bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
METROCOM: An Interactive Database for Managing a Modem Metropolis
Authors: Hanigan Francis L. , Rivera Carlos A.
Published: February 2018

The city of Houston, Texas, has recently completed installation of an interactive computerized data management system for use by the public works, tax, planning, police, fire, and public health departments. This article describes the four‐year process of assembling the system, which includes a continuous planimetric map covering 1550 km2 (600 sq mi), land ownership and land‐use information about some 554 000 parcels, and complete information on the water, sanitary, and storm sewer systems, the road network, and bridges. Accurate graphic and nongraphic data are now readily available and can be updated to keep pace with the city's mushrooming growth.
Microcomputer Programs for Designing Water Systems
Authors: Koh Eng Seng , Maidment David R.
Published: February 2018

Five microcomputer programs allow more rapid design of the components of municipal water systems. These programs cover the yield of a water source, a projection of water demand, the most economical size of a distribution pipeline, the required capacity of a regulating storage facility, and an economic analysis of the net benefits of the project. The method used in each program is briefly described, and an example for sizing a transmission main for pumped water is presented.
Flocculation Model Testing: Particle Sizes in a Softening Plant
Authors: Lawler Desmond F. , Wilkes David R.
Published: February 2018

Designing an efficient and cost‐effective flocculation unit has always been a challenge to engineers. Measurements of its capability have necessarily been after the fact—examining turbidity or suspended solids concentration after settling. Particle‐size‐distribution analyses during flocculation more closely reflect the actual process but are difficult, time‐consuming, and prone to sampling errors. Research using Smoluchowski's equation has led to a mathematical model for the process of flocculation. This model was tested against actual treatment plant performance for particle size distribution. Using different conditions, the model successfully predicted changes in small or large particles, but not both. The model compared favorably with most experimental results but needs improvement to predict the effects of changes in fluid shear and particle concentration.
Ann Arbor Controls Trihalomethanes
Authors: Sacks Richard S.
Published: February 2018

Many water treatment plants in the United States were not initially designed to control the formation of trihalomethanes as by‐products of existing disinfection practices. New methods were needed to meet the National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), so many water purveyors began modifying existing treatment processes. The city of Ann Arbor, Mich., experimented with a variety of disinfection schemes using chlorine and chloramines. Anhydrous ammonia, added to the raw water after prechlorination, reduced TTHM concentrations to required levels.
Pipe Loop System Augments Corrosion Studies
Authors: Singley J. Edward , Lee Ting‐Ye
Published: February 2018

Corrosion exacts a heavy price from potable water distribution systems. Its effects are synergistic and wide‐ranging, from the raw water source to the consumer tap. Assessing its extent is necessarily difficult in the field and often occurs after corrosion has already done its damage. Various methods for evaluating distribution system corrosion are examined, with specific emphasis given to a special pipe‐loop tester assembly, which may prove more accurate and may reflect actual field corrosion conditions more closely.
Roundtable – Creating a Positive Public Image
Authors: Limbach Edward W. , Bata David P.
Published: February 2018

This discussion on how to inform the public about the activities of water utilities took place on June 13, 1984, during the annual conference in Dallas, Texas. Participants were: Edward W. Limbach, system company president of the American Water Works Service Company Inc., Charleston, W. Va.; James E. Lattie, manager of public affairs, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Oakland, Calif.; and David P. Bata, community relations specialist of the utilities department, City of Thornton, Colo.
The Common Denominator: Equivalent Residential Units
Authors: Woodcock John J.
Published: February 2018

The Prince William County (Va.) Service Authority is basing both variable and fixed revenues for water and sewer services on a factor derived from the historical average daily water usage of single‐family residences. A schedule of equivalent water units relates types of commercial and public facilities to the average usage of a single‐family residence. The schedule is applied to initial fees for a proportionate share of capacity as well as ongoing monthly service charges. The concept appears to result in more equitable charges than those based on equivalent meters.
Viewpoint – The Soviet View of the US Drinking Water Industry
Authors: Elpiner Leonid I. , S.Vasiliev Vladimir
Published: February 2018

This article is a summary of some of the main points in a book, The Problems of Drinking Water Supply in the USA, published in the Soviet Union in 1983. The study served as the Soviet contribution to the scientific research conducted in connection with the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade. A second objective was to provide Soviet specialists with the first detailed information available in the Soviet Union about the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of US water supply and consumption, the economics of the US drinking water industry, the medical and biological characteristics of US drinking water quality standards, and the US federal regulatory policies regarding drinking water. The study also included a comparative analysis of the ways and means of securing the safety of drinking water in the USSR and the United States. Both authors are associated with the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in Moscow. Leonid I. Elpiner is a medical doctor with the Institute for Water Problems, and Vladimir S. Vasiliev is an economist with the Institute of USA and Canada Studies.
Chemical Indicators and Surrogate Parameters in Water Treatment
Authors: McCarty Perry L. , Aieta E. Marco
Published: February 2018

