Evaluation of the Impact of the Plastic BioSand Filter on Health and Drinking Water Quality in Rural Tamale, Ghana

PubMed Central

Stauber, Christine E.; Kominek, Byron; Liang, Kaida R.; Osman, Mumuni K.; Sobsey, Mark D.

2012-01-01

A randomized controlled trial of the plastic BioSand filter (BSF) was performed in rural communities in Tamale (Ghana) to assess reductions in diarrheal disease and improvements in household drinking water quality. Few studies of household water filters have been performed in this region, where high drinking water turbidity can be a challenge for other household water treatment technologies. During the study, the longitudinal prevalence ratio for diarrhea comparing households that received the plastic BSF to households that did not receive it was 0.40 (95% confidence interval: 0.05, 0.80), suggesting an overall diarrheal disease reduction of 60%. The plastic BSF achieved a geometric mean reduction of 97% and 67% for E. coli and turbidity, respectively. These results suggest the plastic BSF significantly improved drinking water quality and reduced diarrheal disease during the short trial in rural Tamale, Ghana. The results are similar to other trials of household drinking water treatment technologies. PMID:23202818

OPTIMIZING THE BIOSAND FILTER FOR DRINKING WATER TREATMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

EPA Science Inventory

Results from this work will identify whether the smaller, cheaper bucket BSFs can produce drinking water that is comparable in quality to that produced by the CAWST-modified concrete BSF. Making BSF technology more accessible to a broader population (by making the technology ...

DEVELOPMENT OF WATER SUPPLY TECHNOLOGY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE U.S. SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT: TRENDS AND PROSPECTS

EPA Science Inventory

the passage of the US SDWA in 1974 has had a major impact on the way water is treated and delivered in the US. The Act established national drinking water regulations for more than 170,000 public drinking water systems serving over 250 million people in the US. Under the SDWA pub...

Arsenic removal methods for drinking water in the developing countries: technological developments and research needs.

PubMed

Kabir, Fayzul; Chowdhury, Shakhawat

2017-11-01

Arsenic pollution of drinking water is a concern, particularly in the developing countries. Removal of arsenic from drinking water is strongly recommended. Despite the availability of efficient technologies for arsenic removal, the small and rural communities in the developing countries are not capable of employing most of these technologies due to their high cost and technical complexity. There is a need for the "low-cost" and "easy to use" technologies to protect the humans in the arsenic affected developing countries. In this study, arsenic removal technologies were summarized and the low-cost technologies were reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of these technologies were identified and their scopes of applications and improvements were investigated. The costs were compared in context to the capacity of the low-income populations in the developing countries. Finally, future research directions were proposed to protect the low-income populations in the developing countries.

AN OVERVIEW OF U.S. EPA RESEARCH ON REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

There are approximately 160,000 small community and non-community drinking water treatment systems in the United States. According to recent estimates, small systems contribute to 94% of the Safe Drinking Water Act violations annually. A majority of these are for microbiological ...

AN OVERVIEW OF U.S. EPA RESEARCH ON REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

There are approximately 160,000 small community and non-community drinking water treatment systems in the United States. According to recent estimates, small systems contribute to 94% of the Safe Drinking Water Act violations annually. A majority of these are for microbiological...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION AGENTS IN DRINKING WATER, ECOWATER SYSTEMS, INC., SEARS KENMORE ULTRAFILTER 500 DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM (POU)

EPA Science Inventory

The Sears Kenmore Ultrafilter 500 RO system was tested for removal of bacteria and viruses at NSF International's Drinking Water Treatment Systems Laboratory. EcoWater Systems submitted ten units for testing, which were split into two groups of five. One group received 25 days ...

Drinking Water Quality Status and Contamination in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Nafees, Muhammad; Rizwan, Muhammad; Bajwa, Raees Ahmad; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Arshad, Muhammad Umair; Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid; Deeba, Farah; Murad, Waheed; Malook, Ijaz

2017-01-01

Due to alarming increase in population and rapid industrialization, drinking water quality is being deteriorated day by day in Pakistan. This review sums up the outcomes of various research studies conducted for drinking water quality status of different areas of Pakistan by taking into account the physicochemical properties of drinking water as well as the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms. About 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water. The remaining 80% of population is forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources. The primary source of contamination is sewerage (fecal) which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. Secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides, and fertilizers from agriculture sources into the water bodies. Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of deaths. This review highlights the drinking water quality, contamination sources, sanitation situation, and effects of unsafe drinking water on humans. There is immediate need to take protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan. PMID:28884130

Drinking Water Quality Status and Contamination in Pakistan.

PubMed

Daud, M K; Nafees, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Rizwan, Muhammad; Bajwa, Raees Ahmad; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Arshad, Muhammad Umair; Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid; Deeba, Farah; Murad, Waheed; Malook, Ijaz; Zhu, Shui Jin

2017-01-01

Due to alarming increase in population and rapid industrialization, drinking water quality is being deteriorated day by day in Pakistan. This review sums up the outcomes of various research studies conducted for drinking water quality status of different areas of Pakistan by taking into account the physicochemical properties of drinking water as well as the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms. About 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water. The remaining 80% of population is forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources. The primary source of contamination is sewerage (fecal) which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. Secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides, and fertilizers from agriculture sources into the water bodies. Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of deaths. This review highlights the drinking water quality, contamination sources, sanitation situation, and effects of unsafe drinking water on humans. There is immediate need to take protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan.

Mobile Emergency Response Water Treatment Technology Results

EPA Science Inventory

When natural disasters like hurricanes, floods and earthquakes occur, safe drinking water can be compromised, limited or unavailable. Under such situations, communities have emergency response plans. One of many options for providing safe drinking water during emergency situati...

Assessment of the water chemical quality improvement based on human health risk indexes: Application to a drinking water treatment plant incorporating membrane technologies.

PubMed

López-Roldán, Ramón; Rubalcaba, Alicia; Martin-Alonso, Jordi; González, Susana; Martí, Vicenç; Cortina, Jose Luis

2016-01-01

A methodology has been developed in order to evaluate the potential risk of drinking water for the health of the consumers. The methodology used for the assessment considered systemic and carcinogenic effects caused by oral ingestion of water based on the reference data developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Risk Assessment Information System (RAIS) for chemical contaminants. The exposure includes a hypothetical dose received by drinking this water according to the analysed contaminants. An assessment of the chemical quality improvement of produced water in the Drinking Water Treatment Plant (DWTP) after integration of membrane technologies was performed. Series of concentration values covering up to 261 chemical parameters over 5 years (2008-2012) of raw and treated water in the Sant Joan Despí DWTP, at the lower part of the Llobregat River basin (NE Spain), were used. After the application of the methodology, the resulting global indexes were located below the thresholds except for carcinogenic risk in the output of DWTP, where the index was slightly above the threshold during 2008 and 2009 before the upgrade of the treatment works including membrane technologies was executed. The annual evolution of global indexes showed a reduction in the global values for all situations: HQ systemic index based on RAIS dropped from 0.64 to 0.42 for surface water and from 0.61 to 0.31 for drinking water; the R carcinogenic index based on RAIS was negligible for input water and varied between 4.2×10(-05) and 7.4×10(-06) for drinking water; the W systemic index based on the WHO data varied between 0.41 and 0.16 for surface water and between 0.61 and 0.31 for drinking water. A specific analysis for the indexes associated with trihalomethanes (THMs) showed the same pattern. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direction of the Rational Use of Water at the Facilities for Growing Poultry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potseluev, A. A.; Nazarov, I. V.; Porotkova, A. K.; Volovikova, N. V.

2018-01-01

The article notes the effect of water use in the technological process of automatic drinking agricultural poultry on the quality and the quantity of outputs. At the same time, the requirements to the quality of the used water, the regimes of its consumption by the poultry and the role of mechanization of the process of automatic drinking in the rational use of the water resource, the processing and the reuse of contaminated wastes are disclosed. Within the framework of this concept, we propose constructively technological solutions of systems and means of automatic drinking agricultural poultry, providing the rational use of water as one of the important products of vital activity of agricultural poultry.

USEPA'S SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS IN ECUADOR AND MEXICO

EPA Science Inventory

In order to support and help in the struggle to improve the quality of drinking water in the United States and abroad, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conducts research studies for the demonstration and evaluation of alternative and innovative drinking w...

A decision model for selecting sustainable drinking water supply and greywater reuse systems for developing communities with a case study in Cimahi, Indonesia.

PubMed

Henriques, Justin J; Louis, Garrick E

2011-01-01

Capacity Factor Analysis is a decision support system for selection of appropriate technologies for municipal sanitation services in developing communities. Developing communities are those that lack the capability to provide adequate access to one or more essential services, such as water and sanitation, to their residents. This research developed two elements of Capacity Factor Analysis: a capacity factor based classification for technologies using requirements analysis, and a matching policy for choosing technology options. First, requirements analysis is used to develop a ranking for drinking water supply and greywater reuse technologies. Second, using the Capacity Factor Analysis approach, a matching policy is developed to guide decision makers in selecting the appropriate drinking water supply or greywater reuse technology option for their community. Finally, a scenario-based informal hypothesis test is developed to assist in qualitative model validation through case study. Capacity Factor Analysis is then applied in Cimahi Indonesia as a form of validation. The completed Capacity Factor Analysis model will allow developing communities to select drinking water supply and greywater reuse systems that are safe, affordable, able to be built and managed by the community using local resources, and are amenable to expansion as the community's management capacity increases. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 141.64 - Maximum contaminant levels for disinfection byproducts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... disinfection byproducts. 141.64 Section 141.64 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS National Primary Drinking... source water: Disinfection byproduct Best available technology Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and...

Membrane bioreactors for the removal of anionic micropollutants from drinking water.

PubMed

Crespo, João G; Velizarov, Svetlozar; Reis, Maria A

2004-10-01

Biological treatment processes allow for the effective elimination of anionic micropollutants from drinking water. However, special technologies have to be implemented to eliminate the target pollutants without changing water quality, either by adding new pollutants or removing essential water components. Some innovative technologies that combine the use of membranes with the biological degradation of ionic micropollutants in order to minimize the secondary contamination of treated water include pressure-driven membrane bioreactors, gas-transfer membrane bioreactors and ion exchange membrane bioreactors.

SSWR Water Systems Project 2: Next Steps – Technology Advances

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is responsible for protecting America’s water resources under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and for ensuring that the Nation’s drinking water is safe under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Further, it is the responsibility of EPA to conduct research and analyses t...

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP ON ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

In 2005, EPA's Office of Water and Office of Research and Development collaborated to present eleven arsenic training events. The workshops provided in-depth treatment technology training to help those affected; state drinking water staff, design engineers, system owners and cert...

AN OVERVIEW PRESENTATION OF USEPA AND USDA DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM DEMONSTRATIONS IN CHINA

EPA Science Inventory

Under an interagency agreement with the US Department of Agriculture, US EPA is coordinating support for several water treatment research demonstrations in China. EPA has installed two small drinking water treatment technologies (a bottled water system for a small community and ...

AN OVERVIEW PAPER OF USEPA AND USDA DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM DEMONSTRATIONS IN CHINA

EPA Science Inventory

Under an interagency agreement with the US Department of Agriculture, US EPA is coordinating support for several water treatment research demonstrations in China. EPA has installed two small drinking water treatment technologies (a bottled water system for a small community and ...

Testing large volume water treatment and crude oil ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report EPA’s Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) partnered with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to build the Water Security Test Bed (WSTB) at the INL test site outside of Idaho Falls, Idaho. The WSTB was built using an 8-inch (20 cm) diameter cement-mortar lined drinking water pipe that was previously taken out of service. The pipe was exhumed from the INL grounds and oriented in the shape of a small drinking water distribution system. Effluent from the pipe is captured in a lagoon. The WSTB can support drinking water distribution system research on a variety of drinking water treatment topics including biofilms, water quality, sensors, and homeland security related contaminants. Because the WSTB is constructed of real drinking water distribution system pipes, research can be conducted under conditions similar to those in a real drinking water system. In 2014, WSTB pipe was experimentally contaminated with Bacillus globigii spores, a non-pathogenic surrogate for the pathogenic B. anthracis, and then decontaminated using chlorine dioxide. In 2015, the WSTB was used to perform the following experiments: • Four mobile disinfection technologies were tested for their ability to disinfect large volumes of biologically contaminated “dirty” water from the WSTB. B. globigii spores acted as the biological contaminant. The four technologies evaluated included: (1) Hayward Saline C™ 6.0 Chlorination System, (2) Advanced Oxidation Process (A

[Drinking water supply in the Russian Federation: problems and ways of their solution].

PubMed

Onishchenko, G G

2007-01-01

Russia having a fifth of the worldwide drinking water resources is faced with considerable difficulties in solving the problems associated with the safe and rational attitude towards water resources, in improving the technologies of drinking water purification and conditioning, in introducing new universal forms of supplying the population with high-quality portable water. Particular emphasis has been recently placed on the setting-up of an effective legal and normative base for the sanitary protection of water sources and the upgrading of the quality of drinking water. Regional (republican, territorial) drinking water supply programs have been worked out up to the period 2010 in 47 subjects of the Russian Federation, with the participation of sanitary-and-epidemiological surveillance systems and approved in accordance with the established procedures. The majority of administrative areas have district and town programs to implement high-priority measures for improving the water supple system. Safe drinking water supply is one of the major components of Russia's national security. Under the established conditions, even in case of the favorable financial position, this cannot be achieved by only engineering decisions (construction and modernization of water-supply networks, use of new equipment and breakthrough technologies). Water service as a type of water consumption is based on the general principles of natural resource management. Its safety should be combined with the strategic objective of water resources utilization and conservation in the catchment basins in the country as a whole.

[Pay attention to the human health risk of drinking low mineral water].

PubMed

Shu, Weiqun

2015-10-01

The consumption of low mineral drinking water has been increasing around the world with the shortage of water resources and the development of advanced water treatment technologies. Evidences from systematic document reviews, ecological epidemiological observations, and experimental drinking water intervention studies indicate that lack of minerals in drinking water may cause direct or indirect harm to human health, among which, the associations of magnesium in water with cardiovascular disease, as well as calcium in water with osteoporosis, are well proved by sufficient evidence. This article points out that it is urgent to pay more attention to the issues about establishment of health risk evaluation system on susceptible consuming population, establishment of lab evaluation system on water quality and health effect for non-traditional drinking water, and program of safety mineralization for demineralized or desalinated water and so on.

Value of arsenic-free drinking water to rural households in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ahmad, Junaid; Goldar, Bishwanath; Misra, Smita

2005-01-01

Using contingent valuation survey data for about 2700 households in rural Bangladesh, and applying a multinomial logit model, the paper estimates the value of arsenic-free drinking water to the rural people. The estimates indicate that the rural people in arsenic-affected areas of Bangladesh place a low value on arsenic-free drinking water. It is about 10-14 percent of the amount they are willing to pay for piped water and only about 0.2-0.3 percent of the average household income. The implication of the result is that robust but costly arsenic reduction technologies such as activated alumina technology may find little social acceptance, unless heavily subsidized.

SAFE DRINKING WATER FROM SMALL SYSTEMS: TREATMENT OPTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Bringing small water systems into compliance with the ever-increasing number of regulations will require flexibility in terms of technology application and institional procedures. his article looks at the means by which small systems can provide safe drinking water, focusing on t...

Safe and Affordable Drinking Water for Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadgil, Ashok

2008-09-01

Safe drinking water remains inaccessible for about 1.2 billion people in the world, and the hourly toll from biological contamination of drinking water is 200 deaths mostly among children under five years of age. This chapter summarizes the need for safe drinking water, the scale of the global problem, and various methods tried to address it. Then it gives the history and current status of an innovation ("UV Waterworks™") developed to address this major public health challenge. It reviews water disinfection technologies applicable to achieve the desired quality of drinking water in developing countries, and specifically, the limitations overcome by one particular invention: UV Waterworks. It then briefly describes the business model and financing option than is accelerating its implementation for affordable access to safe drinking water to the unserved populations in these countries. Thus this chapter describes not only the innovation in design of a UV water disinfection system, but also innovation in the delivery model for safe drinking water, with potential for long term growth and sustainability.

A WATERSHED APPROACH TO DRINKING WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this presentation is to describe emerging technologies and strategies managing watersheds with the goal of protecting drinking water sources. Included are discussions on decentralized wastewater treatment, whole organism biomonitor detection systems, treatment of...

Differences in influence patterns between groups predicting the adoption of a solar disinfection technology for drinking water in Bolivia.

PubMed

Moser, Stephanie; Mosler, Hans-Joachim

2008-08-01

The lack of safe drinking water is one of the major problems faced by developing countries. The consequences of contaminated water are diseases such as diarrhea, one of the main causes of infant mortality. Because of its simplicity, solar water-disinfection technology provides a good way of treating water at the household level. Despite its obvious advantages and considerable promotional activities, this innovation has had rather a slow uptake. We conducted a field survey in which 644 households in Bolivia were interviewed in order to gain insights on motivations that resulted in adopting the technology. The aim was to examine possible differences in the predictors for adopting this technology during the diffusion process using the theory of innovation diffusion. Our findings indicate that early adoption was predicted by increased involvement in the topic of drinking water and that adoption in the middle of the diffusion process was predicted by increased involvement by opinion leaders and by recognition of a majority who supported the technology. Finally, late adoption was predicted by recognition that a majority had already adopted. Suggestions for future promotional strategies are outlined.

USEPA'S RESEARCH EFFORTS IN SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

Currently, in the United States there are approximately 50,000 small community and 130,000 non-community systems providing water to over 25 million people. The drinking water treatment systems at these locations are not always adequate to comply with current and pending regulati...

Electrochemical alternatives for drinking water disinfection.

PubMed

Martínez-Huitle, Carlos A; Brillas, Enric

2008-01-01

Chlorination is the most common method worldwide for the disinfection of drinking water. However, the identification of potentially toxic products from this method has encouraged the development of alternative disinfection technologies. Among them, electrochemical disinfection has emerged as one of the more feasible alternatives to chlorination. This article reviews electrochemical systems that can contribute to drinking water disinfection and underscores the efficiency of recently developed diamond films in chlorine-free electrochemical systems.

Fluoride contamination sensor based on optical fiber grating technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jadhav, Mangesh S.; Laxmeshwar, Lata S.; Akki, Jyoti F.; Raikar, P. U.; Kumar, Jitendra; Prakash, Om; Raikar, U. S.

2017-11-01

A number of distinct advantages of the optical fiber technology in the field of sensors and communications which leads to enormous applications. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) developed from the fabrication of photosensitive fiber through phase mask technique is used in the present report. The designed fiber sensor used for the detection and determination of contaminants in drinking water at ppm & ppb level and it is considered as a special type of concentration sensor. The test samples of drinking water have been collected from different regions. In this paper we have calibrated the FBG sensor to detect Flouride concentration in drinking water in the range of 0.05-8 ppm. According to WHO, the normal range of fluoride content in drinking water is about 0.7 ppm to 1.5 ppm. The results for resultant spectral shifts for test samples are closely agree with standard values.

EVALUATION OF DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR REMOVAL OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDCS)

EPA Science Inventory

A number of the chemicals identified as potential EDCs have been observed in surface and ground waters leading to concern over the possible presence of EDCs in finished drinking waters. Although there has not yet been a determination of risks posed by EDCs in finished waters, it ...

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER BY ADSORPTIVE MEDIA. U.S. EPA DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT BOW, NH , SIX MONTH EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the first six months of the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the White Rock Water Company (WRWC) public water system, a small residential drinking water facility in Bo...

Water in Your Community. What We Take from Our Environment. Science and Technology Education in Philippine Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philippines Univ., Quezon City. Inst. for Science and Mathematics Education Development.

This module (recommended for grades 5 or 6) provides information on water in the community. Topics considered include: safe water (showing how clear water may be unsafe to drink); water sources; drinking water and wells; clean water underground; how water gets from the ground to the faucet inside a home; the groundwater of seaside and inland…

EVALUATION OF DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR REMOVAL OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Many of the chemicals identified as potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) may be present in surface or ground waters used as drinking water sources due to their introduction from domestic and industrial sewage treatment systems and wet-weather runoff. In order to dec...

[Applied study of the submerged macrophytes bed-immobilized bacteria in drinking water restoration].

PubMed

Chen, Qi-Chun; Li, Zheng-Kui; Wang, Yi-Chao; Wu, Kai; Fan, Nian-Wen

2012-01-01

The effect of submerged macrophytes bed-immobilized bacteria technology which applied in drinking water restoration was studied. Ammonifying bacteria, nitrobacteria, nitrosobacteria and denitrifying bacteria which isolated from Taihu Labe was immobilized to the porous carries, combined with the submerged macrophytes bed technology, we applied the new equipment in water restoration of gonghu bay, this equipment has good ability to resist storm, the denitrifying bacteria number increased from 5.4 x 10(2)-2.7 x 10(3) to 3.9 x 10(5)-9.1 x 10(5), N2O flux of experimental plot was 3-24 microg x (m2 x h)(-1), it's more than the contrast group obviously, TN concentration reduced 19% - 74%, while NO3- concentration reduced 24% -81% after the equipment running a period of time; The experimental data of 120 days showed that this technology is suitable for drinking water restoration, as it can control eutrophication.

A triangular fuzzy TOPSIS-based approach for the application of water technologies in different emergency water supply scenarios.

PubMed

Qu, Jianhua; Meng, Xianlin; Yu, Huan; You, Hong

2016-09-01

Because of the increasing frequency and intensity of unexpected natural disasters, providing safe drinking water for the affected population following a disaster has become a global challenge of growing concern. An onsite water supply technology that is portable, mobile, or modular is a more suitable and sustainable solution for the victims than transporting bottled water. In recent years, various water techniques, such as membrane-assisted technologies, have been proposed and successfully implemented in many places. Given the diversity of techniques available, the current challenge is how to scientifically identify the optimum options for different disaster scenarios. Hence, a fuzzy triangular-based multi-criteria, group decision-making tool was developed in this research. The approach was then applied to the selection of the most appropriate water technologies corresponding to the different emergency water supply scenarios. The results show this tool capable of facilitating scientific analysis in the evaluation and selection of emergency water technologies for enduring security drinking water supply in disaster relief.

WEB-BASED DATABASE ON RENEWAL TECHNOLOGIES ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As U.S. utilities continue to shore up their aging infrastructure, renewal needs now represent over 43% of annual expenditures compared to new construction for drinking water distribution and wastewater collection systems (Underground Construction [UC], 2016). An increased understanding of renewal options will ultimately assist drinking water utilities in reducing water loss and help wastewater utilities to address infiltration and inflow issues in a cost-effective manner. It will also help to extend the service lives of both drinking water and wastewater mains. This research effort involved collecting case studies on the use of various trenchless pipeline renewal methods and providing the information in an online searchable database. The overall objective was to further support technology transfer and information sharing regarding emerging and innovative renewal technologies for water and wastewater mains. The result of this research is a Web-based, searchable database that utility personnel can use to obtain technology performance and cost data, as well as case study references. The renewal case studies include: technologies used; the conditions under which the technology was implemented; costs; lessons learned; and utility contact information. The online database also features a data mining tool for automated review of the technologies selected and cost data. Based on a review of the case study results and industry data, several findings are presented on tren

LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY LIBRARY AND STRATEGY FOR IDENTIFYING HARMFUL ORGANICS IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

This project will demonstrate ways to detect contaminants by LC/MS technologies in order to protect water systems and environments. Contaminants can affect drinking water usage and limit acceptable sources of ground and reservoir supplies. The analytical method to enhance the s...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media USEPA Demonstration Project at Bow, NH Final performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the White Rock Water Company (WRWC) public water system, a small residential drinking w...

Reducing Exposure to High Fluoride Drinking Water in Estonia—A Countrywide Study

PubMed Central

Indermitte, Ene; Saava, Astrid; Karro, Enn

2014-01-01

Fluoride is a naturally occurring contaminant in groundwater in Estonia. There are several regions in Estonia with fluoride contents in public water supplies as high as 7 mg/L. Long-term exposure to high-fluoride drinking water may have several adverse health effects, primarily dental fluorosis. The opportunities for exposure reduction rely highly on water treatment technologies. Since 2004 public water suppliers in Estonia have made efforts to diminish fluoride content in drinking water systems. A follow-up study on a country level was carried out in 2004–2012 to analyze the changes in population exposure to excessive (over 1.5 mg/L) fluoride in drinking water and to get information about the reduction methods applied by public water supplies (PWS) to optimize the fluoride levels in public water system. The results showed that bigger PWS have been more effective in fluoride reduction measures than small PWS. The main methods used to lower the fluoride content were reverse osmosis technology and replacement of water sources with new ones (new drilled wells). As a result of all the measures taken the overall high-fluoride exposure has been reduced substantially (82%). PMID:24637908

Reducing exposure to high fluoride drinking water in Estonia-a countrywide study.

PubMed

Indermitte, Ene; Saava, Astrid; Karro, Enn

2014-03-14

Fluoride is a naturally occurring contaminant in groundwater in Estonia. There are several regions in Estonia with fluoride contents in public water supplies as high as 7 mg/L. Long-term exposure to high-fluoride drinking water may have several adverse health effects, primarily dental fluorosis. The opportunities for exposure reduction rely highly on water treatment technologies. Since 2004 public water suppliers in Estonia have made efforts to diminish fluoride content in drinking water systems. A follow-up study on a country level was carried out in 2004-2012 to analyze the changes in population exposure to excessive (over 1.5 mg/L) fluoride in drinking water and to get information about the reduction methods applied by public water supplies (PWS) to optimize the fluoride levels in public water system. The results showed that bigger PWS have been more effective in fluoride reduction measures than small PWS. The main methods used to lower the fluoride content were reverse osmosis technology and replacement of water sources with new ones (new drilled wells). As a result of all the measures taken the overall high-fluoride exposure has been reduced substantially (82%).

A Conceptual Model to be Used for Community-based Drinking-water Improvements

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Mushfique

2006-01-01

A conceptual model that can be applied to improve community-based drinking-water in crisis-type situations has been developed from the original general science and technology/development bridging concept and from a case study in Northwest Bangladesh. The main feature of this model is the strengthened role of communities in identifying and implementing appropriate drinking-water improvements with facilitation by multi-disciplinary collaborative regional agency networks. These combined representative community/regional agency networks make decisions and take actions that involve environmental and health data, related capacity factors, and appropriateness of drinking-water improvements. They also progressively link regional decisions and actions together, expanding them nationally and preferably within a sustainable national policy-umbrella. This use of the model reflects stronger community control and input with more appropriate solutions to such drinking-water crisis situations and minimization of risk from potentially-inappropriate ‘externally-imposed’ processes. The application here is not intended as a generic or complete poverty-alleviation strategy by itself but as a crisis-solving intervention, complementary to existing and developing sustainable national policies and to introduce how key principles and concepts can relate in the wider context. In terms of the Bangladesh arsenic crisis, this translates into community/regional networks in geographic regions making assessments on the appropriateness of their drinking-water configuration. Preferred improvement options are decided and acted upon in a technological framework. Options include: pond-sand filters, rainwater harvesting, dugwell, deep-protected tubewell, and shallow tubewell with treatment devices. Bedding in the regional drinking-water improvement configuration protocols then occurs. This involves establishing ongoing representative monitoring and screening, clear delineation of arsenic-contaminated wells with inter-regional linking, and national expansion within national drinking-water policy frameworks. PMID:17366766

A conceptual model to be used for community-based drinking-water improvements.

PubMed

Anstiss, Richard G; Ahmed, Mushfique

2006-09-01

A conceptual model that can be applied to improve community-based drinking-water in crisis-type situations has been developed from the original general science and technology/development bridging concept and from a case study in Northwest Bangladesh. The main feature of this model is the strengthened role of communities in identifying and implementing appropriate drinking-water improvements with facilitation by multi-disciplinary collaborative regional agency networks. These combined representative community/regional agency networks make decisions and take actions that involve environmental and health data, related capacity factors, and appropriateness of drinking-water improvements. They also progressively link regional decisions and actions together, expanding them nationally and preferably within a sustainable national policy-umbrella. This use of the model reflects stronger community control and input with more appropriate solutions to such drinking-water crisis situations and minimization of risk from potentially-inappropriate 'externally-imposed' processes. The application here is not intended as a generic or complete poverty-alleviation strategy by itself but as a crisis-solving intervention, complementary to existing and developing sustainable national policies and to introduce how key principles and concepts can relate in the wider context. In terms of the Bangladesh arsenic crisis, this translates into community/regional networks in geographic regions making assessments on the appropriateness of their drinking-water configuration. Preferred improvement options are decided and acted upon in a technological framework. Options include: pond-sand filters, rainwater harvesting, dugwell, deep-protected tubewell, and shallow tubewell with treatment devices. Bedding in the regional drinking-water improvement configuration protocols then occurs. This involves establishing ongoing representative monitoring and screening, clear delineation of arsenic-contaminated wells with inter-regional linking, and national expansion within national drinking-water policy frameworks.

Evaluating the sustainability of ceramic filters for point-of-use drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Ren, Dianjun; Colosi, Lisa M; Smith, James A

2013-10-01

This study evaluates the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of ceramic filters impregnated with silver nanoparticles for point-of-use (POU) drinking water treatment in developing countries. The functional unit for this analysis was the amount of water consumed by a typical household over ten years (37,960 L), as delivered by either the POU technology or a centralized water treatment and distribution system. Results indicate that the ceramic filters are 3-6 times more cost-effective than the centralized water system for reduction of waterborne diarrheal illness among the general population and children under five. The ceramic filters also exhibit better environmental performance for four of five evaluated life cycle impacts: energy use, water use, global warming potential, and particulate matter emissions (PM10). For smog formation potential, the centralized system is preferable to the ceramic filter POU technology. This convergence of social, economic, and environmental criteria offers clear indication that the ceramic filter POU technology is a more sustainable choice for drinking water treatment in developing countries than the centralized treatment systems that have been widely adopted in industrialized countries.

Heavy metals in drinking water: Occurrences, implications, and future needs in developing countries.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Shakhawat; Mazumder, M A Jafar; Al-Attas, Omar; Husain, Tahir

2016-11-01

Heavy metals in drinking water pose a threat to human health. Populations are exposed to heavy metals primarily through water consumption, but few heavy metals can bioaccumulate in the human body (e.g., in lipids and the gastrointestinal system) and may induce cancer and other risks. To date, few thousand publications have reported various aspects of heavy metals in drinking water, including the types and quantities of metals in drinking water, their sources, factors affecting their concentrations at exposure points, human exposure, potential risks, and their removal from drinking water. Many developing countries are faced with the challenge of reducing human exposure to heavy metals, mainly due to their limited economic capacities to use advanced technologies for heavy metal removal. This paper aims to review the state of research on heavy metals in drinking water in developing countries; understand their types and variability, sources, exposure, possible health effects, and removal; and analyze the factors contributing to heavy metals in drinking water. This study identifies the current challenges in developing countries, and future research needs to reduce the levels of heavy metals in drinking water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

National Drinking Water Advisory Council November 17 - 19, 2015: Public Meeting Materials

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Regulatory and related updates, final recommendations of the Lead and Copper Working Group to the NDWAC, Statement of Dissent to the NDWAC, EPA's efforts to address harmful Algal Blooms in drinking water and technologies for Legionella control.

Drinking water contaminants from epoxy resin-coated pipes: A field study.

PubMed

Rajasärkkä, Johanna; Pernica, Marek; Kuta, Jan; Lašňák, Jonáš; Šimek, Zdenĕk; Bláha, Luděk

2016-10-15

Rehabilitation of aged drinking water pipes is an extensive renovation and increasingly topical in many European cities. Spray-on-lining of drinking water pipes is an alternative cost-effective rehabilitation technology in which the insides of pipes are relined with organic polymer. A commonly used polymer is epoxy resin consisting of monomer bisphenol A (BPA). Leaching of BPA from epoxy lining to drinking water has been a concern among public and authorities. Currently epoxy lining is not recommended in some countries. BPA leaching has been demonstrated in laboratory studies but the behavior and ageing process of epoxy lining in situ is not well known. In this study 6 locations with different age epoxy linings of drinking water pipes done using two distinct technologies were studied. While bisphenol F, 4-n-nonylphenol, and 4-t-octylphenol were rarely found and in trace concentrations, BPA was detected in majority of samples. Pipes lined with the older technology (LSE) leached more BPA than those with more recent technology (DonPro): maxima in cold water were 0.25 μg/L and 10 ng/L, respectively. Incubation of water in pipes 8-10 h prior to sampling increased BPA concentration in cold water 1.1-43-fold. Hot water temperature caused even more BPA leaching - at maximum 23.5 μg/L. The influence of ageing of epoxy lining on BPA leaching on could be shown in case of LSE technology: locations with 8-9 years old lining leached 4-20-fold more BPA compared to a location with 2-year-old lining. Analysis of metals showed that epoxy lining can reduce especially iron concentration in water. No significant burden to water could be shown by the analyzed 72 volatile organic compounds, including epichlorhydrin, precursor used in epoxy resin. Estrogenicity was detected in water samples with the highest BPA loads. Comparable responses of two yeast bioreporters (estrogen receptor α and BPA-targeted) indicated that bisphenol-like compounds were the main cause of estrogenicity. Compared to the estimated average daily BPA exposure, additional BPA load via cold drinking water in the studied locations was low, maximum 8.7%. However, hot water should also be considered as exposure source due to higher BPA concentrations. Epoxy lined locations should be monitored in future in order to evaluate ageing process and control increasing leaching of potentially harmful chemicals. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PROVING SOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW: A PROGRESS REPORT ON U.S. EPA'S DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS IN ECUADOR, MEXICO AND CHINA (EPA/600/F-98/008)

EPA Science Inventory

This publication describes the progress of USEPA's Drinking Water Treatment Demonstration projects currently underway in Ecuador, Mexico and China. Material includes descriptions of problems faced and approaches used to improve water quality.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROL ALTERNATIVES: DRINKING WATER TREATMENT FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

This document provides information for small system owners, operators, managers, and local decision makers, such as town officials, regarding drinking water treatment requirements and the treatment technologies suitable for small systems. t is not intended to be a comprehensive m...

REMOVAL OF URANIUM FROM DRINKING WATER BY CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA currently does not regulate uranium in drinking water but will be revising the radionuclide regulations during 1989 and will propose a maximum contaminant level for uranium. The paper presents treatment technology information on the effectiveness of conventional method...

Groundwater Risk Management Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

restoration of groundwater to drinking water quality may not always be achievable due to technology limitations and, therefore, has developed a...extent (horizontal and vertical) of groundwater contamination • Future plans for groundwater use in the area, including local water resource planning...exposure (e.g., drinking water supplied by public water system and groundwater beneath the site is restricted for potable purposes) • Land use

[Experience of the implementation of the method of the integral assessment of drinking water on indicators of chemical harmlessness in St. Petersburg].

PubMed

Mel'tser, A V; Erastova, N V; Kiselev, A V

2013-01-01

Providing population with quality drinking water--one of the priority tasks of the state policy aimed at maintaining the health of citizens. Hygienic rating of the drinking water quality envisages requirements to assurance its safety in the epidemiological and radiation relations, harmlessness of chemical composition and good organoleptic properties. There are numerous data proving the relationship between the chemical composition of drinking water and human health, and therefore the issue of taking a hygienically sound measures to improve the efficiency of water treatment has more and more priority. High water quality--the result of complex solution of tasks, including an integral approach to assessment of the quality of drinking water the use of hygienically sound decisions in the modernization of water treatment systems. The results of the integral assessment of drinking water on the properties of harmlessness have shown its actuality in the development and implementation of management decisions. The use of the spatial characteristics of integrated indices permits to visualize changes in the quality of drinking water in all stages of production and transportation from the position of health risks, evaluate the effectiveness of technological solutions and set priorities for investing.

Advances in on-line drinking water quality monitoring and early warning systems.

PubMed

Storey, Michael V; van der Gaag, Bram; Burns, Brendan P

2011-01-01

Significant advances have been made in recent years in technologies to monitor drinking water quality for source water protection, treatment operations, and distribution system management, in the event of accidental (or deliberate) contamination. Reports prepared through the Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC) and United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) agree that while many emerging technologies show promise, they are still some years from being deployed on a large scale. Further underpinning their viability is a need to interpret data in real time and implement a management strategy in response. This review presents the findings of an international study into the state of the art in this field. These results are based on visits to leading water utilities, research organisations and technology providers throughout Europe, the United States and Singapore involved in the development and deployment of on-line monitoring technology for the detection of contaminants in water. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

REAL-TIME REMOTE MONITORING OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past eight years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has funded the testing and evaluation of various online "real-time" technologies for monitoring drinking water quality. The events of 9/11 and subsequent threats t...

USE OF QSPRS IN IMPROVING CARBON ADSORPTION MODELING OF EPA CONTAMINANT CANDIDATE COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Activated carbon adsorption of EPA contaminant candidate list (CCL) compounds is under investigation as a treatment technology for contaminated drinking water. Historically, EPA, in support of drinking water regulations, has used a number of techniques to calculate field-scale c...

EVALUATION OF A DAPHNIA BIOMONITOR FOR REAL-TIME DRINKING WATER SOURCE TESTING

EPA Science Inventory

The quality of drinking water sources has come under closer scrutiny in recent years. Issues ranging from ecological to public health, to national security are under consideration. With advances in electronic and computer technology, biomonitors are being developed that can asses...

Solar water disinfection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, R.; Collier, R.

Non-potable drinking water is a major problem for much of the world`s population. It has been estimated that from 15 to 20 million children under the age of 5 die from diarrheal conditions brought on by infected drinking water every year. This is equivalent to a fully-loaded DC-10 crashing every ten minutes of every day, 365 days a year. Heat is one of the most effective methods of disinfecting drinking water. Using conventional means of heating water (heating on an open-flamed stove) results in an extremely energy-intensive process. The main obstacle is that for areas of the world where potablemore » water is a problem, fuel supplies are either too expensive, not available, or the source of devastating environmental problems (deforestation). The apparatus described is a solar-powered water disinfection device that can overcome most if not all of the barriers that presently limit technological solutions to drinking water problems. It uses a parabolic trough solar concentrator with a receiver tube that is also a counterflow heat exchanger. The system is totally self-contained utilizing a photovoltaic-powered water pump, and a standard automotive thermostat for water flow control. The system is designed for simplicity, reliability and the incorporation of technology readily accessible in most areas of the world. Experiments at the Florida Solar Energy Center have demonstrated up to 2,500 liters of safe drinking water per day with 28 square meters of solar concentrator.« less

ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ARSENIC REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

The recently promulgated Arsenic Rule will require that many new drinking water systems treat their water to remove arsenic. Many groundwaters that have arsenic in their source water will likely consider adsorption technology as a reasonable approach to remove arsenic. Adsorptio...

ARSENIC REMOVAL USING ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The recently promulgated Arsenic Rule will require that many new drinking water systems treat their water to remove arsenic. Many groundwaters that have arsenic in their source water will likely consider adsorption technology as a reasonable approach to remove arsenic. Adsorptio...

TESTING & EVALUATION OF POINT-OF-USE (POU) AND POINT-OF-ENTRY (POE) TECHNOLOGIES FOR DRINKING WATER TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Centralized water treatment and distribution are still the recommended methods for producing safe drinking water. But in reality this approach cannot and will not meet the needs of millions of homes in both the U.S. and around the world, which do not have the option of connectin...

Microbial Survey of a Full-Scale, Biologically Active Filter for Treatment of Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

Biological nitrification has been used as a reliable technology in wastewater treatment for decades. Implementing biological approaches to drinking water treatment has faced resistance in the United States due in part to the lack of understanding of microbial processes and conce...

THE MULTIELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER USING PROTON-INDUCED X-RAY EMISSION (PIXE)

EPA Science Inventory

A new, rapid, and economical method for the multielemental analysis of drinking water samples is described. The concentrations of 76 elements heavier than aluminum are determined using proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) technology. The concentration of sodium is evaluated using...

[Complex technology for water and wastewater disinfection and its industrial realization in prototype unit].

PubMed

Arakcheev, E N; Brunman, V E; Brunman, M V; Konyashin, A V; Dyachenko, V A; Petkova, A P

Usage of complex automated electrolysis unit for drinking water disinfection and wastewater oxidation and coagulation is scoped, its ecological and energy efficiency is shown. Properties of technological process of anolyte production using membrane electrolysis of brine for water disinfection in municipal pipelines and potassium ferrate production using electrochemical dissolution of iron anode in NaOH solution for usage in purification plants are listed. Construction of modules of industrial prototype for anolyte and ferrate production and applied aspects of automation of complex electrolysis unit are proved. Results of approbation of electrolytic potassium ferrate for drinking water disinfection and wastewater, rain water and environmental water oxidation and coagulation are shown.

Sustainable engineered processes to mitigate the global arsenic crisis in drinking water: challenges and progress.

PubMed

Sarkar, Sudipta; Greenleaf, John E; Gupta, Anirban; Uy, Davin; Sengupta, Arup K

2012-01-01

Millions of people around the world are currently living under the threat of developing serious health problems owing to ingestion of dangerous concentrations of arsenic through their drinking water. In many places, treatment of arsenic-contaminated water is an urgent necessity owing to a lack of safe alternative sources. Sustainable production of arsenic-safe water from an arsenic-contaminated raw water source is currently a challenge. Despite the successful development in the laboratory of technologies for arsenic remediation, few have been successful in the field. A sustainable arsenic-remediation technology should be robust, composed of local resources, and user-friendly as well as must attach special consideration to the social, economic, cultural, traditional, and environmental aspects of the target community. One such technology is in operation on the Indian subcontinent. Wide-scale replication of this technology with adequate improvisation can solve the arsenic crisis prevalent in the developing world.

ETV REPORT: REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER ORCA WATER TECHNOLOGIES KEMLOOP 1000 COAGULATION AND FILTRATION WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the ORCA Water Technologies KemLoop 1000 Coagulation and Filtration Water Treatment System for arsenic removal was conducted at the St. Louis Center located in Washtenaw County, Michigan, from March 23 through April 6, 2005. The source water was groundwate...

Advanced oxidation processes for the removal of natural organic matter from drinking water sources: A comprehensive review.

PubMed

Sillanpää, Mika; Ncibi, Mohamed Chaker; Matilainen, Anu

2018-02-15

Natural organic matter (NOM), a key component in aquatic environments, is a complex matrix of organic substances characterized by its fluctuating amounts in water and variable molecular and chemical properties, leading to various interaction schemes with the biogeosphere and hydrologic cycle. These factors, along with the increasing amounts of NOM in surface and ground waters, make the effort of removing naturally-occurring organics from drinking water supplies, and also from municipal wastewater effluents, a challenging task requiring the development of highly efficient and versatile water treatment technologies. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) received an increasing amount of attention from researchers around the world, especially during the last decade. The related processes were frequently reported to be among the most suitable water treatment technologies to remove NOM from drinking water supplies and mitigate the formation of disinfection by products (DBPs). Thus, the present work overviews recent research and development studies conducted on the application of AOPs to degrade NOM including UV and/or ozone-based applications, different Fenton processes and various heterogeneous catalytic and photocatalytic oxidative processes. Other non-conventional AOPs such as ultrasonication, ionizing radiation and plasma technologies were also reported. Furthermore, since AOPs are unlikely to achieve complete oxidation of NOM, integration schemes with other water treatment technologies were presented including membrane filtration, adsorption and others processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION EVALUATIONS OF ARSENIC REDUCTION SYSTEMS FOR DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Arsenic in drinking water is a known carcinogen with additional adverse human health impacts. For the 4,100 affected systems, 37 to 55 cancer cases per year are estimated, with about half projected to result in deaths if treatment solutions are not implemented. The Environmenta...

Expert assessment of the resilience of drinking water and sanitation systems to climate-related hazards.

PubMed

Luh, Jeanne; Royster, Sarah; Sebastian, Daniel; Ojomo, Edema; Bartram, Jamie

2017-08-15

We conducted an expert assessment to obtain expert opinions on the relative global resilience of ten drinking water and five sanitation technologies to the following six climate-related hazards: drought, decreased inter-annual precipitation, flood, superstorm flood, wind damage, and saline intrusion. Resilience scores ranged from 1.7 to 9.9 out of a maximum resilience of 10, with high scores corresponding to high resilience. We find that for some climate-related hazards, such as drought, technologies demonstrated a large range in resilience, indicating that the choice of water and sanitation technologies is important for areas prone to drought. On the other hand, the range of resilience scores for superstorm flooding was much smaller, particularly for sanitation technologies, suggesting that the choice of technology is less of a determinant of functionality for superstorm flooding as compared to other climate-related hazards. For drinking water technologies, only treated piped utility-managed systems that use surface water had resilience scores >6.0 for all hazards, while protected dug wells were found to be one of the least resilient technologies, consistently scoring <5.0 for all hazards except wind damage. In general, sanitation technologies were found to have low to medium resilience, suggesting that sanitation systems need to be adapted to ensure functionality during and after climate-related hazards. The results of the study can be used to help communities decide which technologies are best suited for the climate-related challenges they face and help in future adaptation planning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Parasitic zoonoses transmitted by drinking water. Giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis].

PubMed

Exner, M; Gornik, V

2004-07-01

Nowadays, the parasitic zoonose organisms Giardia lamblia und Cryptosporidium spp. are among the most relevant pathogens of drinking water-associated disease outbreaks. These pathogens are transmitted via a fecal-oral route; in both cases the dose of infection is low. Apart from person-to-person or animal-to-person transmissions, the consumption of contaminated food and water are further modes of transmission. The disease is mainly characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms. In industrialized countries, the prevalence rate of giardiasis is 2-5 % and of cryptosporidiosis 1-3%. Throughout the world, a large number of giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis outbreaks associated with drinking water were published; in 2001 the first case in Germany was identified. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are detected in surface water and sporadically in unprotected groundwater. Use of these waters for drinking water abstraction makes high demands on the technology of the treatment process: because of the disinfectant resistance of the parasites, safe elimination methods are needed, which even at high contamination levels of source water guarantee safe drinking water. Further measures for prevention and control are implementation of the HACCP concept, which includes the whole chain of procedures of drinking water supply from catchment via treatment to tap and a quality management system.

Arsenic in Drinking Water—A Global Environmental Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaofen Wang, Joanna; Wai, Chien M.

2004-02-01

Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global environmental problem affecting a large number of populations, especially in developing countries. The "blackfoot disease"that occurred in Taiwan more than half of a century ago was attributed to drinking arsenic-contaminated water from deep wells containing high concentrations of the trivalent arsenite species. Similar arsenic poisoning cases were reported later in Chinese Inner Mongolia, Bangladesh, and India—all related to drinking groundwater contaminated with arsenic. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) of arsenic in drinking water has been changed recently by the U.S. EPA from 50 ppb to 10 ppb; the compliance date is January 2006. This article summarizes documented global arsenic contamination problems, the regulatory controversy regarding MCL of arsenic in drinking water, and available technologies for removing arsenic from contaminated waters. Methods for analyzing total arsenic and arsenic species in water are also described.

Condition Assessment Technologies for Water Transmission and Distribution Systems

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, this research was conducted to identify and characterize the state of the technology for structural condition assessment of drinking water transmission and distribution syst...

Monitoring radionuclides in subsurface drinking water sources near unconventional drilling operations: a pilot study.

PubMed

Nelson, Andrew W; Knight, Andrew W; Eitrheim, Eric S; Schultz, Michael K

2015-04-01

Unconventional drilling (the combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling) to extract oil and natural gas is expanding rapidly around the world. The rate of expansion challenges scientists and regulators to assess the risks of the new technologies on drinking water resources. One concern is the potential for subsurface drinking water resource contamination by naturally occurring radioactive materials co-extracted during unconventional drilling activities. Given the rate of expansion, opportunities to test drinking water resources in the pre- and post-fracturing setting are rare. This pilot study investigated the levels of natural uranium, lead-210, and polonium-210 in private drinking wells within 2000 m of a large-volume hydraulic fracturing operation--before and approximately one-year following the fracturing activities. Observed radionuclide concentrations in well waters tested did not exceed maximum contaminant levels recommended by state and federal agencies. No statistically-significant differences in radionuclide concentrations were observed in well-water samples collected before and after the hydraulic fracturing activities. Expanded monitoring of private drinking wells before and after hydraulic fracturing activities is needed to develop understanding of the potential for drinking water resource contamination from unconventional drilling and gas extraction activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating pond sand filter as sustainable drinking water supplier in the Southwest coastal region of Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harun, M. A. Y. A.; Kabir, G. M. M.

2013-03-01

This study investigates existing water supply scenario, and evaluates the performance of pond sand filter (PSF) in meeting drinking water demand of Dacope Upazila in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Questionnaire survey to the villagers reveals that PSF is the major drinking water sources (38 %) of the study area followed by tubewells (30.4 %), rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems (12.6 %), ponds (10.3 %) and others (8.7 %). The spot test and laboratory analysis show that odour, colour, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, sulphate and phosphate of the PSFs water meet Bangladesh standard. The efficiency of PSF in reducing total dissolved solids (TDS) (15 %) and potassium (8.2 %) is not enough to meet the standard of 20 % PSFs for TDS and one-third PSFs for potassium. The study proves that PSF is unable to remove coliform bacteria by 100 % from highly contaminated water. Hence, disinfection should be adopted before distribution to ensure safe drinking water. Majority of the PSF's users (80 %) are either partially satisfied or dissatisfied with the existing system. The beneficiary's willingness to pay for drinking water technologies seems that the combination of PSF and RWH could ensure sustainable drinking water in coastal region of Bangladesh.

