Adapting to Arsenic Rules
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2005
By Wendy L. Chambers and Roman J. Aguirre
The proposal consisted of supplying more than 300 tons of GFH adsorption media and 35 large diameter pressure vessels, including instrumentation and controls as well as backwash storage tanks.
Reservoir Tank Is One of A Kind
Water & Wastes Digest
May 2005
By Judy Horning
This expansion project is part of a long-term citywide capital improvement program to improve the infrastructure and services that provide San Diegans with safe drinking water.
Time Saved Testing Pays Off
Water & Wastes Digest
May 2005
By Adam Potter
Many wastewater plants are switching from fecal coliforms to monitoring for E. coli and Enterococcus, because the EPA has identified these bacteria as the best indicators of fecal contamination in water.
Using Baseline Monitoring Techniques to Assess Filter Run Performance
WWDmag.com
January-December 2005
Michael J. Sadar and Kathleen Bill
Determining if a filter run is approaching a breakthrough condition is a daily challenge for water treatment plant (WTP) operators. Current techniques look for upward trends in either turbidity or particle counts of the filter effluent. However, this does not consistently predict actual filter breakthrough. This study’s objective is to determine if data from different particle detection technologies can be better utilized to characterize filter performance.
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The Application of Simplified Process Statistical Variance Techniques to Enhance the Detection of Filtration Integrity Loss
WWDmag.com
January-December 2005
Mike Sadar
Process monitoring for loss of filtration integrity is often performed using basic light scatter detection methods such as turbidity and particle counting. These methods monitor for the presence of particles in the filtration effluent (permeate). The industries where these parameters are most widely used include drinking water and ultra-pure water production. The recent upward trend in the application of membrane systems for drinking water production enhances the need for technologies with higher sensitivity and greater reliability because the loss of filtration integrity could directly impact human health.
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Keeping Up With the Times
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2004
By Tim Gregorski
WWD examines some of North America’s the latest municipal upgrades.
Providing a One-Two Punch
Water & Wastes Digest
September 2004
Lianna Mah
The Oakville plant treats 109 million liters per day of water from Lake Ontario.
New Desalination Method Reduces Energy Costs
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2004
By Denise Covelli
The Long Beach Seawater Desalination Research and Development Facility will be the nation’s largest, using dual-stage nanofiltration technology up to 30% more energy efficient than conventional methods
DCWW Power, Politics and Paradigm
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2004
By Craig Lindell
However, its real capacity (decentralized wastewater treatment) to address budget challenges, nonpoint pollution and the watershed agenda remains unrealized.
Filter Provides Legionella Barrier for Hospitals
Water Quality Products
November 2003
Point-of-use units are increasingly gaining acceptance in such applications as hospitals and nursing homes. This technology allows these facilities to produce high-quality water as needed at a lower cost.
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Finding a Sweet Result
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2003
David Pearson
A new membrane filtration system manufactured by PCI Membrane Systems, Inc. allowed National Raisin Co. of Fowler, Calif., to not only cut their wastewater costs, but they have also opened up a potentially lucrative source of income.
Old School No Longer
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2003
Thomas C. Schwartz
When the country's oldest private boarding school had to upgrade and modernize its wastewater treatment facility, it employed a new and innovative technology to resolve an administrative consent order (ACO) to bring itself into compliance and avoid the possibility of paying hefty fines.
Arsenic Treatment
Water Quality Products
June 2003
Ley Hathcock, Ph.D., Rich Cavagnaro & Greg Gilles
A wide range of technologies, some new and some more traditional, is being marketed and applied for arsenic treatment. Each of these technologies has specific properties impacting its suitability for any particular scale of application. While rare, the ability of a single water treatment technology to perform effectively across many treatment platforms is not unique.
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E. Coli
Water Quality Products
May 2003
Danielle Duclos
This article provides a general overview of E. coli and drinking water as well as current and emerging monitoring and decontamination technologies.