Producing high quality water from potentially contaminated supplies is made difficult by the high cost of measuring the wide range of chemical, biological, and physical parameters of concern. This article describes a study conducted at Water Factory 21 in Orange County, Calif., to identify chemical indicators that could be measured relatively inexpensively and used as surrogates for monitoring treatment process efficiency. Various collective parameters (e.g., total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, and electroconductivity) and individual contaminants (e.g., chloroform, barium, and copper) were evaluated.
Kudos to Advocate of Cooperative Spirit
Authors: Norris William E.
Published: February 2018

In this letter, Norris commends Gerald Gilnack for his comments in “Viewpoint” (Journal, July 1984) about the need for increased communication between government and local agencies and the water system operators and managers who must comply with water quality regulations.
Monitoring Chlorine Residuals
Authors: White George Clifford , Ram Neil M.
Published: February 2018

In this letter, White comments that the conclusions reported by Ram and Malley in “Chlorine Residual Monitoring in the Presence of Norganic Compounds” (Journal AWWA, September 1984) may be misleading to operators at wastewater or reclaimed water plants. Ram responds that the study was designed to evaluate the monitoring of free available chlorine residuals in drinking water rather than wastewater or reclaimed wastewater.
Manganese Removal
Authors: Robinson Lloyd R.
Published: February 2018

The author of this article responds to the article “Effective Manganese Removal Using Lime as an Additive” (Journal AWWA, September 1984) which indicated that the addition of calcium (as lime) can enhance the removal of oxidized manganese from surface water. Robinson comments that the removal of iron and manganese from groundwater supplies is primarily a problem of inhibition of oxidation to an insoluble state by lack of sufficient alkalinity rather than lack of calcium, and that duplication of tests reported in the article with the addition of alkalinity monitoring may affect the conclusions projected.
Distribution System Maps and Record‐keeping
Authors: Batts Leonard R.
Published: February 2018

The 114‐year‐old Kalamazoo, Mich., water utility has an accumulation of distribution system records, some of which were developed informally in the late 1800s from memory and continue to supply needed information. The utility now has a comprehensive record‐keeping system that is undergoing a transition from manually maintained index cards to computerized systems. Operator training must accompany the development of computerized record‐keeping systems if the new technology is to achieve its intended goal.
The Application and Effectiveness of Slow Sand Filtration in the United States
Authors: Slezak Lloyd A. , Sims Ronald C.
Published: February 2018

A survey of 27 slow sand filtration plants in the United States indicated that most of these plants are currently serving communities of fewer than 10 000 persons, are more than 50 years old, and are effective and inexpensive to operate. A slow sand filtration research facility in Logan, Utah, was compared with the operating plants to determine if locally available, unsieved sand achieved similar results. The 75‐m3/d research facility performed well in removing turbidity, coliform bacteria, and particles of a size representative of Giardia cysts.
The International Decade
Authors: Hach Kathryn C.
Published: February 2018

The author of this letter to the editor details the progress of the Sri Lanka Water Well Project as it was presented at the 47th Zonta International Convention in Australia in the summer of 1984. Money has been raised for over 2650 wells, with a goal of 4000 wells.
Viewpoint – Reaching the Goals of the International Drinking Water Decade
Authors: Wolman Abel
Published: February 2018

The elder statesman of the drinking water industry, Abel Wolman, assesses the progress made at midpoint in the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade. This is an edited version of his Aug. 14, 1984, report to the American Water Resources Association, Washington, D.C.
Blending Chloraminated and Chlorinated Waters
Authors: Barrett Sylvia E. , Davis Marshall K. , McGuire Michael J.
Published: February 2018

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California recently changed its primary disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramines in order to help its member agencies control trihalomethanes (THMs). The effects of blending chloraminated and chlorinated waters were studied by developing blend‐residual curves to simulate the systems involved. Since these curves were found to compare well with the printouts of a computer model designed to estimate desirable blends, it was concluded that the computer model could be used to predict acceptable blends and to anticipate bacteriological, THM, and taste‐and‐odor problems, thus eliminating the need to determine each case experimentally.
Technical Note: Monochloramine Removal From Water by Activated Carbon
Authors: Komorita John D. , Snoeyink Vernon L.
Published: February 2018

Monochloramine is becoming a popular alternative to chlorine for the disinfection of water supplies because it does not react with humic substances to form trihalomethanes. However, chloramines have recently been found to cause hemolytic anemia in patients undergoing kidney dialysis. A study of Urbana‐Champaign, Ill., tap water was carried out to determine the effects of particle size, contact time, and dissolved organic matter on carbon column effluent concentration when a typical influent monochloramine concentration was used. The resulting data allow a good estimate to be made of the best design for a carbon column, but until more data become available, dechlorination units that are being used for the removal of monochloramines should be carefully monitored to ensure that water of the desired quality is being produced.
Roundtable – Waterborne Giardia: It's Enough to Make You Sick
Authors: Jakubowski Walter , Karlin Richard , Logsdon Gary , McCall Robert G. , Hendricks David W. , Neuman William , Cotruvo Joseph A.
Published: February 2018

