GROUNDWATER

101 101:

by:DR. SAIM SURATMANDR. SAIM SURATMAN

O liOutline

1. Groundwater – General2. Groundwater: What?3. Groundwater: Why?4. Future in groundwater development

O liOutline

1. Groundwater – General2. Groundwater: What?3. Groundwater: Why?4. Future in groundwater development

Water Supply Sources of Large Towns in the WorldTowns in the World

100

60

70

80

90

100

20

30

40

50

60

Surface water (%) 

Groundwater (%)

0

10

terdam

ntwerp

rcelona

Berlin

russels

Vienna

amburg

lasgow

nhagen

Libson

London

Madrid

Moscow

Munich

Paris

terdam

Zurich

Tokyo

Chicago

Groundwater (%)

Amst An

Bar Br V

Ha Gl

Copen L M M M

Rott C

100%100%

Water Abstraction in Europe

COMPARISON – ENERGY VS WATER

WATER: Source of  Public Water Supply Malaysia

ENERGY:  Fuel Mix In Generation

Groundwater (Air Tanah) 

(MLD)162.31 20%

Malaysia

gas1.20%

Air Tanah (MLD)

g

coal

hydro

Surface Water 

Air Permukaan (MLD)

hydro

other forms of fuel

(Air Permukaan) (MLD)13330.698.80%

O liOutline

1. Groundwater – General2. Groundwater: What?3. Groundwater: Why?4. Future in groundwater development

What is Groundwater

Groundwater is water that is found that is found underground occupying all the voids in cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rocks. The area where water fills these spaces is called the saturated zone of the saturated zone of a geologic formation. The top of this zone is called the water table. The water table may be only a meter

below the ground

Groundwater Occurrences

(a) sand (b) rock fractures, and (c) rock solution cavities (limestone)

UnconsolidatedUnconsolidated rocks: rocks:  ConsolidatedConsolidated rocks: rocks:  ConsolidatedConsolidated rocks: rocks: 

•• Pore Pore spacesspaces

•• Large storageLarge storage

•• FracturesFractures

•• Small storageSmall storage

•• Karsts (Karsts (enlargedenlarged fractures)fractures)

•• Large storageLarge storage

GENERAL FACTS AND CONCEPTS ABOUT GROUND WATER

• Ground water occurs almost everywhere beneath the land surface.• Natural sources of freshwater that become ground water are:

1. areal recharge from precipitation that percolates through the g p p p gunsaturated zone to the water table (Figure) and 

2. losses of water from streams and other bodies of surface water such as lakes and wetlands.

• Ground water commonly is an important source of surface water• Ground water commonly is an important source of surface water. • Ground water serves as a large subsurface water reservoir.

GENERAL FACTS AND CONCEPTS ABOUT GROUND WATERABOUT GROUND WATER

• Velocities of ground‐water flow ll l d d fgenerally are low and are orders of 

magnitude less than velocities of streamflow.

• Under natural conditions ground waterUnder natural conditions, ground water moves along flow paths from areas of recharge to areas of discharge at springs or along streams, lakes, and wetlands. 

Groundwater Flow

• Pumping ground water from a well always causes (1) a decline in ground‐water levels (heads; see Figure) at and near the well, and (2) a diversion to thenear the well, and (2) a diversion to the pumping well of ground water that was moving slowly to its natural, possibly distant, area of discharge. 

Published: Tuesday July 27, 2010 MYT 2:52:00 PMUpdated: Tuesday July 27, 2010 MYT 4:12:16 PM

S’gor’s plan to use alternate water sources not sustainable: Chin

PR sustainable: Chin

By DHARMENDER SINGHPUTRAJAYA: The Selangor government’s plan to use alternative water sources like lakes and underground water does not make sense because they are not sustainable and cannot provide supply all year round, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin.

REJ

Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin.

He added that it took time for lakes and underground sources to build their water volume and, therefore, might not be able to replace quickly the 

amount siphoned out to water treatment plants.

