Grantee Research Project Results
2019 Progress Report: Improving Water Reuse for a Much Healthier Potomac Watershed
EPA Grant Number: R835825Title: Improving Water Reuse for a Much Healthier Potomac Watershed
Investigators: Olabode, Lola , Aga, Diana S. , Kaushal, Sujay S , Duan, Shuiwang , Godrej, Adil , Iwanowicz, Luke , Rosenfeldt, Erik , Murthy, Sudhir
Current Investigators: Olabode, Lola , Olabode, Lola , Aga, Diana S. , Kaushal, Sujay S , Duan, Shuiwang , Godrej, Adil , Iwanowicz, Luke , Rosenfeldt, Erik , Murthy, Sudhir
Institution: Water Research Foundation , Virginia Tech , University of Maryland - College Park , University of Buffalo , United States Geological Survey , Hazen and Sawyer , District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water)
Current Institution: Water Research Foundation , University of Maryland - College Park , Virginia Tech , University of Buffalo , United States Geological Survey , Hazen and Sawyer , District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water)
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 2015 through November 1, 2018 (Extended to November 1, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2018 through October 31,2019
Project Amount: $750,000
RFA: Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Human Health
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to elucidate the impact of advanced wastewater reclamation, large scale stormwater harvesting and reuse, and focused agricultural stormwater best management practices on their impact on ecological and human health in a large ecologically sensitive watershed that is critical for human health. The novel approach undertaken in this research combines a suite of state-of-the-art techniques to actively identify contaminant hot spots (EDCs and related biological activity, nutrients), assess the impact of those hot spots on human and ecological health endpoints (including drinking water sources and sensitive ecological areas), and quantify the impact of reuse and management solutions on these endpoints. Further, this project will compare the findings from both planned and unplanned reuse systems in order to quantify relative impacts between the two types of systems. This approach will ultimately provide a tool for decision makers to prioritize actions taken to manage contaminant sources and implement water reuse and management practices to better determine where funds and other resources can be best used, are most needed, and are most likely to achieve success. Specifically, this project will 1) use multiple analytical, biological activity, isotopic, and fluorescence tracers to identify and track spatial and temporal variability in "hot spots" of contaminant sources at a large watershed scale, 2) use case studies to examine impacts of advanced wastewater reclamation, stormwater reuse, and agricultural best management practices on source controls of contaminants, and 3) utilize a sustainable approach to quantitatively analyze the costs, impact, and benefits of the reuse and management strategies for achieving human and ecological health improvement.
Progress Summary:
- The results from Year 1 of this project showed that the agricultural and some urban influenced tributaries are the primary hotspots of nutrient and EDC inputs into the Potomac River. The high level of tertiary treatment of point sources (ie Water Reclamation Facilities) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed likely reduces loads of EDCs to the Potomac River. Year 2 data will confirm.
- In year two, the goal was to use paired watershed studies to evaluate impacts and outcomes of current reclamation, reuse, harvesting, and management strategies on source control for pollutants. Nutrients and EDCs were measured on a monthly basis at one pair of agricultural sites and another pair of urban sites. The paired sites were sampled to determine effectiveness of reducing inputs of nutrients and EDCs. Effluent samples were also collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPS) at Seneca and Blue Plains, and streams/rivers above and below the WWTPs to examine the effect of WWTPs on stream/river water quality. Results of the measurements were used to estimate inputs of nutrients and EDCs from point sources, and changes in sources when agricultural and urban BMPs would applied to the whole watershed.
- In year 3, data collected in year 1 and year 2 were utilized to create a temporally/spatially based framework to inform decisions regarding type and location of reclamation, reuse, harvesting, and management strategies. A framework was developed on a Pilot Scale for the Potomac watershed that can also serve as a model for other significant watersheds throughout the country. The excel spreadsheet based framework includes 3 components:
1) EDC and nutrient sources with seasonal and spatial variability (showing watershed nutrient source hot spots and hot moments)
2) proportion of EDC and nutrient sources that can be transported along 10 sections of the sections of the Potomac River (with seasonal variations), and
3) effectiveness of reclamation, reuse, harvesting and management strategies.
The inputs will include types, number, and location of each nutrient management strategy. The outputs will be potential for EDC and nutrient source reductions in the Potomac watershed within the context of total investment for upgrades and installations and benefits to human and ecological health.
Chemical analysis: The research team finished sample chemical analysis including total dissolved nitrogen, dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, fluorescence scan, and EDCs - estrogens and pesticides. The phosphorus analysis has been completed.
Flow data and mass balances: The research team used conductivity to estimate stream flow to complete the mass balances of nutrients and EDCs. Results of the mass balances of nutrients and EDCs for the Bull Run and the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) for comparison to Seneca Creek were previously reported.