Biological sand filters: low-cost bioremediation technique for production of clean drinking water.

PubMed

Lea, Michael

2014-05-01

Approximately 1.1 billion people in rural and peri-urban communities of developing countries do not have access to safe drinking water. The mortality from diarrheal-related diseases amounts to ∼2.2 million people each year from the consumption of unsafe water. Most of them are children under 5 years of age--250 deaths an hour from microbiologically contaminated water. There is conclusive evidence that one low-cost household bioremediation intervention, use of biological sand filters, is capable of dramatically improving the microbiological quality of drinking water. This unit will describe this relatively new and proven bioremediation technology's ability to empower at-risk populations to use naturally occurring biological principles and readily available materials as a sustainable way to achieve the health benefits of safe drinking water. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Biological sand filters: low-cost bioremediation technique for production of clean drinking water.

PubMed

Lea, Michael

2008-05-01

Approximately 1.1 billion people in rural and peri-urban communities of developing countries do not have access to safe drinking water. The mortality from diarrheal-related diseases amounts to approximately 2.2 million people each year from the consumption of unsafe water. Most of them are children under 5 years of age-250 deaths an hour from microbiologically contaminated water. There is conclusive evidence that one low-cost household bioremediation intervention, biological sand filters, are capable of dramatically improving the microbiological quality of drinking water. This unit will describe this relatively new and proven bioremediation technology's ability to empower at-risk populations to use naturally occurring biology and readily available materials as a sustainable way to achieve the health benefits of safe drinking water. Copyright 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Coagulation/Filtration - U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Village of Waynesville, IL - Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from the arsenic removal drinking water treatment technology demonstration project at the Village of Waynesville, IL. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Peerless coagu...

Ceramic Filter for Small System Drinking Water Treatment: Evaluation of Membrane Pore Size and Importance of Integrity Monitoring

EPA Science Inventory

Ceramic filtration has recently been identified as a promising technology for drinking water treatment in households and small communities. This paper summarizes the results of a pilot-scale study conducted at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Test & Evaluation ...

Pilot-scale demonstration of phytofiltration for treatment of arsenic in New Mexico drinking water.

PubMed

Elless, Mark P; Poynton, Charissa Y; Willms, Cari A; Doyle, Mike P; Lopez, Alisa C; Sokkary, Dale A; Ferguson, Bruce W; Blaylock, Michael J

2005-10-01

Arsenic contamination of drinking water poses serious health risks to millions of people worldwide. To reduce such risks, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered the Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic in drinking water from 50 to 10 microgL(-1). The majority of water systems requiring compliance are small systems that serve less than 10,000 people. Current technologies used to clean arsenic-contaminated water have significant drawbacks, particularly for small treatment systems. In this pilot-scale demonstration, we investigated the use of arsenic-hyperaccumulating ferns to remove arsenic from drinking water using a continuous flow phytofiltration system. Over the course of a 3-month demonstration period, the system consistently produced water having an arsenic concentration less than the detection limit of 2 microgL(-1), at flow rates as high as 1900 L day(-1) for a total treated water volume of approximately 60,000 L. Our results demonstrate that phytofiltration provides the basis for a solar-powered hydroponic technique to enable small-scale cleanup of arsenic-contaminated drinking water.

The genetic basis of novel water utilisation and drinking behaviour traits and their relationship with biological performance in turkeys.

PubMed

Rusakovica, Julija; Kremer, Valentin D; Plötz, Thomas; Rohlf, Paige; Kyriazakis, Ilias

2017-09-29

There is increasing interest in the definition, measurement and use of traits associated with water use and drinking behaviour, mainly because water is a finite resource and its intake is an important part of animal health and well-being. Analysis of such traits has received little attention, due in part to the lack of appropriate technology to measure drinking behaviour. We exploited novel equipment to collect water intake data in two lines of turkey (A: 27,415 and B: 12,956 birds). The equipment allowed continuous recording of individual visits to the water station in a group environment. Our aim was to identify drinking behaviour traits of biological relevance, to estimate their genetic parameters and their genetic relationships with performance traits, and to identify drinking behaviour strategies among individuals. Visits to the drinkers were clustered into bouts, i.e. time intervals spent in drinking-related activity. Based on this, biologically relevant traits were defined: (1) number of visits per bout, (2) water intake per bout, (3) drinking time per bout, (4) drinking rate, (5) daily bout frequency, (6) daily bout duration, (7) daily drinking time and (8) daily water intake. Heritability estimates for most drinking behaviour traits were moderate to high and the most highly heritable traits were drinking rate (0.49 and 0.50) and daily drinking time (0.35 and 0.46 in lines A and B, respectively). Genetic correlations between drinking behaviour and performance traits were low except for moderate correlations between daily water intake and weight gain (0.46 and 0.47 in lines A and B, respectively). High estimates of breeding values for weight gain were found across the whole range of estimated breeding values for daily water intake, daily drinking time and water intake per bout. We show for the first time that drinking behaviour traits are moderately to highly heritable. Low genetic and phenotypic correlations with performance traits suggest that current breeding goals have not and will not affect normal water drinking behaviour. Birds express a wide range of different drinking behaviour strategies, which can be suitable to a wide range of environments and production systems.

Differential toxicity of drinking water disinfected with combinations of ultraviolet radiation and chlorine.

PubMed

Plewa, Michael J; Wagner, Elizabeth D; Metz, Deborah H; Kashinkunti, Ramesh; Jamriska, Katherine J; Meyer, Maria

2012-07-17

Alternative technologies to disinfect drinking water such as ultraviolet (UV) disinfection are becoming more widespread. The benefits of UV disinfection include reduced risk of microbial pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and reduced production of regulated drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The objective of this research was to determine if mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity varied in response to different chlorination protocols with and without polychromatic medium pressure UV (MPUV) and monochromatic low pressure UV (LPUV) disinfection technologies. The specific aims were to analyze the mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of concentrated organic fractions from source water before and after chlorination and to determine the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the concentrated organic fractions from water samples treated with UV alone or UV before or after chlorination. Exposure of granular activated carbon-filtered Ohio River water to UV alone resulted in the lowest levels of mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. With combinations of UV and chlorine, the lowest levels of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were observed with MPUV radiation. The best combined UV plus chlorine methodology that generated the lowest cytotoxicity and genotoxicity employed chlorination first followed by MPUV radiation. These data may prove important in the development of multibarrier methods of pathogen inactivation of drinking water, while limiting unintended toxic consequences.

Enhanced drinking water supply through harvested rainwater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naddeo, Vincenzo; Scannapieco, Davide; Belgiorno, Vincenzo

2013-08-01

Decentralized drinking water systems represent an important element in the process of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as centralized systems are often inefficient or nonexistent in developing countries. In those countries, most water quality related problems are due to hygiene factors and pathogens. A potential solution might include decentralized systems, which might rely on thermal and/or UV disinfection methods as well as physical and chemical treatments to provide drinking water from rainwater. For application in developing countries, decentralized systems major constraints include low cost, ease of use, environmental sustainability, reduced maintenance and independence from energy sources. This work focuses on an innovative decentralized system that can be used to collect and treat rainwater for potable use (drinking and cooking purposes) of a single household, or a small community. The experimented treatment system combines in one compact unit a Filtration process with an adsorption step on GAC and a UV disinfection phase in an innovative design (FAD - Filtration Adsorption Disinfection). All tests have been carried out using a full scale FAD treatment unit. The efficiency of FAD technology has been discussed in terms of pH, turbidity, COD, TOC, DOC, Escherichia coli and Total coliforms. FAD technology is attractive since it provides a total barrier for pathogens and organic contaminants, and reduces turbidity, thus increasing the overall quality of the water. The FAD unit costs are low, especially if compared to other water treatment technologies and could become a viable option for developing countries.

Resource protection and resource management of drinking water-reservoirs in Thuringia--a prerequisite for high drinking-water quality.

PubMed

Willmitzer, H

2000-01-01

In face of widespread pollution of surface waters, strategies must be developed for the use of surface waters which protect the high quality standards of drinking water, starting with the catchment area via the reservoir to the consumer. As a rule, priority is given to the avoidance of contaminants directly at their point of origin. Water protection is always cheaper than expensive water-body restoration and water treatment. Complementary to the generally practised technical methods of raw water treatment with all their associated problems of energy input requirements, costs, and waste products, there is an increasing number of environmentally sound treatment technologies which use ecological principles as a basis to support the self-cleaning properties of flowing and dammed waters.

Formation and fates of nitrosamines and their formation potentials from a surface water source to drinking water treatment plants in Southern Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Hsiang; Wang, Chung-Ya; Huang, Tsung-Hsien

2016-10-01

Nitrosamines are toxic and emerging disinfection byproducts. In this study, three drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in southern Taiwan treating the same source water in Gaoping River with comparable technologies were selected. The objective was to evaluate the formation and fates of six nitrosamines and their formation potentials (FPs) from a surface water source to drinking water. Albeit decreased further downstream in the river, four nitrosamine-FPs were observed in the source water due to anthropogenic pollution in the upstream areas. In the DWTPs, nitrosamines were formed and NDMA was the main species. While high organic carbon concentrations indicated elevated nitrosamine-FPs in the source water, NDMA formation in the DWTPs was more positively associated with reductions of water parameters that quantify organic matters with double bonded ring structures. Although precursor removal via pre-oxidation is a viable approach to limit nitrosamine formation during post-disinfection, this study clearly indicates that a great portion of NDMA in treated water has been formed in the 1st oxidation step of drinking water treatment. The pre-oxidation simulations in the lab demonstrated the impact of pre-chlorination on nitrosamine formation. Given the limited removal in conventional treatment processes, avoiding nitrosamine-FPs in sources and/or nitrosamine formation during pre-oxidation become important issues to control the threats of nitrosamines in drinking water. Under current circumstance in which pre-oxidation is widely used to optimize the treatment effectiveness in many DWTPs, its adverse effect by forming nitrosamines needs to be carefully minimized and using technologies other than pre-chlorination (e.g., pre-ozonation) may be considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of table top water pitcher filters to remove arsenic from drinking water.

PubMed

Barnaby, Roxanna; Liefeld, Amanda; Jackson, Brian P; Hampton, Thomas H; Stanton, Bruce A

2017-10-01

Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a serious threat to the health of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In the United States ~3 million individuals drink well water that contains arsenic levels above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10μg/L. Several technologies are available to remove arsenic from well water including anion exchange, adsorptive media and reverse osmosis. In addition, bottled water is an alternative to drinking well water contaminated with arsenic. However, there are several drawbacks associated with these approaches including relatively high cost and, in the case of bottled water, the generation of plastic waste. In this study, we tested the ability of five tabletop water pitcher filters to remove arsenic from drinking water. We report that only one tabletop water pitcher filter tested, ZeroWater®, reduced the arsenic concentration, both As 3+ and As 5+ , from 1000μg/L to < 3μg/L, well below the MCL. Moreover, the amount of total dissolved solids or competing ions did not affect the ability of the ZeroWater® filter to remove arsenic below the MCL. Thus, the ZeroWater® pitcher filter is a cost effective and short-term solution to remove arsenic from drinking water and its use reduces plastic waste associated with bottled water. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Table Top Water Pitcher Filters to Remove Arsenic from Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Barnaby, Roxanna; Liefeld, Amanda; Jackson, Brian P.; Hampton, Thomas H.; Stanton, Bruce A.

2017-01-01

Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a serious threat to the health of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In the United States ~3 million individuals drink well water that contains arsenic levels above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 μg/L. Several technologies are available to remove arsenic from well water including anion exchange, adsorptive media and reverse osmosis. In addition, bottled water is an alternative to drinking well water contaminated with arsenic. However, there are several drawbacks associated with these approaches including relatively high cost and, in the case of bottled water, the generation of plastic waste. In this study, we tested the ability of five tabletop water pitcher filters to remove arsenic from drinking water. We report that only one tabletop water pitcher filter tested, ZeroWater®, reduced the arsenic concentration, both As3+ and As5+, from 1,000 μg/L to < 3 μg/L, well below the MCL. Moreover, the amount of total dissolved solids or competing ions did not affect the ability of the ZeroWater® filter to remove arsenic below the MCL. Thus, the ZeroWater® pitcher filter is a cost effective and short-term solution to remove arsenic from drinking water and its use reduces plastic waste associated with bottled water. PMID:28719869

Polyethersulfone-based ultrafiltration hollow fibre membrane for drinking water treatment systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chew, Chun Ming; Ng, K. M. David; Ooi, H. H. Richard

2017-12-01

Conventional media/sand filtration has been the mainstream water treatment process for most municipal water treatment plants in Malaysia. Filtrate qualities of conventional media/sand filtration are very much dependent on the coagulation-flocculation process prior to filtration and might be as high as 5 NTU. However, the demands for better quality of drinking water through public piped-water supply systems are growing. Polymeric ultrafiltration (UF) hollow fibre membrane made from modified polyethersulfone (PES) material is highly hydrophilic with high tensile strength and produces excellent quality filtrate of below 0.3 NTU in turbidity. This advanced membrane filtration material is also chemical resistance which allows a typical lifespan of 5 years. Comparisons between the conventional media/sand filtration and PES-based UF systems are carried out in this paper. UF has been considered as the emerging technology in municipal drinking water treatment plants due to its consistency in producing high quality filtrates even without the coagulation-flocculation process. The decreasing cost of PES-based membrane due to mass production and competitive pricing by manufacturers has made the UF technology affordable for industrial-scale water treatment plants.

NANOFILTRATION FOR REMOVAL OF DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCT PRCURSORS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program evaluates the performance of innovative air, water, pollution prevention and monitoring technologies that have the potential to improve human health and the environment. This techno...

Understanding, Monitoring, and Controlling Biofilm Growth in Drinking Water Distribution Systems.

PubMed

Liu, Sanly; Gunawan, Cindy; Barraud, Nicolas; Rice, Scott A; Harry, Elizabeth J; Amal, Rose

2016-09-06

In drinking water distribution systems (DWDS), biofilms are the predominant mode of microbial growth, with the presence of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) protecting the biomass from environmental and shear stresses. Biofilm formation poses a significant problem to the drinking water industry as a potential source of bacterial contamination, including pathogens, and, in many cases, also affecting the taste and odor of drinking water and promoting the corrosion of pipes. This article critically reviews important research findings on biofilm growth in DWDS, examining the factors affecting their formation and characteristics as well as the various technologies to characterize and monitor and, ultimately, to control their growth. Research indicates that temperature fluctuations potentially affect not only the initial bacteria-to-surface attachment but also the growth rates of biofilms. For the latter, the effect is unique for each type of biofilm-forming bacteria; ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, for example, grow more-developed biofilms at a typical summer temperature of 22 °C compared to 12 °C in fall, and the opposite occurs for the pathogenic Vibrio cholerae. Recent investigations have found the formation of thinner yet denser biofilms under high and turbulent flow regimes of drinking water, in comparison to the more porous and loosely attached biofilms at low flow rates. Furthermore, in addition to the rather well-known tendency of significant biofilm growth on corrosion-prone metal pipes, research efforts also found leaching of growth-promoting organic compounds from the increasingly popular use of polymer-based pipes. Knowledge of the unique microbial members of drinking water biofilms and, importantly, the influence of water characteristics and operational conditions on their growth can be applied to optimize various operational parameters to minimize biofilm accumulation. More-detailed characterizations of the biofilm population size and structure are now feasible with fluorescence microscopy (epifluorescence and CLSM imaging with DNA, RNA, EPS, and protein and lipid stains) and electron microscopy imaging (ESEM). Importantly, thorough identification of microbial fingerprints in drinking water biofilms is achievable with DNA sequencing techniques (the 16S rRNA gene-based identification), which have revealed a prevalence of previously undetected bacterial members. Technologies are now moving toward in situ monitoring of biomass growth in distribution networks, including the development of optical fibers capable of differentiating biomass from chemical deposits. Taken together, management of biofilm growth in water distribution systems requires an integrated approach, starting from the treatment of water prior to entering the networks to the potential implementation of "biofilm-limiting" operational conditions and, finally, ending with the careful selection of available technologies for biofilm monitoring and control. For the latter, conventional practices, including chlorine-chloramine disinfection, flushing of DWDS, nutrient removal, and emerging technologies are discussed with their associated challenges.

[Safe drinking water supply to the Vologda Region's population using risk assessment methodology].

PubMed

Kuznetsova, I A; Figurina, T Ia; Shadrina, S Iu

2011-01-01

To supply the population with qualitative potable water is a priority problem in the provision of sanitary-and-epidemiologic well-being and in the prevention of disease in the Vologda Region. The monitoring of the results of laboratory control over the quality of drinking-water and the assessment of health risk enabled a package of measures to be proposed to optimize the conditions of drinking water supply in the Vologda Region. The risk assessment technology used by a state agency for sanitary-and-epidemiological surveillance makes it possible to substantiate a system of actions to organize household water use and to include scientifically grounded proposals into the developed regional and local programs.

[Caries and fluorine: role of water factor, problems and solutions].

PubMed

Rakhmanin, Iu A; Kir'ianova, L F; Mikhaĭlova, R I; Sevost'ianova, E M

2001-01-01

The epidemiological studies of the severity and spread of caries of deciduous and permanent teeth in Moscow schoolchildren (n = > 20,000) aged 7-17 years in relation to the content of fluoride in the drinking water, to the use of fluorine-containing tablets and varnishes have provided evidence for the high efficiency of drinking water fluorination for the primary prevention of caries as compared with other preventive alternatives. Based on sanitary studies, two main lines are now under way in solving the problem connected with low dietary fluoride intake: the introduction of routine water-purifying fluorine generators (based on a new technology of fluorination of limited water volumes for drinking and cooking) and the setting-up of plants manufacturing bottled drinking waters containing the optimum or higher fluorine levels for provision of different population groups, primarily children and pregnant women in particular.

Differences in Field Effectiveness and Adoption between a Novel Automated Chlorination System and Household Manual Chlorination of Drinking Water in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Pickering, Amy J.; Crider, Yoshika; Amin, Nuhu; Bauza, Valerie; Unicomb, Leanne; Davis, Jennifer; Luby, Stephen P.

2015-01-01

The number of people served by networked systems that supply intermittent and contaminated drinking water is increasing. In these settings, centralized water treatment is ineffective, while household-level water treatment technologies have not been brought to scale. This study compares a novel low-cost technology designed to passively (automatically) dispense chlorine at shared handpumps with a household-level intervention providing water disinfection tablets (Aquatab), safe water storage containers, and behavior promotion. Twenty compounds were enrolled in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and randomly assigned to one of three groups: passive chlorinator, Aquatabs, or control. Over a 10-month intervention period, the mean percentage of households whose stored drinking water had detectable total chlorine was 75% in compounds with access to the passive chlorinator, 72% in compounds receiving Aquatabs, and 6% in control compounds. Both interventions also significantly improved microbial water quality. Aquatabs usage fell by 50% after behavioral promotion visits concluded, suggesting intensive promotion is necessary for sustained uptake. The study findings suggest high potential for an automated decentralized water treatment system to increase consistent access to clean water in low-income urban communities. PMID:25734448

Differences in field effectiveness and adoption between a novel automated chlorination system and household manual chlorination of drinking water in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pickering, Amy J; Crider, Yoshika; Amin, Nuhu; Bauza, Valerie; Unicomb, Leanne; Davis, Jennifer; Luby, Stephen P

2015-01-01

The number of people served by networked systems that supply intermittent and contaminated drinking water is increasing. In these settings, centralized water treatment is ineffective, while household-level water treatment technologies have not been brought to scale. This study compares a novel low-cost technology designed to passively (automatically) dispense chlorine at shared handpumps with a household-level intervention providing water disinfection tablets (Aquatab), safe water storage containers, and behavior promotion. Twenty compounds were enrolled in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and randomly assigned to one of three groups: passive chlorinator, Aquatabs, or control. Over a 10-month intervention period, the mean percentage of households whose stored drinking water had detectable total chlorine was 75% in compounds with access to the passive chlorinator, 72% in compounds receiving Aquatabs, and 6% in control compounds. Both interventions also significantly improved microbial water quality. Aquatabs usage fell by 50% after behavioral promotion visits concluded, suggesting intensive promotion is necessary for sustained uptake. The study findings suggest high potential for an automated decentralized water treatment system to increase consistent access to clean water in low-income urban communities.

GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Agreement in Principle for the Stage 2 M-DBP Federal Advisory Committee contains a list of treatment processes and management practices for water systems to use in meeting additional Cryptosporidium treatment requirements under the LT2ESWTR. This list, termed the microbial toolbox, includes watershed control programs, alternative intake locations, pretreatment processes, additional filtration barriers, inactivation technologies, and enhanced plant performance. The intent of the microbial toolbox is to provide water systems with broad flexibility in selecting cost-effective LT2ESWTR compliance strategies. Moreover, the toolbox allows systems that currently provide additional pathogen barriers or that can demonstrate enhanced performance to receive additional Cryptosporidium treatment credit. Provide guidance to utilities with surface water supplies and to state drinking water programs on the use of different treatment technologies to reduce the level of Cryptosporidium in drinking water. Technologies included in the guidance manual may be used to achieve compliance with the requirements of the LT2ESWTR.

Removal of natural organic matter in drinking water treatment by coagulation: A comprehensive review.

PubMed

Sillanpää, Mika; Ncibi, Mohamed Chaker; Matilainen, Anu; Vepsäläinen, Mikko

2018-01-01

Natural organic matter (NOM) is a complex matrix of organic substances produced in (or channeled to) aquatic ecosystems via various biological, geological and hydrological cycles. Such variability is posing a serious challenge to most water treatment technologies, especially the ones designed to treat drinking water supplies. Lately, in addition to the fluctuating composition of NOM, a substantial increase of its concentration in fresh waters, and also municipal wastewater effluents, has been reported worldwide, which justifies the urgent need to develop highly efficient and versatile water treatment processes. Coagulation is among the most applied processes for water and wastewater treatment. The application of coagulation to remove NOM from drinking water supplies has received a great deal of attention from researchers around the world because it was efficient and helped avoiding the formation of disinfection by products (DBPs). Nonetheless, with the increased fluctuation of NOM in water (concentration and composition), the efficiency of conventional coagulation was substantially reduced, hence the need to develop enhanced coagulation processes by optimizing the operating conditions (mainly the amount coagulants and pH), developing more efficient inorganic or organic coagulants, as well as coupling coagulation with other water treatment technologies. In the present review, recent research studies dealing with the application of coagulation for NOM removal from drinking water supplies are presented and compared. In addition, integration schemes combining coagulation and other water treatment processes are presented, including membrane filtration, oxidation, adsorption and others processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metagenomic insights into chlorination effects on microbial antibiotic resistance in drinking water.

PubMed

Shi, Peng; Jia, Shuyu; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Zhang, Tong; Cheng, Shupei; Li, Aimin

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the chlorination effects on microbial antibiotic resistance in a drinking water treatment plant. Biochemical identification, 16S rRNA gene cloning and metagenomic analysis consistently indicated that Proteobacteria were the main antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) dominating in the drinking water and chlorine disinfection greatly affected microbial community structure. After chlorination, higher proportion of the surviving bacteria was resistant to chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and cephalothin. Quantitative real-time PCRs revealed that sulI had the highest abundance among the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) detected in the drinking water, followed by tetA and tetG. Chlorination caused enrichment of ampC, aphA2, bla(TEM-1), tetA, tetG, ermA and ermB, but sulI was considerably removed (p < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis confirmed that drinking water chlorination could concentrate various ARGs, as well as of plasmids, insertion sequences and integrons involved in horizontal transfer of the ARGs. Water pipeline transportation tended to reduce the abundance of most ARGs, but various ARB and ARGs were still present in the tap water, which deserves more public health concerns. The results highlighted prevalence of ARB and ARGs in chlorinated drinking water and this study might be technologically useful for detecting the ARGs in water environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water resources development and management: an experience in rural hilly area.

PubMed

Khadse, G K; Talkhande, A V; Andey, S P; Kelkar, P S

2010-01-01

The Himalayan region of Tehri Garhwal in India has scattered habitations in the villages with scanty, non-perennial and unsafe water resources like springs and streams. Poor environmental conditions arising from unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitary measures, unhygienic disposal of excreta, sullage and accumulation of solid wastes have resulted in poor public health. The experiences gained through water supply and sanitation studies carried out especially in this rural area have been shared in this paper so as to enable adoption of relevant practices and technologies developed by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI, India) in the affected areas. Environmental protection of the streams and springs for sustained water availability and safe drinking water supply was ensured with active public participation, training, and awareness programs. Various surface rainwater harvesting structures were constructed at suitable sites along with ferro-cement roofwater harvesting tanks in selected villages. The activities related to designing and commissioning of a small slow sand filtration unit were carried out at Chhati (Nakot) village for safe drinking water supply. Chlorination pots were demonstrated and installed in rainwater harvesting tanks for disinfection of water for drinking purpose. Water quality assessment and health survey (parasitic and hemoglobin investigation) in the affected villages were carried out before and after technological intervention. The training and awareness programs were organised for people of 23 villages in the study area covering water and sanitation related topics. The beneficiary's opinions, perceptions, apprehensions, as well as expectations reflected positive approach towards the achievement of anticipated benefits and impacts.

ETV, LT2 and You: How the Environmental Technology Verification Program Can Assist with the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Drinking Water Systems (DWS) Center has verified the performance of treatment technologies that may be used by communities in meeting the newly promulgated (2006) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Long Term 2 Enhanced Sur...

Conflict of technologies for water and sanitation in developing countries.

PubMed

Bannerman, R R

2000-01-01

Borehole water supplies, in basement rock aquifers in the West Africa Sub-region, face potential pollution hazards as a result of their close location within the same geological environments as indiscriminately sited latrines, rubbish dumps, farms and animal watering points in the communities. The heterogeneous nature of the overburden and fractures in the bedrock constitute relatively fast flow paths for surface water contaminated mainly by bacteria and nitrates which enhance the pollution of the groundwater and boreholes. To improve the drinking water quality, some measures have been taken to minimize the hazards. Further studies are required to understand better the nature and scale of the problem and to avoid the apparent conflict of technologies. It is necessary to incorporate improvements in sanitation into rural water supply projects, if the otherwise good drinking water source should not be lost to society's wastes.

A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor for monitoring drinking water quality

PubMed Central

Højris, Bo; Christensen, Sarah Christine Boesgaard; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Smith, Christian; Dahlqvist, Mathis

2016-01-01

Today, microbial drinking water quality is monitored through either time-consuming laboratory methods or indirect on-line measurements. Results are thus either delayed or insufficient to support proactive action. A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor with a 10-minute time resolution has been developed. The sensor is based on 3D image recognition, and the obtained pictures are analyzed with algorithms considering 59 quantified image parameters. The sensor counts individual suspended particles and classifies them as either bacteria or abiotic particles. The technology is capable of distinguishing and quantifying bacteria and particles in pure and mixed suspensions, and the quantification correlates with total bacterial counts. Several field applications have demonstrated that the technology can monitor changes in the concentration of bacteria, and is thus well suited for rapid detection of critical conditions such as pollution events in drinking water. PMID:27040142

A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor for monitoring drinking water quality.

PubMed

Højris, Bo; Christensen, Sarah Christine Boesgaard; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Smith, Christian; Dahlqvist, Mathis

2016-04-04

Today, microbial drinking water quality is monitored through either time-consuming laboratory methods or indirect on-line measurements. Results are thus either delayed or insufficient to support proactive action. A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor with a 10-minute time resolution has been developed. The sensor is based on 3D image recognition, and the obtained pictures are analyzed with algorithms considering 59 quantified image parameters. The sensor counts individual suspended particles and classifies them as either bacteria or abiotic particles. The technology is capable of distinguishing and quantifying bacteria and particles in pure and mixed suspensions, and the quantification correlates with total bacterial counts. Several field applications have demonstrated that the technology can monitor changes in the concentration of bacteria, and is thus well suited for rapid detection of critical conditions such as pollution events in drinking water.

Monitoring for contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water using POCIS passive samplers.

PubMed

Metcalfe, Chris; Hoque, M Ehsanul; Sultana, Tamanna; Murray, Craig; Helm, Paul; Kleywegt, Sonya

2014-03-01

Contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) have been detected in drinking water world-wide. The source of most of these compounds is generally attributed to contamination from municipal wastewater. Traditional water sampling methods (grab or composite) often require the concentration of large amounts of water in order to detect trace levels of these contaminants. The Polar Organic Compounds Integrative Sampler (POCIS) is a passive sampling technology that has been developed to concentrate trace levels of CEC to provide time-weighted average concentrations for individual compounds in water. However, few studies to date have evaluated whether POCIS is suitable for monitoring contaminants in drinking water. In this study, the POCIS was evaluated as a monitoring tool for CEC in drinking water over a period of 2 and 4 weeks with comparisons to typical grab samples. Seven "indicator compounds" which included carbamazepine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, estrone and sucralose, were monitored in five drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in Ontario. All indicator compounds were detected in raw water samples from the POCIS in comparison to six from grab samples. Similarly, four compounds were detected in grab samples of treated drinking water, whereas six were detected in the POCIS. Sucralose was the only compound that was detected consistently at all five plants. The POCIS technique provided integrative exposures of CECs in drinking water at lower detection limits, while episodic events were captured via traditional sampling methods. There was evidence that the accumulation of target compounds by POCIS is a dynamic process, with adsorption and desorption on the sorbent occurring in response to ambient levels of the target compounds in water. CECs in treated drinking water were present at low ng L(-1) concentrations, which are not considered to be a threat to human health.

Reducing Volatile Disinfection By-Products in Treated Drinking Water Using Aeration Technologies (WaterRF Report 4441)

EPA Science Inventory

The primary objective of this project was to evaluate cost-effective aeration technology solutions to address TTHM compliance at a water treatment plant clearwell. The project team worked closely with EPA Region 6 and the EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) to identify a...

Can radiation chemistry supply a highly efficient AO(R)P process for organics removal from drinking and waste water? A review.

PubMed

Trojanowicz, Marek; Bojanowska-Czajka, Anna; Capodaglio, Andrea G

2017-09-01

The increasing role of chemistry in industrial production and its direct and indirect impacts in everyday life create the need for continuous search and efficiency improvement of new methods for decomposition/removal of different classes of waterborne anthropogenic pollutants. This review paper addresses a highly promising class of water treatment solutions, aimed at tackling the pressing problem of emerging contaminants in natural and drinking waters and wastewater discharges. Radiation processing, a technology originating from radiation chemistry studies, has shown encouraging results in the treatment of (mainly) organic water pollution. Radiation ("high energy") processing is an additive-free technology using short-lived reactive species formed by the radiolysis of water, both oxidative and reducing, to carry out decomposition of organic pollutants. The paper illustrates the basic principles of radiolytic treatment of organic pollutants in water and wastewaters and specifically of one of its most practical implementations (electron beam processing). Application examples, highlighting the technology's strong points and operational conditions are described, and a discussion on the possible future of this technology follows.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION AGENTS IN DRINKING WATER, WATTS P{REMIER ULTRA 5 REVERSE OSMOSIS DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM (POU)

EPA Science Inventory

The Watts Premier Ultra 5 system was tested for removal of bacteria and viruses at NSF International's Laboratory. Watts Premier submitted ten units, which were split into two groups of five. One group received 25 days of conditioning prior to challenge testing, while the secon...

A Systems Approach to Manage Drinking Water Quality ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Drinking water supplies can be vulnerable to impacts from short-term weather events, long-term changes in land-use and climate, and water quality controls in treatment and distribution. Disinfection by-product (DBP) formation in drinking water is a prominent example to illustrate the water supply vulnerability and examine technological options in adaptation. Total organic carbon (TOC) in surface water can vary significantly due to changes or a combination of changes in watershed land use, climate variability, and extreme meteorological events (e.g., hurricanes). On the other hand, water demand is known to vary temporarily and spatially leading to changes in water ages and hence DBP formation potential. Typically a drinking water facility is designed to operate within a projected range of influent water quality and water demand. When the variations exceed the design range, water supply becomes vulnerable in the compliance to Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Stage-II disinfection by-product (DBP) rules. This paper describes a framework of systems-level modeling, monitoring and control in adaptive planning and system operation. The framework, built upon the integration of model projections, adaptive monitoring and systems control, has three primary functions. Its advantages and limitations will be discussed with the application examples in Cincinnati (Ohio, USA) and Las Vegas (Nevada, USA). At a conceptual level, an integrated land use and hydrological model

Evaluating the risk of water distribution system failure: A shared frailty model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Robert M.; Thurnau, Robert C.

2011-12-01

Condition assessment (CA) Modeling is drawing increasing interest as a technique that can assist in managing drinking water infrastructure. This paper develops a model based on the application of a Cox proportional hazard (PH)/shared frailty model and applies it to evaluating the risk of failure in drinking water networks using data from the Laramie Water Utility (located in Laramie, Wyoming, USA). Using the risk model a cost/ benefit analysis incorporating the inspection value method (IVM), is used to assist in making improved repair, replacement and rehabilitation decisions for selected drinking water distribution system pipes. A separate model is developed to predict failures in prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). Various currently available inspection technologies are presented and discussed.

Policy intervention for arsenic mitigation in drinking water in rural habitations in India: achievements and challenges.

PubMed

Shrivastava, Brajesh K

2016-10-01

This article provides updated status of the arsenic affected rural habitations in India, summarizes the policy initiatives of the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (Government of India), reviews the technologies for arsenic treatment and analyses the progress made by states in tackling arsenic problems in rural habitations. It also provides a list of constraints based on experiences and recommends suggested measures to tackle arsenic problems in an holistic manner. It is expected that the paper would be useful for policy formulators in states, non-government organizations, researchers of academic and scientific institutions and programme managers working in the area of arsenic mitigation in drinking water, especially in developing countries, as it provides better insights compared to other available information in India on mitigating arsenic problems in drinking water in rural areas.

Modified clinoptilolite in the removal of iron and manganese from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barloková, D.; Ilavský, J.

2012-11-01

It is necessary to treat water intended for drinking purposes in many cases to meet the requirements of the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 496/2010 on Drinking Water. There is a tendency to look for technology with new, more efficient and cost-effective materials and technologies. The goal of this study is to compare activated natural zeolite known as clinoptilolite (rich deposits of clinoptilolite were found in the region of East Slovakia Region in the 1980s) with the imported Greensand and Cullsorb materials in the removal of iron and manganese from water. The results obtained from experiments carried out at WTP Kúty prove that Klinopur-Mn is suitable for the removal of iron and manganese from water and is comparable with the imported materials.

Transformative Approaches and Technologies for Water Systems

EPA Science Inventory

This project will advance the transformation of water systems towards a more sustainable future. It will provide EPA with a sustainability assessment framework integrating drinking water, wastewater, and water reuse/resource recovery components, advances in real-time monitoring, ...

Bee guide to complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garland, J.G.; Acker, A.M.

This report provides current information on the Safe Drinking Water Act and recent amendments. The report describes the evolution of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the responsibilities of base personnel involved in compliance with the Act. It also describes the monitoring requirements, analytical requirements, best available technology for controlling contaminants, and public notification requirements for regulated contaminants. The appendixes include proposed contaminants and state water quality agencies. Each Air Force public water distribution system (PWDS) must comply with the SDWA, and the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs). In the United States and its territories, the provisions of themore » SDWA and the NPDWRs are enforced by the states except in the few instances in which the state has not been delegated primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) by the EPA. States that have primacy may establish drinking water regulations, monitoring schedules, and reporting requirements more stringent than, or in addition to, those in the NPDWRs. Air Force public water systems in these states are required to comply with these additional requirements as well as federal enforcement actions as carried out by the EPA Regional Office.« less

BIOSENSOR TECHNOLOGY EVALUATIONS FOR REAL-TIME/SOURCE WATER PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

Recent advances in electronics and computer technology have made great strides in the field of remote sensing and biomonitoring. The quality of drinking water sources has come under closer scrutiny in recent years. Issues ranging from ecological to public health and national se...

Clean Water for Developing Countries.

PubMed

Pandit, Aniruddha B; Kumar, Jyoti Kishen

2015-01-01

Availability of safe drinking water, a vital natural resource, is still a distant dream to many around the world, especially in developing countries. Increasing human activity and industrialization have led to a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological pollutants entering water bodies and affecting human lives. Efforts to develop efficient, economical, and technologically sound methods to produce clean water for developing countries have increased worldwide. We focus on solar disinfection, filtration, hybrid filtration methods, treatment of harvested rainwater, herbal water disinfection, and arsenic removal technologies. Simple, yet innovative water treatment devices ranging from use of plant xylem as filters, terafilters, and hand pumps to tippy taps designed indigenously are methods mentioned here. By describing the technical aspects of major water disinfection methods relevant for developing countries on medium to small scales and emphasizing their merits, demerits, economics, and scalability, we highlight the current scenario and pave the way for further research and development and scaling up of these processes. This review focuses on clean drinking water, especially for rural populations in developing countries. It describes various water disinfection techniques that are not only economically viable and energy efficient but also employ simple methodologies that are effective in reducing the physical, chemical, and biological pollutants found in drinking water to acceptable limits.

Development of a Screening Tool to Facilitate Technology Transfer of an Innovative Technology to Treat Perchlorate-Contaminated Water

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

foods such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages (U.S. FDA, 2004). If the U.S. EPA ultimately establishes a drinking water standard for perchlorate...TREAT PERCHLORATE-CONTAMINATED WATER THESIS Daniel A. Craig, Captain, USAF AFIT/GEM/ENV/08-M06 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY...OF AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO TREAT PERCHLORATE- CONTAMINATED WATER THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems and Engineering

Monitoring and removal of cyanobacterial toxins from drinking water by algal-activated carbon.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Wael M; Salim, Emad H; Azab, Yahia A; Ismail, Abdel-Hamid M

2016-10-01

Microcystins (MCs) are the most potent toxins that can be produced by cyanobacteria in drinking water supplies. This study investigated the abundance of toxin-producing algae in 11 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). A total of 26 different algal taxa were identified in treated water, from which 12% were blue green, 29% were green, and 59% were diatoms. MC levels maintained strong positive correlations with number of cyanophycean cells in raw and treated water of different DWTPs. Furthermore, the efficiency of various algal-based adsorbent columns used for the removal of these toxins was evaluated. The MCs was adsorbed in the following order: mixed algal-activated carbon (AAC) ≥ individual AAC > mixed algal powder > individual algal powder. The results showed that the AAC had the highest efficient columns capable of removing 100% dissolved MCs from drinking water samples, thereby offering an economically feasible technology for efficient removal and recovery of MCs in DWTPs. © The Author(s) 2015.

Escherichia coli: the best biological drinking water indicator for public health protection.

PubMed

Edberg, S C; Rice, E W; Karlin, R J; Allen, M J

2000-01-01

Public health protection requires an indicator of fecal pollution. It is not necessary to analyse drinking water for all pathogens. Escherichia coli is found in all mammal faeces at concentrations of 10 log 9(-1), but it does not multiply appreciably in the environment. In the 1890s, it was chosen as the biological indicator of water treatment safety. Because of method deficiencies, E. coli surrogates such as the 'fecal coliform' and total coliforms tests were developed and became part of drinking water regulations. With the advent of the Defined Substrate Technology in the late 1980s, it became possible to analyse drinking water directly for E. coli (and, simultaneously, total coliforms) inexpensively and simply. Accordingly, E. coli was re-inserted in the drinking water regulations. E. coli survives in drinking water for between 4 and 12 weeks, depending on environmental conditions (temperature, microflora, etc.). Bacteria and viruses are approximately equally oxidant-sensitive, but parasites are less so. Under the conditions in distribution systems, E. coli will be much more long-lived. Therefore, under most circumstances it is possible to design a monitoring program that permits public health protection at a modest cost. Drinking water regulations currently require infrequent monitoring which may not adequately detect intermittent contamination events; however, it is cost-effective to markedly increase testing with E. coli to better protect the public's health. Comparison with other practical candidate fecal indicators shows that E. coli is far superior overall.

ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES - GREEN BAY

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides an overview of adsorptive media technology for the removal of arsenic from drinking water. The presentation is divided into four topics: Technology, Application, Design and Operation. Each topic is discussed in general and a number of photographs from ...

ATP monitoring technology for microbial growth control in potable water systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whalen, Patrick A.; Whalen, Philip J.; Cairns, James E.

2006-05-01

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is the primary energy transfer molecule present in all living biological cells on Earth. ATP cannot be produced or maintained by anything but a living organism, and as such, its measurement is a direct indication of biological activity. The main advantage of ATP as a biological indicator is the speed of the analysis - from collecting the sample to obtaining the result, only minutes are required. The technology to measure ATP is already widely utilized to verify disinfection efficacy in the food industry and is also commonly applied in industrial water processes such as cooling water systems to monitor microbial growth and biocide applications. Research has indicated that ATP measurement technology can also play a key role in such important industries as potable water distribution and biological wastewater treatment. As will be detailed in this paper, LuminUltra Technologies has developed and applied ATP measurement technologies designed for any water type, and as such can provide a method to rapidly and accurately determine the level of biological activity in drinking water supplies. Because of its speed and specificity to biological activity, ATP measurement can play a key role in defending against failing drinking water quality, including those encountered during routine operation and also bioterrorism.

Information Technology Support in the 8000 Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

My summer internship was spent supporting various projects within the Environmental Management Office and Glenn Safety Office. Mentored by Eli Abumeri, I was trained in areas of Information Technology such as: Servers, printers, scanners, CAD systems, Web, Programming, and Database Management, ODIN (networking, computers, and phones). I worked closely with the Chemical Sampling and Analysis Team (CSAT) to redesign a database to more efficiently manage and maintain data collected for the Drinking Water Program. This Program has been established for over fifteen years here at the Glenn Research Center. It involves the continued testing and retesting of all drinking water dispensers. The quality of the drinking water is of great importance and is determined by comparing the concentration of contaminants in the water with specifications set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and its 1986 and 1991 amendments. The Drinking Water Program consists of periodic testing of all drinking water fountains and sinks. Each is tested at least once every 2 years for contaminants and naturally occurring species. The EPA's protocol is to collect an initial and a 5 minute draw from each dispenser. The 5 minute draw is what is used for the maximum contaminant level. However, the CS&AT has added a 30 second draw since most individuals do not run the water 5 minutes prior to drinking. This data is then entered into a relational Microsoft Access database. The database allows for the quick retrieval of any test@) done on any dispenser. The data can be queried by building number, date or test type, and test results are documented in an analytical report for employees to read. To aid with the tracking of recycled materials within the lab, my help was enlisted to create a database that could make this process less cumbersome and more efficient. The date of pickup, type of material, weight received, and unit cost per recyclable. This information could then calculate the dollar amount generated by the recycling of certain materials. This database will ultimately prove useful in determining the amounts of materials consumed by the lab and will help serve as an indicator potential overuse.

Standards for arsenic in drinking water: Implications for policy in Mexico

PubMed Central

Fisher, Andrew T.; López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Gamboa-Loira, Brenda; Cebrián, Mariano E.

2017-01-01

Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 μg/l (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico’s struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health. PMID:28808298

Standards for arsenic in drinking water: Implications for policy in Mexico.

PubMed

Fisher, Andrew T; López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Gamboa-Loira, Brenda; Cebrián, Mariano E

2017-11-01

Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 μg/l (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico's struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health.

Using ion chromatography to monitor haloacetic acids in drinking water: a review of current technologies.

PubMed

Paull, Brett; Barron, Leon

2004-08-13

A review of the application of ion chromatography to the determination of haloacetic acids in drinking water is given. As it requires no sample derivatisation, ion chromatography in its various modes, such as ion-exchange, ion-interaction and ion-exclusion chromatography, is increasingly being investigated as a simpler alternative to gas chromatographic methods for the determination of polar disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking waters. Detection limits quoted for the regulated haloacetic acids (HAA5), are commonly in the mid to low microg/L range, however, in most cases analyte preconcentration is still necessary for detection at concentrations commonly found in actual drinking water samples. The coupling of ion chromatography to electrospray mass spectrometry provides a potential future direction, with improved sensitivity and selectivity compared to conductivity based detection, however associated cost and complexity for routine analysis is currently relatively high.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PARTICULATE CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER : SEPARMATIC™ FLUID SYSTEMS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH PRESSURE TYPE FILTER SYSTEM MODEL 12P-2

EPA Science Inventory

The verification test of the SeparmaticTM DE Pressure Type Filter System Model 12P-2 was conducted at the UNH Water Treatment Technology Assistance Center (WTTAC) in Durham, New Hampshire. The source water was finished water from the Arthur Rollins Treatment Plant that was pretr...

[Study for distribution level of disinfection byproducts in drinking water from six cities in China].

PubMed

Deng, Ying; Wei, Jianrong; E, Xueli; Wang, Wuyi; et al

2008-03-01

To find the distribution level and geographical variations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water. The samples were selected from water utilities in six cities (Daqing, Beijing, Tianjin, Zhengzhou, Changsha and Shenzhen) of China. The water source and technology of water treatment were investigated and the indices including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in main DBPs and natural organic materials (NOM), pH, chlorine dosage and temperature were determined. In six cities the highest concentrations of TTHMs and THAAs in the distribution system were 92.8 microg/L and 40.0 microg/L, respectively. The concentration of every compound of THMs and HAAs was under the limit of standards for drinking water quality, but the concentrations of 'TTHMs at some samples were higher than the maximum acceptable level (MAC) defined by standards for drinking water quality. The geographical variations of THMs and HAAs in six cities were Zhengzhou > Tianjin > Daqing > Beijing > Shenzhen > Changsha and Changsha > Tianjin > Shenzhen > Daqing > Zhengzhou > Beijing, respectively. The levels of THMs of drinking water at Tianjin and Zhengzhou were higher than the others and the levels of HAAs of drinking water at Changsha, Tianjin and Shenzhen were higher than the others. The seasonal variations of both groups of THMs and HAAs were high in summer and low in winter. The pollution level of DBPs in drinking water from Chinese six cities were low. The concentration of DBPs related to seasonal. THMs distributed mainly to the North and HAAs distributed mainly to the South.

Microbial Community Structures and Dynamics in the O3/BAC Drinking Water Treatment Process

PubMed Central

Tian, Jian; Lu, Jun; Zhang, Yu; Li, Jian-Cheng; Sun, Li-Chen; Hu, Zhang-Li

2014-01-01

Effectiveness of drinking water treatment, in particular pathogen control during the water treatment process, is always a major public health concern. In this investigation, the application of PCR-DGGE technology to the analysis of microbial community structures and dynamics in the drinking water treatment process revealed several dominant microbial populations including: α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria. α-Proteobacteria and β-Proteobacteria were the dominant bacteria during the whole process. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant bacteria before and after treatment, respectively. Firmicutes showed season-dependent changes in population dynamics. Importantly, γ-Proteobacteria, which is a class of medically important bacteria, was well controlled by the O3/biological activated carbon (BAC) treatment, resulting in improved effluent water bio-safety. PMID:24937529

[Medical and environmental aspects of the drinking water supply crisis].

PubMed

Él'piner, L I

2013-01-01

Modern data determining drinking water supply crisis in Russia have been considered. The probability of influence of drinking water quality used by population on current negative demographic indices was shown. The necessity of taking into account interests of public health care in the process of formation of water management decisions was grounded. To achieve this goal the application of medical ecological interdisciplinary approach was proposed Its use is mostly effective in construction of goal-directed medical ecological sections for territorial schemes of the rational use and protection of water resources. Stages of the elaboration of these sections, providing the basing of evaluation and prognostic medical and environmental constructions on similar engineering studies of related disciplinary areas (hydrological, hydrogeological, hydrobiological, hydrochemical, environmental, socio-economic, technical and technological) were determined.

OVERVIEW OF SOURCE WATER PROTECTION (SWP) AND WET-WEATHER FLOW (WWF) ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) PILOT PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program objectives, goals and benefits were described in detail in the presentation for the ETV Package Drinking Water Treatment System pilot earlier in this session. As mentioned in the presentation, three of the twelve piul...

Science Communication and Desalination Research: Water Experts' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schibeci, R. A.; Williams, A. J.

2014-01-01

Access to clean drinking water is a major problem for many people across the world. Desalination is being increasingly used in many countries to provide this important resource. Desalination technology has received varying degrees of support in the communities in which this technology has been adopted. Productive communication suggests we…

Treatment of taste and odor causing compounds 2-methyl isoborneol and geosmin in drinking water: a critical review.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Rangesh; Sorial, George A

2011-01-01

Problems due to the taste and odor in drinking water are common in treatment facilities around the world. Taste and odor are perceived by the public as the primary indicators of the safely and acceptability of drinking water and are mainly caused by the presence of two semi-volatile compounds--2-methyl isoborneol (MIB) and geosmin. A review of these two taste and odor causing compounds in drinking water is presented. The sources for the formation of these compounds in water are discussed along with the health and regulatory implications. The recent developments in the analysis of MIB/geosmin in water which have allowed for rapid measurements in the nanogram per liter concentrations are also discussed. This review focuses on the relevant treatment alternatives, that are described in detail with emphasis on their respective advantages and problems associated with their implementation in a full-scale facility. Conventional treatment processes in water treatment plants, such as coagulation, sedimentation and chlorination have been found to be ineffective for removal of MIB/geosmin. Studies have shown powdered activated carbon, ozonation and biofiltration to be effective in treatment of these two compounds. Although some of these technologies are more effective and show more promise than the others, much work remains to be done to optimize these technologies so that they can be retrofitted or installed with minimal impact on the overall operation and effectiveness of the treatment system.

