This PDA is helping to assess the effect of riverbed clogging on the infiltration rates at locations of potential riverbank filtration systems used for drinking water supply.

Description

Many riverside communities and villages in Thailand use surface water as their primary source of drinking water, often subjecting it to only basic treatment (e.g. flocculation and settling) before pumping it to an elevated water tank and making it available for consumption. The high turbidity and poor water quality in many rivers represent only some of the risks inherent in this practice. Drinking water solutions that either minimize direct abstraction of surface water or further improve its quality before treatment and distribution would provide additional and much-needed drinking water security going into the future.

This PDA aims to assess the effect of riverbed clogging on the infiltration rates at locations of potential riverbank filtration (RBF) systems used for drinking water supply, with a view to assessing the anticipated operational performance at the site and as a tool to assess RBF feasibility in the future. This will be accomplished using a portable experimental apparatus, specially constructed for this purpose that can be transported via automobile to selected sites in Northern Thailand and coupled with existing water supply facilities to use raw river water and natural riverbed sediment to test the rate and extent of clogging on a site-specific basis under simulated natural conditions.

Expected Outcomes

• Assessment and regional comparison of riverbed clogging that is likely to occur in conjunction with the installation and operation of RBF water supply sites in Thailand, and recommendations for how installation should proceed to take this into account
• Further development of mobile experimental apparatus technology that enables relatively easy and rapid- determination of field conditions at a variety of sites across Thailand and potentially to other SEA countries, without the need for permanent one-time-use setups
• Information sharing and capacity building through attendance and active participation at the workshop of riverbed clogging and field excursion to RBF sites near Dresden
• Creation of greater knowledge and expertise in RBF technology within Thailand, not only in terms of DGR and KKU, but also indirectly through support services from private industries that will be involved in the work (e.g. Water Resources Engineering Co. Ltd.; Panya Consultants)
• Generate information that will form an important part of the operational plans and guidelines for RBF that will be used by stakeholders, many of whom are part of the project team (DGR, water utilities etc)
• Generate new knowledge and expertise for Thai researchers 'and practitioners within the water industry on RBF site selection and sustainability from an operational performance perspective.