Chapter 2 -

The water intakes

GCI 720 - Design: treatment plant for

drinking water
Autumn 2015
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 Content

Location of water outlets;

Types of water outlets;
Protective grids;
The filtering grids;
Sizing of the supply pipeline

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 AWWA, 1990

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Legal obligations

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 La prise d’eau
The water intake allows the supply of water at all times.
raw of the best possible quality;

The choice of water intake components depends

many factors such as:
The characteristics of the water source;
Current and future needs;
Variations in the quality/quantity of raw water;
Climate conditions;
Navigation;
Foundations;
Economic considerations.

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 Capacity

The estimated capacity of the source

Supply must be sufficient to
provide the flow corresponding to future needs.

The design of structures and water volumes

Withdrawals should not affect others.
users of the watercourse, whether they are placed in
upstream or downstream of the planned water intake;

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 Capacity

The flow that can be drawn from a water source

of non-regulated surface (capacity
supply) will be evaluated:
We will use the low flow rate over seven consecutive days.
having a recurrence period of two years (Q2-7) For
a lake or a reservoir, we will use the Q2-7 at the outfall.
The maximum flow rate that is allowed to be extracted is set at
15% of the original Q2-7, from which one must subtract the
upstream withdrawals.
outside of the low water period, it is permitted to extract
a water flow rate higher by up to 15% of
flow rate of the watercourse.

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 The water intake

Once the components of the water intake

are selected, the design must allow:
To adapt to water levels and the instability of the environment;
To allow water withdrawals at different
depths;
To protect the outlet against hydraulic events
extremes (e.g.: floods, ice jams, ice, debris, etc.)
To have the best quality water possible while avoiding the
polluted areas;
Routine maintenance and replacement of
equipment
A minimization of damage to the ecosystem.

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 Location of the water intake

The following elements must be considered:

The quality of raw water
Quality profile;
Depth and variation of quality in F(depth);
Presence of surface drains;
•The discharge point of wastewater treatment plants;
The presence of industries;
The wind, the waves, and the currents.
The depth
Maximum depth
Adequate depth to immerse the different water inlets;
Water inlets must be located at a depth where there is no
ice formation
Possibility of gravitational flow.

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 Location of the water intake

The following elements must be considered:

The presence of silt and sand (including the sites of
deposits);
Navigation;
The accumulation of debris;
The possibility of gravity feed;
The acceptability of water intake;
Presence of zebra mussels;
Environmental impact;
The proximity of the treatment plant;
The overall cost (construction + maintenance).

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 The water intake
its components
In general, the water intake is made up of
the following elements
Source
water
brute

Structure
Sieve of the
Driving Fine sieve Pumps
rude price
water

Conduct
of bringing

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 The water intake
its components

Kawamura, 2000

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 The water intake
The different types
Floating
Relative cost Operation Advantages Disadvantages
Quite inexpensive. Must be well established.
Draw water at
to be manufactured ex situ. Can only
a fixed depth
Low - Medium May be used if the take the water at 1
below the level of the
water level is a fixed depth under
surface.
low. the water level.

Qasim et al., 2000

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 The water intake
The different types
Submerged
Relative cost Operation Advantages Disadvantages
Can only withdraw
water at a single elevation.
Draw the water at a Simple, easy and little
Weak The water near the bottom can
fixed elevation. expensive to build.
to be of lesser quality
quality. Difficult maintenance.

The type of shoal (crib) Qasim et al., 2000

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Submerged driving

AWWA, 1990

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Submerged driving

AWWA, 1990

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 The water intake
The different types
The water towers
Relative cost Operation Advantages Disadvantages
Water sampling
Several valves allow for quality. They can be
Expensive to build.
withdraw water at different located in places where
Medium - Less accessible than
depths. This allows for the water is deep.
Raised the water intake located
select the horizon where the water is Possibility
on the shore.
of better quality. of drying out for
maintenance.

