Assessing BMP Performance Using Microtox Toxicity Analysis - Rhode Island

EPA Science Inventory

Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been shown to be effective in reducing runoff and pollutants from urban areas and thus provide a mechanism to improve downstream water quality. Currently, BMP performance regarding water quality improvement is assessed through measuring each...

Assessing BMP Performance Using Microtox® Toxicity Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been shown to be effective in reducing runoff and pollutants from urban areas and thus provide a mechanism to improve downstream water quality. Currently, BMP performance regarding water quality improvement is assessed through measuring each...

Corporatization as a means of improving water quality: the experience in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Martin, Narelle

Factors including fragmentation, a lack of direction, poor accountability, poor water quality, and a sizable state government subsidy contributed to the rural water industry in Victoria, Australia, in 1993. In 1993 the state government set out parameters for reform to change the size, structure, performance, and culture of the water industry. The path taken was not privatization, but corporatization. Tools used included amalgamation of organizations; separating water provisions from local government; changing the composition and reporting mechanisms of the boards; establishing clear benchmarks and performance criteria; making information publicly available; and providing a commercial orientation. The outcomes of the reforms were to be a focus on water quality and effluent management. In 2001, 15 water authorities were in place. There were significant improvements in accountability, finances, and performance. The authorities provided information on performance to both the state and the public. Reductions of operating costs have been in the range of 20-35%, with savings put back into new infrastructure. Water quality has significantly improved in a number of parameters and effluent management has also improved. This paper describes the challenges faced before the reform process, the reforms initiated, and the outcomes. It argues that privatization is not the only path to improvement: Developing a corporate structure and accountability can also deliver substantial improvements.

Why do water quality monitoring programs succeed or fail? A qualitative comparative analysis of regulated testing systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Peletz, Rachel; Kisiangani, Joyce; Bonham, Mateyo; Ronoh, Patrick; Delaire, Caroline; Kumpel, Emily; Marks, Sara; Khush, Ranjiv

2018-05-31

Water quality testing is critical for guiding water safety management and ensuring public health. In many settings, however, water suppliers and surveillance agencies do not meet regulatory requirements for testing frequencies. This study examines the conditions that promote successful water quality monitoring in Africa, with the goal of providing evidence for strengthening regulated water quality testing programs. We compared monitoring programs among 26 regulated water suppliers and surveillance agencies across six African countries. These institutions submitted monthly water quality testing results over 18 months. We also collected qualitative data on the conditions that influenced testing performance via approximately 821 h of semi-structured interviews and observations. Based on our qualitative data, we developed the Water Capacity Rating Diagnostic (WaterCaRD) to establish a scoring framework for evaluating the effects of the following conditions on testing performance: accountability, staffing, program structure, finances, and equipment & services. We summarized the qualitative data into case studies for each of the 26 institutions and then used the case studies to score the institutions against the conditions captured in WaterCaRD. Subsequently, we applied fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to compare these scores against performance outcomes for water quality testing. We defined the performance outcomes as the proportion of testing Targets Achieved (outcome 1) and Testing Consistency (outcome 2) based on the monthly number of microbial water quality tests conducted by each institution. Our analysis identified motivation & leadership, knowledge, staff retention, and transport as institutional conditions that were necessary for achieving monitoring targets. In addition, equipment, procurement, infrastructure, and enforcement contributed to the pathways that resulted in strong monitoring performance. Our identification of institutional commitment, comprising motivation & leadership, knowledge, and staff retention, as a key driver of monitoring performance was not surprising: in weak regulatory environments, individuals and their motivations take-on greater importance in determining institutional and programmatic outcomes. Nevertheless, efforts to build data collection capacity in low-resource settings largely focus on supply-side interventions: the provision of infrastructure, equipment, and training sessions. Our results indicate that these interventions will continue to have limited long-term impacts and sustainability without complementary strategies for motivating or incentivizing water supply and surveillance agency managers to achieve testing goals. More broadly, our research demonstrates both an experimental approach for diagnosing the systems that underlie service provision and an analytical strategy for identifying appropriate interventions. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Performance Qualification Test of the ISS Water Processor Assembly (WPA) Expendables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Tabb, David; Tatara, James D.; Mason, Richard K.

2005-01-01

The Water Processor Assembly (WPA) for use on the International Space Station (ISS) includes various technologies for the treatment of waste water. These technologies include filtration, ion exchange, adsorption, catalytic oxidation, and iodination. The WPA hardware implementing portions of these technologies, including the Particulate Filter, Multifiltration Bed, Ion Exchange Bed, and Microbial Check Valve, was recently qualified for chemical performance at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Waste water representing the quality of that produced on the ISS was generated by test subjects and processed by the WPA. Water quality analysis and instrumentation data was acquired throughout the test to monitor hardware performance. This paper documents operation of the test and the assessment of the hardware performance.

Quality-assurance plan and field methods for quality-of-water activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

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

Mann, L.J.

1996-10-01

Water-quality activities at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Project Office are part of the US Geological Survey`s (USGS) Water Resources Division (WRD) mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation`s water resources. The purpose of the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) for water-quality activities performed by the INEL Project Office is to maintain and improve the quality of technical products, and to provide a formal standardization, documentation, and review of the activities that lead to these products. The principles of this plan are as follows: (1) water-quality programs will be planned in a competent manner and activities willmore » be monitored for compliance with stated objectives and approaches; (2) field, laboratory, and office activities will be performed in a conscientious and professional manner in accordance with specified WRD practices and procedures by qualified and experienced employees who are well trained and supervised, if or when, WRD practices and procedures are inadequate, data will be collected in a manner that its quality will be documented; (3) all water-quality activities will be reviewed for completeness, reliability, credibility, and conformance to specified standards and guidelines; (4) a record of actions will be kept to document the activity and the assigned responsibility; (5) remedial action will be taken to correct activities that are deficient.« less

Extreme learning machines: a new approach for modeling dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration with and without water quality variables as predictors.

PubMed

Heddam, Salim; Kisi, Ozgur

2017-07-01

In this paper, several extreme learning machine (ELM) models, including standard extreme learning machine with sigmoid activation function (S-ELM), extreme learning machine with radial basis activation function (R-ELM), online sequential extreme learning machine (OS-ELM), and optimally pruned extreme learning machine (OP-ELM), are newly applied for predicting dissolved oxygen concentration with and without water quality variables as predictors. Firstly, using data from eight United States Geological Survey (USGS) stations located in different rivers basins, USA, the S-ELM, R-ELM, OS-ELM, and OP-ELM were compared against the measured dissolved oxygen (DO) using four water quality variables, water temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, and pH, as predictors. For each station, we used data measured at an hourly time step for a period of 4 years. The dataset was divided into a training set (70%) and a validation set (30%). We selected several combinations of the water quality variables as inputs for each ELM model and six different scenarios were compared. Secondly, an attempt was made to predict DO concentration without water quality variables. To achieve this goal, we used the year numbers, 2008, 2009, etc., month numbers from (1) to (12), day numbers from (1) to (31) and hour numbers from (00:00) to (24:00) as predictors. Thirdly, the best ELM models were trained using validation dataset and tested with the training dataset. The performances of the four ELM models were evaluated using four statistical indices: the coefficient of correlation (R), the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), the root mean squared error (RMSE), and the mean absolute error (MAE). Results obtained from the eight stations indicated that: (i) the best results were obtained by the S-ELM, R-ELM, OS-ELM, and OP-ELM models having four water quality variables as predictors; (ii) out of eight stations, the OP-ELM performed better than the other three ELM models at seven stations while the R-ELM performed the best at one station. The OS-ELM models performed the worst and provided the lowest accuracy; (iii) for predicting DO without water quality variables, the R-ELM performed the best at seven stations followed by the S-ELM in the second place and the OP-ELM performed the worst with low accuracy; (iv) for the final application where training ELM models with validation dataset and testing with training dataset, the OP-ELM provided the best accuracy using water quality variables and the R-ELM performed the best at all eight stations without water quality variables. Fourthly, and finally, we compared the results obtained from different ELM models with those obtained using multiple linear regression (MLR) and multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN). Results obtained using MLPNN and MLR models reveal that: (i) using water quality variables as predictors, the MLR performed the worst and provided the lowest accuracy in all stations; (ii) MLPNN was ranked in the second place at two stations, in the third place at four stations, and finally, in the fourth place at two stations, (iii) for predicting DO without water quality variables, MLPNN is ranked in the second place at five stations, and ranked in the third, fourth, and fifth places in the remaining three stations, while MLR was ranked in the last place with very low accuracy at all stations. Overall, the results suggest that the ELM is more effective than the MLPNN and MLR for modelling DO concentration in river ecosystems.

Environmental Flow for Sungai Johor Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adilah, A. Kadir; Zulkifli, Yusop; Zainura, Z. Noor; Bakhiah, Baharim N.

2018-03-01

Sungai Johor estuary is a vital water body in the south of Johor and greatly affects the water quality in the Johor Straits. In the development of the hydrodynamic and water quality models for Sungai Johor estuary, the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) model was selected. In this application, the EFDC hydrodynamic model was configured to simulate time varying surface elevation, velocity, salinity, and water temperature. The EFDC water quality model was configured to simulate dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), phosphate (PO4), and Chlorophyll a. The hydrodynamic and water quality model calibration was performed utilizing a set of site specific data acquired in January 2008. The simulated water temperature, salinity and DO showed good and fairly good agreement with observations. The calculated correlation coefficients between computed and observed temperature and salinity were lower compared with the water level. Sensitivity analysis was performed on hydrodynamic and water quality models input parameters to quantify their impact on modeling results such as water surface elevation, salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration. It is anticipated and recommended that the development of this model be continued to synthesize additional field data into the modeling process.

Performance measures and criteria for hydrologic and water quality models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Performance measures and criteria are essential for model calibration and validation. This presentation will include a summary of one of the papers that will be included in the 2014 Hydrologic and Water Quality Model Calibration & Validation Guidelines Special Collection of the ASABE Transactions. T...

The U.S. Geological Survey's water resources program in New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiltshire, Denise A.

1983-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey performs hydrologic investigations throughout the United States to appraise the Nation's water resources. The Geological Survey began its water-resources investigations in New York in 1895. To meet the objectives of assessing New York's water resources, the Geological Survey (1) monitors the quantity and quality of surface and ground water, (2) conducts investigations of the occurrence, availability, and chemical quality of water in specific areas of the State, (3) develops methods and techniques of data-collection and interpretation, (4) provides scientific guidance to the research community, to Federal, State, and local governments, and to the public, and (5) disseminates data and results of research through reports, maps, news releases, conferences, and workshops. Many of the joint hydrologic investigations are performed by the Geological Survey in cooperation with State, county, and nonprofit organizations. The data collection network in New York includes nearly 200 gaging stations and 250 observation wells; chemical quality of water is measured at 260 sites. Data collected at these sites are published annually and are filed in the WATSTORE computer system. Some of the interpretive studies performed by the Geological Survey in New York include (1) determining the suitability of ground-water reservoirs for public-water supply in urban areas, (2) assessing geohydrologic impacts of leachate from hazardous waste sites on stream and ground-water quality, (3) evaluating the effects of precipitation quality and basin characteristics on streams and lakes, and (4) developing digital models of the hydrology of aquifers to simulate ground-water flow and the interaction between ground water and streams.

Water quality and quantity investigation of green roofs in a dry climate.

PubMed

Beecham, S; Razzaghmanesh, M

2015-03-01

Low-energy pollutant removal strategies are now being sought for water sensitive urban design. This paper describes investigations into the water quality and quantity of sixteen, low-maintenance and unfertilized intensive and extensive green roof beds. The factors of Slope (1° and 25°), Depth (100 mm and 300 mm), Growing media (type A, type B and type C) and Species (P1, P2 and P3) were randomized according to a split-split plot design. This consisted of twelve vegetated green roof beds and four non-vegetated beds as controls. Stormwater runoff was collected from drainage points that were installed in each area. Samples of run-off were collected for five rainfall events and analysed for water retention capacity and the water quality parameters of NO₂, NO₃, NH₄, PO₄, pH, EC, TDS, Turbidity, Na, Ca, Mg and K. The results indicated significant differences in terms of stormwater water quality and quantity between the outflows of vegetated and non-vegetated systems. The water retention was between 51% and 96% and this range was attributed to the green roof configurations in the experiment. Comparing the quality of rainfall as inflow, and the quality of runoff from the systems showed that green roofs generally acted as a source of pollutants in this study. In the vegetated beds, the intensive green roofs performed better than the extensive beds with regard to outflow quality while in the non-vegetated beds, the extensive beds performed better than intensive systems. This highlights the importance of vegetation in improving water retention capacity as well as the role of vegetation in enhancing pollutant removal in green roof systems. In addition growing media with less organic matter had better water quality performance. Comparison of these results with national and international standards for water reuse confirmed that the green roof outflow was suitable for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation and toilet flushing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Southwest principal aquifers regional ground-water quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anning, D.W.; Thiros, Susan A.; Bexfield, L.M.; McKinney, T.S.; Green, J.M.

2009-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a regional analysis of water quality in the principal aquifers in the southwestern United States. The Southwest Principal Aquifers (SWPA) study is building a better understanding of the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers in the region to ground-water contamination by synthesizing the baseline knowledge of ground-water quality conditions in 15 basins previously studied by the NAWQA Program. The improved understanding of aquifer susceptibility and vulnerability to contamination is assisting in the development of tools that water managers can use to assess and protect the quality of ground-water resources. This fact sheet provides an overview of the basin-fill aquifers in the southwestern United States and description of the completed and planned regional analyses of ground-water quality being performed by the SWPA study.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an integrated toxicological tool to assess water quality and pollution.

PubMed

Clavijo, Araceli; Kronberg, María Florencia; Rossen, Ariana; Moya, Aldana; Calvo, Daniel; Salatino, Santa Esmeralda; Pagano, Eduardo Antonio; Morábito, José Antonio; Munarriz, Eliana Rosa

2016-11-01

Determination of water quality status in rivers is critical to establish a sustainable water management policy. For this reason, over the last decades it has been recommended to perform integrated water assessments that include water quantities and physicochemical, ecological and toxicological tests. However, sometimes resources are limited and it is not possible to perform large-scale chemical determinations of pollutants or conduct numerous ecotoxicological tests. To overcome this problem we use and measure the growth, as a response parameter, of the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to assess water quality in rivers. The C. elegans is a ubiquitous organism that has emerged as an important model organism in aquatic and soil toxicology research. The Tunuyán River Basin (Province of Mendoza, Argentina) has been selected as a representative traditional water monitoring system to test the applicability of the C. elegans toxicological bioassay to generate an integrated water quality evaluation. Jointly with the C. elegans toxic assays, physicochemical and bacteriological parameters were determined for each monitoring site. C. elegans bioassays help to identify different water qualities in the river basin. Multivariate statistical analysis (PCA and linear regression models) has allowed us to confirm that traditional water quality studies do not predict potential toxic effects on living organisms. On the contrary, physicochemical and bacteriological analyzes explain <62% of the C. elegans growth response variability, showing that ecotoxicological bioassays are important to obtain a realistic scenario of water quality threats. Our results confirm that the C. elegans bioassay is a sensible and suitable tool to assess toxicity and should be implemented in routine water quality monitoring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Learner's Guide: Water Quality Monitoring. An Instructional Guide for the Two-Year Water Quality Monitoring Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Richard B.; And Others

This learner's guide is designed to meet the training needs for technicians involved in monitoring activities related to the Federal Water Pollution Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition it will assist technicians in learning how to perform process control laboratory procedures for drinking water and wastewater treatment plant…

Evaluation of Military Field-Water Quality. Volume 8. Performance of Mobile Water-Purification Unit (MWPU) and Pretreatment Components of the 600-GPH Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), and Consideration of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Bypass, Potable-Water Disinfection, and Water-Quality Analysis Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

Health Risks in Potential Theaters of Operation for U.S. Military Forces. The nine volumes of this study contain a comprehensive assessment of the chemical...module. The percentage of total free chlorine ( hypochlorous acid , HOCl) plus hypochlorlte ion (OClN), measured by the Model 453 membrane sensor, varies...between the performances of the 600-Sph Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU) operated in the bypass node and ’the Mobile Water Purification

Santa Margarita Estuary Water Quality Monitoring Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-02-01

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION The work described in this report was performed for the Water Quality Section of the Environmental Security Marine Corps Base...water quality model calibration given interest and the necessary resources. The dataset should also inform the stakeholders and Regional Board on...period. Several additional ancillary datasets were collected during the monitoring timeframe that provide key information though they were not collected

Predicting Fish Growth Potential and Identifying Water Quality Constraints: A Spatially-Explicit Bioenergetics Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budy, Phaedra; Baker, Matthew; Dahle, Samuel K.

2011-10-01

Anthropogenic impairment of water bodies represents a global environmental concern, yet few attempts have successfully linked fish performance to thermal habitat suitability and fewer have distinguished co-varying water quality constraints. We interfaced fish bioenergetics, field measurements, and Thermal Remote Imaging to generate a spatially-explicit, high-resolution surface of fish growth potential, and next employed a structured hypothesis to detect relationships among measures of fish performance and co-varying water quality constraints. Our thermal surface of fish performance captured the amount and spatial-temporal arrangement of thermally-suitable habitat for three focal species in an extremely heterogeneous reservoir, but interpretation of this pattern was initially confounded by seasonal covariation of water residence time and water quality. Subsequent path analysis revealed that in terms of seasonal patterns in growth potential, catfish and walleye responded to temperature, positively and negatively, respectively; crappie and walleye responded to eutrophy (negatively). At the high eutrophy levels observed in this system, some desired fishes appear to suffer from excessive cultural eutrophication within the context of elevated temperatures whereas others appear to be largely unaffected or even enhanced. Our overall findings do not lead to the conclusion that this system is degraded by pollution; however, they do highlight the need to use a sensitive focal species in the process of determining allowable nutrient loading and as integrators of habitat suitability across multiple spatial and temporal scales. We provide an integrated approach useful for quantifying fish growth potential and identifying water quality constraints on fish performance at spatial scales appropriate for whole-system management.

Effects of selected pectinolytic bacterial strains on water-retting of hemp and fibre properties.

PubMed

Di Candilo, M; Bonatti, P M; Guidetti, C; Focher, B; Grippo, C; Tamburini, E; Mastromei, G

2010-01-01

To study the effect of selected bacterial strains on hemp water-retting and properties of retted fibre. The trials were performed in laboratory tanks. The traditional water-retting process, without inoculum addition, was compared to a process modified by inoculating water tanks with two selected pectinolytic bacteria: the anaerobic strain Clostridium sp. L1/6 and the aerobic strain Bacillus sp. ROO40B. Six different incubation times were compared. Half the fibre obtained from each tank was combed. Micromorphological analyses were performed by scanning electron microscopy on uncombed and combed fibres. Moreover, organoleptic and chemical analyses of uncombed fibres were performed. The inoculum, besides speeding up the process, significantly improved the fibre quality. The fibre was not damaged by mechanical hackling, thanks to the good retting level obtained by the addition of selected strains, differently to what happened with the traditionally retted fibre. The best fibre quality was obtained after 3-4 days of retting with the addition of the bacterial inoculum. Retting is the major limitation to an efficient production of high-quality hemp fibres. The water-retting process and fibre quality were substantially improved by simultaneously inoculating water tanks with two selected pectinolytic strains.

UV spectrophotometry for monitoring the performance of a yeast-based deoxygenation process to treat ships' ballast water.

PubMed

Veilleux, Éloïse; de Lafontaine, Yves; Thomas, Olivier

2016-04-01

This study assessed the usefulness of UV spectrophotometry for the monitoring of a yeast-based deoxygenation process proposed for ships' ballast water treatment to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species. Ten-day laboratory experiments using three treatment concentrations and different water types were conducted and resulted in complete oxygen depletion of treated waters. The treatment performance and quality of treated waters were determined by measuring the UV-visible absorbance spectra of water samples taken over time. Samples were also used for laboratory analysis of water quality properties. The UV absorbance spectra values were strongly correlated (r = 0.96) to yeast cell density in treated waters. The second-order derivative (D (2)) of the spectra varied greatly over time, and the spectrum profiles could be divided into two groups corresponding to the oxygenated and anoxic phases of the treatment. The D (2) value at 215 nm was strongly correlated (r = 0.94) to ammonia levels, which increased over time. The D (2) value at 225 nm was strongly correlated (r > 0.97) to DO concentration. Our results showed that UV spectrophotometry may provide a rapid assessment of the behavior and performance of the yeast bioreactor over time by quantifying (1) the density of yeast cells, (2) the time at which anoxic conditions were reached, and (3) a water quality index of the treated water related to the production of ammonia. We conclude that the rapidity of the technique confers a solid advantage over standard methods used for water quality analysis in laboratory and would permit the direct monitoring of the treatment performance on-board ships.

New York harbor water quality survey, 1993. (Includes appendices). Final report

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

Brosnan, T.M.; O`Shea, M.L.

1994-11-30

The 84th Water Quality Survey of New York Harbor was performed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection in 1993. Common indicators of water quality which were monitored include human health indicators, such as the sewage-related coliform bacteria, and environmental health indicators such as dissolved oxygen, the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, and phytoplankton densities as estimated from chlorophyll `a`.

Recommended Water Quality Criteria for Octahydro-1,3,5,7-Tentranitro-1, 3,5,7-Tetrazocin (HMX).

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-27

possible to derive water quality criteria for protection of aquatic life following USEPA guidelines. Based on the NOAEL of 50 mg/kg/day from the 13-week...special reference to those on human, mammalian, and aquatic health effects, and to generate water quality criteria for drinking water and for the...and discussed below. Aquatic Invertebrates Bentley et al. (1977) performed static acute toxicity tests on four species of freshwater invertebrates

The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Strategies and Demonstrations for the Reduction of Government Regulations Related to Commercial Shipbuilding

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-09-01

inspecting storm water quality associated with storm water runoff or snowmelt: January through March; April through June: July through September and October...beyond those described in Part V.B. of this permit. 5. Monitoring and Reporting . Requirements Storm Water Quality . Facilities shall perform and document...event. (I) Examinations shall be conducted in each of the following periods for the purposes of visually inspecting storm water quality associated

Performance of biotic indices in comparison to chemical-based Water Quality Index (WQI) in evaluating the water quality of urban river.

PubMed

Wan Abdul Ghani, Wan Mohd Hafezul; Abas Kutty, Ahmad; Mahazar, Mohd Akmal; Al-Shami, Salman Abdo; Ab Hamid, Suhaila

2018-04-19

In order to evaluate the water quality of one of the most polluted urban river in Malaysia, the Penchala River, performance of eight biotic indices, Biomonitoring Working Party (BMWP), BMWP Thai , BMWP Viet , Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT), ASPT Thai , BMWP Viet , Family Biotic Index (FBI), and Singapore Biotic Index (SingScore), was compared. The water quality categorization based on these biotic indices was then compared with the categorization of Malaysian Water Quality Index (WQI) derived from measurements of six water physicochemical parameters (pH, BOD, COD, NH 3 -N, DO, and TSS). The river was divided into four sections: upstream section (recreational area), middle stream 1 (residential area), middle stream 2 (commercial area), and downstream. Abundance and diversity of the macroinvertebrates were the highest in the upstream section (407 individual and H' = 1.56, respectively), followed by the middle stream 1 (356 individual and H' = 0.82). The least abundance was recorded in the downstream section (214 individual). Among all biotic indices, BMWP was the most reliable in evaluating the water quality of this urban river as their classifications were comparable to the WQI. BMWPs in this study have strong relationships with dissolved oxygen (DO) content. Our results demonstrated that the biotic indices were more sensitive towards organic pollution than the WQI. BMWP indices especially BMWP Viet were the most reliable and could be adopted along with the WQI for assessment of water quality in urban rivers.

Robust Decision Making to Support Water Quality Climate Adaptation: a Case Study in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischbach, J. R.; Lempert, R. J.; Molina-Perez, E.

2017-12-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), together with state and local partners, develops watershed implementation plans designed to meet water quality standards. Climate uncertainty, along with uncertainty about future land use changes or the performance of water quality best management practices (BMPs), may make it difficult for these implementation plans to meet water quality goals. In this effort, we explored how decision making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) methods such as Robust Decision Making (RDM) could help USEPA and its partners develop implementation plans that are more robust to future uncertainty. The study focuses on one part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the Patuxent River, which is 2,479 sq km in area, highly urbanized, and has a rapidly growing population. We simulated the contribution of stormwater contaminants from the Patuxent to the overall Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay under multiple scenarios reflecting climate and other uncertainties. Contaminants considered included nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads. The assessment included a large set of scenario simulations using the USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program's Phase V watershed model. Uncertainties represented in the analysis included 18 downscaled climate projections (based on 6 general circulation models and 3 emissions pathways), 12 land use scenarios with different population projections and development patterns, and alternative assumptions about BMP performance standards and efficiencies associated with different suites of stormwater BMPs. Finally, we developed cost estimates for each of the performance standards and compared cost to TMDL performance as a key tradeoff for future water quality management decisions. In this talk, we describe how this research can help inform climate-related decision support at USEPA's Chesapeake Bay Program, and more generally how RDM and other DMDU methods can support improved water quality management under climate uncertainty.

Extreme weather events: Should drinking water quality management systems adapt to changing risk profiles?

PubMed

Khan, Stuart J; Deere, Daniel; Leusch, Frederic D L; Humpage, Andrew; Jenkins, Madeleine; Cunliffe, David

2015-11-15

Among the most widely predicted and accepted consequences of global climate change are increases in both the frequency and severity of a variety of extreme weather events. Such weather events include heavy rainfall and floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, extreme cold, and wildfires, each of which can potentially impact drinking water quality by affecting water catchments, storage reservoirs, the performance of water treatment processes or the integrity of distribution systems. Drinking water guidelines, such as the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and the World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, provide guidance for the safe management of drinking water. These documents present principles and strategies for managing risks that may be posed to drinking water quality. While these principles and strategies are applicable to all types of water quality risks, very little specific attention has been paid to the management of extreme weather events. We present a review of recent literature on water quality impacts of extreme weather events and consider practical opportunities for improved guidance for water managers. We conclude that there is a case for an enhanced focus on the management of water quality impacts from extreme weather events in future revisions of water quality guidance documents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sediment toxicity test results for the Urban Waters Study 2010, Bellingham Bay, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Biedenbach, James M.

2011-01-01

The Washington Department of Ecology annually determines the quality of recently deposited sediments in Puget Sound as a part of Ecology's Urban Waters Initiative. The annual sediment quality studies use the Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) approach, thus relying on measures of chemical contamination, toxicity, and benthic in-faunal effects (Chapman, 1990). Since 2002, the studies followed a rotating sampling scheme, each year sampling a different region of the greater Puget Sound Basin. During the annual studies, samples are collected in locations selected with a stratified-random design, patterned after the designs previously used in baseline surveys completed during 1997-1999 (Long and others, 2003; Wilson and Partridge, 2007). Sediment samples were collected by personnel from the Washington Department of Ecology, in June of 2010 and shipped to the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) laboratory in Corpus Christi, Texas (not shown), where the tests were performed. Sediment pore water was extracted with a pneumatic apparatus and was stored frozen. Just before testing, water-quality measurements were made and salinity adjusted, if necessary. Tests were performed on a dilution series of each sample consisting of 100-, 50-, and 25-percent pore-water concentrations. The specific objectives of this study were to: * Extract sediment pore water from a total of 30 sediment samples from the Bellingham Bay, Washington area within a day of receipt of the samples. * Measure water-quality parameters (salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, sulfide, and ammonia) of thawed pore-water samples before testing and adjust salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen, if necessary, to obtain optimal ranges for the test species. * Conduct the fertilization toxicity test with pore water using sea urchin (Stronylocentrotus purpuratus) (S. purpuratus) gametes. * Perform quality control assays with reference pore water, dilution blanks and a positive control dilution series with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in conjunction with each test. * Determine which samples caused a significant decrease in percent fertilization success relative to the negative control.

Influences of water quality and climate on the water-energy nexus: A spatial comparison of two water systems.

PubMed

Stang, Shannon; Wang, Haiying; Gardner, Kevin H; Mo, Weiwei

2018-07-15

As drinking water supply systems plan for sustainable management practices, impacts from future water quality and climate changes are a major concern. This study aims to understand the intraannual changes of energy consumption for water treatment, investigate the relative importance of water quality and climate indicators on energy consumption for water treatment, and predict the effects of climate change on the embodied energy of treated, potable water at two municipal drinking water systems located in the northeast and southeast US. To achieve this goal, a life cycle assessment was first performed to quantify the monthly energy consumption in the two drinking water systems. Regression and relative importance analyses were then performed between climate indicators, raw water quality indicators, and chemical and energy usages in the treatment processes to determine their correlations. These relationships were then used to project changes in embodied energy associated with the plants' processes, and the results were compared between the two regions. The projections of the southeastern US water plant were for an increase in energy demand resulted from an increase of treatment chemical usages. The northeastern US plant was projected to decrease its energy demand due to a reduced demand for heating the plant's infrastructure. The findings indicate that geographic location and treatment process may determine the way climate change affects drinking water systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Interaction of Spacecraft Cabin Atmospheric Quality and Water Processing System Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Jay L.; Croomes, Scott D. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Although designed to remove organic contaminants from a variety of waste water streams, the planned U.S.- and present Russian-provided water processing systems onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have capacity limits for some of the more common volatile cleaning solvents used for housekeeping purposes. Using large quantities of volatile cleaning solvents during the ground processing and in-flight operational phases of a crewed spacecraft such as the ISS can lead to significant challenges to the water processing systems. To understand the challenges facing the management of water processing capacity, the relationship between cabin atmospheric quality and humidity condensate loading is presented. This relationship is developed as a tool to determine the cabin atmospheric loading that may compromise water processing system performance. A comparison of cabin atmospheric loading with volatile cleaning solvents from ISS, Mir, and Shuttle are presented to predict acceptable limits to maintain optimal water processing system performance.