UDI

STAR ONLINE, Wednesday May 19, 2010

Preserve underground water, says lecturerUNDERGROUND water should be left for future generations

ICE UNDERGROUND water should be left for future generations, 

a university professor recently said.Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Humanities lecturer Prof Dr Chan Ngai Weng said surface water was still adequate if measures were taken to minimise water wastage.

UM ARKIB : 30/09/2009UM ARKIB : 30/09/2009Lindungi sumber air bawah tanah semula jadi kitaPERSATUAN Air Selangor, Kuala Lumpur dan Putrajaya (SWAn) bersetuju dengan pandangan Presiden FOMCA, Datuk N. Marimuthu yang membantah projek pembangunan sumber air bawah tanah di Batang Padang, Perak yang dicadangkan oleh Sime Darby Berhad.

Eksploitasi sumber air mentah telah diketahui akan memberi kesan buruk terhadap ekosistem dan juga alam sekitar di Malaysia A t i kburuk terhadap ekosistem dan juga alam sekitar di Malaysia. Antara impak negatifnya ialah ia akan mengakibatkan penenggelaman tanah, berlakunya penyusupan air laut ke dalam sumber air bawah tanah atau sumber air permukaan serta penurunan paras air atau kadar aliran masuk.Terbukti pengekstrakan air bawah tanah secara berleluasa juga akan menurunkan dasar sungai-sungai dan tasik-tasik yang menjurus kepada lenyapnya sumber-sumber semula jadi kawasan tadahan air Malaysia. Bahkan landskap pertanian Malaysia iaitu tanam-tanaman juga akan terjejas kerana perubahan mendadak di dalam sistem sumber air bawah tanah semula jadi ini.

NEGATIVE PERCEPTION OR MISCONCEPTION ABOUT GROUNDWATER

• Groundwater is a limited resource

MISCONCEPTION ABOUT GROUNDWATER

Groundwater is a limited resource• Unreliable• Polluted• Difficult to extract• Expensive to develop

ff l• Difficult to maintain• Gives negative impact to the environment• Groundwater flows in underground river and stored• Groundwater flows in underground river and stored in storage like tanks filled with water

• No connection with surface water

FACTSBy REGINA LEE regina@thestar.com.my | Apr 13, 2012

Groundwater to be tapped for sustainable ppsupply

KUALA LUMPUR: Groundwater will be tapped inKUALA LUMPUR: Groundwater will be tapped in order to have a more sustainable water supply for the futurefor the future.Natural Resources and Environ‐ment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said the Government had to look at new water resources due to water shortages.

“Climate change brings about a lot of uncertainty and it may affect the water supply. The water g g y y pp yfrom some rivers is just too polluted so we are studying if groundwater can be exploited,” he said during the launch of the Malaysian Institute of Geologists (IGM) Outreach Pro‐gramme2012‐2013 here yesterday.

Uggah said the move towards groundwater instead of traditional rainwater catchmentUggah said the move towards groundwater instead of traditional rainwater catchment mechanisms was outlined in the National Water Resources Policy launched last month by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Map of TubewellTubewell

Distribution i S lin Selangor

Large capacity wellsO i b Th Opening ceremony by The Honourable Minister at the Dengkil groundwater scheme in Selangor

16 Mld well (Banting)

14 Mld well (Olak Lempit)

Hydrological Cycley g y

Surface and groundwater are often a single resourceSurface and groundwater are often a single resourceand all water is all interconnected!

Hydrogeological Diversity

Alluvial aquiferHardrock aquifer

Configuration of Water Table in a Humid climatein a Humid climate

Types of aquifers and wellsand wells

GROUNDWATER MYTHS• MYTH: GROUNDWATER IS OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.

– Fact: Yes. Outside Kelantan. Not so. Most people in Kelantan get their drinking water from groundwaterdrinking water from groundwater. 

The majority of bottled water companies use groundwater sources. 

It is groundwater that maintains the base flows to streams and rivers d l h h l h f l d hand is critical to the health of many wetlands in the state.

