Water - Forms and Quality

Water – Forms and Quality

Water is unique in nature. Its uniqueness characterise it’s excellent of capability of dissolving the solute. As water undergoes hydrological continuous rainfall, runoff, infiltration, evaporation and use, thereby comes across with a vast range of solute by dissolving this solute to a lesser or greater extent. The quality of the water is determined by the kind and range of this dissolved solute together with colloidal and suspended substances.

Dissolved solute by water comprise of gasses like carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2), inorganic compounds likes calcium sulphate (CaSO4) and sodium chloride (NaCl), and organic substances such as carbohydrates and humic acids. By undertaking an evaluation of water quality; the dissolved parameters concentration that are significant to a certain use of the water has to be determine, in conjunction with the water microbiological and physical parameters. Some solute may not be insoluble in water while maintain suspension with colloidal or small suspended particles. Quality of water is affected by these particles and also must be determined their concentration and presence in water also.

They can be under micro-organisms category of substances. They are microscopic in nature and cannot be seen with the naked eye but can affect or make changes to the water properties (Schutte, 2001).

 Forms of Water

Water can be categorically form different phase of matter; where liquid phase found to be the most common among the phase of its matter within the earth surface and atmosphere and it’s the form quickly denote with word “water”. The solid phase could be regarded as ice and commonly takes hard structure inform of crystal; ice cube like or accumulated granular crystal, such as snow. The last phase found to be in gaseous state regarded as vapor or steam, when water attained certain critical temperature and pressure; liquid and gas phase become homogeneous fluid phase sharing same properties (Leigh et al., 1998).

 Water Quality

The general purpose of establishing water quality standards are to provide means of enhancement of water quality and prevention of water pollution; to protect the public welfare or health with probable public interest for potable water supplies, wildlife with other aquatic life, agricultural, industrial, recreational and to maintained and improve the biological integrity of the water of the state.

In order to maintained water quality; water should free from associated materials of municipal or domestic sewage, industrial waste or any others objectionable which will settle to form sludge, water should free from oil, debris and scum usually associated with domestic or municipal sewage, industrial waste discharge in a range sufficient to interfere with clean water uses, water must also be free from substances in accordance with municipal, industrial or other discharges that can change the water aesthetic; like colour, odour, turbidity or other objectionable condition which interfere with clean water uses, water should free from toxic, acidic, corrosive and caustic substances releases from industrial or others source in certain amount or concentration which are harmful to mankind, animal or aquatic life (Joseph, 2011).

Water quality is express as the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of water that engage a specific use of its fitness, these properties are engage through the substance which either suspended or dissolve in the water (Schutte, 2001).

Water quality control parameters has proposed by world health organization WHO and other international organization for regular monitoring; it’s so important for interval or periodic assess of these indicators in order to maintained these drinking water quality. Several standards have been set for regional, international and national level; these standards indicate the permissible maximum limit on many water quality indicators in order to ascertain the good health and adverse effect on the population consuming the water (Kutty et al., 1990).

Water Quality Parameters and Maximum Allowable Level

Proper care as been taken in preparing the drinking water quality parameters table for maximum permitted level and certify that balanced had been considered with flexibility been manage carefully without compromising the standard of consumer health of water system cost-effective viability. The indicators in Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality are been classified as Organoleptic or Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemical component, and Microbiological Parameters (SON, 2007), (Appendix 1V).