Mass imbalances in EPANET water-quality simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Michael J.; Janke, Robert; Taxon, Thomas N.

2018-04-01

EPANET is widely employed to simulate water quality in water distribution systems. However, in general, the time-driven simulation approach used to determine concentrations of water-quality constituents provides accurate results only for short water-quality time steps. Overly long time steps can yield errors in concentration estimates and can result in situations in which constituent mass is not conserved. The use of a time step that is sufficiently short to avoid these problems may not always be feasible. The absence of EPANET errors or warnings does not ensure conservation of mass. This paper provides examples illustrating mass imbalances and explains how such imbalances can occur because of fundamental limitations in the water-quality routing algorithm used in EPANET. In general, these limitations cannot be overcome by the use of improved water-quality modeling practices. This paper also presents a preliminary event-driven approach that conserves mass with a water-quality time step that is as long as the hydraulic time step. Results obtained using the current approach converge, or tend to converge, toward those obtained using the preliminary event-driven approach as the water-quality time step decreases. Improving the water-quality routing algorithm used in EPANET could eliminate mass imbalances and related errors in estimated concentrations. The results presented in this paper should be of value to those who perform water-quality simulations using EPANET or use the results of such simulations, including utility managers and engineers.

7 CFR 1924.5 - Planning development work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... comply with Guide 3, “Quality and Performance Criteria for Moderate Rehabilitation,” of this subpart... source of the water supply, right to the use of the water, and the adequacy and quality of the supply. (f... will be sufficiently complete to avoid any misunderstanding as to extent, kind, and quality of work to...

Automated water monitor system field demonstration test report. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, R. L.; Jeffers, E. L.; Perreira, J.; Poel, J. D.; Nibley, D.; Nuss, R. H.

1981-01-01

A system that performs water quality monitoring on-line and in real time much as it would be done in a spacecraft, was developed and demonstrated. The system has the capability to determine conformance to high effluent quality standards and to increase the potential for reclamation and reuse of water.

Development of a method for comprehensive water quality forecasting and its application in Miyun reservoir of Beijing, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Zou, Zhihong; Shan, Wei

2017-06-01

Water quality forecasting is an essential part of water resource management. Spatiotemporal variations of water quality and their inherent constraints make it very complex. This study explored a data-based method for short-term water quality forecasting. Prediction of water quality indicators including dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand by KMnO 4 and ammonia nitrogen using support vector machine was taken as inputs of the particle swarm algorithm based optimal wavelet neural network to forecast the whole status index of water quality. Gubeikou monitoring section of Miyun reservoir in Beijing, China was taken as the study case to examine effectiveness of this approach. The experiment results also revealed that the proposed model has advantages of stability and time reduction in comparison with other data-driven models including traditional BP neural network model, wavelet neural network model and Gradient Boosting Decision Tree model. It can be used as an effective approach to perform short-term comprehensive water quality prediction. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of the impact of the plastic BioSand filter on health and drinking water quality in rural Tamale, Ghana.

PubMed

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

2012-10-24

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 0.41 (95% confidence interval: 0.18, 0.92), suggesting an overall diarrheal disease reduction of 59% [corrected]. 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.

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

Evaluating sustainable water quality management in the U.S.: Urban, Agricultural, and Environmental Protection Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Oel, P. R.; Alfredo, K. A.; Russo, T. A.

2015-12-01

Sustainable water management typically emphasizes water resource quantity, with focus directed at availability and use practices. When attention is placed on sustainable water quality management, the holistic, cross-sector perspective inherent to sustainability is often lost. Proper water quality management is a critical component of sustainable development practices. However, sustainable development definitions and metrics related to water quality resilience and management are often not well defined; water quality is often buried in large indicator sets used for analysis, and the policy regulating management practices create sector specific burdens for ensuring adequate water quality. In this research, we investigated the methods by which water quality is evaluated through internationally applied indicators and incorporated into the larger idea of "sustainability." We also dissect policy's role in the distribution of responsibility with regard to water quality management in the United States through evaluation of three broad sectors: urban, agriculture, and environmental water quality. Our research concludes that despite a growing intention to use a single system approach for urban, agricultural, and environmental water quality management, one does not yet exist and is even hindered by our current policies and regulations. As policy continues to lead in determining water quality and defining contamination limits, new regulation must reconcile the disparity in requirements for the contaminators and those performing end-of-pipe treatment. Just as the sustainable development indicators we researched tried to integrate environmental, economic, and social aspects without skewing focus to one of these three categories, policy cannot continue to regulate a single sector of society without considering impacts to the entire watershed and/or region. Unequal distribution of the water pollution burden creates disjointed economic growth, infrastructure development, and policy enactment across the sectors preventing a holistic approach to water quality management and, thus, rendering our system unsustainable.

Groundwater studies: principal aquifer surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burow, Karen R.; Belitz, Kenneth

2014-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Congress established the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to develop nationally consistent long-term datasets and provide information about the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. The USGS uses objective and reliable data, water-quality models, and systematic scientific studies to assess current water-quality conditions, to identify changes in water quality over time, and to determine how natural factors and human activities affect the quality of streams and groundwater. NAWQA is the only non-regulatory Federal program to perform these types of studies; participation is voluntary. In the third decade (Cycle 3) of the NAWQA program (2013–2023), the USGS will evaluate the quality and availability of groundwater for drinking supply, improve our understanding of where and why water quality is degraded, and assess how groundwater quality could respond to changes in climate and land use. These goals will be addressed through the implementation of a new monitoring component in Cycle 3: Principal Aquifer Surveys.

River water quality and pollution sources in the Pearl River Delta, China.

PubMed

Ouyang, Tingping; Zhu, Zhaoyu; Kuang, Yaoqiu

2005-07-01

Some physicochemical parameters were determined for thirty field water samples collected from different water channels in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone river system. The analytical results were compared with the environmental quality standards for surface water. Using the SPSS software, statistical analyses were performed to determine the main pollutants of the river water. The main purpose of the present research is to investigate the river water quality and to determine the main pollutants and pollution sources. Furthermore, the research provides some approaches for protecting and improving river water quality. The results indicate that the predominant pollutants are ammonium, phosphorus, and organic compounds. The wastewater discharged from households in urban and rural areas, industrial facilities, and non-point sources from agricultural areas are the main sources of pollution in river water in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone.

Arkansas Groundwater-Quality Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pugh, Aaron L.; Jackson, Barry T.; Miller, Roger

2014-01-01

Arkansas is the fourth largest user of groundwater in the United States, where groundwater accounts for two-thirds of the total water use. Groundwater use in the State increased by 510 percent between 1965 and 2005 (Holland, 2007). The Arkansas Groundwater-Quality Network is a Web map interface (http://ar.water.usgs.gov/wqx) that provides rapid access to the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) STOrage and RETrieval (STORET) databases of ambient water information. The interface enables users to perform simple graphical analysis and download selected water-quality data.

Polymeric additive performance in closed whitewater systems

Treesearch

T. H. Wegner

1984-01-01

“With more stringent requirements on discharge water quality and with escalating water treatment costs, water recycling within the paper mill is of growing importance. A serious problem resulting from more white-water recycling is reduced drainage and fiber or fines retention because of diminished polymeric additive performance. To provide better insight for overcoming...

Long Term Trend Analysis and Assessment of Water Quality in the Penchala River, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, M. F.; Haris, H. B.; Mohd Sidek, L. B.

2014-12-01

Rapid urban expansion produces negative impacts on the natural environment, especially river water quality. Studies assessing long term changes of water quality have been recognized as a key tool for understanding ongoing processes in watersheds and for providing an essential background for evaluation of rapid changes within industrialized and populated urban areas. Unfortunately, only limited studies are available for developing countries such as Malaysia. Thus, a long term study was conducted to evaluate water quality trends at Pencala river basin that has undergone extensive land use changes related to industrial, agricultural and urban activities. Fifteen physical and chemical variables were analysed in river water samples collected every month over a period of 13 years, between 1997 and 2009. The trend study was performed using the Mann-Kendall Seasonal test and the Sen's Slope estimator. Results revealed that most water quality parameters showed a downward trend for yearly average concentration. The water quality index (WQI) for Pencala River was improved from Class V to Class IV, according to National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia. BOD, COD, NH3-N and SS show trends toward decreasing concentrations over time. The improvements seen in water quality appear to be the result of improved wastewater treatment and other water quality improvement efforts achieved through government initiative. Continued long-term and high frequency monitoring is necessary to establish plans and policies for effective water resources management.

Simulation-based optimization framework for reuse of agricultural drainage water in irrigation.

PubMed

Allam, A; Tawfik, A; Yoshimura, C; Fleifle, A

2016-05-01

A simulation-based optimization framework for agricultural drainage water (ADW) reuse has been developed through the integration of a water quality model (QUAL2Kw) and a genetic algorithm. This framework was applied to the Gharbia drain in the Nile Delta, Egypt, in summer and winter 2012. First, the water quantity and quality of the drain was simulated using the QUAL2Kw model. Second, uncertainty analysis and sensitivity analysis based on Monte Carlo simulation were performed to assess QUAL2Kw's performance and to identify the most critical variables for determination of water quality, respectively. Finally, a genetic algorithm was applied to maximize the total reuse quantity from seven reuse locations with the condition not to violate the standards for using mixed water in irrigation. The water quality simulations showed that organic matter concentrations are critical management variables in the Gharbia drain. The uncertainty analysis showed the reliability of QUAL2Kw to simulate water quality and quantity along the drain. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis showed that the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, total nitrogen and total phosphorous are highly sensitive to point source flow and quality. Additionally, the optimization results revealed that the reuse quantities of ADW can reach 36.3% and 40.4% of the available ADW in the drain during summer and winter, respectively. These quantities meet 30.8% and 29.1% of the drainage basin requirements for fresh irrigation water in the respective seasons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing water quality under drought conditions in the Llobregat River Basin.

PubMed

Momblanch, Andrea; Paredes-Arquiola, Javier; Munné, Antoni; Manzano, Andreu; Arnau, Javier; Andreu, Joaquín

2015-01-15

The primary effects of droughts on river basins include both depleted quantity and quality of the available water resources, which can render water resources useless for human needs and simultaneously damage the environment. Isolated water quality analyses limit the action measures that can be proposed. Thus, an integrated evaluation of water management and quality is warranted. In this study, a methodology consisting of two coordinated models is used to combine aspects of water resource allocation and water quality assessment. Water management addresses water allocation issues by considering the storage, transport and consumption elements. Moreover, the water quality model generates time series of concentrations for several pollutants according to the water quality of the runoff and the demand discharges. These two modules are part of the AQUATOOL decision support system shell for water resource management. This tool facilitates the analysis of the effects of water management and quality alternatives and scenarios on the relevant variables in a river basin. This paper illustrates the development of an integrated model for the Llobregat River Basin. The analysis examines the drought from 2004 to 2008, which is an example of a period when the water system was quantitative and qualitatively stressed. The performed simulations encompass a wide variety of water management and water quality measures; the results provide data for making informed decisions. Moreover, the results demonstrated the importance of combining these measures depending on the evolution of a drought event and the state of the water resources system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accounting for and predicting the influence of spatial autocorrelation in water quality modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miralha, L.; Kim, D.

2017-12-01

Although many studies have attempted to investigate the spatial trends of water quality, more attention is yet to be paid to the consequences of considering and ignoring the spatial autocorrelation (SAC) that exists in water quality parameters. Several studies have mentioned the importance of accounting for SAC in water quality modeling, as well as the differences in outcomes between models that account for and ignore SAC. However, the capacity to predict the magnitude of such differences is still ambiguous. In this study, we hypothesized that SAC inherently possessed by a response variable (i.e., water quality parameter) influences the outcomes of spatial modeling. We evaluated whether the level of inherent SAC is associated with changes in R-Squared, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and residual SAC (rSAC), after accounting for SAC during modeling procedure. The main objective was to analyze if water quality parameters with higher Moran's I values (inherent SAC measure) undergo a greater increase in R² and a greater reduction in both AIC and rSAC. We compared a non-spatial model (OLS) to two spatial regression approaches (spatial lag and error models). Predictor variables were the principal components of topographic (elevation and slope), land cover, and hydrological soil group variables. We acquired these data from federal online sources (e.g. USGS). Ten watersheds were selected, each in a different state of the USA. Results revealed that water quality parameters with higher inherent SAC showed substantial increase in R² and decrease in rSAC after performing spatial regressions. However, AIC values did not show significant changes. Overall, the higher the level of inherent SAC in water quality variables, the greater improvement of model performance. This indicates a linear and direct relationship between the spatial model outcomes (R² and rSAC) and the degree of SAC in each water quality variable. Therefore, our study suggests that the inherent level of SAC in response variables can predict improvements in models even before performing spatial regression approaches. We also recognize the constraints of this research and suggest that further studies focus on better ways of defining spatial neighborhoods, considering the differences among stations set in tributaries near to each other and in upstream areas.

High-Performance Integrated Control of water quality and quantity in urban water reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galelli, S.; Castelletti, A.; Goedbloed, A.

2015-11-01

This paper contributes a novel High-Performance Integrated Control framework to support the real-time operation of urban water supply storages affected by water quality problems. We use a 3-D, high-fidelity simulation model to predict the main water quality dynamics and inform a real-time controller based on Model Predictive Control. The integration of the simulation model into the control scheme is performed by a model reduction process that identifies a low-order, dynamic emulator running 4 orders of magnitude faster. The model reduction, which relies on a semiautomatic procedural approach integrating time series clustering and variable selection algorithms, generates a compact and physically meaningful emulator that can be coupled with the controller. The framework is used to design the hourly operation of Marina Reservoir, a 3.2 Mm3 storm-water-fed reservoir located in the center of Singapore, operated for drinking water supply and flood control. Because of its recent formation from a former estuary, the reservoir suffers from high salinity levels, whose behavior is modeled with Delft3D-FLOW. Results show that our control framework reduces the minimum salinity levels by nearly 40% and cuts the average annual deficit of drinking water supply by about 2 times the active storage of the reservoir (about 4% of the total annual demand).

Growth and fillet quality attributes of five genetic strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in a partial water reuse system and harvested at different sizes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetics and environment can interact to influence fish growth performance and product quality attributes. Interaction in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) makes selection of fish strain and harvest sizes critical for optimizing fish quality. Definition of growth performance and quality outcom...

Sterols indicate water quality and wastewater treatment efficiency.

PubMed

Reichwaldt, Elke S; Ho, Wei Y; Zhou, Wenxu; Ghadouani, Anas

2017-01-01

As the world's population continues to grow, water pollution is presenting one of the biggest challenges worldwide. More wastewater is being generated and the demand for clean water is increasing. To ensure the safety and health of humans and the environment, highly efficient wastewater treatment systems, and a reliable assessment of water quality and pollutants are required. The advance of holistic approaches to water quality management and the increasing use of ecological water treatment technologies, such as constructed wetlands and waste stabilisation ponds (WSPs), challenge the appropriateness of commonly used water quality indicators. Instead, additional indicators, which are direct measures of the processes involved in the stabilisation of human waste, have to be established to provide an in-depth understanding of system performance. In this study we identified the sterol composition of wastewater treated in WSPs and assessed the suitability of human sterol levels as a bioindicator of treatment efficiency of wastewater in WSPs. As treatment progressed in WSPs, the relative abundance of human faecal sterols, such as coprostanol, epicoprostanol, 24-ethylcoprostanol, and sitostanol decreased significantly and the sterol composition in wastewater changed significantly. Furthermore, sterol levels were found to be correlated with commonly used wastewater quality indicators, such as BOD, TSS and E. coli. Three of the seven sterol ratios that have previously been used to track sewage pollution in the environment, detected a faecal signal in the effluent of WSPs, however, the others were influenced by high prevalence of sterols originating from algal and fungal activities. This finding poses a concern for environmental assessment studies, because environmental pollution from waste stabilisation ponds can go unnoticed. In conclusion, faecal sterols and their ratios can be used as reliable indicators of treatment efficiency and water quality during wastewater treatment in WSPs. They can complement the use of commonly used indicators of water quality, to provide essential information on the overall performance of ponds and whether a pond is underperforming in terms of stabilising human waste. Such a holistic understanding is essential when the aim is to improve the performance of a treatment plant, build new plants or expand existing infrastructure. Future work should aim at further establishing the use of sterols as reliable water quality indicators on a broader scale across natural and engineered systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of water quality parameters of inland and coastal waters with the use of a toolkit for processing of remote sensing data

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

Dekker, A.G.; Hoogenboom, H.J.; Rijkeboer, M.

1997-06-01

Deriving thematic maps of water quality parameters from a remote sensing image requires a number of processing steps, such as calibration, atmospheric correction, air/water interface correction, and application of water quality algorithms. A prototype software environment has recently been developed that enables the user to perform and control these processing steps. Main parts of this environment are: (i) access to the MODTRAN 3 radiative transfer code for removing atmospheric and air-water interface influences, (ii) a tool for analyzing of algorithms for estimating water quality and (iii) a spectral database, containing apparent and inherent optical properties and associated water quality parameters.more » The use of the software is illustrated by applying implemented algorithms for estimating chlorophyll to data from a spectral library of Dutch inland waters with CHL ranging from 1 to 500 pg 1{sup -1}. The algorithms currently implemented in the Toolkit software are recommended for optically simple waters, but for optically complex waters development of more advanced retrieval methods is required.« less

METHODS FOR MONITORING PUMP-AND-TREAT PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Since the 1980s, numerous pump-and-treat systems have been constructed to: (1) hydraulically contain contaminated ground water, and/or (2) restore ground-water quality to meet a desired standard such as background quality or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) concentrations for drin...

An adaptive framework to differentiate receiving water quality impacts on a multi-scale level.

PubMed

Blumensaat, F; Tränckner, J; Helm, B; Kroll, S; Dirckx, G; Krebs, P

2013-01-01

The paradigm shift in recent years towards sustainable and coherent water resources management on a river basin scale has changed the subject of investigations to a multi-scale problem representing a great challenge for all actors participating in the management process. In this regard, planning engineers often face an inherent conflict to provide reliable decision support for complex questions with a minimum of effort. This trend inevitably increases the risk to base decisions upon uncertain and unverified conclusions. This paper proposes an adaptive framework for integral planning that combines several concepts (flow balancing, water quality monitoring, process modelling, multi-objective assessment) to systematically evaluate management strategies for water quality improvement. As key element, an S/P matrix is introduced to structure the differentiation of relevant 'pressures' in affected regions, i.e. 'spatial units', which helps in handling complexity. The framework is applied to a small, but typical, catchment in Flanders, Belgium. The application to the real-life case shows: (1) the proposed approach is adaptive, covers problems of different spatial and temporal scale, efficiently reduces complexity and finally leads to a transparent solution; and (2) water quality and emission-based performance evaluation must be done jointly as an emission-based performance improvement does not necessarily lead to an improved water quality status, and an assessment solely focusing on water quality criteria may mask non-compliance with emission-based standards. Recommendations derived from the theoretical analysis have been put into practice.

Predicting non-stationary algal dynamics following changes in hydrometeorological conditions using data assimilation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.; Seo, D. J.

2017-12-01

When water temperature (TW) increases due to changes in hydrometeorological conditions, the overall ecological conditions change in the aquatic system. The changes can be harmful to human health and potentially fatal to fish habitat. Therefore, it is important to assess the impacts of thermal disturbances on in-stream processes of water quality variables and be able to predict effectiveness of possible actions that may be taken for water quality protection. For skillful prediction of in-stream water quality processes, it is necessary for the watershed water quality models to be able to reflect such changes. Most of the currently available models, however, assume static parameters for the biophysiochemical processes and hence are not able to capture nonstationaries seen in water quality observations. In this work, we assess the performance of the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) in predicting algal dynamics following TW increase. The study area is located in the Republic of Korea where waterway change due to weir construction and drought concurrently occurred around 2012. In this work we use data assimilation (DA) techniques to update model parameters as well as the initial condition of selected state variables for in-stream processes relevant to algal growth. For assessment of model performance and characterization of temporal variability, various goodness-of-fit measures and wavelet analysis are used.

MAINTAINING DATA QUALITY IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED MONITORING EFFORT

EPA Science Inventory

Macauley, John M. and Linda C. Harwell. In press. Maintaining Data Quality in the Performance of a Large Scale Integrated Monitoring Effort (Abstract). To be presented at EMAP Symposium 2004: Integrated Monitoring and Assessment for Effective Water Quality Management, 3-7 May 200...

Colorimetric-Solid Phase Extraction Technology for Water Quality Monitoring: Evaluation of C-SPE and Debubbling Methods in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazen-Bosveld, April; Lipert, Robert J.; Nordling, John; Shih, Chien-Ju; Siperko, Lorraine; Porter, Marc D.; Gazda, Daniel B.; Rutz, Jeff A.; Straub, John E.; Schultz, John R.;

Combined risk assessment of nonstationary monthly water quality based on Markov chain and time-varying copula.

PubMed

Shi, Wei; Xia, Jun

2017-02-01

Water quality risk management is a global hot research linkage with the sustainable water resource development. Ammonium nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and permanganate index (COD Mn ) as the focus indicators in Huai River Basin, are selected to reveal their joint transition laws based on Markov theory. The time-varying moments model with either time or land cover index as explanatory variables is applied to build the time-varying marginal distributions of water quality time series. Time-varying copula model, which takes the non-stationarity in the marginal distribution and/or the time variation in dependence structure between water quality series into consideration, is constructed to describe a bivariate frequency analysis for NH 3 -N and COD Mn series at the same monitoring gauge. The larger first-order Markov joint transition probability indicates water quality state Class V w , Class IV and Class III will occur easily in the water body of Bengbu Sluice. Both marginal distribution and copula models are nonstationary, and the explanatory variable time yields better performance than land cover index in describing the non-stationarities in the marginal distributions. In modelling the dependence structure changes, time-varying copula has a better fitting performance than the copula with the constant or the time-trend dependence parameter. The largest synchronous encounter risk probability of NH 3 -N and COD Mn simultaneously reaching Class V is 50.61%, while the asynchronous encounter risk probability is largest when NH 3 -N and COD Mn is inferior to class V and class IV water quality standards, respectively.

Water quality, sediment quality, and stream-channel classification of Rock Creek, Washington, D.C., 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Anita L.; Miller, Cherie V.; Olsen, Lisa D.; Doheny, Edward J.; Phelan, Daniel J.

2002-01-01

Rock Creek Park is within the National Capital Region in Washington, D.C., and is maintained by the National Park Service. Part of Montgomery County, Maryland, and part of the District of Columbia drain into Rock Creek, which is a tributary of the Potomac River. Water quality in Rock Creek is important to biotic life in and near the creek, and in the Potomac River Basin and the Chesapeake Bay. The water quality of the Rock Creek Basin has been affected by continued urban and agricultural growth and development. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, investigated water quality and sediment quality in Rock Creek over a 2-year period (1998?2000), and performed a stream-channel classification to determine the distribution of bottom sediment in Rock Creek. This report presents and evaluates water quality and bottom sediment in Rock Creek for water years 1999 (October 1, 1998 to September 30, 1999) and 2000 (October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000). A synoptic surface-water assessment was conducted at five stations from June 23 to June 25, 1999, a temporal surface-water assessment was conducted at one station from February 18, 1999 to September 26, 2000, and bed-sediment samples were collected and assessed from three stations from August 17 to August 19, 1999. The synoptic surface-water assessment included pesticides (parent compounds and selected transformation products), field parameters, nutrients, and major ions. The temporal surface-water assessment included pesticides (parent compounds and selected transformation products) and field parameters. The bed-sediment assessment included trace elements and organic compounds (including low- and high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, poly-chlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and phthalates). Some, but not all, of the pesticides known to be used in the area were included in the synoptic water-quality assessment, the temporal water-quality assessment, and the bed-sediment assessment. In addition to the water-quality and sediment-quality assessments, a Rosgen stream-channel classification was performed on a 900-foot-long segment of Rock Creek. In the synoptic water-quality assessment, two pesticides were found to be above published criteria for the protection of aquatic life. In the temporal water-quality assessment, four pesticides were found to be above published criteria for the protection of aquatic life. In the bed-sediment assessment, 8 trace elements, 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 6 pesticides, and 1 phthalate compound were found to be above published criteria for the protection of aquatic life. In the Rosgen classification, a comparison to a previous classification for this segment showed an increase in sands and other fine-grained sediments in the creek bed.

Automated ground-water monitoring with Robowell: case studies and potential applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granato, Gregory E.; Smith, Kirk P.

2002-02-01

Robowell is an automated system and method for monitoring ground-water quality. Robowell meets accepted manual- sampling protocols without high labor and laboratory costs. Robowell periodically monitors and records water-quality properties and constituents in ground water by pumping a well or multilevel sampler until one or more purge criteria have been met. A record of frequent water-quality measurements from a monitoring site can indicate changes in ground-water quality and can provide a context for the interpretation of laboratory data from discrete samples. Robowell also can communicate data and system performance through a remote communication link. Remote access to ground-water data enables the user to monitor conditions and optimize manual sampling efforts. Six Robowell prototypes have successfully monitored ground-water quality during all four seasons of the year under different hydrogeologic conditions, well designs, and geochemical environments. The U.S. Geological Survey is seeking partners for research with robust and economical water-quality monitoring instruments designed to measure contaminants of concern in conjunction with the application and commercialization of the Robowell technology. Project publications and information about technology transfer opportunities are available on the Internet at URL http://ma.water.usgs.gov/automon/

Automated ground-water monitoring with robowell-Case studies and potential applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granato, G.E.; Smith, K.P.; ,

2001-01-01

Robowell is an automated system and method for monitoring ground-water quality. Robowell meets accepted manual-sampling protocols without high labor and laboratory costs. Robowell periodically monitors and records water-quality properties and constituents in ground water by pumping a well or multilevel sampler until one or more purge criteria have been met. A record of frequent water-quality measurements from a monitoring site can indicate changes in ground-water quality and can provide a context for the interpretation of laboratory data from discrete samples. Robowell also can communicate data and system performance through a remote communication link. Remote access to ground-water data enables the user to monitor conditions and optimize manual sampling efforts. Six Robowell prototypes have successfully monitored ground-water quality during all four seasons of the year under different hydrogeologic conditions, well designs, and geochemical environments. The U.S. Geological Survey is seeking partners for research with robust and economical water-quality monitoring instruments designed to measure contaminants of concern in conjunction with the application and commercialization of the Robowell technology. Project publications and information about technology transfer opportunities are available on the Internet at URL http://ma.water.usgs.gov/automon/.

A novel approach in water quality assessment based on fuzzy logic.

PubMed

Gharibi, Hamed; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Nabizadeh, Ramin; Arabalibeik, Hossein; Yunesian, Masud; Sowlat, Mohammad Hossein

2012-12-15

The present work aimed at developing a novel water quality index based on fuzzy logic, that is, a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) approach to the development of environmental indices for routine assessment of surface water quality, particularly for human drinking purposes. Twenty parameters were included based on their critical importance for the overall water quality and their potential impact on human health. To assess the performance of the proposed index under actual conditions, a case study was conducted at Mamloo dam, Iran, employing water quality data of four sampling stations in the water basin of the dam from 2006 to 2009. Results of this study indicated that the general quality of water in all the sampling stations over all the years of the study period is fairly low (yearly averages are usually in the range of 45-55). According to the results of ANOVA test, water quality did not significantly change over time in any of the sampling stations (P > 0.05). In addition, comparison of the outputs of the fuzzy-based proposed index proposed with those of the NSF water quality index (the WQI) and Canadian Water Quality Index (CWQI) showed similar results and were sensitive to changes in the level of water quality parameters. However, the index proposed by the present study produced a more stringent outputs compared to the WQI and CWQI. Results of the sensitivity analysis suggested that the index is robust against the changes in the rules. In conclusion, the proposed index seems to produce accurate and reliable results and can therefore be used as a comprehensive tool for water quality assessment, especially for the analysis of human drinking water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Flexible Modeling Framework For Hydraulic and Water Quality Performance Assessment of Stormwater Green Infrastructure

EPA Science Inventory

A flexible framework has been created for modeling multi-dimensional hydrological and water quality processes within stormwater green infrastructures (GIs). The framework models a GI system using a set of blocks (spatial features) and connectors (interfaces) representing differen...

Guidelines for collection and field analysis of water-quality samples from streams in Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, F.C.; Gibbons, W.J.; Dorsey, M.E.

1990-01-01

Analyses for unstable constituents or properties are by necessity performed in the field. This manual addresses analytical techniques and quality assurance for: (1) Water temperature; (2) specific conductance; (3) pH; (4) alkalinity; (5) dissolved oxygen; and (6) bacteria.

Microbiological Tests Performed During the Design of the International Space Station ECLSS: Part 1, Bulk Phase Water and Wastewater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, Monsi C.; Mittelman, Marc W.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation summarizes the studies performed to assess the bulk phase microbial community during the Space Station Water Recover Tests (WRT) from 1990-1998. These tests show that it is possible to recycle water from different sources including urine, and produce water that can exceed the quality of municpally produced tap water.

30 CFR 780.21 - Hydrologic information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... contain information on water availability and alternative water sources, including the suitability of...) flooding or streamflow alteration; (D) ground water and surface water availability; and (E) other... Hydrologic information. (a) Sampling and analysis methodology. All water-quality analyses performed to meet...

