bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Congress to Decide Fate of Radon Standard
Authors: Pontius Frederick W. , Paris David B.
Published: February 2018

The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has been attempting for several years to set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for radon in drinking water. On July 18, 1991, US EPA proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for six radionuclides, including radon. Most of the more than 600 sets of public comments submitted in response to this proposal focused on radon. US EPA's proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L for radon in drinking water has received severe criticism. There is widespread agreement among state health and radiation protection agencies, the scientific community, water suppliers, and other federal government agencies that the US EPA has overestimated the incremental benefits associated with the proposed MCL, while it has underestimated the cost of compliance. Following the close of the public comment period in November 1992, US EPA began to evaluate the proposal and prepare a response to the comments in order to develop a final rule. Concern remains regarding the rationality of the proposed MCL for radon. At the time of proposal, USEPA was under a court order to publish the final radionuclides rule no later than April 1993. This article focuses on developments and chronological history since the proposed rule was published.
SDWA Reauthorization Battle Begins
Authors: Pontius Frederick W. , Warburton Albert E.
Published: February 2018

Several bills have been introduced in the US Congress to reauthorize the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and more are expected. Views differ significantly on many issues, which is resulting in an intense political battle. In theory, anything and everything in the act could be changed. In reality, only changes that survive the political process will be made. An overview of SDWA reauthorization is presented in this article, and the issues involved are reviewed.
The Competition for federal funds
Authors: Sawey Richard
Published: February 2018

Protecting public health from microbial risks as well as chemical contaminants is a shared goal, but is there enough money to accomplish it?

This discussion took place June 7, 1993, in San Antonio, Texas, and was updated by participants in November 1993. Panel moderator was Richard Sawey, director, Fort Worth Water Dept., 1000 Throckmorton, P.O. Box 870, Fort Worth, TX 76101. Other participants were Martin J. Allen, director, Technology Transfer Div., AWWA Research Foundation, 6666 W. Quincy Ave., Denver, CO 80235; Steve Clark, acting deputy director, Drinking Water Standards Div., US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), WH‐550D, 501 M St. S.W., Washington, DC 20460; Duane Georgeson, assistant general manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 1111 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90054; Frederick A. Marrocco, chief, Div. of Drinking Water Management, Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources, P.O. Box 8467, Harrisburg, PA 17105; Peter Shanaghan, small systems coordinator, Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water at USEPA, and Sam Wade, deputy chief executive officer, National Rural Water Association, 2915 S. 13th St., Duncan, OK 73533.
British privatization: balancing needs
Authors: Booker Alan
Published: February 2018

The UK's Office of Water Services—OFWAT—is pursuing a “transparent” regulatory style as it attempts to balance monopoly, competition, and customer service in Britain's privatized water companies.

In the United Kingdom, OFWAT (the Office of Water Services) is responsible for economic regulation of the 10 water service companies privatized in 1989 by the British government. OFWAT's interrelated functions include protecting customers' pocketbooks, promoting economy and efficiency of the water companies, and acting as a surrogate marketplace to facilitate competition. The main control OFWAT can exercise is to limit the prices companies can charge to their customers. Because of tougher standards, costs are rising, sometimes to levels difficult for low‐income people to manage. Affordability is a prime concern to be considered when costing formulas, reset every five years, are reset in July 1994.
Comparing two GACs for adsorption and biostabilization
Authors: Carlson Mark A. , Heffernan Kevin M. , Ziesemer Craig C. , Snyder Edwin G.
Published: February 2018

GAC operated in the adsorption mode removes larger amounts of DBP precursors than does GAC manufactured as a substrate for biological activity, but the former requires frequent regeneration to maintain its high performance.

The removal of organic materials by biological activity is gaining greater attention as regulations become stricter and bacterial regrowth is better understood. This article compares two types of granular activated carbon (GAC) for removing the precursors of disinfection by‐products. One GAC was a coal‐based carbon manufactured as an adsorbent, and the other was a wood‐based carbon manufactured primarily as a substrate for biological activity. After a year‐long pilot‐scale evaluation, the performance of the two GACs was compared. Once the GAC systems had reached a plateau, there was little difference in the performance of the two carbon types; they removed about 15‐20 percent of the precursor material. The GAC manufactured for adsorption, however, removed seven times more total organic carbon than did the other GAC.
Strategic planning for SDWA compliance in small systems
Authors: III John E. Cromwell
Published: February 2018

By taking a comprehensive look at their potential SDWA compliance liabilities, small systems can identify potential problems and opportunities.