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Chesapeake Seals the Deal
Water Engineering & Management
May 2003
Watertight Storm Sewer Group
The City of Chesapeake, Va. is located in the region called Hampton Roads, the 27th largest metro area in the country with more than 1.5 million residents. With an annual rainfall of approximately 48", its designers must contend with the prospects of determining where 294 billion gallons of water will go. A large share of this rainfall will find its way into the storm sewers. Last year, the City Council appropriated an extra $467,600 for contract cave-in repairs. The City of Chesapeake has recognized this problem and is developing a program to address it.
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George Warren Fuller, Industry Pioneer
Water Engineering & Management
May 2003
Bill Swichtenberg
The George Warren Fuller Award is presented annually to one member of each section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). It is based on recommendations from the sections for distinguished service in the water supply field and "in commemoration of the sound engineering skill, the brilliant diplomatic talent and constructive leadership talent" that characterized Fuller's life.
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Zero Waste: A Look at the Future of Reverse Osmosis
Water Quality Products
March 2003
Josh Hanford, Watts Industries
Most reverse osmosis systems waste as much as 20 gallons just to produce one gallon of product water. The new technology called "ZeroWaste" eliminates this problem by returning the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis system back to the home's plumbing, resulting in 100 percent efficiency.
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Arsenic Treatment Options for the Southwest
Water Quality Products
February 2003
Arizona Water Quality Association
While high concentrations of arsenic are found mostly in the Western region of the United States, parts of the Midwest and New England show levels of arsenic
that exceed the newly approved U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Individuals not willing to wait for their water system's compliance with the arsenic standard currently are looking for treatment systems to use in their homes. POU and even point-of-entry (POE) treatment systems are an attractive solution for these individuals. The process should begin with a basic understanding of arsenic contamination and the element's chemistry, a complete water quality analysis of the application-specific water and the knowledge of available technologies.
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Integrated Technology Simplifies Dewatering Process at Two Municipal STPs
Water & Wastes Digest
February 2003
Robert W. Mau, USFilter
The borough of West Mifflin, Penn., is a community located about nine miles southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. For years, the West Mifflin Sanitary Sewer Municipal Authority (WMSSMA) hauled liquid from its New England STP (a 1.2 mgd plant) to the Thompson Run facility (a 4.5 mgd plant), where it was processed on a belt press for dewatering. However, the hauling and associated labor proved very costly, and it was not always easy to coordinate dewatering schedules for both plants.
Additionally in the late 1990s, the WMSSMA faced a requirement to achieve higher cake solids and provide odor control that would respect nearby homes and businesses. Moreover, space constraints and staffing reductions necessitated a simple-to-operate installation.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 1
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
Arsenic is a naturally occurring metal found in rocks and soil, which can be released into the environment through geological events such as volcanic activity and erosion. Other releases of arsenic into the environment occur through industrial processes such as production of paints, metals, soaps, dyes, drugs, semi-conductors and wood preservatives, as well as in mining and smelting.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 2
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
Consumers unwilling to drink arsenic contaminated water are demanding a more rapid implementation. Publicly owned utilities, however, will be held hostage from implementing a more rapid solution due to government approval cycles, annual budgets, required biding processes and slow implementation schedules. As a result, in-home treatment systems, which immediately can be installed, are a very popular treatment option for individual homeowners. Other advantages such as low implementation/operating costs and improved flexibility make the POU/POE approach option appealing.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 3
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
In addition to officially sponsored research projects being performed throughout the world (see Section V for more information on research), many universities, government organizations and industry professionals are active in providing solutions to this issue. The following papers have been presented on arsenic treatment, health effects or policy issues at various tradeshows and conferences throughout the United States.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 5
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
Research on arsenic can be broken down into three general areas -- health effects, treatment options and cost evaluations.There are more than 1,000 published research papers on health effects alone. This section provides an over-view of the most prominent research related to these areas which have impacted EPA’s decisions. There also are links to research organizations that can provide access to the specific projects conducted.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 6
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
What research is being done at University's throughout the US? Colleges and universities across the U.S. are continuing their efforts in educating the population on the subject of arsenic. Both public and private universities are contributing their time, money, and expertise in areas of arsenic research such as geochemistry, health effects, and treatment options. Research programs, such as the ones listed below, are just a glimpse of the ongoing studies for arsenic. Ongoing research is necessary in order to continue to develop efficient and cost-effective solutions for the far-reaching problem of arsenic contamination.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 7
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Wes McGowan
These terms are pulled from "All About Water: An Illustrated Dictionary of Water Terminology" by Wes McGowan
A New Option in Valve Actuators Strengthens Control of Filtering Operations
Water Engineering & Management
January 2003
Water works engineers are now turning to a new generation of pneumatic valve actuators that are capable of executing the instructions of electronic control systems with the necessary precision to accurately control effluent flow. Surprisingly simple but rugged in construction, this new breed of actuators also is meeting the need to reduce downtime, as some of the first ones to debut in 1981 are still in operation without needing a spare (new) part.
