Decolorising, Deodourising and Detasting of Delta State School of Marine Technology Coloured and Odorous Borehole Water

Burutu is a coastal town in Delta State, south-south region, an island that is surrounded by swampy and mangrove forest. Due to its swampy nature, both its surface and ground/borehole water are highly coloured. The colour is due to decayed organic matters over the centuries. The water has objectionable appearance, colour, odour and tastes, and as a result the water is unfit for drinking and other domestic uses. But when sodium hypochcorite, NaOCl, was added to the borehole water and made to pass through organic resins and activated carbon, these disagreeable qualities were effectively and efficiently taken care of. The NaOCl acted as a bleaching agent and as disinfectant, the organic resins trap the organic constituents, while the activated carbon also doubled as decolorizing and deodorizing agent. These three materials teamed up to produce water of agreeable quality.