This discussion on giardiasis took place during the Water Quality Technology Conference in Denver, Colo., on Dec. 3, 1984. Robert G. McCall, former director of environmental health services, W. Va. State Department of Health, and now a consultant with Kelley, Gidley, Blair and Wolf, Inc., 550 Eagan St., Charleston, W. Va., was moderator of the panel. Other participants were: Joseph A. Cotruvo, director of the Criteria and Standards Division of the Office of Drinking Water, US Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S. W., Washington, D.C.; David W. Hendricks, professor of civil engineering, Engineering Research Center, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo.; Walter Jakubowski, chief of the parasitology and immunology group, USEPA Health Effects Research Laboratory, 26 W. Saint Clair St., Cincinnati, Ohio; Richard Karlin, chief of the Drinking Water Section, Colorado Department of Health, 4210 E. 11th Ave., Denver, Colo.; Gary Logsdon, research sanitary engineer, USEPA Drinking Water Research Division, 26 W. Saint Clair St., Cincinnati, Ohio; and William Neuman, director of system water quality operations, American Water Works Service Co., 500 Grove St., Haddon Heights, N.J.
Nitrate Contamination: Public Awareness
Authors: Lemley A. T. , Fessenden‐Raden J. , Bisogni C.A. , Holway J.M.
Published: February 2018

The public water supply in Clifton Springs, N.Y., has nitrate levels greater than the state‐mandated maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L. The customers have been notified of the problem by mail since 1978, and a citizens' advisory committee was established in 1981 to secure public cooperation in solving the problem. A survey, which included a mailed questionnaire and in‐depth interviews in 10 percent of the village households, was instituted to assess (1) the effectiveness of notification in influencing public knowledge of the water problem, (2) the public's concerns about water quality, and (3) the extent of the public's willingness to pay to correct the problem. The results of the survey indicate that public participation in decision‐making is an effective method of educating the community and of securing its cooperation.
Bacterial Colonization of Point‐of‐Use Water Treatment Devices
Authors: Geldreich Edwin E. , Taylor Raymond H. , Blannon Janet C. , Reasoner Donald J.
Published: February 2018

Point‐of‐use water treatment devices were investigated to identify organisms that may colonize these filters, to determine the magnitude of the postcolonization release of microorganisms into the product water during daily use or after periods of nonuse, and to demonstrate the effect of tap water of marginal bacteriological quality on the quality of the product water. The bacterial count was found to vary between units of different design, between units of the same design, and between water samples from the same filter unit collected at different times of the day; it was affected by the length of time the filter cartridge had been in use, the design of the cartridge, and the temperature of the water, as well as by the species of microorganism.
An Evaluation of Public Notification Requirements in California
Authors: Bruvold William H. , Wardlaw Linda , Gaston John M.
Published: February 2018

The public notification requirements of violations of maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in drinking water were evaluated through a scientific sampling of residents of 15 California communities. Each community had recently notified consumers of an MCL violation. The sampling assessed public awareness of the notification, the effects the media used had on awareness and knowledge of the problem and recommended solutions to the problem, and the attitude of the respondents regarding the notification requirement and its effectiveness. This assessment of the value of the requirement points to ways in which the stated objectives could be reached more successfully.
Filtration Alone Not Enough
Authors: Wierenga John T.
Published: February 2018

In this letter to the editor, the author questions a statement by James C. Plutze in a feature entitled Viewpoint in the December 1984 Journal American Water Works Association that filtration is known to remove Giardia and that only minimal doses of chlorine are needed. He emphasizes the need for adequate disinfection and calls for industry guidelines for disinfection emphasizing postfiltration chlorination with partial dechlorination.
Bromide‐Oxidant Interactions and THM Formation: A literature Review
Authors: Cooper William J. , Zika Rod G. , Steinhauer Margarete S.
Published: February 2018

Research findings from 1946 to 1984 concerning the formation of trihalomethanes from chlorine‐bromide, chlorine dioxide‐bromide, and monochloramine‐bromide are summarized. Areas of incomplete information are identified, and a complete list of references is provided.
Water Utility Operating Data: An Analysis
Authors: Seidel Harris F.
Published: February 2018

The analyses of data gathered in AWWA surveys in 1976, 1978, and 1980 are simple—consisting primarily of means, medians, and frequency distributions for common water utility parameters. Water use in gallons per capita per day (litres per capita per day) was on a stable plateau from 1970 to 1980, with mean and median values of about 160 and 150 gpcd (606 and 568 L/d per capita), respectively. Analysis of rural water districts as a separate class was made possible for the first time by their increased participation in the 1980 survey. Their per‐capita water use was somewhat less than that of similar municipal utilities, whereas their rates were from one third higher to double, depending on the size of the rural district. For municipal utilities, water rates essentially doubled from 1970 to 1980, but this was still not enough to keep up with inflation during that decade.
Metal Mobilization in Home Well Water Systems in Nova Scotia
Authors: Maessen Odilia , Freedman Bill , McCurdy Ross
Published: February 2018