To be better prepared for the future, many large utilities have embarked on a formal process of strategic planning to assess their total SDWA compliance liabilities. Similarly, small systems can improve planning and outcomes by undertaking such a process. Using the simple approach outlined in this article, small systems can better predict total costs before they begin making the first incremental investments. The potential benefits of such planning are greater today than ever before. This article offers a guide to the key questions that need to be covered. It was taken from a longer piece developed as a project of AWWA's Small System Guidance Committee.
Monitoring the effect of zebra mussels on raw‐water intakes
Authors: Sarrouh Sami F. , Ramadan Nagah
Published: February 2018

This new index provides a straightforward and economic means of monitoring water intakes for blockage and capacity loss.

Many raw‐water intakes in the Great Lakes are threatened by infestations of zebra mussels. Hydraulic testing and visual inspection of the intakes tend to be time‐consuming and costly. The authors introduce an index (the damping ratio) that can be simply and inexpensively used to monitor the conditions of water intakes by signaling a change in flow resistance. The authors calculated some damping ratios and compared them with hydraulic data from drawdown tests. The results show that the damping ratio index has a direct friction coefficient of the intake.
Using RSSCTs to predict field‐scale GAC control of DBP formation
Authors: Cummings Laura , Summers R. Scott
Published: February 2018

For this water, the laboratory‐based RSSCTs effectively predicted the field‐scale behavior of three types of GACs for controlling DBPs.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the use of the rapid small‐scale column test (RSSCT) for predicting the control of disinfection by‐product (DBP) formation by granular activated carbon (GAC). DBP formation was assessed by using a simulated distribution system (SDS) test and measuring trihalomethanes and total organic halide in the influent and effluent of the laboratory‐ and field‐scale columns. It was observed that for the water studied, the RSSCTs effectively predicted the nonadsorbable fraction, time to 50 percent breakthrough, and the shape of the breakthrough curve for DBP formation. The advantage of RSSCTs is that conclusions about the amenability of a GAC for DBP control can be reached in a short time period instead of at the end of a long‐term pilot study. The authors recommend that similar studies be conducted with a range of source waters because the effectiveness of GAC is site‐specific.
Head loss testing in transmission mains
Authors: Walski Thomas M. , O'Farrell Shaun J.
Published: February 2018

Accuracy of head loss measurement can be improved if monitoring equipment is installed right along with the transmission main.

Accurately measuring head loss in large‐diameter transmission mains is difficult and is therefore seldom done at all. However, if a section of transmission main is installed with provisions for measuring flow and head loss, the testing can be done easily and accurately, allowing better monitoring of long‐term trends in pipe roughness and carrying capacity.
Cost‐effectiveness of SDWA regulations
Authors: Raucher Robert S. , Dixon Ann M. , Trabka Eloise , Drago Joseph A.
Published: February 2018

If the SDWA is reauthorized so USEPA can more selectively determine which contaminants are regulated, the result will be greater health protection benefits per dollar spent.

This article examines the extent to which the federal drinking water program is meeting its public health protection goals and reviews the costs regulations imposed on society at a time when the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is under review for reauthorization by Congress. Under the 1986 amendments, USEPA has promulgated seven significant rule‐making packages covering more than 70 contaminants. The regulatory record reveals a high degree of variability in costs and risk reductions associated with these rules. For example, nearly 99 percent of the program's total carcinogenic risk reduction is attained for about 60 percent of the total regulatory costs for carcinogens because of the maximum contaminant levels established for 10 contaminants. This means about 40 percent of carcinogen‐related regulatory costs are achieving an insignificant 1 percent of cancer risk reduction. If the regulations were focused on systems serving more than 500 people, almost 90 percent of total carcinogenic health risk reduction benefits could be realized at only 43 percent of the costs.
GAC adsorption of intermittently loaded pesticides
Authors: Matsui Yoshihiko , Kamei Tasuku , Kawase Etsuro , Snoeyink Vernon L. , Tambo Norihito
Published: February 2018

Almost identical breakthrough curves were observed for both intermittent and continuous loading of pesticides.

The removal efficiency of intermittently applied pesticides by a granular activated carbon bed preloaded with background organic matter (BOM) was examined using the rapid small‐scale column test. Preloading with BOM decreased the removal efficiency of the pesticides. The removal efficiency was a function of the amount of BOM adsorbed, but was unrelated to the influent concentration of the pesticide. A modeling approach employing the ideal adsorbed solution theory and a linear driving‐force expression for intraparticle surface diffusion adequately simulated these phenomena.
Environmental and Related Federal Laws Affecting Water Utilities
Authors: Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

Virtually every aspect of water utility operation is directly regulated or influenced by one or more federal environmental or related laws. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) administers 14 major laws passed by Congress to protect the environment. The US Department of the Interior (DOI), US Army Corps of Engineers (COE), and other federal agencies administer portions of these same laws or other laws that interrelate with environmental statues to affect water utilities. Those federal environmental and related laws that most affect water utilities as well as their primary impact are listed. Each law has one or more corresponding regulatory program administered by one or more federal agencies. This article provides an overview of the scope of these laws and the importance of compliance auditing.
TQM in Orem, Utah: responsive agency, satisfied customers
Authors: Chesnut Bruce W. , Buckwalter Doyle W. , Parsons Robert J.
Published: February 2018

In Orem, Utah, total quality management techniques have helped to improve water management and encourage conservation.