Laboratory Evaluations of the Enterococcus qPCR Method for Recreational Water Quality Testing: Method Performance and Sources of Uncertainty in Quantitative Measurements

EPA Science Inventory

The BEACH Act of 2000 directed the U.S. EPA to establish more expeditious methods for the detection of pathogen indicators in coastal waters, as well as new water quality criteria based on these methods. Progress has been made in developing a quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for en...

Geographic techniques and recent applications of remote sensing to landscape-water quality studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffith, J.A.

2002-01-01

This article overviews recent advances in studies of landscape-water quality relationships using remote sensing techniques. With the increasing feasibility of using remotely-sensed data, landscape-water quality studies can now be more easily performed on regional, multi-state scales. The traditional method of relating land use and land cover to water quality has been extended to include landscape pattern and other landscape information derived from satellite data. Three items are focused on in this article: 1) the increasing recognition of the importance of larger-scale studies of regional water quality that require a landscape perspective; 2) the increasing importance of remotely sensed data, such as the imagery-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and vegetation phenological metrics derived from time-series NDVI data; and 3) landscape pattern. In some studies, using landscape pattern metrics explained some of the variation in water quality not explained by land use/cover. However, in some other studies, the NDVI metrics were even more highly correlated to certain water quality parameters than either landscape pattern metrics or land use/cover proportions. Although studies relating landscape pattern metrics to water quality have had mixed results, this recent body of work applying these landscape measures and satellite-derived metrics to water quality analysis has demonstrated their potential usefulness in monitoring watershed conditions across large regions.

Relating landscape characteristics to non-point source pollution in mine waste-located watersheds using geospatial techniques.

PubMed

Xiao, Huaguo; Ji, Wei

2007-01-01

Landscape characteristics of a watershed are important variables that influence surface water quality. Understanding the relationship between these variables and surface water quality is critical in predicting pollution potential and developing watershed management practices to eliminate or reduce pollution risk. To understand the impacts of landscape characteristics on water quality in mine waste-located watersheds, we conducted a case study in the Tri-State Mining District which is located in the conjunction of three states (Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma). Severe heavy metal pollution exists in that area resulting from historical mining activities. We characterized land use/land cover over the last three decades by classifying historical multi-temporal Landsat imagery. Landscape metrics such as proportion, edge density and contagion were calculated based on the classified imagery. In-stream water quality data over three decades were collected, including lead, zinc, iron, cadmium, aluminum and conductivity which were used as key water quality indicators. Statistical analyses were performed to quantify the relationship between landscape metrics and surface water quality. Results showed that landscape characteristics in mine waste-located watersheds could account for as much as 77% of the variation of water quality indicators. A single landscape metric alone, such as proportion of mine waste area, could be used to predict surface water quality; but its predicting power is limited, usually accounting for less than 60% of the variance of water quality indicators.

How does washing without water perform compared to the traditional bed bath: a systematic review.

PubMed

Groven, Fabian M V; Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Odekerken-Schröder, Gaby; Joosten, Erik J T; Hamers, Jan P H

2017-01-25

For immobile patients, a body wash in bed is sometimes the only bathing option. Traditionally, the bed bath is performed with water and soap. However, alternatives are increasingly used in health care. Washing without water is one such alternative that has been claimed to offer several advantages, such as improved hygiene and skin condition. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence on outcomes of the washing without water concept compared to the traditional bed bath. Controlled trials about washing without water outcomes published after 1994 were collected by means of a systematic literature search in CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PUBMED at the 25th of February, 2016. Additionally, references and citations were searched and experts contacted. Studies were eligible if (1) the study designs included outcomes of washing without water products developed for the full body wash compared to the traditional bed bath, and (2) they were controlled trials. Two researchers independently used a standardized quality checklist to assess the methodological quality of the eligible studies. Finally, outcomes were categorized in (1) physiological outcomes related to hygiene and skin condition, (2) stakeholder-related outcomes, and (3) organizational outcomes in the data synthesis. Out of 33 potentially relevant articles subjected to full text screening, six studies met the eligibility criteria. Only two studies (of the same research group) were considered of high quality. The results of these high quality studies show that washing without water performed better than the traditional bed bath regarding skin abnormalities and bathing completeness. No differences between washing without water and the traditional bed bath were found for outcomes related to significant skin lesions, resistance during bathing and costs in the studies of high quality. There is limited moderate to high quality evidence that washing without water is not inferior to the traditional bed bath. Future research on washing without water is needed and should pay special attention to costs, hygiene, and to stakeholder-related outcomes, such as experiences and value perceptions of patients, nursing staff and family.

Multistate Evaluation of an Ultrafiltration-Based Procedure for Simultaneous Recovery of Enteric Microbes in 100-Liter Tap Water Samples▿

PubMed Central

Hill, Vincent R.; Kahler, Amy M.; Jothikumar, Narayanan; Johnson, Trisha B.; Hahn, Donghyun; Cromeans, Theresa L.

2007-01-01

Ultrafiltration (UF) is increasingly being recognized as a potentially effective procedure for concentrating and recovering microbes from large volumes of water and treated wastewater. Because of their very small pore sizes, UF membranes are capable of simultaneously concentrating viruses, bacteria, and parasites based on size exclusion. In this study, a UF-based water sampling procedure was used to simultaneously recover representatives of these three microbial classes seeded into 100-liter samples of tap water collected from eight cities covering six hydrologic areas of the United States. The UF-based procedure included hollow-fiber UF as the primary step for concentrating microbes and then used membrane filtration for bacterial culture assays, immunomagnetic separation for parasite recovery and quantification, and centrifugal UF for secondary concentration of viruses. Water samples were tested for nine water quality parameters to investigate whether water quality data correlated with measured recovery efficiencies and molecular detection levels. Average total method recovery efficiencies were 71, 97, 120, 110, and 91% for φX174 bacteriophage, MS2 bacteriophage, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens spores, and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, respectively. Real-time PCR and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for seeded microbes and controls indicated that tap water quality could affect the analytical performance of molecular amplification assays, although no specific water quality parameter was found to correlate with reduced PCR or RT-PCR performance. PMID:17483281

Water-quality data from lakes in the Yukon Flats, Alaska, 2010-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halm, Douglas R.; Griffith, Brad

2014-01-01

Over a two-year period (2010–2011), in-place measurements were made and water-quality samples were collected from 122 lakes in the Yukon Flats, Alaska, during a U.S. Geological Survey lake biological diversity inventory. The U.S. Geological Survey National Research Program performed the chemical analyses on the retrieved water-quality samples. Results from the analyses of water samples for dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes, dissolved organic carbon, and major cations and anions, along with supporting site data, are presented in this report.

Water-quality data of lakes and wetlands in the Yukon Flats, Alaska, 2007–2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halm, Douglas R.; Guldager, Nikki

2013-01-01

Over a three-year period (2007–2009), in-situ measurements were taken and water-quality samples were collected from 111 lakes and wetlands located in the Yukon Flats, Alaska, during a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetlands inventory. The U.S. Geological Survey performed the chemical analyses on the retrieved water-quality samples. Results from the analyses of water samples for dissolved carbon gases and carbon isotopes, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes, dissolved organic carbon, and major cations and anions, along with supporting site data, are presented in this report.

Space Station Environmental Health System water quality monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincze, Johanna E.; Sauer, Richard L.

1990-01-01

One of the unique aspects of the Space Station is that it will be a totally encapsulated environment and the air and water supplies will be reclaimed for reuse. The Environmental Health System, a subsystem of CHeCS (Crew Health Care System), must monitor the air and water on board the Space Station Freedom to verify that the quality is adequate for crew safety. Specifically, the Water Quality Subsystem will analyze the potable and hygiene water supplies regularly for organic, inorganic, particulate, and microbial contamination. The equipment selected to perform these analyses will be commercially available instruments which will be converted for use on board the Space Station Freedom. Therefore, the commercial hardware will be analyzed to identify the gravity dependent functions and modified to eliminate them. The selection, analysis, and conversion of the off-the-shelf equipment for monitoring the Space Station reclaimed water creates a challenging project for the Water Quality engineers and scientists.

Evaluation Of Water Quality At River Bian In Merauke Papua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaja, Irba; Purwanto, P.; Sunoko, H. R.

2018-02-01

River Bian in Merauke Regency has been utilized by local people in Papua (the Marind) who live along the river for fulfilling their daily needs, such as shower, cloth and dish washing, and even defecation, waste disposal, including domestic waste, as well as for ceremonial activities related to the locally traditional culture. Change in land use for other necessities and domestic activities of the local people have mounted pressures on the status of the River Bian, thus decreasing the quality of the river. This study had objectives to find out and to analyze river water quality and water quality status of the River Bian, and its compliance with water quality standards for ideal use. The study determined sample point by a purposive sampling method, taking the water samples with a grab method. The analysis of the water quality was performed by standard and pollution index methods. The study revealed that the water quality of River Bian, concerning BOD, at the station 3 had exceeded quality threshold. COD parameter for all stations had exceeded the quality threshold for class III. At three stations, there was a decreasing value due to increasing PI, as found at the stations 1, 2, and 3. In other words, River Bian had been lightly contaminated.

Performance characterization of water recovery and water quality from chemical/organic waste products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, W. M.; Rogers, T. D.; Chowdhury, H.; Cullingford, H. S.

1989-01-01

The water reclamation subsystems currently being evaluated for the Space Shuttle Freedom are briefly reviewed with emphasis on a waste water management system capable of processing wastes containing high concentrations of organic/inorganic materials. The process combines low temperature/pressure to vaporize water with high temperature catalytic oxidation to decompose volatile organics. The reclaimed water is of potable quality and has high potential for maintenance under sterile conditions. Results from preliminary experiments and modifications in process and equipment required to control reliability and repeatability of system operation are presented.

Microflora of the selected water reservoirs in Swietokrzyskie Voivodship.

PubMed

Adamus-Bialek, Wioletta; Karwacka, Karolina; Bak, Lukasz

2013-01-01

One of the important environmental issues is the quality of surface waters in the world. Poland belongs to countries with a low quality of the inland waters. The sanitary condition of the five water reservoirs of south-east Poland was analyzed. Water and sediment samples were incubated on the selective and/or differential media. High concentrations of many common and pathogenic microbial indicators were shown in those samples. Those reservoirs are used by people, especially during summer. Because of the high epidemiological risk, detailed analysis of all inland waters should be performed routinely.

Occurrence and behaviors of fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC components in drinking water and wastewater treatment systems and their applications: a review.

PubMed

Yang, Liyang; Hur, Jin; Zhuang, Wane

2015-05-01

Fluorescence excitation emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) is a powerful tool for characterizing dissolved organic matter (DOM), and it is applied in a rapidly growing number of studies on drinking water and wastewater treatments. This paper presents an overview of recent findings about the occurrence and behavior of PARAFAC components in drinking water and wastewater treatments, as well as their feasibility for assessing the treatment performance and water quality including disinfection by-product formation potentials (DBPs FPs). A variety of humic-like, protein-like, and unique (e.g., pyrene-like) fluorescent components have been identified, providing valuable insights into the chemical composition of DOM and the effects of various treatment processes in engineered systems. Coagulation/flocculation-clarification preferentially removes humic-like components, and additional treatments such as biological activated carbon filtration, anion exchange, and UV irradiation can further remove DOM from drinking water. In contrast, biological treatments are more effective for protein-like components in wastewater treatments. PARAFAC components have been proven to be valuable as surrogates for conventional water quality parameter, to track the changes of organic matter quantity and quality in drinking water and wastewater treatments. They are also feasible for assessing formations of trihalomethanes and other DBPs and evaluating treatment system performance. Further studies of EEM-PARAFAC for assessing the effects of the raw water quality and variable treatment conditions on the removal of DOM, and the formation potentials of various emerging DBPs, are essential for optimizing the treatment processes to ensure treated water quality.

Is wetland mitigation successful in Southern California?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummings, D. L.; Rademacher, L. K.

2004-12-01

Wetlands perform many vital functions within their landscape position; they provide unique habitats for a variety of flora and fauna and they act as treatment systems for upstream natural and anthropogenic waste. California has lost an estimated 91% of its wetlands. Despite the 1989 "No Net Loss" policy and mitigation requirements by the regulatory agencies, the implemented mitigation may not be offsetting wetlands losses. The "No Net Loss" policy is likely failing for numerous reasons related to processes in the wetlands themselves and the policies governing their recovery. Of particular interest is whether these mitigation sites are performing essential wetlands functions. Specific questions include: 1) Are hydric soil conditions forming in mitigation sites; and, 2) are the water quality-related chemical transformations that occur in natural wetlands observed in mitigation sites. This study focuses on success (or lack of success) in wetlands mitigation sites in Southern California. Soil and water quality investigations were conducted in wetland mitigation sites deemed to be successful by vegetation standards. Observations of the Standard National Resource Conservation Service field indicators of reducing conditions were made to determine whether hydric soil conditions have developed in the five or more years since the implementation of mitigation plans. In addition, water quality measurements were performed at the inlet and outlet of these mitigation sites to determine whether these sites perform similar water quality transformations to natural wetlands within the same ecosystem. Water quality measurements included nutrient, trace metal, and carbon species measurements. A wetland location with minimal anthropogenic changes and similar hydrologic and vegetative features was used as a control site. All sites selected for study are within a similar ecosystem, in the interior San Diego and western Riverside Counties, in Southern California.

Performance of ANFIS versus MLP-NN dissolved oxygen prediction models in water quality monitoring.

PubMed

Najah, A; El-Shafie, A; Karim, O A; El-Shafie, Amr H

2014-02-01

We discuss the accuracy and performance of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in training and prediction of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. The model was used to analyze historical data generated through continuous monitoring of water quality parameters at several stations on the Johor River to predict DO concentrations. Four water quality parameters were selected for ANFIS modeling, including temperature, pH, nitrate (NO3) concentration, and ammoniacal nitrogen concentration (NH3-NL). Sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of the input parameters. The inputs with the greatest effect were those related to oxygen content (NO3) or oxygen demand (NH3-NL). Temperature was the parameter with the least effect, whereas pH provided the lowest contribution to the proposed model. To evaluate the performance of the model, three statistical indices were used: the coefficient of determination (R (2)), the mean absolute prediction error, and the correlation coefficient. The performance of the ANFIS model was compared with an artificial neural network model. The ANFIS model was capable of providing greater accuracy, particularly in the case of extreme events.

Effects of water quality and dietary potassium on performance and carcass characteristics of yearling steers.

PubMed

Sexson, J L; Wagner, J J; Engle, T E; Spears, J W

2010-01-01

Four hundred thirty-two crossbred yearling steers (339 kg +/- 4.8) were used to investigate the effects of water quality and dietary potassium concentration and source on feedlot performance and carcass merit. The study was conducted using a 2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement. Factors evaluated included 2 water sources: 1) a blend of reverse osmosis and well water (RO; 608 +/- 164 mg/L of SO(4)) and 2) 100% well water with SO(4) concentration of 1,933 +/- 53 mg/L and 3 dietary K treatments. Potassium treatments included 0.75% K with supplemental K from potassium chloride (0.75% K-KCl), 0.75% K with supplemental K from potassium carbonate (0.75% K-K(2)CO(3)), and 1.0% K with supplemental K from potassium carbonate (1.0% K-K(2)CO(3)). Interactions between water quality and dietary treatments were not significant. Dry matter intake tended (P = 0.10) to be greater for steers consuming RO water compared with well water and was not affected by dietary treatment. Feed efficiency (P = 0.04) and NE(g) recovery (P = 0.04) were greater for 1.0% K-K(2)CO(3) compared with 0.75% K-KCl but were not affected by water quality. Final BW was heavier (P < 0.001) and ADG was greater (P = 0.04) for RO water compared with well water but were not affected by diet. Carcasses from steers that consumed RO water tended (P = 0.08) to be heavier than carcasses from steers consuming well water. Dietary treatment did not affect HCW (P = 0.52). Yield grade calculated from carcass measurements was not affected by dietary treatment or water quality. Carcasses from steers consuming well water had greater (P = 0.04) marbling scores than RO water. These data demonstrate that steers consuming RO water achieved improved feedlot performance. Steers fed 1.0% K-K(2)CO(3) were more efficient and demonstrated improved energy recovery compared with steers fed 0.75% K-KCl. Improved efficiency and energy recovery may be related to a reduction (P = 0.06) in the liver abscess rate for steers consuming 1.0% K-K(2)CO(3). Dietary cation-anion balance was positively related to ADG (P < 0.01) and NE(g) (P = 0.03) recovery but negatively related to marbling score (P = 0.04).

Bacteriological water quality in the Lake Pontchartrain basin Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, September 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeckel, Donald M.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Demcheck, Dennis K.; Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Kephart, Christopher M.; Bertke, Erin E.; Mailot, Brian E.; Mize, Scott V.; Fendick, Robert B.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, monitored bacteriological quality of water at 22 sites in and around Lake Pontchartrain, La., for three consecutive weeks beginning September 13, 2005, following hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the associated flooding. Samples were collected and analyzed by USGS personnel from the USGS Louisiana Water Science Center and the USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory. Fecal-indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli, enterococci, and fecal coliform) concentrations ranged from the detection limit to 36,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters. Data are presented in tabular form and as plots of data in the context of available historical data and water-quality standards and criteria for each site sampled. Quality-control data were reviewed to ensure that methods performed as expected in a mobile laboratory setting.

Evaluation and Analysis of Regional Best Management Practices in San Diego, California (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flint, K.; Kinoshita, A. M.

2017-12-01

In urban areas, surface water quality is often impaired due to pollutants transported by stormwater runoff. To maintain and improve surface water quality, the United States Clean Water Act (CWA) requires an evaluation of available water quality information to develop a list of impaired water bodies and establish contaminant restrictions. Structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) are designed to reduce runoff volume and/or pollutant concentrations to comply with CWA requirements. Local level policy makers and managers require an improved understanding of the costs and benefits associated with BMP installation, performance, and maintenance. The International Stormwater BMP Database (Database) is an online platform for submittal of information about existing BMPs, such as cost, design details, and statistical analysis of influent and effluent pollutant concentrations. While the Database provides an aggregation of data which supports analysis of overall BMP performance at international and national scales, the sparse spatial distribution of the data is not suitable for regional and local analysis. This research conducts an extensive review of local inventory and spatial analysis of existing permanent BMPs throughout the San Diego River watershed in California, USA. Information collected from cities within the San Diego River watershed will include BMP types, locations, dates of installation, costs, expected removal efficiencies, monitoring data, and records of maintenance. Aggregating and mapping this information will facilitate BMP evaluation. Specifically, the identification of spatial trends, inconsistencies in BMP performances, and gaps in current records. Regression analysis will provide insight into the nature and significance of correlations between BMP performance and physical characteristics such as land use, soil type, and proximity to impaired waters. This analysis will also result in a metric of relative BMP performance and will provide a basis for future predictions of BMP effectiveness. Ultimately, results from this work will provide information to local governments and agencies for prioritizing, maintaining and monitoring BMPs, and improvement of hydrologic and water quality modeling in urban systems subject to compliance.

Development and testing of a fast conceptual river water quality model.

PubMed

Keupers, Ingrid; Willems, Patrick

2017-04-15

Modern, model based river quality management strongly relies on river water quality models to simulate the temporal and spatial evolution of pollutant concentrations in the water body. Such models are typically constructed by extending detailed hydrodynamic models with a component describing the advection-diffusion and water quality transformation processes in a detailed, physically based way. This approach is too computational time demanding, especially when simulating long time periods that are needed for statistical analysis of the results or when model sensitivity analysis, calibration and validation require a large number of model runs. To overcome this problem, a structure identification method to set up a conceptual river water quality model has been developed. Instead of calculating the water quality concentrations at each water level and discharge node, the river branch is divided into conceptual reservoirs based on user information such as location of interest and boundary inputs. These reservoirs are modelled as Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) and Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) to describe advection and diffusion processes. The same water quality transformation processes as in the detailed models are considered but with adjusted residence times based on the hydrodynamic simulation results and calibrated to the detailed water quality simulation results. The developed approach allows for a much faster calculation time (factor 10 5 ) without significant loss of accuracy, making it feasible to perform time demanding scenario runs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing Cumulative Impacts of Coal Bed Methane Development on Surface Water Quality and its Suitability for Irrigation in the Powder River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, H. E.

2003-12-01

This paper presents a mass balance approach to assessing the cumulative impacts of discharge from Coal Bed Methane (CBM) wells on surface water quality and its suitability for irrigation in the Powder River Basin. Key water quality parameters for predicting potential effects of CBM development on irrigated agriculture are sodicity, expressed as sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and salinity, expressed as electrical conductivity (EC). The assessment was performed with the aid of a spreadsheet model, which was designed to estimate steady-state SAR and EC at gauged stream locations after mixing with CBM produced water. Model input included ambient stream water quality and flow, CBM produced water quality and discharge rates, conveyance loss (quantity of water loss that may occur between the discharge point and the receiving streams), beneficial uses, regulatory thresholds, and discharge allocation at state-line boundaries. Historical USGS data were used to establish ambient stream water quality and flow conditions. The resultant water quality predicted for each stream station included the cumulative discharge of CBM produced water in all reaches upstream of the station. Model output was presented in both tabular and graphical formats, and indicated the suitability of pre- and post-mixing water quality for irrigation. Advantages and disadvantages of the spreadsheet model are discussed. This approach was used by federal agencies to support the development of the January 2003 Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for the Wyoming and Montana portions of the Powder River Basin.

Evaluating, interpreting, and communicating performance of hydrologic/water quality models considering intended use: A review and recommendations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous publications have outlined recommended practices for hydrologic and water quality (H/WQ) modeling, but none have formulated comprehensive guidelines for the final stage of modeling applications, namely evaluation, interpretation, and communication of model results and the consideration of t...

Benefits of neutral electrolyzed oxidizing water as a drinking water additive for broiler chickens.

PubMed

Bügener, E; Kump, A Wilms-Schulze; Casteel, M; Klein, G

2014-09-01

In the wake of discussion about the use of drugs in food-producing farms, it seems to be more and more important to search for alternatives and supportive measures to improve health. In this field trial, the influence of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water on water quality, drug consumption, mortality, and performance parameters such as BW and feed conversion rate was investigated on 2 broiler farms. At each farm, 3 rearing periods were included in the study. With EO water as the water additive, the total viable cell count and the number of Escherichia coli in drinking water samples were reduced compared with the respective control group. The frequency of treatment days was represented by the number of used daily doses per population and showed lower values in EO-water-treated groups at both farms. Furthermore, the addition of EO water resulted in a lower mortality rate. In terms of analyzed performance parameters, no significant differences were determined. In this study, the use of EO water improved drinking water quality and seemed to reduce the drug use without showing negative effects on performance parameters and mortality rates. © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

The effects of precipitation, river discharge, land use and coastal circulation on water quality in coastal Maine

PubMed Central

Tilburg, Charles E.; Jordan, Linda M.; Carlson, Amy E.; Zeeman, Stephan I.; Yund, Philip O.

2015-01-01

Faecal pollution in stormwater, wastewater and direct run-off can carry zoonotic pathogens to streams, rivers and the ocean, reduce water quality, and affect both recreational and commercial fishing areas of the coastal ocean. Typically, the closure of beaches and commercial fishing areas is governed by the testing for the presence of faecal bacteria, which requires an 18–24 h period for sample incubation. As water quality can change during this testing period, the need for accurate and timely predictions of coastal water quality has become acute. In this study, we: (i) examine the relationship between water quality, precipitation and river discharge at several locations within the Gulf of Maine, and (ii) use multiple linear regression models based on readily obtainable hydrometeorological measurements to predict water quality events at five coastal locations. Analysis of a 12 year dataset revealed that high river discharge and/or precipitation events can lead to reduced water quality; however, the use of only these two parameters to predict water quality can result in a number of errors. Analysis of a higher frequency, 2 year study using multiple linear regression models revealed that precipitation, salinity, river discharge, winds, seasonality and coastal circulation correlate with variations in water quality. Although there has been extensive development of regression models for freshwater, this is one of the first attempts to create a mechanistic model to predict water quality in coastal marine waters. Model performance is similar to that of efforts in other regions, which have incorporated models into water resource managers' decisions, indicating that the use of a mechanistic model in coastal Maine is feasible. PMID:26587258

Assessment and management of the performance risk of a pilot reclaimed water disinfection process.

PubMed

Zhou, Guangyu; Zhao, Xinhua; Zhang, Lei; Wu, Qing

2013-10-01

Chlorination disinfection has been widely used in reclaimed water treatment plants to ensure water quality. In order to assess the downstream quality risk of a running reclaimed water disinfection process, a set of dynamic equations was developed to simulate reactions in the disinfection process concerning variables of bacteria, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia and monochloramine. The model was calibrated by the observations obtained from a pilot disinfection process which was designed to simulate the actual process in a reclaimed water treatment plant. A Monte Carlo algorithm was applied to calculate the predictive effluent quality distributions that were used in the established hierarchical assessment system for the downstream quality risk, and the key factors affecting the downstream quality risk were defined using the Regional Sensitivity Analysis method. The results showed that the seasonal upstream quality variation caused considerable downstream quality risk; the effluent ammonia was significantly influenced by its upstream concentration; the upstream COD was a key factor determining the process effluent risk of bacterial, COD and residual disinfectant indexes; and lower COD and ammonia concentrations in the influent would mean better downstream quality.

Input variable selection and calibration data selection for storm water quality regression models.

PubMed

Sun, Siao; Bertrand-Krajewski, Jean-Luc

2013-01-01

Storm water quality models are useful tools in storm water management. Interest has been growing in analyzing existing data for developing models for urban storm water quality evaluations. It is important to select appropriate model inputs when many candidate explanatory variables are available. Model calibration and verification are essential steps in any storm water quality modeling. This study investigates input variable selection and calibration data selection in storm water quality regression models. The two selection problems are mutually interacted. A procedure is developed in order to fulfil the two selection tasks in order. The procedure firstly selects model input variables using a cross validation method. An appropriate number of variables are identified as model inputs to ensure that a model is neither overfitted nor underfitted. Based on the model input selection results, calibration data selection is studied. Uncertainty of model performances due to calibration data selection is investigated with a random selection method. An approach using the cluster method is applied in order to enhance model calibration practice based on the principle of selecting representative data for calibration. The comparison between results from the cluster selection method and random selection shows that the former can significantly improve performances of calibrated models. It is found that the information content in calibration data is important in addition to the size of calibration data.

Integrated Modelling on Flow and Water Quality Under the Impacts of Climate Change and Agricultural Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SHI, J.

2014-12-01

Climate change is expected to have a significant impact on flooding in the UK, inducing more intense and prolonged storms. Frequent flooding due to climate change already exacerbates catchment water quality. Land use is another contributing factor to poor water quality. For example, the move to intensive farming could cause an increase in faecal coliforms entering the water courses. In an effort to understand better the effects on water quality from land use and climate change, the hydrological and estuarine processes are being modelled using SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool), linked to a 2-D hydrodynamic model DIVAST(Depth Integrated Velocity and Solute Transport). The coupled model is able to quantify how much of each pollutant from the catchment reaches the harbour and the impact on water quality within the harbour. The work is focused on the transportation and decay of faecal coliforms from agricultural runoff into the rivers Frome and Piddle in the UK. The impact from the agricultural land use and activities on the catchment river hydrology and water quality are evaluated. The coupled model calibration and validation showed the good model performance on flow and faecal coliform in the watershed and estuary.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Results

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Clean Water State Revolving provides significant environmental benefits by maintaining and improving the nation's water quality. Reports on financial performance document CWSRF progress and account for the use of federal funds.

Evaluation of the influence of economic groups on the efficiency and quality of service of water companies: an empirical approach for Chile.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Farías, Rodrigo

2018-06-04

The privatization of water and sewerage services (WSS) has led to the foundation of water economic groups, which integrate several water companies and have gained notable importance at the global level. In the framework of benchmarking studies, there are no prior studies exploring the impact that economic groups have on the efficiency and quality of service provided by water companies. This study investigates, for the first time, whether the membership of water companies in an economic group influences their performance. Quantity- and quality-adjusted efficiency scores were computed using data envelopment analysis models. An empirical application was developed for the Chilean water industry since most of their water companies are private and belong to an economic group. The results show that independent water companies provide WSS with better quality than do water companies that belong to an economic group. From a statistical point of view, it was evident that membership in an economic group impacts both the quantity- and quality-adjusted efficiency scores of water companies. The results of this study illustrate that applying the model-firm regulation to the Chilean water industry has significant drawbacks that should be addressed by the water regulator to promote the long-term sustainability of the water industry.

Hanford Site ground-water monitoring for 1993

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

Dresel, P.E.; Luttrell, S.P.; Evans, J.C.