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ETV Testing Verifies Membrane Filtration Plant Treats Surface Water, Meets D/DBP Rule
Water Quality Products
December 2002
PCI Membrane Systems, Inc.
A study published as part of the EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program verifies the performance of a Fyne Process membrane filtration plant tested on high organic-laden surface water in Barrow, Ark. The plant was able to remove significant levels of organics--precursors to disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THM) and haloacetic acids (HAA)--producing water that easily met the disinfection byproduct standards set by the EPA's stringent Stage 1 D/DBP Rule.
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Stormwater Treatment: A Look at Various Methods, Hydrodynamic Separators
Water & Wastes Digest
July 2002
Since the passing of the Clean Water Act, the industry has made great strides in improving the quality of point source discharges to the environment. As treatment technologies continue to improve, non-point source pollution becomes a more significant contributor to environmental degradation.
Small Site Dictates Stormwater Treatment Solution in Mich. Redevelopment
Water & Wastes Digest
July 2002
Ann Arbor, a densely populated university town of 180,000, has been seeing an increase in urban redevelopment pressure in recent years as developable land has become scarce and land values have risen. The city of Ann Arbor has worked closely with the County Drain Commissioner’s office to use this redevelopment as an opportunity to improve the quality of stormwater flowing into the county drains.
Evaluating Activated Carbons
Water Quality Products
June 2002
Henry Nowicki, Ph.D., Mick Greenbank, Ph.D. and Homer Yute, M.S., PACS
New
challenges are emerging in the industry that require new methods and product
developments. This article discusses additional test methods for the AC
industry.
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Membranes: Fouling & Cleaning
Water Quality Products
May 2002
Bjarne Nicolaisen
Membrane technology offers the possibility of managing total water resources. The spiral wound membrane element configuration is the most widely used due to its high packing density and relatively low price. This article will describe some technological advances in the area of innovative new membranes and application concepts for spiral wound membrane elements.
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Making the Filtration Buying Process Easier for Your Customers
Water Quality Products
March 2002
By David M. Marsh
If you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it a hundred times—customers who come to you looking for a home filtration system, unaware of what their specific needs are. While many consumers simply want a system that improves their water’s taste and aesthetic qualities, the majority are looking for a product that will make their water healthier. But as you know, “healthier” is a subjective term, and without knowing the issues that are present in the customer’s water, providing them with a system that fits their needs isn’t very easy to do.
Production of High Purity Water From Seawater
Water Quality Products
March 2002
Contributed by Ted Prato, Erik Schoepke, Lance Etchison, Tom O’Brien, Brian Hernon and Kit Perry, I
The Diablo Canyon Power Plant at Avila Beach in California utilizes seawater for both cooling water and makeup water for steam generation. Ionics, Inc., Watertown, Mass., designed and built and now operates a complete water treatment system serving the high-purity water needs of this power plant. Over the past eight years, the seawater treatment section has demonstrated excellent long-term performance as a result of strong design, consistent maintenance and qualified operators.
Legionella Management and Monitoring: Part 2
Water Quality Products
February 2002
Paul S. Warden, Kristen S. Fallon, Ph.D., M.S.E.L., & Colin R. Fricker, Ph.D.