De Tocqueville said the success of the American experiment depended on the quality of citizen involvement in governance. Today, public participation in governmen—other than voting—involves a minuscule fraction of the citizenry, and an adversarial relationship often exists between citizens and government. Total quality management (TQM) offers citizens and public officials a way to open the lines of communication and improve municipal conditions. In Orem, Utah, a water shortage and restrictions led to a year‐long communitywide planning and educational process that incorporated TQM principles. Public opinion of water managers has improved, and local citizens are now educated about water management. Orem has not further restricted water use despite the drought that has continued since 1986.
Water affordability and alternatives to service disconnection
Authors: Beecher Janice A.
Published: February 2018

Utilities are finding ways to continue service for ratepayers who have difficulty paying their water bills.

Rising costs and rising water bills are inevitable. For customers, the problem of water affordability may result in increased arrearages, late payments, disconnection notices, and service terminations. Utilities, under increasing pressure to respond to affordability and disconnection problems, generally prefer assistance‐oriented programs in cooperation with social agencies over rate structure modifications. In this article the author reviews available options including financial counseling, arrearage forgiveness, payment discounts, income‐based payments, lifeline rates, targeted conservation, disconnection moratoria, and flow restriction.
Development fees: a legislative history
Authors: Clark Don M.
Published: February 2018

This article collates the history of system development fee legislation in 25 different jurisdictions.

With increasing frequency, public water supply systems are having to investigate alternative funding sources to raise the capital needed for expansion. System development charges have surfaced as the financing mechanism of choice in municipal settings across the country. Legislation regulating such capital charges has been adopted in a surprising number of states in recent years. The author surveyed AWWA sections and conducted research to document recent legislative action in the United States to assess the variety and nature of state legislation regulating system development charges. The findings paint a vivid picture of a current trend prevalent in the United States. If continued, the trend does little to move us any closer to standardizing the procedures and ground rules for others to consider in implementing system development charges.
Membrane plants in North America
Authors: Morin Oram J.
Published: February 2018

Feedwaters with TDS concentrations up to 6,500 mg/L are being treated by membrane processes to drinking water standards.

The objectives of this survey were to determine the number of membrane plants currently operating in North America, assess industry growth, and identify trends. In December 1993, the combined capacity of the more than 190 plants was >215 mgd. Approximately 80 percent are reverse osmosis (RO) units, and 20 percent are electrodialysis reversal (EDR). Recovery rates as high as 85 percent for RO and 94 percent for EDR systems are being used for normal operation. The blending of raw water with the membrane product water is common practice. Different membranes are sometimes being used for plants with two or more stages.
Complying with the SWTR: Ohio's experience
Authors: Opferman David J. , Buchberger Steven G. , Arduini D. John
Published: February 2018

Rather than conducting tracer studies, most plant operators elected to use a conservative estimate of effective contact time generated by the state.

The Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) stipulates filtration and disinfection requirements for public water systems using surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water. In Ohio, 169 treatment plants serving 5,000,000 people are affected by the SWTR. The authors surveyed these plants to determine how the SWTR's C X T requirements have affected system operation. Existing plants use a wide variety of clearwell configurations. Although tracer studies provide the most reliable estimates of clearwell contact time, few of these systems actually ran tracer tests; instead most accepted a conservative estimate of effective contact time developed by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to roughly estimate effective contact time. Determining contact times in the absence of a tracer study presents a unique challenge to enforcement agencies because of the variety of chlorine contact chambers encountered in practice. Under a conservative worst‐case operating scenario, more than half of Ohio's SWTR treatment plants were judged unable to comply with C X T requirements.
Improving Small Water System Viability
Authors: Lay Trudie
Published: February 2018

Participants explore the link between viability and compliance.

Participants in this Roundtable met in New York, N.Y., June 22, 1994, to discuss viability of water systems. Moderator was Trudie Lay, former manager of AWWA's Small Systems Program, 1550 Linden Ave., Boulder, CO 80304. Other participants were C. Jeff Appel, senior evaluator, US General Accounting Office, 10 Causeway St., Room 575, Boston, MA 02222; Jack Bryck, project manager, Dayton & Knight Ltd. Consulting Engineers, P.O. Box 91247, 626 Clyde Ave., West Vancouver, BC V7V 3N9; John Cromwell, manager of water supply, Apogee Research Inc., 4350 East‐West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; Vanessa M. Leiby, executive director, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, 1120 Connecticut Ave., Suite 1060, Washington, DC 20036; John E. Regnier, executive vice‐president, Alabama Rural Water Association, 4556 S. Court St., Montgomery, AL 36105; David W. Rommelmann, regional vice‐president, Boyle Engineering Corporation, 8430 University Executive Park Dr., Suite 601, Charlotte, NC 28262; and Peter E. Shanaghan, small systems coordinator, US Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St. (Mail Code 4601), Washington, DC 20460.
Microfiltration: a case study
Authors: Yoo R. Scott , Brown Douglas R. , Pardini Richard J. , Bentson Gary D.
Published: February 2018

A northern California treatment plant installed microfiltration to satisfy design constraints and comply with SWTR requirements.

