Concept for drinking water treatment of tropic surface waters: A case study for Brasília DF, Brazil

Abstract

To assess strategies to overcome the future challenges in drinking water treatment and supply for the capital of Brazil, Brasília and its Federal District, the current state was reviewed. Based on this analysis, possible ways of improving water supply in the future were proposed for this region. For the development of a concept, the special features of treating tropic surface waters had to be taken into account. These include significant changes in the quality of the surface water sources due to a high variability in rainfall. Furthermore, the indispensable use of anthropogenically influenced raw water resources to meet the increasing future water demand is of special importance. The recommendations for the future water supply include the application of advanced treatment technologies such as nanofiltration or reverse os-mosis combined to coagulation and ultrafiltration as pretreatment and activated carbon adsorption and disinfection as post-treatment.