Well-designed water distribution and cooling systems,
coupled with sound management and operational procedures, are essential to
control Legionella in industrial facilities—and a monitoring program
should not be considered as a replacement. However, most experts even those
ill-disposed towards routine Legionella monitoring, would agree that monitoring
should be considered if enough legionellosis risk factors apply to the system
in question. No management program, regardless of its treatment, maintenance or
monitoring components, can guarantee the absence of future legionellosis, but
prudent operational practices combined with ongoing review of risk factors will
allow facility managers to minimize exposure to Legionella and to its legal consequences.
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Innovations in the Activated Carbon Industry
Water Quality Products
February 2002
Henry Nowicki, Barbara Sherman and Homer Yute
Like an international cookbook, the attendees of the Ninth Annual International Activated Carbon Conference (IACC) from around the world contributed to a recipe for a successful future for the activated carbon industry. Speakers brought their new ideas and on-going practices together. This annual conference had guests from all over the United States, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and India. The conference connects buyers, sellers and users of activated carbon and related materials and services.
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RO Maintenance
Water Quality Products
January 2002
Nevin Rudie
Understanding and reacting to the performance of a reverse osmosis (RO) system is necessary for continued successful operation. It is this interaction that allows us to quickly and correctly identify and correct issues that may arise.
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Bioterrorism May Pose Threat to Water Supplies
Water Quality Products
December 2001
Wendi Hope King
If our water supplies actually do come under attack, the question remains: Is there any way for consumers to protect themselves? Unfortunately, it seems to be too early to tell, yet some companies are beginning to emerge with products that may be the answer.
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POU Options for Arsenic
Water Quality Products
November 2001
The topic of arsenic has received a lot of press coverage this year, ever since the Bush administration halted the EPA’s newly issued maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Since then, the MCL was reinstated back to 50 ppb and further discussions and studies have continued. This article will discuss some of these updates.
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Judicial Equities Override Filtration Requirement
Water Engineering & Management
October 2001
Dan Kucera
A recent federal court decision may have created an opportunity for relief from United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that impose costs that substantially exceed benefits.
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Controlling Mechanisms of Contaminant Ion Leakage in Condensate Polishing Systems
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Stephen W. Najmy, The Dow Chemical Co.
Extracting the maximum benefit from condensate polishing systems continues to be a top priority among many electric utility plants. With cost reduction pressures and increasing water quality standards, owners and operators continue to evaluate the resin handling procedures that affect corrosion product transport and contaminant ion impurity levels.
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Centrifuge Helps Filter Water and Process Fluids Automatically
Water Engineering & Management
February 2001
Customers’ calls documenting the ability to remove solids that build up in their water in their production and processing plants continue to confirm for Jeffery Beattey, president of Midwest Engineered Products Corp., an original equipment manufacturer based in Indianapolis, Ind., that his recent invention of a new centrifuge for fluid filtration was just in time.
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Ultrafiltration
Water Quality Products
December 2000
Mike Sadar
Ultrafiltration (UF) rapidly is becoming a common and practical method of preparing pure water that is free of particulate matter.
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Roundtable Discussion: E. coli (Escherichia coli)
Water Quality Products
November 2000
Wendi Hope King
Recent outbreaks of E. coli have brought consumer’s attention to their drinking water. Understanding its source, regulations and prevention will be key to combating this waterborne illness.
Pennsylvania Filtration Plant Helps Meet NPDES Discharge Requirements
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2000
In the early 1990s, the Milford-Trumbauersville Area Sewer Authority in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, recognized the need to upgrade the existing sewage treatment plant. This was necessary to increase capacity and to meet future more stringent requirements set by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for Unami Creek.
Legionella: Minimizing Risks
Water Engineering & Management
August 2000
W. Craig Meyer
Legionellosis, the disease caused by Legionella spc., is common, though most people would guess it is extremely rare. Outbreaks of Legionellosis, defined as a cluster of three or more cases in a single locale, occur regularly in the United States and much of the developed world.
