Turbidity and Removal Efficiency in the Main Water Purification Plants of Nineveh Province

Abstract

The present research focused on the measurement of raw water turbidity in a stretch of Tigris River that flows within Nineveh province with the determination of efficiency removal by different units of water purification.The work covered Five main water purification plants located on both banks of the river. From North to South, they are: The new project for water purification at left bank (al- gubba). The unified project for water purification at right bank, The old project for water purification at left bank, water project Al- Danadan and water project Al- Sallamiyah. The results revealed that turbidity values ranged between (1.2 - 27.4) NTU. These values are low and considered one of the positive results for the effect of Mosul dam lake on Tigris. The site with the lowest turbidity content was Al-Gubba and that with the highest content was Al-Danadan, since it is located at the center of Mosul city. The efficiency of sedimentation units widely varied from month to month and from plant to others. Generally, the efficiencies were low and their ranges wear restricted between (20 - 40%) in most samples. The efficiency of filtration units also varied widely in time and space and with low percentages. In (73.3%) of the samples, efficiency removal ranged between (1 - 50%). The results of total efficiency showed that the arrangement of water purification plants, in descending order were: The unified project for water purification at the right bank (70.7%), the new project for water purification at the left bank (Al- Gubba) (55.9%), water project Al- Sallamiyah (53.0%), water project Al- Danadan (42.6%) and finally the old project for water purification at the left bank (30.8%).