It is also not out of mind when groundwater related agencies are managing the sustainable use of the resource

• MYTH: SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER ARE TWO SEPARATE WATERS.– Fact: That is just plain not so Groundwater and surface water need toFact: That is just plain not so. Groundwater and surface water need to 

be seen as a whole entity in constant interaction, not as independent, separated resources. Groundwater and surface water mingle and interchange, perhaps several times in the water's journey.g , p p j y

Interaction between surface and groundwater

• Although we normally observe our g ysurface water system, we MUST recognise that surface and groundwater are often a SINGLE RESOURCE

• Any policy developed for water y p y pmanagement must treat water as a UNITARY resource

• Surface and groundwater flows and the services they provide should be y pconsidered in an INTEGRATED and HOLISTIC way.

O liOutline

1. Groundwater – General2. Groundwater: What?3. Groundwater: Why?4. Future in groundwater development

Groundwater Utilisations

Public Water Supply Private

AgricultureIndustrial

Source of Public Water Supply in K lKelantan

Penggunaan Air Tanah dan Air Permukaan di Kelantan

Air Tanah47%

Air Permukaan53%

Total groundwater production in Kelantan (1990‐2010)data source: SPAN Kelantan (1990 2010) 

data source: AKSB

Tapping groundwater – Typical Pumping Well Design

Tapping groundwater – Plenty of water

GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENTReduce dependence on only 1 (one) source of water

Provide reliable source of local water (avoid water import)( p )

Reduce dependence on imported water

Groundwater as a source of supplyOnly option possible (alternative)Most favourable alternative – in term of technical, economic & environment conditionseconomic & environment conditionsMost suitable quality for use – requirement of certain qualitiesT i t l t ( l t )To increase water supply guarantee (supplementary) –conjunctive useDuring emergency or period of drought – crisis driven

BENEFITS OF GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

• development in simple stages. This allows for a better fitbetween demand and supply, progressive financing and thepayment of works from revenues of the project alreadyfi i h dfinished;

• low capital expenditure, however, exploration cost could behigher

• little surface area (small foot print);• little surface area (small foot print);• local manpower can be used, maintenance cost are low and

may be solved locally & contribute to the development of thearea;

• water resources availability increased by evaporationreduction;

• the lowering of groundwater levels allow for valuableutilisation of shallow groundwater less evaporation;utilisation of shallow groundwater, less evaporation;

• groundwater is in most instances suitable for humanconsumption and safe without or with only simple treatment,hence, lower treatment cost;, ;

• water close to user, thus saving costly water lines; and• complex and sometimes unfair subsidising can be avoided.

CONJUNCTIVE USE OF SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER

• Conjunctive use is the coordinated management of surface and groundwater resources taking advantage of theirgroundwater resources, taking advantage of their complementary properties. 

• Both surface and groundwater storage are used to redistribute water in time to match supply and demands. However, surface and groundwater storage differ in storage capacity, recharge and depletion rates capital and operation costs and constraintsdepletion rates, capital and operation costs and constraints. 

SOLUTION: Conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater

Conjunctive useuse

(a) urban water‐supply and (b) irrigated agriculture with evolution from unplanned or spontaneous occurrencespontaneous occurrence to planned development

Advantage of Conjunctive useConjunctive use of surface water and groundwater combines the

33

advantage of groundwater storage with surface water system and serves as both corrective and remedial measures for efficient water management and use.

CONJUNCTIVE USE OF SURFACE AND GROUNDWATERGROUNDWATER

California Central Valley

C lif iCalifornia 

UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS OF

GROUNDWATER OVER-EXPLOITATIONGROUNDWATER OVER EXPLOITATION• Undesirable Effects 

groundwater level lowering;

spring and river flow diminution; 

Drying of wetlands;

degradation of groundwater quality either salinity increase or thedegradation of groundwater quality, either salinity increase or the increase of certain undesirable constituents;

land surface changes in the form of generalised or local land subsidence or ground collapsesubsidence, or ground collapse.