[The hygienic situation of the central drinking water supply in the former East Germany--an evaluation of the annual reports on water hygiene from 1984 to 1989].

PubMed

Schlosser, F U; Schulze, E

1991-12-01

In the former GDR an annual report on the situation in the field of communal hygiene had to be elaborated and submitted to the minister of public health. One part of this was the report on the hygienic situation in water supply, worked out by the Reference Laboratory for Water Hygiene in Bad Elster. After the political changes in autumn 1989 it became possible to analyse these reports as a whole. In this paper the reports from 1984 to 1989 are interpreted. The results of the laboratory measurements and field controls by the State Sanitary Inspectorates are shown in 17 graphics and compared to the bacteriological and chemical limits in drinking water standards. Special issue is drawn on the estimation of the number of inhabitants concerned by reduced drinking-water quality or any hazardous situations. The special problems of the different districts are compared in some graphics. The hygienic safety of the central drinking-water supply units is assessed basing on the results of the field controls by the State Sanitary Inspectorate. The Sanitation of the central drinking-water supply facilities in the new federal countries of the FRG is connected with the solution of a variety of technological problems, particularly the improvement of the water treatment techniques and the restoration of the pipe systems. The use of surface waters from extremely polluted rivers generates a high hygienic risk and requires the sanitation of the rivers. The high number of existing protection zones in the catchment areas for drinking-water is a valuable precondition to ensure the hygienic safety of the drinking-water supply in the new federal countries.

ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES - EVERETT, WA

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides an overview of adsorptive media technology for the removal of arsenic from drinking water. The presentation is divided into four topics: Technology, Application, Design and Operation. Each topic is discussed in general and a number of photographs from th...

ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES - REDLAND, CA

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides an overview of adsorptive media technology for the removal of arsenic from drinking water. The presentation is divided into four topics: Technology, Application, Design and Operation. Each topic is discussed in general and a number of photographs from t...

ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGIES - LAPEER, MI

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides an overview of adsorptive media technology for the removal of arsenic from drinking water. The presentation is divided into four topics: Technology, Application, Design and Operation. Each topic is discussed in general and a number of photographs from th...

US EPA's UV Disinfection Technologies Demonstration Study - States Briefing

EPA Science Inventory

EPA report and anticipated Journal articles will provide recommendations & guidance based on lessons learned for subsequent UV technology testing and monitoring/control applications of virus inactivation in drinking water.

Hydraulic optimization and modeling of hydro-cyclone-systems for treatment and purification of any kind of waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spangemacher, Lars; Fröhlich, Siegmund; Buse, Hauke

2017-11-01

Water is an indispensable resource for many purposes and good drinking water quality is essential for mankind. This article is supposed to show the need for mobile water treatment systems and therefore to give an overview of different mobile drinking water systems and the technologies available for obtaining good water quality. The aim is to develop a simple to operate water treatment system with few processing stages such as multi-cyclone-cartridge and reverse osmosis with energy recuperation, while the focus is set on modeling and optimizing of hydrocyclone systems as the first treatment stage.

Comparing willingness to pay for improved drinking-water quality using stated preference methods in rural and urban Kenya.

PubMed

Brouwer, Roy; Job, Fumbi Crescent; van der Kroon, Bianca; Johnston, Richard

2015-02-01

Access to safe drinking water has been on the global agenda for decades. The key to safe drinking water is found in household water treatment and safe storage systems. In this study, we assessed rural and urban household demand for a new gravity-driven membrane (GDM) drinking-water filter. A choice experiment (CE) was used to assess the value attached to the characteristics of a new GDM filter before marketing in urban and rural Kenya. The CE was followed by a contingent valuation (CV) question. Differences in willingness to pay (WTP) for the same filter design were tested between methods, as well as urban and rural samples. The CV follow-up approach produces more conservative and statistically more efficient WTP values than the CE, with only limited indications of anchoring. The effect of the new filter technology on children with diarrhea is among the most important drivers behind choice behavior and WTP in both areas. The urban sample is willing to pay more in absolute terms than the rural sample irrespective of the valuation method. Rural households are more price sensitive, and willing to pay more in relative terms compared with disposable household income. A differentiated marketing strategy across rural and urban areas is expected to increase uptake and diffusion of the new filter technology.

Drinking Water Quality and the Geospatial Distribution of Notified Gastro-Intestinal Infections

PubMed Central

GRILC, Eva; GALE, Ivanka; VERŠIČ, Aleš; ŽAGAR, Tina; SOČAN, Maja

2015-01-01

Introduction Even brief episodes of fecal contamination of drinking water can lead directly to illness in the consumers. In water-borne outbreaks, the connection between poor microbial water quality and disease can be quickly identified. The impact of non-compliant drinking water samples due to E. coli taken for regular monitoring on the incidence of notified acute gastrointestinal infections has not yet been studied. Methods The objective of this study was to analyse the geographical distribution of notified acute gastrointestinal infections (AGI) in Slovenia in 2010, with hotspot identification. The second aim of the study was to correlate the fecal contamination of water supply system on the settlement level with the distribution of notified AGI cases. Spatial analysis using geo-information technology and other methods were used. Results Hot spots with the highest proportion of notified AGI cases were mainly identified in areas with small supply zones. The risk for getting AGI was drinking water contaminated with E. coli from supply zones with 50–1000 users: RR was 1.25 and significantly greater than one (p-value less than 0.001). Conclusion This study showed the correlation between the frequency of notified AGI cases and non-compliant results in drinking water monitoring. PMID:27646727

40 CFR 142.63 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant level for total coliforms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTATION Identification of Best Technology, Treatment Techniques or Other Means Generally...

Evaluation and refinement of a field-portable drinking water toxicity sensor utilizing electric cell-substrate impedance sensing and a fluidic biochip.

PubMed

Widder, Mark W; Brennan, Linda M; Hanft, Elizabeth A; Schrock, Mary E; James, Ryan R; van der Schalie, William H

2015-07-01

The US Army's need for a reliable and field-portable drinking water toxicity sensor was the catalyst for the development and evaluation of an electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) device. Water testing technologies currently available to soldiers in the field are analyte-specific and have limited capabilities to detect broad-based water toxicity. The ECIS sensor described here uses rainbow trout gill epithelial cells seeded on fluidic biochips to measure changes in impedance for the detection of possible chemical contamination of drinking water supplies. Chemicals selected for testing were chosen as representatives of a broad spectrum of toxic industrial compounds. Results of a US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)-sponsored evaluation of the field portable device were similar to previously published US Army testing results of a laboratory-based version of the same technology. Twelve of the 18 chemicals tested following USEPA Technology Testing and Evaluation Program procedures were detected by the ECIS sensor within 1 h at USEPA-derived human lethal concentrations. To simplify field-testing methods further, elimination of a procedural step that acclimated cells to serum-free media streamlined the test process with only a slight loss of chemical sensitivity. For field use, the ECIS sensor will be used in conjunction with an enzyme-based sensor that is responsive to carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluating the impact of ambient benzene vapor concentrations on product water from Condensation Water From Air technology.

PubMed

Kinder, Katherine M; Gellasch, Christopher A; Dusenbury, James S; Timmes, Thomas C; Hughes, Thomas M

2017-07-15

Globally, drinking water resources are diminishing in both quantity and quality. This situation has renewed interest in Condensation Water From Air (CWFA) technology, which utilizes water vapor in the air to produce water for both potable and non-potable purposes. However, there are currently insufficient data available to determine the relationship between air contaminants and the rate at which they are transferred from the air into CWFA untreated product water. This study implemented a novel experimental method utilizing an environmental test chamber to evaluate how air quality and temperature affects CWFA untreated product water quality in order to collect data that will inform the type of water treatment required to protect human health. This study found that temperature and benzene air concentration affected the untreated product water from a CWFA system. Benzene vapor concentrations representing a polluted outdoor environment resulted in benzene product water concentrations between 15% and 23% of the USEPA drinking water limit of 5μg/l. In contrast, product water benzene concentrations representing an indoor industrial environment were between 1.4 and 2.4 times higher than the drinking water limit. Lower condenser coil temperatures were correlated with an increased concentration of benzene in the product water. Environmental health professionals and engineers can integrate the results of this assessment to predict benzene concentrations in the product water and take appropriate health protective measures. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Energy-efficient drinking water disinfection for greenhouse gas mitigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gadgil, A.J.; Greene, D.M.; Rosenfeld, A.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that approximately one billion people worldwide use cookstoves to boil their drinking water. About half of this population is in China. Some populations (e.g. Jakarta) spend 1% of their GDP on boiling drinking water. Impoverished and/or ignorant populations not yet boiling their drinking water will do so when they can both afford it and understand the risks of unsafe drinking water. A recently developed water disinfection technology (UV Waterworks) can produce safe drinking water while earning tradable carbon credits (or credit as a clean development mechanism) when implemented as part of national energy, health, and carbon emissionsmore » trading policy, UV Waterworks uses approximately 6,000 times less energy than boiling over a biomass cookstove. Each unit that replaces boiling may save up to 175 or 300 tons/year of carbon-equivalent GHG emissions, depending on if it replaces sustainably harvested biomass (SHB) or non-SHB. For the approximately 500M Chinese boiling their drinking water over biomass (assumed SHB), this suggests a technical potential (that is, potential under the limiting case of 100% market adoption) of saving 87M tons/year of carbon-equivalent non-CO{sub 2} GHG emissions. The energy savings and corresponding emissions reductions will vary with cookstove fuels and stove efficiency: non-SHB and kerosene represent the most and least GHG-producing cookstove fuels, respectively, among those readily available to the populations of interest. The authors bracket the global technical potential for carbon emission reductions resulting from implementation of UV Waterworks, and estimate the value of tradable carbon credits earned from these reductions.« less

AN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) TESTING OF SEVEN TECHNOLOGIES DETECTING TOXICITY IN DRINKING WATER (R2)

EPA Science Inventory

Rapid toxicity technologies can detect certain toxins and with testing it can be determined their susceptibility to interfering chemical in controlled experimental matrix. Rapid toxicity technologies do not identify or determine the concentrations of specific contaminants, but s...

Costs of Arsenic Removal Technologies for Small Water Systems: U.S. EPA Arsenic Removal Technology Demonstration Program

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Arsenic Rule Implementation Research Program, between July 2003 and July 2011, the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 50 full-scale demonstration projects on treatment systems removing arsenic from drinking water in 26 states throughout the U.S. ...

Protecting drinking water utilities from cyberthreats

DOE PAGES

Clark, Robert M.; Panguluri, Srinivas; Nelson, Trent D.; ...

2017-02-01

Cyber-security challenges have the potential for becoming one of the defining issues of our time. Cyber-attacks have become an ever-increasing threat and the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now ranks cyber-crime as one of its most important law enforcement activities. In addition to the general problems associated with cyber-crime, critical infrastructure (CI) related to energy production, manufacturing, water supply and other systems have come under attack. For example, drinking water utilities are increasingly incorporating computer technology into their routine operations and are therefore increasingly vulnerable to cyber- threats. Systems control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used tomore » manage automated physical processes essential to water treatment and distribution systems have become standard in medium to large drinking water utilities and in many small water systems. However, even with the application of standard information technology cybersecurity best practices these types of systems have proven to be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. In 2015, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to 25 cybersecurity incidents in the Water Sector and to 46 incidents in the Energy Sector. Comparatively, between 2014 and 2015, the reported number of Water Sector incidents actually increased by 78.6% (from 14 to 25). The DHS is in a collaborative partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency to ensure cybersecurity in the Water Sector. As a result of this partnership a number of guidance documents and techniques have been developed to counter cyber-attacks and minimize cyber vulnerability. These approaches are documented along with a summary of common vulnerabilities. However, a new approach which has great promise in protecting drinking water systems against hacking and cyber-attacks, based on the concept of unidirectional gateways, is presented and discussed.« less

Protecting drinking water utilities from cyberthreats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clark, Robert M.; Panguluri, Srinivas; Nelson, Trent D.

Cyber-security challenges have the potential for becoming one of the defining issues of our time. Cyber-attacks have become an ever-increasing threat and the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now ranks cyber-crime as one of its most important law enforcement activities. In addition to the general problems associated with cyber-crime, critical infrastructure (CI) related to energy production, manufacturing, water supply and other systems have come under attack. For example, drinking water utilities are increasingly incorporating computer technology into their routine operations and are therefore increasingly vulnerable to cyber- threats. Systems control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used tomore » manage automated physical processes essential to water treatment and distribution systems have become standard in medium to large drinking water utilities and in many small water systems. However, even with the application of standard information technology cybersecurity best practices these types of systems have proven to be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. In 2015, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to 25 cybersecurity incidents in the Water Sector and to 46 incidents in the Energy Sector. Comparatively, between 2014 and 2015, the reported number of Water Sector incidents actually increased by 78.6% (from 14 to 25). The DHS is in a collaborative partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency to ensure cybersecurity in the Water Sector. As a result of this partnership a number of guidance documents and techniques have been developed to counter cyber-attacks and minimize cyber vulnerability. These approaches are documented along with a summary of common vulnerabilities. However, a new approach which has great promise in protecting drinking water systems against hacking and cyber-attacks, based on the concept of unidirectional gateways, is presented and discussed.« less

Six-Year Review Contaminant Occurrence Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires EPA to review each National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) at least once every six years and revise them, if appropriate. The purpose of the review, called the Six-Year Review, is to identify those NPDWRs for which current health effects assessments, changes in technology, and/or other factors provide a health or technical basis to support a regulatory revision that will maintain or strengthen public health protection. To support the national contaminant occurrence and exposure assessments performed under the Six-Year Review process, EPA analyzes SDWA compliance monitoring data from public water supplies for regulated drinking water contaminants. This analysis allows EPA to characterize the national occurrence of contaminants to help the Agency determine if there may be a meaningful opportunity to improve public health protection.

Assessment of the microbial integrity, sensu G.S. Wilson, of piped and bottled drinking water in the condition as ingested.

PubMed

Mossel, David A A; Struijk, Corry B

2004-05-01

The second half of the 20th century witnessed substantial progress in the assurance and verification of microbiological integrity, i.e., safety and sensory quality, of drinking water. Enteropathogenic agents, such as particular viruses and protozoa, not previously identified as transmitted by industrially provided water supplies, were demonstrated to cause disease outbreaks, when ingested with piped water. The potential harm posed by carry-over of orally toxic metabolites of organisms, producing 'algal' (cyanophytic) blooms, was considered. In addition, earlier observations on the colonization of attenuated drinking water bodies by a variety of oligotrophic Gram-negative bacteria were confirmed and extended. This new evidence called for updating both water purification technologies and analytical methodology, serving to verify that goals had been attained. For the former purpose, the hazard analysis empowering control of critical practices (HACCP) strategy, introduced about 1960 in industrial food processing, was successfully adopted. Elimination, devitalization or barrier technologies for the more recently identified water-borne pathogens were elaborated, taking account of the hazard of production of chlorinated compounds with alleged adverse health effects. Biofilm formation throughout water distribution networks was brought under control by strict limitation of concentrations of compounds, assimilable by oligotrophic bacteria. Upon acknowledging that direct detection tests for pathogens were futile, because of their most sporadic and erratic distribution, Schardinger's marker organism concept was anew embraced, rigorously revised and substantially enlarged. Misleading designations, like searches for 'faecal coliforms' were replaced by boundary testing for Escherichia coli and appropriate Enterococcus spp. In addition, though still to be perfected, detection protocols for relevant bacteriophages or index viruses and, to a certain extent, also for spores of aerobic and anaerobic sporing rods were also elaborated. In all monitoring account was taken of sublethally injured target organisms, surviving purification technologies, though not deprived of their ecological significance. A need remains for a rigorously standardized operating procedure (SOP) for colony counts of psychrotrophic, oligotrophic Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria ('heterotrophic plate count'), which constitute a useful criterion of indicator value. As in the contemporary HACCP approach to food safety, guidelines for assessing success or failure in control of integrity (Water Safety Objectives) were empirically elaborated. These rely on surveys on water samples, originating from drinking water supplies, previously verified as complying with longitudinally integrated HACCP-based purification technologies. Structured Academic dissemination of these innovations, through professional microbiologists to operator and executive levels, is recommended. Web based Distance Learning MSc Programmes, like the one, since the academic year 2003-2004, offered by the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK, may contribute to such endeavours. Though the complete Course is centered around Food Safety, the Modules in-Residence Practicals and Science and Technology of Drinking Water can be studied as an entity while being employed. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.

Water management for development of water quality in the Ruhr River basin.

PubMed

Klopp, R

2000-01-01

On the Ruhr, a small river running through hilly country and with a mean flow of 76 m3/s, 27 water works use the method of artificial groundwater recharge to produce 350 million m3 of drinking water annually. On the basis of a special act, the Ruhr River Association is responsible for water quality and water quantity management in the Ruhr basin. The present 94 municipal sewage treatment plants ensure that the raw water is sufficiently good to be turned into drinking water. In the Ruhr's lower reaches, where dry weather results in a 20% share of the entire water flow being treated wastewater, comparatively high concentration of substances of domestic or industrial origin are likely, including substances which municipal wastewater treatment measures cannot entirely remove. These substances include ammonium, coliform bacteria or pathogens, boron and organic trace substances. Although water treatment measures have greatly contributed to the considerable improvement of the Ruhr's water quality in the last few decades, it is desirable to continue to aim at a high standard of drinking water production technologies since the Ruhr is a surface water body influenced by anthropogenic factors. However, in the case of substances infiltrating into drinking water, legislation is required if a reduction of pollution appears to be necessary.

Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater and Its Treatment Options in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jia-Qian; Ashekuzzaman, S. M.; Jiang, Anlun; Sharifuzzaman, S. M.; Chowdhury, Sayedur Rahman

2012-01-01

Arsenic (As) causes health concerns due to its significant toxicity and worldwide presence in drinking water and groundwater. The major sources of As pollution may be natural process such as dissolution of As-containing minerals and anthropogenic activities such as percolation of water from mines, etc. The maximum contaminant level for total As in potable water has been established as 10 µg/L. Among the countries facing As contamination problems, Bangladesh is the most affected. Up to 77 million people in Bangladesh have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from drinking water. Therefore, it has become an urgent need to provide As-free drinking water in rural households throughout Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the recent data on arsenic contamination status, its sources and reasons of mobilization and the exposure pathways in Bangladesh. Very little literature has focused on the removal of As from groundwaters in developing countries and thus this paper aims to review the As removal technologies and be a useful resource for researchers or policy makers to help identify and investigate useful treatment options. While a number of technological developments in arsenic removal have taken place, we must consider variations in sources and quality characteristics of As polluted water and differences in the socio-economic and literacy conditions of people, and then aim at improving effectiveness in arsenic removal, reducing the cost of the system, making the technology user friendly, overcoming maintenance problems and resolving sludge management issues. PMID:23343979

Arsenic contaminated groundwater and its treatment options in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Jiang, Jia-Qian; Ashekuzzaman, S M; Jiang, Anlun; Sharifuzzaman, S M; Chowdhury, Sayedur Rahman

2012-12-20

Arsenic (As) causes health concerns due to its significant toxicity and worldwide presence in drinking water and groundwater. The major sources of As pollution may be natural process such as dissolution of As-containing minerals and anthropogenic activities such as percolation of water from mines, etc. The maximum contaminant level for total As in potable water has been established as 10 µg/L. Among the countries facing As contamination problems, Bangladesh is the most affected. Up to 77 million people in Bangladesh have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from drinking water. Therefore, it has become an urgent need to provide As-free drinking water in rural households throughout Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the recent data on arsenic contamination status, its sources and reasons of mobilization and the exposure pathways in Bangladesh. Very little literature has focused on the removal of As from groundwaters in developing countries and thus this paper aims to review the As removal technologies and be a useful resource for researchers or policy makers to help identify and investigate useful treatment options. While a number of technological developments in arsenic removal have taken place, we must consider variations in sources and quality characteristics of As polluted water and differences in the socio-economic and literacy conditions of people, and then aim at improving effectiveness in arsenic removal, reducing the cost of the system, making the technology user friendly, overcoming maintenance problems and resolving sludge management issues.

Monochloramine Cometabolism by Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria. Report #4341

EPA Science Inventory

Chloramine use is widespread in United States (US) drinking water distribution systems as a secondary disinfectant. In a recent survey of water utilities, 30% of the respondents used chloramines to maintain distribution system residual (AWWA Water Quality and Technology Division...

EXPERT SYSTEMS SHOW PROMISE FOR CUSTOMER INQUIRIES

EPA Science Inventory

This article describes results of an agreement between the North Penn Water Authority in Lansdale, Pa., and the US Environmental Protection Agency, Drinking Water Research Division, Cincinnati, Ohio, to study use of expert systems technology in a water utility. The threeyear stud...

Air Emissions Damages from Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Under Current and Proposed Regulatory Standards.

PubMed

Gingerich, Daniel B; Mauter, Meagan S

2017-09-19

Water treatment processes present intersectoral and cross-media risk trade-offs that are not presently considered in Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory analyses. This paper develops a method for assessing the air emission implications of common municipal water treatment processes used to comply with recently promulgated and proposed regulatory standards, including concentration limits for, lead and copper, disinfection byproducts, chromium(VI), strontium, and PFOA/PFOS. Life-cycle models of electricity and chemical consumption for individual drinking water unit processes are used to estimate embedded NO x , SO 2 , PM 2.5 , and CO 2 emissions on a cubic meter basis. We estimate air emission damages from currently installed treatment processes at U.S. drinking water facilities to be on the order of $500 million USD annually. Fully complying with six promulgated and proposed rules would increase baseline air emission damages by approximately 50%, with three-quarters of these damages originating from chemical manufacturing. Despite the magnitude of these air emission damages, the net benefit of currently implemented rules remains positive. For some proposed rules, however, the promise of net benefits remains contingent on technology choice.

Evaluation of the possible role of copper ions in drinking water in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Arakeri, Gururaj; Patil, Shekhar Gowda; Ramesh, D N S V; Hunasgi, Santosh; Brennan, Peter A

2014-01-01

We aimed to investigate the concentration of copper ions in drinking water and to assess whether copper has a role in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF). We studied 50 patients with clinically and histologically diagnosed OSMF from the Yadgir district of Karnataka in India. Fifty healthy people matched for age and sex were used as controls. In both groups concentrations of copper ions in serum, saliva, and home drinking water were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy and intelligent nephelometry technology. Serum ceruloplasmin concentrations were also estimated in both groups. The mean (SD) concentration of copper in the home drinking water of patients with OSMF was significantly higher (764.3 (445.9)μmol/L) than in the controls (305.7 (318.5)μmol/L) (p<0.001). Patients with OSMF also had a significantly higher copper concentrations in serum and saliva, and serum ceruloplasmin than controls (p<0.001). For the first time these data have shown a positive association between copper concentrations in home drinking water and OSMF. It raises the possibility that increased copper in drinking water contributes to the development of OSMF, and adds to that ingested when areca nut is chewed. Copyright © 2013 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drinking water quality standards and standard tests: Worldwide. (Latest citations from the Food Science and Technology Abstracts database). Published Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-06-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning standards and standard tests for water quality in drinking water sources, reservoirs, and distribution systems. Standards from domestic and international sources are presented. Glossaries and vocabularies that concern water quality analysis, testing, and evaluation are included. Standard test methods for individual elements, selected chemicals, sensory properties, radioactivity, and other chemical and physical properties are described. Discussions for proposed standards on new pollutant materials are briefly considered. (Contains a minimum of 203 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Disinfection Technologies Used in Small Drinking Water Systems.

PubMed

Jones, Christopher H; Shilling, Elizabeth G; Linden, Karl G; Cook, Sherri M

2018-03-06

Small drinking water systems serve a fifth of the U.S. population and rely heavily on disinfection. While chlorine disinfection is common, there is interest in minimizing chemical addition, especially due to carcinogenic disinfection byproducts and chlorine-resistant pathogens, by using ultraviolet technologies; however, the relative, broader environmental impacts of these technologies are not well established, especially in the context of small (<10 000 people) water systems. The objective of this study was to identify environmental trade-offs between chlorine and ultraviolet disinfection via comparative life cycle assessment. The functional unit was the production of 1 m 3 of drinking water to U.S. Treatment included cartridge filtration followed by either chlorine disinfection or ultraviolet disinfection with chlorine residual addition. Environmental performance was evaluated for various chlorine contact zone materials (plastic, concrete, steel), ultraviolet validation factors (1.2 to 4.4), and electricity sources (renewable; U.S. average, high, and low impact grids). Performance was also evaluated when filtration and chlorine residual were not required. From a life cycle assessment perspective, replacing chlorine with UV was preferred only in a limited number of cases (i.e., high pumping pressure but filtration is not required). In all others, chlorine was environmentally preferred, although some contact zone materials and energy sources had an impact on the comparison. Utilities can use these data to inform their disinfection technology selection and operation to minimize environmental and human health impacts.

Potential Effectiveness of Point-of-Use Filtration to Address Risks to Drinking Water in the United States

PubMed Central

Brown, Kathleen Ward; Gessesse, Bemnet; Butler, Lindsey J; MacIntosh, David L

2017-01-01

Numerous contemporary incidents demonstrate that conventional control strategies for municipal tap water have limited ability to mitigate exposures to chemicals whose sources are within distribution systems, such as lead, and chemicals that are not removed by standard treatment technologies, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)/perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). In these situations, point-of-use (POU) controls may be effective in mitigating exposures and managing health risks of chemicals in drinking water, but their potential utility has not been extensively examined. As an initial effort to fill this information gap, we conducted a critical review and analysis of the existing literature and data on the effectiveness of POU drinking water treatment technologies for reducing chemical contaminants commonly found in tap water in the United States. We found that many types of water treatment devices available to consumers in the United States have undergone laboratory testing and often certification for removal of chemical contaminants in tap water, but in most cases their efficacy in actual use has yet to be well characterized. In addition, the few studies of POU devices while “in use” focus on traditional contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but do not generally consider nontraditional contaminants of concern, such as certain novel human carcinogens, industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and flame retardants. Nevertheless, the limited information available at present suggests that POU devices can be highly effective when used prophylactically and when deployed in response to contamination incidents. Based on these findings, we identify future areas of research for assessing the ability of POU filters to reduce health-related chemical contaminants distributed through public water systems and private wells. PMID:29270018

Potential Effectiveness of Point-of-Use Filtration to Address Risks to Drinking Water in the United States.

PubMed

Brown, Kathleen Ward; Gessesse, Bemnet; Butler, Lindsey J; MacIntosh, David L

2017-01-01

Numerous contemporary incidents demonstrate that conventional control strategies for municipal tap water have limited ability to mitigate exposures to chemicals whose sources are within distribution systems, such as lead, and chemicals that are not removed by standard treatment technologies, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)/perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). In these situations, point-of-use (POU) controls may be effective in mitigating exposures and managing health risks of chemicals in drinking water, but their potential utility has not been extensively examined. As an initial effort to fill this information gap, we conducted a critical review and analysis of the existing literature and data on the effectiveness of POU drinking water treatment technologies for reducing chemical contaminants commonly found in tap water in the United States. We found that many types of water treatment devices available to consumers in the United States have undergone laboratory testing and often certification for removal of chemical contaminants in tap water, but in most cases their efficacy in actual use has yet to be well characterized. In addition, the few studies of POU devices while "in use" focus on traditional contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but do not generally consider nontraditional contaminants of concern, such as certain novel human carcinogens, industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and flame retardants. Nevertheless, the limited information available at present suggests that POU devices can be highly effective when used prophylactically and when deployed in response to contamination incidents. Based on these findings, we identify future areas of research for assessing the ability of POU filters to reduce health-related chemical contaminants distributed through public water systems and private wells.

Selection criteria for wastewater treatment technologies to protect drinking water.

PubMed

von Sperling, M

2000-01-01

The protection of water bodies used as sources for drinking water is intimately linked to the adoption of adequate technologies for the treatment of the wastewater generated in the catchment area. The paper presents a general overview of the main technologies used for the treatment of domestic sewage, with a special emphasis on developing countries, and focussing on the main parameters of interest, such as BOD, coliforms and nutrients. A series of tables, figures and charts that can be used for the preliminary selection of treatment technologies is presented. The systems analysed are: stabilisation ponds, activated sludge, trickling filters, anaerobic systems and land disposal. Within each system, the main process variants are covered. Two summary tables are presented, one for quantitative analysis, including easily usable information based on per capita values (US$/cap, Watts/cap, m2 area/cap, m3 sludge/cap), and another for a qualitative comparison among the technologies, based on a one-to-five-star scoring system. The recent trend in tropical countries in the use of UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) reactors is also discussed.

Pyrosequencing analysis of the bacterial community in drinking water wells.

PubMed

Navarro-Noya, Yendi E; Suárez-Arriaga, Mayra C; Rojas-Valdes, Aketzally; Montoya-Ciriaco, Nina M; Gómez-Acata, Selene; Fernández-Luqueño, Fabián; Dendooven, Luc

2013-07-01

Wells used for drinking water often have a large biomass and a high bacterial diversity. Current technologies are not always able to reduce the bacterial population, and the threat of pathogen proliferation in drinking water sources is omnipresent. The environmental conditions that shape the microbial communities in drinking water sources have to be elucidated, so that pathogen proliferation can be foreseen. In this work, the bacterial community in nine water wells of a groundwater aquifer in Northern Mexico were characterized and correlated to environmental characteristics that might control them. Although a large variation was observed between the water samples, temperature and iron concentration were the characteristics that affected the bacterial community structure and composition in groundwater wells. Small increases in the concentration of iron in water modified the bacterial communities and promoted the growth of the iron-oxidizing bacteria Acidovorax. The abundance of the genera Flavobacterium and Duganella was correlated positively with temperature and the Acidobacteria Gp4 and Gp1, and the genus Acidovorax with iron concentrations in the well water. Large percentages of Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas bacteria were found, and this is of special concern as bacteria belonging to both genera are often biofilm developers, where pathogens survival increases.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER HANDBOOK: MANAGEMENT OF WATER TREATMENT PLANT RESIDUALS

EPA Science Inventory

Potable water treatment processes produce safe drinking water and generate a wide variety of waste products known as residuals, including organic and inorganic compounds in liquid, solid, and gaseous forms. In the current regulatory climate, a complete management program for a w...

WEST AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION AND RECIPROCITY (WATER) FOR BENIN

EPA Science Inventory

The Songhai Center has produced and tested over 300 fully functional point-of-use drinking water filters. The holistic approach of incorporated water treatment, waste reduction, economic development and promoted environmental and health awareness in the community.

The ...

Mapping of drinking water research: a bibliometric analysis of research output during 1992-2011.

PubMed

Fu, Hui-Zhen; Wang, Ming-Huang; Ho, Yuh-Shan

2013-01-15

A bibliometric analysis based on the Science Citation Index Expanded from the Web of Science was carried out to provide insights into research activities and tendencies of the global drinking water from 1992 to 2011. Study emphases included performance of publication covering annual outputs, mainstream journals, Web of Science categories, leading countries, institutions, research tendencies and hotspots. The results indicated that annual output of the related scientific articles increased steadily. Water Research, Environmental Science & Technology, and Journal American Water Works Association were the three most common journals in drinking water research. The USA took a leading position out of 168 countries/territories, followed by Japan and Germany. A summary of the most frequently used keywords obtained from words in paper title analysis, author keyword analysis and KeyWords Plus analysis provided the clues to discover the current research emphases. The mainstream research related to drinking water was water treatment methods and the related contaminants. Disinfection process and consequent disinfection by-products attracted much attention. Ozonation and chlorination in disinfection, and adsorption were common techniques and are getting popular. Commonly researched drinking water contaminants concerned arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, lead, and cadmium, and pharmaceuticals emerged as the frequently studied contaminants in recent years. Disease caused by contaminants strongly promoted the development of related research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 142.62 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for organic and inorganic chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTATION Identification of Best Technology, Treatment Techniques or Other Means... community water systems and non-transient, non-community water systems to install and/or use any treatment...

Evaluation of riverbank infiltration as a process for removing particles and DBP precursors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, J.; Smith, J.; Dooley, L.

1996-11-01

Recent outbreaks of waterborne disease attributed to Cryptosporidium in drinking water have raised serious concerns over the effectiveness of conventional water treatment processes to produce safe drinking water supplies. Past studies have shown Cryptosporidium and Giardia to be prevalent in surface water supplies, particularly in urban-impacted surface waters such as the Ohio River which Louisville Water Company (LWC) treatment facilities utilize as their source water. Such indications of the widespread occurrence of these pathogens in source waters underscore the need for the water supply industry to evaluate alternative technologies to conventional water treatment to reduce the risk of waterborne diseasemore » occurrence. Public health concerns, shared by the water utility industry, drinking water regulators, and public water supply consumers alike, prompted the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to propose regulatory action aimed at balancing the risks of microbial disease occurrence and the health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful compounds formed during drinking water disinfection. In pursuit of this objective, USEPA proposed the Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (ESWTR) to improve public water supply treatment performance for microbial removal and proposed the Disinfectant/Disinfection Byproduct (D/DBP) Rule to reduce DBP exposure levels. As a consequence of these rules, many water utilities will be tasked with the challenge of developing treatment capabilities which improve microbial removal performance while minimizing the production of DBPs.« less

Small Drinking Water System Variances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Small system variances allow a small system to install and maintain technology that can remove a contaminant to the maximum extent that is affordable and protective of public health in lieu of technology that can achieve compliance with the regulation.

ARSENIC TREATMENT BY ADSORPTIVE TECHNOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Presentation will discuss the removal of arsenic from drinking water using the adsorptive media treatment process. Fundamental information is provided on the design and operation of adsorptive media technology including the selection of the adsorptive media. The information cites...

Effects of a behavior change campaign on household drinking water disinfection in the Lake Chad basin using the RANAS approach.

PubMed

Lilje, Jonathan; Mosler, Hans-Joachim

2018-04-01

Worldwide, an estimated 700 million people rely on unimproved drinking water sources; even more consume water that is not safe to drink. Inadequate drinking water quality constitutes a major risk factor for cholera and other diarrheal diseases around the globe, especially for young children in developing countries. Household water treatment and safe storage systems represent an intermediate solution for settings that lack infrastructure supplying safe drinking water. However, the correct and consistent usage of such treatment technologies rely almost exclusively on the consumer's behavior. This study targeted at evaluating effects of a behavior change campaign promoting the uptake of household drinking water chlorination in communities along the Chari and Logone rivers in Chad. The campaign was based on formative research using health psychological theory and targeted several behavioral factors identified as relevant. A total of 220 primary caregivers were interviewed concerning their household water treatment practices and mindset related to water treatment six months after the campaign. The Risks, Attitudes, Norms, Abilities, and Self-regulation (RANAS) model was used to structure the interviews as the RANAS approach had been used for designing the campaign. Results show significantly higher self-reported drinking water chlorination among participants of the intervention. Significant differences from a control group were identified regarding several behavioral factors. Mediation analysis revealed that the intervention positively affected participants' individual risk estimation for diarrheal disease, health knowledge, perceived efforts and benefits of water treatment, social support strategies, knowledge of how to perform chlorination, and perceived ability to do so. The campaign's effect on water treatment was mainly mediated through differences in health knowledge, changes in norms, and self-efficacy convictions. The findings imply that water treatment behavior can be successfully promoted using health psychological theory. However, they also indicate opportunities for improvement in the campaign design and implementation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

About opportunities of the sharing of city infrastructure centralized warmly - and water supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamaleev, M. M.; Gubin, I. V.; Sharapov, V. I.

2017-11-01

It is shown that joint use of engineering infrastructure of centralized heat and water supply of consumers will be the cost-efficient decision for municipal services of the city. The new technology for regulated heating of drinking water in the condenser of steam turbines of combined heat and power plant is offered. Calculation of energy efficiency from application of new technology is executed.

Technology: New Ways for Clean Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Amanda S.

2012-01-01

Water purification promotes healthy living. While the developing world is working to provide its citizens with future access to clean water sources, the demand for that water is a pressing need today. It should be understood that drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene are interwoven and are all necessary for the overall improved standard of…

A review on bisphenol A occurrences, health effects and treatment process via membrane technology for drinking water.

PubMed

Muhamad, Mimi Suliza; Salim, Mohd Razman; Lau, Woei Jye; Yusop, Zulkifli

2016-06-01

Massive utilization of bisphenol A (BPA) in the industrial production of polycarbonate plastics has led to the occurrence of this compound (at μg/L to ng/L level) in the water treatment plant. Nowadays, the presence of BPA in drinking water sources is a major concern among society because BPA is one of the endocrine disruption compounds (EDCs) that can cause hazard to human health even at extremely low concentration level. Parallel to these issues, membrane technology has emerged as the most feasible treatment process to eliminate this recalcitrant contaminant via physical separation mechanism. This paper reviews the occurrences and effects of BPA toward living organisms as well as the application of membrane technology for their removal in water treatment plant. The potential applications of using polymeric membranes for BPA removal are also discussed. Literature revealed that modifying membrane surface using blending approach is the simple yet effective method to improve membrane properties with respect to BPA removal without compromising water permeability. The regeneration process helps in maintaining the performances of membrane at desired level. The application of large-scale membrane process in treatment plant shows the feasibility of the technology for removing BPA and possible future prospect in water treatment process.

Risks and responses to universal drinking water security.

PubMed

Hope, Robert; Rouse, Michael

2013-11-13

Risks to universal drinking water security are accelerating due to rapid demographic, climate and economic change. Policy responses are slow, uneven and largely inadequate to address the nature and scale of the global challenges. The challenges relate both to maintaining water security in increasingly fragile supply systems and to accelerating reliable access to the hundreds of millions who remain water-insecure. A conceptual framework illustrates the relationship between institutional, operational and financial risks and drinking water security outcomes. We apply the framework to nine case studies from rural and urban contexts in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Case studies are purposively selected based on established and emerging examples of political, technological or institutional reforms that address water security risks. We find broad evidence that improved information flows reduce institutional costs and promote stronger and more transparent operational performance to increase financial sustainability. However, political barriers need to be overcome in all cases through internal or external interventions that require often decadal time frames and catalytic investments. No single model exists, though there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that risks to drinking water security can be reduced even in the most difficult and challenging contexts.

THE ACCUMULATION AND RELEASE OF CONTAMINANTS FROM DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SOLIDS

EPA Science Inventory

The recently promulgated Arsenic Rule will require that many new drinking water systems treat their water to remove arsenic. Iron based treatment technologies including iron removal and iron coagulation are effective at reducing arsenic in water because iron surfaces have a stron...

REMOVAL OF CHLORINATED ALKENE SOLVENTS FROM DRINKING WATER BY VARIOUS REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANES

EPA Science Inventory

Historically, membranes have been used to desalinate water. As new membrane materials are developed, traditional water treatment schemes may incorporate membrane technologies, such as reverse osmosis, to address a variety of new concerns such as low molecular weight volatile org...

Overview of EPA Research On Condition Assessment of Drinking Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

This slide presentation provides an overview of condition assessment research that is part of EPA Office of Research and Development’s Aging Water Infrastructure Research Plan (AWIRP). The primary focus is on a water main condition assessment technology forum and associated whit...

Acceptability of the rainwater harvesting system to the slum dwellers of Dhaka City.

PubMed

Islam, M M; Chou, F N-F; Kabir, M R

2010-01-01

Urban area like Dhaka City, in Bangladesh, has scarcity of safe drinking water which is one of the prominent basic needs for human kind. This study explored the acceptability of harvested rainwater in a densely populated city like Dhaka, using a simple and low cost technology. A total of 200 random people from four slums of water-scarce Dhaka City were surveyed to determine the dwellers' perception on rainwater and its acceptability as a source of drinking water. The questionnaire was aimed at finding the socio-economic condition and the information on family housing, sanitation, health, existing water supply condition, knowledge about rainwater, willingness to accept rainwater as a drinking source etc. A Yield before Spillage (YBS) model was developed to know the actual rainwater availability and storage conditions which were used to justify the effective tank size. Cost-benefit analysis and feasibility analysis were performed using the survey results and the research findings. The survey result and overall study found that the low cost rainwater harvesting technique was acceptable to the slum dwellers as only the potential alternative source of safe drinking water.

THE APPLICATION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO VIRUS DETECTION IN WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Human enteric viruses belonging to many different viral genera cause waterborne disease when susceptible individuals are exposed to contaminated drinking and recreational waters. Diseases resulting from infection with these viruses include gastroenteritis, hepatitis, encephali...

Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction for the Measurement of Total I (Iodine, Iodide, and Triiodide) in Spacecraft Drinking Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipert, Robert J.; Porter, Marc D.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Gazda, Daniel B.; Rutz, Jeff A.; Schultz, John R.; Carrizales, Stephanie M.; McCoy, J. Torin

2009-01-01

An experimental drinking water monitoring kit for the measurement of iodine and silver(I) was recently delivered to the International Space Station (ISS). The kit is based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE) technology, which measures the change in diffuse reflectance of indicator disks following exposure to a water sample. To satisfy additional spacecraft water monitoring requirements, CSPE has now been extended to encompass the measurement of total I (iodine, iodide, and triiodide) through the introduction of an oxidizing agent, which converts iodide and triiodide to iodine, for measurement using the same indicator disks currently being tested on ISS. These disks detect iodine, but are insensitive to iodide and triiodide. We report here the operational considerations, design, and ground-based performance of the CSPE method for total I. The results demonstrate that CSPE technology is poised to meet NASA's total I monitoring requirements.

Research on the degradation mechanism of dimethyl phthalate in drinking water by strong ionization discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, ZHAO; Chengwu, YI; Rongjie, YI; Huijuan, WANG; Lanlan, YIN; I, N. MUHAMMAD; Zhongfei, MA

2018-03-01

The degradation mechanism of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in the drinking water was investigated using strong ionization discharge technology in this study. Under the optimized condition, the degradation efficiency of DMP in drinking water was up to 93% in 60 min. A series of analytical techniques including high-performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, total organic carbon analyzer and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were used in the study. It was found that a high concentration of ozone (O3) produced by dielectric barrier discharge reactor was up to 74.4 mg l-1 within 60 min. Tert-butanol, isopropyl alcohol, carbonate ions ({{{{CO}}}3}2-) and bicarbonate ions ({{{{HCO}}}3}-) was added to the sample solution to indirectly prove the presence and effect of hydroxyl radicals (·OH). These analytical findings indicate that mono-methyl phthalate, phthalic acid (PA) and methyl ester PA were detected as the major intermediates in the process of DMP degradation. Finally, DMP and all products were mineralized into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) ultimately. Based on these analysis results, the degradation pathway of DMP by strong ionization discharge technology were proposed.

Geogenic fluoride and arsenic contamination in the groundwater environments in Tanzania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Prosun; Lesafi, Fina; Filemon, Regina; Ligate, Fanuel; Ijumulana, Julian; Mtalo, Felix

2016-04-01

Adequate, safe and accessible drinking water is an important aspect to human health worldwide. Understanding this importance, the Tanzanian Government has initiated a number of programmes to ensure access to high quality water by the citizens. However, elevated concentration of geochemical pollutants in many drinking water sources pose a serious challenge to water suppliers and users in the country. Fluoride is a widespread drinking water contaminant of geogenic origin occuring in both surface- and groundwater around volcanic mountains and many parts within the East African Rift Valley in regions including Arusha (10 mg/L), Shinyanga (2.9 mg/L) and Singida (1.8 mg/L). An estimated 90% of the population living along the Rift Valley region are affected by dental or skeletal fluorosis and bone crippling because of long term exposure to very high levels of fluoride in drinking water sources. In the mining areas within Lake Victoria basin, groundwater wit elevated concentrations of arsenic has been discovered over an extended area. Most of these geochemical and naturally occurring drinking water pollutants are patchy with uncertainities in their spatial and temporal distribution patterns. The adverse health effects of skin disorder and cancer due to an elevated As concentration are reported from the North Mara gold and Geita mining areas in the Lake Victoria basin. About 30% of the water sources used for drinking in Tanzania exceed the WHO guideline values of fluoride (1.5 mg/L) and arsenic (10 μg/L). There is a scarcity of baseline information on the water quality data especially on geogenic contaminants in the groundwater and surface water as potable sources. This information is crucial in exploring sources of safe drinking water aquifers, associated human health risks of fluoride and arsenic pollution. using Laboratory based studies during the past two decades have shown promising results on the removal of fluoride and arsenic using locally available adsorbent materials such as pumice, bauxite, ferralsols and bone char. Developing innovative technologies, pilot-scale implementation and scaling-up water purification based on the locally available adsorbents is thus necessary to safeguard the public health for communities exposed to high levels of fluoride and arsenic in drinking water.

ARSENIC TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Presentation will discuss the state-of-the-art technology for removal of arsenic from drinking water. Presentation also includes results of several EPA field studies on removal of arsenic from existing arsenic removal plants and key results from several EPA sponsored research st...

TECHNOLOGIES FOR RADON AND RADIONUCLIDE REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

This paper provides a summary of the technologies that are currently being used to remove radionuclides from drinking water. The radionuclides that are featured are the radionuclides currently regulated by EPA; radium, radon and uranium. Tehnologies effective for removal of eac...

Innovative reuse of drinking water sludge in geo-environmental applications.

PubMed

Caniani, D; Masi, S; Mancini, I M; Trulli, E

2013-06-01

In recent years, the replacement of natural raw materials with new alternative materials, which acquire an economic, energetic and environmental value, has gained increasing importance. The considerable consumption of water has favoured the increase in the number of drinking water treatment plants and, consequently, the production of drinking water sludge. This paper proposes a protocol of analyses capable of evaluating chemical characteristics of drinking water sludge from surface water treatment plants. Thereby we are able to assess their possible beneficial use for geo-environmental applications, such as the construction of barrier layers for landfill and for the formation of "bio-soils", when mixed with the stabilized organic fraction of municipal solid waste. This paper reports the results of a study aimed at evaluating the quality and environmental aspects of reconstructed soils ("bio-soil"), which are used in much greater quantities than the usual standard, for "massive" applications in environmental actions such as the final cover of landfills. The granulometric, chemical and physical analyses of the sludge and the leaching test on the stabilized organic fraction showed the suitability of the proposed materials for reuse. The study proved that the reuse of drinking water sludge for the construction of barrier layers and the formation of "bio-soils" reduces the consumption of natural materials, the demand for landfill volumes, and offers numerous technological advantages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solar Energy and Other Appropriate Technologies for Small Potable Water Systems in Puerto Rico

EPA Science Inventory

This Region 2 research demonstration project presentation studied the efficacy of sustainable solar-powered water delivery and monitoring systems to reduce the economic burden of operating and maintaining Non-PRASA drinking water systems and to reduce the impact of climate change...

Small Water System Alternatives: Media and Membrane Filtration Alternatives for Small Communities and Households

EPA Science Inventory

This webinar presentation will highlight research case studies on innovative drinking water treatment alternatives for small community water systems. Emphasis will be placed on media and membrane filtration technologies capable of meeting the requirements of the Long-Term 2 Enha...

Beyond User Acceptance: A Legitimacy Framework for Potable Water Reuse in California.

PubMed

Harris-Lovett, Sasha R; Binz, Christian; Sedlak, David L; Kiparsky, Michael; Truffer, Bernhard

2015-07-07

Water resource managers often tout the potential of potable water reuse to provide a reliable, local source of drinking water in water-scarce regions. Despite data documenting the ability of advanced treatment technologies to treat municipal wastewater effluent to meet existing drinking water quality standards, many utilities face skepticism from the public about potable water reuse. Prior research on this topic has mainly focused on marketing strategies for garnering public acceptance of the process. This study takes a broader perspective on the adoption of potable water reuse based on concepts of societal legitimacy, which is the generalized perception or assumption that a technology is desirable or appropriate within its social context. To assess why some potable reuse projects were successfully implemented while others faced fierce public opposition, we performed a series of 20 expert interviews and reviewed in-depth case studies from potable reuse projects in California. Results show that proponents of a legitimated potable water reuse project in Orange County, California engaged in a portfolio of strategies that addressed three main dimensions of legitimacy. In contrast, other proposed projects that faced extensive public opposition relied on a smaller set of legitimation strategies that focused near-exclusively on the development of robust water treatment technology. Widespread legitimation of potable water reuse projects, including direct potable water reuse, may require the establishment of a portfolio of standards, procedures, and possibly new institutions.

Overview of technologies for removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) from water.

PubMed

Levchuk, Irina; Bhatnagar, Amit; Sillanpää, Mika

2014-04-01

Wide use of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) as fuel oxygenates leads to worldwide environment contamination with this compound basically due to fuel leaks from storage or pipelines. Presence of MTBE in drinking water is of high environmental and social concern. Existing methods for MTBE removal from water have a number of limitations which can be possibly overcome in the future with use of emerging technologies. This work aims to provide an updated overview of recent developments in technologies for MTBE removal from water. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Bacterial Community Shift Drives Antibiotic Resistance Promotion during Drinking Water Chlorination.

PubMed

Jia, Shuyu; Shi, Peng; Hu, Qing; Li, Bing; Zhang, Tong; Zhang, Xu-Xiang

2015-10-20

For comprehensive insights into the effects of chlorination, a widely used disinfection technology, on bacterial community and antibiotic resistome in drinking water, this study applied high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic approaches to investigate the changing patterns of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and bacterial community in a drinking water treatment and distribution system. At genus level, chlorination could effectively remove Methylophilus, Methylotenera, Limnobacter, and Polynucleobacter, while increase the relative abundance of Pseudomonas, Acidovorax, Sphingomonas, Pleomonas, and Undibacterium in the drinking water. A total of 151 ARGs within 15 types were detectable in the drinking water, and chlorination evidently increased their total relative abundance while reduced their diversity in the opportunistic bacteria (p < 0.05). Residual chlorine was identified as the key contributing factor driving the bacterial community shift and resistome alteration. As the dominant persistent ARGs in the treatment and distribution system, multidrug resistance genes (mainly encoding resistance-nodulation-cell division transportation system) and bacitracin resistance gene bacA were mainly carried by chlorine-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas and Acidovorax, which mainly contributed to the ARGs abundance increase. The strong correlation between bacterial community shift and antibiotic resistome alteration observed in this study may shed new light on the mechanism behind the chlorination effects on antibiotic resistance.