A study of private wells in rural Nova Scotia found that concentrations of metals such as cadmium, zinc, copper, and lead increased in water that remained in the distribution system overnight. Some 50 percent of the homes studied exceeded Canada's recommended 1.0‐mg/L maximum permissible limit for copper and 20 percent exceeded the 0.05‐mg/L limit for lead. Metal mobilization was observed in all four of the communities studied, regardless of differences in well water chemistry. Significant leaching was observed in water of high pH and hardness. Four indexes commonly used to assess the corrosive tendency of a water did not accurately predict the metal leaching that could occur in a given water.
Reduction of Turbidity by a Coal‐Aluminum Filter
Authors: Collins Anthony G. , Johnson Robert L.
Published: February 2018

Coal‐aluminum granular media filters successfully reduce turbidity in low‐alkalinity raw waters to less than 1.0 ntu, without a coagulation step or external coagulant aids. Data from experiments conducted with control and pilot‐plant filters show the viability of the process and indicate the turbidity removal and retention mechanisms. Operational characteristics of the process are similar to those of a conventional filter. The costs of the coal‐aluminum process compare favorably with those of traditional treatment.
Viewpoint – Reuse: Panacea or Pie in the Sky?
Authors: Okun Daniel A.
Published: February 2018

Daniel A. Okun, Kenan professor of environmental engineering (emeritus) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has long been active in AWWA affairs and currently serves on the international affairs committee and the dual distribution committee. Readers will remember his most recent contribution to Journal AWWA—last year's photo essay on water supply in the People's Republic of China.
Reclaiming Desert Lands Through Water Reuse
Authors: Goff James D. , Busch Paul L.
Published: February 2018

The city of Chandler, Ariz., has implemented a program for total reuse of its municipal wastewater effluent. A new reclamation facility will serve as the cornerstone of the city's program, which has several unique aspects. (1) The new wastewater treatment facility will be sited where there is no adjacent watercourse, thus necessitating complete reuse of its effluent. (2) Financing, ownership, and operation of the facility are being done through privatization. (3) The reuse system has been developed through a public‐private partnership between the city and landowners whose property borders the facility. The initial phases of the system are scheduled to be on‐line by year's end.
Viewpoint – The Next Five Years
Authors: Wolman Abel
Published: February 2018

Professor Emeritus Abel Wolman of The Johns Hopkins University delivered the following address to the second AWWA International Affairs Forum June 26, 1985, in Washington, D.C.
Corps of Engineers Develops Water Supply Tools
Authors: Walski Thomas M.
Published: February 2018

The US Army Corps of Engineers has available a number of up‐to‐date publications that could assist water utilities and engineers with planning, design, and operational problems. The author includes a list of reports and manuals applicable to the drinking water industry.
A Treatment Plant Operator Assesses Ozonation
Authors: LePage Wilfred L.
Published: February 2018

Ozonation of the public water supply at Monroe, Mich., is reviewed by the plant operator after six years of successful operation. Destruction of taste and odor, the primary objective of ozonation at Monroe, has been complete under all conditions. Numerous side effects of ozonation for taste and odor control are reported to be beneficial. Treatment results, equipment performance, and economics are compared with the rigid criteria originally applied in the process selection and design. All comparisons remain favorable as the system enters its seventh year of operation.
Water Rights in an Age of Anxiety
Authors: Chang Williamson B. C.
Published: February 2018

This article shows how the law grows and changes as society changes. In post‐World War II Hawaii, this evolution is particularly evident in recent judicial rulings relating to the riparian doctrine of water rights. The author classifies the trend into three phases: interpretation of common law based on precedents, fractionalization of common law, and policy‐oriented decision making. Three recent judicial rulings are used to illustrate the three‐phase concept.
Water Resource Planning for Maximum Benefit
Authors: Miller William H.
Published: February 2018

Water utilities that depend on surface supplies face increasing public pressure to maintain in‐stream flows and to open reservoirs for recreational uses. Severely restricted access to watersheds in the interest of maintaining water quality is increasingly difficult, especially in the water‐short West, in view of settlements of suits involving new development of water resources. An awareness of public concerns can result in planning solutions that are acceptable to all potential users.
Meeting Streamflow Requirements
Authors: Trelease Frank J.
Published: February 2018

As a result of the growing trend within the United States to protect and provide in‐stream flows, the states are adopting a variety of means to meet streamflow requirements. The most common methods are reservation of minimum streamflows, placing conditions on water use permits, and stream protection systems. In‐stream flows may also be required as conditions of project authorizations, licenses, and administrative decisions.
226Ra and 228Ra in Water Supplies
Authors: Lucas Henry F.
Published: February 2018