• Cause of Overexploitation the ignorance of what is happening and the negligence in getting the needed data to correctly evaluate the hydrogeological and economicneeded data to correctly evaluate the hydrogeological and economic situationIrresponsible overacting of water authorities, especially when they are poorly informed or lack of scientific technical skill to evaluate the poo y o ed o ac o sc e t c tec ca s to e a uate t ephysical problem

GROUNDWATER:GROUNDWATER:a manageable resourcea manageable resource

Basic means of managing groundwater g g gControl of extractionProtection from contamination

O liOutline

1. Groundwater – General2. Groundwater: What?3. Groundwater: Why?4. Future in groundwater development

Evolution of Groundwater Technology

Future in groundwater development

Subsurface Dam

UNDERGROUND DAM

P

PERMEABLE LAYER

IMPERMEABLE LAYER

Figure 5: Schematic Diagram Of Underground Dam

Artificial rechargeMethods:Methods:

induced infiltration bank induced infiltration, bank filtration & river releases

pond infiltration, percolation tanks,soil aquifer treatmentsoil aquifer treatment

if t aquifer storage and recovery (ASR = single well) & multiple wellsmultiple wells

Artificial rechargeMethods:

Recharge dam, Wadi al Fara, Oman

Retention of flood water to recharge groundwater

Bank Infiltration/Infiltration gallery

Bank Infiltration/Infiltration gallery

Bank Infiltration – RAW Water QualityQ y

Langat

JeliParameter Sungai Langat Groundwater

pH 6.7 7.1

Turbidity (NTU) 328.0 14.0

Conductivity211 94

Parameter Sungai Jeli Groundwater

pH 6.47 5.54

T bidi (NTU) 447 7 97

µS/cm211 94

N03 (mg/l) 9.1 1.12

T t l C lif>2420 

<1 MPN/100 l Turbidity (NTU) 447 7.97Total ColiformMPN/100ml

<1 MPN/100ml

E. coli 1414 MPN/100ml <1 MPN/100ml

RBF Sites

RBF in Australiaafter Thomas Grischek

DO WE REALLY NEED GROUNDWATER?DO WE REALLY NEED GROUNDWATER?

1. Groundwater as a source of supplyOnly option possibley p pMost favourable alternative – in term of technical, economic & environment conditionsMost suitable quality for use – requirement of certain Most suitable quality for use requirement of certain qualitiesTo increase water supply guarantee – conjunctive useuseDuring emergency or period of drought – crisis driven

2 Groundwater as a means of improving water 2. Groundwater as a means of improving water management

To improve management in IWRMUse of water reserves within aquifers

Future of groundwater in Malaysiag y

1. Groundwater as a source of supplyOnly option possibleOnly option possibleMost favourable alternative – in term of technical, economic & environment conditionsMost suitable quality for use requirement of certain Most suitable quality for use – requirement of certain qualitiesTo increase water supply guarantee – conjunctive useuseDuring emergency or period of drought – crisis driven

2 G d t f i i t 2. Groundwater as a means of improving water management

To improve management in IWRMUse of water reserves within aquifers

LARGE SCALE LARGE SCALE –– Public Water SupplyPublic Water Supply

Source: AKSB

LARGE SCALE LARGE SCALE –– Public Water SupplyPublic Water Supply

Source: AKSB

S ll f id i (fl di f i h bi d d Small foot print; better water quality;local

Inundation (flooding of inhabited, or good agricultural land) e.g. Sg. Selangor dam ‐600 hectares/ 6 sq km (3% of catchment area))

ALTERNATIVELY

Ad t f d t f tAdvantages of groundwater over surface waterresource:

Its supplies are not subjected to abruptchange as a result of abnormal weatherCheaper to develop: unpolluted, no orl t t t b f d d l d

• Dams are extremely expensive to build

• The flooding of large areas of land th t th t l i t less treatment before use and developed

stage by stageCan often be tapped near to where it isneeded, andDoes not require large impounding area.

means that the natural environment is destroyed

• People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out.

Problem:

Solution:develop sustainable groundwater