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assessment in lake drinking water produced in a treatment plant.

PubMed

Buschini, Annamaria; Carboni, Pamela; Frigerio, Silvia; Furlini, Mariangela; Marabini, Laura; Monarca, Silvano; Poli, Paola; Radice, Sonia; Rossi, Carlo

2004-09-01

Chemical analyses and short-term mutagenicity bioassays have revealed the presence of genotoxic disinfection by-products in drinking water. In this study, the influence of the different steps of surface water treatment on drinking water mutagen content was evaluated. Four different samples were collected at a full-scale treatment plant: raw lake water (A), water after pre-disinfection with chlorine dioxide and coagulation (B), water after pre-disinfection, coagulation and granular activated carbon filtration (C) and tap water after post-disinfection with chlorine dioxide just before its distribution (D). Water samples, concentrated by solid phase adsorption on silica C18 columns, were tested in human leukocytes and HepG2 hepatoma cells using the comet assay and in HepG2 cells in the micronuclei test. A significant increase in DNA migration was observed in both cell types after 1 h treatment with filtered and tap water, and, to a lesser extent, chlorine dioxide pre-disinfected water. Similar findings were observed for the induction of "ghost" cells. Overloading of the carbon filter, with a consequent peak release, might explain the high genotoxicity found in water samples C and D. Cell toxicity and DNA damage increases were also detected in metabolically competent HepG2 cells treated with a lower concentration of tap water extract for a longer exposure time (24 h). None of the water extracts significantly increased micronuclei frequencies. Our monitoring approach appears to be able to detect contamination related to the different treatment stages before drinking water consumption and the results suggest the importance of improving the technologies for drinking water treatment to prevent human exposure to potential genotoxic compounds.

Nitrate removal from drinking water with a focus on biological methods: a review.

PubMed

Rezvani, Fariba; Sarrafzadeh, Mohammad-Hossein; Ebrahimi, Sirous; Oh, Hee-Mock

2017-05-31

This article summarizes several developed and industrial technologies for nitrate removal from drinking water, including physicochemical and biological techniques, with a focus on autotrophic nitrate removal. Approaches are primarily classified into separation-based and elimination-based methods according to the fate of the nitrate in water treatment. Biological denitrification as a cost-effective and promising method of biological nitrate elimination is reviewed in terms of its removal process, applicability, efficiency, and associated disadvantages. The various pathways during biological nitrate removal, including assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction, are also explained. A comparative study was carried out to provide a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification. Sulfur-based and hydrogen-based denitrifications, which are the most common autotrophic processes of nitrate removal, are reviewed with the aim of presenting the salient features of hydrogenotrophic denitrification along with some drawbacks of the technology and research areas in which it could be used but currently is not. The application of algae-based water treatment is also introduced as a nature-inspired approach that may broaden future horizons of nitrate removal technology.

Metallic iron for safe drinking water provision: Considering a lost knowledge.

PubMed

Mwakabona, Hezron T; Ndé-Tchoupé, Arnaud Igor; Njau, Karoli N; Noubactep, Chicgoua; Wydra, Kerstin D

2017-06-15

Around year 1890, the technology of using metallic iron (Fe 0 ) for safe drinking water provision was already established in Europe. The science and technology to manufacture suitable Fe 0 materials were known and further developed in this period. Scientists had then developed skills to (i) explore the suitability of individual Fe 0 materials (e.g. iron filling, sponge iron) for selected applications, and (ii) establish treatment processes for households and water treatment plants. The recent (1990) discovery of Fe 0 as reactive agent for environmental remediation and water treatment has not yet considered this ancient knowledge. In the present work, some key aspects of the ancient knowledge are presented together with some contemporised interpretations, in an attempt to demonstrate the scientific truth contained therein. It appears that the ancient knowledge is an independent validation of the scientific concept that in water treatment (Fe 0 /H 2 O system) Fe 0 materials are generators of contaminant collectors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) TESTING OF A TRACEDETECT'S SAFEGUARD METALS ANALYZER FOR ARSENIC

EPA Science Inventory

The TraceDetect's SafeGuard is designed to automatically measure total arsenic concentrations in drinking water samples (including raw water and treated water) over a range from 1 ppb to over 100 ppb. Once the operator has introduced the sample vial and selected "measure&qu...

Using phytoremediation technologies to upgrade waste water treatment in Europe.

PubMed

Schröder, Peter; Navarro-Aviñó, Juan; Azaizeh, Hassan; Goldhirsh, Avi Golan; DiGregorio, Simona; Komives, Tamas; Langergraber, Günter; Lenz, Anton; Maestri, Elena; Memon, Abdul R; Ranalli, Alfonso; Sebastiani, Luca; Smrcek, Stanislav; Vanek, Tomas; Vuilleumier, Stephane; Wissing, Frieder

2007-11-01

One of the burning problems of our industrial society is the high consumption of water and the high demand for clean drinking water. Numerous approaches have been taken to reduce water consumption, but in the long run it seems only possible to recycle waste water into high quality water. It seems timely to discuss alternative water remediation technologies that are fit for industrial as well as less developed countries to ensure a high quality of drinking water throughout Europe. The present paper discusses a range of phytoremediation technologies to be applied in a modular approach to integrate and improve the performance of existing wastewater treatment, especially towards the emerging micro pollutants, i.e. organic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This topic is of global relevance for the EU. Existing technologies for waste water treatment do not sufficiently address increasing pollution situation, especially with the growing use of organic pollutants in the private household and health sector. Although some crude chemical approaches exist, such as advanced oxidation steps, most waste water treatment plants will not be able to adopt them. The same is true for membrane technologies. Incredible progress has been made during recent years, thus providing us with membranes of longevity and stability and, at the same time, high filtration capacity. However, these systems are expensive and delicate in operation, so that the majority of communities will not be able to afford them. Combinations of different phytoremediation technologies seem to be most promising to solve this burning problem. To quantify the occurrence and the distribution of micropollutants, to evaluate their effects, and to prevent them from passing through wastewater collection and treatment systems into rivers, lakes and ground water bodies represents an urgent task for applied environmental sciences in the coming years. Public acceptance of green technologies is generally higher than that of industrial processes. The EU should stimulate research to upgrade existing waste water treatment by implementing phytoremediation modules and demonstrating their reliability to the public.

ARSENIC TREATMENT OPTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The PPT presentation will provide information on the drinking water treatment options for small utilities to remove arsenic from ground water. The discussion will include information on the EPA BAT listed processes and on some of the newer technologies, such as the iron based ad...

Water management requirements for animal and plant maintenance on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. C.; Rasmussen, D.; Curran, G.

1987-01-01

Long-duration Space Station experiments that use animals and plants as test specimens will require increased automation and advanced technologies for water management in order to free scientist-astronauts from routine but time-consuming housekeeping tasks. The three areas that have been identified as requiring water management and that are discusseed are: (1) drinking water and humidity condensate of the animals, (2) nutrient solution and transpired water of the plants, and (3) habitat cleaning methods. Automation potential, technology assessment, crew time savings, and resupply penalties are also discussed.

Removal of the cyanotoxin anatoxin-a by drinking water treatment processes: a review.

PubMed

Vlad, Silvia; Anderson, William B; Peldszus, Sigrid; Huck, Peter M

2014-12-01

Anatoxin-a (ANTX-a) is a potent alkaloid neurotoxin, produced by several species of cyanobacteria and detected throughout the world. The presence of cyanotoxins, including ANTX-a, in drinking water sources is a potential risk to public health. This article presents a thorough examination of the cumulative body of research on the use of drinking water treatment technologies for extracellular ANTX-a removal, focusing on providing an analysis of the specific operating parameters required for effective treatment and on compiling a series of best-practice recommendations for owners and operators of systems impacted by this cyanotoxin. Of the oxidants used in drinking water treatment, chlorine-based processes (chlorine, chloramines and chlorine dioxide) have been shown to be ineffective for ANTX-a treatment, while ozone, advanced oxidation processes and permanganate can be successful. High-pressure membrane filtration (nanofiltration and reverse osmosis) is likely effective, while adsorption and biofiltration may be effective but further investigation into the implementation of these processes is necessary. Given the lack of full-scale verification, a multiple-barrier approach is recommended, employing a combination of chemical and non-chemical processes.

Using Work Breakdown Structure Models to Develop Unit Treatment Costs

EPA Science Inventory

This article presents a new cost modeling approach called work breakdown structure (WBS), designed to develop unit costs for drinking water technologies. WBS involves breaking the technology into its discrete components for the purposes of estimating unit costs. The article dem...

Removal of Perchlorate and Chlorate in Aquatic SystemsUsing Integrated Technologies

EPA Science Inventory

Because of its extremely low concentrations and strong resistance to most treatment technologies, perchlorate has become one of the biggest challenges currently being faced by the drinking water industry. Few studies have looked at electrochemical reduction of aqueous perchlorate...

PACKAGE PLANTS FOR SMALL SYSTEMS: A FIELD STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

A joint field study was conducted by AWWA and the Drinking Water Research Division of USEPA to evaluate existing small community systems that use package plant technology. Forty-eight package plant systems representing a geographic and technological cross section were evaluated t...

Drinking Water Consequences Tools. A Literature Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pasqualini, Donatella

2016-05-12

In support of the goals of Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the DHS Office of Science and Technology is seeking to develop and/or modify consequence assessment tools to enable drinking water systems owner/operators to estimate the societal and economic consequences of drinking water disruption due to the threats and hazards. This work will expand the breadth of consequence estimation methods and tools using the best-available data describing water distribution infrastructure, owner/assetlevel economic losses, regional-scale economic activity, and health. In addition, this project will deploy the consequence methodology and capabilitymore » within a Web-based platform. This report is intended to support DHS effort providing a review literature review of existing assessment tools of water and wastewater systems consequences to disruptions. The review includes tools that assess water systems resilience, vulnerability, and risk. This will help to understand gaps and limitations of these tools in order to plan for the development of the next-generation consequences tool for water and waste water systems disruption.« less

INACTIVATION OF MS2 VIRUS IN DRINKING WATER: TROJAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC., UVSWIFT ULTRAVIOLET SYSTEM MODEL 4L12, AT CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA.

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the Trojan Technologies UVSwift 4L12 system was conducted over a 45 day period from 9/1/01 to 10/15/01. The feedwater to the ultraviolet (UV) unit during the testing was the effluent from the Otay Water Treatment Plant (OWTP), a conventional plant with fl...

SMALL DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS HANDBOOK A GUIDE TO "PACKAGED" FILTRATION AND DISINFECTION TECHNOLOGIES WITH REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL TOOLS

EPA Science Inventory

The intent of this handbook is to highlight information appropriate to small systems with an emphasis on filtration and disinfection technologies and how they can be "packaged" with remote monitoring and control technologies to provide a healthy and affordable solution for small ...

Integration of population census and water point mapping data-A case study of Cambodia, Liberia and Tanzania.

PubMed

Yu, Weiyu; Wardrop, Nicola A; Bain, Robert; Wright, Jim A

2017-07-01

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 has expanded the Millennium Development Goals' focus from improved drinking-water to safely managed water services. This expanded focus to include issues such as water quality requires richer monitoring data and potentially integration of datasets from different sources. Relevant data sets include water point mapping (WPM), the survey of boreholes, wells and other water points, census and household survey data. This study examined inconsistencies between population census and WPM datasets for Cambodia, Liberia and Tanzania, and identified potential barriers to integrating the two datasets to meet monitoring needs. Literatures on numbers of people served per water point were used to convert WPM data to population served by water source type per area and compared with census reports. For Cambodia and Tanzania, discrepancies with census data suggested incomplete WPM coverage. In Liberia, where the data sets were consistent, WPM-derived data on functionality, quantity and quality of drinking water were further combined with census area statistics to generate an enhanced drinking-water access measure for protected wells and springs. The process revealed barriers to integrating census and WPM data, including exclusion of water points not used for drinking by households, matching of census and WPM source types; temporal mismatches between data sources; data quality issues such as missing or implausible data values, and underlying assumptions about population served by different water point technologies. However, integration of these two data sets could be used to identify and rectify gaps in WPM coverage. If WPM databases become more complete and the above barriers are addressed, it could also be used to develop more realistic measures of household drinking-water access for monitoring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Educational Concerns of Implementing Biosand Water Filters in Rural Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spowart, Matthew

2012-01-01

The world is facing a shortage of clean drinking water. Current predictions, due to growing population, urbanization, and climate change estimate access to clean water to be further challenged in the coming years. Research has indicated that point of use (POU) technologies are likely to be the most efficient at delivering clean water (water…

Attitudinal and Relational Factors Predicting the Use of Solar Water Disinfection: A Field Study in Nicaragua

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altherr, Anne-Marie; Mosler, Hans-Joachim; Tobias, Robert; Butera, Fabrizio

2008-01-01

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is an uncomplicated and cheap technology providing individuals with safe drinking water by exposing water-filled plastic bottles to sunlight for 6 hours to kill waterborne pathogens. Two communities were visited, and 81 families (40 SODIS users and 41 nonusers) were interviewed. The relationship between several…

DEVELOPMENT OF A RESEARCH STRATEGY FOR INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY-BASED-TOXICOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF COMPLEX MIXTURES OF DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical disinfection of water is a major public health triumph of the 20th century. Dramatic decreases in both morbidity and mortality of water-borne diseases are a direct result of water disinfection. With these important public health benefits comes low-level, chronic ex...

Biological Oxidation of Ammonia and Arsenic in Pilot-scale Rapid Sand Filters

EPA Science Inventory

The removal of ammonia from source water entering a drinking water distribution system is desirable, as excess levels have been correlated with nitrification, chlorine demand, corrosion, and biological re-growth. Several technologies exist to remove ammonia with recent interest...

Comparative study on the removal technologies of 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) in drinking water.

PubMed

Liang, Cun-Zhen; Wang, Dong-Sheng; Ge, Xiao-Peng; Yang, Min; Sun, Wei

2006-01-01

Removal of 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) in drinking water by ozone, powdered activated carbon (PAC), potassium permanganate and potassium ferrate was investigated. The adsorption kinetics of MIB by both wood-based and coat-based PACs show that main removal of MIB occurs within contact time of 1 h. Compared with the wood-based PAC, the coat-based PAC evidently improved the removal efficiency of MIB. The removal percentage of trace MIB at any given time for a particular carbon dosage was irrelative to the initial concentration of MIB. A series of experiments were performed to determine the effect of pH on the ozonation of MIB. The results show that pH has a significant effect on the ozonation of MIB. It is conclusive that potassium permanganate and potassium ferrate are ineffective in removing the MIB in drinking water.

Application of an electrochemical chlorine-generation system combined with solar energy as appropriate technology for water disinfection.

PubMed

Choi, Jusol; Park, Chan Gyu; Yoon, Jeyong

2013-02-01

Affordable water disinfection is key to reducing the waterborne disease experienced worldwide where resources are limited. A simple electrochemical system that can generate chlorine as a disinfectant from the electrolysis of sodium chloride is an appropriate technology to produce clean water, particularly if driven by solar energy. This study examined the affordability of an electrochemical chlorine generation system using solar energy and developed the necessary design information for its implementation. A two-electrode batch reactor, equipped with commercial IrO(2)-coated electrodes and a solar panel (approximate area 0.2 m(2)), was used to produce chlorine from a 35g/L solution of NaCl. Within 1 h, sufficient chlorine (0.8 g) was generated to produce clean drinking water for about 80 people for 1 day (target microorganism: Escherichia coli; daily drinking water requirement: 2 L per person; chlorine demand: 4 mg/L; solar power: 650 W/m(2) in Seoul, Korea. Small household batteries were demonstrated to be a suitable alternative power source when there is insufficient solar irradiation. Using a 1 m(2) solar panel, the reactor would take only 15 min in Seoul, Korea, or 7 min in the tropics (solar power 1300 W/m(2)), to generate 1 g of chlorine. The solar-powered electrochemical chlorine generation system for which design information is provided here is a simple and affordable way to produce chlorine with which to convert contaminated water into clean drinking water.

Final Barrier: Small System Compliance

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will discuss the use of point-of-use (POU) technology for small drinking water systems. Information will be provided on the USEPA regulations that allow the use of POU for compliance and the technologies that are listed as SSCT for radium and arsenic. Listing o...

Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled to a Paper-Based Technique for Trace Copper Detection in Drinking Water.

PubMed

Quinn, Casey W; Cate, David M; Miller-Lionberg, Daniel D; Reilly, Thomas; Volckens, John; Henry, Charles S

2018-03-20

Metal contamination of natural and drinking water systems poses hazards to public and environmental health. Quantifying metal concentrations in water typically requires sample collection in the field followed by expensive laboratory analysis that can take days to weeks to obtain results. The objective of this work was to develop a low-cost, field-deployable method to quantify trace levels of copper in drinking water by coupling solid-phase extraction/preconcentration with a microfluidic paper-based analytical device. This method has the advantages of being hand-powered (instrument-free) and using a simple "read by eye" quantification motif (based on color distance). Tap water samples collected across Fort Collins, CO, were tested with this method and validated against ICP-MS. We demonstrate the ability to quantify the copper content of tap water within 30% of a reference technique at levels ranging from 20 to 500 000 ppb. The application of this technology, which should be sufficient as a rapid screening tool, can lead to faster, more cost-effective detection of soluble metals in water systems.

Removal of estrogens through water disinfection processes and formation of by-products.

PubMed

Pereira, Renata Oliveira; Postigo, Cristina; de Alda, Miren López; Daniel, Luiz Antonio; Barceló, Damià

2011-02-01

Estrogens constitute a recognized group of environmental emerging contaminants which have been proven to induce estrogenic effects in aquatic organisms exposed to them. Low removal efficiency in wastewater treatment plants results in the presence of this type of contaminants in surface waters and also even in finished drinking water. This manuscript reviews the environmental occurrence of natural (estrone, estradiol and estriol) and synthetic (ethynyl estradiol) estrogens in different water matrices (waste, surface, ground and drinking water), and their removal mainly via chemical oxidative processes. Oxidative treatments have been observed to be very efficient in eliminating estrogens present in water; however, disinfection by-products (DBPs) are generated during the process. Characterization of these DBPs is essential to assess the risk that drinking water may potentially pose to human health since these DBPs may also have endocrine disrupting properties. This manuscript reviews the DBPs generated during oxidative processes identified so far in the literature and the estrogenicity generated by the characterized DBPs and/or by the applied disinfection technology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel two-stage evaluation system based on a Group-G1 approach to identify appropriate emergency treatment technology schemes in sudden water source pollution accidents.

PubMed

Qu, Jianhua; Meng, Xianlin; Hu, Qi; You, Hong

2016-02-01

Sudden water source pollution resulting from hazardous materials has gradually become a major threat to the safety of the urban water supply. Over the past years, various treatment techniques have been proposed for the removal of the pollutants to minimize the threat of such pollutions. Given the diversity of techniques available, the current challenge is how to scientifically select the most desirable alternative for different threat degrees. Therefore, a novel two-stage evaluation system was developed based on a circulation-correction improved Group-G1 method to determine the optimal emergency treatment technology scheme, considering the areas of contaminant elimination in both drinking water sources and water treatment plants. In stage 1, the threat degree caused by the pollution was predicted using a threat evaluation index system and was subdivided into four levels. Then, a technique evaluation index system containing four sets of criteria weights was constructed in stage 2 to obtain the optimum treatment schemes corresponding to the different threat levels. The applicability of the established evaluation system was tested by a practical cadmium-contaminated accident that occurred in 2012. The results show this system capable of facilitating scientific analysis in the evaluation and selection of emergency treatment technologies for drinking water source security.

Spatio-Temporal Trends and Identification of Correlated Variables with Water Quality for Drinking-Water Reservoirs

PubMed Central

Gu, Qing; Wang, Ke; Li, Jiadan; Ma, Ligang; Deng, Jinsong; Zheng, Kefeng; Zhang, Xiaobin; Sheng, Li

2015-01-01

It is widely accepted that characterizing the spatio-temporal trends of water quality parameters and identifying correlated variables with water quality are indispensable for the management and protection of water resources. In this study, cluster analysis was used to classify 56 typical drinking water reservoirs in Zhejiang Province into three groups representing different water quality levels, using data of four water quality parameters for the period 2006–2010. Then, the spatio-temporal trends in water quality were analyzed, assisted by geographic information systems (GIS) technology and statistical analysis. The results indicated that the water quality showed a trend of degradation from southwest to northeast, and the overall water quality level was exacerbated during the study period. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between water quality parameters and ten independent variables grouped into four categories (land use, socio-economic factors, geographical features, and reservoir attributes). According to the correlation coefficients, land use and socio-economic indicators were identified as the most significant factors related to reservoir water quality. The results offer insights into the spatio-temporal variations of water quality parameters and factors impacting the water quality of drinking water reservoirs in Zhejiang Province, and they could assist managers in making effective strategies to better protect water resources. PMID:26492263

Spatio-Temporal Trends and Identification of Correlated Variables with Water Quality for Drinking-Water Reservoirs.

PubMed

Gu, Qing; Wang, Ke; Li, Jiadan; Ma, Ligang; Deng, Jinsong; Zheng, Kefeng; Zhang, Xiaobin; Sheng, Li

2015-10-20

It is widely accepted that characterizing the spatio-temporal trends of water quality parameters and identifying correlated variables with water quality are indispensable for the management and protection of water resources. In this study, cluster analysis was used to classify 56 typical drinking water reservoirs in Zhejiang Province into three groups representing different water quality levels, using data of four water quality parameters for the period 2006-2010. Then, the spatio-temporal trends in water quality were analyzed, assisted by geographic information systems (GIS) technology and statistical analysis. The results indicated that the water quality showed a trend of degradation from southwest to northeast, and the overall water quality level was exacerbated during the study period. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between water quality parameters and ten independent variables grouped into four categories (land use, socio-economic factors, geographical features, and reservoir attributes). According to the correlation coefficients, land use and socio-economic indicators were identified as the most significant factors related to reservoir water quality. The results offer insights into the spatio-temporal variations of water quality parameters and factors impacting the water quality of drinking water reservoirs in Zhejiang Province, and they could assist managers in making effective strategies to better protect water resources.

COST ESTIMATION MODELS FOR DRINKING WATER TREATMENT UNIT PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

Cost models for unit processes typically utilized in a conventional water treatment plant and in package treatment plant technology are compiled in this paper. The cost curves are represented as a function of specified design parameters and are categorized into four major catego...

TECHNOLOGY SELECTION AND SYSTEM DESIGN, U.S. EPA ARSENIC DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM ROUND 1

EPA Science Inventory

Battelle, under a contract with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is conducting full-scale demonstration studies on the removal of arsenic from drinking water supplies at 12 water treatment facilities throughout the United States. These demonstration studi...

Effectiveness of solar disinfection (SODIS) in rural coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, Md Atikul; Azad, Abul Kalam; Akber, Md Ali; Rahman, Masudur; Sadhu, Indrojit

2015-12-01

Scarcity of drinking water in the coastal area of Bangladesh compels the inhabitants to be highly dependent on alternative water supply options like rainwater harvesting system (RWHS), pond sand filter (PSF), and rain-feed ponds. Susceptibility of these alternative water supply options to microbial contamination demands a low-cost water treatment technology. This study evaluates the effectiveness of solar disinfection (SODIS) to treat drinking water from available sources in the southwest coastal area of Bangladesh. A total of 50 households from Dacope upazila in Khulna district were selected to investigate the performance of SODIS. Data were collected in two rounds to examine fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of drinking water at the household water storage containers and SODIS bottles, and thereby determined the effectiveness of SODIS in reducing fecal contamination. All water samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity and salinity. SODIS significantly reduced FC and E. coli contamination under household conditions. The median health risk reduction by SODIS was more than 96 and 90% for pond and RWHS, respectively. Besides, turbidity of the treated water was found to be less than 5 NTU, except pond water. Only 34% of the participating households routinely adopted SODIS during the study.

Packaged water: optimizing local processes for sustainable water delivery in developing nations

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

With so much global attention and commitment towards making the Water and Sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) a reality, available figures seem to speak on the contrary as they reveal a large disparity between the expected and what currently obtains especially in developing countries. As studies have shown that the standard industrialized world model for delivery of safe drinking water technology may not be affordable in much of the developing world, packaged water is suggested as a low cost, readily available alternative water provision that could help bridge the gap. Despite the established roles that this drinking water source plays in developing nations, its importance is however significantly underestimated, and the source considered unimproved going by 'international standards'. Rather than simply disqualifying water from this source, focus should be on identifying means of improvement. The need for intervening global communities and developmental organizations to learn from and build on the local processes that already operate in the developing world is also emphasized. Identifying packaged water case studies of some developing nations, the implication of a tenacious focus on imported policies, standards and regulatory approaches on drinking water access for residents of the developing world is also discussed. PMID:21801391

Optimizing magnetic nanoparticles for drinking water technology: The case of Cr(VI).

PubMed

Simeonidis, K; Kaprara, E; Samaras, T; Angelakeris, M; Pliatsikas, N; Vourlias, G; Mitrakas, M; Andritsos, N

2015-12-01

The potential of magnetite nanoparticles to be applied in drinking water treatment for the removal of hexavalent chromium is discussed. In this study, a method for their preparation which combines the use of low-cost iron sources (FeSO4 and Fe2(SO4)3) and a continuous flow mode, was developed. The produced magnetite nanoparticles with a size of around 20 nm, appeared relatively stable to passivation providing a removal capacity of 1.8 μg Cr(VI)/mg for a residual concentration of 50 μg/L when tested in natural water at pH7. Such efficiency is explained by the reducing ability of magnetite which turns Cr(VI) to an insoluble Cr(OH)3 form. The successful operation of a small-scale system consisting of a contact reactor and a magnetic separator demonstrates a way for the practical introduction and recovery of magnetite nanoparticles in water treatment technology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrolyzed water as novel technology to improve hygiene of drinking water for dairy ewes.

PubMed

Bodas, R; Bartolomé, D J; Tabernero De Paz, M J; Posado, R; García, J J; Rodríguez, L; Olmedo, S; Martín-Diana, A B

2013-12-01

Tap water alone (TW) or treated with 3% of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) were used in this experiment to study its effect on water quality, blood biochemical parameters and milk yield and composition. Each type of water was supplied to one group of 10 milking ewes for 25 days. Weekly water samples from troughs were taken. On days 1, 12 and 25, milk yield was measured, and milk and blood samples were taken. SAEW reduced (P < 0.05) bacterial counts (aerobic mesophilic, total coliform and streptococcus). Blood gases, biochemical parameters and milk yield and its composition were not affected (P > 0.05). SAEW can be used at 3% rate as a powerful and economic agent for sanitizing drinking water for dairy ewes with no effects on animal performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operation and Maintenance Resources for Small Drinking Water Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These documents and tools provide information on identifying treatment technologies that remove multiple contaminants, schedules for maintenance tasks and checklists, and logs for easily recording findings.

Appropriate technology for rural India - solar decontamination of water for emergency settings and small communities.

PubMed

Kang, Gagandeep; Roy, Sheela; Balraj, Vinohar

2006-09-01

A commercial solar water heating system was evaluated for its effectiveness in decontaminating drinking water with a view to use in emergency situations. A total of 18 seeding experiments carried out over 6 months with 10(5) to 10(7)Escherichia coli/ml showed that the solar heater produced 125 l of bacteriologically safe water in 4 h when the ambient temperature was above 30 degrees C, with a holding time of at least 2 h. The solar water heating system is inexpensive, easy to transport and set up and could provide safer drinking water for 50 people a day. It would be effective in the decrease and prevention of waterborne disease in emergency situations, and is appropriate for use in small communities.

Comparison of Point-of-Use Technologies for Emergency Disinfection of Sewage-Contaminated Drinking Water ▿

PubMed Central

McLennan, S. Devin; Peterson, Lauren A.; Rose, Joan B.

2009-01-01

Four point-of-use disinfection technologies for treating sewage-contaminated well water were compared. Three systems, based on flocculant-disinfectant packets and N-halamine chlorine and bromine contact disinfectants, provided a range of 4.0 to >6.6 log10 reductions (LR) of naturally occurring fecal indicator and heterotrophic bacteria and a range of 0.9 to >1.9 LR of coliphage. PMID:19767479

Overview of innovative remediation of emerging contaminants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, A. A.; Adeleye, A. S.; Huang, Y.; Garner, K.

2015-12-01

The application of nanotechnology in drinking water treatment and pollution cleanup is promising, as demonstrated by a number of field-based (pilot and full scale) and bench scale studies. A number of reviews exist for these nanotechnology-based applications; but to better illustrate its importance and guide its development, a direct comparison between traditional treatment technologies and emerging approaches using nanotechnology is needed. In this review, the performances of traditional technologies and nanotechnology for water treatment and environmental remediation were compared with the goal of providing an up-to-date reference on the state of treatment techniques for researchers, industry, and policy makers. Pollutants were categorized into broad classes, and the most cost-effective techniques (traditional and nanotechnology-based) in each category reported in the literature were compared. Where information was available, cost and environmental implications of both technologies were also compared. Traditional treatment technologies were found to currently offer the most cost-effective choices for removal of several common pollutants from drinking water and polluted sites. Nano-based techniques may however become important in complicated remediation conditions and meeting increasingly stringent water quality standards, especially in removal of emerging pollutants and low levels of contaminants. We also discuss challenges facing environmental application of nanotechnology were also discussed and potential solutions.

[Modern problems of maintenance of hygienic safety of drinking water consumption at the regional level].

PubMed

Tulakin, A V; Tsyplakova, G V; Ampleeva, G P; Kozyreva, O N; Pivneva, O S; Trukhina, G M

Problems of hygienic reliability of the drinking water use in regions of the Russian Federation are observed in the article. The optimization of the water use was shown must be based on the bearing in mind of regional peculiarities of the shaping of water quality of groundwater and surface sources of the water use, taking into account of the effectiveness of regional water protection programs, programs for water treatment, coordination of the activity of economic entities and oversight bodies in the management of water quality on the basis of socio-hygienic monitoring. Regional problems requiring hygienic justification and accounting, include such issues as complex hydrological, hydrogeological, climatic and geographical conditions, pronouncement of the severity of anthropogenic pollution of sources of water supply, natural conditions of the shaping of water quality, efficiency of the water treatment. There is need in the improvement of the problems of the water quality monitoring, including with the use of computer technology, which allows to realize regional hygienic monitoring and spatial-temporal analysis of the water quality, to model the water quality management, to predict conditions of the water use by population in regions taking into account peculiarities of the current health situation. In the article there is shown the practicability of the so-called complex concept of multiple barriers suggesting the combined use of chemical oxidation and physical methods of the preparation of drinking water. It is required the further development of legislation for the protection of water bodies from pollution with the bigging up the status of sanitary protection zones; timely revision of the regulatory framework, establishing sanitary-epidemiological requirements to potable water and drinking water supply. The problem of the provision of the population with safe drinking water requires complex solution within the framework of the implementation of target programs adopted at the Federal and regional levels.

HANDHELD MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE FOR CYANOBACTERIA TOXIN DETECTION AND MONITORING - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

HJ Science & Technology, Inc., proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated “lab-on-a-chip” technology capable of rapid and real time detection and identification of a variety of toxins in drinking water, particularly microcystins and other toxins produced by cy...

A methodology for the sustainability assessment of arsenic mitigation technology for drinking water.

PubMed

Etmannski, T R; Darton, R C

2014-08-01

In this paper we show how the process analysis method (PAM) can be applied to assess the sustainability of options to mitigate arsenic in drinking water in rural India. Stakeholder perspectives, gathered from a fieldwork survey of 933 households in West Bengal in 2012 played a significant role in this assessment. This research found that the 'most important' issues as specified by the technology users are cost, trust, distance from their home to the clean water source (an indicator of convenience), and understanding the health effects of arsenic. We show that utilisation of a technology is related to levels of trust and confidence in a community, making use of a composite trust-confidence indicator. Measures to improve trust between community and organisers of mitigation projects, and to raise confidence in technology and also in fair costing, would help to promote successful deployment of appropriate technology. Attitudes to cost revealed in the surveys are related to the low value placed on arsenic-free water, as also found by other investigators, consistent with a lack of public awareness about the arsenic problem. It is suggested that increased awareness might change attitudes to arsenic-rich waste and its disposal protocols. This waste is often currently discarded in an uncontrolled manner in the local environment, giving rise to the possibility of point-source recontamination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sediment Enzyme Activities and Microbial Community Diversity in an Oligotrophic Drinking Water Reservoir, Eastern China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Haihan; Huang, Tinglin; Liu, Tingting

2013-01-01

Drinking water reservoir plays a vital role in the security of urban water supply, yet little is known about microbial community diversity harbored in the sediment of this oligotrophic freshwater environmental ecosystem. In the present study, integrating community level physiological profiles (CLPPs), nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone sequence technologies, we examined the sediment urease and protease activities, bacterial community functional diversity, genetic diversity of bacterial and fungal communities in sediments from six sampling sites of Zhou cun drinking water reservoir, eastern China. The results showed that sediment urease activity was markedly distinct along the sites, ranged from 2.48 to 11.81 mg NH3-N/(g·24h). The highest average well color development (AWCD) was found in site C, indicating the highest metabolic activity of heterotrophic bacterial community. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed tremendous differences in the functional (metabolic) diversity patterns of the sediment bacterial communities from different sites. Meanwhile, DGGE fingerprints also indicated spatial changes of genetic diversity of sediment bacterial and fungal communities. The sequence BLAST analysis of all the sediment samples found that Comamonas sp. was the dominant bacterial species harbored in site A. Alternaria alternate, Allomyces macrogynus and Rhizophydium sp. were most commonly detected fungal species in sediments of the Zhou cun drinking water reservoir. The results from this work provide new insights about the heterogeneity of sediment microbial community metabolic activity and genetic diversity in the oligotrophic drinking water reservoir. PMID:24205265

40 CFR 142.40 - Requirements for a variance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... responsibility from any requirement respecting a maximum contaminant level of an applicable national primary... maximum contaminant levels of such drinking water regulations despite application of the best technology...

Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with drinking water and water not intended for drinking--United States, 2003-2004.

PubMed

Liang, Jennifer L; Dziuban, Eric J; Craun, Gunther F; Hill, Vincent; Moore, Matthew R; Gelting, Richard J; Calderon, Rebecca L; Beach, Michael J; Roy, Sharon L

2006-12-22

Since 1971, CDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have maintained a collaborative Waterborne Disease and Outbreaks Surveillance System for collecting and reporting data related to occurrences and causes of waterborne disease and outbreaks (WBDOs). This surveillance system is the primary source of data concerning the scope and effects of WBDOs in the United States. Data presented summarize 36 WBDOs that occurred during January 2003-December 2004 and nine previously unreported WBDOs that occurred during 1982-2002. The surveillance system includes data on WBDOs associated with drinking water, water not intended for drinking (excluding recreational water), and water of unknown intent. Public health departments in the states, territories, localities, and Freely Associated States (i.e., the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, formerly parts of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) are primarily responsible for detecting and investigating WBDOs and voluntarily reporting them to CDC by using a standard form. During 2003-2004, a total of 36 WBDOs were reported by 19 states; 30 were associated with drinking water, three were associated with water not intended for drinking, and three were associated with water of unknown intent. The 30 drinking water-associated WBDOs caused illness among an estimated 2,760 persons and were linked to four deaths. Etiologic agents were identified in 25 (83.3%) of these WBDOs: 17 (68.0%) involved pathogens (i.e., 13 bacterial, one parasitic, one viral, one mixed bacterial/parasitic, and one mixed bacterial/parasitic/viral), and eight (32.0%) involved chemical/toxin poisonings. Gastroenteritis represented 67.7% of the illness related to drinking water-associated WBDOs; acute respiratory illness represented 25.8%, and dermatitis represented 6.5%. The classification of deficiencies contributing to WBDOs has been revised to reflect the categories of concerns associated with contamination at or in the source water, treatment facility, or distribution system (SWTD) that are under the jurisdiction of water utilities, versus those at points not under the jurisdiction of a water utility or at the point of water use (NWU/POU), which includes commercially bottled water. A total of 33 deficiencies were cited in the 30 WBDOs associated with drinking water: 17 (51.5%) NWU/POU, 14 (42.4%) SWTD, and two (6.1%) unknown. The most frequently cited NWU/POU deficiencies involved Legionella spp. in the drinking water system (n = eight [47.1%]). The most frequently cited SWTD deficiencies were associated with distribution system contamination (n = six [42.9%]). Contaminated ground water was a contributing factor in seven times as many WBDOs (n = seven) as contaminated surface water (n = one). Approximately half (51.5%) of the drinking water deficiencies occurred outside the jurisdiction of a water utility in situations not currently regulated by EPA. The majority of the WBDOs in which deficiencies were not regulated by EPA were associated with Legionella spp. or chemicals/toxins. Problems in the distribution system were the most commonly identified deficiencies under the jurisdiction of a water utility, underscoring the importance of preventing contamination after water treatment. The substantial proportion of WBDOs involving contaminated ground water provides support for the Ground Water Rule (finalized in October 2006), which specifies when corrective action is required for public ground water systems. CDC and EPA use surveillance data to identify the types of water systems, deficiencies, and etiologic agents associated with WBDOs and to evaluate the adequacy of current technologies and practices for providing safe drinking water. Surveillance data also are used to establish research priorities, which can lead to improved water-quality regulation development. The growing proportion of drinking water deficiencies that are not addressed by current EPA rules emphasizes the need to address risk factors for water contamination in the distribution system and at points not under the jurisdiction of water utilities.

Contingency plan to provide safe drinking water for the city of Milan, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Talbot, J.J.; Brew, P.

1994-12-31

The city of Milan, in western Tennessee, supplies drinking water to approximately 4,000 customers. Environmental investigations conducted by the US Army have detected low concentrations of RDX, a compound used in the manufacture of explosives, in two of the three city water supply wells. The RDX is traceable to the Milan Army Ammunition Plant nearby. The levels of RDX are being monitored and current trends indicate that levels in the wells will exceed the EPA Health Advisory Limits in the near term. In order to ensure an uninterrupted supply of acceptable quality drinking water for the city residents, the Armymore » prepared and is implementing a Contingency Plan. The plan evaluated remedial alternatives to be implemented once a trigger level of RDX is reached, including institutional controls, installation of an RDX treatment system for the water supply system, and construction of a new well field. Institutional controls include: shutting down existing wells; continued monitoring; and promulgation of ground water ordinances. Treatment technologies evaluated include: ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide; or removal using granular activated carbon.« less

Acoustic control of mosquito larvae in artificial drinking water containers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acoustic larvicide devices are part of an emerging technology that provides a non-chemical and non-biological means to reduce larval populations of key medically important mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti in containers or catchments of water. These devices could benefit integrated vector manag...

USE OF FERRATE IN SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The proposed project will result in a document providing guidance for the beneficial use of ferrate in small systems. We will highlight the ways it can be used to improve water quality, lower cost and provide a more sustainable treatment alternative to other technologies. W...

LCA and Cost Analysis of Membrane Bioreactor Systems: Influence of Scale, Population Density, Climate, and Methane Recovery

EPA Science Inventory

Future changes in drinking and waste water infrastructure need to incorporate a holistic view of the water service sustainability tradeoffs and potential benefits when considering shifts towards new treatment technology, decentralized systems, energy recovery and reuse of treated...

INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY-BASED TOXICOLOGY STUDIES ON DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS (DBPS)

EPA Science Inventory

DBPs are formed by reactions of chemical disinfectants with natural organic matter in the source water. Although more than 300 DBPs are known, many remain unidentified; for chlorination, known DBPs account for ~50% of the mass of total organic halide. Toxicological evaluation o...

Removal of bromates from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barlokova, D.; Ilavsky, J.; Marko, I.; Tkacova, J.

2017-10-01

Bromates are substances that are usually not present in drinking water. They are obtained by ozone disinfection in the presence of bromine ions in water, as an impurity of sodium hypochlorite, respectively. Because of their specific properties, bromates are classified as vary dangers substances, that can cause serious illnesses in humans. There are several technological processes that have been used to the removal of bromates from water at present. In this article, the removal of the bromates from water by the adsorption using various sorbent materials (activated carbon, zeolite, Klinopur-Mn, Bayoxide E33, GEH, Read-As and Activated alumina) are presented. The effectiveness of selected sorbent materials in the removal of bromates from drinking water moves in the interval from 10 to 40%. Based on laboratory results, the zeolite can be used to reduce the concentration of bromates in water.

Household Pasteurization of Drinking-water: The Chulli Water-treatment System

PubMed Central

Islam, Mohammad Fakhrul

2006-01-01

A simple flow-through system has been developed which makes use of wasted heat generated in traditional clay ovens (chullis) to pasteurize surface water. A hollow aluminium coil is built into the clay chulli, and water is passed through the coil during normal cooking events. By adjusting the flow rate, effluent temperature can be maintained at approximately 70 °C. Laboratory testing, along with over 400 field tests on chulli systems deployed in six pilot villages, showed that the treatment completely inactivated thermotolerant coliforms. The chulli system produces up to 90 litres per day of treated water at the household level, without any additional time or fuel requirement. The technology has been developed to provide a safe alternative source of drinking-water in arsenic-contaminated areas, but can also have wide application wherever people consume microbiologically-contaminated water. PMID:17366777

Household pasteurization of drinking-water: the chulli water-treatment system.

PubMed

Islam, Mohammad Fakhrul; Johnston, Richard B

2006-09-01

A simple flow-through system has been developed which makes use of wasted heat generated in traditional clay ovens (chullis) to pasteurize surface water. A hollow aluminium coil is built into the clay chulli, and water is passed through the coil during normal cooking events. By adjusting the flow rate, effluent temperature can be maintained at approximately 70 degrees C. Laboratory testing, along with over 400 field tests on chulli systems deployed in six pilot villages, showed that the treatment completely inactivated thermotolerant coliforms. The chulli system produces up to 90 litres per day of treated water at the household level, without any additional time or fuel requirement. The technology has been developed to provide a safe alternative source of drinking-water in arsenic-contaminated areas, but can also have wide application wherever people consume microbiologically-contaminated water.

Health and aesthetic impacts of copper corrosion on drinking water.

PubMed

Dietrich, A M; Glindemann, D; Pizarro, F; Gidi, V; Olivares, M; Araya, M; Camper, A; Duncan, S; Dwyer, S; Whelton, A J; Younos, T; Subramanian, S; Burlingame, G A; Khiari, D; Edwards, M

2004-01-01

Traditional research has focused on the visible effects of corrosion--failures, leaks, and financial debits--and often overlooked the more hidden health and aesthetic aspects. Clearly, corrosion of copper pipe can lead to levels of copper in the drinking water that exceed health guidelines and cause bitter or metallic tasting water. Because water will continue to be conveyed to consumers worldwide through metal pipes, the water industry has to consider both the effects of water quality on corrosion and the effects of corrosion on water quality. Integrating four key factors--chemical/biological causes, economics, health and aesthetics--is critical for managing the distribution system to produce safe water that consumers will use with confidence. As technological developments improve copper pipes to minimize scaling and corrosion, it is essential to consider the health and aesthetic effects on an equal plane with chemical/biological causes and economics to produce water that is acceptable for public consumption.

DEVELOPMENT OF A RESEARCH STRATEGY FOR INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY-BASED TOXICOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF COMPLEX MIXTURES OF DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical disinfection of water is a major public health triumph of the 20th century. Dramatic decreases in both morbidity and mortality of waterborne diseases are a direct result of water disinfection. With these important public health benefits comes low-level, chronic exposure ...

Test/QA Plan for Verification of Coliform Detection Technologies for Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

The coliform detection technologies to be tested use chromatogenic and fluorogenic growth media to detect coliforms and E. coli based on the enzymatic activity of these organisms. The systems consist of single-use sample containers that contain pre-measured reagents and can be u...

EPA/NSF ETV Equipment Verification Testing Plan for the Removal of Volatile Organic Chemical Contaminants by Adsorptive Media Processes

EPA Science Inventory

This document is the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Technology Specific Test Plan (TSTP) for evaluation of drinking water treatment equipment utilizing adsorptive media for synthetic organic chemical (SOC) removal. This TSTP is to be used within the structure provid...

[Harmonization of microbiologicaland parasitological indices of epidemic safety of drinking water with the international requirements].

PubMed

Ivanova, L V; Artemova, T Z; Gipp, E K; Zagaĭnova, A V; Maksimkina, T N; Krasniak, A V; Korneĭchuk, S S; Shustova, S S

2013-01-01

For the purpose of harmonization of microbiological and parasitological indices and benchmarks there was performed the comparative analysis of the requirements for the quality of drinking water in respect of the epidemic safety on the basic regulations of Russia, the Directive Council of the European Union EU, WHO, the United States, Canada, Australia, Finland, Sweden, Brazil, France, Japan and China. As a result, there were revealed the priority bacteriological, virological and parasitological parameters: E. coli--indicator of recent fecal contamination, coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria colony count (Heterotrophic plate count), which is in the water legislation of the Russian Federation is characterized as total bacterial count (TBC), being an integral index of the quality of wastewater treatment technologies and hygienic condition of the water supply systems, coliphages as an indicator of viral contamination. In the Guidelines for drinking-water quality control, WHO and a set of countries there is recommended a more wide range of indicators: enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enteroviruses, parasitological indices. With aim of harmonization of the requirements for the quality of drinking water in the Russian Federation with international approaches to the revision of the Sanitary Regulations and Norms (SanPin) 2.1.4.1074 into the project there are introduced priority indicator parameters of bacterial, viral and parasitic contamination of water, evidence-based guidelines.

Forward osmosis for application in wastewater treatment: a review.

PubMed

Lutchmiah, Kerusha; Verliefde, A R D; Roest, K; Rietveld, L C; Cornelissen, E R

2014-07-01

Research in the field of Forward Osmosis (FO) membrane technology has grown significantly over the last 10 years, but its application in the scope of wastewater treatment has been slower. Drinking water is becoming an increasingly marginal resource. Substituting drinking water for alternate water sources, specifically for use in industrial processes, may alleviate the global water stress. FO has the potential to sustainably treat wastewater sources and produce high quality water. FO relies on the osmotic pressure difference across the membrane to extract clean water from the feed, however the FO step is still mostly perceived as a "pre-treatment" process. To prompt FO-wastewater feasibility, the focus lies with new membrane developments, draw solutions to enhance wastewater treatment and energy recovery, and operating conditions. Optimisation of these parameters are essential to mitigate fouling, decrease concentration polarisation and increase FO performance; issues all closely related to one another. This review attempts to define the steps still required for FO to reach full-scale potential in wastewater treatment and water reclamation by discussing current novelties, bottlenecks and future perspectives of FO technology in the wastewater sector. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TECHNOLOGIES FOR UPGRADING EXISTING OR DESIGNING NEW DRINKING WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES

EPA Science Inventory

The publication compiles material presented at a series of workshops and helps to focus attention on the many treatment and disinfection decisions that will be facing both ground water and surface source systems over the next several years, as implementation of the 1986 Safe Drin...

EPA Support of Technology Development for Rehabilitation of Wastewater Collection and Water Distribution Systems

EPA Science Inventory

The nation’s 54,000 drinking water systems and 16,000 wastewater systems are nearing the end of their useful life and need to be replaced/repaired to comply with federal regulations. Rehabilitation includes a broad spectrum of approaches, from repair to replacement, that attempt...

Regenerating an Arsenic Removal Iron-Based Adsorptive Media System, Part 1: The Regeneration Process

EPA Science Inventory

Adsorptive media technology is a frequently used method of removing arsenic by small water systems because of its simplicity and efficiency. Current practice is to replace the media when it no longer reduces arsenic below the USEPA drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) ...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media USEPA Demonstration Project at Rimrock AZ Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Arizona Water Company (AWC) facility in Rimrock, AZ. The objectives of the project were to evaluate: 1) the effectiveness of ...

Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Analysis of Water and Wastewater Treatment Options for Sustainability: Influence of Scale on Membrane Bioreactor Systems

EPA Science Inventory

changes in drinking and wastewater infrastructure need to incorporate a holistic view of the water service sustainability tradeoffs and potential benefits when considering shifts towards new treatment technology, decentralized systems, energy recovery and reuse of treated wastewa...

40 CFR 142.64 - Variances and exemptions from the requirements of part 141, subpart H-Filtration and Disinfection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... requirements of part 141, subpart H-Filtration and Disinfection. 142.64 Section 142.64 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTATION Identification of Best Technology, Treatment Techniques or Other Means...

Removal of Volatile Organic Contaminants via Low Profile Aeration Technology (WaterRF Report 4439)

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a change in the way contaminants are regulated as a part of their new drinking water strategy (DWS). The strategy will regulate contaminants as groups rather than individually. The first group consists of 16 VOCs, and ...

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER BY ADSORPTIVE MEDIA - USEPA DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT DESERT SANDS MDWCA, NM SIX MONTH EVALUATION

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during, and the results obtained from, the first six months of the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA) facility in Anthony, NM. The object...

