

dL
− = kd L
dt

L = Lo e − k d t

Using Strong Wastewater as Source of Microorganisms

(D 0 − D t ) - (So − S t ) f
BOD t =
P

where D0 = measured initial DO for sample+strong wastewater experiment, mg/L

Dt = measured DO at time t for sample+strong wastewater experiment, mg/L
P = dilution factor, Vsample/300
S0 = measured initial DO in bottle with strong wastewater only no sample, mg/L
St = measured DO at time t in bottle with strong wastewater only no sample, mg/L
f = ratio of seed-used/volume in seed test
are measured, Vseed-in-maintest/Vwastewater-in-seedtest.

Correction for BOD imposed by dilution Water

The difference in oxygen concentration from day one to day five in the seeded sample test before correction for
BOD of dilution water is calculated as:

ΔDOseeded = (Do – Dt) – (So-St)f, with values as defined above

The BODt corrected for the effects of BOD in dilution water is:

ΔD seeded - (1 - P)(B o − B t )
BOD t =
P

where P = dilution factor, Vsample/300

B0 = measured initial DO in blank (dilution water only), mg/L
Bt = measured DO at time t in blank (dilution water only), mg/L
STREETER-PHELPS EQUATIONS

Critical time of travel

1 ⎡k ⎛ k − k ⎞⎤
tc = ln ⎢ 2 ⎜⎜1 − D0 2 1 ⎟⎟⎥
k 2 − k1 ⎣ k1 ⎝ k1 L0 ⎠⎦

Critical Deficit

D=
k 1 L0
k 2 − k1
( )
e − k1tc − e − k 2tc + D0 e − k2tc

Sometimes simplified to:

k1
Dc = L0 e − k1tc
k2

Deficit at any point t

D= (e − e −k2t ) + D0e −k2t

k1L0 −k1t
k2 − k1

Log conversion, 10K = e2.303×K

i.e.

k(base e) = 2.303 × K(base 10) or K(base 10) = 0.434 × k(base e)

STREETER-PHELPS EQUATION

Log 10 computations

Critical time of travel

1 ⎡K ⎛ K − K 1 ⎞⎤
tc = log 10 ⎢ 2 ⎜⎜1 − D0 2 ⎟⎥
K 2 − K1 ⎣ K1 ⎝ K 1 L0 ⎟⎠⎦

Critical Deficit

D=
K 1 L0
K 2 − K1
( )
10 − K1t − 10 − K 2tc + D0 10 − K 2tc

Sometimes simplified to:

K1
Dc = L0 10 − K1tc
K2

Deficit at any point t

D=
K 1 L0
K 2 − K1
( )
10 − K1t − 10 − K 2t + D0 10 − K 2t

K(base 10) = 0.434 × k(base e) or k(base e) = 2.303 × K(base 10)