Project Objectives

The Saph Pani project aims to study and improve natural water treatment systems such as river bank filtration (RBF), managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and wetlands in India building local and European expertise in this field. The project aims to enhance water resources management and water supply particularly in water stressed urban and peri-urban areas in different parts of the Indian sub-continent.

The objectives are:
Improve scientific understanding of the performance-determining processes occurring in natural treatment processes (managed aquifer recharge and wetlands)
Study removal and fate of important water quality parameters such as pathogenic microorganisms and faecal indicators, organic chemicals, nutrients and metals
Investigate hydrological characteristics (infiltration and storage capacity) and eco-system functions
Improve water resources management strategies (e.g. by providing buffering of seasonal variations in supply and demand)
Evaluate the socio-economic value of natural water treatment, taking into account long-term sustainability and comprehensive system risk management.

The picture below shows the overall Saph Pani approach with the main technology areas and their relation to work packages. Please click on the areas of the picture to get further information.

WetlandsSystem ModellingAssessmentBank FiltrationAquiferPost treatment

The project focuses on a set of case studies in India. These will include a range of natural water systems and treat-ment technologies investigated by different work-packages such as bank filtration (WP1), managed aquifer recharge (WP2) and constructed wetlands (WP3) as illustrated above. The field site investigations will include hydrogeological, hydrological and geochemical characterization and depending on the degree of site development water quality monitoring or pre-feasibility studies for new treatment schemes. In addition to the natural treatment systems the investigation will recommend appropriate pre- and post treatment (WP4) steps to produce potable water quality and to avoid clogging of the sub-surface structures. The experimental and conceptual studies will be supported by modelling (WP5) which improves the theoretical understanding of the sites and enhances the transferability of results. A sustainability assessment will be performed, covering health, environmental, economical, institutional and social aspects (WP6).