This report presents the results of the Ground-Water Surveillance Project monitoring for calendar year 1993 on the Hanford Site, Washington. Hanford Site operations from 1943 onward produced large quantities of radiological and chemical waste that have impacted ground-water quality on the Site. Monitoring of water levels and ground-water chemistry is performed to track the extent of contamination and trends in contaminant concentrations. The 1993 monitoring was also designed to identify emerging ground-water quality problems. The information obtained is used to verify compliance with applicable environmental regulations and to evaluate remedial actions. Data from other monitoring and characterization programs were incorporatedmore » to provide an integrated assessment of Site ground-water quality. Additional characterization of the Site`s geologic setting and hydrology was performed to support the interpretation of contaminant distributions. Numerical modeling of sitewide ground-water flow also supported the overall project goals. Water-level monitoring was performed to evaluate ground-water flow directions, to track changes in water levels, and to relate such changes to changes in site disposal practices. Water levels over most of the Hanford Site continued to decline between June 1992 and June 1993. The greatest declines occurred in the 200-West Area. These declines are part of the continued response to the cessation of discharge to U Pond and other disposal facilities. The low permeability in this area which enhanced mounding of waste-water discharge has also slowed the response to the reduction of disposal. Water levels remained nearly constant in the vicinity of B Pond, as a result of continued disposal to the pond. Water levels measured from wells in the unconfined aquifer north and east of the Columbia River indicate that the primary source of recharge is irrigation practices.« less

Temporal evolution modeling of hydraulic and water quality performance of permeable pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jian; He, Jianxun; Valeo, Caterina; Chu, Angus

2016-02-01

A mathematical model for predicting hydraulic and water quality performance in both the short- and long-term is proposed based on field measurements for three types of permeable pavements: porous asphalt (PA), porous concrete (PC), and permeable inter-locking concrete pavers (PICP). The model was applied to three field-scale test sites in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The model performance was assessed in terms of hydraulic parameters including time to peak, peak flow and water balance and a water quality variable (the removal rate of total suspended solids). A total of 20 simulated storm events were used for model calibration and verification processes. The proposed model can simulate the outflow hydrographs with a coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.762 to 0.907, and normalized root-mean-square deviation (NRMSD) ranging from 13.78% to 17.83%. Comparison of the time to peak flow, peak flow, runoff volume and TSS removal rates between the measured and modeled values in model verification phase had a maximum difference of 11%. The results demonstrate that the proposed model is capable of capturing the temporal dynamics of the pavement performance. Therefore, the model has great potential as a practical modeling tool for permeable pavement design and performance assessment.

Monitoring on The Quality and Quantity of DIY Rainwater Harvesting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasmin, H.; Bakar, N. H.; Zubir, M. M.

2016-07-01

Rainwater harvesting is an alternative sources of water supply and can be used for potable and non-potable uses. It could helps to store treated rainwater for more beneficial use and also for flood mitigation. Sustainable approach for flooding problem reduction in urban areas is by slowing down the rate of surface runoff flows at source by providing more storage area/tank. In order to understand the performance of a rainwater harvesting system (RWH), a preliminary monitoring on a ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) RWH model with additional first -flush strategy for water quality treatment was done. The main concept behind first flush diversion is to prevent initial polluted rainwater from entering the storage tank. Based on seven rainfall events observed in Parit Raja, both quality and quantity of the rainfalls were analysed. For rainwater quality, the samples from first flush diverter and storage tank were taken to understand their performance based on pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, total dissolved solid (TDS), total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) parameters. While for rainwater quantity, hydrograph analysis were done based on the performance of total rainfall and runoff, peak flow of rainfall and runoff; and delayed time parameters. Based on Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS) and National Drinking Water Quality Standard (NDWQS), first flush diverter apparently helps on water quality improvement in storage tanks when pH, DO, TDS, TSS and turbidity were classified as Class I (INWQS) and is allowable for drinking; but BOD and COD parameters were classified as Class III (INWQS). Hence, it has potential to be used as potable usage but will need extensive treatment to reduce its poor microbial quality. Based on the maximum observed rainfall event which had total volume of 3195.5 liter, had peakflow reduction from 0.00071 m3/s to 0.00034 m3/s and delayed runoff between 5 and 10 minutes after rainfall started. It concludes that the performance of water retention could be due to total rainfall and the tank capacity. Therefore, RWH has a potential to be used as potable use and at the same time it also has a potential to reduce local urban flooding.

Permeable Pavement Monitoring at the Edison Environmental Center Demonstration Site

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation covers the following monitoring objectives at the demonstration site at Edison, NJ: Hydrologic performance, water quality performance, urban heat island effects, maintenance effects and infiltration water parameters. There will be a side by side monitoring of ...

Potential impacts of climate change on water quality in a shallow reservoir in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Chen; Lai, Shiyu; Gao, Xueping; Xu, Liping

2015-10-01

To study the potential effects of climate change on water quality in a shallow reservoir in China, the field data analysis method is applied to data collected over a given monitoring period. Nine water quality parameters (water temperature, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen) and three climate indicators for 20 years (1992-2011) are considered. The annual trends exhibit significant trends with respect to certain water quality and climate parameters. Five parameters exhibit significant seasonality differences in the monthly means between the two decades (1992-2001 and 2002-2011) of the monitoring period. Non-parametric regression of the statistical analyses is performed to explore potential key climate drivers of water quality in the reservoir. The results indicate that seasonal changes in temperature and rainfall may have positive impacts on water quality. However, an extremely cold spring and high wind speed are likely to affect the self-stabilising equilibrium states of the reservoir, which requires attention in the future. The results suggest that land use changes have important impact on nitrogen load. This study provides useful information regarding the potential effects of climate change on water quality in developing countries.

Drinking Water Quality Criterion - Based site Selection of Aquifer Storage and Recovery Scheme in Chou-Shui River Alluvial Fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, H. E.; Liang, C. P.; Jang, C. S.; Chen, J. S.

2015-12-01

Land subsidence due to groundwater exploitation is an urgent environmental problem in Choushui river alluvial fan in Taiwan. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), where excess surface water is injected into subsurface aquifers for later recovery, is one promising strategy for managing surplus water and may overcome water shortages. The performance of an ASR scheme is generally evaluated in terms of recovery efficiency, which is defined as percentage of water injected in to a system in an ASR site that fulfills the targeted water quality criterion. Site selection of an ASR scheme typically faces great challenges, due to the spatial variability of groundwater quality and hydrogeological condition. This study proposes a novel method for the ASR site selection based on drinking quality criterion. Simplified groundwater flow and contaminant transport model spatial distributions of the recovery efficiency with the help of the groundwater quality, hydrological condition, ASR operation. The results of this study may provide government administrator for establishing reliable ASR scheme.

Performance of pond-wetland complexes as a preliminary processor of drinking water sources.

PubMed

Wang, Weidong; Zheng, Jun; Wang, Zhongqiong; Zhang, Rongbin; Chen, Qinghua; Yu, Xinfeng; Yin, Chengqing

2016-01-01

Shijiuyang Constructed Wetland (110 hm(2)) is a drinking water source treatment wetland with primary structural units of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems. The wetland can process about 250,000 tonnes of source water in the Xincheng River every day and supplies raw water for Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant. Daily data for 28 months indicated that the major water quality indexes of source water had been improved by one grade. The percentage increase for dissolved oxygen and the removal rates of ammonia nitrogen, iron and manganese were 73.63%, 38.86%, 35.64%, and 22.14% respectively. The treatment performance weight of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems was roughly equal but they treated different pollutants preferentially. Most water quality indexes had better treatment efficacy with increasing temperature and inlet concentrations. These results revealed that the pond-wetland complexes exhibited strong buffering capacity for source water quality improvement. The treatment cost of Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant was reduced by about 30.3%. Regional rainfall significantly determined the external river water levels and adversely deteriorated the inlet water quality, thus suggesting that the "hidden" diffuse pollution in the multitudinous stream branches as well as their catchments should be the controlling emphases for river source water protection in the future. The combination of pond and plant-bed/ditch systems provides a successful paradigm for drinking water source pretreatment. Three other drinking water source treatment wetlands with ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems are in operation or construction in the stream networks of the Yangtze River Delta and more people will be benefited. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Geospatial Modelling for Micro Zonation of Groundwater Regime in Western Assam, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, R. P.

2016-12-01

Water, most precious natural resource on earth, is vital to sustain the natural system and human civilisation on the earth. The Assam state located in north-eastern part of India has a relatively good source of ground water due to their geographic and physiographic location but there is problem deterioration of groundwater quality causing major health problem in the area. In this study, I tried a integrated study of remote sensing and GIS and chemical analysis of groundwater samples to throw a light over groundwater regime and provides information for decision makers to make sustainable water resource management. The geospatial modelling performed by integrating hydrogeomorphic features. Geomorphology, lineament, Drainage, Landuse/landcover layer were generated through visual interpretation on satellite image (LISS III) based on tone, texture, shape, size, and arrangement of the features. Slope layer was prepared by using SRTM DEM data set .The LULC of the area were categories in to 6 classes of Agricultural field, Forest area ,River, Settlement , Tree-clad area and Wetlands. The geospatial modelling performed through weightage and rank method in GIS, depending on the influence of the features on ground water regime. To Assess the ground water quality of the area 45 groundwater samples have been collected from the field and chemical analysis performed through the standard method in the laboratory. The overall assessment of the ground water quality of the area analyse through Water Quality Index and found that about 70% samples are not potable for drinking purposes due to higher concentration Arsenic, Fluoride and Iron. It appears that, source of all these pollutants geologically and geomorphologically derived. Interpolated layer of Water Quality Index and geospatial modelled Groundwater potential layer provides a holistic view of groundwater scenario and provide direction for better planning and groundwater resource management. Study will be discussed in details during the conference.

Multi-objective Optimization for the Robust Performance of Drinking Water Treatment Plants under Climate Change and Climate Extremes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raseman, W. J.; Kasprzyk, J. R.; Rosario-Ortiz, F.; Summers, R. S.; Stewart, J.; Livneh, B.

2016-12-01

To promote public health, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), and similar entities around the world enact strict laws to regulate drinking water quality. These laws, such as the Stage 1 and 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts (D/DBP) Rules, come at a cost to water treatment plants (WTPs) which must alter their operations and designs to meet more stringent standards and the regulation of new contaminants of concern. Moreover, external factors such as changing influent water quality due to climate extremes and climate change, may force WTPs to adapt their treatment methods. To grapple with these issues, decision support systems (DSSs) have been developed to aid WTP operation and planning. However, there is a critical need to better address long-term decision making for WTPs. In this poster, we propose a DSS framework for WTPs for long-term planning, which improves upon the current treatment of deep uncertainties within the overall potable water system including the impact of climate on influent water quality and uncertainties in treatment process efficiencies. We present preliminary results exploring how a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) search can be coupled with models of WTP processes to identify high-performing plans for their design and operation. This coupled simulation-optimization technique uses Borg MOEA, an auto-adaptive algorithm, and the Water Treatment Plant Model, a simulation model developed by the US EPA to assist in creating the D/DBP Rules. Additionally, Monte Carlo sampling methods were used to study the impact of uncertainty of influent water quality on WTP decision-making and generate plans for robust WTP performance.

[Study of the bacteriological quality of water used in the agro-food industry in the North of Morocco].

PubMed

Haijoubi, El Houcine; Benyahya, Fatiha; Bendahou, Abdrezzak; Essadqui, Faima Zahra; Behhari, Mohammed El; El Mamoune, Ahmed Fouad; Ghailani, Naima Nourouti; Mechita, Mohcine Bennani; Barakat, Amina

2017-01-01

Water is used predominantly in food manufacturing process. Northern morocco agro-food industries use different sources of water, but public water and wells water are the main sources of water used. This water can be the main source of possible food contaminations and alterations. This study aims is to assess the bacteriological quality of water used in the agro-food industries in the Northern region of Morocco, to identify the different types of germs responsible for the pollution of these waters and to establish the main causes of this pollution. Water samples taken from taps or wells were analyzed to detect pollution indicator germs (total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), intestinal enterococci (E), revivable microorganisms (RM), sulphite-reducing anaerobes) and pathogens (Salmonella, Staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The enumeration of the bacteria was performed by filtration technique and incorporation obtained through supercooled solid state. The results showed that public-supply waters were of satisfactory bacteriological quality while 40% of the wells water was non-compliant with water quality standards due to the presence of TC, FC, E and RM pollution indicators. In contrast, pathogens, particularly Salmonellae, were absent in all the wells water analyzed. Well water pollution was generally due to failure to meet hygienic requirements for water pumping. Bacteriological quality of these wells water could be improved by adequate protection.

EPANET USERS MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

EPANET is a computer program that performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and water quality behavior within drinking water distribution systems. It tracks the flow of water in each pipe, the pressure at each pipe junction, the height of water in each storage tank, and th...

An index approach to performance-based payments for water quality.

PubMed

Maille, Peter; Collins, Alan R

2012-05-30

In this paper we describe elements of a field research project that presented farmers with economic incentives to control nitrate runoff. The approach used is novel in that payments are based on ambient water quality and water quantity produced by a watershed rather than proxies for water quality conservation. Also, payments are made based on water quality relative to a control watershed, and therefore, account for stochastic fluctuations in background nitrate levels. Finally, the program pays farmers as a group to elicit team behavior. We present our approach to modeling that allowed us to estimate prices for water and resulting payment levels. We then compare these preliminary estimates to the actual values recorded over 33 months of fieldwork. We find that our actual payments were 29% less than our preliminary estimates, due in part to the failure of our ecological model to estimate discharge accurately. Despite this shortfall, the program attracted the participation of 53% of the farmers in the watershed, and resulted in substantial nitrate abatement activity. Given this favorable response, we propose that research efforts focus on implementing field trials of group-level performance-based payments. Ideally these programs would be low risk and control for naturally occurring contamination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of small water treatment plants: The case study of Mutshedzi Water Treatment Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makungo, R.; Odiyo, J. O.; Tshidzumba, N.

The performance of small water treatment plants (SWTPs) was evaluated using Mutshedzi WTP as a case study. The majority of SWTPs in South Africa (SA) that supply water to rural villages face problems of cost recovery, water wastages, limited size and semi-skilled labour. The raw and final water quality analyses and their compliance were used to assess the performance of the Mutshedzi WTP. Electrical conductivity (EC), pН and turbidity were measured in the field using a portable multimeter and a turbidity meter respectively. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Ion Chromatography were used to analyse metals and non-metals respectively. The results were compared with the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) guidelines for domestic use. The turbidity levels partially exceeded the recommended guidelines for domestic water use of 1 NTU. The concentrations of chemical parameters in final water were within the DWA guidelines for domestic water use except for fluoride, which exceeded the maximum allowable guideline of 1.5 mg/L in August 2009. Mutshedzi WTP had computed compliance for raw and final water analyses ranging from 79% to 93% and 86% to 93% throughout the sampling period, respectively. The results from earlier studies showed that the microbiological quality of final water in Mutshedzi WTP complied with the recommended guidelines, eliminating the slight chance of adverse aesthetic effects and infectious disease transmission associated with the turbidity values between 1 and 5 NTU. The study concluded that Mutshedzi WTP, though moving towards compliance, is still not producing adequate quality of water. Other studies also indicated that the quantity of water produced from Mutshedzi WTP was inadequate. The findings of the study indicate that lack of monitoring of quantity of water supplied to each village, dosage of treatment chemicals, the treatment capacity of the WTP and monitoring the quality of water treated are some of the factors that limit the performance of Mutshedzi WTP. These have been confirmed in literature to be widespread in similar WTPs in SA. It is recommended that water meters be provided and the community be advised to subsidise the cost of water supply. The study recommended that the treatments of turbidity and fluoride should form critical functions of the plant to ensure that final water for domestic use is always safe from any harmful substances or disease causing pathogens. The study concluded that the WTP only needs minor improvement to boost its efficiency with regard to the treatment of raw water. This will also ensure that the plant achieves 100% compliance for final water.

Use of soft data for multi-criteria calibration and validation of APEX: Impact on model simulations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It is widely known that the use of soft data and multiple model performance criteria in model calibration and validation is critical to ensuring the model capture major hydrologic and water quality processes. The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) is a hydrologic and water quality mod...

Impact of length of calibration period on the apex model output simulation performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Datasets from long-term monitoring sites that can be used for calibration and validation of hydrologic and water quality models are rare due to resource constraints. As a result, hydrologic and water quality models are calibrated and, when possible, validated using short-term measured data. A previo...

Pilot-Scale Treatment of Virginia Canyon Mine Drainage in Idaho Springs, Colorado, USA Using Octolig®

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality data from the pilot study are compared to the specific project objectives to evaluate performance of the treatment technology relative to the needs of EPA Region 8. Project objectives included meeting site-specific water quality criteria for Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn;...

Impact of length of calibration period on the APEX model water quantity and quality simulation performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Availability of continuous long-term measured data for model calibration and validation is limited due to time and resources constraints. As a result, hydrologic and water quality models are calibrated and, if possible, validated when measured data is available. Past work reported on the impact of t...

Purification of pulp and paper mill effluent using Eichornia crassipes.

PubMed

Yedla, S; Mitra, A; Bandyopadhyay, M

2002-04-01

Konark Pulp and Paper Industries Private Limited is a medium size industry producing 1600 m3 of wastewater a day. The existing water treatment system of the industry was found to be ineffective both in performance and economy. In the present study, a new system of treatment has been developed using water hyacinth Eichornia crassipes, coagulation by lime and alum, followed by rapid sand filtration. The performance efficiency of each unit viz. Eichornia treatment; coagulation with lime, with alum, and with lime:alum combinations, and filtration was studied. Water quality parameters considered were Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolve Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solids, turbidity, percentage transmission, and water colour. Based on the individual performance of each unit, a continuous system has been designed and was tested. The new system of treatment could treat the wastewater to the discharge standards and also was found economically feasible. Testing culture of fish (tilapia) proved that the treated water could be safely discharged into natural waters. All fish tested, survived and remained healthy throughout the period of testing. Culture of fish further improved the water quality.

Identification of Important Parameter from Leachate Solid Waste Landfill on Water Quality, Case Study of Pesanggrahan River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanidar, R.; Hartono, D. M.; Moersidik, S. S.

2018-03-01

Cipayung Landfill takes waste generation from Depok City approximately ± 750 tons/day of solid waste. The south and west boundaries of the landfill is Pesanggarahan River which 200m faraway. The objectives of this study are to indicate an important parameter which greatly affects the water quality of Pesanggrahan River and purpose the dynamic model for improving our understanding of the dynamic behavior that captures the interactions and feedbacks important parameter in river in order to identify and assess the effects of the treated leachate from final solid waste disposal activity as it responds to changes over time in the river. The high concentrations of BOD and COD are not the only cause significantly affect the quality of the pesanggrahan water, it also because the river has been contaminated in the upstream area. It need the water quality model to support the effectiveness calculation of activities for preventing a selected the pollutant sources the model should be developed for simulating and predicting the trend of water quality performance in Pesanggrahan River which can potentially be used by policy makers in strategic management to sustain river water quality as raw drinking water.

New Water Disinfection Technology for Earth and Space Applications as Part of the NPP Fellowship Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SilvestryRodriquez, Nadia

2010-01-01

There is the need for a safe, low energy consuming and compact water disinfection technology to maintain water quality for human consumption. The design of the reactor should present no overheating and a constant temperature, with good electrical and optical performance for a UV water treatment system. The study assessed the use of UVA-LEDs to disinfectant water for MS2 Bacteriophage. The log reduction was sufficient to meet US EPA standards as a secondary disinfectant for maintaining water quality control. The study also explored possible inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli.

30 CFR 784.14 - Hydrologic information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) flooding or streamflow alteration; (D) ground water and surface water availability; and (E) other... Hydrologic information. (a) Sampling and analysis. All water quality analyses performed to meet the... Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,” which is incorporated by reference, or the...

Recommendations for assessing water quality and safety on board merchant ships.

PubMed

Grappasonni, Iolanda; Cocchioni, Mario; Degli Angioli, Rolando; Saturnino, Andrea; Sibilio, Fabio; Scuri, Stefania; Amenta, Francesco

2013-01-01

Health and diseases on board ships may depend on water. Interventions to improve the quality of water may bring to significant benefits to health and water stores/supply and should be controlledto protect health. This paper has reviewed the main regulations for the control of water safety and qualityon board ships and presents some practical recommendations for keeping water healthy and safe in passenger and cargo merchant ships. The main international regulations and guidelines on the topic were analysed. Guidelines forWater Quality on Board Merchant Ships Including Passenger Vessels of Health Protection Agency, World Health Organisation (WHO) Guide to Ship Sanitation, WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, WHO Water Safety Plan and the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention Vessel Sanitation Program were examined. Recommendations for passenger and, if available, for cargo ships were collected and compared. Recommended questionnaire: A questionnaire summarising the main information to collect for assessingthe enough quality of water for the purposes it should be used on board is proposed. The need of havinga crew member with water assessment duties on board, trained for performing these activities properlyis discussed. Water quality on board ships should be monitored routinely. Monitoring should be directedto chemical and microbiological parameters for identifying possible contamination sources, using specifickits by a designed crew member. More detailed periodic assessments should be under the responsibility ofspecialised personnel/laboratories and should be based on sample collection from all tanks and sites of waterdistribution. It is important to select a properly trained crew member on board for monitoring water quality.

Modeling the interannual variability of microbial quality metrics of irrigation water in a Pennsylvania stream.

PubMed

Hong, Eun-Mi; Shelton, Daniel; Pachepsky, Yakov A; Nam, Won-Ho; Coppock, Cary; Muirhead, Richard

2017-02-01

Knowledge of the microbial quality of irrigation waters is extremely limited. For this reason, the US FDA has promulgated the Produce Rule, mandating the testing of irrigation water sources for many farms. The rule requires the collection and analysis of at least 20 water samples over two to four years to adequately evaluate the quality of water intended for produce irrigation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of interannual weather variability on surface water microbial quality. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model to simulate E. coli concentrations in the Little Cove Creek; this is a perennial creek located in an agricultural watershed in south-eastern Pennsylvania. The model performance was evaluated using the US FDA regulatory microbial water quality metrics of geometric mean (GM) and the statistical threshold value (STV). Using the 90-year time series of weather observations, we simulated and randomly sampled the time series of E. coli concentrations. We found that weather conditions of a specific year may strongly affect the evaluation of microbial quality and that the long-term assessment of microbial water quality may be quite different from the evaluation based on short-term observations. The variations in microbial concentrations and water quality metrics were affected by location, wetness of the hydrological years, and seasonality, with 15.7-70.1% of samples exceeding the regulatory threshold. The results of this work demonstrate the value of using modeling to design and evaluate monitoring protocols to assess the microbial quality of water used for produce irrigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemometric studies of water quality parameters of Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu.

PubMed

Alagumuthu, G; Rajan, M

2010-09-01

The fluoride concentration in ground water was determined in Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu (India) where it is the only source of drinking water. Various other water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity total hardness and total alkalinity as well as calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate and chloride concentrations were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficient among different physico-chemical parameters was performed. The analytical results indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO water quality standards. The fluoride concentration in the ground water of these villages varied from 0.66 to 3.84 mg l(-1), causes dental fluorosis among people especially children of these villages. The high and low fluoride containing areas were located using isopleth mapping technique. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes without any prior treatment except at few locations out of 50 villages.

The Performance of Adsorptive Media Full Scale Arsenic Removal Systems - USEPA Arsenic Demonstration Program

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides information and data on the performance of several full scale, arsenic removal adsorptive media treatment systems operated under the USEPA arsenic removal demonstration program. The summary includes information on the water quality of the source waters,...

Kanawha River Basin Water Quality Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

was performed by Mr. R. G. Willey with the technical assistance of Mr. Keith Knight. Mr. Don Smith of Resource Management Associates provided advice...during critical parts of the study. The study was managed under the direcLion of Dr. Richard Punnett of the Huntington District who was also responsible...to provide better system water quality analysis capabilities in support of the Corps’ water control management program. The focus of this program is

Development of an integrated data base for land use and water quality planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J.; Vanschayk, C.; Istvan, L. B.

1977-01-01

To help understand the role played by different land resources in water quality management a computer based data system was created. The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) allows data to be readily retrieved or statistically analyzed for a variety of purposes. It is specifically formatted to perform coordination of water quality data with logy, etc. New understanding of the region gained through the use of LRIS has gone well beyond the initial purpose of assessing water quality conditions. The land use and natural features information has provided a well defined starting point for a systematic evaluation of proposed land uses, transportation, housing, and other public investments. It has laid the foundation for a comprehensive and integrated approach to many different planning and investment programs presently underway.

[Performance of Grass Swales for Controlling Pollution of Roadway Runoff in Field Experiments].

PubMed

Huang, Jun-jie; Shen, Qing-ran; Li, Tian

2015-06-01

Two different styles of grass swales were built in new Binhu region of Hefei city to monitor the flux and quality of the influent and effluent water under actual precipitation conditions, in order to evaluate the performance of water quality purification and pollution load control for roadway runoff. The results showed that both of the grass swales could effectively remove the pollutants such as TSS, COD, Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn in roadway runoff; the median EMC removal efficiencies of TSS and COD were 67.1%, 46.7% respectively,for facility I, and the median EMC removal efficiencies of TSS and COD were 78.6%, 58.6% respectively, for facility II; the concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn in the effluent of facility II could meet the requirements of the surface water quality class V; release of nitrogen and phosphorus occurred in both facilities I and I[ in several rainfall events, mainly in heavy storms; the removal efficiencies of TP in the two grass swales were improved with the increase of influent concentration; the mean removal efficiencies of TP in facilities I and II were 14.7% and 45.4%, respectively; the load control performance of facility II for pollutants such as TSS, COD, TP, TN, NH4+ -N and NO3- -N was better than that of facility I; in the district with poor soil permeability and low ground slope, application of dry swale could achieve better performance in water quality control and pollution load reduction of roadway runoff.

The importance of quality control in validating concentrations ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A national-scale survey of 247 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including organic and inorganic chemical compounds, and microbial contaminants, was conducted in source and treated drinking water samples from 25 treatment plants across the United States. Multiple methods were used to determine these CECs, including six analytical methods to measure 174 pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides. A three-component quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program was designed for the subset of 174 CECs which allowed us to assess and compare performances of the methods used. The three components included: 1) a common field QA/QC protocol and sample design, 2) individual investigator-developed method-specific QA/QC protocols, and 3) a suite of 46 method comparison analytes that were determined in two or more analytical methods. Overall method performance for the 174 organic chemical CECs was assessed by comparing spiked recoveries in reagent, source, and treated water over a two-year period. In addition to the 247 CECs reported in the larger drinking water study, another 48 pharmaceutical compounds measured did not consistently meet predetermined quality standards. Methodologies that did not seem suitable for these analytes are overviewed. The need to exclude analytes based on method performance demonstrates the importance of additional QA/QC protocols. This paper compares the method performance of six analytical methods used to measure 174 emer

Zero Energy Housing for Military Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

data from Baseline B and ZEH A formed the basis for the water consumption analysis. 3 Conservatively assumed one more person in the home during the...23 6.2 WATER PERFORMANCE RESULTS ............................................................... 27 6.3 AIR QUALITY...Monthly hot water comparison. ............................................................................ 26 Figure 13. Monthly hot water

THE EPANET WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

EPANET is a Windows program that performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and water-quality behavior within pressurized pipe networks. It tracks the flow of water in each pipe, the pressure at each node, the height of water in each tank, and the concentration of a chemica...

Water quality parameter measurement using spectral signatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, P. E.

1973-01-01

Regression analysis is applied to the problem of measuring water quality parameters from remote sensing spectral signature data. The equations necessary to perform regression analysis are presented and methods of testing the strength and reliability of a regression are described. An efficient algorithm for selecting an optimal subset of the independent variables available for a regression is also presented.

Application of statistical classification methods for predicting the acceptability of well-water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Enrico; Pilla, Giorgio; Stella, Fabio A.

2018-06-01

The application of statistical classification methods is investigated—in comparison also to spatial interpolation methods—for predicting the acceptability of well-water quality in a situation where an effective quantitative model of the hydrogeological system under consideration cannot be developed. In the example area in northern Italy, in particular, the aquifer is locally affected by saline water and the concentration of chloride is the main indicator of both saltwater occurrence and groundwater quality. The goal is to predict if the chloride concentration in a water well will exceed the allowable concentration so that the water is unfit for the intended use. A statistical classification algorithm achieved the best predictive performances and the results of the study show that statistical classification methods provide further tools for dealing with groundwater quality problems concerning hydrogeological systems that are too difficult to describe analytically or to simulate effectively.

A Wireless Sensor Network-Based Approach with Decision Support for Monitoring Lake Water Quality.

PubMed

Huang, Xiaoci; Yi, Jianjun; Chen, Shaoli; Zhu, Xiaomin

2015-11-19

Online monitoring and water quality analysis of lakes are urgently needed. A feasible and effective approach is to use a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Lake water environments, like other real world environments, present many changing and unpredictable situations. To ensure flexibility in such an environment, the WSN node has to be prepared to deal with varying situations. This paper presents a WSN self-configuration approach for lake water quality monitoring. The approach is based on the integration of a semantic framework, where a reasoner can make decisions on the configuration of WSN services. We present a WSN ontology and the relevant water quality monitoring context information, which considers its suitability in a pervasive computing environment. We also propose a rule-based reasoning engine that is used to conduct decision support through reasoning techniques and context-awareness. To evaluate the approach, we conduct usability experiments and performance benchmarks.

Spatial and temporal variations in the relationship between lake water surface temperatures and water quality - A case study of Dianchi Lake.

PubMed

Yang, Kun; Yu, Zhenyu; Luo, Yi; Yang, Yang; Zhao, Lei; Zhou, Xiaolu

2018-05-15

Global warming and rapid urbanization in China have caused a series of ecological problems. One consequence has involved the degradation of lake water environments. Lake surface water temperatures (LSWTs) significantly shape water ecological environments and are highly correlated with the watershed ecosystem features and biodiversity levels. Analysing and predicting spatiotemporal changes in LSWT and exploring the corresponding impacts on water quality is essential for controlling and improving the ecological water environment of watersheds. In this study, Dianchi Lake was examined through an analysis of 54 water quality indicators from 10 water quality monitoring sites from 2005 to 2016. Support vector regression (SVR), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Back Propagation Artificial Neural Network (BPANN) methods were applied to form a hybrid forecasting model. A geospatial analysis was conducted to observe historical LSWTs and water quality changes for Dianchi Lake from 2005 to 2016. Based on the constructed model, LSWTs and changes in water quality were simulated for 2017 to 2020. The relationship between LSWTs and water quality thresholds was studied. The results show limited errors and highly generalized levels of predictive performance. In addition, a spatial visualization analysis shows that from 2005 to 2020, the chlorophyll-a (Chla), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) diffused from north to south and that ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and total phosphorus (TP) levels are increases in the northern part of Dianchi Lake, where the LSWT levels exceed 17°C. The LSWT threshold is 17.6-18.53°C, which falls within the threshold for nutritional water quality, but COD and TN levels fall below V class water quality standards. Transparency (Trans), COD, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and Chla levels present a close relationship with LSWT, and LSWTs are found to fundamentally affect lake cyanobacterial blooms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal and waste metabolite accumulation and their affect on rainbow trout performance in a replicated water reuse system operated at low or high system flushing rates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A six-month trial was conducted to compare the effects of high and low make-up water flushing rates on rainbow trout performance and water quality in replicated water reuse aquaculture systems (WRAS). Six identical 9.5 m3 WRAS, containing a single 5.3 m3 tank and operated at a total recirculating fl...