Nuclear Power Plants Crosslinked Resin Ion Exchange System Provdes the Right Reactor Water Chemistry
Water Quality Products
July 2000
James Stahlbush and Stephen Najmy
In the nuclear power industry, finding an ion exchange system that provides the right feedwater and reactor water chemistry is a delicate balancing act. That?s why engineers at Niagara Mohawk?s Nine Mile Nuclear Power Station?Unit Two, a boiling water reactor with deep-bed condensate polishers in central New York, turned to The Dow Chemical Co. for help in meeting stringent industry guidelines for feedwater iron.
Liquid Regeneration of Spent Activated Carbons
Water Quality Products
March 2000
Henry G. Nowicki
New liquid phase-based processes to regenerate spent AC have been conducted. Two liquid processes, competitive adsorbate displacement and supercritical fluid (SCF) regeneration, will be discussed.
The Gray Area: The Difference Between Commercial and Industrial
Water Quality Products
February 2000
Wendi Hope King
For a long time, the commercial and industrial (C&I) markets have been accepted as one sector of the water industry. Although considered different from such other markets as residential, agricultural and wastewater, there is a large murky area when being separated from each other.
The Challenge of Membrane Maintenance
Water Quality Products
February 2000
Peter Cartwright
The membrane processing technologies of microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are widely used to separate suspended and dissolved materials from water solutions in numerous industrial, medical and drinking water applications.
Desalination System Brings Water to Small Island Off Washington Coast
Water & Wastes Digest
February 2000
Off the coast of Washington, 32 families on Guemes Island were faced with an aging well that was drawing salt water into its system. Because groundwater is scarce on the island, residents had to rely on what little rain water soaks into the ground.
Traveling Bridge Filter Problems Eliminated
Water & Wastes Digest
March 1999
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania installed two 4MGD traveling bridge filters in 1980. According to Joe Witkowski, who manages the facility, "We had serious media leakage with our old filters. We had continuous backwashing and mechanical problems - they just couldn't handle high flows. Plus, they had serious media leakage problems."
Filtration Process Restores Murky Pools
Water Engineering & Management
March 1999
Jim Jebbia and David Simon
One Hawaiian hotel was able to quickly fix a filter problem that was turning its tropical ponds into a milky and murky mess.
Membrane Filtration for Water and Wastewater
Water Quality Products
February 1999
Membrane filtration, widely used in chemical and biotechnology processes, is already established as a valuable means of filtering and cleaning wastewater and industrial process water.
Large Anthracite Media Does the Job
Water & Wastes Digest
September 1998
Bill Scully
Tertiary Filtration Piloting conducted at two different WWTPs demonstrate improved performance of large anthracite media compared to dual and single sand media filtration.
Filter Media Rids Iron from Groundwater
Water Engineering & Management
December 1997
Yun H. Zhang
The most common process for iron removal from water is to allow water-soluble ferrous iron (FE2+) in water to turn into water-insoluble ferric iron (Fe3+), and then capture FeIII (iron oxide) particles by filtration.
Pilots Prove that Larger is Better
Water & Wastes Digest
September 1997
Bill Scully
Tertiary Filtration Piloting conducted at two different WWTPs demonstrate improved performance of large anthracite media compared to dual and single sand media filtration.
Three Basic Steps for Problem Water
Water Quality Products
July 1997
by Robert E. Morgan and Scott Crawford
You, too, can be a hero in your area by successfully treating problem water. Yes, you will have homework and the job may not be as easy as other water conditions in your area, but you will be rewarded not only in accomplishment, but in future sales as other customers learn of your success.
Drink the Water: Proven Methods, New Advances in Ground Water Treatment
Water & Wastes Digest
March 1997
Robert W. Masters
Ground water is the most popular source for water in the United States. Now with growth of proven treatment methods and advances in treatment technologies for contaminated ground water, the future is bright for the ground water industry.
Ozone, Direct Filtration System Performance Prove Technology's Value
Water Engineering & Management
March 1997
A three-year test of ozone and direct filtration so convinced the Altoona City Authority (ACA) of its merits that the central Pennsylvania water authority is now installing the technology at six new treatment plants and will retrofit another by 1999.
Membrane Applications in Water Plants
Water Engineering & Management
August 1995
Ian Lisk
Faced with upgrading aging facilities, a Florida water utility decided to incorporate reverse osmosis.
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