Preliminary findings:
- Agricultural streams with best management practices (BMPs) were generally lower in total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), estrogen and pesticides (e.g., atrazine, prometon, metolachlor, and simazine), suggesting agricultural BMPs can result in the retention of nutrients and EDCs. Such retention was not found with urban BMPs;
- Discharge of UOSA effluent resulted in downstream increases in TDN in the Bull Run, however is a normal operational condition unique to UOSA and the Occoquan system. Relatively higher discharges of nitrate (Up to 1-2 mg/L NO3-) are encouraged seasonally to assist in prevention of the release of undesirable constituents such as phosphorus, iron, manganese and ammonia from Occoquan Reservoir sediments. Effects of UOSA effluent discharge on downstream pesticide varied with flow conditions. During a storm event in May, discharge of UOSA effluent caused downstream decreases in these pesticides. During other flow periods, discharge of UOSA effluent caused downstream increases in these pesticides.
- TDN inputs from the Seneca WWTP and Seneca Creek were comparable during low-flow period – October to February, but TDN inputs from Seneca Creek showed larger seasonality differences and tripled during high-flow period. TDN retention or release in this stream section was minor relative to inputs from the WWTP or stream sources. In contrast, TDN inputs from UOSA were higher than inputs from the Bull Run with one exception of the May storm event. Larger fraction of TDN from UOSA was retained within the Bull, due to longer length of the sampled stream section.
- Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) inputs from the Seneca WWTP or UOSA were generally much higher than SRP inputs from Seneca Creek or Bull Run (one exception). More SRP inputs from UOSA were retained within the stream section (except May storm event) relative to that in Seneca Creek due to longer length of stream section in this stream.
- Multi-criteria decision analysis for Cost/Benefit Analysis: The project team is utilizing a multi-criteria decision framework, based upon triple bottom line analysis. Hazen has developed, and is bringing to this project, a spreadsheet-based tool (HazenConverge). HazenConverge presents a tool to provide an organized, defensible framework to compare impact and costs of multiple Potomac management practices for improving ecological health of the Potomac. In 2019, the following work was performed related to the Cost/Benefit Analysis:
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- Preliminary work was performed using the data developed in Year 1 and Year 2 to define critical alternatives for the HazenConverge Process. The tool will be developed to compare these alternatives to build a framework for future investment for optimal co-management of nutrients and emerging contaminants. These were determined to be implementation of agriculture BMPs, implementation of urban stormwater BMPs, enhanced nutrient removal at point-source WRFs, and advanced treatment for reuse at point-source WRFs.
- A workshop was held October 3, 2019 at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments offices in Washington, DC, from 9AM – 3PM EST. The goal of the workshop was to develop criteria and rankings/weightings for the HazenConverge Analysis. Stakeholders from project collaborators participated in the workshop, representing the Project Team, the Project Advisory Committee, and Potomac region utilities (water and wastewater focused). The diverse group was assembled to ensure the criteria development and ranking exercises received input from a wide group of stakeholders, although it is recognized that the group was limited in size and results from the analysis should be viewed as a “case study” of the process.
Future Activities:
In the subsequent reporting period, the project team will complete the phosphorous analysis, collect wastewater effluent flow data for the Blue Plains WWTP, and conduct mass balance for the Potomac River with the wastewater effluent flow data. During this time, the quantitative cost benefit and impact assessment will also be completed, incorporating the results from the 2019 workshop. These analysis are being included in the draft report, to be completed in June 2020.
References:
Duan, S.W., L.R. Iwanowicz, K. Noguera-Oviedo, S.S. Kaushal, E.J. Rosenfeldt, D.S. Aga, S. Murthy. 2020. Evidence that Watershed Nutrient Management Practices Effectively Reduce Estrogens in Environmental Waters. Science of the Total Environment (In Review).
Duan, S.W., S.S. Kaushal, S. Murthy, E.J. Rosenfeldt, M. Ries. 2020. Variability of dual isotopic compositions of nitrate from point and nonpoint sources to the Potomac River, USA. Submitted to Journal of Environmental Quality this week.
Duan, S.W., SS. Kaushal, E.J. Rosenfeldt, J.L. Huang, S. Murthy. 2020. Sources and transformations of nitrogen along the Potomac River watershed. Submitted to Applied Geochemistry this week.
In 2019, the following presentations were conducted presenting results from this research:
- Erik Rosenfeldt – Improving Reuse for a Much Healthier Potomac Watershed, Water Resources Technical Committee, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; January 11, 2019
- Erik Rosenfeldt – Impacts of Antrhopogenic EDCs and the Role of Reuse and Conservation on the Quality of the Potomac River – Brief Update; ICPRB Drinking Water Source Protection; March 4, 2019
- Kristan VandenHeuvel - Optimizing Water Reuse in the Potomac River Watershed. 2019 National Capital Region Water Resources Symposium. April 12, 2019 Washington D.C.
- Justin Mattingly - Alternative Drivers for Potable and Nonpotable Reuse”, 12th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse. June 16-19 Berlin, Germany. Participants received a handful of slides on the Water Reuse in the Potomac project.
- Justin Mattingly –Workshop at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for WRF’s EPA STAR Grant project, Water Reuse in the Potomac River Watershed. WRF Staff helped with workshop facilitation. Several utilities and water quality stakeholders were present including DC Water, Loudoun Water, and Fairfax Water.
- Sujay Kaushal – Monitoring Emerging Water Quality Issues: Across Space and Time, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Sujay Kaushal – Making Chemical Cocktails in Urban Waters. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington, D.C., December 10-14.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 18 publications for this projectProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.