Understanding the initial use stage of cement mortar lining in drinking water distribution systems:Silicon and aluminum as stability indicators

The cement mortar lining(CML)of commonly used ductile iron pipes can severely deteriorate the drinking water quality at the initial stage of use,but the behavioral characteristics of different elements release from the CML in this stage is still unclear.In this study,dynamic immersion experiments with new cement mortar lined ductile iron pipe reactors were conducted under different feed water hardness and alkalinity conditions.The results showed that the release of alkaline substances from the CML at the initial stage of use could strongly influence the pH of water,which consequently greatly impacted the release/precipitation behaviors of calcium,aluminum and silicon.The pH and aluminum concentration of the effluent water could reach 11.5 and 700μg/L within 24 hr of hydraulic retention time,respectively,under conditions of relatively lower hardness and alkalinity.Due to the pH elevation,calcium carbonate precipitation could occur even at much lower feed water alkalinity.Whereas the aluminum and silicon could keep release from the CML in soluble form at different hardness and alkalinity levels,and their release rate depended on the amount of calcium carbonate precipitation.Thus,aluminum and silicon were more suitable as indicators of the corrosion intensity at the initial stage of CML use rather than the traditional calcium carbonate precipitation potential.Appropriate feed water hardness and alkalinity levels for mitigating the initial intense corrosion of CML were proposed:hardness>40 mg/L(CaCO_(3)),alkalinity>100 mg/L(CaCO_(3)).

Showering in Flint, MI: Is there a DBP problem?

Lead contamination in the City of Flint, MI has been well documented over the past two years, with lead levels above the EPA Action Level until summer 2016. This resulted from an ill-fated decision to switch from Detroit water(Lake Huron) with corrosion control, to Flint River water without corrosion control. Although lead levels are now closer to normal,reports of skin rashes have sparked questions surrounding tap water in some Flint homes.This study investigated the presence of contaminants, including disinfection by-products(DBPs), in the hot tap water used for showering in the homes of residents in Flint. Extensive quantitative analysis of 61 regulated and priority unregulated DBPs was conducted in Flint hot and cold tap water, along with the analysis of 50 volatile organic compounds and a nontarget comprehensive, broadscreen analysis, to identify a possible source for the reported skin rashes. For comparison, chlorinated hot and cold waters from three other cities were also sampled, including Detroit, which also uses Lake Huron as its source water.Results showed that hot water samples generally contained elevated levels of regulated and priority unregulated DBPs compared to cold water samples, but trihalomethanes were still within regulatory limits. Overall, hot shower water from Flint was similar to waters sampled from the three other cities and did not have unusually high levels of DBPs or other organic chemicals that could be responsible for the skin rashes observed by residents. It is possible that an inorganic chemical or microbial contaminant may be responsible.