Qasim et al.,
2000
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The water towers

AWWA, 1990

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 The water intake
The different types
The water towers located on the shore
Relative cost Operation Advantages Disadvantages
Several valves allow for More expensive than the
Accessible for
collect water at different floating water intakes and
the interview.
Medium - High depths. This allows for submerged. Can
Withdrawal of a
select the horizon where the water require excavation
quality water.
is of better quality. of the banks.

Kawamura,
2000
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Water towers installed on the
shore

Qasim et al.,
2000
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[Link]

[Link]

The design
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 The water intake
The design
The conception period varies between 20 and 40 years.
The MDDEP suggests 30 years;

The water inlet(s) must be submerged:

The minimum water depth above the opening
must be the largest of the following dimensions: 1.5 m
or 2 to 3 times the diameter of the opening;
If there are risks of active defrasil formation, the water supply must
to be located 6-9 m below the surface;
If there are risks associated with the water waves, driving should be
located at 5-9 m below the surface;

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 The water intake
The design
The use of a water outlet with inputs
multiples allows adaptation to variations of the
water quality.

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 The water intake
The design
Water intake exposed to multiple entries
Criteria Values
Speed in typically: 6-9 cm/s; maximum: 15
the entrance cm/s
entries Multiples; At least 3
Variation of the level Minimal level design. Able to
water withstand floods (1 in 500 years)

Position and spacing of entries

Criteria Values
Vertical spacing Max : 3-5 m
Height above the bottom 1.5 - 2.4 m

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 Design criteria
specific - The water towers
Positioning: As close to the shore as possible.
Minimum depth of 3 m;
Shape and dimension: Circular or oval. The peak
the tower must be at least 1.5 m above
the water. The inner diameter must be sufficient to
install the valves and the pumps (if installed);
Structure: Concrete. Must withstand flooding;
Water entries: Variable depths; The distance
between the entries is 3-4.5m; The entry speed is
less than 0.3 m/s, if ice risk 0.15 m/s;
Use of gate valves and butterfly valves.
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Specific design criteria -
The water towers located on the shore
Positioning: Minimum depth of 1.8 m;
Structure: Concrete. Must be flood resistant;
Water inlets: The inlet speed < 0.45 m/s, if
ice and debris risk < 0.30 m/s;
Coarse sieve: Each entry must have such
sift and position at 60° to the horizontal;
Diamètre de 1.25 – 1.9 cm; Espacées de 5-7.5 cm;
under normal conditions, the speed between the bars
< 0.6 m/s;
Fine sieve: Often installed downstream of the coarse sieve;
The openings must be 5 – 9.5 mm.
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Specific design criteria -
Submerged
Shoal:
Positioning: Minimum depth of 3 m;
location where there are few sediments;

Submerged driving:
Dimension: minimum speed of 0.9 – 1.2 m/s;
Pipeline protection: 0.9 – 1.2 m of cover + 2.5
m3/m of rocks;
Slope: ascending or descending to avoid the
presence of air in the pipe;

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 Design criteria
specific - screening units
Coarse sieve: Each input must have a
such a mesh. The bars have a diameter of 13 - 19
mm and are spaced 5 - 8 cm apart; Under the
normal conditions, the speed in the opening is
< 0.08 m/s under average design conditions;

Fine sieve: The bars have a diameter of 5 - 9.5

The speed is < 0.6 m/s at maximum flow of
design; Facteur d’efficacité de 0.5 – 0.6; Nettoyage
recommended automatic (water or air pulsated).

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Coarse grill

AWWA, 1990

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Fine mesh fence

AWWA, 1990

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 Fine sieving - criteria of
conception MDDELCC
It must be located in the bank view, at the post
pumping of raw water or at the entrance of the plant
(if it is a gravity supply).