Trend analysis of a tropical urban river water quality in Malaysia.

PubMed

Othman, Faridah; M E, Alaa Eldin; Mohamed, Ibrahim

2012-12-01

Rivers play a significant role in providing water resources for human and ecosystem survival and health. Hence, river water quality is an important parameter that must be preserved and monitored. As the state of Selangor and the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are undergoing tremendous development, the river is subjected to pollution from point and non-point sources. The water quality of the Klang River basin, one of the most densely populated areas within the region, is significantly degraded due to human activities as well as urbanization. Evaluation of the overall river water quality status is normally represented by a water quality index (WQI), which consists of six parameters, namely dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, ammoniacal nitrogen and pH. The objectives of this study are to assess the water quality status for this tropical, urban river and to establish the WQI trend. Using monthly WQI data from 1997 to 2007, time series were plotted and trend analysis was performed by employing the first-order autocorrelated trend model on the moving average values for every station. The initial and final values of either the moving average or the trend model were used as the estimates of the initial and final WQI at the stations. It was found that Klang River water quality has shown some improvement between 1997 and 2007. Water quality remains good in the upper stream area, which provides vital water sources for water treatment plants in the Klang valley. Meanwhile, the water quality has also improved in other stations. Results of the current study suggest that the present policy on managing river quality in the Klang River has produced encouraging results; the policy should, however, be further improved alongside more vigorous monitoring of pollution discharge from various point sources such as industrial wastewater, municipal sewers, wet markets, sand mining and landfills, as well as non-point sources such as agricultural or urban runoff and commercial activity.

Hyperspectral water quality retrieval model: taking Malaysia inshore sea area as an example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Tingwei; Zhang, Jie; Ma, Yi; Li, Jing; Lim, Boonleong; Roslinah, Samad

2007-11-01

Remote sensing technique provides the possibility of rapid and synchronous monitoring in a large area of the water quality, which is an important element for the aquatic ecosystem quality assessment of islands and coastal zones, especially for the nearshore and tourism sea area. Tioman Island of Malaysia is regarded as one of ten of the best islands in the world and attracts tourists from all over the world for its clear sea, beautiful seashore and charming scenery. In this paper, on the basis of in situ dataset in the study area, distribution discipline of water quality parameters is analyzed to find that phytoplankton pigment, rather than suspended sediment is the main water quality parameter in the study area; seawater there is clean but not very oligotrophic; seawater spectra contains distinct features. Then water quality hyperspectral retrieval models are developed based on in situ data to calculate the chlorophyll a concentration ([chl-a]), transparency (SD) with satisfactory performance. It's suggested that model precision should be validated further using more in-situ data.

An integrated toolbox for processing and analysis of remote sensing data of inland and coastal waters - atmospheric correction

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

Haan, J.F. de; Kokke, J.M.M.; Hoogenboom, H.J.

1997-06-01

Deriving thematic maps of water quality parameters from a remote sensing image requires a number of processing steps, such as calibration, atmospheric correction, air-water interface correction, and application of water quality algorithms. A prototype version of an integrated software environment has recently been developed that enables the user to perform and control these processing steps. Major parts of this environment are: (i) access to the MODTRAN 3 radiative transfer code, (ii) a database of water quality algorithms, and (iii) a spectral library of Dutch coastal and inland waters, containing subsurface irradiance reflectance spectra and associated water quality parameters. The atmosphericmore » correction part of this environment is discussed here. It is shown that this part can be used to accurately retrieve spectral signatures of inland water for wavelengths between 450 and 750 nm, provided in situ measurements are used to determine atmospheric model parameters. Assessment of the usefulness of the completely integrated software system in an operational environment requires a revised version that is presently being developed.« less

Automated Water Quality Survey and Evaluation Using an IoT Platform with Mobile Sensor Nodes.

PubMed

Li, Teng; Xia, Min; Chen, Jiahong; Zhao, Yuanjie; de Silva, Clarence

2017-07-28

An Internet of Things (IoT) platform with capabilities of sensing, data processing, and wireless communication has been deployed to support remote aquatic environmental monitoring. In this paper, the design and development of an IoT platform with multiple Mobile Sensor Nodes (MSN) for the spatiotemporal quality evaluation of surface water is presented. A survey planner is proposed to distribute the Sampling Locations of Interest (SLoIs) over the study area and generate paths for MSNs to visit the SLoIs, given the limited energy and time budgets. The SLoIs are chosen based on a cellular decomposition that is composed of uniform hexagonal cells. They are visited by the MSNs along a path ring generated by a planning approach that uses a spanning tree. For quality evaluation, an Online Water Quality Index (OLWQI) is developed to interpret the large quantities of online measurements. The index formulations are modified by a state-of-the-art index, the CCME WQI, which has been developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) for off-line indexing. The proposed index has demonstrated effective and reliable performance in online indexing a large volume of measurements of water quality parameters. The IoT platform is deployed in the field, and its performance is demonstrated and discussed in this paper.

Seasonal rationalization of river water quality sampling locations: a comparative study of the modified Sanders and multivariate statistical approaches.

PubMed

Varekar, Vikas; Karmakar, Subhankar; Jha, Ramakar

2016-02-01

The design of surface water quality sampling location is a crucial decision-making process for rationalization of monitoring network. The quantity, quality, and types of available dataset (watershed characteristics and water quality data) may affect the selection of appropriate design methodology. The modified Sanders approach and multivariate statistical techniques [particularly factor analysis (FA)/principal component analysis (PCA)] are well-accepted and widely used techniques for design of sampling locations. However, their performance may vary significantly with quantity, quality, and types of available dataset. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate performance of these techniques by accounting the effect of seasonal variation, under a situation of limited water quality data but extensive watershed characteristics information, as continuous and consistent river water quality data is usually difficult to obtain, whereas watershed information may be made available through application of geospatial techniques. A case study of Kali River, Western Uttar Pradesh, India, is selected for the analysis. The monitoring was carried out at 16 sampling locations. The discrete and diffuse pollution loads at different sampling sites were estimated and accounted using modified Sanders approach, whereas the monitored physical and chemical water quality parameters were utilized as inputs for FA/PCA. The designed optimum number of sampling locations for monsoon and non-monsoon seasons by modified Sanders approach are eight and seven while that for FA/PCA are eleven and nine, respectively. Less variation in the number and locations of designed sampling sites were obtained by both techniques, which shows stability of results. A geospatial analysis has also been carried out to check the significance of designed sampling location with respect to river basin characteristics and land use of the study area. Both methods are equally efficient; however, modified Sanders approach outperforms FA/PCA when limited water quality and extensive watershed information is available. The available water quality dataset is limited and FA/PCA-based approach fails to identify monitoring locations with higher variation, as these multivariate statistical approaches are data-driven. The priority/hierarchy and number of sampling sites designed by modified Sanders approach are well justified by the land use practices and observed river basin characteristics of the study area.

Evaluation of Military Field-Water Quality. Volume 7. Performance Evaluation of the 600-GPH Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU): reverse Osmosis (RO) Components

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-01

Data-for ASsessingHealthRISKS In Potential Theaters ~ of Operation forU,5. Mil-itary._orces. Jf-jr cLAss t:cAToN 9; r-.$ ’AGg UNCLASSIFIED Volume 7...Bypass, Potable-Water Disinfection,_ and Water-Quality Analysis Techniques; and Vol. 9, Data for Assessing Health Risks in Potential Theaters of Operation ...cleaning the RO elements, with objectives of improving solute rejection and reducing operating pressure. The most common method is to flush citric acid

The Value of clean water: The public's willingness to pay for boatable, fishable, and swimmable quality water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carson, Richard T.; Mitchell, Robert Cameron

1993-07-01

This paper presents the findings of a study designed to determine the national benefits of freshwater pollution control. By using data from a national contingent valuation survey, we estimate the aggregate benefits of meeting the goals of the Clean Water Act. A valuation function is estimated which depicts willingness to pay as a function of water quality, income, and other variables. Several validation checks and tests for specific biases are performed, and the benefit estimates are corrected for missing and invalid responses. The two major policy implications from our work are that the benefits and costs of water pollution control efforts are roughly equal and that many of the new policy actions necessary to ensure that all water bodies reach at least a swimmable quality level will not have positive net benefits.

Groundwater quality in some villages of Haryana, India: focus on fluoride and fluorosis.

PubMed

Meenakshi; Garg, V K; Kavita; Renuka; Malik, Anju

2004-01-02

The fluoride concentration in underground water was determined in four villages of Jind district of Haryana state (India) where it is the only source of drinking water. Various other water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, total hardness, total alkalinity as well as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride and sulfate concentrations were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficients among different physico-chemical parameters was performed. The analytical results indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO standards for most of the water quality parameters measured. The fluoride concentration in the underground water of these villages varied from 0.3 to 6.9 mg/l, causing dental fluorosis among people especially children of these villages. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes without any prior treatment except at eight locations out of 60.

Forecasting models for flow and total dissolved solids in Karoun river-Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmani, Mohammad Hassan; Salmani Jajaei, Efat

2016-04-01

Water quality is one of the most important factors contributing to a healthy life. From the water quality management point of view, TDS (total dissolved solids) is the most important factor and many water developing plans have been implemented in recognition of this factor. However, these plans have not been perfect and very successful in overcoming the poor water quality problem, so there are a good volume of related studies in the literature. We study TDS and the water flow of the Karoun river in southwest Iran. We collected the necessary time series data from the Harmaleh station located in the river. We present two Univariate Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Movement Average (ARIMA) models to forecast TDS and water flow in this river. Then, we build up a Transfer Function (TF) model to formulate the TDS as a function of water flow volume. A performance comparison between the Seasonal ARIMA and the TF models are presented.

In-pipe water quality monitoring in water supply systems under steady and unsteady state flow conditions: a quantitative assessment.

PubMed

Aisopou, Angeliki; Stoianov, Ivan; Graham, Nigel J D

2012-01-01

Monitoring the quality of drinking water from the treatment plant to the consumers tap is critical to ensure compliance with national standards and/or WHO guideline levels. There are a number of processes and factors affecting the water quality during transmission and distribution which are little understood. A significant obstacle for gaining a detailed knowledge of various physical and chemical processes and the effect of the hydraulic conditions on the water quality deterioration within water supply systems is the lack of reliable and low-cost (both capital and O & M) water quality sensors for continuous monitoring. This paper has two objectives. The first one is to present a detailed evaluation of the performance of a novel in-pipe multi-parameter sensor probe for reagent- and membrane-free continuous water quality monitoring in water supply systems. The second objective is to describe the results from experimental research which was conducted to acquire continuous water quality and high-frequency hydraulic data for the quantitative assessment of the water quality changes occurring under steady and unsteady-state flow conditions. The laboratory and field evaluation of the multi-parameter sensor probe showed that the sensors have a rapid dynamic response, average repeatability and unreliable accuracy. The uncertainties in the sensor data present significant challenges for the analysis and interpretation of the acquired data and their use for water quality modelling, decision support and control in operational systems. Notwithstanding these uncertainties, the unique data sets acquired from transmission and distribution systems demonstrated the deleterious effect of unsteady state flow conditions on various water quality parameters. These studies demonstrate: (i) the significant impact of the unsteady-state hydraulic conditions on the disinfectant residual, turbidity and colour caused by the re-suspension of sediments, scouring of biofilms and tubercles from the pipe and increased mixing, and the need for further experimental research to investigate these interactions; (ii) important advances in sensor technologies which provide unique opportunities to study both the dynamic hydraulic conditions and water quality changes in operational systems. The research in these two areas is critical to better understand and manage the water quality deterioration in ageing water transmission and distribution systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The importance of quality control in validating concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern in source and treated drinking water samples.

PubMed

Batt, Angela L; Furlong, Edward T; Mash, Heath E; Glassmeyer, Susan T; Kolpin, Dana W

2017-02-01

A national-scale survey of 247 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including organic and inorganic chemical compounds, and microbial contaminants, was conducted in source and treated drinking water samples from 25 treatment plants across the United States. Multiple methods were used to determine these CECs, including six analytical methods to measure 174 pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides. A three-component quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program was designed for the subset of 174 CECs which allowed us to assess and compare performances of the methods used. The three components included: 1) a common field QA/QC protocol and sample design, 2) individual investigator-developed method-specific QA/QC protocols, and 3) a suite of 46 method comparison analytes that were determined in two or more analytical methods. Overall method performance for the 174 organic chemical CECs was assessed by comparing spiked recoveries in reagent, source, and treated water over a two-year period. In addition to the 247 CECs reported in the larger drinking water study, another 48 pharmaceutical compounds measured did not consistently meet predetermined quality standards. Methodologies that did not seem suitable for these analytes are overviewed. The need to exclude analytes based on method performance demonstrates the importance of additional QA/QC protocols. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Use of Principal Components Analysis and Kriging to Predict Groundwater-Sourced Rural Drinking Water Quality in Saskatchewan

PubMed Central

McLeod, Lianne; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl L.

2017-01-01

Groundwater drinking water supply surveillance data were accessed to summarize water quality delivered as public and private water supplies in southern Saskatchewan as part of an exposure assessment for epidemiologic analyses of associations between water quality and type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases and previous studies have identified multiple wells with arsenic above the drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L; therefore, arsenic concentrations were of specific interest. Principal components analysis was applied to obtain principal component (PC) scores to summarize mixtures of correlated parameters identified as health standards and those identified as aesthetic objectives in the Saskatchewan Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objective. Ordinary, universal, and empirical Bayesian kriging were used to interpolate arsenic concentrations and PC scores in southern Saskatchewan, and the results were compared. Empirical Bayesian kriging performed best across all analyses, based on having the greatest number of variables for which the root mean square error was lowest. While all of the kriging methods appeared to underestimate high values of arsenic and PC scores, empirical Bayesian kriging was chosen to summarize large scale geographic trends in groundwater-sourced drinking water quality and assess exposure to mixtures of trace metals and ions. PMID:28914824

Use of Principal Components Analysis and Kriging to Predict Groundwater-Sourced Rural Drinking Water Quality in Saskatchewan.

PubMed

McLeod, Lianne; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl L

2017-09-15

Groundwater drinking water supply surveillance data were accessed to summarize water quality delivered as public and private water supplies in southern Saskatchewan as part of an exposure assessment for epidemiologic analyses of associations between water quality and type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases and previous studies have identified multiple wells with arsenic above the drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L; therefore, arsenic concentrations were of specific interest. Principal components analysis was applied to obtain principal component (PC) scores to summarize mixtures of correlated parameters identified as health standards and those identified as aesthetic objectives in the Saskatchewan Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objective. Ordinary, universal, and empirical Bayesian kriging were used to interpolate arsenic concentrations and PC scores in southern Saskatchewan, and the results were compared. Empirical Bayesian kriging performed best across all analyses, based on having the greatest number of variables for which the root mean square error was lowest. While all of the kriging methods appeared to underestimate high values of arsenic and PC scores, empirical Bayesian kriging was chosen to summarize large scale geographic trends in groundwater-sourced drinking water quality and assess exposure to mixtures of trace metals and ions.

[The assessment of the quality of water from sources of decentralized water supply of Ekaterinburg and surrounding areas].

PubMed

Konshina, Lidia G

2016-01-01

The availability of high-quality drinking water is currently the one out of the most acute problems in the Russian Federation. There was performed an analysis of the chemical composition of drinking water from sources of decentralized supply of inhabitants of the city of Yekaterinburg and the surrounding areas. Average values of indices of the water quality in the wells for individual use in the district of the city of Yekaterinburg not go beyond the standards, with the exception of manganese content. In some sources there were revealed elevated values of chromatic level, oxidability, hardness, content of iron, nitrates, barium, dry residue, ammonium nitrogen, silicon. Percentage of sources that do not meet hygienic requirements on a number of indices can reach 21-23%.

Modeling Source Water Threshold Exceedances with Extreme Value Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajagopalan, B.; Samson, C.; Summers, R. S.

2016-12-01

Variability in surface water quality, influenced by seasonal and long-term climate changes, can impact drinking water quality and treatment. In particular, temperature and precipitation can impact surface water quality directly or through their influence on streamflow and dilution capacity. Furthermore, they also impact land surface factors, such as soil moisture and vegetation, which can in turn affect surface water quality, in particular, levels of organic matter in surface waters which are of concern. All of these will be exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change. While some source water quality parameters, particularly Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and bromide concentrations, are not directly regulated for drinking water, these parameters are precursors to the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which are regulated in drinking water distribution systems. These DBPs form when a disinfectant, added to the water to protect public health against microbial pathogens, most commonly chlorine, reacts with dissolved organic matter (DOM), measured as TOC or dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and inorganic precursor materials, such as bromide. Therefore, understanding and modeling the extremes of TOC and Bromide concentrations is of critical interest for drinking water utilities. In this study we develop nonstationary extreme value analysis models for threshold exceedances of source water quality parameters, specifically TOC and bromide concentrations. In this, the threshold exceedances are modeled as Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD) whose parameters vary as a function of climate and land surface variables - thus, enabling to capture the temporal nonstationarity. We apply these to model threshold exceedance of source water TOC and bromide concentrations at two locations with different climate and find very good performance.

Multivariate analysis of water quality and environmental variables in the Great Barrier Reef catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, D.; Liu, S.; Western, A. W.; Webb, J. A.; Lintern, A.; Leahy, P.; Wilson, P.; Watson, M.; Waters, D.; Bende-Michl, U.

2016-12-01

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon has been experiencing significant water quality deterioration due in part to agricultural intensification and urban settlement in adjacent catchments. The degradation of water quality in rivers is caused by land-derived pollutants (i.e. sediment, nutrient and pesticide). A better understanding of dynamics of water quality is essential for land management to improve the GBR ecosystem. However, water quality is also greatly influenced by natural hydrological processes. To assess influencing factors and predict the water quality accurately, selection of the most important predictors of water quality is necessary. In this work, multivariate statistical techniques - cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA) - are used to reduce the complexity derived from the multidimensional water quality monitoring data. Seventeen stations are selected across the GBR catchments, and the event-based measurements of 12 variables monitored during 9 years (2006 - 2014) were analysed by means of CA and PCA/FA. The key findings are: (1) 17 stations can be grouped into two clusters according to the hierarchical CA, and the spatial dissimilarity between these sites is characterised by the different climatic and land use in the GBR catchments. (2) PCA results indicate that the first 3 PCs explain 85% of the total variance, and FA on the entire data set shows that the varifactor (VF) loadings can be used to interpret the sources of spatial variation in water quality on the GBR catchments level. The impact of soil erosion and non-point source of pollutants from agriculture contribution to VF1 and the variability in hydrological conditions and biogeochemical processes can explain the loadings in VF2. (3) FA is also performed on two groups of sites identified in CA individually, to evaluate the underlying sources that are responsible for spatial variability in water quality in the two groups. For the Cluster 1 sites, spatial variations in water quality are likely from the agricultural inputs (fertilises) and for the Cluster 2 sites, the differences in hydrological transport is responsible for large spatial variations in water quality. These findings can be applied to water quality assessment along with establish effective water and land management in the future.

Physical characteristics of sinking and floating extruded and expansion-steam pelleted feeds and their effects on water quality and growth of rainbow trout in a commercial setting

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To determine the effects of feed pellet processing (extrusion and expansion-steam pelleting) and on feed physico-chemical characteristics, fecal stability, water quality, and growth performance in rainbow trout, three types of trout feed pellets (compressed sinking, extruded sinking, and extruded fl...

Performance of a novel high throughput method for the determination of VX in drinking water samples.

PubMed

Knaack, Jennifer S; Zhou, Yingtao; Magnuson, Matthew; Silvestri, Erin; Johnson, Rudolph C

2013-03-05

VX (O-ethyl-S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate) is a highly toxic organophosphorus nerve agent, and even low levels of contamination in water can be harmful. Measurement of low concentrations of VX in aqueous matrixes is possible using an immunomagnetic scavenging technique and detection using liquid chromatography/tandem-mass spectrometry. Performance of the method was characterized in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-grade water preserved with sodium omadine, an antimicrobial agent, and sodium thiosulfate, a dechlorinating agent, over eight analytical batches with quality control samples analyzed over 10 days. The minimum reportable level was 25 ng/L with a linear dynamic range up to 4.0 μg/L. The mean accuracies for two quality control samples containing VX at concentrations of 0.250 and 2.00 μg/L were 102 ± 3% and 103 ± 6%, respectively. The stability of VX was determined in five tap water samples representing a range of water quality parameters and disinfection practices over a 91 day period. In preserved tap water samples, VX recovery was between 81 and 92% of the fortified amount, 2.0 μg/L, when analyzed immediately after preparation. Recovery of VX decreased to between 31 and 45% of the fortified amount after 91 days, indicating hydrolysis of VX. However, the preservatives minimized the hydrolysis rate to close to the theoretical limit. The ability to detect low concentrations of VX in preserved tap water 91 days after spiking suggests applicability of this method for determining water contamination with VX and utility during environmental remediation.

History of water quality parameters - a study on the Sinos River/Brazil.

PubMed

Konzen, G B; Figueiredo, J A S; Quevedo, D M

2015-05-01

Water is increasingly becoming a valuable resource, constituting one of the central themes of environmental, economic and social discussions. The Sinos River, located in southern Brazil, is the main river from the Sinos River Basin, representing a source of drinking water supply for a highly populated region. Considering its size and importance, it becomes necessary to conduct a study to follow up the water quality of this river, which is considered by some experts as one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. As for this study, its great importance lies in the historical analysis of indicators. In this sense, we sought to develop aspects related to the management of water resources by performing a historical analysis of the Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Sinos River, using statistical methods. With regard to the methodological procedures, it should be pointed out that this study performs a time analysis of monitoring data on parameters related to a punctual measurement that is variable in time, using statistical tools. The data used refer to analyses of the water quality of the Sinos River (WQI) from the State Environmental Protection Agency Henrique Luiz Roessler (Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambiental Henrique Luiz Roessler, FEPAM) covering the period between 2000 and 2008, as well as to a theoretical analysis focusing on the management of water resources. The study of WQI and its parameters by statistical analysis has shown to be effective, ensuring its effectiveness as a tool for the management of water resources. The descriptive analysis of the WQI and its parameters showed that the water quality of the Sinos River is concerning low, which reaffirms that it is one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. It should be highlighted that there was an overall difficulty in obtaining data with the appropriate periodicity, as well as a long complete series, which limited the conduction of statistical studies such as the present one.

Seasonal variation of water quality in a lateral hyporheic zone with response to dam operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Chen, L.; Zhao, J.

2015-12-01

Aquatic environment of lateral hyporheic zone in a regulated river were investigated seasonally under fluctuated water levels induced by dam operations. Groundwater levels variations in preassembled wells and changes in electronic conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, water temperature and pH in the hyporheic zone were examined as environmental performance indicators for the water quality. Groundwater tables in wells were highly related to the river water levels that showed a hysteresis pattern, and the lag time is associated with the distances from wells to the river bank. The distribution of DO and EC were strongly related to the water temperature, indicating that the cold water released from up-reservoir could determine the biochemistry process in the hyporheic zone. Results also showed that the hyporheic water was weakly alkaline in the study area but had a more or less uniform spatial distribution. Dam release-storage cycles were the dominant factor in changing lateral hyporheic flow and water quality.

Water reclamation from shale gas drilling flow-back fluid using a novel forward osmosis-vacuum membrane distillation hybrid system.

PubMed

Li, Xue-Mei; Zhao, Baolong; Wang, Zhouwei; Xie, Ming; Song, Jianfeng; Nghiem, Long D; He, Tao; Yang, Chi; Li, Chunxia; Chen, Gang

2014-01-01

This study examined the performance of a novel hybrid system of forward osmosis (FO) combined with vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) for reclaiming water from shale gas drilling flow-back fluid (SGDF). In the hybrid FO-VMD system, water permeated through the FO membrane into a draw solution reservoir, and the VMD process was used for draw solute recovery and clean water production. Using a SGDF sample obtained from a drilling site in China, the hybrid system could achieve almost 90% water recovery. Quality of the reclaimed water was comparable to that of bottled water. In the hybrid FO-VMD system, FO functions as a pre-treatment step to remove most contaminants and constituents that may foul or scale the membrane distillation (MD) membrane, whereas MD produces high quality water. It is envisioned that the FO-VMD system can recover high quality water not only from SGDF but also other wastewaters with high salinity and complex compositions.

Hydrologic, water-quality, and meteorologic data from selected sites in the Upper Catawba River Basin, North Carolina, January 1993 through March 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jaynes, M.L.

1994-01-01

Hydrologic, water-quality, and meteorologic data were collected from January 1993 through March 1994 as part of a water-quality investigation of the Upper Catawba River Basin, North Carolina. Specific objectives of the investigation were to characterize the water quality of Rhodhiss Lake, Lake Hickory, and three tributary streams, and to calibrate hydrodynamic water-quality models for the two reservoirs. Sampling locations included 11 sites in Rhodhiss Lake, 14 sites in Lake Hickory, and 3 tributary sites. Tributary sites were located at Lower Creek upstream from Rhodhiss Lake and at Upper Little River and Middle Little River upstream from Lake Hickory. During 21 sampling visits, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and water transparency were measured at all sampling locations. Water samples were collected for analysis of biochemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform bacteria, hardness, alkalinity, total and volatile suspended solids, suspended sediment, nutrients, total organic carbon, chlorophyll, iron, calcium, and magnesium from three sites in each reservoir and from the three tributary sites. Chemical and particle-size analyses of bottom material from Rhodhiss Lake and Lake Hickory were performed once during the study. At selected locations, automated instruments recorded water level, streamflow, water temperature, solar radiation, and air temperature at 15-minute intervals throughout the study. Hydrologic data presented in the report include monthly water-level statistics and daily mean values of discharge. Diagrams, tables, and statistical summaries of water-quality data are provided. Meteorologic data in the report include monthly precipitation, and daily mean values of solar radiation and air temperature.

Adapting water treatment design and operations to the impacts of global climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Robert M.; Li, Zhiwei; Buchberger, Steven G.

2011-12-01

It is anticipated that global climate change will adversely impact source water quality in many areas of the United States and will therefore, potentially, impact the design and operation of current and future water treatment systems. The USEPA has initiated an effort called the Water Resources Adaptation Program (WRAP) which is intended to develop tools and techniques that can assess the impact of global climate change on urban drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. A three step approach for assessing climate change impacts on water treatment operation and design is being persude in this effort. The first step is the stochastic characterization of source water quality, the second step is the application of the USEPA Water Treatment Plant model and the third step is the application of cost algorithms to provide a metric that can be used to assess the coat impact of climate change. A model has been validated using data collected from Cincinnati's Richard Miller Water Treatment Plant for the USEPA Information Collection Rule (ICR) database. An analysis of the water treatment processes in response to assumed perturbations in raw water quality identified TOC, pH, and bromide as the three most important parameters affecting performance of the Miller WTP. The Miller Plant was simulated using the EPA WTP model to examine the impact of these parameters on selected regulated water quality parameters. Uncertainty in influent water quality was analyzed to estimate the risk of violating drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs).Water quality changes in the Ohio River were projected for 2050 using Monte Carlo simulation and the WTP model was used to evaluate the effects of water quality changes on design and operation. Results indicate that the existing Miller WTP might not meet Safe Drinking Water Act MCL requirements for certain extreme future conditions. However, it was found that the risk of MCL violations under future conditions could be controlled by enhancing existing WTP design and operation or by process retrofitting and modification.

Well-construction, water-level, geophysical, and water-quality data for ground-water monitoring wells for Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hough, C.J.; Mahoney, E.N.; Robinson, J.A.

1992-01-01

Sixty-five wells were installed at 39 sites in the Arnold Air Force Base area in Coffee and Franklin Counties, Tennessee. The wells were installed to provide information on subsurface lithology, aquifer characteristics, ground-water levels, and ground-water quality. Well depths ranged from 11 to 384 feet. Water-quality samples were collected from 60 wells and analyzed for common inorganic ions, trace metals, and volatile organic compounds. The median dissolved-solids concentrations were 60 milligrams per liter in the shallow aquifer, 48 million gallons per liter in the Manchester aquifer, 1,235 milligrams per liter in the Fort Payne aquifer, and 1,712 milligrams per liter in the upper Central Basin aquifer. Caliper, temperature, natural gamma, electric, neutron porosity, gamma-gamma density, and acoustic velocity borehole-geophysical logs were obtained for the six deep wells completed below the Chattanooga Shale. Petrographic and modal analysis were performed on rock samples from each deep well. These six deep wells provide the first information in the study area on hydraulic head and water quality from below the Chattanooga Shale.

Performance of Water Recirculation Loop Maintenance Components for the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rector, Tony; Peyton, Barbara M.; Steele, John W.; Makinen, Janice; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin

2014-01-01

Water loop maintenance components to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop have undergone a comparative performance evaluation with a recirculating control loop which had no water quality maintenance. Results show that periodic water maintenance can improve performance of the SWME. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage of this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing sublimator technology. The driver for the evaluation of water recirculation maintenance components was to enhance the robustness of the SWME through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A patented bed design that was developed for a United Technologies Aerospace System military application provided a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in the SWME recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The maintenance cycle included the use of a biocide delivery component developed for the ISS to introduce a biocide in a microgravity compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.

