Source Water monitoring

Source Water Monitoring It serves two needs to customers: Drinking water protection Treatment control “early-warning” information Highlighted by recent news events

The Basics “Water treatment is the one of only processes in the world where you can’t control your inputs, but have to make a perfectly controlled output.”

Detect Changes in Water Quality Dissolved organic matter Intrusion of another source Spring Municipal or industrial waste Acid mine drainage Produced water from oil and gas drilling operations Algal blooms Reservoir stratification Storm events Malicious contamination of the source water

In the news: Elk River Contamination Freedom Industries Tank Spill

In the news: Group to Launch Campaign for Public Takeover of Water Company

In the news: Potomac River Algae Bloom

In the news: Oil Spill – Patuxent River Chalk Point, Maryland: On April 7, 2000, a leak was detected in an underground pipeline that supplies oil to the Potomac Electric Power Company Chalk Point generating station in Aquasco, Md. Approximately 140,000 gallons of fuel oil spilled into Swanson Creek, and about 40 miles of environmentally-sensitive downstream creeks and shorelines were oiled as a result. This case was settled in 2002, and the trustees have undertaken a series of restoration projects to address natural resource and lost use injuries associated with the fuel pipeline leak. 

In the news: Verso Paper Mill – Latex Spill Potomac River

In the news: Mine Waste Contamination By EPA- Colorado River

And then.. there’s Flint:

Flint facts: There was no Lead in the river The Lead was leached from existing pipes and fixtures from a change in water chemistry Many utilities manage this threat by managing passivating chemicals (Phosphates) and pH It’s damaged utilities reputations everywhere Lead services are very expensive/impossible to remove. In some areas, illegal for utilities to access

What are you looking for? Changes in Water Quality Dissolved organic matter Reservoir stratification Storm events Malicious contamination of the source water Intrusion from another source Spring Municipal or industrial waste Acid mine drainage Produced water from oil and gas drilling operations Algal blooms Train derailments Vehicle accidents

What are the emerging contaminants in source water: Toxic Alga- Cyanobacteria Microbiological contaminants-Naegleria fowleri (brain eating amoeba) Taste and odor contaminants TOC in source water causing DBP formation Drinking water intakes are largely unregulated: Remote from treatment plants Excellent opportunity for continuous solutions- monitoring

More of what’s changed recently in source water? Enhanced attention due to spills utrification of watersheds (non-point pollution) In-reservoir treatment for alga- aeration, copper use “Lead” monitoring in source water? No, but the sources of corrosion change: pH, Alkalinity, Conductivity, Temp Using surrogates for monitoring such as: DO for diurnal cycles to gauge alga growth UVAS for TOC Non-reportable tests for monitoring More of what’s changed recently in source water?

Many possible parameters to test Microbiological tests- including LuminUltra Nutrient tests- Phosphate Nitrogen Ammonia Turbidity pH Conductivity ORP Oil-in-water probe Dissolved Oxygen HydroLab sondes within watersheds Tests kits Hand held instruments Lab methods Source Water Monitoring Panel TOC – Lab and Proces UVAS

NOM Naturally organic matter

Naturally occurring ammonia Always had a problem getting a free residual Chlorine dosage rate seemed high Converts free to total Run a free and total chlorine test at POE If high total and low free you probably have natural ammonia. Not all organics are ammonia

Used with permission, Golden State Water Breakpoint chlorination dose of 16.4 mg/L is needed for complete removal of free ammonia Used with permission, Golden State Water

Pretreatment for less than ideal source water Chlorine Dioxide Ozone Chemical addition Filtration

The key is early identification of potential problems Frequent testing Continuous monitoring if the problem is big enough Be aware of your history to be ready for seasonal changes Be prepared to make changes to your treatment process based on changes to source water

Questions?