With the enactment of the federal Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) and a state SWTR, San Jose Water Company faced a decision to either abandon or upgrade a small diatomaceousearth (DE) filtration plant. Several environmental, design, operational, and regulatory constraints influenced the decision to replace the existing DE filtration system with microfiltration (MF). At 5 mgd this is currently the largest potable water MF plant in the United States. It has been operating successfully since February 1994. Results to date demonstrate that the plant is producing finished water that exceeds SWTR requirements. This article describes elements of the design, construction, operation, and performance of the new plant as well as factors leading to the selection of MF over other treatment options.
UF with pretreatment for removing DBP precursors
Authors: Jacangelo Joseph G. , Laîné Jean‐Michel , Cummings Edward W. , Adham Samer S.
Published: February 2018

Combined UF–PAC treatment can be effective for DBP precursor removal, depending on the level of removal desired.

Although ultrafiltration (UF) is an efficient disinfection process, it is relatively ineffective because of its high‐molecular‐weight cutoff for removing the natural organic matter that contributes to disinfection by‐product (DBP) formation. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of powdered activated carbon (PAC) as a UF pretreatment to provide enhanced removal of trihalomethane and haloacetic acid precursors. PAC addition did not impair the permeability of the UF membrane and, in one case, appeared to retard membrane fouling. DBP precursor removals increased with increasing PAC dosages. Because bromide was not removed by this treatment, changes in relative DBP speciation were observed after chlorination of the permeate from the UF–PAC process.
Accomplishing change
Authors: Kohlhoff Karl F.
Published: February 2018

Change in the water industry is resulting from redirection, reorganization, and reauthorization.

Incoming president Karl F. Kohlhoff discussed coming challenges for AWWA in a conversation Feb. 24, 1995, at AWWA head‐quarters. He was interviewed by Joe Reid, contributing editor of the Journal. Kohlhoff is assistant utility manager for the city of Mesa, Ariz., and was appointed by the governor as special assistant on natural resources. He was president of the Arizona Water and Pollution Control Association and is a member of several other professional organizations. Kohlhoff joined AWWA in 1962 and has served as director of the Arizona Section and as a member of the Conference Management and Student Activities committees. He received the association's Fuller Award in 1986. As president, he will automatically be a member of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, and nine other committees and councils.
Zebra mussel mortality with chlorine
Authors: Van Benschoten John E. , Jensen James N. , Harrington Donald , DeGirolamo Daniel J.
Published: February 2018

A kinetic model allows prediction of the mortality of zebra mussels as a function of chlorine concentration, temperature, and contact time.

The rate of mortality of the zebra mussel in response to chlorine is described by a kinetic model that combines a statistical characterization of mussel mortality with a disinfection‐type modeling approach. Parameter estimates were made with nine sets of data from experiments conducted in Niagara River water. From the kinetic model, an operational diagram was constructed that describes the time to 95 percent mortality as a function of chlorine concentration and temperature. Either the model or the diagram can be used to assist utilities in planning chlorination treatments for controlling zebra mussels.
IRP: a case study from Nevada
Authors: Fiske Gary , Dong Anh
Published: February 2018

Integrated resource planning is a nontraditional response to long‐term water resource issues.

Water agencies across North America are discovering with increasing frequency that the old approaches to resource planning are no longer effective. In large part, the old approaches are failing because the context within which suppliers must attempt to meet demand has changed. A detailed water integrated resource planning framework is described that has been adapted and applied to several water purveyors, including the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The application in Southern Nevada is used to illustrate major components of the approach.
Statistical procedures for corrosion studies
Authors: Wysock Barbara M. , Sandvig Anne M. , Schock Micheal R. , Frebis Christopher P. , Prokop Boris
Published: February 2018

Evaluation of treatment alternatives for corrosion by means of pipe loop systems requires a viable statistical basis for decision‐making.

