Design of Water Treatment Plant for a Residential Building

Abstract

This research presents the planning and design of a small-scale Water Treatment Plant (WTP) for a residential apartment located in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The selected raw water source is Goverdhan Sagar Lake, a local surface water body that, while abundant, contains chemical and microbial impurities rendering it unfit for direct consumption. A series of physico-chemical tests conducted on lake water and existing bore well supply confirmed that essential water quality parameters exceeded the permissible limits set by standards. Based on the analysis, a compact and modular WTP was designed consisting of a submerged intake structure, screening chamber, pressure filtration system, zeolite-based softening unit, and a chlorine disinfection tank. Calculations for domestic and fire water demand were also done, ensuring the treatment plant meets peak and emergency scenarios. Along with that, recommendations for sustainable practices through energy-efficient pumping, sludge management, and future adaptability for zero liquid discharge (ZLD) or reuse. This provides a base model for small-scale water treatment and leaves scope for future scholars or engineers to improve and expand on the design.

Introduction

• Clean water remains a challenge in India due to groundwater contamination and polluted surface water.

• Satyam Tower, a 7-floor residential complex in Udaipur with 56 units, currently relies on groundwater that exceeds safe limits for hardness, nitrate, and fluoride.

• Goverdhan Sagar Lake is considered a better alternative, but still needs treatment before use.

II. Research Aim

• To design an efficient, compact, and cost-effective WTP for a fixed residential population.

• The plant should meet IS 10500:2012 standards, serve domestic and fire-fighting demands, and include sustainability features (like sludge reuse and energy-efficient pumping).

III. Water Source

• Goverdhan Sagar Lake:

  • Rain-fed, supplemented by Pichhola Lake.

  • Catchment area: 2.56 km²; max capacity: 9 million m³.

  • Reliable even in dry seasons.

IV. Methodology

A. Data Collection

• Reviewed IS codes, scientific literature, and textbooks.

• Calculated water demand based on the building population.

B. Water Quality Testing

Parameters tested:

• pH

• TDS

• Hardness

• Nitrate

• Fluoride

• Chloride

C. Treatment Process Design

Includes:

1. Screening – removes debris.

2. Filtration – pressure filters eliminate fine particles.

3. Disinfection – chlorine to kill microbes.

4. Softening – reduces hardness.

D. Storage & Distribution

• Treated water will be stored and distributed to apartment units.

V. Water Demand Calculation

• Population: 526

• Per capita demand: 135 LPCD

  • Avg. daily demand: 71,010 L/day

  • Max. daily demand: 1,27,818 L/day

  • Peak demand: 2,13,030 L/day

  • Losses (10%): 2,34,333 L/day

VI. Fire Demand

• Using Kuichling’s formula:
  Q=3182P=2307.77Q = 3182 \sqrt{P} = 2307.77Q=3182P?=2307.77 L/min (where P = 0.526 thousand)

• Converted fire draft: ~33.2 lakh L/day

VII. Coincident Draft (Design Benchmark)

• Coincident draft = max (max daily demand + fire demand, max hourly demand)

• Result:
  Coincident draft = 34,51,006.8 L/day
  → Used to design the distribution system.

VIII. Testing Results

• Comparison of lake water and apartment tap water with IS 10500:2012 standards confirms the need for treatment.

• Lake water is better than groundwater but still not potable without treatment.

Conclusion

The design of a water treatment plant for residential building is crucial for providing clean and safe potable water. This project systematically analysed the population, water demand and water parameters for treatment processes, including filtration, softening and disinfection, to produce water that meets standard parameters. The design decisions were taken keeping in mind for small-scale implementation. Moreover, this paper also explores on the topics related to sustainable practices which can carry in plant like use of renewable energy sources, sludge management, reusing of water, etc.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. Ajay Nagda, Ankit Kumar Thakur, Nitin Dadhich. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.