Inside

Insight DECEMBER 2012 • Vol. 104, No. 12

Forget Location, It's all About

Senior Managing Editor Laura High

Removal, Removal, Removal

V
Nancy Zeilig
arious filtration processes, such as riverbank filtration, membrane filtration, and Publishing Coordinator Cindy Uba
filtration using granular activated carbon (GAC), are used to produce high-
quality drinking water. A number of factors influence how the filtration process is PRODUCTION

managed, which filtration process is used, and how well the process is working. Art Director Carol Stearns
As noted by the Committee Report published in this issue (page 40), the use of mem- Senior Production Editor Linda Yeazel
brane filtration continues to expand in the water industry, making appropriate residuals Production Editor Sandra Lankenau
management strategies for systems using this process rise in importance. Utilities, regula- Technical Artist Scott Annis
tory agencies, and water processes engineers need to know what utilities using these pro-
Marketing
cesses have learned as well as how they have successfully managed the resulting residuals.
In 2003, the AWWA Residuals Management Research, Membrane Processes, and Water Director of Sales Jane Johnson
Treatment Plant Residuals Management committees published a report that provided Sales Manager Cecilia Hendrix
background information, outlined the general characteristics of low-pressure membrane Advertising Coordinator Marge Grogan
residuals, and examined US residuals handling practices. These committees have pro- Territory Sales ManagerS
duced a new report that reflects the lessons learned in the intervening years and covers
Northeast
how changes in the treatment process have driven changes in residuals management.   Rich Harter:    303-347-6238
Israeli’s central filtration plant, which supplies water to millions of people, underwent a                      [email protected]
number of changes to its treatment process as a result of concern over removing Giardia Southeast
  Pam Fithian:        303-347-6138
and Cryptosporidium. As Barkay-Arbel and co-workers report (expanded summary, page                      [email protected]
37; full text online), although the impetus for the change was to remove pathogens, removal Midwest
of turbidity remained the most important quality parameter. The filtration plant was thus   Nancy Mortvedt:    303-734-3442
                      [email protected]
designed to achieve three goals, among them a filtered water turbidity of 0.1 ntu the majori- West
ty of the time, never to exceed 0.2 ntu, in order to attain 3-log removal credit for   Mark Helwick:      303-347-6237
                     [email protected]
Cryptosporidium. Pilot studies as well as operational data from the plant have yielded find-
ings of importance to water treatment worldwide. The preoxidation process at the central Journal American Water Works Association (ISSN
filtration plant has shown the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide as a preoxidant. Adjustment 2164-4535) is published monthly by the American
of chemical doses as developed in the pilot studies has been successfully used at full scale in Water Works Association, 6666 W. Quincy Ave., Den-
ver, CO 80235; tele­phone: (303) 794-7711; fax (303)
the plant. Plant operators can respond to slight deviations in filtered water quality by imme-
794-7310; e-mail [email protected]. AWWA assumes
diately adjusting chemical doses according to developed and proven protocols. no responsibility for opinions or statements of facts
Long a proponent of the benefits of filtration using GAC, the Greater Cincinnati expressed by contributors or advertisers, and editori-
Water Works (GCWW) found that it is also effective at removing natural organic matter als do not necessarily represent official policies of the
association.
(NOM), which in turn reduces the formation of disinfection by-products. Stage 2 of the SUBSCRIPTIONS: Periodicals postage paid at Den-
Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule establishes that the levels of total trihalo- ver, Colo., and additional mailing offices. Subscription
methanes (TTHMs) and the sum of five haloacetic acids (HAA5) must remain below 80 to the Journal is a member benefit; additional sub-
scriptions, sold only to those not eligible for AWWA
and 60 μg/L, respectively. Zappa and colleagues (page 56) report that by using GAC, the membership: $235.00 ($292.00 outside North
GCWW was able to reduce TTHM formation to less than 50 μg/L. The utility achieved America). Each additional print copy for organiza-
similar results with the reduction of HAA5. In addition, Cincinnati has found that GAC tional members sent to the same organizational cus-
tomer address is $58.00. Print subscriptions for
can become even more effective if it is paired with complementary technologies such as
individual members or members entitled to only
enhanced coagulation, pH control, and riverbank filtration. e-periodicals are domestic: $33.00, foreign: $88.00.
Riverbank filtration is used in water treatment worldwide as a means of cleaning surface Single-issue copies are $25.00, plus shipping.
water from rivers or lakes used for drinking water supply. Storck et al (expanded summary, MISSING ISSUES: Contact AWWA Customer Service
Group concerning any problems with re­ceipt of
page 35; full text online) examined the behavior of a large number of organic compounds issues. Claims for missing issues must be submitted
at several riverbank filtration sites in the United States and Germany to determine the key upon receipt of the following issue. Allow 90 days
factors controlling the removal of these trace pollutants. The concentrations of more than for change-of-address notification.
INDEXING: Indexed regularly by Applied Science &
70 detectable pollutants were found to decrease during bank passage. The authors also
Technology Index, Biological Abstracts, Chemical
identified a number of persistent substances, mainly ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (used Abstracts, Compendex, Pollution Abstracts, Water
for a number of industrial applications and more commonly known as EDTA), sulfa- Resources Abstracts, Environmental Science &
methoxazole (an antibiotic known under such brand names as Bactrim, Bethaprim, Pollution Management, and Waternet.
CODEN: JAWWA5 77(2)1-130 (2011).
Cotrim, Septra), carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant known under such brand names as ISSN: 0003-150X
Carbatol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), amidotrizoic acid (a medication prescribed for both POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Journal
humans and animals and sold under such brand names as Gastropaque, Angiografin, AWWA, American Water Works Association,
6666 W. Quincy Ave., Denver, CO 80235. Canadian
Reliev, Renografin), and naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate and naphthalene-1,3,5-trisulfonate Publications Mail #40612608 – Return undeliverable
(compounds used for multiple purposes). Although removal of single substances was com- Canadian addresses to Bleuchip International, P.O.
parable under similar conditions at different sites, site-specific conditions controlled the Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
removal of many of these compounds. In addition, each compound displayed different Copyright © 2012 by American Water Works
behavior (even when they were structurally related), underscoring the importance of utili- Association. All rights reserved.
ties being aware of changing site-specific conditions. PRODUCED IN USA
2012 © American Water Works Association
2 DEC EM BE R 2 0 1 2 | J OURN AL AW WA