Decision‐makers evaluating corrosion treatment alternatives under the Lead and Copper Rule need the statistical tools to choose the optimum treatment from pipe loop studies. In many cases, the data generated by pipe loop studies do not follow a normal distribution; therefore, nonparametric statistics apply. Techniques that are discussed include determination of data normality using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and chisquare tests, determination of stabilization using the Spearman coefficient, and comparison of treatments using the Wilcoxon signed ranks or rank sum test. Other data issues that are important to evaluating corrosion studies include determining sample size and frequency, determining the confidence and accuracy of results, and evaluating data outliers.
Toledo streamlines treatment operations
Authors: Trivedi Rohit D. , Van Cott Whit , Stevenson Robert C. , Cogswell Theodore M. , Thomas Paul A.
Published: February 2018

Automation is helping Toledo realize savings on costs of chemicals, energy, and especially labor.

Toledo, Ohio, which has an abundant supply of freshwater from Lake Erie, is using computer technology to streamline operations at its Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. A distributed control system, operational since 1993, makes Collins Park one of the most fully automated plants in the Midwest. The system has reduced expenditures on chemicals, energy, and labor; a preliminary study indicated the system will pay for itself in six years. The system calculates the most efficient pumping variables to maintain proper pressures and flow rates and to take advantage of off‐peak energy rates. The reservoir is allowed to be drawn down during the day and is refilled at night when power and water demands have subsided. The authors provide recommendations to aid in developing and installing an instrumentation and control system.
Improving precursor removal
Authors: Spencer Catherine M. , Collins M. Robin
Published: February 2018

Amending precoat filters with powdered anionic resin significantly increases the removal of organic precursors.

The purpose of this work was to determine whether dissolved organic carbon (DOC) could be feasibly removed by diatomaceous earth (DE) precoat filters amended with powdered activated carbon or anionic resin. In the first series of experiments, various precoat configurations of DE size, amendment type and concentration, and precoat weight were evaluated for their initial removals of dissolved organic matter and turbidity from a synthetic raw water source. In the second series of experiments, various body feed compositions were tested for their ability to maintain or improve the turbidity and organic carbon removal achieved by the optimum precoat while head loss through the filter was kept to a minimum. Amending the DE filter with a strong‐base anionic resin in the precoat and body feed achieved significant removals of UV absorbance and DOC (> 50 percent) with excellent turbidity reduction and acceptable head loss development.
Small Systems and Computers
Authors: Howell Mary
Published: February 2018

Why buy a computer? Because you instantly have information that makes you feel more competent. You can use the information and data generated to make more informed decisions. You can present reports to your utility board or other decision makers that will contain the facts and figures they need for consideration of your budget requests. They will start to view the water system as a more professional operation.
Quality Utility Service
Authors: Huber John
Published: February 2018

Should the water industry certify its treatment operations?

This Roundtable discussion about Quality Utility Service was held June 20, 1995, in Anaheim, Calif. The moderator was John Huber, president of Louisville Water Company, 435 S. Third St., Louisville, KY 40202. Other participants were Stephen F. Gorden, director of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, 735 Randolph, Detroit, MI 48226; W.D. Kingdom, principal management consultant, Water Research Centre, 2655 Philmont Ave., Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006; L.D. McMullen, chief executive officer and general manager, Des Moines Water Works, 2201 Valley Dr., Des Moines, IA 50321; Robert H. Reinert, vice‐president, Malcolm Pirnie Inc., One International Blvd., Mahwah, NJ 07495; David L. Tippin, director, Tampa Water Department, 306 E. Jackson St., Tampa, FL 33602; and Cortez A. White, general manager, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707.
Decision‐tree construction and analysis
Authors: Murphy Patrick , Olson Betty H.
Published: February 2018

Decision‐tree theory may be useful in understanding complex biological systems.

Decision‐tree construction and analysis indicate the quantitative occurrence of sulfate‐reducing bacteria in a groundwater basin. The decision‐tree analysis allowed determination of the most important measured variables (discriminators) associated with the occurrence of sulfate‐reducing bacteria. Those variables may be used to improve reliability and validity of the tree. Statistical validation of endpoint data (leaves) is described, and decision trees are presented that increase the understanding of individual wells and hypothesize causes for sulfate‐reducing bacteria.
Welcoming Competition
Authors: McMullen L.D.
Published: February 2018

One factor that has driven the recent interest in privatization is the challenge to water utilities to operate in a cost‐efficient manner while providing high‐quality drinking water and meeting customer service expectations. These are the fundamental goals for all water utilities; the method of achieving them is secondary‐‐whether through public or private ownership, through contract operations, or through various types of outsourcing. The author welcomes this challenge.
Town Council Weighs Contract Operations
Authors: Gilnack Gerald
Published: February 2018

