Abstract:
Granting access to drinking water has been a challenge because 47% of the worldwide
population is not connected to a drinking water distribution network in rural settlements. This
study aimed to evaluate the contaminant removal efficiency in a conventional water treatment facility
in the Austro region of Ecuador, Paute, to identify the treatment units requiring hydraulic
resizing. Water samples were collected from each treatment unit to characterize the physical-chemical
and microbiological parameters, and the dimensions of the treatment ponds for hydraulic evaluation
purposes. Water hardness, electrical conductivity, SO42−, and Fe2+ were the main issues found
in the water, which failed to comply with Ecuadorian technical guidelines. The treatment units, such
as the flocculator, rapid sand filter, and storage tank, were resized to meet the demand of the future
population. In addition, the residual free chlorine was measured as insufficient in the community’s
tap water, showing an unprotected water distribution system to microbiological contamination. No
disinfection by-products were found despite the existence of biodegradable organic matter. The
findings of this research propose improvements in the deployed treatment practices to provide the
community with drinking water in accordance with the Sustainable Development Objectives (SDG
3 and SDG 6).