An early objective of this study was to develop a method for predicting the concentration of radium in well waters based on the well's location, the details of its construction, and the geological structures it penetrates. However, as in Aurora, Ill., 226Ra concentrations ranging from 3.8 to 18 pCi/L were found for wells of nearly identical construction located within relatively short distances from each other. Even larger deviations were found for comparisons among cities. The 228Ra concentration was determined in 140 of these samples and ranged from 0.3 to 32 pCi/L. Data obtained by other investigators in Iowa put the median 228Ra to 226Ra ratio at 0.64. Regression analysis, however, does not suggest any meaningful correlation of 228Ra and 226Ra. Because high concentrations of 228Ra have been found in areas with low 226Ra concentrations and 228Ra is not detected by gross‐alpha analysis, it appears that a large‐scale survey of 228Ra in water is needed.
Committee Report: Current Practice in Bacteriological Sampling
Authors: Systems AWWA Committee on Bacteriological Sampling Frequency in Dist
Published: February 2018

A survey of AWWA utility members indicated that there is great variability among sampling programs for microbiological monitoring of water distribution systems. This variability includes the number of samples collected, the use of check samples, the patterns of sample collection over the area of the distribution system and over time, and the sample collection and laboratory examination techniques. Since little research has been conducted on the various elements of a sampling program, there is as yet no basis for specifying the sampling procedures for an ideal bacteriological monitoring program.
Declining‐Rate Filtration
Authors: Monk Robert D. G.
Published: February 2018

The author of this letter‐to‐the‐editor comments on an earlier letter by Thomas Schwartz (Journal AWWA, May 1985). In response to the statement that, “the throughput volume of water is greater” for declining‐rate filters (DRF) than for constant‐rate filters (CRF), the author points out that a more correct statement would read, “The throughput volume of water per unit of driving head is greater for DRF than for CRF” because what is meant by head loss can be interpreted in different ways. He states further that the statement should not be construed to claim that a DRF produces more water per unit time than does a CRF.
Accolades for Ozone
Authors: White George Clifford
Published: February 2018

The author of this letter‐to‐the‐editor praises a recent article on ozonation (”A Treatment Plant Operator Assesses Ozonation,” Journal AWWA, August, 1985) and adds positive comments concerning the value of ozone in reducing chlorine demand. He states that ozone used in conjunction with conventional pretreatment may lower the chlorine demand enough to allow resumption of the free residual process and do away with the need to use chloramines to control trihalomethane formation.
Discussion: Prediction of Organic Chemical Permeation Through PVC Pipe—A Scientist's Perspective
Authors: Pfau James P.
Published: February 2018

In this discussion of Alan R. Berens' article on “Prediction of Organic Chemical Permeation Through PVC Pipe” (Journal AWWA, November, 1985), Pfau notes the importance of Berens's work and points out that it complements permeation investigations at Battelle Laboratories. The work at Battelle has involved commercially available, unjointed and gasketed‐jointed, 4 inch water pipe (PVC, asbestos‐cement, and ductile iron) exposed to neat organic solvents and water‐solvent solutions representing highly contaminated environments. These investigations under worst‐case exposure conditions, are useful in determining the qualitative nature of permeation and in understanding basic mechanisms of permeation through water pipes. Gravimetric adsorption studies being conducted at Battelle will serve to verify Berens's results.
Effects of Water Quality Parameters on the Corrosion of Galvanized Steel
Authors: Pisigan Rodolfo A. , Singley J. Edward
Published: February 2018

Jar tests and a circulating water system were used to evaluate the effect of water quality parameters, in particular the Langelier index (SI), on the corrosion of galvanized steel. Since waters with a positive SI were sometimes found to be at least as corrosive as waters with a negative SI, especially if the effect of dissolved oxygen was neglected, no definite relationship could be established between corrosion rate and SI. In both Gainesville, Fla., tap water and deionized water, corrosion was observed to be fastest in the pH range 5–6.5. A general mechanism for the formation of corrosion products is presented. Overall results suggest that the SI should be used only with caution in the practice of corrosion control and that prediction of a water's corrosivity should also consider the influence of other water quality parameters.
Algae Control in Reservoirs
Authors: Lee G. Fred , Jones R. Anne
Published: February 2018

In response to an article by R.K. Raman in an earlier issue (”Controlling Algae in Water Supply Impoundments,” Journal AWWA, August, 1985), the authors of this letter‐to‐the‐editor state that Raman has failed to discuss the most important method for controlling algae in water supply reservoirs. According to the authors, this method is the limiting of phosphorus loadings to the reservoirs. The use of the Vollenweider‐OECD eutrophication modeling approach is suggested as a means of determining the amount of planktonic algal biomass reduction that will result from a given phosphorus load reduction. In his response to this letter, Raman agrees with the importance of nutrient control while reiterating internal regeneration as an important source of phosphorus loading.
Roundtable – Is Mandatory Filtration of Surface Supplies Feasible?
Authors: Pipes Wesley , Cleasby John , Kirner John , Kelley William , Calabro Joseph , Vogt Craig
Published: February 2018