A town council unanimously passed a motion that the town take over the operation of the community's water system. The town got a small, old, privately owned system serving a hamlet of about 250 connections with a variety of customers. The distribution system consisted of a variety of pipe sizes and material types. Groundwater was pumped into two aging wooden storage tanks up on a hill and disinfected with liquid chlorine before distribution. The town council worked with a customer advisory committee to redesign the system, starting with a master plan for system improvements and some ideas on financing them. The switch from a privately operated system to a municipally run one loomed. The time had come to consider contracting out operations to a private firm instead of hiring employees.
Footprints in the Sand
Authors: Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Published: February 2018

For more information on being a peer reviewer, please contact Pat Crotty, the staff project manager for QualServe, at (303) 347‐6260. And plan to join us on June 26 at 7:30 a.m. at the annual conference in Toronto for a special orientation session for prospective peer reviewers
Filter media rehabilitation at a lime softening plant
Authors: Sr. James R. Mayhugh , Smith John A. , Elder Douglas B. , Logsdon Gary S.
Published: February 2018

Treating filter media with glacial acetic acid proved an effective alternative to media removal and replacement at a lime‐softening plant.

Water filtration plants treating surface water sources can be expected to routinely produce finished water of excellent quality when the source water quality remains steady or changes slowly. When the quality of the source water changes drastically over short periods, however, treatment plants may face severe challenges. Such a situation occurred at the Decatur, Ill., South Water Treatment Plant early in 1994. After a high‐turbidity episode, the lime‐softening plant experienced buildup of coagulant and calcium carbonate deposits in the filter beds. The filters and the deposits were evaluated, and an in situ filter media cleaning technique was successfully applied, using glacial acetic acid.
Optimizing submerged jet flocculator performance
Authors: Sobrinho Jose A. H. , Thiem Leon T. , Alkhatib Eid A.
Published: February 2018

Particle removal experiments were conducted to uncover operational parameters leading to optimum performance.

A 0.126‐L/s (2‐gpm) pilot plant was constructed to evaluate and optimize a novel water‐jet mixing system for flocculation of suspended particles in water. The jet flocculator pilot plant consisted of a long vertical circular column with influent entering through a nozzle on the bottom to create an upflow submerged jet. A perforated plate was placed inside the jet flocculator and positioned above the bottom to create a reactor chamber. Particle removal experiments were conducted to investigate operational parameters such as flows, turbidities, reactor volumes, and arrangements of the perforated plate openings. Optimum jet flocculator conditions occurred when the perforated plate caused a 94 percent reduction in the column area and was located at or near the submerged jet height. Effluent residual turbidities of the optimized jet flocculator were approximately 35 percent for 10‐ntu influents and 10 percent for 100‐ntu influents. When a 75‐cm (30‐in.) depth of pall rings was placed above the perforated plate, a 10 percent decrease in the effluent residual turbidity occurred for only the 10‐ntu influent.
Overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996
Authors: Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

On August 6, 1996, the President signed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments into law as Public Law (PL) 104‐182. The new amendments made sweeping changes to the existing SDWA, created several new programs, and included a total authorization of more than $12 billion in federal funds for various drinking water programs and activities from fiscal year (FY) 1997 through FY2003. An overview of the provisions of the amendments is presented.
“A‐Team” Decodes ICR for Utilities
Authors: McGuire Michael J.
Published: February 2018

Utilities working to meet the complex requirements of the Information Collection Rule have immediate access to the experts by telephone or e‐mail.

This Roundtable discussion among members of AWWA's “A‐Team” was held in Denver, Colo., Aug. 1, 1996. The moderator was Michael J. McGuire, president of McGuire Environmental Consultants Inc., 469 25th St., Santa Monica, CA 90402. Other participants were Kevin Dixon, director of water quality and ICR coordinator for New Jersey ‘“American Water Co., 213 Carriage Lane, Delran, NJ 08075; Ellen P. Flanagan, assistant commissioner, Chicago Water Department, 1000 E. Ohio St., Chicago, IL 60611; Eva Nieminski, an environmental engineer with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, 288 N. 1950 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84114; Anne Sandvig, project engineer, Economic and Engineering Services Inc., 525 Belair, Custer, SD 57730; and Charlotte D. Smith, president of Charlotte Smith & Assoc. Inc., POB 1078, Venice, FL 34282.
Wholesale contracts: a resource option
Authors: Miller Ellen G. , Tatham Elaine , Hall Susan
Published: February 2018

Long‐term wholesale contracts can become a prudent business decision for systems seeking an alternative to “going it alone.”

Wholesale contracts are a prudent business option for smaller cities and rural systems that desire to maintain local control while addressing quality requirements and cost limitations. These contracts benefit both sellers (who gain a larger customer base over which to spread costs) and buyers (who gain a product that meets state and federal standards while holding down local costs). As part of a larger strategic planning process, the Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department undertook an extensive telephone survey of water providers to assess their use of and interest in wholesale contracts. The survey indicated that buy–sell arrangements were common; wholesale contracts must be reached through a long‐term, mutually acceptable business relationship; and regular statements of support by leaders reassure uncertain potential wholesale customers.
Pesticide distributions in surface water
Authors: Stamer John K. , Wieczorek Michael E.
Published: February 2018

The distribution of pesticide concentrations at two study sites points to herbicides that may affect management of public water supplies.