Water and the environment: a natural resource or a limited luxury?

PubMed

Leder, Karin; Sinclair, Martha I; McNeil, John J

The risk of contamination of drinking water supplies with microbial pathogens is minimised by modern approaches to water management, but continues to be the major public health concern. Chemical contaminants usually pose little health risk except at very high levels, but debate continues over the potential adverse health effects of low-level, chronic exposure to compounds such as disinfection byproducts. Recreational water contact can be associated with adverse health outcomes either from microbial infections or exposure to cyanobacterial toxins. Environmental issues such as increasing salinity and global warming are likely to affect the sustainability of our current drinking water supplies and increase the threat of waterborne disease outbreaks. New technologies, use of alternative water sources, such as rainwater tanks, water reuse and restrictions will undoubtedly be part of the solution to our diminishing water resources, but have the potential to introduce new health threats.

Water Purification Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Clearwater Pool Technologies employs NASA-developed silver/copper ionization to purify turtle and dolphin tanks, cooling towers, spas, water recycling systems, etc. The pool purifier consists of a microcomputer to monitor water conditions, a pair of metallic electrodes, and a rheostat controller. Ions are generated by passing a low voltage current through the electrodes; the silver ions kill the bacteria, and the copper ions kill algae. This technology has found broad application because it offers an alternative to chemical disinfectants. It was originally developed to purify water on Apollo spacecraft. Caribbean Clear has been using NASA's silver ionization technology for water purification for more than a decade. Two new products incorporate advancements of the basic technology. One is the AquaKing, a system designed for areas with no source of acceptable drinking water. Another is the Caribbean Clear Controller, designed for commercial pool and water park applications where sanitizing is combined with feedback control of pH and an oxidizer, chlorine or bromine. The technology was originally developed to purify water on Apollo spacecraft.

An update of the federal drinking water regs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pontius, F.W.

1995-02-01

Previous reviews have summarized the regulations promulgated for volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), fluoride, surface water treatment, total coliform bacteria, lead and copper, and Phase 2 and Phase 5 synthetic organic contaminants (SOCs) and inorganic contaminants (IOCs). Current developments related to these rules and anticipated new rules are reviewed in this article. Current numerical drinking water standards and best available technology (BAT) are summarized. The status of all current, proposed, and anticipated regulations is also summarized. Dates for anticipated agency actions are based on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) published regulatory agenda and on information released by the agency throughmore » December 1994; these dates can change as the agency reconsiders its regulatory policies.« less

Reagent removal of manganese from ground water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brayalovsky, G.; Migalaty, E.; Naschetnikova, O.

2017-06-01

The study is aimed at the technology development of treating drinking water from ground waters with high manganese content and oxidizability. Current technologies, physical/chemical mechanisms and factors affecting in ground treatment efficiency are reviewed. Research has been conducted on manganese compound removal from ground waters with high manganese content (5 ppm) and oxidizability. The studies were carried out on granular sorbent industrial ODM-2F filters (0.7-1.5 mm fraction). It was determined that conventional reagent oxidization technologies followed by filtration do not allow us to obtain the manganese content below 0.1 ppm when treating ground waters with high oxidizability. The innovative oxidation-based manganese removal technology with continuous introduction of reaction catalytic agent is suggested. This technology is effective in alkalization up to pH 8.8-9. Potassium permanganate was used as a catalytic agent, sodium hypochlorite was an oxidizer and cauistic soda served an alkalifying agent.

Human health tradeoffs in wellhead drinking water treatment: Comparing exposure reduction to embedded life cycle risks.

PubMed

Gifford, Mac; Chester, Mikhail; Hristovski, Kiril; Westerhoff, Paul

2018-01-01

Treatment of drinking water decreases human health risks by reducing pollutants, but the required materials, chemicals, and energy emit pollutants and increase health risks. We explored human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic disease tradeoffs of water treatment by comparing pollutant dose-response curves against life cycle burden using USEtox methodology. An illustrative wellhead sorbent groundwater treatment system removing hexavalent chromium or pentavalent arsenic serving 3200 people was studied. Reducing pollutant concentrations in drinking water from 20 μg L -1 to 10 μg L -1 avoided 37 potential cancer cases and 64 potential non-cancer disease cases. Human carcinogenicity embedded in treatment was 0.2-5.3 cases, and non-carcinogenic toxicity was 0.2-14.3 cases, depending on technology and degree of treatment. Embedded toxicity impacts from treating Cr(VI) using strong-base anion exchange were <10% of those from using weak base anion exchange. Acidification and neutralization contributed >90% of the toxicity impacts for treatment options requiring pH control. In scenarios where benefits exceeded burdens, tradeoffs still existed. Benefits are experienced by a local population but burdens are born externally where the materials and energy are produced, thus exporting the health risks. Even when burdens clearly exceeded benefits, cost considerations may still drive selecting a detrimental treatment level or technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field investigation of arsenic in ceramic pot filter-treated drinking water.

PubMed

Archer, A R; Elmore, A C; Bell, E; Rozycki, C

2011-01-01

Ceramic pot filters (CPFs) is one of several household water treatment technologies that is used to treat drinking water in developing areas. The filters have the advantage of being able to be manufactured using primarily locally available materials and local labor. However, naturally-occurring arsenic present in the clay used to make the filters has the potential to contaminate the water in excess of the World Health Organization drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L. A manufacturing facility in Guatemala routinely rinses filters to reduce arsenic concentrations prior to distribution to consumers. A systemic study was performed to evaluate the change in arsenic concentrations with increasing volumes of rinse water. Arsenic field kit results were compared to standard method laboratory results, and dissolved versus suspended arsenic concentrations in CPF-treated water were evaluated. The results of the study suggest that rinsing is an effective means of mitigating arsenic leached from the filters, and that even in the absence of a formal rinsing program, routine consumer use may result in the rapid decline of arsenic concentrations. More importantly, the results indicate that filter manufacturers should give strong consideration to implementing an arsenic testing program.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER: WATTS PREMIER M-SERIES M-15,000 REVERSE OSMOSIS TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the Watts Premier M-Series M-15,000 RO Treatment System was conducted over a 31-day period from April 26, 2004, through May 26, 2004. This test was conducted at the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) Well 7802 in Thermal, California. The source water...

UV-H2O2 based AOP and its integration with biological activated carbon treatment for DBP reduction in drinking water.

PubMed

Toor, Ramn; Mohseni, Madjid

2007-02-01

The presence of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in drinking water is of great concern due to their adverse effects on human health. Emerging regulation limiting the concentration of DBPs in drinking water has increased demands for technologies and processes which reduce the formation of DBPs in drinking water. In this study, UV-H2O2 based advance oxidation process (AOP) was used to treat raw surface water. Experiments were conducted using low pressure mercury vapor UV lamps in collimated beam and flow-through annular photoreactors. The effect of UV fluence (0-3500 mJ cm(-2)) and hydrogen peroxide concentration (0-23 mg l(-1)) in reducing the concentration of THMs and HAAs was examined. The UV-H2O2 AOP was then coupled with a downstream biological activated carbon (BAC) treatment to assess the synergetic benefits of combining the two treatments. It was observed that UV-H2O2 AOP was only effective at reducing DBPs at UV fluences of more than 1000 mJ cm(-2) and initial H2O2 concentrations of about or greater than 23 mg l(-1). However, the combined AOP-BAC treatment showed significant reductions of 43%, 52%, and 59% relative to untreated raw water for DBPs, TOC, and UV254, respectively.

Important considerations in the development of public health advisories for arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds in drinking water.

PubMed

Tchounwou, P B; Wilson, B; Ishaque, A

1999-01-01

Drinking water contamination by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Acute and chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been reported in many countries of the world; especially in Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Thailand, and Taiwan, where a large proportion of drinking water (ground water) is contaminated with a high concentration of arsenic. Research has also pointed out significantly higher standardized mortality ratios and cumulative mortality rates for cancers of the bladder, kidney, skin, liver, and colon in many areas of arsenic pollution. General health effects that are associated with arsenic exposure include cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, developmental anomalies, neurologic and neurobehavioral disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, portal fibrosis of the liver, lung fibrosis, hematologic disorders (anemia, leukopenia, and eosinophilia), and carcinoma. Although, the clinical manifestations of arsenic poisoning appear similar, the toxicity of arsenic compounds depends largely u[on the chemical species and the form of arsenic involved. On the basis of its high degree of toxicity to humans, and the non-threshold dose-response assumption, a zero level exposure is recommended for arsenic, even though this level is practically non-attainable. In this review, we provide and discuss important information on the physical and chemical properties, production and use, fate and transport, toxicokinetics, systemic and carcinogenic health effects, regulatory and health guidelines, analytical methods, and treatment technologies that are applied to arsenic pollution. Such information is critical in assisting the federal, state and local officials who are responsible for protecting public health in dealing with the problem of drinking water contamination by arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface and treated waters of Louisiana, USA and Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Boyd, Glen R; Reemtsma, Helge; Grimm, Deborah A; Mitra, Siddhartha

2003-07-20

A newly developed analytical method was used to measure concentrations of nine pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in samples from two surface water bodies, a sewage treatment plant effluent and various stages of a drinking water treatment plant in Louisiana, USA, and from one surface water body, a drinking water treatment plant and a pilot plant in Ontario, Canada. The analytical method provides for simultaneous extraction and quantification of the following broad range of PPCPs and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: naproxen; ibuprofen; estrone; 17beta-estradiol; bisphenol A; clorophene; triclosan; fluoxetine; and clofibric acid. Naproxen was detected in Louisiana sewage treatment plant effluent at 81-106 ng/l and Louisiana and Ontario surface waters at 22-107 ng/l. Triclosan was detected in Louisiana sewage treatment plant effluent at 10-21 ng/l. Of the three surface waters sampled, clofibric acid was detected in Detroit River water at 103 ng/l, but not in Mississippi River or Lake Pontchartrain waters. None of the other target analytes were detected above their method detection limits. Based on results at various stages of treatment, conventional drinking-water treatment processes (coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation) plus continuous addition of powdered activated carbon at a dosage of 2 mg/l did not remove naproxen from Mississippi River waters. However, chlorination, ozonation and dual media filtration processes reduced the concentration of naproxen below detection in Mississippi River and Detroit River waters and reduced clofibric acid in Detroit River waters. Results of this study demonstrate that existing water treatment technologies can effectively remove certain PPCPs. In addition, our study demonstrates the importance of obtaining data on removal mechanisms and byproducts associated with PPCPs and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals in drinking water and sewage treatment processes.

Field Verification of New and Innovative Technologies for the Assessment and Rehabilitation of Drinking Water Distribution Systems and Wastewater Collection Systems

EPA Science Inventory

This project will contribute valuable information on the performance characteristics of new technology for use in infrastructure rehabilitation, and will provide additional credibility to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) fo...

Nanotechnology-based water treatment strategies.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Ahlawat, Wandit; Bhanjana, Gaurav; Heydarifard, Solmaz; Nazhad, Mousa M; Dilbaghi, Neeraj

2014-02-01

The most important component for living beings on the earth is access to clean and safe drinking water. Globally, water scarcity is pervasive even in water-rich areas as immense pressure has been created by the burgeoning human population, industrialization, civilization, environmental changes and agricultural activities. The problem of access to safe water is inevitable and requires tremendous research to devise new, cheaper technologies for purification of water, while taking into account energy requirements and environmental impact. This review highlights nanotechnology-based water treatment technologies being developed and used to improve desalination of sea and brackish water, safe reuse of wastewater, disinfection and decontamination of water, i.e., biosorption and nanoadsorption for contaminant removal, nanophotocatalysis for chemical degradation of contaminants, nanosensors for contaminant detection, different membrane technologies including reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, electro-dialysis etc. This review also deals with the fate and transport of engineered nanomaterials in water and wastewater treatment systems along with the risks associated with nanomaterials.

Prospects and Pitfalls in the Coming Wave of High-frequency Environmental Data: What to Look Forward to, and Watch out for

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, A. A.; Adeleye, A. S.; Huang, Y.; Garner, K.

2014-12-01

The application of nanotechnology in drinking water treatment and pollution cleanup is promising, as demonstrated by a number of field-based (pilot and full scale) and bench scale studies. A number of reviews exist for these nanotechnology-based applications; but to better illustrate its importance and guide its development, a direct comparison between traditional treatment technologies and emerging approaches using nanotechnology is needed. In this review, the performances of traditional technologies and nanotechnology for water treatment and environmental remediation were compared with the goal of providing an up-to-date reference on the state of treatment techniques for researchers, industry, and policy makers. Pollutants were categorized into broad classes, and the most cost-effective techniques (traditional and nanotechnology-based) in each category reported in the literature were compared. Where information was available, cost and environmental implications of both technologies were also compared. Traditional treatment technologies were found to currently offer the most cost-effective choices for removal of several common pollutants from drinking water and polluted sites. Nano-based techniques may however become important in complicated remediation conditions and meeting increasingly stringent water quality standards, especially in removal of emerging pollutants and low levels of contaminants. We also discuss challenges facing environmental application of nanotechnology were also discussed and potential solutions.

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Point of Entry/Point of Use Adsorptive Media U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Oregon Institute of Technology at Klamath Falls, OR - Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) at Klamath Falls, OR. The objectives of the project were to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness...

Drinking Water Research Division's research activities in support of EPA's regulatory agenda

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clark, R.M.; Feige, W.A.

1991-01-01

The Safe Drinking Water Act and its Amendments will have a dramatic impact on the way in which one views the treatment and distribution of water in the U.S. The paper discusses the regulatory agenda, including proposed and promulgated regulations for volatile and synthetic organic contaminants, pesticides, lead, copper, inorganic contaminants, and radionuclides. In addition, the Surface Water Treatment and Coliform Rules are discussed in some detail. Tables are presented that list the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs), as well as Best Available Technology (BAT) for reducing many of these contaminants to acceptable levels. Finally,more » a discussion of expected disinfection requirements and the regulation of disinfection by-products (DBP) is made. Treatment techniques for controlling DBPs are briefly described.« less

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER BY ADSORPTIVE MEDIA -- USEPA DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT ROLLINSFORD, NH, SIX MONTH EVALUTION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the first six months of the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Rollinsford Water and Sewer District facility in Rollinsford, NH. The objectives of the project are to...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Coagulation/Filtration - U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Town of Arnaudville, LA - Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the United Water Systems’ facility in Arnaudville, LA. The objectives of the project were to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness of K...

Webinar on the Removal of Uranium from Drinking Water by Small System Treatment Technology

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Radionuclides, such as uranium (U), occur naturally as trace elements in rocks and soils and thus can be found in dissolved forms in ground waters. Uranium has four oxidation states (+3, +4, +5, and +6) and is a very reactive element forming a variety of stable complexe...

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER BY ADSORPTIVE MEDIA. USEPA DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT VALLEY VISTA, AZ FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed during and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at an Arizona Water Company (AWC) facility in Sedona, AZ, commonly referred to as Valley Vista. The objectives of the project were t...

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER BY ADSORPTIVE MEDIA USEPA DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT VALLEY VISTA, AZ SIX-MONTH EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from the first six months of the EPA arsenic removal technology demonstration project at the Arizona Water Company (AWC) facility in Sedona, AZ, commonly referred to as Valley Vista. The main objective of the...

REMEDIATION OF MTBE FROM DRINKING WATER: AIR STRIPPING FOLLOWED BY OFF-GAS ADSORPTION

EPA Science Inventory

The widespread use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) as an oxygenate in gasoline has resulted in the contamination of a large number of ground and surface water sources. Even though air stripping has been proven to be an effective treatment technology for MTBE removal, off-ga...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER: DELTA INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC., CAMPWATER PORTA-5 SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The CampWater system uses ozonation followed by cartridge filtration to remove arsenic via co-precipitation. The system utilizes ozone to oxidize iron and arsenic (III) to arsenic (V). The arsenic bound to the iron precipitates is then removed by cartridge filtration. No additi...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Absorptive Media-U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Desert Sands MDWCA, NM Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained for the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA) facility in Anthony, NM. The objectives of the project were to evalu...

Arsenic waste management: a critical review of testing and disposal of arsenic-bearing solid wastes generated during arsenic removal from drinking water.

PubMed

Clancy, Tara M; Hayes, Kim F; Raskin, Lutgarde

2013-10-01

Water treatment technologies for arsenic removal from groundwater have been extensively studied due to widespread arsenic contamination of drinking water sources. Central to the successful application of arsenic water treatment systems is the consideration of appropriate disposal methods for arsenic-bearing wastes generated during treatment. However, specific recommendations for arsenic waste disposal are often lacking or mentioned as an area for future research and the proper disposal and stabilization of arsenic-bearing waste remains a barrier to the successful implementation of arsenic removal technologies. This review summarizes current disposal options for arsenic-bearing wastes, including landfilling, stabilization, cow dung mixing, passive aeration, pond disposal, and soil disposal. The findings from studies that simulate these disposal conditions are included and compared to results from shorter, regulatory tests. In many instances, short-term leaching tests do not adequately address the range of conditions encountered in disposal environments. Future research directions are highlighted and include establishing regulatory test conditions that align with actual disposal conditions and evaluating nonlandfill disposal options for developing countries.

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Muhammad A.H.; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S.; Hoque, Mohammad A.; Butler, Adrian P.; Khan, Aneire E.; Mojumder, Sontosh K.; Blangiardo, Marta A.G.; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-01-01

Background: Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. Objectives: We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. Methods: DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from “conventional” ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. Results: DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. Conclusions: DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in “real-life” salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659 PMID:28599268

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Scheelbeek, Pauline FD; Chowdhury, Muhammad A H; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S; Hoque, Mohammad A; Butler, Adrian P; Khan, Aneire E; Mojumder, Sontosh K; Blangiardo, Marta A G; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-05-30

Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from "conventional" ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100 mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57 mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in "real-life" salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659.

Development of electrospun nanofiber composites for pointof-use water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, Katherine T.

A range of chemical pollutants now contaminate drinking water sources and present a public health concern, including organic compounds, such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, and both metalloids and heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. Metalloids and heavy metals have been detected in private drinking water wells, which do not fall under federal drinking water regulations, as well as in urban tap water, due to the introduction of contamination to the drinking water distribution system. Further, many so-called "emerging organic contaminants," which are present in drinking water sources at detectable levels but have unknown long-term health implications, do not fall under federal drinking water regulations. To protect the health of consumers, drinking water treatment at the point-of-use (POU) (i.e., the tap) is essential. Next-generation POU treatment technologies must require minimal energy inputs, be simple enough to permit broad application among different users, and be easily adaptable for removal of a wide range of pollutants. Nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and iron oxide nanoparticles, are ideal candidates for next-generation drinking water treatment, as they exhibit unique, high reactivity and necessitate small treatment units. However, concerns regarding water pressure requirements and nanomaterial release into the treated supply limit their application in traditional reactor designs. To bridge the gap between potential and practical application of nanomaterials, this study utilizes electrospinning to fabricate composite nanofiber filters that effectively deploy nanomaterials in drinking water treatment. In electrospinning, a high voltage draws a polymer precursor solution (which can contain nanomaterial additives, in the case of nanocomposites) from a needle to deposit a non-woven nanofiber filter on a collector surface. Using electrospinning, we develop an optimized, macroporous carbon nanotube-carbon nanofiber composite that utilizes the sorption capacity of embedded carbon nanotubes, and achieves a key balance between material strength and reactivity towards organic pollutants. Additionally, via single-pot syntheses, we develop two optimized polymer-iron oxide composites for removal of heavy metal contamination by inclusion of iron oxide nanoparticles and either cationic or anionic surfactants in the electrospinning precursor solution. In hybrid materials that contain a well-retained quaternary ammonium surfactant (tetrabutylammonium bromide) and iron oxide nanoparticles, ion exchange sites and iron oxide sites are selective for chromate and arsenate removal, respectively. We demonstrated that a sulfonate surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate, acted as a removable porogen and an agent for surface segregation of iron oxide nanoparticles, thus enhancing composite performance for removal of lead, copper, and cadmium. Notably, nanoparticles embedded in composites exhibited comparable activity to freely dispersed nanoparticles. Collectively, the composites developed in this work represent a substantial advance towards the overlap of effective nanomaterial immobilization and utilization of nanomaterial reactivity. Outcomes of this work advance current knowledge of nanocomposite fabrication, and contribute to the responsible and effective deployment of nanomaterials in POU drinking water treatment.

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Freshwater Resource Management in Southwestern Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, C.; Baroud, H.; Hornberger, G. M.

2016-12-01

Freshwater resources in coastal Bangladesh fluctuate with extreme periods of shortage and abundance. Bangladeshis have adapted to these alternating periods but are still plagued with scarce drinking water resources due to pond water pathogens, salinity of groundwater, and arsenic contamination. The success of attempts to correct the problem of unsafe drinking water have varied across the southern Bangladesh as a result of physical and social factors. We use a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to explore the various physical and social factors that influence decisions about freshwater technologies and management schemes in southern Bangladesh. To determine the best freshwater technologies and management schemes, we examine four alternatives, including managed aquifer recharge (MAR), pond sand filter (PSF), rain water harvesting (RWH), and tubewells (TW). Criteria are grouped into four categories (environmental, technical, social, and economic) and weighting of social factors will be determined by community surveys, non-governmental organizations (NGO) opinions, and academic interviews. Social data include regional water quality perceptions, perceptions of management/technology success, MAR community surveys, and interviews with NGO partners. Environmental and technical feasibility factors are determined from regional water quality data, geospatial information, land use/land change, and regional stratigraphy. Survey data suggest a wide range of criteria based on location and stakeholder perception. MAR and PSF technologies likely have the greatest environmental and technical potential for success but are highly influenced by community dynamics, individual perspective, and NGO involvement. RWH solutions are used frequently and are successful at reducing the water security threats of contamination by pathogens, arsenic, and salts. This MCDA informs us of community and stakeholder water resource decisions, specifically related to their objectives and preferences.

MEMBRANES FOR DRINKING WATER TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Various treatment technologies have proven effective in controlling halogenated disinfection by-products such as precursor removal and the use of alternative disinfectants. One of the most promising methods for halogenated by-product control includes removal of precursors before ...

A Regulator's Guide to Management of Radioactive Residuals from Drinking Water Treatment Technologies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guide is intended for state regulators, technical assistance providers, and field staffto help states address radionuclide residual disposal by outlining options available to help systems address elevated radionuclide levels.

77 FR 21098 - Notice of Meeting of the Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB), and Transit-Oriented...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-09

... discussed include: clean air technology; tribal environmental programs; transit-oriented development; energy efficiency; green infrastructure; and drinking water pricing. The meeting is open to the public, however...

Ambient-temperature incubation for the field detection of Escherichia coli in drinking water.

PubMed

Brown, J; Stauber, C; Murphy, J L; Khan, A; Mu, T; Elliott, M; Sobsey, M D

2011-04-01

 Escherichia coli is the pre-eminent microbiological indicator used to assess safety of drinking water globally. The cost and equipment requirements for processing samples by standard methods may limit the scale of water quality testing in technologically less developed countries and other resource-limited settings, however. We evaluate here the use of ambient-temperature incubation in detection of E. coli in drinking water samples as a potential cost-saving and convenience measure with applications in regions with high (>25°C) mean ambient temperatures.   This study includes data from three separate water quality assessments: two in Cambodia and one in the Dominican Republic. Field samples of household drinking water were processed in duplicate by membrane filtration (Cambodia), Petrifilm™ (Cambodia) or Colilert® (Dominican Republic) on selective media at both standard incubation temperature (35–37°C) and ambient temperature, using up to three dilutions and three replicates at each dilution. Matched sample sets were well correlated with 80% of samples (n = 1037) within risk-based microbial count strata (E. coli CFU 100 ml−1 counts of <1, 1–10, 11–100, 101–1000, >1000), and a pooled coefficient of variation of 17% (95% CI 15–20%) for paired sample sets across all methods.   These results suggest that ambient-temperature incubation of E. coli in at least some settings may yield sufficiently robust data for water safety monitoring where laboratory or incubator access is limited.

A real-time early warning system for pathogens in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, John A.; McCarty, David; Crousore, Kristina

2006-05-01

The events of September 11, 2001 represented an escalation in the means and effects of terrorist attacks and raised awareness of the vulnerability of major infrastructures such as transportation, finance, power and energy, communications, food, and water. A re-examination of the security of critical assets was initiated. Actions were taken in the United States to protect our drinking water. Anti-terrorism monitoring systems that allow us to take action before contaminated water can reach the consumer have been under development since then. This presentation will discuss the current performance of a laser-based, multi-angle light scattering (MALS) technology for continuous, real-time detection and classification of microorganisms for security applications in all drinking and process water applications inclusive of protection of major assets, potable and distributed water. Field test data for a number of waterborne pathogens will also be presented.

Drinking-Water Standards and Regulations. Volume 2. Manual for 1982-88

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, L.K.; Wang, M.H.S.

1988-04-10

The following 11 important documents are compiled for Drinking Water Standards and Regulations: (1) U.S. Environmental Agency Water Programs, National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations; (2) New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act; (3) Summary of New Jersey Drinking Water Standards; (4) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 Amendments; (5) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Primary Drinking Water Standards; (6) Canadian National Health and Welfare Drinking Water Quality Guidelines--Maximum Acceptable Concentrations; (7) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, Filtration and Disinfection Turbidity, Giardia Lamblia, Viruses, Legionella, and Heterotrophic Bacteria; (8) Public Water Supply Manual--Guidemore » to the Safe Drinking Water Program; (9) Public Water Supply Manual--Emergency Response; (10) U.S. EPA Approved Krofta Chemicals; (11) NY-DOH Approved Krofta Chemicals.« less

Water Purifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The Floatron water purifier combines two space technologies - ionization for water purification and solar electric power generation. The water purification process involves introducing ionized minerals that kill microorganisms like algae and bacteria. The 12 inch unit floats in a pool while its solar panel collects sunlight that is converted to electricity. The resulting current energizes a specially alloyed mineral electrode below the waterline, causing release of metallic ions into the water. The electrode is the only part that needs replacing, and water purified by the system falls within EPA drinking water standards.

Recent advances in drinking water disinfection: successes and challenges.

PubMed

Ngwenya, Nonhlanhla; Ncube, Esper J; Parsons, James

2013-01-01

Drinking water is the most important single source of human exposure to gastroenteric diseases, mainly as a result of the ingestion of microbial contaminated water. Waterborne microbial agents that pose a health risk to humans include enteropathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Therefore, properly assessing whether these hazardous agents enter drinking water supplies, and if they do, whether they are disinfected adequately, are undoubtedly aspects critical to protecting public health. As new pathogens emerge, monitoring for relevant indicator microorganisms (e.g., process microbial indicators, fecal indicators, and index and model organisms) is crucial to ensuring drinking water safety. Another crucially important step to maintaining public health is implementing Water Safety Plans (WSPs), as is recommended by the current WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Good WSPs include creating health-based targets that aim to reduce microbial risks and adverse health effects to which a population is exposed through drinking water. The use of disinfectants to inactivate microbial pathogens in drinking water has played a central role in reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases and is considered to be among the most successful interventions for preserving and promoting public health. Chlorine-based disinfectants are the most commonly used disinfectants and are cheap and easy to use. Free chlorine is an effective disinfectant for bacteria and viruses; however, it is not always effective against C. parvum and G. lamblia. Another limitation of using chlorination is that it produces disinfection by-products (DBPs), which pose potential health risks of their own. Currently, most drinking water regulations aggressively address DBP problems in public water distribution systems. The DBPs of most concern include the trihalomethanes (THMs), the haloacetic acids (HAAs), bromate, and chlorite. However, in the latest edition of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, it is recommended that water disinfection should never be compromised by attempting to control DBPs. The reason for this is that the risks of human illness and death from pathogens in drinking water are much greater than the risks from exposure to disinfectants and disinfection by-products. Nevertheless, if DBP levels exceed regulatory limits, strategies should focus on eliminating organic impurities that foster their formation, without compromising disinfection. As alternatives to chlorine, disinfectants such as chloramines, ozone, chlorine dioxide, and UV disinfection are gaining popularity. Chlorine and each of these disinfectants have individual advantage and disadvantage in terms of cost, efficacy-stability, ease of application, and nature of disinfectant by-products (DBPs). Based on efficiency, ozone is the most efficient disinfectant for inactivating bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. In contrast, chloramines are the least efficient and are not recommended for use as primary disinfectants. Chloramines are favored for secondary water disinfection, because they react more slowly than chlorine and are more persistent in distribution systems. In addition, chloramines produce lower DBP levels than does chlorine, although microbial activity in the distribution system may produce nitrate from monochloramine, when it is used as a residual disinfectant, Achieving the required levels of water quality, particularly microbial inactivation levels, while minimizing DBP formation requires the application of proper risk and disinfection management protocols. In addition, the failure of conventional treatment processes to eliminate critical waterborne pathogens in drinking water demand that improved and/or new disinfection technologies be developed. Recent research has disclosed that nanotechnology may offer solutions in this area, through the use of nanosorbents, nanocatalysts, bioactive nanoparticles, nanostructured catalytic membranes, and nanoparticle-enhanced filtration.

New England's Drinking Water | Drinking Water in New ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Information on Drinking Water in New England. Major Topics covered include: Conservation, Private Wells, Preventing Contamination, Drinking Water Sources, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Drinking Water Awards.

Comparison and cost analysis of drinking water quality monitoring requirements versus practice in seven developing countries.

PubMed

Crocker, Jonny; Bartram, Jamie

2014-07-18

Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country's ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states), Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries.

Perchlorate Contamination of Drinking Water: Regulatory Issues and Legislative Actions

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-16

and water treatment costs, both of which are driven by federal and state standards. (California and Massachusetts have set standards.) EPA has spent... Hypothyroidism , Newborn Thyroid Function, and Environmental Perchlorate Exposure Among Residents of a Southern California Community,” Journal of Occupational... treatment technologies and for collecting occurrence data. In 1999, EPA required water systems to monitor for perchlorate under the Unregulated

The Interconnectedness of Water and Health: Translating Science Into Public Health-driven Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtveld, M.

2017-12-01

Louisiana and other U.S. Gulf Coast communities' unique vulnerability stems from three interconnected stressors they face: historic health disparities, persistent environmental stressors, and a geography prone to both natural and technological disasters. The health of the ecosystem is inextricably linked to that of humans. Specifically, water presents both a central asset and an intransigent environmental health threat. Waterborne illnesses associated with infectious organisms, chemical contaminants, coastal erosion, natural and technological disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills, as well as climate change-associated sea level rise and dead zones, all can negatively impact human health. Existing water-related policies at the federal, state, and local levels have failed to effectively protect the health of communities and their environment to date. For example, despite the existence of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, oil spills and drinking water contamination continue to pose significant threats to communities' health and wellbeing. This presentation will examine water-related threats to Gulf Coast communities and their ecosystem. Emphasis will be placed on key examples of policy failure and the impact such failures. A public health-driven framework will demonstrate how science can inform evidence- based policy and in turn prevention-driven public health practice.

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico - Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from this arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of AdEdge Technologies' AD-33 media i...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Wellman, TX, Six-Month Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from the first six months of the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project in the City of Wellman, TX. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of AdEdge Technolog...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media - U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Geneseo Hills Subdivision, in Geneseo, IL Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Geneseo Hills Subdivision in Geneseo, IL. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of AdEdge Technologies...

Use of computer models to assess exposure to agricultural chemicals via drinking water.

PubMed

Gustafson, D I

1995-10-27

Surveys of drinking water quality throughout the agricultural regions of the world have revealed the tendency of certain crop protection chemicals to enter water supplies. Fortunately, the trace concentrations that have been detected are generally well below the levels thought to have any negative impact on human health or the environment. However, the public expects drinking water to be pristine and seems willing to bear the costs involved in further regulating agricultural chemical use in such a way so as to eliminate the potential for such materials to occur at any detectable level. Of all the tools available to assess exposure to agricultural chemicals via drinking water, computer models are one of the most cost-effective. Although not sufficiently predictive to be used in the absence of any field data, such computer programs can be used with some degree of certainty to perform quantitative extrapolations and thereby quantify regional exposure from field-scale monitoring information. Specific models and modeling techniques will be discussed for performing such exposure analyses. Improvements in computer technology have recently made it practical to use Monte Carlo and other probabilistic techniques as a routine tool for estimating human exposure. Such methods make it possible, at least in principle, to prepare exposure estimates with known confidence intervals and sufficient statistical validity to be used in the regulatory management of agricultural chemicals.

Removal of Intermediate Aromatic Halogenated DBPs by Activated Carbon Adsorption: A New Approach to Controlling Halogenated DBPs in Chlorinated Drinking Water.

PubMed

Jiang, Jingyi; Zhang, Xiangru; Zhu, Xiaohu; Li, Yu

2017-03-21

During chlorine disinfection of drinking water, chlorine may react with natural organic matter (NOM) and bromide ion in raw water to generate halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs). To mitigate adverse effects from DBP exposure, granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption has been considered as one of the best available technologies for removing NOM (DBP precursor) in drinking water treatment. Recently, we have found that many aromatic halogenated DBPs form in chlorination, and they act as intermediate DBPs to decompose and form commonly known DBPs including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. In this work, we proposed a new approach to controlling drinking water halogenated DBPs by GAC adsorption of intermediate aromatic halogenated DBPs during chlorination, rather than by GAC adsorption of NOM prior to chlorination (i.e., traditional approach). Rapid small-scale column tests were used to simulate GAC adsorption in the new and traditional approaches. Significant reductions of aromatic halogenated DBPs were observed in the effluents with the new approach; the removals of total organic halogen, trihalomethanes, and haloacetic acids by the new approach always exceeded those by the traditional approach; and the effluents with the new approach were considerably less developmentally toxic than those with the traditional approach. Our findings indicate that the new approach is substantially more effective in controlling halogenated DBPs than the traditional approach.

Deformability Assessment of Waterborne Protozoa Using a Microfluidic-Enabled Force Microscopy Probe

PubMed Central

Seddon, James R. T.; Lai, Stanley C. S.; Lemay, Serge G.; Bridle, Helen L.

2016-01-01

Many modern filtration technologies are incapable of the complete removal of Cryptosporidium oocysts from drinking-water. Consequently, Cryptosporidium-contaminated drinking-water supplies can severely implicate both water utilities and consumers. Existing methods for the detection of Cryptosporidium in drinking-water do not discern between non-pathogenic and pathogenic species, nor between viable and non-viable oocysts. Using FluidFM, a novel force spectroscopy method employing microchannelled cantilevers for single-cell level manipulation, we assessed the size and deformability properties of two species of Cryptosporidium that pose varying levels of risk to human health. A comparison of such characteristics demonstrated the ability of FluidFM to discern between Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium parvum with 86% efficiency, whilst using a measurement throughput which exceeded 50 discrete oocysts per hour. In addition, we measured the deformability properties for untreated and temperature-inactivated oocysts of the highly infective, human pathogenic C. parvum to assess whether deformability may be a marker of viability. Our results indicate that untreated and temperature-inactivated C. parvum oocysts had overlapping but significantly different deformability distributions. PMID:26938220

Behavior of microorganisms in drinking water treatment by inductively coupled plasma system: Case study in ground water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desmiarti, Reni; Hazmi, Ariadi; Martynis, Munas; Sutopo, Ulung Muhammad; Li, Fusheng

2018-02-01

Pathogenic bacteria, such as total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC) and other coliforms (OC), were removed from groundwater by inductively coupled plasma system treatment in continuous flow experiments. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of flowrate and frequency on the behavior of microorganisms in drinking water treatment using inductively coupled plasma system (ICPS). The results showed that after 120 minutes of ICPS treatment, the removal efficiency with respect to TC, FC and OC decreased with increasing flowrate. The removal efficiency of FC was achieved at 100% in all runs. Compared to FC, the removal efficiencies with respect to TC and FC were lower than those with respect to TC and OC in the following order: FC >OC> TC. The disinfection yield of TC and OC significantly increased when the removal efficiency increased. The electromagnetic flux varied from 8.08±0.46 to 10.54±0.19 W/cm2. The results in the present work can be used to design a new technology for drinking water treatment to remove all pathogenic bacteria without using hazardous chemicals.

WEB-BASED DATABASE ON RENEWAL TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

As U.S. utilities continue to shore up their aging infrastructure, renewal needs now represent over 43% of annual expenditures compared to new construction for drinking water distribution and wastewater collection systems (Underground Construction [UC], 2016). An increased unders...

75 FR 54872 - Drinking Water Strategy Contaminants as Group(s)-Notice of Public Stakeholder Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... technologies to address health risks posed by a broad array of contaminants; using the authority of multiple... potential contaminant groups, share advantages and disadvantages of various groups, identify issues needing...

Water Conditioner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The Aqualizer is designed to cleanse water with minimal use of chemicals by stabilizing the ions in the water. Its applications are both recreational and industrial. A non-electrical passive device, the Aqualizer operates on the principle of catalytic water conditioning. It consists of a stainless steel pipe length with a helical core and is offered in a variety of sizes depending on the quantity of water to be treated. The device is based on NASA silver ionization technology used to purify drinking water aboard the Apollo spacecraft.

Microbial profiles of a drinking water resource based on different 16S rRNA V regions during a heavy cyanobacterial bloom in Lake Taihu, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Junyi; Zhu, Congming; Guan, Rui; Xiong, Zhipeng; Zhang, Wen; Shi, Junzhe; Sheng, Yi; Zhu, Bingchuan; Tu, Jing; Ge, Qinyu; Chen, Ting; Lu, Zuhong

2017-05-01

Understanding of the bacterial community structure in drinking water resources helps to enhance the security of municipal water supplies. In this study, bacterial communities were surveyed in water and sediment during a heavy cyanobacterial bloom in a drinking water resource of Lake Taihu, China. A total of 325,317 high-quality sequences were obtained from different 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) regions (V3, V4, and V6) using the Miseq sequencing platform. A notable difference was shown between the water and sediment samples, as predominated by Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria in the water and Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia in the sediment, respectively. The LD12 family dominated the water surface and was tightly associated with related indicators of cyanobacterial propagation, indicating involvement in the massive proliferation of cyanobacterial blooms. Alternatively, the genus Nitrospira dominated the sediment samples, which indicates that nitrite oxidation was very active in the sediment. Although pathogenic bacteria were not detected in a large amount, some genera such as Mycobacterium, Acinetobacter, and Legionella were still identified but in very low abundance. In addition, the effects of different V regions on bacterial diversity survey were evaluated. Overall, V4 and V3 were proven to be more promising V regions for bacterial diversity survey in water and sediment samples during heavy water blooms in Lake Taihu, respectively. As longer, cheaper, and faster DNA sequencing technologies become more accessible, we expect that bacterial community structures based on 16S rRNA amplicons as an indicator could be used alongside with physical and chemical indicators, to conduct comprehensive assessments for drinking water resource management.

Assessing the effects of tertiary treated wastewater reuse on a Mediterranean river (Llobregat, NE Spain): pathogens and indicators [corrected].

PubMed

Rubiano, María-Eugenia; Agulló-Barceló, Míriam; Casas-Mangas, Raquel; Jofre, Juan; Lucena, Francisco

2012-05-01

Need, coupled with advances in water treatment technology, is motivating a growing interest in augmenting drinking water supplies with reclaimed water. Using reclaimed water to increase the flow of the Llobregat River upstream the water catchment site of the complex multi-step drinking water treatment plant of Sant Joan Despí has been considered. The impact of reclaimed water discharges on the load of E. coli, spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia, somatic coliphages, cytopathogenic enteroviruses, and total and infectious Cryptosporidium oocysts in the Llobregat River water was assessed to gain information for funded decisions in potential future emergencies. Enterovirus and Cryptosporidium oocysts were concentrated from great water volumes prior to enumeration, whereas indicators were enumerated directly from the samples. Both indicators and pathogens were enumerated by cultural techniques that determine infectious microbes. Densities of both indicators and pathogens in reclaimed water, despite that it was disinfected by UV irradiation alone or by UV irradiation plus chlorination, were significantly lower than their densities in the river water, both upstream and downstream the reclaimed water release site in the river. Results gathered indicate that discharging reclaimed water into the river does not increment the load of indicators and pathogens of the river water. Then, in emergency situations due to severe water shortages after prolonged droughts, at least from the infectious diseases point of view, the risks of augmenting drinking water supplies with reclaimed water can be satisfactorily and safely managed.

Evaluating the Development of Biocatalytic Technology for the Targeted Removal of Perchlorate from Drinking Water.

PubMed

Hutchison, Justin M; Guest, Jeremy S; Zilles, Julie L

2017-06-20

Removing micropollutants is challenging in part because of their toxicity at low concentrations. A biocatalytic approach could harness the high affinity of enzymes for their substrates to address this challenge. The potential of biocatalysis relative to mature (nonselective ion exchange, selective ion exchange, and whole-cell biological reduction) and emerging (catalysis) perchlorate-removal technologies was evaluated through a quantitative sustainable design framework, and research objectives were prioritized to advance economic and environmental sustainability. In its current undeveloped state, the biocatalytic technology was approximately 1 order of magnitude higher in cost and environmental impact than nonselective ion exchange. Biocatalyst production was highly correlated with cost and impact. Realistic improvement scenarios targeting biocatalyst yield, biocatalyst immobilization for reuse, and elimination of an electron shuttle could reduce total costs to $0.034 m -3 and global warming potential (GWP) to 0.051 kg CO 2 eq m -3 : roughly 6.5% of cost and 7.3% of GWP of the background from drinking water treatment and competitive with the best performing technology, selective ion exchange. With less stringent perchlorate regulatory limits, ion exchange technologies had increased cost and impact, in contrast to biocatalytic and catalytic technologies. Targeted advances in biocatalysis could provide affordable and sustainable treatment options to protect the public from micropollutants.

The EPA's Study on the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burden, Susan

2013-03-01

Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's clean energy future. The United States has vast reserves of natural gas that are commercially viable as a result of advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies, which enable greater access to gas in rock formations deep underground. These advances have spurred a significant increase in the production of both natural gas and oil across the country. However, as the use of hydraulic fracturing has increased, so have concerns about its potential human health and environmental impacts, especially for drinking water. In response to public concern, the US Congress requested that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conduct scientific research to examine the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. In 2011, the EPA began research to assess the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, if any, and to identify the driving factors that may affect the severity and frequency of such impacts. The study is organized around the five stages of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle, from water acquisition through the mixing of chemicals and the injection of fracturing fluid to post-fracturing treatment and/or disposal of wastewater. EPA scientists are using a transdisciplinary research approach involving laboratory studies, computer modeling, toxicity assessments, and case studies to answer research questions associated with each stage of the water cycle. This talk will provide an overview of the EPA's study, including a description of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle and a summary of the ongoing research projects.

Advancements in solar stills for enhanced flow rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Sourav; Dubey, Maneesh; Raghuwanshi, Jitendra; Sharma, Vipin

2018-05-01

All over the world there is a scarcity of water and it is difficult to access potable water. Due to this most of the people are affected by diseases that are caused due to drinking of polluted water. There are technologies through which we can purify polluted water but the only problem is these technologies uses electrical energy. Since solar energy is abundant in nature therefore we can use solar as an energy source in solar stills for water distillation. Solar stills can be used in village areas where there is no electricity. It is simple and also economic in construction. This article addresses advancement in solar distillation and usage of nanofluids for enhancement in flow rate.

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Iron Removal - U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Northeastern Elementary School in Fountain City, IN - Final Performance Evaluation Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the activities performed and the results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at Northeastern Elementary School in Fountain City, IN. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of US Water Sys...

Environmental Technology Verification Report; Removal of Microbial Contaminants in Drinking Water Dow Chemical Company - Water Solutions SFD-2880 Ultrafiltration Module

EPA Science Inventory

The Dow SFD-2880 UF module was tested for removal of microorganisms using live Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, endospores of the bacteria Bacillus alrophaeus, and the MS2 coliphage virus according to the product-specific challenge testing requirements of the EPA Long-Term 2 Enhan...

Biochar-based water treatment systems as a potential low-cost and sustainable technology for clean water provision.

PubMed

Gwenzi, Willis; Chaukura, Nhamo; Noubactep, Chicgoua; Mukome, Fungai N D

2017-07-15

Approximately 600 million people lack access to safe drinking water, hence achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030) calls for rapid translation of recent research into practical and frugal solutions within the remaining 13 years. Biochars, with excellent capacity to remove several contaminants from aqueous solutions, constitute an untapped technology for drinking water treatment. Biochar water treatment has several potential merits compared to existing low-cost methods (i.e., sand filtration, boiling, solar disinfection, chlorination): (1) biochar is a low-cost and renewable adsorbent made using readily available biomaterials and skills, making it appropriate for low-income communities; (2) existing methods predominantly remove pathogens, but biochars remove chemical, biological and physical contaminants; (3) biochars maintain organoleptic properties of water, while existing methods generate carcinogenic by-products (e.g., chlorination) and/or increase concentrations of chemical contaminants (e.g., boiling). Biochars have co-benefits including provision of clean energy for household heating and cooking, and soil application of spent biochar improves soil quality and crop yields. Integrating biochar into the water and sanitation system transforms linear material flows into looped material cycles, consistent with terra preta sanitation. Lack of design information on biochar water treatment, and environmental and public health risks constrain the biochar technology. Seven hypotheses for future research are highlighted under three themes: (1) design and optimization of biochar water treatment; (2) ecotoxicology and human health risks associated with contaminant transfer along the biochar-soil-food-human pathway, and (3) life cycle analyses of carbon and energy footprints of biochar water treatment systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addition of chlorine during water purification reduces iodine content of drinking water and contributes to iodine deficiency.

PubMed

Samson, L; Czegeny, I; Mezosi, E; Erdei, A; Bodor, M; Cseke, B; Burman, K D; Nagy, E V

2012-01-01

Drinking water is the major natural source of iodine in many European countries. In the present study, we examined possible sites of iodine loss during the usual water purification process.Water samples from 6 sites during the technological process were taken and analyzed for iodine content. Under laboratory circumstances, prepared iodine in water solution has been used as a model to test the effect of the presence of chlorine. Samples from the purification sites revealed that in the presence of chlorine there is a progressive loss of iodine from the water. In the chlorine concentrations employed in the purification process, 24-h chlorine exposure eliminated more than 50% of iodine when the initial iodine concentration was 250 μg/l or less. Iodine was completely eliminated if the starting concentration was 16 μg/l.We conclude that chlorine used during water purification may be a major contributor to iodine deficiency in European communities.

[KEEPING THE ELECTRON-DONOR PROPERTIES OF DRINKING WATER].

PubMed

Gibert, K K; Stekhin, A A; Iakovleva, G V; Sul'ina, Iu S

2015-01-01

In a study there was performed the experimental evaluation of long-term structural--physical changes of the phase of associated water in drinking water treated in hypomagnetic conditions according to the the technology providing the retention of of ortho/para isomers of water in the presence of a catalyst--triplet oxygen. According to the results of measurements ofparameters of nano-associates formed in the water there was found a series ofconsistencies, allowing to determine the mechanisms of the impact of hypomagnetic treatment on the catalytic properties ofwater and long-term stability of its activated state, that provides the long-term maintenance of high biological activity of drinking water. In particular, under hypomagnetic conditions of the treatment there is formed denser packing of amorphous ice--VI in the composition of associates peroxide, serving as a kind of "reservoir" of atmospheric gases. In such a "reservoir" there realized higher pressure, compared with normal geophysical conditions, that stimulates the gas-phase reactions with the formation of dimers and trimers of oxygen existing in the 2-electron--active configurations with binding energies of 0.3 eVand ~0.2 eV providing phase modulation, resulting in condensation of environment additional electrons on paramagnetic oxygen, which provides the long-term maintenance of the electron--donor ability of water and electrically non-equilibrium state.

Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with drinking water and water not intended for drinking--United States, 2005-2006.