This discussion took place June 26, 1985, during the AWWA annual conference in Washington, D. C. Participants were: Joseph Calabro, manager of water quality and purification, Pennsylvania Gas and Water Co., Scranton, Pa.; John Cleasby, professor of civil engineering at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; William Kelley, water supply chief of the Michigan Health Department, Lansing, Mich.; John Kirner, water resources coordinator of the Tacoma Department of Public Utilities, Tacoma, Wash.; and Craig Vogt, deputy director of the criteria and standards division of the Office of Drinking Water, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. Wesley Pipes, chairman of the civil engineering department of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pa., served as moderator of the panel
Managing an Unfiltered Water Supply
Authors: Donner Richard G. , Kirner John C.
Published: February 2018

Several large water utilities, including many in the Pacific Northwest, rely on watershed management, ongoing examination of water quality, and enhanced disinfection practices to maintain safe water instead of filtration. The authors base this article on their experience with the Seattle and Tacoma water systems in the state of Washington and conclude that mandatory filtration for all surface water systems does not seem to be justifiable
Direct Filtration: An Australian Study
Authors: Craig Keith
Published: February 2018

Study of the water of Chichester Dam, operated by the Hunter District Water Board in New South Wales, Australia, indicated that the supply could possibly be treated by direct filtration—at capital and operating costs well below those for conventional treatment. Extensive pilot‐plant testing carried out to determine the feasibility of direct filtration included optimization of the media and of the chemical system, evaluation of declining‐rate versus constant‐rate filtration, and use of artificially manufactured “dirty water.” The treatment process selected as a result of these pilot studies was constant‐rate direct filtration, with mechanical in‐line chemical mixing and no flocculation.
Gastroenteritis: Case Study of a Colorado Outbreak
Authors: Hopkins Richard S. , Karlin Richard J. , Gaspard G. Barry , Smades Roger
Published: February 2018

A waterborne nonbacterial gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in March 1981 in the Colorado communities served by the Eagle‐Vail Water District. The outbreak was linked to a chlorinator failure as well as a long‐standing filter deficiency and malfunction of an upstream sewage treatment plant. Illness was statistically associated with water consumption. The direct costs for medical care, time lost from work, purchase of bottled water, and emergency repairs to the water treatment system were estimated to have been $258 231, or $73 per resident. Costs to rectify the problems discovered in the water treatment plant, including long‐term improvements, were almost $1.2 million.
Diatomaceous Earth Filtration of Giardia Cysts and Other Substances
Authors: Langé Kelly P. , Bellamy William D. , Hendricks David W. , Logsdon Gary S.
Published: February 2018

Pilot‐plant tests resulted in virtually 100 percent removals of Giardia lamblia cysts for both coarse and fine grades of diatomaceous earth over a wide range of conditions. Removals of turbidity and total coliform bacteria were functionally dependent on the grade of diatomaceous earth. Alum coating increased removal rates.
Well Screen Study Scrutinized
Authors: Kelly Jack E. , Williams Dennis E.
Published: February 2018

The author of this letter comments that the study described by Dennis Williams in “Modern Techniques in Well Design” (Journal AWWA, September 1985) appears to be restricted to a single manufacturer's product. He also questions statements concerning high efficiency wells in uncased rock aquifers, filter packs, specific discharge versus critical well radius, natural development, and trade‐off between length of screen and available drawdown. Kelly concludes by stating that Williams did not appear to draw on previous extensive research on wells. Williams responds by pointing out that the study included six commercially available screens. He states that the comment regarding high efficiency wells was made only as a comparison. Williams comments that the procedure of determining the minimum length of screen only enhances well design criteria by providing a minimum check point on screen length. He remarks that previous research was evaluated for the study, but he believes some of the conclusions did not reflect sound well design criteria.
Viewpoint – Privatization Could Ease Water Crises
Authors: Fixler Philip E.
Published: February 2018

The author of this article is director of the Local Government Center, a nonprofit educational organization, at 1018 Garden St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
Private Operation of US Water Utilities
Authors: Stump Michael M.
Published: February 2018

As increasing problems associated with the operation of municipal water and wastewater facilities in the United States are encountered, private firms are beginning to offer management and operations services to public utilities on a contract basis. Many municipalities can realize cost savings and achieve more efficient operation of their water and wastewater treatment plants through contracts with private firms. In addition, performance is guaranteed. The author describes the need for, and advantages of, private operation of public utilities.
Desorption of Organics Formed on Activated Carbon
Authors: Voudrias Evangelos A. , Snoeyink Vernon L. , Larson Richard A.
Published: February 2018

