Ability of Felmann wells to improve the physical and microbial parameters of river water

Riverbank filtration can be used as an effective and low-cost method for water treatment of rivers for drinking purposes. In alluvial land consisting of loose sediments (e.g., sand or gravel) with a water table near land surface, one of the most economical methods for extracting water in large volumes is the use of wells with large diameter such as Felmann Well. In this study, we investigated the effect of Felmann Wells and riverbank filtration process on improving the water quality parameters of surface water. For this, Doogh River and a Felmann Well were sampled simultaneously within a 5-month period. SPSS software and T-tset were used to determine the significant difference between data obtained from chemical analysis. Comparison of water quality parameters of Doogh River and Felmann Well showed that riverbank filtration can play an important role in reducing the physical and biological parameters of water in Felmann Well drilled near the river. For drinking water purpose, the water quality of both Doogh River and Felmann Well was investigated using WQI (Water Quality Index). Hence, the WQI for Doogh River water varied from 50 to 57, which indicated the average quality of the water of the Doogh River. While, WQI value varied from 64 and 75 for the Felmann well representing a good water quality in the well. Results of this study showed that the Felmann wells which were drilled near the riverbank can play an important role in improving the water quality parameters of surface water for drinking purposes.