# Presentation: 525547

## TREATMENT OPTIMIZATION AND Comprehensive Performance Evaluations (CPEs)

- Presented by Rick Lieberman

## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

- Presentation Material was Furnished by Several Members of the Center for Drinking Water Optimization (CDWO)
- What is the CDWO?
- Formed by Cooperative Agreements Between EPA and Two Universities:  the U. of Colorado and the U. of Cincinnati

## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

- Who are the Members of the CDWO?
- University of Colorado’s Department of   Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (Scott, Joy)
- University of Cincinnati’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Jim)
- Process Applications, Inc.  Located in Ft. Collins, CO (Bob, Larry)
- EPA’s Technical Support Center located in Cincinnati, OH (Jon, Eric, Gwen, Rick)

## Optimized Water Treatment

- What is it?
- Why Pursue it?
- How to Accomplish it State-wide?
- Where do CPE’s Fit in?

## Optimization is a Choice

- M/DBP Regulations

- Public Involvement

- Exposure to  Liability

**Optimization**

**Status Quo**

## What is Treatment Optimization?

- Proactive Attitude
- Water Quality Focus
- Optimized Performance Targets
- Sedimentation - 1-2 NTU
- Filtration - < 0.1 NTU
- Post backwash - < 0.3 NTU for less than 15 minutes

## What is Treatment Optimization (con’t)?

- Use Existing Facilities
- Enhanced Staff Capability
- Maintain Long Term
- Process, Not End-Point
- Each Plant Is Unique

## Basis for 0.1 NTU Target

- AWWA Statement of Policy. 1968.  Quality Goals for Potable Water, *Journal AWWA*, 60(12):1317
- Goal of less than 0.1 unit of turbidity
- “There is evidence that freedom from disease organisms is associated with freedom from turbidity...”
- “Improved technology in the modern treatment processes makes this a completely practical goal.”

## Basis for 0.1 NTU Target (Con’t)

- Research by Patania (1996)
- Meeting filter effluent turbidity goal of 0.1 NTU most effective for cyst removal
- 3.4 - 5.1 log removal of *Giardia*
- 2.7 - 5.9 log removal of *Cryptosporidium*
- Increase in turbidity from <= 0.1 NTU to 0.3 NTU affected cyst removal (up to 1 log)

## Basis for 0.1 NTU Target (Con’t)

- Research and Full-scale Work by Nieminski (1995)
- Removal of cyst-size particles and turbidity effective indicators of cyst removal
- Consistent removal rates when producing water of low turbidity (0.1 - 0.2 NTU)
- 2.2 - 4 log *Giardia*
- 1.9 - 3 log *Cryptosporidium *
- Changes in performance resulted in high variability in cyst concentrations

## Why Optimize Treatment?

- Increase Public Health Protection
- Reduce Liability
- Enhance Staff Capability
- Facilitate Compliance

## Public Health Challenge -  Giardia and Cryptosporidium 

- Routinely Detected in Surface Waters
- Resistance to Conventional Disinfection
- Effective Removal Essential
- 0.1 NTU Indicator of Effective Removal

## Milwaukee, WI  Disease OutbreakDiarrhea Onset & Max Plant Effluent Turbidity

## Liability Implications

- Disease Outbreaks Lead to Liability Concerns
- Compliance _No_ Protection From Liability - Product Liability
- Sydney - Liability w/No Outbreak
- Compensation for lost income
- Senior managers fired
- Optimization = Insurance Policy
- Demonstrate Operating in Prudent Manner Critical

## Enhances Staff Capability

**Commitment and Tenacity**
- Role in Public Health Protection
**Long Term Capability**
- Process Control Skills
**Problem Solving Skills**
- Respond to Unusual Conditions

## M/DBP Regulations

**2001** - Systems > 10,000
- IESWTR
- Stage 1 DBPs
**2003** - Systems < 10,000
- LT1ESWTR
- Stage 1 DBPs
**2005 ?** - Next Round of Reg Neg
- LT2ESTWR
- Stage 2 DBPs

## M/DBP Regulations (con’t)

- IESWTR
- Tighter combined turbidity  - 0.3 NTU
- Individual filter monitoring
- Disinfection benchmarking
- Stage 1 DBPs
- Tighter MCLs THMs - 80 g/L
- New contaminant HAA5  - 60 g/L
- TOC removal - enhanced coagulation

## M/DBP Regulation Implications

**Operational Skills Critical**
- Coagulation control for multiple objectives
- Turbidity and DBPs
- Concerned with individual filter performance
**Optimization Assures ESWTR Compliance**
**Enhanced Capability for DBP Compliance**

## How can a Primacy Agency Work with PWSs to Pursue Treatment Optimization?

**Implement an Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP)**

## Are CPEs Needed at Each Plant?

## Comprehensive Performance Evaluation (CPE)

- Identifies the Unique Combination of Factors Limiting Treatment Plant Performance
- Substantial Effort:  Minimum of 2 Evaluators for 2 - 3 Days (Depending on Plant Size)
- CTA Follows CPE to Achieve Optimized Performance

## AWOP Implementation Prioritizes Resources Based on Risk

- CPE is only one of several options available to improve plant performance
- Awareness Building Activities
- Data collection Activities
- Apply appropriate “tools” to improve treatment plant performance

## Area-Wide Optimization Model

## AWOP DEVELOPMENT & DEMONSTRATION

- Currently Working with:
-  AL, GA, KY and SC along with EPA Region IV
- AR, LA, OK, NM along with EPA Region VI
- TNRCC
- PA DEP

## AWOP DEVELOPMENT & DEMONSTRATION (con’t)

- Currently Focused on Particle Removal for Surface Water Treatment Plants
- Expanding to Include Disinfection By-Product Control
- EPA Region 6 Expanding to Ground Water Systems

## Summary

**Optimization is a Choice**
**Benefits are Compelling**
**Pursue Area-Wide Optimization?**