Free or combined chlorine reacts with phenols adsorbed on granular activated carbon (GAC) to yield a series of oxidation products that are not formed in the absence of carbon. The potential for desorption of some of these products was demonstrated experimentally by introducing a strongly adsorbed compound into the influent of a GAC column and monitoring the concentration of the product throughout the column. It was also shown that some of the compounds produced catalytically on GAC are very strongly adsorbed and difficult to displace.
Using Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry to Determine Aqueous Trichloroacetic Acid
Authors: Norwood Daniel L. , Christman Russell F. , Johnson J. Donald , Hass J. Ronald
Published: February 2018

The development, verification, and application of a method based on isotope dilution gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry to determine aqueous trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) at the micrograms‐per‐litre level are described. The simultaneous determination of aqueous chloroform is also demonstrated. Trichloroacetic acid is shown to be a significant by‐product of the chlorination of raw waters in the laboratory and to constitute a large fraction of the total organic halide (TOX) formed. Analysis of finished‐water samples indicated that TCAA, like trihalomethanes, is ubiquitous. Positive correlations exist between the levels of TCAA in laboratory‐chlorinated raw waters and in finished waters and measured TOX.
Competitive Adsorption Among VOCs on Activated Carbon and Carbonaceous Resin
Authors: Kong Emery Jenncheng , DiGiano Francis A.
Published: February 2018

The ideal adsorbed solution (IAS) model was used to predict multicomponent adsorption equilibria for carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene in two‐component and three‐component solutions on activated carbon and carbonaceous resin. Single‐solute adsorption experiments were performed to acquire isotherm parameters and multicomponent adsorption experiments to verify IAS model results. The model described some of the multicomponent adsorption equilibria for the concentration range of 1‐2000 μg/L. However, there were notable exceptions not easily explained by experimental error, suggesting that the IAS model may not be valid in general. Carbonaceous resin has a higher capacity for each of the three volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) than does activated carbon, and the order of adsorbability when in competition agrees with that expected from the relative adsorbability of each VOC as determined from its adsorption isotherms, i.e., from high to low—tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and carbon tetrachloride.
Roundtable – Voluntary Research Subscription Program
Authors: LaFrankie James V. , Elwell Fred , Georgeson Duane , Manwaring James F.
Published: February 2018

The question of whether or not it is feasible for utilities in the United States and Canada to fund an industry research program through voluntary subscription was discussed at the AWWA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., June 25, 1985. Participants were: Fred Elwell, director of the Manchester (N.H.) Water Works, chairman of AWWA's Water Utility Council, and member of the AWWA Research Foundation's board of trustees: James V. LaFrankie, president of the American Water Works Company Inc. and chairman of the board of the National Association of Water Companies since 1978: and Duane Georgeson, assistant general manager‐water for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. James F. Manwaring, executive director of the AWWA Research Foundation, was the moderator.
Regional Reactivation of Granular Activated Carbon
Authors: Adams Jeffrey Q. , Clark Robert M. , Lykins Benjamin W. , Kittredge David
Published: February 2018

A major portion of the cost of using granular activated carbon as a water treatment unit process is associated with the replacement or reactivation of spent carbon. Regional reactivation—the sharing of a reactivation furnace among several users—has been proposed as a means of minimizing this cost. To test this concept, a field‐scale regional reactivation project was conducted by the Manchester (N.H.) Water Works in conjunction with three other water utilities. Each of the three participating utilities provided 40 000 lb (18 160 kg) of carbon to be transported to Manchester for fluidized‐bed reactivation. Data were gathered on reactivation operations and costs, transportation costs, and carbon losses. Results of the study demonstrated that regional reactivation can be cost effective compared with carbon replacement and, in certain instances, compared with on‐site reactivation.
Industrial Use of Reverse Osmosis
Authors: Sinisgalli Paul D. , McNutt James L.
Published: February 2018

The use of reverse osmosis (RO) as a water treatment process in private industry has dramatically increased over the past five years because of increased product quality and membrane system performance. Design of RO systems must include a thorough examination of each unit process to determine the effect on preceding and succeeding units. Properly designed RO systems will provide effective industrial wastewater treatment, waste management, and recycling—all of which add up to higher quality product water at a reasonable cost.
A Zero Discharge Steam Electric Power Generating Station
Authors: Martin Hugh J. , Miller Gary R.
Published: February 2018

A coal‐fired electric power generating station near Brush, Colo., achieves zero discharge because the design included successful application of similar concepts at other stations, acknowledged areas where insufficient basic information was available, and was both conservative and flexible enough to allow modifications to be made with minimal disruption of normal operations.
Tucson's Customer Relations Program
Authors: Brice Robert L.
Published: February 2018

