Performance Analysis of Bank Infiltration for the Removal of Selected Water Contaminants
The increasing population has led to a growing demand for high-quality water supply. Riverbank filtration (RBF) has been explored as a sustainable method to improve water quality by extracting groundwater from wells adjacent to rivers. This study investigates the effectiveness of RBF in improving water quality at Sungai Muda, located in Penang and Kedah. In-situ parameters, including pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, were measured on-site, while ex-situ parameters such as BOD, COD, nitrate (NO₃⁻), phosphate (PO₄³⁻), sulphate (SO₄²⁻), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) were analyzed in the laboratory. Results showed significant improvement in well water quality compared to river water, with reductions of up to 95% in several pollutants (p < 0.05). However, 5 out of 13 parameters did not show statistically significant differences and 3 parameters exceeded drinking water standards, namely conductivity, COD, and ammonia nitrogen. These findings indicate that RBF has the potential to enhance water quality, though further studies with extended pumping durations are recommended to assess long-term performance and stability of the filtration process
Authors
Abstract
The increasing population has led to a growing demand for high-quality water supply. Riverbank filtration (RBF) has been explored as a sustainable method to improve water quality by extracting groundwater from wells adjacent to rivers. This study investigates the effectiveness of RBF in improving water quality at Sungai Muda, located in Penang and Kedah. In-situ parameters, including pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, were measured on-site, while ex-situ parameters such as BOD, COD, nitrate (NO₃⁻), phosphate (PO₄³⁻), sulphate (SO₄²⁻), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) were analyzed in the laboratory. Results showed significant improvement in well water quality compared to river water, with reductions of up to 95% in several pollutants (p < 0.05). However, 5 out of 13 parameters did not show statistically significant differences and 3 parameters exceeded drinking water standards, namely conductivity, COD, and ammonia nitrogen. These findings indicate that RBF has the potential to enhance water quality, though further studies with extended pumping durations are recommended to assess long-term performance and stability of the filtration process
Citation
P.GEOL, DR. MOHD KHAIRUL NIZAR SHAMSUDDIN. 2025. Performance Analysis of Bank Infiltration for the Removal of Selected Water Contaminants. Digital NAHRIM Publication Repository.