Riverbank Filtration for Water Supply: Indian Experience

The efficiency of three RBF systems has been presented. At Haridwar dug wells are water abstraction devices and the source water is the River Ganga which is relatively less polluted. In non-monsoon months, RBF reduced turbidity and coliform by 1 and 3 logs respectively. Removal in monsoon increased to more than 2 and 4 logs for turbidity and coliform respectively. Vertical tube-wells in the vicinity of the Lake Nainital pump lakebank-filtrate at Nainital. The well water when compared with lake water showed 5.2 log removal of total coliform, 4.2 log removal of fecal coliform, 1.4 log removal of turbidity and 1.6 log removal of COD. At Mathura, water is collected by a radial collector well placed in the bed of the River Yamuna, a polluted river. Reduction in DOC and UV absorbance was 0.3 log. Colour decreased by 0.4 log. Total and fecal coliform removals were 2.6 and 1.3 logs respectively.