In this time of consumerism and rising costs, utilities are under constant pressure to develop and maintain effective customer relations. The traditional approach to customer relations has been threefold: emphasis on telephone and face‐to‐face courtesy, use of public relations and advertising campaigns to inform customers of utility activities, and maintaining effective relations with the print and electronic media. Although these activities are essential to effective customer relations, many policies, procedures, and processes must precede these external, visible elements of a customer relations program.
Removal of By‐products of Chlorine and Chlorine Dioxide at a Hemodialysis Center
Authors: Steinbergs Charles Z.
Published: February 2018

Because it is a strong oxidant that does not form trihalomethanes, chlorine dioxide is becoming a popular alternative to chlorine for disinfecting domestic water supplies. However, when water disinfected with chlorine dioxide is used in hemodialysis therapy, care must be taken to ensure adequate removal of all oxidants that could adversely affect the patient. This case study examines the efficiency of water treatment processes typically used at dialysis centers for removing chlorine dioxide, chlorine, and their residual oxidants. Initial data showed that chlorite ion and free chlorine were effectively removed, but because chlorine dioxide and chlorate ion could not be conclusively identified in the water supply to the clinic or in the final product water of the treatment train, their removal could not be determined.
Water Not Sole Source of Disease Transmission
Authors: Craun Gunther F.
Published: February 2018

The author of this letter explains that contaminated drinking water is only one of several possible sources of transmission of infections and diseases and compares the cases of diseases reported from all causes with cases reported in outbreaks of waterborne disease.
Desalination: The Solution to Oman's Thirst
Authors: Dawood Abdullah A. , Leidholdt Ralph W.
Published: February 2018

The Sultanate of Oman, a country in the Middle East with limited oil and water resources, is coping with the twin problems of rapid modernization and severely limited freshwater supplies by using multiflash distillation of seawater in conjunction with electrical power generation. Limited supplies of fresh well water are blended with the desalinated water before distribution. A series of five‐year development plans, the latest of which takes advantage of a new computer modeling capability, ensures an orderly expansion of the water system for the next several years.
A New Approach to Treatment Plant Design and Construction in Latin America
Authors: Arboleda‐Valencia Jorge
Published: February 2018

Because of special problems and constraints faced by developing countries in the construction and operation of water treatment plants, a new design approach has been developed in Latin America. This new approach not only simplifies operation and maintenance, it also reduces the capital construction costs without lowering the filtered water quality.
Influence of Floe Size Distribution on Clarification
Authors: Reed Gregory D. , Mery Patricia C.
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between optimum coagulant dose and optimum clarification rate in order to design a smaller, more efficient clarifier. The optimum coagulant dose produced a flocculant suspension containing a low total particle count, a floc with a large mean size, and a supernatant with a low count of small particles. The use of an electronic particle counter resulted in size distribution data that were an order of magnitude smaller than the actual size. This was attributed to floc breakup produced by the high fluid shear in the measuring aperture.
Influence of Coagulation on Removal of Organics by Granular Activated Carbon
Authors: Semmens Michael J. , Staples Alan B. , Hohenstein Gary , Norgaard Gregor E.
Published: February 2018

Coagulation of Mississippi River water improved the removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and trihalomethane precursors by granular activated carbon. This increased removal is thought to be due to the reductions in TOC and in poorly adsorbed higher‐molecular‐weight organics that are achieved by coagulation. A cost analysis indicated that very high coagulant dosages would be needed during pretreatment to minimize the overall costs of chemical treatment.
Viewpoint – The Small Plant Operator's Role as Scientist
Authors: Wolman Abel
Published: February 2018

From the AWWA annual conference of 1921, held in Cleveland, Ohio, comes this sagacious viewpoint of the scientific role of the water utility operator. These 65‐year‐old words take on renewed vigor now that drinking water regulations require increased surveillance at the treatment plant.
Protection and Management of Spokane's Sole Source Aquifer
Authors: Dobratz William R. , Wubbena Robert L. , Maxwell John M.
Published: February 2018

Protection of a sole source aquifer in Spokane County, Wash., instigated a series of institutional and technical reforms. Among the most important measures implemented was the creation of local utility districts in outlying areas of the county for the collection and treatment of wastewater in cooperation with the city of Spokane to mitigate the detrimental effects of septic tanks placed above the aquifer. Other protective measures necessitated reforms in land use regulations and adoption of growth policies. Once the importance of preventing further degradation of the aquifer was understood by the public, support was obtained for the relatively modest assessments necessary to implement the protection plan.
Removing Contaminants by Groundwater Recharge Basins
Authors: Salo John E. , Harrison Doug , Archibald Elaine M.
Published: February 2018

The effects of urban runoff used to recharge groundwater basins in the Fresno, Calif., area are discussed. The study, which was part of the US Environmental Protection Agency's nationwide urban runoff program, was undertaken to determine the environmental effectson groundwater quality and to identify management practices that would mitigate adverse effects. No deterioration of groundwater quality because of recharge with runoff was found, although the authors recommend a more thorough investigation of the effects of recharge with runoff from industrial sites.