An assessment of the performance and maintenance culture of the ahmadu bello university, samaru, zaria water treatment plant

Project Abstract

<p> he project “An Assessment of the Performance and Maintenance Culture of Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru, Zaria, Water Treatment Plant”aimed at assessing the performance and the maintenance culture of the Ahmadu Bello University Water Treatment Plant (ABU WTP).The technique of survey method, monitoring of treatment process and questionnaires were used to obtain and process the required data. Therefore, each treatment unit was visited and critically examined, treatment processes monitored, leakages along the distribution network monitored for five weeks; and base on this approach, some performance indicators (PIs) were selected and their values were computed and compared with known standards. It was observed that the pump efficiency was 76% which is acceptable. About 1150.2 liters (303.9 gallons) that is 0.024% of water loss as a result of leakage along the pipelinewithin five weeks. The workability of the plant units was 85%, the availability of power at the plant was 95.83% and the average daily time of power supply is found to be 22 hours.The plant uses chlorine as disinfectant and this is acceptable by World Health Organization (WHO).The materials used for the Tanks and Reservoir is of International Standard (Concrete and Block). The maintenance culture predominant in the plant is preventive maintenance. The automatic dosing machine at the plant was unserviceable, hence dosing is done manually, this is not acceptable by international standard. The overall performance of the treatment plant was found to be 50%; this performance is very low comparing to the assessment criteria. <br></p>

Project Overview

<p> INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Drinking water is a fundamental requirement of the human body. Good quality drinking water is primarily sourced from rainfall or from surface water sources such as streams, rivers, springs, and lakes (IWMI, 2000). Where these surface waters do not exist or where they exist in quantities that cannot adequately support the dependent populations, ground water resources are exploited in the form of wells and boreholes to provide this vital body requirement (Adakole and Abulodi, 2011).Water has and continues to be the center of ancient and present day civilizations for sustenance (Anon,2004). Water occupies about 75% of the earth’s surface. Freshwater (surface water) resources are limited to less than 30% of the earth‘s hydrosphere, making potable water still more limiting (Newcome et al., 2005). Rainfall is the primary source of water. Before present day developments and in some rural areas in developing countries, rain water is still relatively very clean and it is directly abstracted for drinking and used for other domestic purposes without any significant consequence (Bellamy et al., 2000). Rainwater flows into streams, rivulets, rivers and lakes which are referred to as surface water sources (Cornwell and Macphee, 2001).<br>Also, under heavy and sustained rainfall, rainwater ponds on the ground and slowly infiltrates and percolates through layers of porous strata until it reaches impervious stratum where it forms pools to become ground water (Young,2006). Globally, all sources of water are inter-related in a continuous circulation known as the hydrological cycle in which surface water, ground water, seas and oceans are influenced by meteorological interactions like evaporation, transpiration and edaphic movements (infiltration and percolation). The water environment – including the oceans, rivers, streams, groundwater, all seas and adjacent<br>2<br>coastal areas – forms an integrated whole that is an essential component of the global life-support system. Recent climatic changes have resulted in extreme conditions of floods, landslides and droughts, which have in some regions become disastrous in their consequences (WHO, 1994). It is vital for human being to have cleandrinking water. This is why the Ahmadu Bello University community drinking water in Samaru-Zaria must meet many different quality standards and has to go through a sequence of maintenance to have an efficient performance. Surface water withouttreatment cannot be used as municipal drinking water because it has high concentration of natural organic matter (NOM) which can be harmful for human health and can form intolerable reactions or biological growth in distribution systems (Aboludeet al.,2009). Hence, without adequate maintenance culture, the water treatment plant performance can never be of acceptable standard. It is against this backdrop that the present work is concerned with the assessment of the performance and maintenance culture of the Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru-Zaria water treatment plant for efficient supply of drinking water. It is a work geared towards evaluating the operations of ABU water plant in terms of pump efficiency, quality of treated water, water pipelines, tanks and reservoir. 1.2 Problem Statement<br>The heavy burden of shortage of water treatment and distribution by the negligence in maintaining the plant systems gave birth to the idea of maintenance culture of water treatment plant. The development of expensive, complex and highly-developed equipment, and machinery which led to the need to achieve higher product quality, longer machine life, higher machinery effectiveness and operational safety, has motivated the effort to improve maintenance concepts(Al-Najjaret al., 2001).<br>3<br>Also, one of the major challenges associated with water treatment plant is leakages along the distribution lines. While efforts are being made to improve the supply situation, poor maintenance culture is paid toward minimizing the losses, particularly leakages due to faulty fittings (Lambert, 2002). Iron corrosion is one the most complicated and costly problems facing the plant drinking water facilities. Water treatment is one of the most challenging and complex systems that municipalities need to deal with considering limited resources. A study from mid-90s showed that the continuously deteriorating Nigerian water supply system would require N3.1 billion to bring the system at satisfactory level. Unfortunately, since the commissioning of ABU water works in 1981, the Ahmadu Bello University water supply plant is still at Phase-I state, while the entire campus population has increased tremendously (Tukura et al., 2011). This means that the supply currently may be inadequate orthe plant maintenance has been neglected. 1.3 Significance of the Study The result of this research issues is very expedient in view of the following: Firstly, adequate understanding about the quality treated water distributes by of Ahmadu Bello University water treatment plant, the pump efficiency, the leakage rate, volume of water loss per weekand the predominant maintenance culture at the plant. Secondly, the research will suggest way of reducing the volume of water leakage along the pipelines. Also, findings of the study will contribute much needed information on the effective maintenance culture at the ABU WTP.<br>4<br>1.4 Aim and Objectives The aim of this research is to assess the performance and maintenance culture of Ahmadu Bello University water treatment plant for efficient delivery of portable drinking water. The Specific objectives of this research therefore are as follows:<br>i. To access the Ahmadu Bello University Samaru Zaria water treatment plant processes and the predominant maintenance culture.<br>ii. To assess the pump efficiency and performance indicators of the Ahmadu<br>Bello University, Samaru-Zaria water treatment plant.<br>iii. To determine the plant’s operational efficiency in terms of staff, quality of<br>treated water and rate of leakages and causes. 1.5 Scope of the Study The scope of the present research was to study the performance and maintenance culture of the ABU water treatment plant by assessing the plant’s components like tanks, pumps, treatment process, pipelines and quality of treated water. A questionnaire was used to assess the maintenance culture predominant in the plant. This study was not in any position to medically investigate and examine the type of diseases associated withdisinfectants by-products (DBPs)or the potential health effects associated with long term exposure already documented in literature (Adakoleet al., 2011). 1.6 Justification<br>Machines, buildings and other service facilities are subject to deterioration due to their use and exposure to environmental conditions. Process of deterioration, if unchecked culminates in rendering these facilities unserviceable and brings them to a standstill. The task<br>5<br>of maintenance is to keep the above in satisfactory condition, according to standard set by management, keeping in view the cost aspect also. Water treatment is one of the most challenging and complex systems that municipalities need to deal with considering limited resources. Such will constitute a basis for advocacy for an appropriate agency of school to supervise water treatment. Proper maintenance culture will enhance efficient functioning of the plant components for adequate delivery of portable drinking water to the end users.<br>6 <br></p>