Effect of water quality on residential water heater life-cycle efficiency. Annual report, September 1983-August 1984

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

Stickford, G.H.; Talbert, S.G.; Newman, D.C.

A 3-year field test program is under way for the Gas Research Institute to quantify the effect of scale buildup on the performance of residential water heaters, and to determine the benefits and limitations of common water-treatment methods. In this program, the performance of gas and electric heaters is being monitored in test laboratories set up in selected U.S. cities. The efficiency of heaters operating on hard water is measured and compared with the performance of heaters operating on treated water. Corrosion tests are also being conducted on each type of water tested to determine the effect of water treatmentmore » on the corrosion of the water heating system. During this reporting period Battelle has established operating hard water test facilities at four test sites: (1) Battelle, (2) the Roswell Test Facility in Roswell, New Mexico, (3) the Water Quality Association in Lisle, Illinois, and (4) the Marshall Municipal Utilities in Marshall, Minnesota. At each of these sites 12 water heaters have been installed and are operating on accelerated draw cycles. The recovery efficiency of each heater has been carefully measured, and the heaters have been operating from 4 months at one site to 7 months at another. At two of the test sites, the recovery efficiency of each heater has been remeasured after 6 months of operation. No significant degradation in heater performance due to scale buildup was observed in these heaters for the equivalent of 2 to 3 years of typical residential use.« less

Broiler performance, body weight variance, feed and water intake, and carcass quality at different stocking densities.

PubMed

Feddes, J J R; Emmanuel, E J; Zuidhoft, M J

2002-06-01

The effects of four stocking and water nipple densities on broiler performance and carcass traits were measured in two trials. The stocking densities of 23.8, 17.9, 14.3, and 11.9 birds/m2 corresponded to 260, 195, 156, and 130 birds per pen, respectively. The water nipple densities were 5, 10, 15, and 20 birds per water nipple. Birds in Trial 1 were processed at Day 39 and those in Trial 2 were processed at Day 42. Water and feed were provided ad libitum and light was provided 23 h/ d. Water nipple density had no effect on broiler performance or carcass quality. Birds grown at 23.8 birds/m2 had lower BW (1,898 g) and carcass weights (1,334 g), whereas birds grown at 14.3 birds/m2 had the highest BW (1,985 g) and carcass weights (1,432 g). Although the treatment with 23.8 birds/m2 gave the lowest BW, the yield of broilers per unit of floor space was highest (46.0 kg/m2). The coefficient of variation for BW was higher in the treatment with 11.9 birds/m2 (15.3 %) than in the other treatments (13.0%). The birds in the treatment with 11.9 birds/m2 consumed the least feed (2,993 g/bird) and those in the 14.3 birds/m2 treatment consumed the most feed (3,183 g/bird). The amount of water consumed and the water to feed ratio was highest in the 23.8 birds/m2 treatment (5,546 mL/bird and 1.85 mL/g, respectively). Stocking density had no effect on mortality, breast yield, carcass grading, incidence of scratches, or carcass quality. It was concluded high yield per unit area with good carcass quality could be achieved when ventilation rate and air circulation were adequate.

Ground-water quality assessment of the central Oklahoma Aquifer, Oklahoma; project description

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christenson, S.C.; Parkhurst, D.L.

1987-01-01

In April 1986, the U.S. Geological Survey began a pilot program to assess the quality of the Nation's surface-water and ground-water resources. The program, known as the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, is designed to acquire and interpret information about a variety of water-quality issues. The Central Oklahoma aquifer project is one of three ground-water pilot projects that have been started. The NAWQA program also incudes four surface-water pilot projects. The Central Oklahoma aquifer project, as part of the pilot NAWQA program, will develop and test methods for performing assessments of ground-water quality. The objectives of the Central Oklahoma aquifer assessment are: (1) To investigate regional ground-water quality throughout the aquifer in the manner consistent with the other pilot ground-water projects, emphasizing the occurrence and distribution of potentially toxic substances in ground water, including trace elements, organic compounds, and radioactive constituents; (2) to describe relations between ground-water quality, land use, hydrogeology, and other pertinent factors; and (3) to provide a general description of the location, nature, and possible causes of selected prevalent water-quality problems within the study unit; and (4) to describe the potential for water-quality degradation of ground-water zones within the study unit. The Central Oklahoma aquifer, which includes in descending order the Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formation, the Chase Group, the Council Grove Group, the Admire Group, and overlying alluvium and terrace deposits, underlies about 3,000 square miles of central Oklahoma and is used extensively for municipal, industrial, commercial, and domestic water supplies. The aquifer was selected for study by the NAWQA program because it is a major source for water supplies in central Oklahoma and because it has several known or suspected water-quality problems. Known problems include concentrations of arsenic, chromium, selenium, and gross-alpha activity that exceed drinking-water standards. Suspected problems include possible contamination of the aquifer by oil-field brines and drilling fluids, pesticides, industrial chemicals, septic-tank effluent, fertilizers, and leakage from sewage systems and underground tanks used for storage of hydrocarbons. There are four major components of the Central Oklahoma aquifer project. The first component is the collection and analysis of existing information, including chemical, hydrologic, and land-use data. The second component is the geohydrologic and geochemical investigations of the aquifer flow system. The third component is the sampling for a wide variety of inorganic, organic, and radioactive constituents as part a regional survey that will produce a consistent set of data among all ground-water pilot projects. These data can be used to: (1) Define regional ground-water quality within the Central Oklahoma aquifer, and (2) compare water quality in the Central Oklahoma aquifer to the water quality in the other ground-water study units of the NAWQA program. The fourth component is topical studies that will address, in more detail, some of the major water-quality issues pertaining to the aquifer.

Performance assessment of a single-layer moisture store-and-release cover system at a mine waste rock pile in a seasonally humid region (Nova Scotia, Canada).

PubMed

Power, Christopher; Ramasamy, Murugan; Mkandawire, Martin

2018-03-03

Cover systems are commonly applied to mine waste rock piles (WRPs) to control acid mine drainage (AMD). Single-layer covers utilize the moisture "store-and-release" concept to first store and then release moisture back to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration. Although more commonly used in semi-arid and arid climates, store-and-release covers remain an attractive option in humid climates due to the low cost and relative simplicity of installation. However, knowledge of their performance in these climates is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of moisture store-and-release covers at full-scale WRPs located in humid climates. This cover type was installed at a WRP in Nova Scotia, Canada, alongside state-of-the-art monitoring instrumentation. Field monitoring was conducted over 5 years to assess key components such as meteorological conditions, cover material water dynamics, net percolation, surface runoff, pore-gas, environmental receptor water quality, landform stability and vegetation. Water balances indicate small reductions in water influx to the waste rock (i.e., 34 to 28% of precipitation) with the diminished AMD release also apparent by small improvements in groundwater quality (increase in pH, decrease in sulfate/metals). Surface water quality analysis and field observations of vegetative/aquatic life demonstrate significant improvements in the surface water receptor. The WRP landform is stable and the vegetative cover is thriving. This study has shown that while a simple store-and-release cover may not be a highly effective barrier to water infiltration in humid climates, it can be used to (i) eliminate contaminated surface water runoff, (ii) minimize AMD impacts to surface water receptor(s), (iii) maintain a stable landform, and (iv) provide a sustainable vegetative canopy.

Sources of water pollution and evolution of water quality in the Wuwei basin of Shiyang river, Northwest China.

PubMed

Ma, Jinzhu; Ding, Zhenyu; Wei, Guoxiao; Zhao, Hua; Huang, Tianming

2009-02-01

Based on surveys and chemical analyses, we performed a case study of the surface water and groundwater quality in the Wuwei basin, in order to understand the sources of water pollution and the evolution of water quality in Shiyang river. Concentrations of major chemical elements in the surface water were related to the distance downstream from the source of the river, with surface water in the upstream reaches of good quality, but the river from Wuwei city to the Hongya reservoir was seriously polluted, with a synthetic pollution index of 25. Groundwater quality was generally good in the piedmont with dominant bicarbonate and calcium ions, but salinity was high and nitrate pollution occurs in the northern part of the basin. Mineralization of the groundwater has changed rapidly during the past 20 years. There are 23 wastewater outlets that discharge a total of 22.4 x 10(6)m(3)y(-1) into the river from Wuwei city, which, combined with a reduction of inflow water, were found to be the major causes of water pollution. Development of fisheries in the Hongya reservoir since 2000 has also contributed to the pollution. The consumption of water must be decreased until it reaches the sustainable level permitted by the available resources in the whole basin, and discharge of wastes must also be drastically reduced.

ADDRESSING EMERGING ISSUES IN WATER QUALITY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Public concern over cleanliness and safety of source and recreational waters has prompted researchers to look for indicators of water quality. Giving public water authorities multiple tools to measure and monitor levels of chemical contaminants, as well as chemical markers of contamination, simply and rapidly would enhance public protection. The goals of water quality are outlined in the Water Quality Multi-year Plan [http://intranet.epa.gov/ospintra/Planning/wq.pdf] and the research in this task falls under GPRA Goal 2, 2.3.2, Long Term Goals 1, 2, and 4. The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.Subtask 1: To integrate state-of-the-art technologies (polar organic chemical integrative samplers, advanced solid-phase extraction methodologies with liquid chromatography/electrospray/mass spectrometry) and apply them to studying the sources and fate of a select list of PPCPs. Application and improvement of analytical methodologies that can detect non-volatile, polar, water-soluble pharmaceuticals in source waters at levels that could be environmentally significant (at concentrations less than parts per billion, ppb). IAG

Estimating the cost of improving service quality in water supply: A shadow price approach for England and wales.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Maziotis, Alexandros; Sala-Garrido, Ramón

2016-01-01

Service quality to customers is an aspect that cannot be ignored in the performance assessment of water companies. Nowadays water regulators introduce awards or penalties to incentivize companies to improve service quality to customers when setting prices. In this study, the directional distance function is employed to estimate the shadow prices of variables indicating the lack of service quality to customers in the water industry i.e., written complaints, unplanned interruptions and properties below the reference level. To calculate the shadow price of each undesirable output for each water company, it is needed to ascribe a reference price for the desirable output which is the volume of water delivered. An empirical application is carried out for water companies in England and Wales. Hence, the shadow price of each undesirable output is expressed both as a percentage of the price of the desirable output and in pence per cubic meter of water delivered The estimated results indicate that on average, each additional written complaint that needs to be dealt with by the water company includes a service quality cost of 0.399p/m(3). As expected, when looking at the other service quality variables which involve network repair or replacement, these values are considerably higher. On average, the water company must spend an extra 0.622p/m(3) to prevent one unplanned interruption and 0.702p/m(3) to avoid one water pressure below the reference level. The findings of this study are of great importance for regulated companies and regulators as it has been illustrated that improvements in the service quality in terms of customer service could be challenging and therefore ongoing investments will be required to address these issues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A battery of in vivo and in vitro tests useful for genotoxic pollutant detection in surface waters.

PubMed

Pellacani, Claudia; Buschini, Annamaria; Furlini, Mariangela; Poli, Paola; Rossi, Carlo

2006-04-20

Since the 1980s, stricter water quality regulations have been promulgated in many countries throughout the world. We discuss the application of a battery of both in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity tests on lake water as a tool for a more complete assessment of surface water quality. The lake water concentrated by adsorption on C18 silica cartridges were used for the following in vitro biological assays: gene conversion, point mutation, mitochondrial DNA mutability assays on the diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain, with or without endogenous P450 complex induction; DNA damage on fresh human leukocytes by the comet. Toxicity testing on yeast and human cells was also performed. In vivo genotoxicity was determined by the comet assay on two well-established bio-indicator organisms of water quality (Cyprinus carpio erythrocytes and Dreissena polymorpha haemocytes) exposed in situ. The in vivo experiments and the water samplings were carried out during different campaigns to detect seasonal variations of both the water contents and physiological state of the animals. Temperature and oxygen level seasonal variations and different pollutant contents in the lake water appeared to affect the DNA migration in carp and zebra mussel cells. Seasonal variability of lake water quality was also evident in the in vitro genotoxicity and cytotoxicity tests, with regards to water pollutant quantity and quality (direct-acting compounds or indirect-acting compounds on yeast cells). However, the measured biological effects did not appear clearly related to the physical-chemical characteristics of lake waters. Therefore, together with the conventional chemical analysis, mutagenicity/genotoxicity assays should be included as additional parameters in water quality monitoring programs: their use could permit the quantification of mutagenic hazard in surface waters.

Klang River water quality modelling using music

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahari, Nazirul Mubin; Zawawi, Mohd Hafiz; Muda, Zakaria Che; Sidek, Lariyah Mohd; Fauzi, Nurfazila Mohd; Othman, Mohd Edzham Fareez; Ahmad, Zulkepply

2017-09-01

Water is an essential resource that sustains life on earth; changes in the natural quality and distribution of water have ecological impacts that can sometimes be devastating. Recently, Malaysia is facing many environmental issues regarding water pollution. The main causes of river pollution are rapid urbanization, arising from the development of residential, commercial, industrial sites, infrastructural facilities and others. The purpose of the study was to predict the water quality of the Connaught Bridge Power Station (CBPS), Klang River. Besides that, affects to the low tide and high tide and. to forecast the pollutant concentrations of the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) for existing land use of the catchment area through water quality modeling (by using the MUSIC software). Besides that, to identifying an integrated urban stormwater treatment system (Best Management Practice or BMPs) to achieve optimal performance in improving the water quality of the catchment using the MUSIC software in catchment areas having tropical climates. Result from MUSIC Model such as BOD5 at station 1 can be reduce the concentration from Class IV to become Class III. Whereas, for TSS concentration from Class III to become Class II at the station 1. The model predicted a mean TSS reduction of 0.17%, TP reduction of 0.14%, TN reduction of 0.48% and BOD5 reduction of 0.31% for Station 1 Thus, from the result after purposed BMPs the water quality is safe to use because basically water quality monitoring is important due to threat such as activities are harmful to aquatic organisms and public health.

Comparative analysis of effluent water quality from a municipal treatment plant and two on-site wastewater treatment systems.

PubMed

Garcia, Santos N; Clubbs, Rebekah L; Stanley, Jacob K; Scheffe, Brian; Yelderman, Joe C; Brooks, Bryan W

2013-06-01

Though decentralized on-site technologies are extensively employed for wastewater treatment around the globe, an understanding of effluent water quality impairments associated with these systems remain less understood than effluent discharges from centralized municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Using a unique experimental facility, a novel comparative analysis of effluent water quality was performed from model decentralized aerobic (ATS) and septic (STS) on-site wastewater treatment systems and a centralized municipal wastewater treatment plant (MTP). The ATS and STS units did not benefit from further soil treatment. Each system received common influent wastewater from the Waco, Texas, USA Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System. We tested the hypothesis that MTP effluent would exhibit higher water quality than on-site effluents, based on parameters selected for study. A tiered testing approach was employed to assess the three effluent discharges: select routine water quality parameters (Tier I), whole effluent toxicity (Tier II), and select endocrine-active compounds (Tier III). Contrary to our hypothesis, ATS effluent was not statistically different from MTP effluents, based on Tier I and III parameters, but reproductive responses of Daphnia magna were slightly more sensitive to ATS than MTP effluents. STS effluent water quality was identified as most degraded of the three wastewater treatment systems. Parameters used to assess centralized wastewater treatment plant effluent water quality such as whole effluent toxicity and endocrine active substances appear useful for water quality assessments of decentralized discharges. Aerobic on-site wastewater treatment systems may represent more robust options than traditional septic systems for on-site wastewater treatment in watersheds with appreciable groundwater - surface water exchange. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of military field-water quality: Volume 9, Data for assessing health risks in potential theaters of operation for US military forces: (Final report)

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

Daniels, J.I.; Layton, D.W.

1988-02-01

Data are presented in this volume for assessing the health risks in populations of military personnel that could result as a consequence of exposure to field waters containing constituents or infectious organisms of military concern, which are from natural and anthropogenic sources, at levels above those recommended as field-water-quality standards (i.e., above safe levels). Turbidity and color are the physical properties that are of military concern in field water. The other constituents that are of military concern in field water are (1) total dissolved solids, (2) chloride, (3) magnesium, (4) sulfate, (5) arsenic, (6) cyanide, (7) the pesticide lindane, andmore » (8) metabolites of algae and associated bacteria. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites (e.g., protozoa and helminths) are categories of water-related infectious organisms that are of military concern. Figures were developed from dose-response data to enable military risk managers to quickly assess the potential performance-degrading effects in personnel exposed to a measured concentration of a particular constituent in field water. The general physical, chemical, and biological quality of field waters in geographic regions worldwide, representing potential theaters of operation for U.S. military forces, also are evaluated. This analysis is based on available water-quality monitoring data and indicators of likely water-quality conditions (e.g., geohydrology, climate, sanitation, industrialization, etc.). Accompanying our evaluation are maps and tables alerting military planners and risk managers to the physical, chemical, or biological quality of field water that can be expected generally in geographic regions of concern.« less

LABORATORY CAPACITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER UTILITIES: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

EPA Science Inventory

Fully-functioning analytical laboratories capable of producing quality data are essential components of well-run drinking water utilities. In Europe and the US, drinking water laboratory performance is closely monitored and regulated; this is not always the case in the less indu...

PERFORMANCE OF RETENTION PONDS AND CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR ATTENUATING BACTERIAL STRESSORS

EPA Science Inventory

Microbial contamination from fecal origins in stormwater runoff poses a risk to human health through the consumption of drinking water and recreational and bathing contact with surface waters. Indicator bacteria serve as the regulatory meter by which water quality is measured and...

DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS FOR PREDICTING THE PERFORMANCE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION AND WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Water and wastewater infrastructure systems represent a major capital investment; utilities must ensure they are getting the highest yield possible on their investment, both in terms of dollars and water quality. Accurate information related to equipment, pipe characteristics, l...

DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS FOR PREDICTING THE PERFORMANCE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION AND WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Water and wastewater infrastructure systems represent a major capital investment; utilities must ensure they are getting the highest yield possible on their investment, both in terms of dollars and water quality. Accurate information related to equipment, pipe characteristics, lo...

The use of LANDSAT by the states for water quality assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, E. M.

1981-01-01

The use of LANDSAT for water resources applications in U.S. state demonstration projects is reviewed. The most common single application undertaken between 1976 and 1981 was found to be water condition assessment. The majority of projects, however, fell into the general category of watershed hydrology. Some of the states are attempting to use LANDSAT data in an operational mode for water quality assessment. Two of these state projects from Vermont and Wisconsin are described in brief. The basic information requirements of Section 314 of the U.S. Pollution Control Act are given with the type of input LANDSAT data could potentially provide toward those requirements. Surveys were performed to determine: (1) how its states were responding in 1980 to 1981 to the federal and state water quality laws; and (2) the status of LANDSAT analysis capabilities of each state.

40 CFR 35.588 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Tribe or Intertribal Consortium meets the applicable quality assurance and quality control requirements... Intertribal Consortium agrees to include a discussion of how the work performed under section 106 addressed water quality problems on Tribal lands in the annual report required under § 35.515(d). (5) After an...

40 CFR 35.588 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Tribe or Intertribal Consortium meets the applicable quality assurance and quality control requirements... Intertribal Consortium agrees to include a discussion of how the work performed under section 106 addressed water quality problems on Tribal lands in the annual report required under § 35.515(d). (5) After an...

Water Quality Sensing and Spatio-Temporal Monitoring Structure with Autocorrelation Kernel Methods.

PubMed

Vizcaíno, Iván P; Carrera, Enrique V; Muñoz-Romero, Sergio; Cumbal, Luis H; Rojo-Álvarez, José Luis

2017-10-16

Pollution on water resources is usually analyzed with monitoring campaigns, which consist of programmed sampling, measurement, and recording of the most representative water quality parameters. These campaign measurements yields a non-uniform spatio-temporal sampled data structure to characterize complex dynamics phenomena. In this work, we propose an enhanced statistical interpolation method to provide water quality managers with statistically interpolated representations of spatial-temporal dynamics. Specifically, our proposal makes efficient use of the a priori available information of the quality parameter measurements through Support Vector Regression (SVR) based on Mercer's kernels. The methods are benchmarked against previously proposed methods in three segments of the Machángara River and one segment of the San Pedro River in Ecuador, and their different dynamics are shown by statistically interpolated spatial-temporal maps. The best interpolation performance in terms of mean absolute error was the SVR with Mercer's kernel given by either the Mahalanobis spatial-temporal covariance matrix or by the bivariate estimated autocorrelation function. In particular, the autocorrelation kernel provides with significant improvement of the estimation quality, consistently for all the six water quality variables, which points out the relevance of including a priori knowledge of the problem.

Water Quality Sensing and Spatio-Temporal Monitoring Structure with Autocorrelation Kernel Methods

PubMed Central

Vizcaíno, Iván P.; Muñoz-Romero, Sergio; Cumbal, Luis H.

2017-01-01

Pollution on water resources is usually analyzed with monitoring campaigns, which consist of programmed sampling, measurement, and recording of the most representative water quality parameters. These campaign measurements yields a non-uniform spatio-temporal sampled data structure to characterize complex dynamics phenomena. In this work, we propose an enhanced statistical interpolation method to provide water quality managers with statistically interpolated representations of spatial-temporal dynamics. Specifically, our proposal makes efficient use of the a priori available information of the quality parameter measurements through Support Vector Regression (SVR) based on Mercer’s kernels. The methods are benchmarked against previously proposed methods in three segments of the Machángara River and one segment of the San Pedro River in Ecuador, and their different dynamics are shown by statistically interpolated spatial-temporal maps. The best interpolation performance in terms of mean absolute error was the SVR with Mercer’s kernel given by either the Mahalanobis spatial-temporal covariance matrix or by the bivariate estimated autocorrelation function. In particular, the autocorrelation kernel provides with significant improvement of the estimation quality, consistently for all the six water quality variables, which points out the relevance of including a priori knowledge of the problem. PMID:29035333

Development of realtime, handheld and portable flood distribution and water quality sensor based android smartphone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rachmatika, Ratih; Adriyanto, Feri

2017-09-01

Current sensors to monitor water quality are made of manual sensors, which reported to have good performance. However, the major problems, which manual process to get the data. In addition, the data interpretation takes a long time. Due to these problems, a new approach needs to be introduced into the process to prevent a long data acquisition. Therefore, the SIAGA application was proposed. The application of SIAGA is divided into two main applications which are SIBA (Siaga Banjir) and SIAB (Siaga Air Bersih). We using WiFi system which is located at points along the flow of river.. The result can be monitored in the online application based on smartphone which is divided into the river water quality, potential sources of pollution and flood area. Each WiFi point is completed with the instruments which are divided into the sensors that can do the identification of parameters to determine the water quality such as temperature, pH, water level and turbidity. This instrument completed using GPS (Global Positioning System), Full Map menu. The instrument was succesfully monitoredthe flood distribution and water quality in Bengawan Solo river.

Rocky-shore communities as indicators of water quality: a case study in the Northwestern Mediterranean.

PubMed

Pinedo, Susana; García, María; Satta, Maria Paola; de Torres, Mariona; Ballesteros, Enric

2007-01-01

The collection of 152 samples from the upper sublittoral zone along the rocky coasts of Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean) was carried out in 1999 in order to test the suitability of littoral communities to be used as indicators of water quality in the frame of the European Water Framework Directive. Detrended correspondence analysis were performed to distinguish between different communities and to relate communities composition to water quality. Samples collected in reference sites were included in the analysis. Mediterranean rocky shore communities situated in the upper sublittoral zone can be used as indicators of the water quality: there is a gradient from high to bad status that comprises from dense Cystoseira mediterranea forests to green algae dominated communities. The geographical patterns in the distribution of these communities show that the best areas are situated in the Northern coast, where tourism is the main economic resource of the area, and the worst area is situated close to the metropolitan zone of Barcelona with high population and industrial development. Thus, Mediterranean sublittoral rocky shore communities are useful indicators of water quality and multivariate analysis are a suitable statistical tool for the assessment of the ecological status.

Modelling the impacts of agricultural management practices on river water quality in Eastern England.

PubMed

Taylor, Sam D; He, Yi; Hiscock, Kevin M

2016-09-15

Agricultural diffuse water pollution remains a notable global pressure on water quality, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems, human health and water resources and as a result legislation has been introduced in many parts of the world to protect water bodies. Due to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, water quality models have been increasingly applied to catchments as Decision Support Tools (DSTs) to identify mitigation options that can be introduced to reduce agricultural diffuse water pollution and improve water quality. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to the River Wensum catchment in eastern England with the aim of quantifying the long-term impacts of potential changes to agricultural management practices on river water quality. Calibration and validation were successfully performed at a daily time-step against observations of discharge, nitrate and total phosphorus obtained from high-frequency water quality monitoring within the Blackwater sub-catchment, covering an area of 19.6 km(2). A variety of mitigation options were identified and modelled, both singly and in combination, and their long-term effects on nitrate and total phosphorus losses were quantified together with the 95% uncertainty range of model predictions. Results showed that introducing a red clover cover crop to the crop rotation scheme applied within the catchment reduced nitrate losses by 19.6%. Buffer strips of 2 m and 6 m width represented the most effective options to reduce total phosphorus losses, achieving reductions of 12.2% and 16.9%, respectively. This is one of the first studies to quantify the impacts of agricultural mitigation options on long-term water quality for nitrate and total phosphorus at a daily resolution, in addition to providing an estimate of the uncertainties of those impacts. The results highlighted the need to consider multiple pollutants, the degree of uncertainty associated with model predictions and the risk of unintended pollutant impacts when evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation options, and showed that high-frequency water quality datasets can be applied to robustly calibrate water quality models, creating DSTs that are more effective and reliable. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development and Certification of Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) Experiment # 15012-U, "Near RealTime Water Quality Monitoring Demonstration for ISS Biocides Using Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE)"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Nolan, Daniel J.; Rutz, Jeffrey A.; Shcultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D,; Lipert, Robert J.; Limardo, Jose G.; McCoy, J. Torin

2009-01-01

Scientists and engineers from the Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering Group are working with researchers at the University of Utah and Iowa State University to develop and certify an experimental water quality monitoring kit based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE). The kit will be launched as a Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) experiment and evaluated on the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the acceptability of CSPE technology for routine inflight water quality monitoring. Iodine and silver, the biocides used in the US and Russian on-orbit water systems, will serve as test analytes for the technology evaluation. This manuscript provides an overview of the CSPE SDTO experiment and details the development and certification of the experimental water quality monitoring kit. Initial results from reagent and standard solution stability testing and environmental testing performed on the kit hardware are also reported.

Assessment of the impact of traditional septic tank soakaway systems on water quality in Ireland.

PubMed

Keegan, Mary; Kilroy, Kate; Nolan, Daniel; Dubber, Donata; Johnston, Paul M; Misstear, Bruce D R; O'Flaherty, Vincent; Barrett, Maria; Gill, Laurence W

2014-01-01

One of the key threats to groundwater and surface water quality in Ireland is the impact of poorly designed, constructed or maintained on-site wastewater treatment systems. An extensive study was carried out to quantify the impact of existing sites on water quality. Six existing sites, consisting of a traditional septic tank and soakaway system, located in various ranges of subsoil permeabilities were identified and monitored to determine how well they function under varying subsoil and weather conditions. The preliminary results of the chemical and microbiological pollutant attenuation in the subsoil of the systems have been assessed and treatment performance evaluated, as well as impact on local surface water and groundwater quality. The source of any faecal contamination detected in groundwater, nearby surface water and effluent samples was confirmed by microbial source tracking. From this, it can be seen that the transport and treatment of percolate vary greatly depending on the permeability and composition of the subsoil.

Individual treatment of hotel and restaurant waste water in rural areas.

PubMed

Van Hulle, S W H; Ghyselbrecht, N; Vermeiren, T J L; Depuydt, V; Boeckaert, C

2012-01-01

About 25 hotels, restaurants and pubs in the rural community Heuvelland are situated in the area designated for individual water treatment. In order to meet the legislation by the end of 2015, each business needs to install an individual waste water treatment system (IWTS). To study this situation, three catering businesses were selected for further research. The aim of the study was to quantify the effluent quality and to assess IWTS performance for these catering businesses. First of all, the influence of discharging untreated waste water on the receiving surface water was examined. The results showed a decrease in water quality after the discharge point at every business. With the collected data, simulations with the software WEST were performed. With this software two types of IWTSs with different (buffer) volumes were modelled and tested for each catering business. The first type is a completely mixed activated sludge reactor and the second type is a submerged aerobic fixed-bed reactor. The results of these simulations demonstrate that purification with an IWTS is possible if the capacity is large enough and if an adequate buffer volume is installed and if regular maintenance is performed.

Assessment of Drinking Water Quality from Bottled Water Coolers

PubMed Central

FARHADKHANI, Marzieh; NIKAEEN, Mahnaz; AKBARI ADERGANI, Behrouz; HATAMZADEH, Maryam; NABAVI, Bibi Fatemeh; HASSANZADEH, Akbar

2014-01-01

Abstract Background Drinking water quality can be deteriorated by microbial and toxic chemicals during transport, storage and handling before using by the consumer. This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial and physicochemical quality of drinking water from bottled water coolers. Methods A total of 64 water samples, over a 5-month period in 2012-2013, were collected from free standing bottled water coolers and water taps in Isfahan. Water samples were analyzed for heterotrophic plate count (HPC), temperature, pH, residual chlorine, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC) and total organic carbon (TOC). Identification of predominant bacteria was also performed by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. Results The mean HPC of water coolers was determined at 38864 CFU/ml which exceeded the acceptable level for drinking water in 62% of analyzed samples. The HPC from the water coolers was also found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of the tap waters. The statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the values of pH, EC, turbidity and TOC in water coolers and tap waters. According to sequence analysis eleven species of bacteria were identified. Conclusion A high HPC is indicative of microbial water quality deterioration in water coolers. The presence of some opportunistic pathogens in water coolers, furthermore, is a concern from a public health point of view. The results highlight the importance of a periodic disinfection procedure and monitoring system for water coolers in order to keep the level of microbial contamination under control. PMID:26060769

[Water quality evaluation in rural areas of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1999-2000].

