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Understanding the Impacts and Meaning of Maintaining Detectable Disinfection Residuals in Drinking Water Distribution Systems: Controlling Waterborne Pathogens, Disinfection Byproducts, Organic Chloramines, and Nitrification
Citation:
Pressman, J. AND D. Wahman. Understanding the Impacts and Meaning of Maintaining Detectable Disinfection Residuals in Drinking Water Distribution Systems: Controlling Waterborne Pathogens, Disinfection Byproducts, Organic Chloramines, and Nitrification. Region 6 RARE project kickoff meeting, Schriever, Louisiana, December 05, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
The project targets EPA Region 6’s goal of providing technical assistance and scientific guidance to water systems, developing cost effective solutions for the detection of emerging drinking water pathogens, and increasing public health protection among communities. In Region 6, the project aligns with the Region’s research priorities regarding source water protection and understanding distribution system water quality dynamics.
Description:
: EPA Region 6, in collaboration with the Office of Research and Development and Office of Water (OW) in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH), proposes a drinking water research project to understand how maintaining various drinking water distribution system disinfectant residual concentrations (due to water age or operational practice) correspond to the pathogenic microbial communities (Mycobacteria and Legionella), disinfection byproducts (trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), nitrosamines), organic chloramines and extent of nitrification found in the distribution system. Data collected from this project will begin to address three critical issues: 1) provide occurrence data to correlate drinking water pathogens and DBPs with various disinfection residual concentrations and disinfectants (free chlorine, chloramines, or monochloramine), 2) evaluate organic chloramine formation based on disinfectant residual type and the resulting positive interferences on measuring disinfectant residuals, and 3) evaluate nitrification impacts on organic chloramine formation.