MODERN CONVENTIONAL WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND CHALLENGES FOR OPTIMAL UTILIZATION IN NIGERIA.

The need to ensure adequate provision of potable water over the years to Nigerians in rural, semi-urban and urban communities had been a challenge in spite of the abundance of water resources. It was observed that most water borne diseases or outbreaks that have occurred in the recent year were caused by the inadequate control of treatment facilities, contamination of untreated supplies, storage tanks, distribution system, interrupted treatment and ceasing attention to maintenance and operating details. Nigeria as a signatory to Millennium development Goals(MDGs) of recent therefore embarked on the construction of dams and modern water treatment plants t owards provision for people access to improved sources of drinking water. This paper discusses methods and processes in modern conventional water treatment plants as its being characterised by a degree of mechanization and automation which requires the eng agement of high skill personnel. The paper also highlights the challenges of modern conventional water treatment which lies in the maintenances of electrical/mechanical equipment and other operational facilities, manpower development, power supply, securit y, political will and continuity etc. The paper however concludes that well designed and constructed modern conventional water treatment plant does not guarantee regular provision of potable water and safety but proper and timely maintenance plan, regular power supply, adequate security, adequate political will and continuity, skillful and alert plant operation and attention to the sanitary requirements of the source supply and distribution system among others are equally important. All these depends on the readiness of the stakeholders( Government at all levels, private organisation and the general public) to work towards the realisation of the set goals as far as the provision of safe water for drinking is concerned. Keywords: Automation, Conventional, mechanization, technology, Water, water treatmen