PubMed

Rocha, Christiane Maria Barcellos Magalhães da; Rodrigues, Luciano Dos Santos; Costa, Claudionor C; de Oliveira, Paulo Roberto; da Silva, Israel José; de Jesus, Eder Ferreira Moraes; Rolim, Renata G

2006-09-01

In addition to personal interviews, laboratory analyses were performed using 80 water samples from 45 rural areas that are crossed by the Agua Limpa and Santa Cruz streams close to the city of Lavras, southern Minas Gerais State. The results allowed comparing the quality of water used for agriculture and the identification of determinant factors. The Agua Limpa stream mostly crosses an area used primarily for housing and characterized by low schooling. Many houses are supplied by shallow water wells and have ordinary cesspits for human waste disposal. All springs are polluted. The Santa Cruz stream displays a different scenario. The land is used mostly for agricultural purposes. Most owners live in town, with widely varied levels of school, from none to university. The houses are supplied by surface water. Most of the springs are polluted. The perception by both home and land owners concerning quality of the drinking water is determined solely by the water's physical and organoleptic characteristics. Sanitary parameters are not taken into account. Moreover, there is no relationship between fecal contamination and the type of spring. Land use and anthropic activity are far more important than the type of spring for water quality.

Effect of point-of-use, activated carbon filters on the bacteriological quality of rural groundwater supplies.

PubMed Central

Synder, J W; Mains, C N; Anderson, R E; Bissonnette, G K

1995-01-01

The water quality of 24 rural, domestic groundwater supplies treated with point-of-use, powdered activated carbon (PAC) filters was monitored to determine how such treatment might impact the bacteriological quality of private, residential drinking water supplies. Heterotrophic-plate-count (HPC) and total coliform analyses were performed on raw, PAC-treated, and overnight or stagnant (first-draw) PAC-treated water samples. Densities of HPC bacteria were elevated by 0.86 and 0.20 orders of magnitude for spring and well water systems, respectively, in PAC-treated effluents following overnight stagnation compared with levels in untreated treated effluents. Densities of HPC bacteria in PAC-treated effluents were significantly reduced (P < 0.01) below influent levels, however, after the point-of-use device was flushed for 2 min. While PAC significantly reduced the number of coliforms in product waters (P < 0.01), these indicator organisms were still detected in some effluents. Seasonal variations were evident in microbial counts from spring but not well water systems. It appears that aside from periods following stagnant-water use, such as overnight, PAC treatment does not compromise the bacteriological quality of drinking water obtained from underground sources. PMID:8534096

Experimental study of solar still using local material in south of Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasri., Bahous; Benatiallah, Ali; Kalloum, Slimane; Benatiallah, Djelloul

2018-05-01

South of Algeria has these last years increasing water demand associated with rapid urban development and expansion in the irrigated land have led to over-exploitation of groundwater resources, consequently, it caused a degradation of the groundwater quality by increasing its salinity. In arid areas of Algeria with a shortage of pure water and endowed with an important solar potential, solar distillation is an important alternative for the potable water production. In this study, an attempt has been made to study a novel solar still by using a local material tested under climatic conditions of Adrar city. Experiments proprieties and performance of this solar still were carried out for a long time. The measurement of solar intensity, ambient temperature, water productivity, saline water temperature, glasses temperatures inside and outside, and the distilled water quality were studied. The results show that the daily productivity was varied from 4.04 to 4.48 l/m²d. Local materials are very interesting to increase the productivity and to give a good quality of output water with a low cost. Also, the results show that the output water quality is using for drinking and in accordance with WHO standards guidelines.

Automated Water Quality Survey and Evaluation Using an IoT Platform with Mobile Sensor Nodes

PubMed Central

Li, Teng; Xia, Min; Chen, Jiahong; Zhao, Yuanjie; de Silva, Clarence

2017-01-01

An Internet of Things (IoT) platform with capabilities of sensing, data processing, and wireless communication has been deployed to support remote aquatic environmental monitoring. In this paper, the design and development of an IoT platform with multiple Mobile Sensor Nodes (MSN) for the spatiotemporal quality evaluation of surface water is presented. A survey planner is proposed to distribute the Sampling Locations of Interest (SLoIs) over the study area and generate paths for MSNs to visit the SLoIs, given the limited energy and time budgets. The SLoIs are chosen based on a cellular decomposition that is composed of uniform hexagonal cells. They are visited by the MSNs along a path ring generated by a planning approach that uses a spanning tree. For quality evaluation, an Online Water Quality Index (OLWQI) is developed to interpret the large quantities of online measurements. The index formulations are modified by a state-of-the-art index, the CCME WQI, which has been developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) for off-line indexing. The proposed index has demonstrated effective and reliable performance in online indexing a large volume of measurements of water quality parameters. The IoT platform is deployed in the field, and its performance is demonstrated and discussed in this paper. PMID:28788098

International water and steam quality standards on thermal power plants at all-volatile treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova, T. I.; Orlov, K. A.; Dooley, R. B.

2016-12-01

One of the methods for the improvement of reliability and efficiency of the equipment at heat power plants is the decrease in the rate of corrosion of structural materials and sedimentation in water/steam circuit. These processes can be reduced to minimum by using the water with low impurity content and coolant treatment. For many years, water and steam quality standards were developed in various countries (United States, Germany, Japan, etc.) for specific types of equipment. The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS), which brings together specialists from 21 countries, developed the water and steam quality standards for various types of power equipment based on theoretical studies and long-term operating experience of power equipment. Recently, various water-chemistry conditions are applied on heatpower equipment including conventional boilers and HRSGs with combined cycle power plants (Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP)). In paper, the maintenance conditions of water chemistry with ammonia or volatile amine dosing are described: reducing AVT(R), oxidizing AVT(O), and oxygen OT. Each of them is provided by the water and steam quality standards and recommendations are given on their maintenance under various operation conditions. It is noted that the quality control of heat carrier must be carried out with a particular care on the HPPs with combined cycle gas turbine units, where frequent starts and halts are performed.

Development and implementation of a regression model for predicting recreational water quality in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio 2009-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.; Plona, Meg B.

2012-01-01

The Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is at times impaired for recreational use due to elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a fecal-indicator bacterium. During the recreational seasons of mid-May through September during 2009–11, samples were collected 4 days per week and analyzed for E. coli concentrations at two sites within CVNP. Other water-quality and environ-mental data, including turbidity, rainfall, and streamflow, were measured and (or) tabulated for analysis. Regression models developed to predict recreational water quality in the river were implemented during the recreational seasons of 2009–11 for one site within CVNP–Jaite. For the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the regression models were better at predicting exceedances of Ohio's single-sample standard for primary-contact recreation compared to the traditional method of using the previous day's E. coli concentration. During 2009, the regression model was based on data collected during 2005 through 2008, excluding available 2004 data. The resulting model for 2009 did not perform as well as expected (based on the calibration data set) and tended to overestimate concentrations (correct responses at 69 percent). During 2010, the regression model was based on data collected during 2004 through 2009, including all of the available data. The 2010 model performed well, correctly predicting 89 percent of the samples above or below the single-sample standard, even though the predictions tended to be lower than actual sample concentrations. During 2011, the regression model was based on data collected during 2004 through 2010 and tended to overestimate concentrations. The 2011 model did not perform as well as the traditional method or as expected, based on the calibration dataset (correct responses at 56 percent). At a second site—Lock 29, approximately 5 river miles upstream from Jaite, a regression model based on data collected at the site during the recreational seasons of 2008–10 also did not perform as well as the traditional method or as well as expected (correct responses at 60 percent). Above normal precipitation in the region and a delayed start to the 2011 sampling season (sampling began mid-June) may have affected how well the 2011 models performed. With these new data, however, updated regression models may be better able to predict recreational water quality conditions due to the increased amount of diverse water quality conditions included in the calibration data. Daily recreational water-quality predictions for Jaite were made available on the Ohio Nowcast Web site at www.ohionowcast.info. Other public outreach included signage at trailheads in the park, articles in the park's quarterly-published schedule of events and volunteer newsletters. A U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet was also published to bring attention to water-quality issues in the park.

Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, Romy

2014-02-01

Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

Development of performance properties of ternary mixtures and concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) : effect of paste quality on fresh and hardened properties of ternary mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cement paste quality on the concrete performance, particularly fresh properties, : by changing the water-to-cementitious materials ratio (w/cm), type and dosage of supplementary cementitious ...

Water Quality Assessment in the Harbin Reach of the Songhuajiang River (China) Based on a Fuzzy Rough Set and an Attribute Recognition Theoretical Model

PubMed Central

An, Yan; Zou, Zhihong; Li, Ranran

2014-01-01

A large number of parameters are acquired during practical water quality monitoring. If all the parameters are used in water quality assessment, the computational complexity will definitely increase. In order to reduce the input space dimensions, a fuzzy rough set was introduced to perform attribute reduction. Then, an attribute recognition theoretical model and entropy method were combined to assess water quality in the Harbin reach of the Songhuajiang River in China. A dataset consisting of ten parameters was collected from January to October in 2012. Fuzzy rough set was applied to reduce the ten parameters to four parameters: BOD5, NH3-N, TP, and F. coli (Reduct A). Considering that DO is a usual parameter in water quality assessment, another reduct, including DO, BOD5, NH3-N, TP, TN, F, and F. coli (Reduct B), was obtained. The assessment results of Reduct B show a good consistency with those of Reduct A, and this means that DO is not always necessary to assess water quality. The results with attribute reduction are not exactly the same as those without attribute reduction, which can be attributed to the α value decided by subjective experience. The assessment results gained by the fuzzy rough set obviously reduce computational complexity, and are acceptable and reliable. The model proposed in this paper enhances the water quality assessment system. PMID:24675643

Microbiological water methods: quality control measures for Federal Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory compliance.

PubMed

Root, Patsy; Hunt, Margo; Fjeld, Karla; Kundrat, Laurie

2014-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) data are required in order to have confidence in the results from analytical tests and the equipment used to produce those results. Some AOAC water methods include specific QA/QC procedures, frequencies, and acceptance criteria, but these are considered to be the minimum controls needed to perform a microbiological method successfully. Some regulatory programs, such as those at Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 40, Part 136.7 for chemistry methods, require additional QA/QC measures beyond those listed in the method, which can also apply to microbiological methods. Essential QA/QC measures include sterility checks, reagent specificity and sensitivity checks, assessment of each analyst's capabilities, analysis of blind check samples, and evaluation of the presence of laboratory contamination and instrument calibration and checks. The details of these procedures, their performance frequency, and expected results are set out in this report as they apply to microbiological methods. The specific regulatory requirements of CFR Title 40 Part 136.7 for the Clean Water Act, the laboratory certification requirements of CFR Title 40 Part 141 for the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the International Organization for Standardization 17025 accreditation requirements under The NELAC Institute are also discussed.

The Enterococcus QPCR Method for Recreational Water Quality Testing: Testing Background, Performance and Issues

EPA Science Inventory

Currently accepted culture-based monitoring methods for fecal indicator bacteria in surface waters take at least 24 hr to determine if unacceptable levels of fecal pollution have reached our recreational beaches. During this waiting period changing water conditions may result eit...

Whole-heart chemical shift encoded water-fat MRI.

PubMed

Taviani, Valentina; Hernando, Diego; Francois, Christopher J; Shimakawa, Ann; Vigen, Karl K; Nagle, Scott K; Schiebler, Mark L; Grist, Thomas M; Reeder, Scott B

2014-09-01

To develop and evaluate a free-breathing chemical-shift-encoded (CSE) spoiled gradient-recalled echo (SPGR) technique for whole-heart water-fat imaging at 3 Tesla (T). We developed a three-dimensional (3D) multi-echo SPGR pulse sequence with electrocardiographic gating and navigator echoes and evaluated its performance at 3T in healthy volunteers (N = 6) and patients (N = 20). CSE-SPGR, 3D SPGR, and 3D balanced-SSFP with chemical fat saturation were compared in six healthy subjects with images evaluated for overall image quality, level of residual artifacts, and quality of fat suppression. A similar scoring system was used for the patient datasets. Images of diagnostic quality were acquired in all but one subject. CSE-SPGR performed similarly to SPGR with fat saturation, although it provided a more uniform fat suppression over the whole field of view. Balanced-SSFP performed worse than SPGR-based methods. In patients, CSE-SPGR produced excellent fat suppression near metal. Overall image quality was either good (7/20) or excellent (12/20) in all but one patient. There were significant artifacts in 5/20 clinical cases. CSE-SPGR is a promising technique for whole-heart water-fat imaging during free-breathing. The robust fat suppression in the water-only image could improve assessment of complex morphology at 3T and in the presence of off-resonance, with additional information contained in the fat-only image. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Observations and lessons learnt from more than a decade of water safety planning in South-East Asia.

PubMed

Sutherland, David

2017-09-01

In many countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region, drinking water is not used directly from the tap and faecal contamination of water sources is prevalent. As reflected in Sustainable Development Goal 6, access to safer drinking water is one of the most successful ways of preventing disease. The WHO Water Safety Framework promotes the use of water safety plans (WSPs), which are structured tools that help identify and mitigate potential risks throughout a water-supply system, from the water source to the point of use. WSPs not only help prevent outbreaks of acute and chronic waterborne diseases but also improve water-supply management and performance. During the past 12 years, through the direct and indirect work of a water quality partnership supported by the Australian Government, more than 5000 urban and rural WSPs have been implemented in the region. An impact assessment based on pre- and post-WSP surveys suggests that WSPs have improved system operations and management, infrastructure and performance; leveraged donor funds; increased stakeholder communication and collaboration; increased testing of water quality; and increased monitoring of consumer satisfaction. These achievements, and their sustainability, are being achieved through national legislation and regulatory frameworks for water supply, including quality standards for drinking water; national training tools and extensive training of sector professionals and creation of WSP experts; model WSPs; WSP auditing systems; and the institution of longterm training and support. More than a decade of water safety planning using the WSP approach has shown that supplying safe drinking water at the tap throughout the WHO South-East Asia Region is a realistic goal.

Change in drinking water quality from source to point-of-use and storage: a case study from Guwahati, India.

PubMed

Khadse, Gajanan Kisan; Kalita, Moromi D; Labhsetwar, Pawan K

2012-09-01

To ascertain the quality of drinking water being supplied and maintained at Guwahati, the study was conducted on the status of water supply in city through surveillance of drinking water quality for consecutive 7 days at various treatment stages, distribution network and consumer ends. The performance of five water treatment plants (WTPs), viz. Panbazar WTP, Satpukhuri WTP, Kamakhya WTP, PHED WTP and Hegrabari WTP were assessed for summer, piost-post-monsoon and winter seasons. No significant change in raw water quality was observed on day-to-day basis. Residual chlorine was found in the range of nil to 0.2 mg/L in the treated water. During post-monsoon, winter, and summer seasons the thermotolerent TC and FC counts ranged between Nil to 168 CFU/100 ml and Nil to 84 CFU/100 ml; Nil to 3356 CFU/100 ml and Nil to 152 CFU/100 ml; and Nil to 960 CFU/100 ml and Nil to 108 CFU/100 ml respectively. There was variation in bacterial counts among the different service reservoirs and consumer ends, which may be attributed to the general management practices for maintenance of service reservoirs and the possibility of enroute contamination. Evaluation of the raw water quality indicate that the water is suitable for drinking after conventional treatment followed by disinfection. The finished water quality meets the level of standards described as per Bureau of Indian Standard specifications (BIS:10500 1991) for potability in terms of its physico-chemical characteristics.

Aquatic assessment of the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site, Vershire, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seal, Robert R.; Kiah, Richard G.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Besser, John M.; Coles, James F.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Argue, Denise M.; Levitan, Denise M.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

2010-01-01

The information was used to develop an overall assessment of the impact on the aquatic system that appears to be a result of the acid rock drainage at the Ely Mine. More than 700 meters of Ely Brook, including two of the six ponds, were found to be severely impacted, on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments. The reference location was of good quality based on the water quality and biological assessment. More than 3,125 meters of Schoolhouse Brook are also severely impacted, on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments. The biological community begins to recover near the confluence with the Ompompanoosuc River. The evidence is less conclusive regarding the Ompompanoosuc River. The sediment data suggest that the sediments could be a source of toxicity in Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook. The surface-water assessment is consistent with the outcome of a surface-water toxicity testing program performed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook and a surface-water toxicity testing program and in situ amphibian testing program for the ponds.

An innovative modeling approach using Qual2K and HEC-RAS integration to assess the impact of tidal effect on River Water quality simulation.

PubMed

Fan, Chihhao; Ko, Chun-Han; Wang, Wei-Shen

2009-04-01

Water quality modeling has been shown to be a useful tool in strategic water quality management. The present study combines the Qual2K model with the HEC-RAS model to assess the water quality of a tidal river in northern Taiwan. The contaminant loadings of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia nitrogen (NH(3)-N), total phosphorus (TP), and sediment oxygen demand (SOD) are utilized in the Qual2K simulation. The HEC-RAS model is used to: (i) estimate the hydraulic constants for atmospheric re-aeration constant calculation; and (ii) calculate the water level profile variation to account for concentration changes as a result of tidal effect. The results show that HEC-RAS-assisted Qual2K simulations taking tidal effect into consideration produce water quality indices that, in general, agree with the monitoring data of the river. Comparisons of simulations with different combinations of contaminant loadings demonstrate that BOD is the most import contaminant. Streeter-Phelps simulation (in combination with HEC-RAS) is also performed for comparison, and the results show excellent agreement with the observed data. This paper is the first report of the innovative use of a combination of the HEC-RAS model and the Qual2K model (or Streeter-Phelps equation) to simulate water quality in a tidal river. The combination is shown to provide an alternative for water quality simulation of a tidal river when available dynamic-monitoring data are insufficient to assess the tidal effect of the river.

Spatial and temporal trends in water quality in a Mediterranean temporary river impacted by sewage effluents.

PubMed

David, Arthur; Tournoud, Marie-George; Perrin, Jean-Louis; Rosain, David; Rodier, Claire; Salles, Christian; Bancon-Montigny, Chrystelle; Picot, Bernadette

2013-03-01

This paper analyzes how changes in hydrological conditions can affect the water quality of a temporary river that receives direct inputs of sewage effluents. Data from 12 spatial surveys of the Vène river were examined. Physico-chemical parameters, major ion, and nutrient concentrations were measured. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analyses were performed. ANOVA revealed significant spatial differences for conductivity and major ion but no significant spatial differences for nutrient concentrations even if higher average concentrations were observed at stations located downstream from sewage effluent discharge points. Significant temporal differences were observed among all the parameters. Karstic springs had a marked dilution effect on the direct disposal of sewage effluents. During high-flow periods, nutrient concentrations were high to moderate whereas nutrient concentrations ranged from moderate to bad at stations located downstream from the direct inputs of sewage effluents during low-flow periods. Principal component analysis showed that water quality parameters that explained the water quality of the Vène river were highly dependent on hydrological conditions. Cluster analysis showed that when the karstic springs were flowing, water quality was homogeneous all along the river, whereas when karstic springs were dry, water quality at the monitoring stations was more fragmented. These results underline the importance of considering hydrological conditions when monitoring the water quality of temporary rivers. In view of the pollution observed in the Vène river, "good water chemical status" can probably only be achieved by improving the management of sewage effluents during low-flow periods.

Elevated Bathing-Associated Disease Risks Despite Certified Water Quality: A Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Mouchtouri, Varvara; Pinaka, Ourania; Katsiaflaka, Anna; Rachiotis, George; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2012-01-01

Bacteriological water quality criteria have been recommended to ensure bathers’ health. However, this risk-assessment approach is based mainly on routine measurements of fecal pollution indicator bacteria in seawater, and may not be adequate to protect bathers effectively. The aim of this study was to assess the risks of symptoms related to infectious diseases among bathers after exposure to seawater which was of excellent quality according to EU guidelines. This study is a cohort study recruiting bathers and non-bathers. Water samples were collected for estimating bacterial indicators. Univariable and multivariable analysis was performed to compare the risks of developing symptoms/diseases between bathers and non-bathers. A total of 3805 bathers and 572 non-bathers were included in the study. Water analysis results demonstrated excellent quality of bathing water. Significantly increased risks of symptoms related to gastrointestinal infections (OR = 3.60, 95% CI 1.28–10.13), respiratory infections (OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.00–3.67), eye infections (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.27–4.63) and ear infections (OR = 17.21, 95% CI 2.42–122.34) were observed among bathers compared with non-bathers. Increased rates of medical consultation and medication use were also observed among bathers. There was evidence that bathers experienced increased morbidity compared with non-bathers though the bathing waters met bacteriological water quality criteria. These results suggest that risk assessments of recreational seawaters should not only focus on bacteriological water quality criteria. PMID:22754456

Support vector machine-an alternative to artificial neuron network for water quality forecasting in an agricultural nonpoint source polluted river?

PubMed

Liu, Mei; Lu, Jun

2014-09-01

Water quality forecasting in agricultural drainage river basins is difficult because of the complicated nonpoint source (NPS) pollution transport processes and river self-purification processes involved in highly nonlinear problems. Artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector model (SVM) were developed to predict total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations for any location of the river polluted by agricultural NPS pollution in eastern China. River flow, water temperature, flow travel time, rainfall, dissolved oxygen, and upstream TN or TP concentrations were selected as initial inputs of the two models. Monthly, bimonthly, and trimonthly datasets were selected to train the two models, respectively, and the same monthly dataset which had not been used for training was chosen to test the models in order to compare their generalization performance. Trial and error analysis and genetic algorisms (GA) were employed to optimize the parameters of ANN and SVM models, respectively. The results indicated that the proposed SVM models performed better generalization ability due to avoiding the occurrence of overtraining and optimizing fewer parameters based on structural risk minimization (SRM) principle. Furthermore, both TN and TP SVM models trained by trimonthly datasets achieved greater forecasting accuracy than corresponding ANN models. Thus, SVM models will be a powerful alternative method because it is an efficient and economic tool to accurately predict water quality with low risk. The sensitivity analyses of two models indicated that decreasing upstream input concentrations during the dry season and NPS emission along the reach during average or flood season should be an effective way to improve Changle River water quality. If the necessary water quality and hydrology data and even trimonthly data are available, the SVM methodology developed here can easily be applied to other NPS-polluted rivers.

Numerical Simulation of Pollutants' Transport and Fate in AN Unsteady Flow in Lower Bear River, Box Elder County, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salha, A. A.; Stevens, D. K.

2013-12-01

This study presents numerical application and statistical development of Stream Water Quality Modeling (SWQM) as a tool to investigate, manage, and research the transport and fate of water pollutants in Lower Bear River, Box elder County, Utah. The concerned segment under study is the Bear River starting from Cutler Dam to its confluence with the Malad River (Subbasin HUC 16010204). Water quality problems arise primarily from high phosphorus and total suspended sediment concentrations that were caused by five permitted point source discharges and complex network of canals and ducts of varying sizes and carrying capacities that transport water (for farming and agriculture uses) from Bear River and then back to it. Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has designated the entire reach of the Bear River between Cutler Reservoir and Great Salt Lake as impaired. Stream water quality modeling (SWQM) requires specification of an appropriate model structure and process formulation according to nature of study area and purpose of investigation. The current model is i) one dimensional (1D), ii) numerical, iii) unsteady, iv) mechanistic, v) dynamic, and vi) spatial (distributed). The basic principle during the study is using mass balance equations and numerical methods (Fickian advection-dispersion approach) for solving the related partial differential equations. Model error decreases and sensitivity increases as a model becomes more complex, as such: i) uncertainty (in parameters, data input and model structure), and ii) model complexity, will be under investigation. Watershed data (water quality parameters together with stream flow, seasonal variations, surrounding landscape, stream temperature, and points/nonpoint sources) were obtained majorly using the HydroDesktop which is a free and open source GIS enabled desktop application to find, download, visualize, and analyze time series of water and climate data registered with the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System. Processing, assessment of validity, and distribution of time-series data was explored using the GNU R language (statistical computing and graphics environment). Physical, chemical, and biological processes equations were written in FORTRAN codes (High Performance Fortran) in order to compute and solve their hyperbolic and parabolic complexities. Post analysis of results conducted using GNU R language. High performance computing (HPC) will be introduced to expedite solving complex computational processes using parallel programming. It is expected that the model will assess nonpoint sources and specific point sources data to understand pollutants' causes, transfer, dispersion, and concentration in different locations of Bear River. Investigation the impact of reduction/removal in non-point nutrient loading to Bear River water quality management could be addressed. Keywords: computer modeling; numerical solutions; sensitivity analysis; uncertainty analysis; ecosystem processes; high Performance computing; water quality.

Acclimations to light quality on plant and leaf level affect the vulnerability of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to water deficit.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Anna M; Noga, Georg; Hunsche, Mauricio

2015-03-01

We investigated the influence of light quality on the vulnerability of pepper plants to water deficit. For this purpose plants were cultivated either under compact fluorescence lamps (CFL) or light-emitting diodes (LED) providing similar photon fluence rates (95 µmol m(-2) s(-1)) but distinct light quality. CFL emit a wide-band spectrum with dominant peaks in the green and red spectral region, whereas LEDs offer narrow band spectra with dominant peaks at blue (445 nm) and red (665 nm) regions. After one-week acclimation to light conditions plants were exposed to water deficit by withholding irrigation; this period was followed by a one-week regeneration period and a second water deficit cycle. In general, plants grown under CFL suffered more from water deficit than plants grown under LED modules, as indicated by the impairment of the photosynthetic efficiency of PSII, resulting in less biomass accumulation compared to respective control plants. As affected by water shortage, plants grown under CFL had a stronger decrease in the electron transport rate (ETR) and more pronounced increase in heat dissipation (NPQ). The higher amount of blue light suppressed plant growth and biomass formation, and consequently reduced the water demand of plants grown under LEDs. Moreover, pepper plants exposed to high blue light underwent adjustments at chloroplast level (e.g., higher Chl a/Chl b ratio), increasing the photosynthetic performance under the LED spectrum. Differently than expected, stomatal conductance was comparable for water-deficit and control plants in both light conditions during the stress and recovery phases, indicating only minor adjustments at the stomatal level. Our results highlight the potential of the target-use of light quality to induce structural and functional acclimations improving plant performance under stress situations.

[Drinking water regulations in Ukraine and infectious morbidity rate with water pathway of transmission of causative agents].

PubMed

Surmasheva, E V; Korchak, G I; Mikhienkova, A I; Nikonova, N A; Rosada, M A

2013-01-01

These are presented drinking water regulations in Ukraine on microbiological indices in the new state document "Hygienic Drinking water regulations intended for human consumption" (State sanitary regulations and standards (GsanPiN) 2.2.4-171-10). There is reported an analysis of both the open waterbodies water quality and water for centralized water supply in 2007-2011 and 1992-1996 also on sanitary-bacteriological indices for performance of comparative retrospective analysis. There has been shown water quality degradation for open waterbodies, the main sources of water supply for population. Against this background, a marked improvement of drinking water quality has been noted, the number of non-standard samples decreased to 3.6 % compared with 8.8% in the preceding 15 years. This index correlates with a decrease in the number of outbreaks of infections transmitted by water. There was noted unsatisfactory registration of viral infections with water pathway of transmission and the increase in morbidity rate of gastroenterocolitides of unknown etiology that may include acute viral intestinal infections. Expediency to keep "fermentation of glucose" test in bacteriological examination of water in the identification scheme of general coliforms has been substantiated.

Water System Adaptation to Hydrological Changes: Module 2, Stormwater Management and Sewer Performance under Intense Storms: Case Study from Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

EPA Science Inventory

This course focuses on water system adaptation to short-term and long-term climate and hydrologic stressors that affect water availability, water quality, security, and resilience. The course is organized into 15 sequential modules. The lectures will be augmented by weekly assign...

DETECTION OF HUMAN ENTERIC VIRUSES IN STREAM WATER WITH RT-PCR AND CELL CULTURE

EPA Science Inventory

A multiplex RT-PCR method was used to measure virus occurrence at five stream water sites that span a range of hydroclimatic, water-quality, and land-use characteristics. The performance of the molecular method was evaluated in comparison to traditional cell culture and Escherich...

Predicting Recreational Water Quality Using Turbidity in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2004-7

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Plona, Meg B.

2009-01-01

The Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) in Ohio is often impaired for recreational use because of elevated concentrations of bacteria, which are indicators of fecal contamination. During the recreational seasons (May through August) of 2004 through 2007, samples were collected at two river sites, one upstream of and one centrally-located within CVNP. Bacterial concentrations and turbidity were determined, and streamflow at time of sampling and rainfall amounts over the previous 24 hours prior to sampling were ascertained. Statistical models to predict Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations were developed for each site (with data from 2004 through 2006) and tested during an independent year (2007). At Jaite, a sampling site near the center of CVNP, the predictive model performed better than the traditional method of determining the current day's water quality using the previous day's E. coli concentration. During 2007, the Jaite model, based on turbidity, produced more correct responses (81 percent) and fewer false negatives (3.2 percent) than the traditional method (68 and 26 percent, respectively). At Old Portage, a sampling site just upstream from CVNP, a predictive model with turbidity and rainfall as explanatory variables did not perform as well as the traditional method. The Jaite model was used to estimate water quality at three other sites in the park; although it did not perform as well as the traditional method, it performed well - yielding between 68 and 91 percent correct responses. Further research would be necessary to determine whether using the Jaite model to predict recreational water quality elsewhere on the river would provide accurate results.