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 Manual cleaning grids

The manual cleaning grid is slightly

inclined (to facilitate scraping) and is
overcome by a platform that facilitates the
manual collection of debris removed from the water.
grill must be removable and equipped with a system
mechanical or motorized allowing its lifting to
for cleaning purposes. The stems that make up the
grilles must be robust in addition to being
straight, round or rectangular

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 Mobile cleaning grilles
automatic
These grids are composed of a series of sieves
rectangular whose mechanical movement is
rotating and ascending. Each sieve is cleaned
by jets of water when it reaches the level of
floor.

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 Fixed grills for cleaning
automatic
These grilles, fixed and robust, are equipped with a
scraping system allowing to manage
effectively important quantities of debris of
different sizes.

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Choice of technologies

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Design criteria -
Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Cultures du Québec

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 Design criteria -
Conduit of supply
The inflow pipeline allows for the transfer of water
from the submerged water intake to the pumping site
located on the shore;

Possibility to build a tunnel or to use a

driving
Tunnel used in large installations (Ex :
Montreal
Reliable and expensive
Conduct used in small-medium installations;

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 Design criteria -
Inlet duct
The choice of the water feed speed depends on
at a high speed that increases the loss of
charge in the driving and a low speed that
favours sedimentation:

90-120 cm/s at maximum flow;

45 - 60 cm/s at average flow.

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 Illustration - water intake from the
city of Sherbrooke
The water intake is located on the Lake
Memphremagog
~ 150 m from the bank;
Depth ~ 15 m;
Submerged driving
in concrete, with joints
bolted
At the end, elbow to
90°
Capture at 2.5 m
from the bottom.

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Illustration – water intake of the
City of Sherbrooke

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Illustration - water intake of the
city of Sherbrooke

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 Water transport from the intake
water at the treatment plant
Centrifugal pumps are typically used
for the transport of water;

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Transport of water from the intake
water at the treatment plant

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 Transport of water from the outlet
water at the treatment plant
The following elements must be considered during the
pumping station design steps:

Need to equip the pumping station with a system of

degrilling

Take into consideration the use of a system of

variable flow pumping (based on the use of
variable frequency training or valves
modulators) depending on the type of treatment envisaged at
treatment post;

The pumping system must be equipped with a system of

measurement or calculation of pumped flows;

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Pumping station

Qasim et al.,
2000
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 Water transport from the outlet
water at the treatment plant
Can be done by different means:
Driving under pressure;
Canal
Aqueduct;
Etc.

[Link]

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 Water transport from the intake
water at the treatment plant
The design of this conduct is based on considerations
hydraulics
Ref: GCI 410 or Chapter 7 of Qasim et al. (2000)

The following elements must be taken into consideration during the steps of
conception:
The speed in the conducting layer should not exceed 1.5 m/s, although it is preferable
that it should be between 0.7 and 1.2 m/s;
For gravity-fed pipelines, special attention must be paid
brought to the driving profile in such a way that the piezometric line along
the pipe must be under all specified flow conditions higher than the profile of the
driving, this in order to prevent the formation of negative pressures in the
driving
Cleaning chambers must be provided at each low point of the pipe.
The chamber drains will not be drained into a sewer line;
Automatic air purgers must be provided at each high point;
For large diameter pipes, inspection chambers must be
installed every 300 m;
Plan a way to introduce chlorine into the pipeline for maintenance purposes;

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 Necessary information
Design flow rates: Qmax;

Proposed position(s);

Variation of the water level;

Location of the water intake

Selected type of water intake.

Preferences of the factory operator;

Information about the site;

Information from the authorities

Recognized design criteria
Recognized Technologies / Equipment

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See design example of
Qasim - Chapter 2

Qasim et al.
2000
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 Suggested lectures

Qasim, Edward et Zhu, (2000).Water Works

Engineering. Planning, Design & Operation.
pp. 125 – 157;
pp. 158 - 223 (for water pumping system)

MDDEP, (2003). Design guide for

drinking water production facilities.
Chapters 7 and 9.

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 Suggested exercises

Qasim, Edward, and Zhu, (2000). Water Works

Engineering. Planning, Design & Operation.
P.157
6.10 and 6.11.

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