PubMed

Yoder, Jonathan; Roberts, Virginia; Craun, Gunther F; Hill, Vincent; Hicks, Lauri A; Alexander, Nicole T; Radke, Vince; Calderon, Rebecca L; Hlavsa, Michele C; Beach, Michael J; Roy, Sharon L

2008-09-12

Since 1971, CDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have maintained a collaborative Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System (WBDOSS) for collecting and reporting data related to occurrences and causes of waterborne-disease outbreaks (WBDOs) and cases of waterborne disease. This surveillance system is the primary source of data concerning the scope and effects of waterborne disease in the United States. Data presented summarize 28 WBDOs that occurred during January 2005--December 2006 and four previously unreported WBDOs that occurred during 1979--2002. The surveillance system includes data on WBDOs associated with recreational water, drinking water, water not intended for drinking (WNID) (excluding recreational water), and water use of unknown intent. Public health departments in the states, territories, localities, and Freely Associated States (FAS) (i.e., the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, formerly parts of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) are primarily responsible for detecting and investigating WBDOs and voluntarily reporting them to CDC by a standard form. Only cases and outbreaks associated with drinking water, WNID (excluding recreational water), and water of unknown intent (WUI) are summarized in this report. Cases and outbreaks associated with recreational water are reported in a separate Surveillance Summary. Fourteen states reported 28 WBDOs that occurred during 2005--2006: a total of 20 were associated with drinking water, six were associated with WNID, and two were associated with WUI. The 20 drinking water-associated WBDOs caused illness among an estimated 612 persons and were linked to four deaths. Etiologic agents were identified in 18 (90.0%) of the drinking water-associated WBDOs. Among the 18 WBDOs with identified pathogens, 12 (66.7%) were associated with bacteria, three (16.7%) with viruses, two (11.1%) with parasites, and one (5.6%) mixed WBDO with both bacteria and viruses. In both WBDOs where the etiology was not determined, norovirus was the suspected etiology. Of the 20 drinking water WBDOs, 10 (50) were outbreaks of acute respiratory illness (ARI), nine (45%) were outbreaks of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI), and one (5.0%) was an outbreak of hepatitis. All WBDOs of ARI were caused by Legionella, and this is the first reporting period in which the proportion of ARI WBDOs has surpassed that of AGI WBDOs since the reporting of Legionella WBDOs was initiated in 2001. A total of 23 deficiencies were cited in the 20 WBDOs associated with drinking water: 12 (52.2%) deficiencies fell under the classification NWU/POU (deficiencies occurred at points not under the jurisdiction of a water utility or at the point-of-use), 10 (43.5%) deficiencies fell under the classification SWTDs (contamination at or in the source water, treatment facility, or distribution system), and for one (4.3%) deficiency, classification was unknown. Among the 12 NWU/POU deficiencies, 10 (83.3%) involved Legionella spp. in the drinking water system. The most frequently cited SWTD deficiencies were associated with a treatment deficiency (n = four [40.0%]) and untreated ground water (n = four [40.0%]). Three of the four WBDOs with treatment deficiencies used ground water sources. Approximately half (52.2%) of the drinking water deficiencies occurred outside the jurisdiction of a water utility. The majority of these WBDOs were associated with Legionella spp, which suggests that increased attention should be targeted towards reducing illness risks associated with Legionella spp. Nearly all of WBDOs associated with SWTD deficiencies occurred in systems using ground water. EPA's new Ground Water Rule might prevent similar outbreaks in the future in public water systems. CDC and EPA use surveillance data to identify the types of water systems, deficiencies, and etiologic agents associated with WBDOs and to evaluate the adequacy of current technologies and practices for providing safe drinking water. Surveillance data also are used to establish research priorities, which can lead to improved water-quality regulation development. The majority of drinking water deficiencies are now associated with contamination at points outside the jurisdiction of public water systems (e.g., regrowth of Legionella spp. in hot water systems) and water contamination that might not be regulated by EPA (e.g., contamination of tap water at the POU). Improved education of consumers and plumbers might help address these risk factors.

Biological approaches for addressing the grand challenge of providing access to clean drinking water.

PubMed

Riley, Mark R; Gerba, Charles P; Elimelech, Menachem

2011-03-31

The U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) recently published a document presenting "Grand Challenges for Engineering". This list was proposed by leading engineers and scientists from around the world at the request of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Fourteen topics were selected for these grand challenges, and at least seven can be addressed using the tools and methods of biological engineering. Here we describe how biological engineers can address the challenge of providing access to clean drinking water. This issue must be addressed in part by removing or inactivating microbial and chemical contaminants in order to properly deliver water safe for human consumption. Despite many advances in technologies this challenge is expanding due to increased pressure on fresh water supplies and to new opportunities for growth of potentially pathogenic organisms.

Biological approaches for addressing the grand challenge of providing access to clean drinking water

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) recently published a document presenting "Grand Challenges for Engineering". This list was proposed by leading engineers and scientists from around the world at the request of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Fourteen topics were selected for these grand challenges, and at least seven can be addressed using the tools and methods of biological engineering. Here we describe how biological engineers can address the challenge of providing access to clean drinking water. This issue must be addressed in part by removing or inactivating microbial and chemical contaminants in order to properly deliver water safe for human consumption. Despite many advances in technologies this challenge is expanding due to increased pressure on fresh water supplies and to new opportunities for growth of potentially pathogenic organisms. PMID:21453515

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

Web cast presentation covered six topics: 1), Arsenic Chemistry, 2), Technology Selection/Arsenic Demonstration Program, 3), Case Study 1, 4), Case Study 2,5), Case Study 3, and 6), Media Regeneration Project. The presentation consists of material presented at other training sess...

ADSORPTIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES: MEDIA SELECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides information on six items to be considered when selecting an adsorptive media for removing arsenic from drinking water; performance, EBCT, pre-treatment, regeneration, residuals, and cost. Each item is discussed in general and data and photographs from th...

Assessing the microbial quality of improved drinking water sources: results from the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Baum, Rachel; Kayser, Georgia; Stauber, Christine; Sobsey, Mark

2014-01-01

Millennium Development Goal Target 7c (to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of the global population without sustainable access to safe drinking water), was celebrated as achieved in 2012. However, new studies show that we may be prematurely celebrating. Access to safe drinking water may be overestimated if microbial water quality is considered. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between microbial drinking water quality and drinking water source in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. This study analyzed microbial drinking water quality data from 409 households in 33 communities. Results showed that 47% of improved drinking water sources were of high to very-high risk water quality, and therefore unsafe for drinking. This study provides evidence that the current estimate of safe water access may be overly optimistic, and microbial water quality data are needed to reliably assess the safety of drinking water.

Assessing the Microbial Quality of Improved Drinking Water Sources: Results from the Dominican Republic

PubMed Central

Baum, Rachel; Kayser, Georgia; Stauber, Christine; Sobsey, Mark

2014-01-01

Millennium Development Goal Target 7c (to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of the global population without sustainable access to safe drinking water), was celebrated as achieved in 2012. However, new studies show that we may be prematurely celebrating. Access to safe drinking water may be overestimated if microbial water quality is considered. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between microbial drinking water quality and drinking water source in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. This study analyzed microbial drinking water quality data from 409 households in 33 communities. Results showed that 47% of improved drinking water sources were of high to very-high risk water quality, and therefore unsafe for drinking. This study provides evidence that the current estimate of safe water access may be overly optimistic, and microbial water quality data are needed to reliably assess the safety of drinking water. PMID:24218411

The Challenges of PFAS Remediation.

PubMed

Darlington, Ramona; Barth, Edwin; McKernan, John

2018-01-01

Many military bases and their surrounding communities are impacted by contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFFs). Soil sorption technologies provide a promising solution to immobilize PFAS in the soil and prevent groundwater and drinking water contamination. This article is the result of a collaborative effort between Battelle and the U.S. EPA's review of the most promising technologies.

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

76 FR 38158 - Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council; Notice of Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... water supplies. The Council will also receive updates about several on-going drinking water program... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9425-8] Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory... meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC), established under the Safe Drinking Water...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

Lead and Drinking Water from Private Wells

MedlinePlus

... Drinking Water Policy & Recommendations History of Drinking Water Treatment Drinking Water FAQ Fast Facts Healthy Water Sites Healthy Water ... if needed. You may also wish to consider water treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, distillation, and carbon ...

Water Treatment Systems for Long Spaceflights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

FLynn, Michael T.

2012-01-01

Space exploration will require new life support systems to support the crew on journeys lasting from a few days to several weeks, or longer. These systems should also be designed to reduce the mass required to keep humans alive in space. Water accounts for about 80 percent of the daily mass intake required to keep a person alive. As a result, recycling water offers a high return on investment for space life support. Water recycling can also increase mission safety by providing an emergency supply of drinking water, where another supply is exhausted or contaminated. These technologies also increase safety by providing a lightweight backup to stored supplies, and they allow astronauts to meet daily drinking water requirements by recycling the water contained in their own urine. They also convert urine into concentrated brine that is biologically stable and nonthreatening, and can be safely stored onboard. This approach eliminates the need to have a dedicated vent to dump urine overboard. These needs are met by a system that provides a contaminant treatment pouch, referred to as a urine cell or contaminant cell, that converts urine or another liquid containing contaminants into a fortified drink, engineered to meet human hydration, electrolyte, and caloric requirements, using a variant of forward osmosis (FO) to draw water from a urine container into the concentrated fortified drink as part of a recycling stage. An activated carbon pretreatment removes most organic molecules. Salinity of the initial liquid mix (urine plus other) is synergistically used to enhance the precipitation of organic molecules so that activated carbon can remove most of the organics. A functional osmotic bag is then used to remove inorganic contaminants. If a contaminant is processed for which the saline content is different than optimal for precipitating organic molecules, the saline content of the liquid should be adjusted toward the optimal value for that contaminant. A first urine treatment method converts urine into a fortified sports drink, resembling Gatorade, using a first urine cell.

Multiple inorganic toxic substances contaminating the groundwater of Myingyan Township, Myanmar: arsenic, manganese, fluoride, iron, and uranium.

PubMed

Bacquart, Thomas; Frisbie, Seth; Mitchell, Erika; Grigg, Laurie; Cole, Christopher; Small, Colleen; Sarkar, Bibudhendra

2015-06-01

In South Asia, the technological and societal shift from drinking surface water to groundwater has resulted in a great reduction of acute diseases due to water borne pathogens. However, arsenic and other naturally occurring inorganic toxic substances present in groundwater in the region have been linked to a variety of chronic diseases, including cancers, heart disease, and neurological problems. Due to the highly specific symptoms of chronic arsenic poisoning, arsenic was the first inorganic toxic substance to be noticed at unsafe levels in the groundwater of West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. Subsequently, other inorganic toxic substances, including manganese, uranium, and fluoride have been found at unsafe levels in groundwater in South Asia. While numerous drinking water wells throughout Myanmar have been tested for arsenic, relatively little is known about the concentrations of other inorganic toxic substances in Myanmar groundwater. In this study, we analyzed samples from 18 drinking water wells (12 in Myingyan City and 6 in nearby Tha Pyay Thar Village) and 2 locations in the Ayeyarwaddy River for arsenic, boron, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, fluoride, iron, mercury, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, thallium, uranium, vanadium, and zinc. Concentrations of arsenic, manganese, fluoride, iron, or uranium exceeded health-based reference values in most wells. In addition, any given well usually contained more than one toxic substance at unsafe concentrations. While water testing and well sharing could reduce health risks, none of the wells sampled provide water that is entirely safe with respect to inorganic toxic substances. It is imperative that users of these wells, and users of other wells that have not been tested for multiple inorganic toxic substances throughout the region, be informed of the need for drinking water testing and the health consequences of drinking water contaminated with inorganic toxic substances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of Coagulation Technology for Removal of Arsenic: Case of Chile

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Coagulation technology has been used since 1970 in northern Chile for removing arsenic from drinking-water. This experience suggests that coagulation is an effective technology for the removal of arsenic. It is currently possible to reduce arsenic from 400 μg/L to 10 μg/L at a rate of 500 L/sec, assuming pH, oxidizing and coagulation agents are strictly controlled. The Chilean experience with the removal of arsenic demonstrates that the water matrix dictates the selection of the arsenic-removal process. This paper presents a summary of the process, concepts, and operational considerations for the use of coagulation technology for removal of arsenic in Chile. PMID:17366767

Innovations in nanotechnology for water treatment

PubMed Central

Gehrke, Ilka; Geiser, Andreas; Somborn-Schulz, Annette

2015-01-01

Important challenges in the global water situation, mainly resulting from worldwide population growth and climate change, require novel innovative water technologies in order to ensure a supply of drinking water and reduce global water pollution. Against this background, the adaptation of highly advanced nanotechnology to traditional process engineering offers new opportunities in technological developments for advanced water and wastewater technology processes. Here, an overview of recent advances in nanotechnologies for water and wastewater treatment processes is provided, including nanobased materials, such as nanoadsorbents, nanometals, nanomembranes, and photocatalysts. The beneficial properties of these materials as well as technical barriers when compared with conventional processes are reported. The state of commercialization is presented and an outlook on further research opportunities is given for each type of nanobased material and process. In addition to the promising technological enhancements, the limitations of nanotechnology for water applications, such as laws and regulations as well as potential health risks, are summarized. The legal framework according to nanoengineered materials and processes that are used for water and wastewater treatment is considered for European countries and for the USA. PMID:25609931

Surveillance for waterborne disease outbreaks associated with drinking water---United States, 2007--2008.

PubMed

Brunkard, Joan M; Ailes, Elizabeth; Roberts, Virginia A; Hill, Vincent; Hilborn, Elizabeth D; Craun, Gunther F; Rajasingham, Anu; Kahler, Amy; Garrison, Laurel; Hicks, Lauri; Carpenter, Joe; Wade, Timothy J; Beach, Michael J; Yoder Msw, Jonathan S

2011-09-23

Since 1971, CDC, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have collaborated on the Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System (WBDOSS) for collecting and reporting data related to occurrences and causes of waterborne disease outbreaks associated with drinking water. This surveillance system is the primary source of data concerning the scope and health effects of waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States. Data presented summarize 48 outbreaks that occurred during January 2007--December 2008 and 70 previously unreported outbreaks. WBDOSS includes data on outbreaks associated with drinking water, recreational water, water not intended for drinking (WNID) (excluding recreational water), and water use of unknown intent (WUI). Public health agencies in the states, U.S. territories, localities, and Freely Associated States are primarily responsible for detecting and investigating outbreaks and reporting them voluntarily to CDC by a standard form. Only data on outbreaks associated with drinking water, WNID (excluding recreational water), and WUI are summarized in this report. Outbreaks associated with recreational water are reported separately. A total of 24 states and Puerto Rico reported 48 outbreaks that occurred during 2007--2008. Of these 48 outbreaks, 36 were associated with drinking water, eight with WNID, and four with WUI. The 36 drinking water--associated outbreaks caused illness among at least 4,128 persons and were linked to three deaths. Etiologic agents were identified in 32 (88.9%) of the 36 drinking water--associated outbreaks; 21 (58.3%) outbreaks were associated with bacteria, five (13.9%) with viruses, three (8.3%) with parasites, one (2.8%) with a chemical, one (2.8%) with both bacteria and viruses, and one (2.8%) with both bacteria and parasites. Four outbreaks (11.1%) had unidentified etiologies. Of the 36 drinking water--associated outbreaks, 22 (61.1%) were outbreaks of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI), 12 (33.3%) were outbreaks of acute respiratory illness (ARI), one (2.8%) was an outbreak associated with skin irritation, and one (2.8%) was an outbreak of hepatitis. All outbreaks of ARI were caused by Legionella spp. A total of 37 deficiencies were identified in the 36 outbreaks associated with drinking water. Of the 37 deficiencies, 22 (59.5%) involved contamination at or in the source water, treatment facility, or distribution system; 13 (35.1%) occurred at points not under the jurisdiction of a water utility; and two (5.4%) had unknown/insufficient deficiency information. Among the 21 outbreaks associated with source water, treatment, or distribution system deficiencies, 13 (61.9%) were associated with untreated ground water, six (28.6%) with treatment deficiencies, one (4.8%) with a distribution system deficiency, and one (4.8%) with both a treatment and a distribution system deficiency. No outbreaks were associated with untreated surface water. Of the 21 outbreaks, 16 (76.2%) occurred in public water systems (drinking water systems under the jurisdiction of EPA regulations and water utility management), and five (23.8%) outbreaks occurred in individual systems (all of which were associated with untreated ground water). Among the 13 outbreaks with deficiencies not under the jurisdiction of a water system, 12 (92.3%) were associated with the growth of Legionella spp. in the drinking water system, and one (7.7%) was associated with a plumbing deficiency. In the two outbreaks with unknown deficiencies, one was associated with a public water supply, and the other was associated with commercially bottled water. The 70 previously unreported outbreaks included 69 Legionella outbreaks during 1973--2000 that were not reportable previously to WBDOSS and one previously unreported outbreak from 2002. More than half of the drinking water--associated outbreaks reported during the 2007--2008 surveillance period were associated with untreated or inadequately treated ground water, indicating that contamination of ground water remains a public health problem. The majority of these outbreaks occurred in public water systems that are subject to EPA's new Ground Water Rule (GWR), which requires the majority of community water systems to complete initial sanitary surveys by 2012. The GWR focuses on identification of deficiencies, protection of wells and springs from contamination, and providing disinfection when necessary to protect against bacterial and viral agents. In addition, several drinking water--associated outbreaks that were related to contaminated ground water appeared to occur in systems that were potentially under the influence of surface water. Future efforts to collect data systematically on contributing factors associated with drinking water outbreaks and deficiencies, including identification of ground water under the direct influence of surface water and the criteria used for their classification, would be useful to better assess risks associated with ground water. During 2007--2008, Legionella was the most frequently reported etiology among drinking water--associated outbreaks, following the pattern observed since it was first included in WBDOSS in 2001. However, six (50%) of the 12 drinking water--associated Legionella outbreaks were reported from one state, highlighting the substantial variance in outbreak detection and reporting across states and territories. The addition of published and CDC-investigated legionellosis outbreaks to the WBDOSS database clarifies that Legionella is not a new public health issue. During 2009, Legionella was added to EPA's Contaminant Candidate List for the first time. CDC and EPA use WBDOSS surveillance data to identify the types of etiologic agents, deficiencies, water systems, and sources associated with waterborne disease outbreaks and to evaluate the adequacy of current technologies and practices for providing safe drinking water. Surveillance data also are used to establish research priorities, which can lead to improved water quality regulation development. Approximately two thirds of the outbreaks associated with untreated ground water reported during the 2007--2008 surveillance period occurred in public water systems. When fully implemented, the GWR that was promulgated in 2006 is expected to result in decreases in ground water outbreaks, similar to the decreases observed in surface water outbreaks after enactment of the Surface Water Treatment Rule in 1974 and its subsequent amendments. One third of drinking water--associated outbreaks occurred in building premise plumbing systems outside the jurisdiction of water utility management and EPA regulations; Legionella spp. accounted for >90% of these outbreaks, indicating that greater attention is needed to reduce the risk for legionellosis in building plumbing systems. Finally, a large communitywide drinking water outbreak occurred in 2008 in a public water system associated with a distribution system deficiency, underscoring the importance of maintaining and upgrading drinking water distribution system infrastructure to provide safe water and protect public health.

TYPES OF ARSENIC AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Presentation will discuss the state-of-the-art technology for removal of arsenic from drinking water. Presentation includes results of several EPA field studies on removal of arsenic from existing arsenic removal plants and key results from several EPA sponsored research studies...

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water.

PubMed

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-03

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities.

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water

PubMed Central

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-01

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities. PMID:28054956

Application of solar disinfection for treatment of contaminated public water supply in a developing country: field observations.

PubMed

Mustafa, Atif; Scholz, Miklas; Khan, Sadia; Ghaffar, Abdul

2013-03-01

A sustainable and low-cost point-of-use household drinking water solar disinfection (SODIS) technology was successfully applied to treat microbiologically contaminated water. Field experiments were conducted to determine the efficiency of SODIS and evaluate the potential benefits and limitations of SODIS under local climatic conditions in Karachi, Pakistan. In order to enhance the efficiency of SODIS, the application of physical interventions were also investigated. Twenty per cent of the total samples met drinking water guidelines under strong sunlight weather conditions, showing that SODIS is effective for complete disinfection under specific conditions. Physical interventions, including black-backed and reflecting rear surfaces in the batch reactors, enhanced SODIS performance. Microbial regrowth was also investigated and found to be more controlled in reactors with reflective and black-backed surfaces. The transfer of plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) released from the bottle material polyethylene terephthalate (PET) under SODIS conditions was also investigated. The maximum DEHP concentration in SODIS-treated water was 0.38 μg/L less than the value of 0.71 μg/L reported in a previous study and well below the WHO drinking-quality guideline value. Thus SODIS-treated water can successfully be used by the people living in squatter settlements of mega-cities, such as Karachi, with some limitations.

A review of polymeric membranes and processes for potable water reuse

PubMed Central

Warsinger, David M.; Chakraborty, Sudip; Tow, Emily W.; Plumlee, Megan H.; Bellona, Christopher; Loutatidou, Savvina; Karimi, Leila; Mikelonis, Anne M.; Achilli, Andrea; Ghassemi, Abbas; Padhye, Lokesh P.; Snyder, Shane A.; Curcio, Stefano; Vecitis, Chad; Arafat, Hassan A.; Lienhard, John H.

2018-01-01

Conventional water resources in many regions are insufficient to meet the water needs of growing populations, thus reuse is gaining acceptance as a method of water supply augmentation. Recent advancements in membrane technology have allowed for the reclamation of municipal wastewater for the production of drinking water, i.e., potable reuse. Although public perception can be a challenge, potable reuse is often the least energy-intensive method of providing additional drinking water to water stressed regions. A variety of membranes have been developed that can remove water contaminants ranging from particles and pathogens to dissolved organic compounds and salts. Typically, potable reuse treatment plants use polymeric membranes for microfiltration or ultrafiltration in conjunction with reverse osmosis and, in some cases, nanofiltration. Membrane properties, including pore size, wettability, surface charge, roughness, thermal resistance, chemical stability, permeability, thickness and mechanical strength, vary between membranes and applications. Advancements in membrane technology including new membrane materials, coatings, and manufacturing methods, as well as emerging membrane processes such as membrane bioreactors, electrodialysis, and forward osmosis have been developed to improve selectivity, energy consumption, fouling resistance, and/or capital cost. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the role of polymeric membranes in the treatment of wastewater to potable water quality and highlight recent advancements in separation processes. Beyond membranes themselves, this review covers the background and history of potable reuse, and commonly used potable reuse process chains, pretreatment steps, and advanced oxidation processes. Key trends in membrane technology include novel configurations, materials and fouling prevention techniques. Challenges still facing membrane-based potable reuse applications, including chemical and biological contaminant removal, membrane fouling, and public perception, are highlighted as areas in need of further research and development. PMID:29937599

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER: PHASE 1-ADI PILOT TEST UNIT NO. 2002-09 WITH MEDIA G2®

EPA Science Inventory

Integrity verification testing of the ADI International Inc. Pilot Test Unit No. 2002-09 with MEDIA G2® arsenic adsorption media filter system was conducted at the Hilltown Township Water and Sewer Authority (HTWSA) Well Station No. 1 in Sellersville, Pennsylvania from October 8...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF PARTICULATE CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER: POLYMEM UF 120 S2 ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANE MODULE, LUXENBURG, WISCONSIN

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the Polymem UF120 S2 Ultrafiltration Membrane Module was conducted over a 46-day period at the Green Bay Water Utility Filtration Plant, Luxemburg, Wisconsin. The ETV testing described herein was funded in conjunction with a 12-month membrane pilot study f...

Comparative assessment of the environmental sustainability of existing and emerging perchlorate treatment technologies for drinking water.

PubMed

Choe, Jong Kwon; Mehnert, Michelle H; Guest, Jeremy S; Strathmann, Timothy J; Werth, Charles J

2013-05-07

Environmental impacts of conventional and emerging perchlorate drinking water treatment technologies were assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA). Comparison of two ion exchange (IX) technologies (i.e., nonselective IX with periodic regeneration using brines and perchlorate-selective IX without regeneration) at an existing plant shows that brine is the dominant contributor for nonselective IX, which shows higher impact than perchlorate-selective IX. Resource consumption during the operational phase comprises >80% of the total impacts. Having identified consumables as the driving force behind environmental impacts, the relative environmental sustainability of IX, biological treatment, and catalytic reduction technologies are compared more generally using consumable inputs. The analysis indicates that the environmental impacts of heterotrophic biological treatment are 2-5 times more sensitive to influent conditions (i.e., nitrate/oxygen concentration) and are 3-14 times higher compared to IX. However, autotrophic biological treatment is most environmentally beneficial among all. Catalytic treatment using carbon-supported Re-Pd has a higher (ca. 4600 times) impact than others, but is within 0.9-30 times the impact of IX with a newly developed ligand-complexed Re-Pd catalyst formulation. This suggests catalytic reduction can be competitive with increased activity. Our assessment shows that while IX is an environmentally competitive, emerging technologies also show great promise from an environmental sustainability perspective.

Handbook for the Institutional and Financial Implementation of Water Utilities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-01

water . From a public health standpoint, water is necessary for drinking and sanitation. While public drinking water use aver- ages approximately 5 pints a... water . Domestic water includes that water furnished to homes, hotels, apartments, etc., for sanitary, drinking , washing, and other purposes. This use...with establishing Primary Drinking Water Standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-523) for all public

Relationship between drinking water and toenail arsenic concentrations among a cohort of Nova Scotians.

PubMed

Yu, Zhijie M; Dummer, Trevor J B; Adams, Aimee; Murimboh, John D; Parker, Louise

2014-01-01

Consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water is associated with increased cancer risk. The relationship between arsenic body burden, such as concentrations in human toenails, and arsenic in drinking water is not fully understood. We evaluated the relationship between arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings among a cohort of Nova Scotians. A total of 960 men and women aged 35 to 69 years provided home drinking water and toenail clipping samples. Information on water source and treatment use and covariables was collected through questionnaires. Arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings and anthropometric indices were measured. Private drilled water wells had higher arsenic concentrations compared with other dug wells and municipal drinking water sources (P<0.001). Among participants with drinking water arsenic levels ≥1 μg/l, there was a significant relationship between drinking water and toenail arsenic concentrations (r=0.46, P<0.0001). Given similar levels of arsenic exposure from drinking water, obese individuals had significantly lower concentrations of arsenic in toenails compared with those with a normal weight. Private drilled water wells were an important source of arsenic exposure in the study population. Body weight modifies the relationship between drinking water arsenic exposure and toenail arsenic concentrations.

Comparison and Cost Analysis of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Requirements versus Practice in Seven Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Crocker, Jonny; Bartram, Jamie

2014-01-01

Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country’s ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states), Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries. PMID:25046632

A prototype for communitising technology: Development of a smart salt water desalination device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakharuddin, F. M.; Fatchurrohman, N.; Puteh, S.; Puteri, H. M. A. R.

2018-04-01

Desalination is defined as the process that removes minerals from saline water or commonly known as salt water. Seawater desalination is becoming an attractive source of drinking water in coastal states as the costs for desalination declines. The purpose of this study is to develop a small scale desalination device and able to do an analysis of the process flow by using suitable sensors. Thermal technology was used to aid the desalination process. A graphical user interface (GUI) for the interface was made to enable the real time data analysis of the desalination device. ArduinoTM microcontroller was used in this device in order to develop an automatic device.

Potential of Nanotechnology based water treatment solutions for the improvement of drinking water supplies in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Joydeep; Bhattacharya, Prosun; Bundschuh, Jochen

2016-04-01

Over the last decades explosive population growth in the world has led to water scarcity across the globe putting additional pressure already scarce ground water resources and is pushing scientists and researchers to come up with new alternatives to monitor and treat water for use by mankind and for food security. Nearly 4 billion people around the world are known to lack access to clean water supply. Systematic water quality data is important for the assessment of health risks as well as for developing appropriate and affordable technologies for waste and drinking water treatments, and long-term decision making policy against water quality management. Traditional water treatment technologies are generally chemical-intensive processes requiring extremely large infrastructural support thus limiting their effective applications in developing nations which creates an artificial barrier to the application of technological solutions for the provision of clean water. Nanotechnology-based systems are in retrospect, smaller, energy and resource efficient. Economic impact assessment of the implementation of nanotechnology in water treatment and studies on cost-effectiveness and environmental and social impacts is of key importance prior to its wide spread acceptance. Government agencies and inter-governmental bodies driving research and development activities need to measure the effective potential of nanotechnology as a solution to global water challenges in order to effectively engage in fiscal, economic and social issues at national and international levels for different types of source waters with new national and international initiatives on nanotechnology and water need to be launched. Environmental pollution and industrialization in global scale is further leading to pollution of available water sources and thus hygienically friendly purification technologies are the need of the hour. Thus cost-effective treatment of pollutants for the transformation of hazardous substances into benign forms that can potentially be addressed through Nanotechnology based filters utilizing photocatalytic or electrocatalytic systems could be further explored. Development of these techniques together with other superadsorbants would make it possible to install delocalized systems with very little capital investment and operation and maintenance costs suitable for installation in less developed countries.

[Geographic distribution and exposure population of drinking water with high concentration of arsenic in China].

PubMed

Zhang, L; Chen, C

1997-09-01

According to the data obtained from the "National Survey on Drinking Water Quality and Waterborne Diseases", the geographic distribution and exposure population of high arsenic drinking water were reported. From the data of more than 28,800 water samples, we found 9.02 million people drinking the water with As concentration of 0.030-0.049 mg/L, 3.34 million people having their water of 0.050-0.099 mg/L and 2.29 million people having water of > 0.1 mg/L. A total of 14.6 million people, about 1.5% of the surveyed population was exposed to As (> 0.030 mg/L) from drinking water. 80% of high-As-drinking water was groundwater. The situation of As in drinking water in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities were listed. The locations of sampling site where water As exceeded the national standard for drinking water were illustrated.

Hydrogeochemical contrast between brown and grey sand aquifers in shallow depth of Bengal Basin: consequences for sustainable drinking water supply.

PubMed

Biswas, Ashis; Nath, Bibhash; Bhattacharya, Prosun; Halder, Dipti; Kundu, Amit K; Mandal, Ujjal; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Chatterjee, Debashis; Mörth, Carl-Magnus; Jacks, Gunnar

2012-08-01

Delineation of safe aquifer(s) that can be targeted by cheap drilling technology for tubewell (TW) installation becomes highly imperative to ensure access to safe and sustainable drinking water sources for the arsenic (As) affected population in Bengal Basin. This study investigates the potentiality of brown sand aquifers (BSA) as a safe drinking water source by characterizing its hydrogeochemical contrast to grey sand aquifers (GSA) within shallow depth (<70 m) over an area of 100 km(2) in Chakdaha Block of Nadia district, West Bengal, India. The results indicate that despite close similarity in major ion composition, the redox condition is markedly different in groundwater of the two studied aquifers. The redox condition in the BSA is delineated to be Mn oxy-hydroxide reducing, not sufficiently lowered for As mobilization into groundwater. In contrast, the enrichments of NH(4)(+), PO(4)(3-), Fe and As along with lower Eh in groundwater of GSA reflect reductive dissolution of Fe oxy-hydroxide coupled to microbially mediated oxidation of organic matter as the prevailing redox process causing As mobilization into groundwater of this aquifer type. In some portions of GSA the redox status even has reached to the stage of SO(4)(2-) reduction, which to some extent might sequester dissolved As from groundwater by co-precipitation with authigenic pyrite. Despite having low concentration of As in groundwater of the BSA the concentration of Mn often exceeds the drinking water guidelines, which warrants rigorous assessment of attendant health risk for Mn prior to considering mass scale exploitation of the BSA for possible sustainable drinking water supply. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alternative Options for Safe Drinking Water in Arsenic and Salinity Affected Bornal-Iliasabad Union of Kalia Upazila, Narail District, Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, M. M.; Hasan, M. A.; Ahmed, K. M.; Nawrin, N.

2016-12-01

The study area, Bornal-Ilisabad union, Kalia, Narail is one of the most vulnerable areas of Bangladesh in terms of access to safe drinking water. Shallow groundwater of this area is highly arsenic contaminated (mostly >500 μg/L) and deep groundwater is saline (EC ranges 1 to 8 mS/cm). Local communities rely on rainwater for drinking and cooking purposes during the monsoon and rest of the year they use surface water from pond which are mostly polluted. In areas where surface water is not available people are compelled to use arsenic contaminated groundwater and thus exposing themselves to serious health hazard. Principal objective of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and subsurface arsenic removal (SAR) technology in mitigating groundwater salinity and arsenic, to provide alternative sources of safe water. Surface water (pond water) and rainwater collected from roof top are used as source water to be recharged into the target aquifer for the MAR system. Source water is filtered through a sand filtration unit to remove turbidity and microorganisms before recharging through infiltration wells. For SAR system, on the other hand, a certain volume (2000L) of groundwater is abstracted from the target aquifer and then aerated for about half an hour to saturate with oxygen. The oxygenated water is injected into the aquifer and kept there for 6-8 hours and then abstracted for use. The MAR system constructed in the study area is found very effective in reducing groundwater salinity. The electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater of MAR system has been reduced 72-81% from the initial EC value of 3.4 mS/cm. A significant improvement in groundwater arsenic and iron concentration is also observed. The system is yielding groundwater with arsenic within permissible limit of Bangladesh drinking water standard (50 μg/L) which was 100 μg/L before introduction of MAR system. The SAR system is also found effective in reducing groundwater arsenic below 50 μg/L form the initial concentration of 100 μg/L. The system is now capable of yielding about 1500L of low arsenic and low iron concentrated water per cycle injection of aerated water which is 70- 80% of the injected volume (2000L). Alternative technology MAR and SAR can be applied extensively in the study area for improving safe water access.

Water Quality Index for measuring drinking water quality in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Akter, Tahera; Jhohura, Fatema Tuz; Akter, Fahmida; Chowdhury, Tridib Roy; Mistry, Sabuj Kanti; Dey, Digbijoy; Barua, Milan Kanti; Islam, Md Akramul; Rahman, Mahfuzar

2016-02-09

Public health is at risk due to chemical contaminants in drinking water which may have immediate health consequences. Drinking water sources are susceptible to pollutants depending on geological conditions and agricultural, industrial, and other man-made activities. Ensuring the safety of drinking water is, therefore, a growing problem. To assess drinking water quality, we measured multiple chemical parameters in drinking water samples from across Bangladesh with the aim of improving public health interventions. In this cross-sectional study conducted in 24 randomly selected upazilas, arsenic was measured in drinking water in the field using an arsenic testing kit and a sub-sample was validated in the laboratory. Water samples were collected to test water pH in the laboratory as well as a sub-sample of collected drinking water was tested for water pH using a portable pH meter. For laboratory testing of other chemical parameters, iron, manganese, and salinity, drinking water samples were collected from 12 out of 24 upazilas. Drinking water at sample sites was slightly alkaline (pH 7.4 ± 0.4) but within acceptable limits. Manganese concentrations varied from 0.1 to 5.5 mg/L with a median value of 0.2 mg/L. The median iron concentrations in water exceeded WHO standards (0.3 mg/L) at most of the sample sites and exceeded Bangladesh standards (1.0 mg/L) at a few sample sites. Salinity was relatively higher in coastal districts. After laboratory confirmation, arsenic concentrations were found higher in Shibchar (Madaripur) and Alfadanga (Faridpur) compared to other sample sites exceeding WHO standard (0.01 mg/L). Of the total sampling sites, 33 % had good-quality water for drinking based on the Water Quality Index (WQI). However, the majority of the households (67 %) used poor-quality drinking water. Higher values of iron, manganese, and arsenic reduced drinking water quality. Awareness raising on chemical contents in drinking water at household level is required to improve public health.

Disclosure of the quackery: testing of the bactericidal action of products based on the "hydronic" technology ("informed glass") on ATCC strains of Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enteritidis and Candida albicans.

PubMed

Aleksandar, Racz; Josip, Cipriš; Olivera, Petrak

2011-01-01

To disclose a quackery called "revitalisation of tired water by hydronic technology", scientific experiments have been conducted with drinking water kept in "ordinary, everyday-use" drinking glasses and so-called 'informed' glasses, a patent-protected product supposed to have an effect on the "structure, vitality and memory of water". Drinking "informed" water is claimed to have a wide range of positive revitalising health effects (blue informed glass), to facilitate weight loss (red informed glass) and to have a stress-relieving action (green informed glass). Allegedly, by the use of the "orgon methodology", information is coded into the glass, which action is additionally enforced by the addition of the "magic life" symbol - a specially designed energy condenser which, together with the selected information, is permanently introduced into the liquid contained in the glass. Since the manufacturer claimed the products to have a broad bactericidal action, regardless of the external conditions and completely independent from additional factor that would lead to the activation of the system, the efficacy of the informed drinking glass was tested using standardised, microbiological tests. Respecting the principle of a single-blind test for each of 5 samples of each type of the informed glass, growth reduction factor (RF) (difference log cfu/ml - colony per unit/ml of control glass and log cfu/ml of each informed glass) was determined after 0,2,4,6 and 8 h in spring water experimentally contaminated with standardised ATCC strains of two types of bacteria and one yeast. The results showed a statistically significant bactericidal action of the blue informed glass with all strains-Enterococcus faecalis (RF 0.62/0.76), Salmonella enteritidis (RF 0.87/0.97), and Candida albicans (RF 0.5/0.60) - as opposed to the red and green glasses where this effect was negligible (RF < 0.1). However, when the tests were repeated in complete darkness, none of the three informed glasses showed any bactericidal action. The obtained results indicate a fraud: bactericidal effect is rather a result of photocatalytic action of a hidden component used on purpose in the production of glass or subsequently applied by the use of nanotechnology (possibly antimony trioxide or titanium oxide) than of the so-called "orgon and hydronic technology".

Ammonia pollution characteristics of centralized drinking water sources in China.

PubMed

Fu, Qing; Zheng, Binghui; Zhao, Xingru; Wang, Lijing; Liu, Changming

2012-01-01

The characteristics of ammonia in drinking water sources in China were evaluated during 2005-2009. The spatial distribution and seasonal changes of ammonia in different types of drinking water sources of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 municipalities were investigated. The levels of ammonia in drinking water sources follow the order of river > lake/reservoir > groundwater. The levels of ammonia concentration in river sources gradually decreased from 2005 to 2008, while no obvious change was observed in the lakes/reservoirs and groundwater drinking water sources. The proportion of the type of drinking water sources is different in different regions. In river drinking water sources, the ammonia level was varied in different regions and changed seasonally. The highest value and wide range of annual ammonia was found in South East region, while the lowest value was found in Southwest region. In lake/reservoir drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were not varied obviously in different regions. In underground drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were varied obviously in different regions due to the geological permeability and the natural features of regions. In the drinking water sources with higher ammonia levels, there are enterprises and wastewater drainages in the protected areas of the drinking water sources.

Inactivation of Microbiological Contaminants in Drinking Water by Ultraviolet Light Technology: NeoTech Aqua Solutions, Inc.; Ultraviolet Water Treatment System, NeoTech D438™ (Report and VS)

EPA Science Inventory

The NeoTech Aqua Solutions, Inc. D438™ UV Water Treatment System was tested to validate the UV dose delivered by the system using biodosimetry and a set line approach. The set line for 40 mJ/cm2 measured Reduction Equivalent Dose (RED) was based on validation testing at three (3)...

Small Drinking Water System Initiative | Drinking Water in New ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Reliable, safe, high quality drinking water is essential to sustaining our communities. Approximately 90% of New England's drinking water systems - about 10,000 systems - are small and most use ground water sources.

Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water

MedlinePlus

... Water and Drinking Water Contact Us Share Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water Have a question ... Related Information from Other Federal Government Agencies General Information about Lead in Drinking Water How Lead Gets ...

Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about Secondary Drinking Water Regulations for nuisance chemicals contained in some drinking water. They are established only as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthetic considerations.

Performance of conventional multi-barrier drinking water treatment plants for the removal of four artificial sweeteners.

PubMed

Scheurer, Marco; Storck, Florian R; Brauch, Heinz-J; Lange, Frank T

2010-06-01

Due to incomplete removal of artificial sweeteners in wastewater treatment plants some of these compounds end up in receiving surface waters, which are used for drinking water production. The sum of removal efficiency of single treatment steps in multi-barrier treatment systems affects the concentrations of these compounds in the provided drinking water. This is the first systematic study revealing the effectiveness of single treatment steps in laboratory experiments and in waterworks. Six full-scale waterworks using surface water influenced raw water were sampled up to ten times to study the fate of acesulfame, saccharin, cyclamate and sucralose. For the most important treatment technologies the results were confirmed by laboratory batch experiments. Saccharin and cyclamate proved to play a minor role for drinking water treatment plants as they were eliminated by nearly 100% in all waterworks with biologically active treatment units like river bank filtration (RBF) or artificial groundwater recharge. Acesulfame and sucralose were not biodegraded during RBF and their suitability as wastewater tracers under aerobic conditions was confirmed. Sucralose proved to be persistent against ozone and its transformation was < 20% in lab and field investigations. Remaining traces were completely removed by subsequent granular activated carbon (GAC) filters. Acesulfame readily reacts with ozone (pseudo first-order rate constant k = 1.3 x 10(-3) s(-1) at 1 mg L(-1) ozone concentration). However, the applied ozone concentrations and contact times under typical waterworks conditions only led to an incomplete removal (18-60%) in the ozonation step. Acesulfame was efficiently removed by subsequent GAC filters with a low throughput of less than 30 m(3) kg(-1), but removal strongly depended on the GAC preload. Thus, acesulfame was detected up to 0.76 microg L(-1) in finished water. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

White Sands Missile Range 2011 Drinking Water Quality Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

This Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, or the Consumer Confi dence Report, is required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The SDWA ensures...public drinking water systems meet national standards for the protection of your health. This report provides details about where your water comes...NMED). WSMR tap water meets all EPA and NMED drinking water standards. What is This Water Quality Report? Este informe contiene informacion importante

New England Drinking Water Program | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Information on Drinking Water in New England. Major Topics covered include: Conservation, Private Wells, Preventing Contamination, Drinking Water Sources, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Drinking Water Awards.

Solar disinfection of water reduces diarrhoeal disease: an update

PubMed Central

Conroy, R.; Meegan, M. E.; Joyce, T.; McGuigan, K.; Barnes, J.

1999-01-01

349 Maasai children younger than 6 years old were randomised by alternate household to drink water either left in plastic bottles exposed to sunlight on the roof of the house or kept indoors (control). The trial was run in Maasai by Maasai community elders. Children drinking solar disinfected water had a significantly lower risk of severe diarrhoeal disease over 8705 two weekly follow up visits; two week period prevalence was 48.8% compared with 58.1% in controls, corresponding to an attributable fraction of 16.0%. While this reduction is modest, it was sustained over a year in free living children. It confirms solar disinfection as effective in vivo as a free, low technology, point of consumption method of improving water quality. The continuing use of solar disinfection by the community underlines the value of community participation in research.

 PMID:10490440

Modeled de facto reuse and contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water source waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nguyen, Thuy; Westerhoff, Paul; Furlong, Edward T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Batt, Angela L.; Mash, Heath E.; Schenck, Kathleen M.; Boone, J. Scott; Rice, Jacelyn; Glassmeyer, Susan T.

2018-01-01

De facto reuse is the percentage of drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intake potentially composed of effluent discharged from upstream wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results from grab samples and a De Facto Reuse in our Nation's Consumable Supply (DRINCS) geospatial watershed model were used to quantify contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) concentrations at DWTP intakes to qualitatively compare exposure risks obtained by the two approaches. Between nine and 71 CECs were detected in grab samples. The number of upstream WWTP discharges ranged from 0 to >1,000; comparative de facto reuse results from DRINCS ranged from <0.1 to 13% during average flow and >80% during lower streamflows. Correlation between chemicals detected and DRINCS modeling results were observed, particularly DWTPs withdrawing from midsize water bodies. This comparison advances the utility of DRINCS to identify locations of DWTPs for future CEC sampling and treatment technology testing.

Consumers' choice of drinking water: Is it dependent upon perceived quality, convenience, price and attitude?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Nabsiah Abdul; Cheng, Patrick Tan Foon; Abustan, Ismail; Nee, Goh Yen

2017-10-01

Tap water is one of the many sources of water that the public as consumers can choose for drinking. This study hypothesized that perceived quality, convenience, price and environmental attitude would determine consumers's choice of drinking water following the Attribution Theory as the underlying model. A survey was carried out on Malaysia's public at large. From 301 usable data, the PLS analysis revealed that only perceived quality, convenience and price attributed towards the public's choice of drinking water while attitude was not significant. The findings are beneficial for the water sector industry, particularly for drinking water operators, state governments, and alternative drinking water manufacturers like bottled water companies. The ability to identify factors for why consumers in the marketplace choose the source of their drinking water would enable the operators to plan and strategize tactics that can disseminate accurate knowledge about the product that can motivate marketability of drinking water in Malaysia.

Electro-chemical arsenic remediation: field trials in West Bengal.

PubMed

Amrose, Susan E; Bandaru, Siva R S; Delaire, Caroline; van Genuchten, Case M; Dutta, Amit; DebSarkar, Anupam; Orr, Christopher; Roy, Joyashree; Das, Abhijit; Gadgil, Ashok J

2014-08-01

Millions of people in rural South Asia are exposed to high levels of arsenic through groundwater used for drinking. Many deployed arsenic remediation technologies quickly fail because they are not maintained, repaired, accepted, or affordable. It is therefore imperative that arsenic remediation technologies be evaluated for their ability to perform within a sustainable and scalable business model that addresses these challenges. We present field trial results of a 600 L Electro-Chemical Arsenic Remediation (ECAR) reactor operating over 3.5 months in West Bengal. These results are evaluated through the lens of a community scale micro-utility business model as a potential sustainable and scalable safe water solution for rural communities in South Asia. We demonstrate ECAR's ability to consistently reduce arsenic concentrations of ~266 μg/L to <5 μg/L in real groundwater, simultaneously meeting the international standards for iron and aluminum in drinking water. ECAR operating costs (amortized capital plus consumables) are estimated as $0.83-$1.04/m(3) under realistic conditions. We discuss the implications of these results against the constraints of a sustainable and scalable business model to argue that ECAR is a promising technology to help provide a clean water solution in arsenic-affected areas of South Asia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

REGULATED CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Safe drinking water is critical to protecting human health. More than 260 million Americans rely on the safety of tap water provided by water systems that comply with national drinking water standards. EPA's strategy for ensuring safe drinking water includes four key elements, ...

An examination of the potential added value of water safety plans to the United States national drinking water legislation.

PubMed

Baum, Rachel; Amjad, Urooj; Luh, Jeanne; Bartram, Jamie

2015-11-01

National and sub-national governments develop and enforce regulations to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water in the United States (US) and countries worldwide. However, periodic contamination events, waterborne endemic illness and outbreaks of waterborne disease still occur, illustrating that delivery of safe drinking water is not guaranteed. In this study, we examined the potential added value of a preventive risk management approach, specifically, water safety plans (WSPs), in the US in order to improve drinking water quality. We undertook a comparative analysis between US drinking water regulations and WSP steps to analyze the similarities and differences between them, and identify how WSPs might complement drinking water regulations in the US. Findings show that US drinking water regulations and WSP steps were aligned in the areas of describing the water supply system and defining monitoring and controls. However, gaps exist between US drinking water regulations and WSPs in the areas of team procedures and training, internal risk assessment and prioritization, and management procedures and plans. The study contributes to understanding both required and voluntary drinking water management practices in the US and how implementing water safety plans could benefit water systems to improve drinking water quality and human health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

CONTROLLING ORGANICS WITH GAC: A COST AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

The amendments to the US Safe Drinking Water Act require extensive evaluation of the feasibility or removing organic compounds using granular activated carbon (GAC). To meet deadlines for this technology evaluation, the US Environmental Prtotection Agency has combined the use of ...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water - Web cast

EPA Science Inventory

Web cast presentation covered six topics: (1) Arsenic Chemistry, (2) Technology Selection/Arsenic Demonstration Program, (3) Case Study 1, (4) Caser Study 2, (5) Case Study 3, and (6) Media Regeneration Project. The presentation was considered a training session and consist of m...

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water - Web Cast Presentation

EPA Science Inventory

Web cast presentation covered six topics: 1), Arsenic Chemistry, 2), Technology Selection/Arsenic Demonstration Program, 3), Case Study 1, 4), Caser Study 2, 5), Case Study 3, and 6), Media Regeneration Project. The presentation was considered a training session and consist of m...

World Health Organization discontinues its drinking-water guideline for manganese.

PubMed

Frisbie, Seth H; Mitchell, Erika J; Dustin, Hannah; Maynard, Donald M; Sarkar, Bibudhendra

2012-06-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the fourth edition of Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality in July 2011. In this edition, the 400-µg/L drinking-water guideline for manganese (Mn) was discontinued with the assertion that because "this health-based value is well above concentrations of manganese normally found in drinking water, it is not considered necessary to derive a formal guideline value." In this commentary, we review the WHO guideline for Mn in drinking water--from its introduction in 1958 through its discontinuation in 2011. For the primary references, we used the WHO publications that documented the Mn guidelines. We used peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, published conference proceedings, and theses to identify countries with drinking water or potential drinking-water supplies exceeding 400 µg/L Mn and peer-reviewed journal articles to summarize the health effects of Mn. Drinking water or potential drinking-water supplies with Mn concentrations > 400 µg/L are found in a substantial number of countries worldwide. The drinking water of many tens of millions of people has Mn concentrations > 400 µg/L. Recent research on the health effects of Mn suggests that the earlier WHO guideline of 400 µg/L may have been too high to adequately protect public health. The toxic effects and geographic distribution of Mn in drinking-water supplies justify a reevaluation by the WHO of its decision to discontinue its drinking-water guideline for Mn.

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. Methods This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. Results The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. Conclusion This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period. PMID:22834485

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002-2009: a repeated cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wright, Jim A; Yang, Hong; Rivett, Ulrike; Gundry, Stephen W

2012-07-27

In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002-2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002-2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000-02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

The effect of drinking water quality on the health and longevity of people-A case study in Mayang, Hunan Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, J.; Yuan, F.

2017-08-01

Drinking water is an important source for trace elements intake into human body. Thus, the drinking water quality has a great impact on people’s health and longevity. This study aims to study the relationship between drinking water quality and human health and longevity. A longevity county Mayang in Hunan province, China was chosen as the study area. The drinking water and hair of local centenarians were collected and analyzed the chemical composition. The drinking water is weak alkaline and rich in the essential trace elements. The daily intakes of Ca, Cu, Fe, Se, Sr from drinking water for residents in Mayang were much higher than the national average daily intake from beverage and water. There was a positive correlation between Ni and Pb in drinking water and Ni and Pb in hair. There were significant correlations between Cu, K in drinking water and Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr in the hair at the 0.01 level. The concentrations of Mg, Sr, Se in drinking water showed extremely significant positive relation with two centenarian index 100/80% and 100/90% correlation. Essential trace elements in drinking water can be an important factor for local health and longevity.

