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Water Quality in Apartments and Housing Societies

Water quality is often a factor of concern when deciding to buy a house in an apartment or a housing society. These optionsWater Quality in Apartments and Housing Societies are the top choices for people because of their extensive list of amenities and security. But in recent years, the water shortage has left even premium societies and apartments on the hunt for water. This is especially prevalent in Bangalore, a city that grew and expanded rapidly. Where the BWSSB water connection was not available, people resorted to tapping into the groundwater. This quickly became a regular practice and eventually led to the depletion of groundwater levels. 

These events led to apartments and housing societies looking for reliable solutions, and many apartments started setting up their own water treatment plants.

Water treatment plants in apartment complexes and housing societies

Apart from the water shortages and unavailability, there are several reasons why many housing societies are investing in water treatment plants.

Hard Water

Hard water can cause scales in vessels used to heat water, geysers, and pressure cookers. Hard water can also prove a problem for washing machines, leading to increased consumption of detergents as it reduces lathering. It also ruins the flavour of food if it is used for cooking; it prevents dal and rice from cooking and can make tea taste horrible. It doesn’t even quench thirst. Hard water forms scaling in pipes, which considerably reduces their lifespan. 

The best solution to tackle hard water is to use softeners, and hence they are commonly found in apartment complexes. Unusually centralised water softener systems are used to treat all the water used in the apartment premises. If centralised systems are not found, domestic softeners can be installed for domestic use. 

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

Total dissolved solids, or TDS, is the total amount of solids present in water. A TDS content of 300 to 500 ppm (or mg/litre) is acceptable and does not require treatment. Although, in many places, water often reaches TDS levels as high as 1000 ppm or more.

A RO system comes in handy in these instances as it can remove around 90 to 95% of TDS and provide good-tasting water. It can bring the TDS levels down to 20 to 30 ppm. It should be noted that hard water cannot be directly fed into RO systems as it leads to scaling on the RO membrane. It is best to use soft water for RO units. 

Suspended Impurities

It is common for water softeners to be damaged by suspended matter in water, so the softeners should be protected. This can be achieved by installing a pressure sand filter and an activated carbon filter, which protect the softener from the effects of chlorinated water and organic impurities. These filtration systems are also a must as a pre-treatment for RO systems.

Waste water generated by each treatment process

While each of these processes is effective in improving the quality of water, they end up generating huge quantities of wastewater. 

Filters: Filters generate waste of up to 10 to 15%. This means that filters require 110 to 115 litres of feed water to produce 100 litres of purified filtered water. The same applies to swimming pool filters too.

Softeners: The water lost due to recharge is as much as 30% if the inlet hardness is around 300 to 350 ppm for CaCo3 and increases as the inlet hardness increases. The feed water needed will be 130 litres or more for every 100 litres of soft water, depending on the hardness values.

RO plants: The domestic ROs used in individual households are the most wasteful, and the waste can be as high as 90% in the case of small units and close to 50 to 30% in the case of large RO systems. 

The need to reduce waste water from the treatment methods

Water treatment is essential for providing safe and usable water in apartment complexes and housing societies, but it often results in a lot of wastewater. This is especially concerning in cities like Bangalore, where water scarcity is a pressing issue. Reducing the wastewater generated by these treatment methods is crucial for sustainable water management.

Wastewater from treatment processes can add up quickly, contributing to overall water scarcity. To combat this, apartment complexes and housing societies can adopt more efficient technologies and practices. Innovations such as optimising treatment cycles, using high-efficiency systems, and regularly maintaining equipment can significantly reduce water waste.

By focusing on reducing wastewater, housing societies can make a substantial impact on conserving water resources. This not only helps mitigate water scarcity but also promotes sustainable living. Prioritising water efficiency and quality is essential for creating resilient and thriving communities, especially as urban areas continue to expand.

Water quality is a major concern for apartment complexes and housing societies, especially in rapidly growing cities like Bangalore. While water treatment plants are essential for dealing with issues like hard water and high TDS levels, they also produce a lot of wastewater. Tackling this issue means adopting more efficient technologies and practices.

By focusing on reducing wastewater from filtration, softening, and RO processes, housing societies can make a big difference in conserving water. This helps mitigate water scarcity and promotes sustainable living practices. As our urban landscapes continue to grow, prioritising water efficiency and quality is key to building resilient and thriving communities.

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