Investigation of Scale-Forming and Corrosiveness Potential of Drinking Water (Case Study of Shiraz Drinking Water Distribution System)

This research was conducted to investigate the potential of scale forming and corrosiveness of drinking water in the reservoirs and drinking water distribution network in Shiraz, Iran.The area under study was divided into 17 zones. During winter, spring, and summer 2011, 144 water samples were collected from the water reservoirs and the various sites of water distribution system. The chemical parameters were measured. Then, values of the Langelier (LI), Rayznar (RI), Larson (LI) and aggressive (AI) indices were calculated for each sample. In this research, 41 samples of home pipes were collected from different zones of Shiraz and the rate of scale formation was calculated for each sample. The scale composition of 33 home pipe samples and 8 network pipe samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction method. Results showed that the mean values of LI, RI, LS, and AI were 0.07 (considered as slightly scale forming), 7.1 (non-scale forming), 1.2 (corrosive), and 14 (non-corrosive) respectively. The average rate of scale formation and their values for the drinking water of Shiraz pipes is 0.26 mm/yr. The research found that the main compositions in the scale samples were calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, hematite, maghemite, magnetite, goethite, zinc oxide, gypsum, vivianite, dolomite, hydroxyapatite, and troilite. The main elements in the scale samples were magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, zinc, copper, and lead. According to the results of this research, zones located in the east, south, and southeast of Shiraz, because of high levels of hardness and sulfate exhibit more scale formation as a problem.