Analysis of multimedia filter effectiveness to improve the quality of rainwater runoff in fulfilling urban raw water supply

Rainwater is recommended as a clean water supply through several water treatment methods. Based on preliminary data test results, several parameters exceed the sanitary hygiene water standard. This research aimed to improve the quality of rainwater runoff using the multimedia filter, which combined filtering and physical adsorption process. The combination of silica sand, activated carbon, and zeolite media was simulated into a pilot-scale of 1:2 reactor. Based on the first experimental results, the use of proposed media has a significant effect (p-value≅0) on several parameters. The best improvement in effluent quality reaches 100% in nitrites removal, 29% in nitrates removal, and 94.4% in total coliform removal. However, the media thickness variation factor has an insignificant effect (p-value 0.616) to effluent quality. Based on the second experiment results, hydraulic loading rate (HLR) variation shown a significant effect (p-value 0.01) on several parameters. Effluent quality improvement reaches 71.4% in nitrites removal, 100% in nitrates removal, and 91.9% in total coliform removal. However, variation in HLR gave an insignificant effect (p-value 0.769) on improving effluent quality.