Study of the Stability of drinking water supply of Burriana

Abstract

In this work the quality stability of the drinking water supplies analised in Burriana during three months has been studied. Three sources in differents points of the water supply network of Torreblanca managed by the council of Burriana that delegates on the dealer management (now Fomento de Contratas S.A. Facsa in Burriana): two on the city (A and B) and a third (C) on maritime district. In the studied period the temperature of the supply increase progressively being the C source (in the maritime district) the more fresh supply. The conductivity, the total dissolved solids (TDS) and chloride follow the same behaviour due to the fact that when temperature increases the solvent capacity of groundwater increases. Hardness (Ca2+ + Mg2+) and bicarbonate-carbonate system (alkalinity) show similar tendencies increasing progressively in the period but not significant differences between the three analysed sources, both show higher stability level. Sodium ion behaviour show a stable presence in all sources (around 230±10 ppm) and it is not possible to differentiate between the sources but it does not increase with temperature. Sulphates and nitrates increase with temperature but show three levels of quality (Q1 for the first days, Q2 for the middle days and Q3 for the last analysed days), in our believe the behaviour of the sulphates and nitrates is due to the management in the Osmosis Plant in order to reduce this parameters in Burriana groundwater source form agricultural fertilizers. The free residual chlorine measured during the period is for all samples around 1 ppm but show a relatively high standard deviation (40%) indicating a low level of accurancy in the chlorination system used for the supply. The chlorine presence and the no detection of ammonium in all samples guarantee a water free of organics. The Langelier Index (LI) used as a estimation of the adequate balance of hardness-alkalinity of the drinking water indicate waters that fit always the range between -0.5 (limit for low mineralized waters or non incrustance waters). All analysed parrameters fit the RD140/2003 and its developing regulations for drinking waters.