Distributions of concentrations of 46 pesticides were documented from May 1992 through March 1994 for Maple Creek near Nickerson, Neb., and Platte River at Louisville, Neb. As their source of public water supplies, Lincoln and the western part of Omaha withdraw groundwater from the adjacent alluvium near the Platte River site, which is hydraulically connected to the Platte River. Organonitrogen herbicides dominated the pesticide distributions at each site. Variations in the distributions of pesticides at the two sites partly reflect differences in land use and land management practices. Diazinon, an insecticide used in urban areas, was commonly detected at the Platte River site but not at the Maple Creek site. Of the 46 pesticides analyzed at the Platte River site, the herbicides atrazine and alachlor were more likely to exceed their respective maximum contaminant levels of 3.0 and 2.0 μg/L; cyanazine was more likely to exceed the health advisory level of 1.0 μg/L.
Guidelines for Boil‐Water Advisories
Authors: Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

A water utility's first priority is to provide their customers with drinking water that is free of disease‐causing organisms. In situations in which pathogens are or may be present in tap water, the state or local public health agency may find it necessary to issue a boil‐water advisory. The advisory typically recommends that customers boil all tap water intended for digestion. A decision to issue an advisory must usually be made within a short period of time and with either incomplete or inconclusive information. Nevertheless, such a decision must be made only after careful consideration. The Working Group on Waterborne Cryptosporidiosis (WGWC) was organized to promote the regular exchange of information about waterborne cryptosporidiosis and has developed guidelines for issuing and rescinding boil‐water advisories. This paper discusses the boil‐water advisory guidelines issued by the WGWC.
Particle removal by flotation and filtration: pretreatment effects
Authors: Valade Matthew T. , Edzwald James K. , Tobiason John E. , Dahlquist Jan , Hedberg Torsten , Amato Tony
Published: February 2018

Consistent performance of DAF and the quality of DAF effluent—despite considerable variation in flocculation characteristics and flocculated water quality conditions—demonstrate the robust nature of this process.

Good dissolved‐air flotation (DAF) and filtration performance were observed for all pretreatment flocculation conditions studied: flocculation times of 5 and 20 min, gate and propeller mixers, two and three stages of flocculation, and low (G of 30 s−1) and high (G of 70 s−1) mixing intensity. The research showed that DAF plants can be designed with flocculation times as low as 5 min and that DAF is a robust particle removal process—i.e., it can produce consistently good water quality for a variety of conditions. Coagulation chemistry (pH and coagulant dosage) has a stronger influence on DAF and filtration performance than physical flocculation design and operating parameters.
Update on the Ground Water Disinfection Rule
Authors: Macler Bruce A. , Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), along with other interested participants, is developing a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation to address the public health risks from microbial contamination of groundwater systems. The history and issues associated with this rule, known as the Ground Water Disinfection Rule (GWDR), have recently been reviewed. This paper gives an update on its progress.
What Does SDWA Reauthorization Mean To You?
Authors: Post Dallas
Published: February 2018

To anyone involved with a small water system, the recent Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) reauthorization should mean a call to action. When the SDWA was reauthorized in August 1996, four main issues came to the forefront. This article discusses those topics, which include: mandatory operator certification; capacity development; source water protection; and, formation of state revolving loan funds (SRLF).
Reinventing A National Drinking Water Information System
Authors: Tilton Kristen , Rosen Jeffrey S.
Published: February 2018

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maintains information on drinking water utility compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulations. This national database of public water system (PWS) information, originally developed in response the the SDWA of 1974, was initially known as the Federal Reporting Data System (FRDS). Its purpose was to gather information on PWS compliance with SDWA requirements regarding monitoring, reporting, and maximum contaminant levels. Compliance data from utilities were submitted annually by primacy agencies; in 1985, USEPA required data to be reported quarterly. Amendments to the SDWA and related federal regulations increased demands on primacy agencies to gather information on their state's drinking water quality. In response to these reporting demands and to concerns about the quality of the data within FRDS, USEPA decided to modernize FRDS to address the shortcomings of the system and to better satisfy the needs of primacy agencies. This article discusses those changes.
QualServe pilot phase is under way
Authors: Huber John L.
Published: February 2018

Participants in the first phase of the QualServe pilot program share their impressions.
Implementing the 1996 SDWA Amendments
Authors: Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments significantly expanded the responsibilities of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to ensure safe drinking water in the United States. The amendments nearly doubled the text of the SDWA, created several new programs, and imposed a multitude of deadlines on the USEPA, and other federal and state agencies. A list of the key implementation deadlines in the 1996 SDWA amendments are summarized in this article.
Future directions in water quality regulations
Authors: Pontius Frederick W.
Published: February 2018

Regulatory activity will accelerate over the next few years as USEPA works to meet the requirements imposed by the 1996 SDWA amendments.

