WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY CONTROL IN KISUMU CITY

The city is supplied with water from KIWASCO water treatment plant located in Dunga. The plant obtains its water from L. Victoria.

Water is pumped into the plant from the lake. Sodium carbonate is added to obtain a p H of 7 for proper coagulation.

The water moves at a slow speed for coagulation of impurities and suspended particles into larger particles that can settle down at the sedimentation tank.

Samples are taken for jar test at this stage.

Sedimentation 

Water enters slowly for proper sedimentation. The floc blanket settles down.

More tests on p H, color and turbidity are done. The suspended solids should be zero.

The tank is trapezium-shaped.

Stones are arranged from fine sand at the top to pebbles at the bottom. Pipes are placed strategically at the bottom to take in filtered water.

Water is passed through the filters from the bottom to the top. This is done to clean the filters

Water is pumped into a tank where chlorine is added to remove oduor, color and kill pathogens.

The recommended residual chlorine is 0.2-0.3 mg\l.

The water is then pumped to the city.