Abstract:
This article presents an analytical method to determine
the distance of a bank filtration well from a river
in commensuration with the desired percentage of
bank filtrate and removal of pathogenic compounds.
Applying least squares optimization technique using
Marquardt algorithm, the unknown parameter, distance
of the well from the river has been estimated.
The travel time in commensuration with the desired
percentage removal of pathogenic compounds has
been ascertained using the first-order decay equation.
For evaluating effectiveness of the technique, the
physico-chemical and biological parameters of
extracted bank filtrate from 22 wells located in the
vicinity of the River Ganga and the Upper Ganga
Canal network at Haridwar have been analysed for
the non-monsoon and the monsoon periods. The physicochemical
parameters of the extracted water showed
concentration much below the acceptable limits,
except turbidity. The percentage removal of turbidity
in the extracted water was found about 98 and 76
during the monsoon and non-monsoon periods
respectively, in comparison to water from the river/
canal. The count of biological parameters, viz. total
coliform and faecal coliform in the extracted water is
removed considerably (65% to 85%), but is found
above the acceptable limit. The reason could be mixing
of bank filtrate with the rich constituents in the
groundwater. It is suggested that bank filtration
dilutes groundwater quality and can be regarded as a
technique to conjunctive management of surface and
groundwater quality.
Keywords: Analytical
