Small Water Distribution System Operations and Disinfection By Product Fate

The Stage-2 Disinfectant and Disinfection By-Product (D/DBP) regulations force water utilities to be more concerned with their finished and distributed water quality. Compliance requires changes to their current operational strategy, which affect the formation of DBPs over time. This study quantifies changes in DBP formation and chlorine decay kinetics under different operational conditions and pipe materials found at many small-scale water utilities. A physical model (Pipe Loop) of a distribution system was used to evaluate the change in water quality from conditions such as having a high chlorine dosage entering the distribution system, using a chlorine booster system in the distribution system, and operation of clearwells/storage tanks. The High Chlorine Run (HC) is least favorable option with approximately 64% and 30% higher TTHMs than Normal Run (NR) and Chlorine Booster Run (CB), respectively. High Chlorine conditions also minimize the wall effects. The location of Boosters should always be after the storage systems to avoid extra contact time that can produce approximately 23% - 78% higher TTHMs. The following trends are discovered from the data analysis: Chlorine residual HC > CB > NR and TTHM NR > CB > HC.

Assessment of oxidative and UV-C treatments for inactivating bacterial biofilms from groundwater wells

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in natural environments and in water supply infrastructure including groundwater wells. Sessile-state microorganisms may build up on well surfaces as biofilms and, if excessive, cause biofouling that reduces well productivity and water quality. Conditions can be improved using biocides and other traditional well rehabilitation measures; however, biofilm regrowth is inevitable given the continuous introduction of microorganisms from the surrounding environment. Alternative and less invasive well maintenance approaches are desirable for reducing biofilm densities while also minimizing harmful disinfection-by- products. The primary objective of this research was to evaluate effectiveness of alternative treatments for inacti- vating microorganisms comprising biofilms. A novel approach was designed for in situ growth of biofilms on steel coupons suspended from ＇chandeliers＇. After more than 100 days of in situ growth, biofilms were harvested, sampled, and baseline biofilm densities quantifed through cultivation. Ultraviolet-C （UV-C） and oxidative treatments including hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）, ozone （O3） and mixed oxidants were then applied to the biofilms in laboratory-scale treatments. Microbial inactivation was assessed by comparing treated versus baseline biofilm densities. H2O2 was the most effective treatment, and decreased density below baseline by as much as 3.1 orders of magnitude. Mixed oxidants were effective for the well having a lower density biofilm, decreasing density below baseline by as much as 1.4 orders of magnitude. Disparity in the response to treatment was apparent in the wells despite their spatial proximity and common aquifer source, which suggests that microbiological communities are more heterogeneous than the natural media from which they originate.