The Safe Drinking Water Act amendments of 1996 have imposed new requirements on the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to establish drinking water regulations. The regulatory process has been revised and now requires the use of sound science. Costs, benefits, and competing risks may also be considered. Current regulations for fluoride, volatile organic chemicals, total coliforms, surface water treatment, Phase II and Phase V synthetic organic and inorganic contaminants, and lead and copper remain basically unchanged. New deadlines are established for the regulation of arsenic, sulfate, radon, disinfectants and disinfection by‐products, enhanced surface water treatment, and groundwater disinfection.
Using negotiated guidelines in a facility upgrade
Authors: Pizzi Nicholas G. , Schwarzwalder Ronald O. , Sadzewicz John J.
Published: February 2018

In Ohio, approval criteria for high‐rate processes are used to design a treatment plant upgrade that secures the required state approval.

In Ohio, the use of high‐rate treatment processes requires prior approval from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Approval criteria for high‐rate processes were developed and used for the first time in a study commissioned by the Cleveland Division of Water. The study developed data that aided in the design of an expansion project for the Crown Water Treatment Plant. Data from a pilot‐scale study, which examined the efficiency of high‐rate clarification and high‐rate filtration, confirmed that tube settlers and filters with 1,830 mm (72 in.) of 1‐mm effective size anthracite were appropriate for the plant's expansion and upgrade.
Public Contract Operations
Authors: Williams John F.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the controversy regarding the five year operations and maintenance contract won by the operations team at the Charlotte‐Mecklenburg Utility Department in Charlotte, North Carolina. It also details some of the differences between public contracts and privatization.
Consumer Confidence Reports: Opportunity's Knocking
Authors: Post Dallas
Published: February 2018

Consumer confidence reports (CCR) are just one part of the 1996 revisions to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The revisions require all systems to prepare an annual report on source water and the levels of contaminants found in the drinking water. This article details how the report must be made available to the consumers and what information the report must contain.
Competitive challenges to the water industry
Authors: Westerhoff Garret P.
Published: February 2018

Can water suppliers incorporate the private sector into their operations?
The Charlotte model for competition
Authors: Gullet Barry M. , Bean Douglas O.
Published: February 2018

In North Carolina, local government competed with the private sector and won.

The Charlotte–Mecklenburg Utility Department (CMUD), a municipal agency, provides water and wastewater services to approximately 500,000 residents of Charlotte and Mecklenburg counties in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina. Spurred by inquiries from the private sector, unsolicited proposals to purchase system components, and political interest, CMUD decided to allow private firms to compete with city staff for the operation and maintenance of two of the department's eight treatment plants. Eight proposals were received from private firms and from the department's own bid team, referred to as Charlotte Mecklenburg–Contract Operations (CM–ConOP). CM–ConOp submitted the lowest‐cost proposal, which will result in savings of $4.2 million over the contract's five‐year term. In addition, the Charlotte model for competition showed that the public sector can compete successfully with private firms and that the result can be a complete change in the way the agency does business.
Rapid performance improvement: one utility's revolution
Authors: Patrick Roger , Meinck Garry
Published: February 2018

In Western Australia, a traditional water utility rose to meet the challenge of rapid improvement.

The Western Australian water industry went through a revolution in 1995. Now more commercial in focus, it is making a greater contribution to Western Australia's economy. At the same time, improved regulatory structures have ensured that standards are met for product quality, service response, environmental impact, and conservation. Pricing is moving to a user‐pays, full‐cost basis, with subsidies explicitly funded by the government.
Technology plans: a smart investment
Authors: Anderson Tully J. , Amatetti Edward J.
Published: February 2018

Utilities know the value of long‐term planning, a talent they can apply to the development of an integrated approach to information infrastructure.

This article addresses planning for information technology and highlights issues that concern utility managers. Information technology offers substantial benefits to utilities; however, there are also pitfalls and costs associated with the technology. The article addresses the major components of an information technology plan and illustrates some difficulties and challenges facing organizations that are installing new information systems.
Small Systems and AWWA's Annual Conference: Time for Another Look
Authors: Harvey David J.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how the 1998 AWWA Annual Conference has expanded to provide more information for small systems. In addition to two full days of small systems topics, the exhibits will have the latest in supervisory control and data acquisition equipment, software, metering devices, leak detection equipment, and service providers. Two of the five days of conferences are devoted to small systems topics. A small systems lounge will be provided for networking and ad hoc meetings. Certified operators and other small system employees will qualify for deeply discounted registration fees.