Intravenous Fluid Generation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McQuillen, John; McKay, Terri; Brown, Daniel; Zoldak, John

2013-01-01

The ability to stabilize and treat patients on exploration missions will depend on access to needed consumables. Intravenous (IV) fluids have been identified as required consumables. A review of the Space Medicine Exploration Medical Condition List (SMEMCL) lists over 400 medical conditions that could present and require treatment during ISS missions. The Intravenous Fluid Generation System (IVGEN) technology provides the scalable capability to generate IV fluids from indigenous water supplies. It meets USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) standards. This capability was performed using potable water from the ISS; water from more extreme environments would need preconditioning. The key advantage is the ability to filter mass and volume, providing the equivalent amount of IV fluid: this is critical for remote operations or resource- poor environments. The IVGEN technology purifies drinking water, mixes it with salt, and transfers it to a suitable bag to deliver a sterile normal saline solution. Operational constraints such as mass limitations and lack of refrigeration may limit the type and volume of such fluids that can be carried onboard the spacecraft. In addition, most medical fluids have a shelf life that is shorter than some mission durations. Consequently, the objective of the IVGEN experiment was to develop, design, and validate the necessary methodology to purify spacecraft potable water into a normal saline solution, thus reducing the amount of IV fluids that are included in the launch manifest. As currently conceived, an IVGEN system for a space exploration mission would consist of an accumulator, a purifier, a mixing assembly, a salt bag, and a sterile bag. The accumulator is used to transfer a measured amount of drinking water from the spacecraft to the purifier. The purifier uses filters to separate any air bubbles that may have gotten trapped during the drinking water transfer from flowing through a high-quality deionizing cartridge that removes the impurities in the water before entering the salt bag and mixing with the salt to create a normal saline solution.

Safe drinking water production in rural areas: a comparison between developed and less developed countries.

PubMed

Cotruvo, J A; Trevant, C

2000-01-01

At the fundamental level, there are remarkable parallels between developed and less developed countries in problems of providing safe drinking water in rural areas, but of course, they differ greatly in degree and in the opportunities for resolution. Small water supplies frequently encounter difficulty accessing sufficient quantities of drinking water for all domestic uses. If the water must be treated for safety reasons, then treatment facilities and trained operating personnel and finances are always in short supply. Ideally, each solution should be sustainable within its own cultural, political and economic context, and preferably with local personnel and financial resources. Otherwise, the water supply will be continuously dependent on outside resources and thus will not be able to control its destiny, and its future will be questionable. The history of success in this regard has been inconsistent, particularly in less developed but also in some developed countries. The traditional and ideal solution in developing countries has been central water treatment and a piped distribution network, however, results have had a mixed history primarily due to high initial costs and operation and maintenance, inadequate access to training, management and finance sufficient to support a fairly complex system for the long term. These complete systems are also slow to be implemented so waterborne disease continues in the interim. Thus, non-traditional, creative, cost-effective practical solutions that can be more rapidly implemented are needed. Some of these options could involve: small package central treatment coupled with non piped distribution, e.g. community supplied bottled water; decentralized treatment for the home using basic filtration and/or disinfection; higher levels of technology to deal with chemical contaminants e.g. natural fluoride or arsenic. These technological options coupled with training, technical support and other essential elements like community commitment provide opportunities that should be explored both for rural small communities and in rapidly growing periurban areas in developing countries.

Hot Topics/New Initiatives | Drinking Water in New England ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Information on Drinking Water in New England. Major Topics covered include: Conservation, Private Wells, Preventing Contamination, Drinking Water Sources, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Drinking Water Awards.

Prevalence of exposure of heavy metals and their impact on health consequences.

PubMed

Rehman, Kanwal; Fatima, Fiza; Waheed, Iqra; Akash, Muhammad Sajid Hamid

2018-01-01

Even in the current era of growing technology, the concentration of heavy metals present in drinking water is still not within the recommended limits as set by the regulatory authorities in different countries of the world. Drinking water contaminated with heavy metals namely; arsenic, cadmium, nickel, mercury, chromium, zinc, and lead is becoming a major health concern for public and health care professionals. Occupational exposure to heavy metals is known to occur by the utilization of these metals in various industrial processes and/or contents including color pigments and alloys. However, the predominant source resulting in measurable human exposure to heavy metals is the consumption of contaminated drinking water and the resulting health issues may include cardiovascular disorders, neuronal damage, renal injuries, and risk of cancer and diabetes. The general mechanism involved in heavy metal-induced toxicity is recognized to be the production of reactive oxygen species resulting oxidative damage and health related adverse effects. Thus utilization of heavy metal-contaminated water is resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates all over the world. Thereby, feeling the need to raise the concerns about contribution of different heavy metals in various health related issues, this article has discussed the global contamination of drinking water with heavy metals to assess the health hazards associated with consumption of heavy metal-contaminated water. A relationship between exposure limits and ultimate responses produced as well as the major organs affected have been reviewed. Acute and chronic poisoning symptoms and mechanisms responsible for such toxicities have also been discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Drinking water quality management: a holistic approach.

PubMed

Rizak, S; Cunliffe, D; Sinclair, M; Vulcano, R; Howard, J; Hrudey, S; Callan, P

2003-01-01

A growing list of water contaminants has led to some water suppliers relying primarily on compliance monitoring as a mechanism for managing drinking water quality. While such monitoring is a necessary part of drinking water quality management, experiences with waterborne disease threats and outbreaks have shown that compliance monitoring for numerical limits is not, in itself, sufficient to guarantee the safety and quality of drinking water supplies. To address these issues, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has developed a Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality (the Framework) for incorporation in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, the primary reference on drinking water quality in Australia. The Framework was developed specifically for drinking water supplies and provides a comprehensive and preventive risk management approach from catchment to consumer. It includes holistic guidance on a range of issues considered good practice for system management. The Framework addresses four key areas: Commitment to Drinking Water Quality Management, System Analysis and System Management, Supporting Requirements, and Review. The Framework represents a significantly enhanced approach to the management and regulation of drinking water quality and offers a flexible and proactive means of optimising drinking water quality and protecting public health. Rather than the primary reliance on compliance monitoring, the Framework emphasises prevention, the importance of risk assessment, maintaining the integrity of water supply systems and application of multiple barriers to assure protection of public health. Development of the Framework was undertaken in collaboration with the water industry, regulators and other stakeholder, and will promote a common and unified approach to drinking water quality management throughout Australia. The Framework has attracted international interest.

The valuation of water quality: effects of mixing different drinking water qualities.

PubMed

Rygaard, Martin; Arvin, Erik; Binning, Philip J

2009-03-01

As water supplies increasingly turn to use desalination technologies it becomes relevant to consider the options for remineralization and blending with mineral rich water resources. We present a method for analyzing economic consequences due to changes in drinking water mineral content. Included impacts are cardiovascular diseases, dental caries, atopic eczema, lifetime of dish and clothes washing machines, heat exchangers, distribution systems, bottled water consumption and soap usage. The method includes an uncertainty assessment that ranks the impacts having the highest influence on the result and associated uncertainty. Effects are calculated for a scenario where 50% of Copenhagen's water supply is substituted by desalinated water. Without remineralization the total impact is expected to be negative (euro -0.44+/-0.2/m(3)) and individual impacts expected in the range of euro 0.01-0.51/m(3) delivered water. Health impacts have the highest contribution to impact size and uncertainty. With remineralization it is possible to reduce several negative impacts and the total impact is expected to be positive (euro 0.14+/-0.08/m(3)).

Removal of aluminum from drinking water treatment sludge using vacuum electrokinetic technology.

PubMed

Xu, Hang; Ding, Mingmei; Shen, Kunlun; Cui, Jianfeng; Chen, Wei

2017-04-01

A vacuum electrokinetic apparatus was operated at a municipal water supply plant in Wuxi, China to study the removal of aluminum from the plant's drinking water treatment sludge, high in trivalent aluminum content. The effect of several experimental variables (initial pH, potential gradient, and zone in the sludge tank) and the trivalent aluminum removal mechanism were analyzed. The speciation of trivalent aluminum mainly depends on the initial pH of drinking water treatment sludge, and more fractions of trivalent aluminum were migrated at pH 4 than at higher or lower pH. The application of high voltage can enhance the removal efficiency of aluminum. A three-dimensional electric field analysis explained the difference in the removal efficiency at different zones in the sludge tank. In view of energy consumption, when the initial pH was 4 and a potential gradient of 2 V cm -1 was applied, achieving a final aluminum concentration of 30 g kg -1 after 120 h. The specific energy consumption was 11.7 kWh kg -1 of Al removed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pollution of water sources and removal of pollutants by advanced drinking-water treatment in China.

PubMed

Wang, L; Wang, B

2000-01-01

The pollution of water resources and drinking water sources in China is described in this paper with basic data. About 90% of surface waters and over 60% of drinking water sources in urban areas have been polluted to different extents. The main pollutants present in drinking water sources are organic substances, ammonia nitrogen, phenols, pesticides and pathogenic micro-organisms, some of which cannot be removed effectively by the traditional water treatment processes like coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination, and the product water usually does not meet Chinese national drinking water standards, when polluted source water is treated. In some drinking-water plants in China, advanced treatment processes including activated carbon filtration and adsorption, ozonation, biological activated carbon and membrane separation have been employed for further treatment of the filtrate from a traditional treatment system producing unqualified drinking water, to make final product water meet the WHO guidelines and some developed countries' standards, as well as the Chinese national standards for drinking water. Some case studies of advanced water treatment plants are described in this paper as well.

Toxicological risk assessment and prioritization of drinking water relevant contaminants of emerging concern.

PubMed

Baken, Kirsten A; Sjerps, Rosa M A; Schriks, Merijn; van Wezel, Annemarie P

2018-06-13

Toxicological risk assessment of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in (sources of) drinking water is required to identify potential health risks and prioritize chemicals for abatement or monitoring. In such assessments, concentrations of chemicals in drinking water or sources are compared to either (i) health-based (statutory) drinking water guideline values, (ii) provisional guideline values based on recent toxicity data in absence of drinking water guidelines, or (iii) generic drinking water target values in absence of toxicity data. Here, we performed a toxicological risk assessment for 163 CEC that were selected as relevant for drinking water. This relevance was based on their presence in drinking water and/or groundwater and surface water sources in downstream parts of the Rhine and Meuse, in combination with concentration levels and physicochemical properties. Statutory and provisional drinking water guideline values could be derived from publically available toxicological information for 142 of the CEC. Based on measured concentrations it was concluded that the majority of substances do not occur in concentrations which individually pose an appreciable human health risk. A health concern could however not be excluded for vinylchloride, trichloroethene, bromodichloromethane, aniline, phenol, 2-chlorobenzenamine, mevinphos, 1,4-dioxane, and nitrolotriacetic acid. For part of the selected substances, toxicological risk assessment for drinking water could not be performed since either toxicity data (hazard) or drinking water concentrations (exposure) were lacking. In absence of toxicity data, the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) approach can be applied for screening level risk assessment. The toxicological information on the selected substances was used to evaluate whether drinking water target values based on existing TTC levels are sufficiently protective for drinking water relevant CEC. Generic drinking water target levels of 37 μg/L for Cramer class I substances and 4 μg/L for Cramer class III substances in drinking water were derived based on these CEC. These levels are in line with previously reported generic drinking water target levels based on original TTC values and are shown to be protective for health effects of the majority of contaminants of emerging concern evaluated in the present study. Since the human health impact of many chemicals appearing in the water cycle has been studied insufficiently, generic drinking water target levels are useful for early warning and prioritization of CEC with unknown toxicity in drinking water and its sources for future monitoring. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Your Drinking Water Source | Drinking Water in New England ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Local communities are responsible for protecting their community's drinking water, and as a citizen, you can directly affect the success or failure of your community's drinking water protection efforts.

Drinking cholera: salinity levels and palatability of drinking water in coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Grant, Stephen Lawrence; Tamason, Charlotte Crim; Hoque, Bilqis Amin; Jensen, Peter Kjaer Mackie

2015-04-01

To measure the salinity levels of common water sources in coastal Bangladesh and explore perceptions of water palatability among the local population to investigate the plausibility of linking cholera outbreaks in Bangladesh with ingestion of saline-rich cholera-infected river water. Hundred participants took part in a taste-testing experiment of water with varying levels of salinity. Salinity measurements were taken of both drinking and non-drinking water sources. Informal group discussions were conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of water sources and water uses. Salinity levels of non-drinking water sources suggest that the conditions for Vibrio cholerae survival exist 7-8 days within the local aquatic environment. However, 96% of participants in the taste-testing experiment reported that they would never drink water with salinity levels that would be conducive to V. cholerae survival. Furthermore, salinity levels of participant's drinking water sources were all well below the levels required for optimal survival of V. cholerae. Respondents explained that they preferred less salty and more aesthetically pleasing drinking water. Theoretically, V. cholerae can survive in the river systems in Bangladesh; however, water sources which have been contaminated with river water are avoided as potential drinking water sources. Furthermore, there are no physical connecting points between the river system and drinking water sources among the study population, indicating that the primary driver for cholera cases in Bangladesh is likely not through the contamination of saline-rich river water into drinking water sources. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Drinking Water Management and Governance in Canada: An Innovative Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Framework for a Safe Drinking Water Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bereskie, Ty; Rodriguez, Manuel J.; Sadiq, Rehan

2017-08-01

Drinking water management in Canada is complex, with a decentralized, three-tiered governance structure responsible for safe drinking water throughout the country. The current approach has been described as fragmented, leading to governance gaps, duplication of efforts, and an absence of accountability and enforcement. Although there have been no major waterborne disease outbreaks in Canada since 2001, a lack of performance improvement, especially in small drinking water systems, is evident. The World Health Organization water safety plan approach for drinking water management represents an alternative preventative management framework to the current conventional, reactive drinking water management strategies. This approach has seen successful implementation throughout the world and has the potential to address many of the issues with drinking water management in Canada. This paper presents a review and strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats analysis of drinking water management and governance in Canada at the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels. Based on this analysis, a modified water safety plan (defined as the plan-do-check-act (PDCA)-WSP framework) is proposed, established from water safety plan recommendations and the principles of PDCA for continuous performance improvement. This proposed framework is designed to strengthen current drinking water management in Canada and is designed to fit within and incorporate the existing governance structure.

Drinking Water Management and Governance in Canada: An Innovative Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Framework for a Safe Drinking Water Supply.

PubMed

Bereskie, Ty; Rodriguez, Manuel J; Sadiq, Rehan

2017-08-01

Drinking water management in Canada is complex, with a decentralized, three-tiered governance structure responsible for safe drinking water throughout the country. The current approach has been described as fragmented, leading to governance gaps, duplication of efforts, and an absence of accountability and enforcement. Although there have been no major waterborne disease outbreaks in Canada since 2001, a lack of performance improvement, especially in small drinking water systems, is evident. The World Health Organization water safety plan approach for drinking water management represents an alternative preventative management framework to the current conventional, reactive drinking water management strategies. This approach has seen successful implementation throughout the world and has the potential to address many of the issues with drinking water management in Canada. This paper presents a review and strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats analysis of drinking water management and governance in Canada at the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels. Based on this analysis, a modified water safety plan (defined as the plan-do-check-act (PDCA)-WSP framework) is proposed, established from water safety plan recommendations and the principles of PDCA for continuous performance improvement. This proposed framework is designed to strengthen current drinking water management in Canada and is designed to fit within and incorporate the existing governance structure.

Protecting health from metal exposures in drinking water.

PubMed

Armour, Margaret-Ann

2016-03-01

Drinking water is essential to us as human beings. According to the World Health Organization "The quality of drinking-water is a powerful environmental determinant of health" (http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/en/), but clean drinking water is a precious commodity not always readily available. Surface and ground water are the major sources of drinking water. Both can be contaminated, surface water with bacteria while ground water frequently contains salts of metals that occur naturally or are introduced by human activity. This paper will briefly review the metallic salts found in drinking water in areas around the world, as well as list some of the methods used to reduce or remove them. It will then discuss our research on reducing the risk of pollution of drinking water by removal of metal ions from wastewater.

Source Water Protection Basics

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Defines drinking water sources (source water), identifies drinking water sources, and describes source water assessments and protection, roles of government and organizations in drinking water source protection

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER: ADI INTERNATIONAL INC. ADI PILOT TEST UNIT NO. 2002-09 WITH MEDIA G2®; PHASE II

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the ADI International Inc. Unit No. 2002-09 with MEDIA G2® arsenic adsorption media filter system was conducted at the Hilltown Township Water and Sewer Authority (HTWSA) Well Station No. 1 in Sellersville, Pennsylvania from October 8, 2003 through May 28,...

An overview of advanced reduction processes for bromate removal from drinking water: Reducing agents, activation methods, applications and mechanisms.

PubMed

Xiao, Qian; Yu, Shuili; Li, Lei; Wang, Ting; Liao, Xinlei; Ye, Yubing

2017-02-15

Bromate (BrO 3 - ) is a possible human carcinogen regulated at a strict standard of 10μg/L in drinking water. Various techniques to eliminate BrO 3 - usually fall into three main categories: reducing bromide (Br - ) prior to formation of BrO 3 - , minimizing BrO 3 - formation during the ozonation process, and removing BrO 3 - from post-ozonation waters. However, the first two approaches exhibit low degradation efficiency and high treatment cost. The third workaround has obvious advantages, such as high reduction efficiency, more stable performance and easier combination with UV disinfection, and has therefore been widely implemented in water treatment. Recently, advanced reduction processes (ARPs), the photocatalysis of BrO 3 - , have attracted much attention due to improved performance. To increase the feasibility of photocatalytic systems, the focus of this work concerns new technological developments, followed by a summary of reducing agents, activation methods, operational parameters, and applications. The reaction mechanisms of two typical processes involving UV/sulfite homogeneous photocatalysis and UV/titanium dioxide heterogeneous photocatalysis are further summarized. The future research needs for ARPs to reach full-scale potential in drinking water treatment are suggested accordingly. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tribal Set-Aside Program of the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA), as amended in 1996, established the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to make funds available to drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements.

PFOA and PFOS: Treatment and Analytics

EPA Science Inventory

PFOA and PFOS are not regulated by the USEPA. However, in 2016, USEPA established a Lifetime Drinking Water Health Advisory limit of 70 ng/L for the combined concentration of PFOA and PFOS. This presentation will cover the available technologies that can treat for PFOA and PFOS...

REMOVAL OF ORGANIC CCL CONTAMINANTS FROM DRINKING WATERS BY MEMBRANE AND GAC PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

Bench-scale treatment data for membrane and granular activated carbon technologies are presented for the organic contaminants on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). For granular activated carbon (GAC), isotherm results are presented and q...

Water distribution system and diarrheal disease transmission: a case study in Uzbekistan.

PubMed

Semenza, J C; Roberts, L; Henderson, A; Bogan, J; Rubin, C H

1998-12-01

Deteriorating water treatment facilities and distribution systems pose a significant public health threat, particularly in republics of the former Soviet Union. Interventions to decrease the disease burden associated with these water systems range from upgrading distribution networks to installing reverse osmosis technology. To provide insight into this decision process, we conducted a randomized intervention study to provide epidemiologic data for water policy decisions in Nukus, Uzbekistan, where drinking water quality is suboptimal. We interviewed residents of 240 households, 120 with and 120 without access to municipal piped water. Residents of 62 households without piped water were trained to chlorinate their drinking water at home in a narrow-necked water container with a spout. All study subjects (1583 individuals) were monitored biweekly for self-reported diarrheal illness over a period of 9.5 weeks. The home chlorination intervention group had the lowest diarrheal rate (28.8/1,000 subjects/month) despite lack of access to piped water in their homes. Compared with the two groups that did not receive the intervention this rate was one-sixth that of the group with no piped water (179.2/1,000 subjects/month) and one-third that of the households with piped water (75.5/1,000 subjects/month). More than 30% of the households with piped water lacked detectable levels of chlorine residues in their drinking water, despite two-stage chlorination of the source water, and were at increased risk of diarrhea. Forty-two percent of these municipal users reported that water pressure had been intermittent within the previous two days. The dramatic reduction in diarrheal rates in the home-chlorination intervention group indicates that a large proportion of diarrheal diseases in Nukus are water-borne. The home-chlorination group had less diarrhea than the group with piped water, implicating the distribution system as a source of disease transmission. Taken together, these epidemiologic data would support the hypothesis that diarrhea in the piped water group could be attributed to cross-contamination between the municipal water supply and sewer, due to leaky pipes and lack of water pressure. Relatively inexpensive steps, including chlorination, maintaining water pressure, and properly maintaining the distribution system, rather than reverse osmosis technology, should reduce diarrheal rates.

[Study on the optimization of monitoring indicators of drinking water quality during health supervision].

PubMed

Ye, Bixiong; E, Xueli; Zhang, Lan

2015-01-01

To optimize non-regular drinking water quality indices (except Giardia and Cryptosporidium) of urban drinking water. Several methods including drinking water quality exceed the standard, the risk of exceeding standard, the frequency of detecting concentrations below the detection limit, water quality comprehensive index evaluation method, and attribute reduction algorithm of rough set theory were applied, redundancy factor of water quality indicators were eliminated, control factors that play a leading role in drinking water safety were found. Optimization results showed in 62 unconventional water quality monitoring indicators of urban drinking water, 42 water quality indicators could be optimized reduction by comprehensively evaluation combined with attribute reduction of rough set. Optimization of the water quality monitoring indicators and reduction of monitoring indicators and monitoring frequency could ensure the safety of drinking water quality while lowering monitoring costs and reducing monitoring pressure of the sanitation supervision departments.

Effects of Forest and Grassland Management On Drinking Water Quality for Public Water Supplies:A Review And Synthesis of the Scientific Literature - Review Draft

Treesearch

George E. Dissmeyer

1999-01-01

The Importance of Safe Public Drinking Water The United States Congress justified passing the Safe Drinking Water Amendments (SDWA) of 1996 (P. L. 104-182) by stating "safe drinking water is essential to the protection of public health".For 50 years the basic axiom for public health protection has been safe drinking water...

30 CFR 71.601 - Drinking water; quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Drinking water; quality. 71.601 Section 71.601... Water § 71.601 Drinking water; quality. (a) Potable water provided in accordance with the provisions of § 71.600 shall meet the applicable minimum health requirements for drinking water established by the...

30 CFR 71.602 - Drinking water; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Drinking water; distribution. 71.602 Section 71... Drinking Water § 71.602 Drinking water; distribution. (a) Water shall be piped or transported in sanitary containers. Water systems and appurtenances thereto shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with...

30 CFR 71.602 - Drinking water; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Drinking water; distribution. 71.602 Section 71... Drinking Water § 71.602 Drinking water; distribution. (a) Water shall be piped or transported in sanitary containers. Water systems and appurtenances thereto shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with...

30 CFR 71.601 - Drinking water; quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Drinking water; quality. 71.601 Section 71.601... Water § 71.601 Drinking water; quality. (a) Potable water provided in accordance with the provisions of § 71.600 shall meet the applicable minimum health requirements for drinking water established by the...

30 CFR 71.601 - Drinking water; quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Drinking water; quality. 71.601 Section 71.601... Water § 71.601 Drinking water; quality. (a) Potable water provided in accordance with the provisions of § 71.600 shall meet the applicable minimum health requirements for drinking water established by the...

30 CFR 71.602 - Drinking water; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Drinking water; distribution. 71.602 Section 71... Drinking Water § 71.602 Drinking water; distribution. (a) Water shall be piped or transported in sanitary containers. Water systems and appurtenances thereto shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with...

30 CFR 71.602 - Drinking water; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Drinking water; distribution. 71.602 Section 71... Drinking Water § 71.602 Drinking water; distribution. (a) Water shall be piped or transported in sanitary containers. Water systems and appurtenances thereto shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with...

30 CFR 71.602 - Drinking water; distribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Drinking water; distribution. 71.602 Section 71... Drinking Water § 71.602 Drinking water; distribution. (a) Water shall be piped or transported in sanitary containers. Water systems and appurtenances thereto shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with...

30 CFR 71.601 - Drinking water; quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Drinking water; quality. 71.601 Section 71.601... Water § 71.601 Drinking water; quality. (a) Potable water provided in accordance with the provisions of § 71.600 shall meet the applicable minimum health requirements for drinking water established by the...

30 CFR 71.601 - Drinking water; quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Drinking water; quality. 71.601 Section 71.601... Water § 71.601 Drinking water; quality. (a) Potable water provided in accordance with the provisions of § 71.600 shall meet the applicable minimum health requirements for drinking water established by the...

75 FR 48329 - Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-10

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9186-8] Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program... details of EPA's voluntary Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program, effective October 1, 2010. The program enables qualified drinking water operators at public water systems in Indian country to be...

Automated water analyser computer supported system (AWACSS) Part I: Project objectives, basic technology, immunoassay development, software design and networking.

PubMed

Tschmelak, Jens; Proll, Guenther; Riedt, Johannes; Kaiser, Joachim; Kraemmer, Peter; Bárzaga, Luis; Wilkinson, James S; Hua, Ping; Hole, J Patrick; Nudd, Richard; Jackson, Michael; Abuknesha, Ram; Barceló, Damià; Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara; de Alda, Maria J López; Sacher, Frank; Stien, Jan; Slobodník, Jaroslav; Oswald, Peter; Kozmenko, Helena; Korenková, Eva; Tóthová, Lívia; Krascsenits, Zoltan; Gauglitz, Guenter

2005-02-15

A novel analytical system AWACSS (automated water analyser computer-supported system) based on immunochemical technology has been developed that can measure several organic pollutants at low nanogram per litre level in a single few-minutes analysis without any prior sample pre-concentration nor pre-treatment steps. Having in mind actual needs of water-sector managers related to the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) (98/83/EC, 1998) and Water Framework Directive WFD (2000/60/EC, 2000), drinking, ground, surface, and waste waters were major media used for the evaluation of the system performance. The instrument was equipped with remote control and surveillance facilities. The system's software allows for the internet-based networking between the measurement and control stations, global management, trend analysis, and early-warning applications. The experience of water laboratories has been utilised at the design of the instrument's hardware and software in order to make the system rugged and user-friendly. Several market surveys were conducted during the project to assess the applicability of the final system. A web-based AWACSS database was created for automated evaluation and storage of the obtained data in a format compatible with major databases of environmental organic pollutants in Europe. This first part article gives the reader an overview of the aims and scope of the AWACSS project as well as details about basic technology, immunoassays, software, and networking developed and utilised within the research project. The second part article reports on the system performance, first real sample measurements, and an international collaborative trial (inter-laboratory tests) to compare the biosensor with conventional anayltical methods.

Vulnerability of drinking water supplies to engineered nanoparticles.

PubMed

Troester, Martin; Brauch, Heinz-Juergen; Hofmann, Thilo

2016-06-01

The production and use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) inevitably leads to their release into aquatic environments, with the quantities involved expected to increase significantly in the future. Concerns therefore arise over the possibility that ENPs might pose a threat to drinking water supplies. Investigations into the vulnerability of drinking water supplies to ENPs are hampered by the absence of suitable analytical methods that are capable of detecting and quantifiying ENPs in complex aqueous matrices. Analytical data concerning the presence of ENPs in drinking water supplies is therefore scarce. The eventual fate of ENPs in the natural environment and in processes that are important for drinking water production are currently being investigated through laboratory based-experiments and modelling. Although the information obtained from these studies may not, as yet, be sufficient to allow comprehensive assessment of the complete life-cycle of ENPs, it does provide a valuable starting point for predicting the significance of ENPs to drinking water supplies. This review therefore addresses the vulnerability of drinking water supplies to ENPs. The risk of ENPs entering drinking water is discussed and predicted for drinking water produced from groundwater and from surface water. Our evaluation is based on reviewing published data concerning ENP production amounts and release patterns, the occurrence and behavior of ENPs in aquatic systems relevant for drinking water supply and ENP removability in drinking water purification processes. Quantitative predictions are made based on realistic high-input case scenarios. The results of our synthesis of current knowledge suggest that the risk probability of ENPs being present in surface water resources is generally limited, but that particular local conditions may increase the probability of raw water contamination by ENPs. Drinking water extracted from porous media aquifers are not generally considered to be prone to ENP contamination. In karstic aquifers, however, there is an increased probability that if any ENPs enter the groundwater system they will reach the extraction point of a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). The ability to remove ENPs during water treatment depends on the specific design of the treatment process. In conventional DWTPs with no flocculation step a proportion of ENPs, if present in the raw water, may reach the final drinking water. The use of ultrafiltration techniques improves drinking water safety with respect to ENP contamination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drinking water quality and fluoride concentration.

PubMed

Frazão, Paulo; Peres, Marco A; Cury, Jaime A

2011-10-01

This paper aimed to analyze the fluoride concentration in drinking water, taking into account the balance between the benefits and risks to health, in order to produce scientific backing for the updating of the Brazilian legislation. Systematic reviews studies, official documents and meteorological data were examined. The temperatures in Brazilian state capitals indicate that fluoride levels should be between 0.6 and 0.9 mg F/l in order to prevent dental caries. Natural fluoride concentration of 1.5 mg F/l is tolerated for consumption in Brazil if there is no technology with an acceptable cost-benefit ratio for adjusting/removing the excess. Daily intake of water with a fluoride concentration > 0.9 mg F/l presents a risk to the dentition among children under the age of eight years, and consumers should be explicitly informed of this risk. In view of the expansion of the Brazilian water fluoridation program to regions with a typically tropical climate, Ordinance 635/75 relating to fluoride added to the public water supply should be revised.

Mercury removal from water streams through the ion exchange membrane bioreactor concept.

PubMed

Oehmen, Adrian; Vergel, Dario; Fradinho, Joana; Reis, Maria A M; Crespo, João G; Velizarov, Svetlozar

2014-01-15

Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal that causes human health problems and environmental contamination. In this study, an ion exchange membrane bioreactor (IEMB) process was developed to achieve Hg(II) removal from drinking water and industrial effluents. Hg(II) transport through a cation exchange membrane was coupled with its bioreduction to Hg(0) in order to achieve Hg removal from concentrated streams, with minimal production of contaminated by-products observed. This study involves (1) membrane selection, (2) demonstration of process effectiveness for removing Hg from drinking water to below the 1ppb recommended limit, and (3) process application for treatment of concentrated water streams, where >98% of the Hg was removed, and the throughput of contaminated water was optimised through membrane pre-treatment. The IEMB process represents a novel mercury treatment technology with minimal generation of contaminated waste, thereby reducing the overall environmental impact of the process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Advanced testing methods now allow pesticides to be detected in water at very low levels. These small amounts of pesticides detected in drinking water or source water for drinking water do not necessarily indicate a health risk. The EPA has developed human health benchmarks for 363 pesticides to enable our partners to better determine whether the detection of a pesticide in drinking water or source waters for drinking water may indicate a potential health risk and to help them prioritize monitoring efforts.The table below includes benchmarks for acute (one-day) and chronic (lifetime) exposures for the most sensitive populations from exposure to pesticides that may be found in surface or ground water sources of drinking water. The table also includes benchmarks for 40 pesticides in drinking water that have the potential for cancer risk. The HHBP table includes pesticide active ingredients for which Health Advisories or enforceable National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (e.g., maximum contaminant levels) have not been developed.

World Health Organization Discontinues Its Drinking-Water Guideline for Manganese

PubMed Central

Frisbie, Seth H.; Mitchell, Erika J.; Dustin, Hannah; Maynard, Donald M.

2012-01-01

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) released the fourth edition of Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality in July 2011. In this edition, the 400-µg/L drinking-water guideline for manganese (Mn) was discontinued with the assertion that because “this health-based value is well above concentrations of manganese normally found in drinking water, it is not considered necessary to derive a formal guideline value.” Objective: In this commentary, we review the WHO guideline for Mn in drinking water—from its introduction in 1958 through its discontinuation in 2011. Methods: For the primary references, we used the WHO publications that documented the Mn guidelines. We used peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, published conference proceedings, and theses to identify countries with drinking water or potential drinking-water supplies exceeding 400 µg/L Mn and peer-reviewed journal articles to summarize the health effects of Mn. Discussion: Drinking water or potential drinking-water supplies with Mn concentrations > 400 µg/L are found in a substantial number of countries worldwide. The drinking water of many tens of millions of people has Mn concentrations > 400 µg/L. Recent research on the health effects of Mn suggests that the earlier WHO guideline of 400 µg/L may have been too high to adequately protect public health. Conclusions: The toxic effects and geographic distribution of Mn in drinking-water supplies justify a reevaluation by the WHO of its decision to discontinue its drinking-water guideline for Mn. PMID:22334150

[Knowledge, attitude and practice on drinking water of primary and secondary students in Shenzhen].

PubMed

Liu, Jiaxin; Hu, Xiaoqi; Zhang, Qian; Du, Songming; Pan, Hui; Dai, Xingbi; Ma, Guansheng

2014-05-01

To investigate the status on drinking water related knowledge, attitude and practice of primary and secondary students in Shenzhen. All 832 primary and secondary students from three schools in Shenzhen were selected by using multi-stage random sampling method. The information of drinking water related knowledge, time of drinking water and the type of drink chose in different situations were collected by questionnaires. 87.3% of students considered plain water being the healthiest drink in daily life, and the percent in girls (90.6%) was significantly higher than that in boys (84.4% ) (chi2 = 7.13, P = 0.0089). The awareness percent of the harm of dehydration was 84.5%. The percent in high school students (96.4%) was significantly higher than that in primary (73.9%) and middle school students (94.2%) (chi2 = 73.77, P < 0.0001). 63.7% of students considered that the healthiest time of drinking water was in the morning with an empty stomach, and 46.3% chose when they felt thirsty. However, 63.7% drank water when they felt thirsty, and 50.6% drank water in the morning with an empty stomach. The percent of drinking plain water at school was the highest (83.4%), followed by at home (64.1%) and in public (26.2%). There were 45.2% and 53.3% of students, respectively, choosing sugary drinks as their favorite drink and most frequently drinking in public places. Primary and secondary students in Shenzhen have a good awareness of drinking water, which is inconsistent with their practice. Meanwhile, a considerable proportion of students towards choosing drinks have many misconceptions. The education of healthy drinking water should be strengthened.

[Analysis on current status of drinking water quality in rural areas of China].

PubMed

Zhang, L; Chen, Y; Chen, C; Wang, H; Yan, H Z; Zhao, Y C

1997-01-01

An investigation on drinking water quality in rural areas of 180 counties in 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China was carried out. The population surveyed was 89.39 million. 69.6% of which was supplied with ground water. Central water supply systems served 47.1% of population. Quality of drinking water was graded according to the "Guidelines for Implementation of the 'Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water' in Rural Areas". The rate of population supplied with unqualified drinking water was 42.7%. The bacteriological indices of drinking water exceeded the standard seriously. Organic pollution occurred extensively. Some regions supplied with water of high concentration of fluoride.

Since 2015 the SinoGerman research project SIGN supports water quality improvement in the Taihu region, China.

PubMed

Schmidt, Kathrin Rachel; der Beek, Tim Aus; Dai, Xiaohu; Dong, Bingzhi; Dopp, Elke; Eichinger, Florian; Hammers-Wirtz, Monika; Haußmann, Regina; Holbach, Andreas; Hollert, Henner; Illgen, Marc; Jiang, Xia; Koehler, Jan; Koester, Stephan; Korth, Andreas; Kueppers, Stephan; Li, Aili; Lohmann, Matthias; Moldaenke, Christian; Norra, Stefan; Qin, Boqiang; Qin, Yanwen; Reese, Moritz; Riehle, Edmund; Santiago-Schuebel, Beatrix; Schaefer, Charlotte; Simon, Anne; Song, Yonghui; Staaks, Christian; Steinhardt, Joerg; Subklew, Guenter; Tao, Tao; Wu, Tingfeng; Yin, Daqiang; Zhao, Fangfang; Zheng, Binghui; Zhou, Meiyue; Zou, Hua; Zuo, Jiane; Tiehm, Andreas

2016-01-01

The Taihu (Tai lake) region is one of the most economically prospering areas of China. Due to its location within this district of high anthropogenic activities, Taihu represents a drastic example of water pollution with nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate), organic contaminants and heavy metals. High nutrient levels combined with very shallow water create large eutrophication problems, threatening the drinking water supply of the surrounding cities. Within the international research project SIGN (SinoGerman Water Supply Network, www.water-sign.de), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), a powerful consortium of fifteen German partners is working on the overall aim of assuring good water quality from the source to the tap by taking the whole water cycle into account: The diverse research topics range from future proof strategies for urban catchment, innovative monitoring and early warning approaches for lake and drinking water, control and use of biological degradation processes, efficient water treatment technologies, adapted water distribution up to promoting sector policy by good governance. The implementation in China is warranted, since the leading Chinese research institutes as well as the most important local stakeholders, e.g. water suppliers, are involved.

Water drinking as a treatment for orthostatic syndromes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, John R.; Diedrich, Andre; Biaggioni, Italo; Tank, Jens; Robertson, Rose Marie; Robertson, David; Jordan, Jens

2002-01-01

PURPOSE: Water drinking increases blood pressure in a substantial proportion of patients who have severe orthostatic hypotension due to autonomic failure. We tested the hypothesis that water drinking can be used as a practical treatment for patients with orthostatic and postprandial hypotension, as well as those with orthostatic tachycardia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied the effect of drinking water on seated and standing blood pressure and heart rate in 11 patients who had severe orthostatic hypotension due to autonomic failure and in 9 patients who had orthostatic tachycardia due to idiopathic orthostatic intolerance. We also tested the effect of water drinking on postprandial hypotension in 7 patients who had autonomic failure. Patients drank 480 mL of tap water at room temperature in less than 5 minutes. RESULTS: In patients with autonomic failure, mean (+/- SD) blood pressure after 1 minute of standing was 83 +/- 6/53 +/- 3.4 mm Hg at baseline, which increased to 114 +/- 30/66 +/- 18 mm Hg (P <0.01) 35 minutes after drinking. After a meal, blood pressure decreased by 43 +/- 36/20 +/- 13 mm Hg without water drinking, compared with 22 +/- 10/12 +/- 5 mm Hg with drinking (P <0.001). In patients with idiopathic orthostatic intolerance, water drinking attenuated orthostatic tachycardia (123 +/- 23 beats per minute) at baseline to 108 +/- 21 beats per minute after water drinking ( P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Water drinking elicits a rapid pressor response in patients with autonomic failure and can be used to treat orthostatic and postprandial hypotension. Water drinking moderately reduces orthostatic tachycardia in patients with idiopathic orthostatic intolerance. Thus, water drinking may serve as an adjunctive treatment in patients with impaired orthostatic tolerance.

[Research and development of a vehicle-mounted drinking water installation and its purification effect].

PubMed

Gao, Junhong; Wan, Hong; Kong, Wei; Yue, Hong

2012-01-01

To provide a suitable vehicle-mounted installation to solve the problem of drinking water in the wild. The vehicle-mounted drinking water installation, made up of pre-treatment unit, purification unit, box and VECU, was used to storage, transport and purify water in the wild. The effect of purification was detected by assembling the installation in the wild and observing the change of water turbidity, TDS, the number of total bacteria and coliform bacteria before and after the treatment of water sources. The wild water sources, such as river water, rainwater, well water and spring water could be purified, and the quality of the treated water could meet the requirement of Drinking Water Quality Standard of CJ94-2005. The vehicle-mounted drinking water installation is suitable for purifying water sources in the wild for drinking use.

A Study of Failure Events in Drinking Water Systems As a Basis for Comparison and Evaluation of the Efficacy of Potable Reuse Schemes

PubMed Central

Onyango, Laura A.; Quinn, Chloe; Tng, Keng H.; Wood, James G.; Leslie, Greg

2015-01-01

Potable reuse is implemented in several countries around the world to augment strained water supplies. This article presents a public health perspective on potable reuse by comparing the critical infrastructure and institutional capacity characteristics of two well-established potable reuse schemes with conventional drinking water schemes in developed nations that have experienced waterborne outbreaks. Analysis of failure events in conventional water systems between 2003 and 2013 showed that despite advances in water treatment technologies, drinking water outbreaks caused by microbial contamination were still frequent in developed countries and can be attributed to failures in infrastructure or institutional practices. Numerous institutional failures linked to ineffective treatment protocols, poor operational practices, and negligence were detected. In contrast, potable reuse schemes that use multiple barriers, online instrumentation, and operational measures were found to address the events that have resulted in waterborne outbreaks in conventional systems in the past decade. Syndromic surveillance has emerged as a tool in outbreak detection and was useful in detecting some outbreaks; increases in emergency department visits and GP consultations being the most common data source, suggesting potential for an increasing role in public health surveillance of waterborne outbreaks. These results highlight desirable characteristics of potable reuse schemes from a public health perspective with potential for guiding policy on surveillance activities. PMID:27053920

A Study of Failure Events in Drinking Water Systems As a Basis for Comparison and Evaluation of the Efficacy of Potable Reuse Schemes.

PubMed

Onyango, Laura A; Quinn, Chloe; Tng, Keng H; Wood, James G; Leslie, Greg

2015-01-01

Potable reuse is implemented in several countries around the world to augment strained water supplies. This article presents a public health perspective on potable reuse by comparing the critical infrastructure and institutional capacity characteristics of two well-established potable reuse schemes with conventional drinking water schemes in developed nations that have experienced waterborne outbreaks. Analysis of failure events in conventional water systems between 2003 and 2013 showed that despite advances in water treatment technologies, drinking water outbreaks caused by microbial contamination were still frequent in developed countries and can be attributed to failures in infrastructure or institutional practices. Numerous institutional failures linked to ineffective treatment protocols, poor operational practices, and negligence were detected. In contrast, potable reuse schemes that use multiple barriers, online instrumentation, and operational measures were found to address the events that have resulted in waterborne outbreaks in conventional systems in the past decade. Syndromic surveillance has emerged as a tool in outbreak detection and was useful in detecting some outbreaks; increases in emergency department visits and GP consultations being the most common data source, suggesting potential for an increasing role in public health surveillance of waterborne outbreaks. These results highlight desirable characteristics of potable reuse schemes from a public health perspective with potential for guiding policy on surveillance activities.

Intermittent slow sand filtration for preventing diarrhoea among children in Kenyan households using unimproved water sources: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tiwari, Sangya-Sangam K; Schmidt, Wolf-Peter; Darby, Jeannie; Kariuki, Z G; Jenkins, Marion W

2009-11-01

Measure effectiveness of intermittent slow sand filtration for reducing child diarrhoea among households using unimproved water sources in rural Kenya. A randomized controlled trail was conducted among populations meeting a high-risk profile for child diarrhoea from drinking river water in the River Njoro watershed. Intervention households (30) were provided the concrete BioSand Filter and instructed on filter use and maintenance. Control households (29) continued normal practices. Longitudinal monthly monitoring of diarrhoea (seven-day daily prevalence recall) and of influent, effluent, and drinking water quality for fecal coliform was conducted for 6 months. Intervention households had better drinking water quality than control households (fecal coliform geometric mean, 30.0 CFU vs. 89.0 CFU/100 ml, P < 0.001) and reported significantly fewer diarrhoea days (86 days over 626 child-weeks) compared to controls (203 days over 558 child-weeks) among children up to 15 (age-adjusted RR 0.46; 95 % CI = 0.22, 0.96). Greater child diarrhoea reduction due to the intervention (age-adjusted RR 0.23, 95 % CI = 0.10, 0.51) was observed among the sub-group using unimproved water sources all of the time. Intermittent slow sand filtration, a non-commercial technology, produces similar observed effects on child diarrhoea as commercial POU products, adding to the range of effective options for poor populations (chlorination, ceramic filtration, solar disinfection, flocculation/disinfection).

Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water.

PubMed

Mythri, H; Chandu, G N; Prashant, G M; Subba Reddy, V V

2010-01-01

Water is a divine gift. People quench their thirst without questioning the source of water. But, apprehension about contaminants in municipal water supplies along with increased fear of fluorosis made bottled drinking water as one of the important tradable commodities. The objectives of the study were to determine and compare the fluoride and bacterial contents of commercially available bottled drinking water and municipal tap water in Davangere city, Karnataka. Fifty samples of 10 categories of bottled drinking water with different batch numbers were purchased and municipal water from different sources were collected. Fluoride levels were determined by an ion-selective electrode. Water was cultured quantitatively and levels of bacteria were calculated as colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. Descriptive analysis of water samples for fluoride concentration was in the range of 0.07-0.33 for bottled drinking water, Bisleri showing the highest of 0.33. A comparison of the mean values of microbial count for bottled drinking water with that of municipal tap water showed no statistically significant difference, but was more than the standard levels along with the presence of fungus and maggots. The fluoride concentration was below the optimal level for both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water. CFUs were more than the recommended level in both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water.

THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS OF DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

A number of chemical contaminants have been identified in drinking water. These contaminants reach drinking water supplies from various sources, including municipal and industrial discharges, urban and rural run-off, natural geological formations, drinking water distrib...

CONTROLLING DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS AND MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

This report is intended to provide an overview of the treatment technology research conducted by EPA over the last 20 years. It describes the nature and scope of the regulations which have been promulgated since the passage of the SDWA. It discusses recently identified disinfecti...

Fluoride in drinking water and its removal.

PubMed

Meenakshi; Maheshwari, R C

2006-09-01

Excessive fluoride concentrations have been reported in groundwaters of more than 20 developed and developing countries including India where 19 states are facing acute fluorosis problems. Various technologies are being used to remove fluoride from water but still the problem has not been rooted out. In this paper, a broad overview of the available technologies for fluoride removal and advantages and limitations of each one have been presented based on literature survey and the experiments conducted in the laboratory with several processes. It has been concluded that the selection of treatment process should be site specific as per local needs and prevailing conditions as each technology has some limitations and no one process can serve the purpose in diverse conditions.

Formative Research to Design a Promotional Campaign to Increase Drinking Water among Central American Latino Youth in an Urban Area.

PubMed

Barrett, Nicole; Colón-Ramos, Uriyoán; Elkins, Allison; Rivera, Ivonne; Evans, W Douglas; Edberg, Mark

2017-06-01

Latinos consume more sugary drinks and less water than other demographic groups. Our objective was to understand beverage choice motivations and test promotional concepts that can encourage Central American Latino urban youth to drink more water. Two rounds of focus group discussions were conducted (n = 10 focus groups, 61 participants, 6-18 years old). Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive and deductive coding approaches. Youth motivations for drinking water were shaped by level of thirst, weather, energy, and perceptions of health benefits. Youth were discouraged from drinking water due to its taste and perceptions of the safety and cleanliness of tap water. Youth beverage preference depended on what their friends were drinking. Availability of water versus other beverages at home and other settings influenced their choice. Promotional materials that included mixed language, informative messages about the benefits of drinking water, and celebrities or athletes who were active, energized, and drinking water were preferred. A promotional campaign to increase water consumption among these Latino youth should include bicultural messages to underscore the power of water to quench true thirst, highlight the health benefits of drinking water, and address the safety of tap water.

Water-induced thermogenesis reconsidered: the effects of osmolality and water temperature on energy expenditure after drinking.

PubMed

Brown, Clive M; Dulloo, Abdul G; Montani, Jean-Pierre

2006-09-01

A recent study reported that drinking 500 ml of water causes a 30% increase in metabolic rate. If verified, this previously unrecognized thermogenic property of water would have important implications for weight-loss programs. However, the concept of a thermogenic effect of water is controversial because other studies have found that water drinking does not increase energy expenditure. The objective of the study was to test whether water drinking has a thermogenic effect in humans and, furthermore, determine whether the response is influenced by osmolality or by water temperature. This was a randomized, crossover design. The study was conducted at a university physiology laboratory. Participants included healthy young volunteer subjects. Intervention included drinking 7.5 ml/kg body weight (approximately 518 ml) of distilled water or 0.9% saline or 7% sucrose solution (positive control) on different days. In a subgroup of subjects, responses to cold water (3 C) were tested. Resting energy expenditure, assessed by indirect calorimetry for 30 min before and 90 min after the drinks, was measured. Energy expenditure did not increase after drinking either distilled water (P = 0.34) or 0.9% saline (P = 0.33). Drinking the 7% sucrose solution significantly increased energy expenditure (P < 0.0001). Drinking water that had been cooled to 3 C caused a small increase in energy expenditure of 4.5% over 60 min (P < 0.01). Drinking distilled water at room temperature did not increase energy expenditure. Cooling the water before drinking only stimulated a small thermogenic response, well below the theoretical energy cost of warming the water to body temperature. These results cast doubt on water as a thermogenic agent for the management of obesity.

Evaluation of ATP measurements to detect microbial ingress by wastewater and surface water in drinking water.

PubMed

Vang, Óluva K; Corfitzen, Charlotte B; Smith, Christian; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen

2014-11-01

Fast and reliable methods are required for monitoring of microbial drinking water quality in order to protect public health. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was investigated as a potential real-time parameter for detecting microbial ingress in drinking water contaminated with wastewater or surface water. To investigate the ability of the ATP assay in detecting different contamination types, the contaminant was diluted with non-chlorinated drinking water. Wastewater, diluted at 10(4) in drinking water, was detected with the ATP assay, as well as 10(2) to 10(3) times diluted surface water. To improve the performance of the ATP assay in detecting microbial ingress in drinking water, different approaches were investigated, i.e. quantifying microbial ATP or applying reagents of different sensitivities to reduce measurement variations; however, none of these approaches contributed significantly in this respect. Compared to traditional microbiological methods, the ATP assay could detect wastewater and surface water in drinking water to a higher degree than total direct counts (TDCs), while both heterotrophic plate counts (HPC 22 °C and HPC 37 °C) and Colilert-18 (Escherichia coli and coliforms) were more sensitive than the ATP measurements, though with much longer response times. Continuous sampling combined with ATP measurements displays definite monitoring potential for microbial drinking water quality, since microbial ingress in drinking water can be detected in real-time with ATP measurements. The ability of the ATP assay to detect microbial ingress is influenced by both the ATP load from the contaminant itself and the ATP concentration in the specific drinking water. Consequently, a low ATP concentration of the specific drinking water facilitates a better detection of a potential contamination of the water supply with the ATP assay. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radio-Ecological Conditions of Groundwater in the Area of Uranium Mining and Milling Facility - 13525

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Titov, A.V.; Semenova, M.P.; Seregin, V.A.

2013-07-01

Manmade chemical and radioactive contamination of groundwater is one of damaging effects of the uranium mining and milling facilities. Groundwater contamination is of special importance for the area of Priargun Production Mining and Chemical Association, JSC 'PPMCA', because groundwater is the only source of drinking water. The paper describes natural conditions of the site, provides information on changes of near-surface area since the beginning of the company, illustrates the main trends of contaminators migration and assesses manmade impact on the quality and mode of near-surface and ground waters. The paper also provides the results of chemical and radioactive measurements inmore » groundwater at various distances from the sources of manmade contamination to the drinking water supply areas. We show that development of deposits, mine water discharge, leakages from tailing dams and cinder storage facility changed general hydro-chemical balance of the area, contributed to new (overlaid) aureoles and flows of scattering paragenetic uranium elements, which are much smaller in comparison with natural ones. However, increasing flow of groundwater stream at the mouth of Sukhoi Urulyungui due to technological water infiltration, mixing of natural water with filtration streams from industrial reservoirs and sites, containing elevated (relative to natural background) levels of sulfate-, hydro-carbonate and carbonate- ions, led to the development and moving of the uranium contamination aureole from the undeveloped field 'Polevoye' to the water inlet area. The aureole front crossed the southern border of water inlet of drinking purpose. The qualitative composition of groundwater, especially in the southern part of water inlet, steadily changes for the worse. The current Russian intervention levels of gross alpha activity and of some natural radionuclides including {sup 222}Rn are in excess in drinking water; regulations for fluorine and manganese concentrations are also in excess. Possible ways to improve the situation are considered. (authors)« less

76 FR 72703 - Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council-Notice of Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-25

... small water systems and efforts underway to address nutrient pollution of drinking water supplies. The... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9496-4] Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory... meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council...

76 FR 33756 - Notice of Approval of the Primacy Application for National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-09

... Primacy Application for National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for the State of Missouri AGENCY... Department of Natural Resources, Public Drinking Water Branch, 1101 Riverside Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65101. (2) Environmental Protection Agency-Region 7, Water Wetlands and Pesticides Division, Drinking Water...

Persistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibs, J.; Stackelberg, P.E.; Furlong, E.T.; Meyer, M.; Zaugg, S.D.; Lippincott, R.L.

2007-01-01

Ninety eight pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds (POOCs) that were amended to samples of chlorinated drinking-water were extracted and analyzed 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days after amendment to determine whether the total chlorine residual reacted with the amended POOCs in drinking water in a time frame similar to the residence time of drinking water in a water distribution system. Results indicated that if all 98 were present in the finished drinking water from a drinking-water treatment plant using free chlorine at 1.2??mg/L as the distribution system disinfectant residual, 52 POOCs would be present in the drinking water after 10??days at approximately the same concentration as in the newly finished drinking water. Concentrations of 16 POOCs would be reduced by 32% to 92%, and 22 POOCs would react completely with residual chlorine within 24??h. Thus, the presence of free chlorine residual is an effective means for transforming some POOCs during distribution. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Persistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time.

PubMed

Gibs, Jacob; Stackelberg, Paul E; Furlong, Edward T; Meyer, Michael; Zaugg, Steven D; Lippincott, Robert Lee

2007-02-01

Ninety eight pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds (POOCs) that were amended to samples of chlorinated drinking-water were extracted and analyzed 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days after amendment to determine whether the total chlorine residual reacted with the amended POOCs in drinking water in a time frame similar to the residence time of drinking water in a water distribution system. Results indicated that if all 98 were present in the finished drinking water from a drinking-water treatment plant using free chlorine at 1.2 mg/L as the distribution system disinfectant residual, 52 POOCs would be present in the drinking water after 10 days at approximately the same concentration as in the newly finished drinking water. Concentrations of 16 POOCs would be reduced by 32% to 92%, and 22 POOCs would react completely with residual chlorine within 24 h. Thus, the presence of free chlorine residual is an effective means for transforming some POOCs during distribution.

Drinking water and health research: a look to the future in the United States and globally.

PubMed

Sobsey, Mark D

2006-01-01

Drinking water supplies continue to be a major source of human disease and death globally because many of them remain unsafe and vulnerable. Greater efforts are needed to address the key issues and questions which influence the provision of safe drinking water. Efforts are needed to re-evaluate and set new and better priorities for drinking water research and practice. More stakeholders need to be included in the processes of identifying key issues and setting priorities for safe drinking water. The overall approach to drinking water research and the provision of safe drinking water needs to become more rational and scientific, and become more visionary and anticipatory of the ever-present and emerging risks to drinking water safety. Collectively, we need to do a better job of making safe water available, accessible and affordable for all. One such approach to safe water for all is household water treatment and safe storage, which is being promoted globally by the World Health Organization and many other stakeholders and partners to reduce the global burden of waterborne disease.

Effects of human placental S9 and induced rat liver S9 on the mutagenicity of drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vartiainen, T.; Lampelo, S.

The mutagenicity of chlorinated drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters has been shown to be very high. The effect of placental S9 on the mutagenicity of drinking waters has not been studied previously. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of human placental and rat liver microsomal fractions on the mutagenicity of drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters. The samples of 34 drinking and two raw waters from 26 localities in Finland were tested for mutagenicity in Ames Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA100 with and without metabolic activations. Between the drinking water samples, clear differencesmore » were recorded in the presence of placental and rat liver S9, suggesting different mutagens in the drinking waters. Rat liver S9 decreased the mutagenicities of drinking water concentrates, but placental S9 increased, decreased, or had no effect. It is not known if placental mutagenicity enhancing system might cause any health hazard to a developing fetus.« less

THE DRINKING WATER TREATABILITY DATABASE (Slides)

EPA Science Inventory

The Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB) assembles referenced data on the control of contaminants in drinking water, housed on an interactive, publicly-available, USEPA web site (www.epa.gov/tdb). The TDB is of use to drinking water utilities, treatment process design engin...

Middle School Student Attitudes about School Drinking Fountains and Water Intake

PubMed Central

Patel, Anisha I.; Bogart, Laura M.; Klein, David J.; Cowgill, Burt; Uyeda, Kimberly E.; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Schuster, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Objective Describe middle school student attitudes about school drinking fountains, investigate whether such attitudes are associated with intentions to drink water at school, and determine how intentions relate to overall water intake. Methods Students (n=3,211) in 9 California middle schools completed surveys between 2009–2011. We used multivariate linear regression, adjusting for school sociodemographic characteristics, to examine how attitudes about fountains (5-point scale; higher scores indicating more positive attitudes) were associated with intentions to drink water at school and how intentions to drink water at school were related to overall water intake. Results Mean age of students was 12.3 (SD=0.7) years; 75% were Latino, 89% low-income, and 39% foreign-born. Fifty-two percent reported lower than recommended overall water intake (<3 glasses/day), and 30% reported that they were unlikely or extremely unlikely to drink water at school. Fifty-nine percent reported that school fountains were unclean, 48% that fountain water does not taste good, 33% that fountains could make them sick, 31% that it was not okay to drink from fountains, and 24% that fountain water is contaminated. In adjusted analyses, attitudes about school drinking fountains were related to intentions to drink water at school (B=0.41; p-value <0.001); intentions to drink water at school were also associated with overall water intake (B=0.20; p-value <0.001). Conclusions and Relevance Students have negative attitudes about school fountains. To increase overall water intake, it may be important to promote and improve drinking water sources not only at school, but also at home and in other community environments. What’s New Although most schools provide water via fountains, little is known about student attitudes about fountains. In this study, middle school students had negative attitudes about fountains; such attitudes were associated with lower intentions to drink water at school. PMID:25169158

[Application of hyper-spectral remote sensing technology in environmental protection].

PubMed

Zhao, Shao-Hua; Zhang, Feng; Wang, Qiao; Yao, Yun-Jun; Wang, Zhong-Ting; You, Dai-An

2013-12-01

Hyper-spectral remote sensing (RS) technology has been widely used in environmental protection. The present work introduces its recent application in the RS monitoring of pollution gas, green-house gas, algal bloom, water quality of catch water environment, safety of drinking water sources, biodiversity, vegetation classification, soil pollution, and so on. Finally, issues such as scarce hyper-spectral satellites, the limits of data processing and information extract are related. Some proposals are also presented, including developing subsequent satellites of HJ-1 satellite with differential optical absorption spectroscopy, greenhouse gas spectroscopy and hyper-spectral imager, strengthening the study of hyper-spectral data processing and information extraction, and promoting the construction of environmental application system.

Simultaneous detection of perchlorate and bromate using rapid high-performance ion exchange chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and perchlorate removal in drinking water.

PubMed

West, Danielle M; Mu, Ruipu; Gamagedara, Sanjeewa; Ma, Yinfa; Adams, Craig; Eichholz, Todd; Burken, Joel G; Shi, Honglan

2015-06-01

Perchlorate and bromate occurrence in drinking water causes health concerns due to their effects on thyroid function and carcinogenicity, respectively. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to advance a sensitive method for simultaneous rapid detection of perchlorate and bromate in drinking water system, (2) to systematically study the occurrence of these two contaminants in Missouri drinking water treatment systems, and (3) to examine effective sorbents for minimizing perchlorate in drinking water. A rapid high-performance ion exchange chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPIC-MS/MS) method was advanced for simultaneous detection of perchlorate and bromate in drinking water. The HPIC-MS/MS method was rapid, required no preconcentration of the water samples, and had detection limits for perchlorate and bromate of 0.04 and 0.01 μg/L, respectively. The method was applied to determine perchlorate and bromate concentrations in total of 23 selected Missouri drinking water treatment systems during differing seasons. The water systems selected include different source waters: groundwater, lake water, river water, and groundwater influenced by surface water. The concentrations of perchlorate and bromate were lower than or near to method detection limits in most of the drinking water samples monitored. The removal of perchlorate by various adsorbents was studied. A cationic organoclay (TC-99) exhibited effective removal of perchlorate from drinking water matrices.

Different Choices of Drinking Water Source and Different Health Risks in a Rural Population Living Near a Lead/Zinc Mine in Chenzhou City, Southern China.

PubMed

Huang, Xiao; He, Liping; Li, Jun; Yang, Fei; Tan, Hongzhuan

2015-11-12

This study aimed to describe the households' choices of drinking water sources, and evaluate the risk of human exposure to heavy metals via different drinking water sources in Chenzhou City of Hunan Province, Southern China. A cross-sectional face-to-face survey of 192 householders in MaTian and ZhuDui village was conducted. The concentrations of heavy metals in their drinking water sources were analyzed. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment was performed according to the method recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In total, 52.60% of the households used hand-pressed well water, and 34.89% used barreled water for drinking. In total, 6.67% of the water samples exceeded the Chinese drinking water standards. The total health risk of five metals is 5.20 × 10(-9)~3.62 × 10(-5). The total health risk of five metals was at acceptable levels for drinking water sources. However, the total risk of using hand-pressed well water's highest value is 6961 times higher than the risk of using tap water. Household income level was significantly associated with drinking water choices. Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are priority controlled pollutants in this region. Using safe drinking water (tap water, barreled water and so on) can remarkably reduce the risk of ingesting heavy metals.

76 FR 71560 - Notice of a Public Meeting on Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: Initiate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-18

... Management Division, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (MC 4607M), Environmental Protection Agency... drinking water. The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) require EPA to review its existing drinking water regulations every six years. SDWA specifies that any revision to a national primary...

Pyrosequence Analysis of the hsp65 Genes of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Communities in Unchlorinated Drinking Water in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Heijnen, Leo; van der Kooij, Dick

2013-01-01

Studies have shown that certain opportunistic pathogenic species of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can be present in distributed drinking water. However, detailed information about NTM population composition in drinking water is lacking. Therefore, NTM communities in unchlorinated drinking water from the distribution system of five treatment plants in the Netherlands were characterized using 454 pyrosequencing of the hsp65 gene. Results showed high diversities in unchlorinated drinking water, with up to 28 different NTM operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in a single sample. Each drinking water sample had a unique NTM community, and most (81.1%) OTUs were observed only once. One OTU was observed in 14 of 16 drinking water samples, indicating that this NTM species is well adapted to unchlorinated drinking water conditions. A clear influence of season, source type (groundwater, surface water), easily assimilable organic carbon (AOC) concentration, biofilm formation rate, and active biomass in treated water on the establishment of an NTM community in drinking water was not observed. Apparently, local conditions are more important for the development of a specific NTM community in the drinking water distribution system. A low (4.2%) number of hsp65 gene sequences showed more than 97% similarity to sequences of the opportunistic pathogens M. avium, M. genavense, and M. gordonae. However, most (95.8%) NTM hsp65 gene sequences were related to not-yet-described NTM species that have not been linked to disease, indicating that most NTM species in unchlorinated drinking water from distribution systems in the Netherlands have a low public health significance. PMID:23913420

Pyrosequence analysis of the hsp65 genes of nontuberculous mycobacterium communities in unchlorinated drinking water in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van der Wielen, Paul W J J; Heijnen, Leo; van der Kooij, Dick

2013-10-01

Studies have shown that certain opportunistic pathogenic species of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can be present in distributed drinking water. However, detailed information about NTM population composition in drinking water is lacking. Therefore, NTM communities in unchlorinated drinking water from the distribution system of five treatment plants in the Netherlands were characterized using 454 pyrosequencing of the hsp65 gene. Results showed high diversities in unchlorinated drinking water, with up to 28 different NTM operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in a single sample. Each drinking water sample had a unique NTM community, and most (81.1%) OTUs were observed only once. One OTU was observed in 14 of 16 drinking water samples, indicating that this NTM species is well adapted to unchlorinated drinking water conditions. A clear influence of season, source type (groundwater, surface water), easily assimilable organic carbon (AOC) concentration, biofilm formation rate, and active biomass in treated water on the establishment of an NTM community in drinking water was not observed. Apparently, local conditions are more important for the development of a specific NTM community in the drinking water distribution system. A low (4.2%) number of hsp65 gene sequences showed more than 97% similarity to sequences of the opportunistic pathogens M. avium, M. genavense, and M. gordonae. However, most (95.8%) NTM hsp65 gene sequences were related to not-yet-described NTM species that have not been linked to disease, indicating that most NTM species in unchlorinated drinking water from distribution systems in the Netherlands have a low public health significance.

Physicochemical properties and the concentration of anions, major and trace elements in groundwater, treated drinking water and bottled drinking water in Najran area, KSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brima, Eid I.

2017-03-01

Basic information about major elements in bottled drinking water is provided on product labels. However, more information is needed about trace elements in bottled drinking water and other sources of drinking water to assess its quality and suitability for drinking. This is the first such study to be carried out in Najran city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A total of 48 water samples were collected from different sources comprising wells, stations for drinking water treatment and bottled drinking water (purchased from local supermarkets). The concentrations of 24 elements [aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cesium (Cs), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molydenum (Mo), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), uranium (U) and zinc (Zn)] were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Anions (chlorine (Cl-), fluoride (F-), sulfate (SO4 2-) and nitrate (NO3 -) were determined by ion chromatography (IC). Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved salts (TDS) and total hardness (TH) were also measured. All parameters of treated drinking water and bottled drinking water samples did not exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) 2008, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA 2009), Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO) 2008 and Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) 1984 recommended guidelines. It is noteworthy that groundwater samples were not used for drinking purpose. This study is important to raise public knowledge about drinking water, and to promote public health.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF MICROBIOLOGICAL & PARTICULATE CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER: US FILTER 3M10C MICROFILTRATION MEMBRANE SYSTEM AT CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the US Filter 3M10C membrane system was conducted over a 44-day test period at the Aqua 2000 Research Center in Chula Vista, California. The test period extended from July 24, 2002 to September 5, 2002. The source water was a blend of Colorado River and ...

Pool Purification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Caribbean Clear, Inc. used NASA's silver ion technology as a basis for its automatic pool purifier. System offers alternative approach to conventional purification chemicals. Caribbean Clear's principal markets are swimming pool owners who want to eliminate chlorine and bromine. Purifiers in Caribbean Clear System are same silver ions used in Apollo System to kill bacteria, plus copper ions to kill algae. They produce spa or pool water that exceeds EPA Standards for drinking water.

Quantitative structure--property relationships for enhancing predictions of synthetic organic chemical removal from drinking water by granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Magnuson, Matthew L; Speth, Thomas F

2005-10-01

Granular activated carbon is a frequently explored technology for removing synthetic organic contaminants from drinking water sources. The success of this technology relies on a number of factors based not only on the adsorptive properties of the contaminant but also on properties of the water itself, notably the presence of substances in the water which compete for adsorption sites. Because it is impractical to perform field-scale evaluations for all possible contaminants, the pore surface diffusion model (PSDM) has been developed and used to predict activated carbon column performance using single-solute isotherm data as inputs. Many assumptions are built into this model to account for kinetics of adsorption and competition for adsorption sites. This work further evaluates and expands this model, through the use of quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPRs) to predict the effect of natural organic matter fouling on activated carbon adsorption of specific contaminants. The QSPRs developed are based on a combination of calculated topographical indices and quantum chemical parameters. The QSPRs were evaluated in terms of their statistical predictive ability,the physical significance of the descriptors, and by comparison with field data. The QSPR-enhanced PSDM was judged to give results better than what could previously be obtained.

Arsenic concentration in water and bovine milk in Cordoba, Argentina. Preliminary results.

PubMed

Pérez-Carrera, Alejo; Fernández-Cirelli, Alicia

2005-02-01

The Chaco Pampean Plain of central Argentina constitutes one of the largest regions of high arsenic (As) groundwaters known, covering around 1 x 10(6) km2 (Smedley & Kinniburg, 2002; Farías et al. 2004). The high-As groundwaters are from Quaternary deposits of loess (mainly silt) with intermixed rhyolitic or dacitic volcanic ash (Nicolli et al. 1989, Smedley et al. 1998,2002). Early in the last century an endemic disease due to contamination of drinking water with arsenic was recognised. This disease is called HACRE (Hidroarsenicismo Crónico Regional Endémico, Chronic Endemic Regional Hydroarsenism) and is connected with a particular type of skin cancer (Astolfi et al. 1981). One of the most affected region is the province of Cordoba, where Nicolli et al. (1989) reported As concentrations that exceed the maximun level permitted for drinking water of 50 microg/l for 82% of the groundwater samples (n=60) of a study area comprising approximately 10000 km2. The southeast of Cordoba is an important milk production zone in Argentina, where dairy product consumption is up to 192 equivalent milk l/inhabitant/year. As a secretion of the mammary gland, milk can carry numerous xenobiotic substances, which constitute a technological risk factor for dairy products and above all for the health of the consumer (Licata et al. 2004). Nevertheless no studies on the incidence of high-As livestock drinking water in livestock health and its transfer to milk have been performed in Argentina. The aim of the present study was the determination of arsenic content in livestock drinking water and milk from dairy farms located in an area of high-As groundwaters, to analyse the relation between As uptake through water and its transfer to milk.

Quality of Kelantan drinking water and knowledge, attitude and practice among the population of Pasir Mas, Malaysia.

PubMed

Ab Razak, N H; Praveena, S M; Aris, A Z; Hashim, Z

2016-02-01

Information about the quality of drinking water, together with analysis of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) analysis and health risk assessment (HRA) remain limited. The aims of this study were: (1) to ascertain the level of KAP regarding heavy metal contamination of drinking water in Pasir Mas; (2) to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cd) in drinking water in Pasir Mas; and (3) to estimate the health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) caused by heavy metal exposure through drinking water using hazard quotient and lifetime cancer risk. Information on KAP was collected using a standardized questionnaire. Heavy metal analysis of drinking water samples was performed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The population of Pasir Mas has good knowledge (80%), a less positive attitude (93%) and good practice (81%) towards heavy metal contamination of drinking water. The concentrations of heavy metals analysed in this study were found to be below the permissible limits for drinking water set by the Malaysian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. The HRA showed no potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from the intake of heavy metal through drinking water. By investigating the quality of drinking water, KAP and HRA, the results of this study will provide authorities with the knowledge and resources to improve the management of drinking water quality in the future. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined energy production and waste management in manned spacecraft utilizing on-demand hydrogen production and fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elitzur, Shani; Rosenband, Valery; Gany, Alon

2016-11-01

Energy supply and waste management are among the most significant challenges in human spacecraft. Great efforts are invested in managing solid waste, recycling grey water and urine, cleaning the atmosphere, removing CO2, generating and saving energy, and making further use of components and products. This paper describes and investigates a concept for managing waste water and urine to simultaneously produce electric and heat energies as well as fresh water. It utilizes an original technique for aluminum activation to react spontaneously with water at room temperature to produce hydrogen on-site and on-demand. This reaction has further been proven to be effective also when using waste water and urine. Applying the hydrogen produced in a fuel cell, one obtains electric energy as well as fresh (drinking) water. The method was compared to the traditional energy production technology of the Space Shuttle, which is based on storing the fuel cell reactants, hydrogen and oxygen, in cryogenic tanks. It is shown that the alternative concept presented here may provide improved safety, compactness (reduction of more than one half of the volume of the hydrogen storage system), and management of waste liquids for energy generation and drinking water production. Nevertheless, it adds mass compared to the cryogenic hydrogen technology. It is concluded that the proposed method may be used as an emergency and backup power system as well as an additional hydrogen source for extended missions in human spacecraft.

THE DRINKING WATER TREATABILITY DATABASE (Conference Paper)

EPA Science Inventory

The Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB) assembles referenced data on the control of contaminants in drinking water, housed on an interactive, publicly-available, USEPA web site (www.epa.gov/tdb). The TDB is of use to drinking water utilities, treatment process design engin...

40 CFR 141.201 - General public notification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Public Notification of Drinking... violations of national primary drinking water regulations (NPDWR) and for other situations, as listed in... required by the drinking water regulations. (iv) Failure to comply with testing procedures as prescribed by...

BOOK REVIEW OF "DRINKING WATER REGULATION AND HEALTH"

EPA Science Inventory

Since the enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974, several amendments and other new regulations have been developed for drinking water. The book, "Drinking Water Regulation and Health", explains these regulations and provides background on why they were developed ...

Solid-phase microextraction of organophosphate pesticides in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities.

PubMed

Flynt, Elizabeth; Dupuy, Aubry; Kennedy, Charles; Bennett, Shanda

2006-09-01

The rapid detection of contaminants in our nation's drinking water has become a top homeland security priority in this time of increased national vigilance. Real-time monitoring of drinking water for deliberate or accidental contamination is key to national security. One method that can be employed for the rapid screening of pollutants in water is solid-phase microextraction (SPME). SPME is a rapid, sensitive, solvent-free system that can be used to screen for contaminants that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced into a water system. A method using SPME has been developed and optimized for the detection of seven organophosphate pesticides in drinking water treatment facility source waters. The method is tested in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities in Mississippi and Alabama. Water is collected from a deepwater well at Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS, the drinking water source for SSC, and from the Converse Reservoir, the main drinking water supply for Mobile, AL. Also tested are samples of water collected from the Mobile Alabama Water and Sewer System drinking water treatment plant prior to chlorination. The method limits of detection for the seven organophosphates were comparable to those described in several Environmental Protection Agency standard methods. They range from 0.25 to 0.94 microg/L.

Pesticides and their breakdown products in Lake Waxahachie, Texas, and in finished drinking water from the lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ging, Patricia B.

2002-01-01

Since 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has collected pesticide data from streams and aquifers throughout the Nation (Gilliom and others, 1995). However, little published information on pesticides in public drinking water is available. The NAWQA Program usually collects data on the sources of drinking water but not on the finished drinking water. Therefore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), in conjunction with the NAWQA Program, has initiated a nationwide pilot project to collect information on concentrations of pesticides and their breakdown products in finished drinking water, in source waters such as reservoirs, and in the basins that contribute water to the reservoirs. The pilot project was designed to collect water samples from finished drinking-water supplies and the associated source water from selected reservoirs that receive runoff from a variety of land uses. Lake Waxahachie, in Ellis County in north-central Texas, was chosen to represent a reservoir receiving water that includes runoff from cotton cropland. This fact sheet presents the results of pesticide sampling of source water from Lake Waxahachie and in finished drinking water from the lake. Analyses are compared to indicate differences in pesticide detections and concentrations between lake water and finished drinking water.

Oxygenated drinking water enhances immune activity in broiler chicks and increases survivability against Salmonella Gallinarum in experimentally infected broiler chicks.

PubMed

Jung, Bock-Gie; Lee, Jin-A; Nam, Kyoung-Woo; Lee, Bong-Joo

2012-03-01

It has been suggested that drinking oxygenated water may improve oxygen availability, which may increase vitality and improving immune activity. The present study evaluated the immune enhancing effects of oxygenated drinking water in broiler chicks and demonstrated the protective efficacy of oxygenated drinking water against Salmonella Gallinarum in experimentally infected broiler chicks. Continuous drinking of oxygenated water markedly increased serum lysozyme activity, peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and the CD4(+)/CD8(+) splenocyte ratio in broiler chicks. In the chicks experimentally infected with S. Gallinarum, oxygenated drinking water alleviated symptoms and increased survival. These findings suggest that oxygenated drinking water enhances immune activity in broiler chicks, and increases survivability against S. Gallinarum in experimentally infected broiler chicks.

Problems with provision: barriers to drinking water quality and public health in rural Tasmania, Australia.

PubMed

Whelan, Jessica J; Willis, Karen

2007-01-01

Access to safe drinking water is essential to human life and wellbeing, and is a key public health issue. However, many communities in rural and regional parts of Australia are unable to access drinking water that meets national standards for protecting human health. The aim of this research was to identify the key issues in and barriers to the provision and management of safe drinking water in rural Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key local government employees and public health officials responsible for management of drinking water in rural Tasmania. Participants were asked about their core public health duties, regulatory responsibilities, perceptions and management of risk, as well as the key barriers that may be affecting the provision of safe drinking water. This research highlights the effect of rural locality on management and safety of fresh water in protecting public health. The key issues contributing to problems with drinking water provision and quality identified by participants included: poor and inadequate water supply infrastructure; lack of resources and staffing; inadequate catchment monitoring; and the effect of competing land uses, such as forestry, on water supply quality. This research raises issues of inequity in the provision of safe drinking water in rural communities. It highlights not only the increasing need for greater funding by state and commonwealth government for basic services such as drinking water, but also the importance of an holistic and integrated approach to managing drinking water resources in rural Tasmania.

Safety of packaged water distribution limited by household recontamination in rural Cambodia.

PubMed

Holman, Emily J; Brown, Joe

2014-06-01

Packaged water treatment schemes represent a growing model for providing safer water in low-income settings, yet post-distribution recontamination of treated water may limit this approach. This study evaluates drinking water quality and household water handling practices in a floating village in Tonlé Sap Lake, Cambodia, through a pilot cross-sectional study of 108 households, approximately half of which used packaged water as the main household drinking water source. We hypothesized that households purchasing drinking water from local packaged water treatment plants would have microbiologically improved drinking water at the point of consumption. We found no meaningful difference in microbiological drinking water quality between households using packaged, treated water and those collecting water from other sources, including untreated surface water, however. Households' water storage and handling practices and home hygiene may have contributed to recontamination of drinking water. Further measures to protect water quality at the point-of-use may be required even if water is treated and packaged in narrow-mouthed containers.

[Total drinking water intake and sources of children and adolescent in one district of Shenzhen].

PubMed

Du, Songming; Hu, Xiaoqi; Zhang, Qian; Wang, Xiaojun; Liu, Ailing; Pan, Hui; He, Shuang; Ma, Guansheng

2013-05-01

To describe total drinking water intake among primary and middle school students in one district of Shenzhen and to provide scientific evidence for adequate intakes of drinking water for different people in China. A total of 816 students from three primary and middle schools of Shenzhen was selected using three-stage random sampling method. The information on amounts and types of daily drinking water was recorded by subjects for seven consecutive days using a 24 hours measurement. The amounts and types of daily drinking water among different ages and between boys and girls were analyzed. The average total drinking water of subjects was (1225+/-557) ml/d, and the consumption of total drinking water in boys ((1303+/-639) ml/d) was significantly higher than that in girls ((1134+/-478) ml/d, P<0.01). The consumption of total drinking water of secondary school students ((1389+/-541) ml/d) and high school student ((1318+/-641) ml/d) was no statistically difference, but was higher than primary school students ((1097+/-525) ml/d, P<0.01). The average plain water and beverages of the subjects was (818+/-541) ml/d and (407+/-294) ml/d respectively. Major of fluid intake comes from drinking water in children and adolescenct of Shenzhen. The knowledge of drinking water of primary school students is need to comprehensive enough.

Business model innovation in the water sector in developing countries.

PubMed

Gebauer, Heiko; Saul, Caroline Jennings

2014-08-01

Various technologies have been deployed in household devices or micro-water treatment plants for mitigating fluoride and arsenic, and thereby provide safe and affordable drinking water in low-income countries. While the technologies have improved considerably, organizations still face challenges in making them financially sustainable. Financial sustainability questions the business models behind these water technologies. This article makes three contributions to business models in the context of fluoride and arsenic mitigation. Firstly, we describe four business models: A) low-value devices given away to people living in extreme poverty, B) high-value devices sold to low-income customers, C) communities as beneficiaries of micro-water treatment plants and D) entrepreneurs as franchisees for selling water services and highlight the emergence of hybrid business models. Secondly, we show current business model innovations such as cost transparency & cost reductions, secured & extended water payments, business diversification and distribution channels. Thirdly, we describe skills and competencies as part of capacity building for creating even more business model innovations. Together, these three contributions will create more awareness of the role of business models in scaling-up water treatment technologies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Final Scientific/Technical Report for Program Title: Solar Powered Dewvaporation Desalination System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ranganathan, Shashidhar

Desalination technologies have been used increasingly throughout the world to produce the drinking water from the brackish ground and sea water for the past few decades. Among the commercially available desalination technologies, reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-stage flash distillation are the most widely used technologies globally. However, these technologies are difficult to be directly integrated with green energies without converting them to electricity. Dewvaporation, a desalination process, uses saturated steam as a carrier-gas to evaporate water from saline feeds and form pure condensate. It has the major technical benefit of reusing energy, released from vapor condensation, multiple times. The currentmore » proposal has been planned to address this issue. In Phase I, we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a new plasmonic nanoparticle based approach through fabrication and evaluation of a solar powered water vapor generation module. The water vapor generation module allows generation of high temperature plasmon on a fiber bundle end, where strong water and plasmon interaction occurs generating water vapor. Plasmon enhanced water evaporation has been realized on plasmonic nanoparticle immobilized substrate with an energy conversion efficiency of over 50%.« less

Microbial community dynamics of an urban drinking water distribution system subjected to phases of chloramination and chlorination treatments.

PubMed

Hwang, Chiachi; Ling, Fangqiong; Andersen, Gary L; LeChevallier, Mark W; Liu, Wen-Tso

2012-11-01

Water utilities in parts of the U.S. control microbial regrowth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) by alternating postdisinfection methods between chlorination and chloramination. To examine how this strategy influences drinking water microbial communities, an urban DWDS (population ≅ 40,000) with groundwater as the source water was studied for approximately 2 years. Water samples were collected at five locations in the network at different seasons and analyzed for their chemical and physical characteristics and for their microbial community composition and structure by examining the 16S rRNA gene via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA pyrosequencing technology. Nonmetric multidimension scaling and canonical correspondence analysis of microbial community profiles could explain >57% of the variation. Clustering of samples based on disinfection types (free chlorine versus combined chlorine) and sampling time was observed to correlate to the shifts in microbial communities. Sampling location and water age (<21.2 h) had no apparent effects on the microbial compositions of samples from most time points. Microbial community analysis revealed that among major core populations, Cyanobacteria, Methylobacteriaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, and Xanthomonadaceae were more abundant in chlorinated water, and Methylophilaceae, Methylococcaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae were more abundant in chloraminated water. No correlation was observed with minor populations that were detected frequently (<0.1% of total pyrosequences), which were likely present in source water and survived through the treatment process. Transient microbial populations including Flavobacteriaceae and Clostridiaceae were also observed. Overall, reversible shifts in microbial communities were especially pronounced with chloramination, suggesting stronger selection of microbial populations from chloramines than chlorine.

Microbial Community Dynamics of an Urban Drinking Water Distribution System Subjected to Phases of Chloramination and Chlorination Treatments

PubMed Central

Hwang, Chiachi; Ling, Fangqiong; Andersen, Gary L.; LeChevallier, Mark W.

2012-01-01

Water utilities in parts of the U.S. control microbial regrowth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) by alternating postdisinfection methods between chlorination and chloramination. To examine how this strategy influences drinking water microbial communities, an urban DWDS (population ≅ 40,000) with groundwater as the source water was studied for approximately 2 years. Water samples were collected at five locations in the network at different seasons and analyzed for their chemical and physical characteristics and for their microbial community composition and structure by examining the 16S rRNA gene via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA pyrosequencing technology. Nonmetric multidimension scaling and canonical correspondence analysis of microbial community profiles could explain >57% of the variation. Clustering of samples based on disinfection types (free chlorine versus combined chlorine) and sampling time was observed to correlate to the shifts in microbial communities. Sampling location and water age (<21.2 h) had no apparent effects on the microbial compositions of samples from most time points. Microbial community analysis revealed that among major core populations, Cyanobacteria, Methylobacteriaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, and Xanthomonadaceae were more abundant in chlorinated water, and Methylophilaceae, Methylococcaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae were more abundant in chloraminated water. No correlation was observed with minor populations that were detected frequently (<0.1% of total pyrosequences), which were likely present in source water and survived through the treatment process. Transient microbial populations including Flavobacteriaceae and Clostridiaceae were also observed. Overall, reversible shifts in microbial communities were especially pronounced with chloramination, suggesting stronger selection of microbial populations from chloramines than chlorine. PMID:22941076

Analyzers Provide Water Security in Space and on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Resourcefulness is a key quality for living in space, and on the International Space Station (ISS), that means making the most of water supplies. In 2008, the installation of the Water Processing Assembly (WPA) onboard the ISS allowed the space station s crew to do just that. The WPA purifies moisture from nearly every possible source - sweat, water vapor, wastewater, and even urine - for drinking and oxygen generation. Capable of producing 35 gallons of potable, recycled water a day, the system has reduced the need for water delivered to the ISS by over 1,000 gallons a year, saving significant payload costs in the process. As with any drinking water, quality is a concern, particularly when that water has been recycled. This is an issue of particular interest in space, where ISS crewmembers would have to deal with any illness far from the nearest medical personnel and facilities. The WPA employs sensors that monitor water quality by measuring its conductivity, and rounding out the system s quality assurance methods is a device developed for NASA by a private industry partner. That company has now made the technology available for ensuring the purity of water for consumption and industrial uses on Earth.

Nanofiber Filters Eliminate Contaminants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

With support from Phase I and II SBIR funding from Johnson Space Center, Argonide Corporation of Sanford, Florida tested and developed its proprietary nanofiber water filter media. Capable of removing more than 99.99 percent of dangerous particles like bacteria, viruses, and parasites, the media was incorporated into the company's commercial NanoCeram water filter, an inductee into the Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame. In addition to its drinking water filters, Argonide now produces large-scale nanofiber filters used as part of the reverse osmosis process for industrial water purification.

Small Drinking Water Systems Communication and Outreach ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As part of our small drinking water systems efforts, this poster highlights several communications and outreach highlights that EPA's Office of Research and Development and Office of Water have been undertaking in collaboration with states and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. To share information at EPA's annual small drinking water systems workshop

Metabolic profiles in serum of mouse after chronic exposure to drinking water.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Wu, Bing; Zhang, Xuxiang; Li, Aimin; Cheng, Shupei

2011-08-01

The toxicity of Nanjing drinking water on mouse (Mus musculus) was detected by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomic method. Three groups of mice were fed with drinking water (produced by Nanjing BHK Water Plant), 3.8 μg/L benzo(a)pyrene as contrast, and clean water as control, respectively, for 90 days. It was observed that the levels of lactate, alanine, and creatinine in the mice fed with drinking water were increased and that of valine was decreased. The mice of drinking water group were successfully separated from control. The total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates (PAEs), and other organic pollutants in the drinking water were 0.23 μg/L, 4.57 μg/L, and 0.34 μg/L, respectively. In this study, Nanjing drinking water was found to induce distinct perturbations of metabolic profiles on mouse including disorders of glucose-alanine cycle, branched-chain amino acid and energy metabolism, and dysfunction of kidney. This study suggests that metabonomic method is feasible and sensitive to evaluate potential toxic effects of drinking water.

Fecal contamination of drinking water within peri-urban households, Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Oswald, William E; Lescano, Andrés G; Bern, Caryn; Calderon, Maritza M; Cabrera, Lilia; Gilman, Robert H

2007-10-01

We assessed fecal contamination of drinking water in households in 2 peri-urban communities of Lima, Peru. We measured Escherichia coli counts in municipal source water and, within households, water from principal storage containers, stored boiled drinking water, and water in a serving cup. Source water was microbiologically clean, but 26 (28%) of 93 samples of water stored for cooking had fecal contamination. Twenty-seven (30%) of 91 stored boiled drinking water samples grew E. coli. Boiled water was more frequently contaminated when served in a drinking cup than when stored (P < 0.01). Post-source contamination increased successively through the steps of usage from source water to the point of consumption. Boiling failed to ensure safe drinking water at the point of consumption because of easily contaminated containers and poor domestic hygiene. Hygiene education, better point-of-use treatment and storage options, and in-house water connections are urgently needed.

Increasing the availability and consumption of drinking water in middle schools: a pilot study.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Elliott, Marc N; Lamb, Sheila; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Klein, David J; Schuster, Mark A

2011-05-01

Although several studies suggest that drinking water may help prevent obesity, no US studies have examined the effect of school drinking water provision and promotion on student beverage intake. We assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and outcomes of a school-based intervention to improve drinking water consumption among adolescents. The 5-week program, conducted in a Los Angeles middle school in 2008, consisted of providing cold, filtered drinking water in cafeterias; distributing reusable water bottles to students and staff; conducting school promotional activities; and providing education. Self-reported consumption of water, nondiet soda, sports drinks, and 100% fruit juice was assessed by conducting surveys among students (n = 876), preintervention and at 1 week and 2 months postintervention, from the intervention school and the comparison school. Daily water (in gallons) distributed in the cafeteria during the intervention was recorded. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline intake of water at school, the odds of drinking water at school were higher for students at the intervention school than students at the comparison school. Students from the intervention school had higher adjusted odds of drinking water from fountains and from reusable water bottles at school than students from the comparison school. Intervention effects for other beverages were not significant. Provision of filtered, chilled drinking water in school cafeterias coupled with promotion and education is associated with increased consumption of drinking water at school. A randomized controlled trial is necessary to assess the intervention's influence on students' consumption of water and sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as obesity-related outcomes.

Contribution of Drinking Water Softeners to Daily Phosphate Intake in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Jereb, Gregor; Poljšak, Borut; Eržen, Ivan

2017-01-01

The cumulative phosphate intake in a typical daily diet is high and, according to several studies, already exceeds recommended values. The exposure of the general population to phosphorus via drinking water is generally not known. One of the hidden sources of phosphorus in a daily diet is sodium polyphosphate, commonly used as a drinking water softener. In Slovenia, softening of drinking water is carried out exclusively within the internal (household) drinking water supply systems to prevent the accumulation of limescale. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of sodium phosphates in the drinking water in Slovenia in different types of buildings, to determine residents’ awareness of the presence of chemical softeners in their drinking water, and to provide an exposure assessment on the phosphorus intake from drinking water. In the current study, the presence of phosphates in the samples of drinking water was determined using a spectrophotometric method with ammonium molybdate. In nearly half of the samples, the presence of phosphates as water softeners was confirmed. The measured concentrations varied substantially from 0.2 mg PO4/L to 24.6 mg PO4/L. Nearly 70% of the respondents were not familiar with the exact data on water softening in their buildings. It follows that concentrations of added phosphates should be controlled and the consumers should be informed of the added chemicals in their drinking water. The health risks of using sodium polyphosphate as a drinking water softener have not been sufficiently investigated and assessed. It is highly recommended that proper guidelines and regulations are developed and introduced to protect human health from adverse effects of chemicals in water intended for human consumption. PMID:28984825

Contribution of Drinking Water Softeners to Daily Phosphate Intake in Slovenia.

PubMed

Jereb, Gregor; Poljšak, Borut; Eržen, Ivan

2017-10-06

The cumulative phosphate intake in a typical daily diet is high and, according to several studies, already exceeds recommended values. The exposure of the general population to phosphorus via drinking water is generally not known. One of the hidden sources of phosphorus in a daily diet is sodium polyphosphate, commonly used as a drinking water softener. In Slovenia, softening of drinking water is carried out exclusively within the internal (household) drinking water supply systems to prevent the accumulation of limescale. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of sodium phosphates in the drinking water in Slovenia in different types of buildings, to determine residents' awareness of the presence of chemical softeners in their drinking water, and to provide an exposure assessment on the phosphorus intake from drinking water. In the current study, the presence of phosphates in the samples of drinking water was determined using a spectrophotometric method with ammonium molybdate. In nearly half of the samples, the presence of phosphates as water softeners was confirmed. The measured concentrations varied substantially from 0.2 mg PO4/L to 24.6 mg PO4/L. Nearly 70% of the respondents were not familiar with the exact data on water softening in their buildings. It follows that concentrations of added phosphates should be controlled and the consumers should be informed of the added chemicals in their drinking water. The health risks of using sodium polyphosphate as a drinking water softener have not been sufficiently investigated and assessed. It is highly recommended that proper guidelines and regulations are developed and introduced to protect human health from adverse effects of chemicals in water intended for human consumption.

Behaviors and attitudes associated with low drinking water intake among US adults, Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, 2007.

PubMed

Goodman, Alyson B; Blanck, Heidi M; Sherry, Bettylou; Park, Sohyun; Nebeling, Linda; Yaroch, Amy L

2013-04-11

Water is vital for life, and plain water is a calorie-free option for hydration. Increasing consumption of drinking water is a strategy to reduce energy intake and lose or maintain weight; however, information on the characteristics of consumers who drink water is limited. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of people who have a low intake of drinking water and to determine associations between their behaviors and attitudes and their intake of water. We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 3,397 US adults who participated in the National Cancer Institute's 2007 Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors and attitudes associated with self-reported drinking water intake of less than 4 cups per day. Overall, 7% of adults reported no daily consumption of drinking water, 36% reported drinking 1 to 3 cups, 35% reported drinking 4 to 7 cups, and 22% reported drinking 8 cups or more. The likelihood of drinking less than 4 cups of water daily was significantly higher among participants aged 55 years or older than among those aged 18 to 34 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.3), among residents of the Northeast than among residents of the South (AOR, 1.4), among participants who consumed 1 cup or less of fruits or vegetables per day than among those who consumed 4.5 cups or more (AOR, 3.0), among participants who did not exercise than among those who exercised 150 minutes or more per week (AOR, 1.7), and among participants who were neither trying to gain nor lose weight than among those trying to lose weight (AOR, 1.3). Low drinking water intake was associated with age, region of residence, and several unhealthful behaviors and attitudes. Understanding characteristics associated with low drinking water intake may help to identify populations that could benefit from interventions to help adults drink more water.

Drinking induced by angiotensin II in fishes.

PubMed

Kobayashi, H; Uemura, H; Takei, Y; Itatsu, N; Ozawa, M; Ichinohe, K

1983-02-01

Among 20 species of freshwater fishes examined, Pseudorasbora parva, Rhodeus ocellatus, Cobitis anguillicaudatus, Carassius auratus, Oryzias latipes, Gambusia affinis, and Gyrinocheilus anymonieri were found to drink water like seawater fishes, while 13 remaining species did not drink. For fish species found exclusively in fresh water, angiotensin II (AII) treatment did not induce drinking. In contrast, those freshwater fishes which survive in estuarine brackish water (Leuciscus hakonensis, C. carassius, Parasilurus asotus, G. affinis, Chaenogobius annularis, Tridentiger obscurus, and G. anymonieri responded to AII by drinking. Furthermore, some freshwater fishes which survive either in hypertonic water (C. auratus) or in sea water (Anguilla japonica and O. latipes) also responded to AII by drinking. Of 17 seawater fishes examined, Eptatretus burgeri, Triakis scyllia, and Heterodontus japonicus failed to drink water, and for Trachurus japonicus, Platichthys bicoloratus, and Glossogobius giuris fasciatopunctatus, water intake was minor (similar to freshwater fishes). The 11 remaining seawater fishes drank water. AII did not induce drinking in fishes living exclusively in sea water. However, seawater fishes which survive either in tide pools (Chasmichthys dolichognathus gulosus) or in brackish water (Sillago japonica, Mugil cephalus, G. giuris fasciatopunctatus) responded to AII by drinking. P. bicoloratus, Acanthopagrus schlegeli, and Fugu niphobles were exceptional, in that they survive in brackish water, but did not respond to AII. Although some exceptions exist, it is generally concluded that a drinking response to AII is characteristic of fishes which encounter water more hypertonic than that in which they typically reside. Accordingly, a drinking mechanism induced by AII may be a compensatory emergency reaction to dehydration stress.

78 FR 48158 - Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-07

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9843-4] Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory....S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (Council), established under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This meeting is scheduled for...

EPA’s Drinking Water Treatability Database: A Tool for All Drinking Water Professionals

EPA Science Inventory

The Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB) is being developed by the USEPA Office of Research and Development to allow drinking water professionals and others to access referenced information gathered from thousands of literature sources and assembled on one site. Currently, ...

An assessment of drinking-water supplies on the Hanford site: an evaluation conducted at a federal nuclear facility in southeastern Washington state.

PubMed

Hanf, R William; Kelly, Lynn M

2005-03-01

Drinking water is supplied to most U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities on the Hanford Site by DOE-owned, contractor-operated pumping and distribution systems. Water is primarily obtained from the Columbia River, but some facilities use water from on-site groundwater wells. Because of the large amount of radioactive and chemical waste produced, stored, and disposed of at Hanford, some people are concerned that waste materials are contaminating on-site drinking-water supplies. This paper describes the drinking-water facilities and treatment requirements on the Hanford Site and summarizes radiological and non-radiological water quality data obtained from water samples collected from each drinking-water system in use during 2001 and 2002. Monitoring data show that Hanford-produced radionuclides are measurable in some drinking-water samples. The only non-radiological contaminants detected either were by-products of the chlorination process or came from off-site agricultural activities. Contaminant level values were, in all cases, below state and federal drinking-water limits. This information will provide assurance to current employees and future site developers that drinking water on the Hanford Site is safe for public consumption.

The challenges of sustainable access to safe drinking water in rural areas of developing countries: case of Zawtar El-Charkieh, Southern Lebanon.

PubMed

Massoud, May A; Al-Abady, Abdolmonim; Jurdi, Mey; Nuwayhid, Iman

2010-06-01

Adequate and safe water is important for human health and well-being, economic production, and sustainable development. Failure to ensure the safety of drinking water may expose the community to the risk of outbreaks of waterborne and infectious diseases. Although drinking water is a basic human right, many people do not have access to safe and adequate drinking water or proper sanitation facilities. The authors conducted a study to assess the quantity, cost, continuity, coverage, and quality of drinking water in the village of Zawtar El-Charkieh, Lebanon. Their aim was to identify the challenges of sustainable access to safe drinking water in order to determine the short-term management actions and long-term strategies to improve water quality. Results revealed that contamination of the source, absence of any disinfection method or insufficient dose, poor maintenance operations, and aging of the networks are significant factors contributing to water contamination during the storage and distribution process. Establishing a comprehensive drinking water system that integrates water supply, quality, and management as well as associated educational programs in order to ensure the safety and sustainability of drinking water supplies is essential.

Salivary immunoassays to investigate potential exposure to microbial contaminants from drinking water in rural Puerto Rico: an update

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation provides an update to an ongoing collaboration with Inter American University of Puerto Rico. The goal of this study is to investigate public health benefits that result from implementation of low cost, sustainable filtration technologies in remote, rural commu...

Water Treatment Technologies Inspire Healthy Beverages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

Mike Johnson, a former technician at Johnson Space Center, drew on his expertise as a wastewater engineer to create a line of kombucha-based probiotic drinks. Unpeeled Inc., based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, employs 12 people and has sold more than 6 million units of its NASA-inspired beverage.

INVESTIGATION OF RESPONSE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON (TOC) ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) have long been used to estimate the amount of natural organic matter (NOM) found in raw and finished drinking water. In recent years, computer automation and improved instrumental analysis technologies have created a ...

SCALE-UP IMPLEMENTATION OF A SUSTAINABLE, APPROPRIATE, AWARDS-WINNING, ARSENIC AND MICROBIAL REMOVAL FILTER IN RURAL NEPAL

EPA Science Inventory

In the rural Terai region of Nepal, about 5 million people are affected by arsenic and/or pathogens in their drinking water. Previous mitigation efforts failed in those areas because of the use of inappropriate technologies and unsustainable implementation strategy. Currentl...