GROUND WATER SAMPLING USING LOW-FLOW TECHNIQUES

EPA Science Inventory

Obtaining representative ground water samples is important for site assessment and remedial performance monitoring objectives. The sampling device or method used to collect samples from monitoring or compliance well can significantly impact data quality and reliability. Low-flo...

The Design of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Water Quality Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yulong; Liu, Rong; Liu, Shujin

2018-01-01

This paper describes the development of a civilian-used autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for water quality monitoring at reservoirs and watercourses that can obtain realtime visual and locational information. The mechanical design was completed with CAD software Solidworks. Four thrusters—two horizontal and two vertical—on board enable the vehicle to surge, heave, yaw, and pitch. A specialized water sample collection compartment is designed to perform water collection at target locations. The vehicle has a central controller—STM32—and a sub-coordinate controller—Arduino MEGA 2560—that coordinates multiple sensors including an inertial sensor, ultrasonic sensors, etc. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and the inertial sensor enable the vehicle’s localization. Remote operators monitor and control the vehicle via a host computer system. Operators choose either semi-autonomous mode in which they set target locations or manual mode. The experimental results show that the vehicle is able to perform well in either mode.

The effects of season and sand mining activities on thermal regime and water quality in a large shallow tropical lake.

PubMed

Sharip, Zati; Zaki, Ahmad Taqiyuddin Ahmad

2014-08-01

Thermal structure and water quality in a large and shallow lake in Malaysia were studied between January 2012 and June 2013 in order to understand variations in relation to water level fluctuations and in-stream mining activities. Environmental variables, namely temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, chlorophyll-A and transparency, were measured using a multi-parameter probe and a Secchi disk. Measurements of environmental variables were performed at 0.1 m intervals from the surface to the bottom of the lake during the dry and wet seasons. High water level and strong solar radiation increased temperature stratification. River discharges during the wet season, and unsustainable sand mining activities led to an increased turbidity exceeding 100 NTU, and reduced transparency, which changed the temperature variation and subsequently altered the water quality pattern.

Performance Evaluation of the Operational Air Quality Monitor for Water Testing Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, William T.; Limero, Thomas F.; Gazda, Daniel B.; Minton, John M.; Macatangay, Ariel V.; Dwivedi, Prabha; Fernandez, Facundo M.

2014-01-01

Real-time environmental monitoring on ISS is necessary to provide data in a timely fashion and to help ensure astronaut health. Current real-time water TOC monitoring provides high-quality trending information, but compound-specific data is needed. The combination of ETV with the AQM showed that compounds of interest could be liberated from water and analyzed in the same manner as air sampling. Calibration of the AQM using water samples allowed for the quantitative analysis of ISS archival samples. Some calibration issues remain, but the excellent accuracy of DMSD indicates that ETV holds promise for as a sample introduction method for water analysis in spaceflight.

Combining the Power of Statistical Analyses and Community Interviews to Identify Adoption Barriers for Stormwater Best-Management Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoover, F. A.; Bowling, L. C.; Prokopy, L. S.

2015-12-01

Urban stormwater is an on-going management concern in municipalities of all sizes. In both combined or separated sewer systems, pollutants from stormwater runoff enter the natural waterway system during heavy rain events. Urban flooding during frequent and more intense storms are also a growing concern. Therefore, stormwater best-management practices (BMPs) are being implemented in efforts to reduce and manage stormwater pollution and overflow. The majority of BMP water quality studies focus on the small-scale, individual effects of the BMP, and the change in water quality directly from the runoff of these infrastructures. At the watershed scale, it is difficult to establish statistically whether or not these BMPs are making a difference in water quality, given that watershed scale monitoring is often costly and time consuming, relying on significant sources of funds, which a city may not have. Hence, there is a need to quantify the level of sampling needed to detect the water quality impact of BMPs at the watershed scale. In this study, a power analysis was performed on data from an urban watershed in Lafayette, Indiana, to determine the frequency of sampling required to detect a significant change in water quality measurements. Using the R platform, results indicate that detecting a significant change in watershed level water quality would require hundreds of weekly measurements, even when improvement is present. The second part of this study investigates whether the difficulty in demonstrating water quality change represents a barrier to adoption of stormwater BMPs. Semi-structured interviews of community residents and organizations in Chicago, IL are being used to investigate residents understanding of water quality and best management practices and identify their attitudes and perceptions towards stormwater BMPs. Second round interviews will examine how information on uncertainty in water quality improvements influences their BMP attitudes and perceptions.

Modeling hydrodynamics, temperature and water quality in Henry Hagg Lake, Oregon, 2000-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Annette B.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2004-01-01

The two-dimensional model CE-QUAL-W2 was used to simulate hydrodynamics, temperature, and water quality in Henry Hagg Lake, Oregon, for the years 2000 through 2003. Input data included lake bathymetry, meteorologic conditions, tributary inflows, tributary temperature and water quality, and lake outflows. Calibrated constituents included lake hydrodynamics, water temperature, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, ammonia, algae, chlorophyll a, zooplankton, and dissolved oxygen. Other simulated constituents included nitrate, dissolved and particulate organic matter, dissolved solids, and suspended sediment. Two algal groups (blue-green algae, and all other algae) were included in the model to simulate the lakes algal communities. Measured lake stage data were used to calibrate the lakes water balance; calibration of water temperature and water quality relied upon vertical profile data taken in the deepest part of the lake near the dam. The model initially was calibrated with data from 200001 and tested with data from 200203. Sensitivity tests were performed to examine the response of the model to specific parameters and coefficients, including the light-extinction coefficient, wind speed, tributary inflows of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter, sediment oxygen demand, algal growth rates, and zooplankton feeding preference factors.

Evaluation of Membrane Ultrafiltration and Residual Chlorination as a Decentralized Water Treatment Strategy for Ten Rural Healthcare Facilities in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Huttinger, Alexandra; Dreibelbis, Robert; Roha, Kristin; Ngabo, Fidel; Kayigamba, Felix; Mfura, Leodomir; Moe, Christine

2015-01-01

There is a critical need for safe water in healthcare facilities (HCF) in low-income countries. HCF rely on water supplies that may require additional on-site treatment, and need sustainable technologies that can deliver sufficient quantities of water. Water treatment systems (WTS) that utilize ultrafiltration membranes for water treatment can be a useful technology in low-income countries, but studies have not systematically examined the feasibility of this technology in low-income settings. We monitored 22 months of operation of 10 WTS, including pre-filtration, membrane ultrafiltration, and chlorine residual disinfection that were donated to and operated by rural HCF in Rwanda. The systems were fully operational for 74% of the observation period. The most frequent reasons for interruption were water shortage (8%) and failure of the chlorination mechanism (7%). When systems were operational, 98% of water samples collected from the HCF taps met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for microbiological water quality. Water quality deteriorated during treatment interruptions and when water was stored in containers. Sustained performance of the systems depended primarily on organizational factors: the ability of the HCF technician to perform routine servicing and repairs, and environmental factors: water and power availability and procurement of materials, including chlorine and replacement parts in Rwanda. PMID:26516883

Evaluation of Membrane Ultrafiltration and Residual Chlorination as a Decentralized Water Treatment Strategy for Ten Rural Healthcare Facilities in Rwanda.

PubMed

Huttinger, Alexandra; Dreibelbis, Robert; Roha, Kristin; Ngabo, Fidel; Kayigamba, Felix; Mfura, Leodomir; Moe, Christine

2015-10-27

There is a critical need for safe water in healthcare facilities (HCF) in low-income countries. HCF rely on water supplies that may require additional on-site treatment, and need sustainable technologies that can deliver sufficient quantities of water. Water treatment systems (WTS) that utilize ultrafiltration membranes for water treatment can be a useful technology in low-income countries, but studies have not systematically examined the feasibility of this technology in low-income settings. We monitored 22 months of operation of 10 WTS, including pre-filtration, membrane ultrafiltration, and chlorine residual disinfection that were donated to and operated by rural HCF in Rwanda. The systems were fully operational for 74% of the observation period. The most frequent reasons for interruption were water shortage (8%) and failure of the chlorination mechanism (7%). When systems were operational, 98% of water samples collected from the HCF taps met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for microbiological water quality. Water quality deteriorated during treatment interruptions and when water was stored in containers. Sustained performance of the systems depended primarily on organizational factors: the ability of the HCF technician to perform routine servicing and repairs, and environmental factors: water and power availability and procurement of materials, including chlorine and replacement parts in Rwanda.

Effect of fly ash on the strength of porous concrete using recycled coarse aggregate to replace low-quality natural coarse aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arifi, Eva; Cahya, Evi Nur; Christin Remayanti, N.

2017-09-01

The performance of porous concrete made of recycled coarse aggregate was investigated. Fly ash was used as cement partial replacement. In this study, the strength of recycled aggregate was coMPared to low quality natural coarse aggregate which has high water absorption. Compression strength and tensile splitting strength test were conducted to evaluate the performance of porous concrete using fly ash as cement replacement. Results have shown that the utilization of recycled coarse aggregate up to 75% to replace low quality natural coarse aggregate with high water absorption increases compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of porous concrete. Using fly ash up to 25% as cement replacement improves compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of porous concrete.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; a method supplement for the determination of Fipronil and degradates in water by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madsen, James F.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Zaugg, Steven D.

2002-01-01

A method for the isolation and detemrination of fipronil and four of its degradates has been developed. This method adapts an analytical method created by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory in 1995 for the determination of a broad range of high-use pesticides typically found in filtered natural-water samples. In 2000, fipronil and four of its degradates were extracted, analyzed, and validated using this method. The recoveries for these five compounds in reagent-water samples fortified at 1 microgram per liter (ug/L) avereraged 98 percent. Initial method detection limits averaged 0.0029 ug/L. The performance of these five new compounds is consistent with the performance of the compounds in the initial method, making it possible to include them in addition to the other 41 pesticides and pesticide degradates in the original method.

Using Amplicon Sequencing To Characterize and Monitor Bacterial Diversity in Drinking Water Distribution Systems

PubMed Central

Shaw, Jennifer L. A.; Weyrich, Laura S.; Sawade, Emma; Drikas, Mary; Cooper, Alan J.

2015-01-01

Drinking water assessments use a variety of microbial, physical, and chemical indicators to evaluate water treatment efficiency and product water quality. However, these indicators do not allow the complex biological communities, which can adversely impact the performance of drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs), to be characterized. Entire bacterial communities can be studied quickly and inexpensively using targeted metagenomic amplicon sequencing. Here, amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene region was performed alongside traditional water quality measures to assess the health, quality, and efficiency of two distinct, full-scale DWDSs: (i) a linear DWDS supplied with unfiltered water subjected to basic disinfection before distribution and (ii) a complex, branching DWDS treated by a four-stage water treatment plant (WTP) prior to disinfection and distribution. In both DWDSs bacterial communities differed significantly after disinfection, demonstrating the effectiveness of both treatment regimes. However, bacterial repopulation occurred further along in the DWDSs, and some end-user samples were more similar to the source water than to the postdisinfection water. Three sample locations appeared to be nitrified, displaying elevated nitrate levels and decreased ammonia levels, and nitrifying bacterial species, such as Nitrospira, were detected. Burkholderiales were abundant in samples containing large amounts of monochloramine, indicating resistance to disinfection. Genera known to contain pathogenic and fecal-associated species were also identified in several locations. From this study, we conclude that metagenomic amplicon sequencing is an informative method to support current compliance-based methods and can be used to reveal bacterial community interactions with the chemical and physical properties of DWDSs. PMID:26162884

Performance of Water Recirculation Loop Maintenance Components for the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rector, Tony; Peyton, Barbara M.; Steele, John W.; Makinen, Janice; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin

2014-01-01

Water loop maintenance components to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop have undergone a comparative performance evaluation with a second SWME water recirculation loop with no water quality maintenance. Results show the benefits of periodic water maintenance. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the evaluation of water recirculation maintenance components was to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a UTAS military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provided a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The maintenance cycle included the use of a biocide delivery component developed for ISS to introduce a biocide in a microgravity compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.

Performance of Water Recirculation Loop Maintentance Components for the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rector, Tony; Peyton, Barbara; Steele, John W.; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Makinen, Janice

2014-01-01

Water loop maintenance components to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop have undergone a comparative performance evaluation with a second SWME water recirculation loop with no water quality maintenance. Results show the benefits of periodic water maintenance. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the evaluation of water recirculation maintenance components was to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessonslearned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a UTAS military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provided a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The maintenance cycle included the use of a biocide delivery component developed for ISS to introduce a biocide in a microgravity-compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U. S. Geological Survey in Montana--1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1991-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana--1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1995-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Application of advanced characterization techniques to assess DOM treatability of micro-polluted and un-polluted drinking source waters in China.

PubMed

Wang, Dongsheng; Xing, Linan; Xie, Jiankun; Chow, Christopher W K; Xu, Zhizhen; Zhao, Yanmei; Drikas, Mary

2010-09-01

China has a very complex water supply system which relies on many rivers and lakes. As the population and economic development increases, water quality is greatly impacted by anthropogenic processes. This seriously affects the character of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) and imposes operational challenges to the water treatment facilities in terms of process optimization. The aim of this investigation was to compare selected drinking water sources (raw) with different DOM character, and the respective treated waters after coagulation, using simple organic characterization techniques to obtain a better understanding of the impact of source water quality on water treatment. Results from the analyses of selected water samples showed that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of polluted waters is generally higher than that of un-polluted waters, but the specific UV absorbance value has the opposite trend. After resolving the high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) peak components of source waters using peak fitting, the twelve waters studied can be divided into two main groups (micro-polluted and un-polluted) by using cluster analysis. The DOM removal efficiency (treatability) of these waters has been compared using four coagulants. For water sources allocated to the un-polluted group, traditional coagulants (Al(2)(SO(4))(3) and FeCl(3)) achieved better removal. High performance poly aluminum chloride, a new type of composite coagulant, performed very well and more efficiently for polluted waters. After peak fitting the HPSEC chromatogram of each of the treated waters, average removal efficiency of the profiles can be calculated and these correspond well with DOC and UV removal. This provides a convenient tool to assess coagulation removal and coagulant selection. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EPANET 2 USERS MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

EPANET is a computer program that performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and water quality behavior within pressurized pipe networks. A network consists of pipes, nodes (pipe junctions), pumps, valves and storage tanks or reservoirs. EPANET tracks the flow of water in e...

EPANET VERSION 2.0

EPA Science Inventory

EPANET is a Windows program that performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and water-quality behavior within pressurized pipe networks. A network can consist of pipes, nodes (pipe junctions), pumps, valves and storage tanks or reservoirs. EPANET tracks the flow of water in...

Water Infrastructure Asset Management Primer (WERF Report INFR9SG09b)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Water infrastructure systems are essential for sustaining societal quality of life. However, they face a variety of challenges and potential threats to sustained performance, including aging, deterioration, underfunding, disruptive events, and population growth, among ...

Performance of stochastic approaches for forecasting river water quality.

PubMed

Ahmad, S; Khan, I H; Parida, B P

2001-12-01

This study analysed water quality data collected from the river Ganges in India from 1981 to 1990 for forecasting using stochastic models. Initially the box and whisker plots and Kendall's tau test were used to identify the trends during the study period. For detecting the possible intervention in the data the time series plots and cusum charts were used. The three approaches of stochastic modelling which account for the effect of seasonality in different ways. i.e. multiplicative autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. deseasonalised model and Thomas-Fiering model were used to model the observed pattern in water quality. The multiplicative ARIMA model having both nonseasonal and seasonal components were, in general, identified as appropriate models. In the deseasonalised modelling approach, the lower order ARIMA models were found appropriate for the stochastic component. The set of Thomas-Fiering models were formed for each month for all water quality parameters. These models were then used to forecast the future values. The error estimates of forecasts from the three approaches were compared to identify the most suitable approach for the reliable forecast. The deseasonalised modelling approach was recommended for forecasting of water quality parameters of a river.

Real-time assessments of water quality: expanding nowcasting throughout the Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2013-01-01

Nowcasts are systems that inform the public of current bacterial water-quality conditions at beaches on the basis of predictive models. During 2010–12, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) worked with 23 local and State agencies to improve existing operational beach nowcast systems at 4 beaches and expand the use of predictive models in nowcasts at an additional 45 beaches throughout the Great Lakes. The predictive models were specific to each beach, and the best model for each beach was based on a unique combination of environmental and water-quality explanatory variables. The variables used most often in models to predict Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations or the probability of exceeding a State recreational water-quality standard included turbidity, day of the year, wave height, wind direction and speed, antecedent rainfall for various time periods, and change in lake level over 24 hours. During validation of 42 beach models during 2012, the models performed better than the current method to assess recreational water quality (previous day's E. coli concentration). The USGS will continue to work with local agencies to improve nowcast predictions, enable technology transfer of predictive model development procedures, and implement more operational systems during 2013 and beyond.

Disentangling natural and anthropogenic influences on Patagonian pond water quality.

PubMed

Epele, Luis B; Manzo, Luz M; Grech, Marta G; Macchi, Pablo; Claverie, Alfredo Ñ; Lagomarsino, Leonardo; Miserendino, M Laura

2018-02-01

The water quality of wetlands is governed not only by natural variability in hydrology and other factors, but also by anthropogenic activities. Patagonia is a vast sparsely-populated in which ponds are a key component of rural and urban landscapes because they provide several ecosystem services such as habitat for wildlife and watering for livestock. Integrating field-based and geospatial data of 109 ponds sampled across the region, we identified spatial trends and assessed the effects of anthropogenic and natural factors in pond water quality. The studied ponds were generally shallow, well oxygenated, with maximum nutrient values reported in sites used for livestock breeding. TN:TP ratio values were lower than 14 in >90% of the ponds, indicating nitrogen limitation. Water conductivity decreased from de east to the west, meanwhile pH and dissolved oxygen varied associated with the latitude. To assess Patagonian ponds water status we recommend the measure of total suspended solids and total nitrogen in the water, and evaluate the mallín (wetland vegetation) coverage in a 100m radius from the pond, since those features were significantly influenced by livestock land use. To evaluate the relative importance of natural variability and anthropogenic influences as driving factors of water quality we performed three generalized linear models (GLM) that encompassed the hydrology, hydroperiod and biome (to represent natural influences), and land use (to represent anthropogenic influences) as fixed effects. Our results revealed that at the Patagonian scale, ponds water quality would be strongly dependent on natural gradients. We synthetized spatial patterns of Patagonian pond water quality, and disentangled natural and anthropic factors finding that the dominant environmental influence is rainfall gradient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A global assessment of climate-water quality relationships in large rivers: an elasticity perspective.

PubMed

Jiang, Jiping; Sharma, Ashish; Sivakumar, Bellie; Wang, Peng

2014-01-15

To uncover climate-water quality relationships in large rivers on a global scale, the present study investigates the climate elasticity of river water quality (CEWQ) using long-term monthly records observed at 14 large rivers. Temperature and precipitation elasticities of 12 water quality parameters, highlighted by N- and P-nutrients, are assessed. General observations on elasticity values show the usefulness of this approach to describe the magnitude of stream water quality responses to climate change, which improves that of simple statistical correlation. Sensitivity type, intensity and variability rank of CEWQ are reported and specific characteristics and mechanism of elasticity of nutrient parameters are also revealed. Among them, the performance of ammonia, total phosphorus-air temperature models, and nitrite, orthophosphorus-precipitation models are the best. Spatial and temporal assessment shows that precipitation elasticity is more variable in space than temperature elasticity and that seasonal variation is more evident for precipitation elasticity than for temperature elasticity. Moreover, both anthropogenic activities and environmental factors are found to impact CEWQ for select variables. The major relationships that can be inferred include: (1) human population has a strong linear correlation with temperature elasticity of turbidity and total phosphorus; and (2) latitude has a strong linear correlation with precipitation elasticity of turbidity and N nutrients. As this work improves our understanding of the relation between climate factors and surface water quality, it is potentially helpful for investigating the effect of climate change on water quality in large rivers, such as on the long-term change of nutrient concentrations. © 2013.

[Scientific substantiation of perfection of sanitary bacteriological monitoring in drinking water use].

PubMed

Rakhmanin, Iu A; Zhuravlev, P V; Aleshnia, V V; Panasovets, O P; Artemova, T Z; Zagaĭnova, A V; Gipp, E K

2014-01-01

Criterion of the epidemic safety of drinking water is the absence of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Currently, water quality control is performed in terms of the index of total coliform bacteria (TCB). TCB index oriented to the labile lactose sign has not sufficient relevance in the determination of the degree of the epidemic danger in the water use in relation to Salmonella and potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The frequency of detection of GCB in standard quality of drinking water as well as the application of the methodology for the assessment of the microbial risk of the occurrence of bacterial intestinal infections with the use of integral index--GCB, provide the most reliable prediction of risk in the occurrence of water-caused intestinal infections and more objectively reflect the epidemiological importance of drinking water in their distribution among the population. Proceeding from the data obtained, it is advisable to carry out the quality control of drinking water with the use of the broader indicator index GCB- detected from basic signs of the Enterobacteriaceae family--glucose fermentation and oxidase test and oxidase test.

Hydrologic evaluation of salinity control and reclamation projects in the Indus Plain, Pakistan--A summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mundorff, Maurice John; Carrigan, P.H.; Steele, T.D.; Randall, A.D.

1976-01-01

This report summarizes the observations and findings of a team of four specialists from the U.S. Geological Survey assigned to Pakistan under the auspices of the U.S. Agency for International Development during May to August 1972 for a hydrologic evaluation of Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects in the Indus Plain Individual members of the team undertook comprehensive studies related to climatology, surface-water hydrology, and the canal system; streamflow and sediment yields of the rivers; computer applications to hydrologic data; aquifer characteristics; hydrologic evaluation of Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects (SCARPs); tubewell performance; hydrology of shallow versus deep tubewells; well and well-screen design in the Indus Plain; evaluation of observed and anticipated trends in both private and public tubewell development; evaluation of water-quality programs, data analysis, and records, and computer coding of special water-quality data; and evaluation of water-level data, well discharge and specific-capacity tests and aquifer tests. The reclamation program, by pumping from tubewells, has been notably successful in lowering the water table, in providing supplemental water for irrigation and for leaching of salinized soils, and in improving crop production. Some changes in water quality have been observed in SCARP-I and the Mona Scheme of SCARP-II, but these have not as yet (1972) significantly affected the utility of the water for irrigation. Problems associated with reclamation include control of deterioration in performance of tubewells and their rehabilitation, local brackish or saline-water encroachment, and maintenance of a favorable salt balance in the ground-water system. Rapid and as yet (1972) unregulated growth of shallow private tubewell development in the past decade has introduced complicating factors to the reclamation planning of the early 1960's which had emphasized public tubewell development through the SCARP program. In comparing shallow (0-200 feet) with deep (200-400 feet} tubewell development, it is concluded that long-term response of the water table is the same, whether many shallow wells of small capacity or fewer deeper wells of large capacity pump the same total volume of water in the same area. Moreover, it is concluded that there is no definite advantage for either type of pumping regime with respect to water quality. Utilization of the Punjab aquifer could be greatly enhanced by recharge of high-quality water diverted from the Chenab and Jhelum Rivers to the Ravi and Sutlej Rivers by way of the link and irrigation canals during periods of surplus flow. Recharge to the aquifer could also be improved by diversion of high-quality water from the Chenab and the Jhelum to natural nalas and other surface drainageways during periods of surplus flow. Such recharge would be of much better quality than water leaching downward from irrigated fields. Continued monitoring of the hydrologic system and research on problems engendered by reclamation are essential to the viability of the SCARP program and related water-resources development in the Indus River Basin.

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

Raman Spectroscopy for In-Line Water Quality Monitoring — Instrumentation and Potential

PubMed Central

Li, Zhiyun; Deen, M. Jamal; Kumar, Shiva; Selvaganapathy, P. Ravi

2014-01-01

Worldwide, the access to safe drinking water is a huge problem. In fact, the number of persons without safe drinking water is increasing, even though it is an essential ingredient for human health and development. The enormity of the problem also makes it a critical environmental and public health issue. Therefore, there is a critical need for easy-to-use, compact and sensitive techniques for water quality monitoring. Raman spectroscopy has been a very powerful technique to characterize chemical composition and has been applied to many areas, including chemistry, food, material science or pharmaceuticals. The development of advanced Raman techniques and improvements in instrumentation, has significantly improved the performance of modern Raman spectrometers so that it can now be used for detection of low concentrations of chemicals such as in-line monitoring of chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants in water. This paper briefly introduces the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy, reviews the development of Raman instrumentations and discusses advanced and potential Raman techniques for in-line water quality monitoring. PMID:25230309

Raman spectroscopy for in-line water quality monitoring--instrumentation and potential.

PubMed

Li, Zhiyun; Deen, M Jamal; Kumar, Shiva; Selvaganapathy, P Ravi

2014-09-16

Worldwide, the access to safe drinking water is a huge problem. In fact, the number of persons without safe drinking water is increasing, even though it is an essential ingredient for human health and development. The enormity of the problem also makes it a critical environmental and public health issue. Therefore, there is a critical need for easy-to-use, compact and sensitive techniques for water quality monitoring. Raman spectroscopy has been a very powerful technique to characterize chemical composition and has been applied to many areas, including chemistry, food, material science or pharmaceuticals. The development of advanced Raman techniques and improvements in instrumentation, has significantly improved the performance of modern Raman spectrometers so that it can now be used for detection of low concentrations of chemicals such as in-line monitoring of chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants in water. This paper briefly introduces the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy, reviews the development of Raman instrumentations and discusses advanced and potential Raman techniques for in-line water quality monitoring.

Performance, meat quality, meat mineral contents and caecal microbial population responses to humic substances administered in drinking water in broilers.

PubMed

Ozturk, E; Coskun, I; Ocak, N; Erener, G; Dervisoglu, M; Turhan, S

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the effect of different levels of humic substances (HS) administered in drinking water on caecal microflora and mineral composition and colour characteristics of breast and thigh meats and the growth performance, carcass and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) traits of broiler chicks. A total of 480 3-d-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with 4 cages per treatment and 30 bird (15 males and 15 females) chicks per cage. All birds were fed on commercial basal diet. The control birds (HS0) received drinking water with no additions, whereas birds in the other treatment groups received a drinking water with 7.5 (HS7.5), 15.0 (HS15.0) and 22.5 (HS22.5) g/kg HS. Mush feed were provided on an ad libitum basis. Body weight and feed intake of broilers were determined at d 0, 21, and 42, and feed conversion ratio was calculated. On d 42, 4 broilers (2 males and 2 females) from each cage were slaughtered and the breast and thigh meats were collected for mineral composition and quality measurements. Performance, carcass and GIT traits and caecal microbial population of broiler chicks at d 42 were not affected by the dietary treatments. The lightness (L*) of breast and thigh meat decreased in broilers supplemented with 15 and 22.5 g/kg HS in drinking water. Although the redness (a*) of breast meat increased, yellowness of thigh meat decreased in broilers supplemented with 15 and 22.5 g/kg HS in drinking water (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the 15 and 22.5 g/kg HS administration in drinking water can be applied for broiler chicks to maintain growth performance and improve meat quality without changing caecal microflora.

The use of LANDSAT-1 imagery for water quality studies in southern Scandinavia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hellden, U.

1975-01-01

The possibilities of using LANDSAT-1 images for environmental studies, with special references to water quality studies, were investigated by selecting test areas in southern Scandinavia. The MSS images of different bands are compared under the magnification of an Interpretoscope and densitometric analyses are performed in a Schnell-photometer. The possibility of tracing pollution plumes is studied in the Oresund outside Copenhagen. The effect of different sewers and the circulation of the polluted water is analyzed in various situations. The variation in reflectivity of a great number of lakes in South and Middle Sweden is studied by means of densitometric analyses and significant regional differences are found. The correlation with in situ measurements of water quality (turbidity and secchi disc transparency) of the sampled lakes (made by the National Swedish Environment Protection Board) is fairly good.

Field Application of the Micro Biological Survey Method for a Simple and Effective Assessment of the Microbiological Quality of Water Sources in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Arienzo, Alyexandra; Sobze, Martin Sanou; Wadoum, Raoul Emeric Guetiya; Losito, Francesca; Colizzi, Vittorio; Antonini, Giovanni

2015-01-01

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, “safe drinking-water must not represent any significant risk to health over a lifetime of consumption, including different sensitivities that may occur between life stages”. Traditional methods of water analysis are usually complex, time consuming and require an appropriately equipped laboratory, specialized personnel and expensive instrumentation. The aim of this work was to apply an alternative method, the Micro Biological Survey (MBS), to analyse for contaminants in drinking water. Preliminary experiments were carried out to demonstrate the linearity and accuracy of the MBS method and to verify the possibility of using the evaluation of total coliforms in 1 mL of water as a sufficient parameter to roughly though accurately determine water microbiological quality. The MBS method was then tested “on field” to assess the microbiological quality of water sources in the city of Douala (Cameroon, Central Africa). Analyses were performed on both dug and drilled wells in different periods of the year. Results confirm that the MBS method appears to be a valid and accurate method to evaluate the microbiological quality of many water sources and it can be of valuable aid in developing countries. PMID:26308038

Field Application of the Micro Biological Survey Method for a Simple and Effective Assessment of the Microbiological Quality of Water Sources in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Arienzo, Alyexandra; Sobze, Martin Sanou; Wadoum, Raoul Emeric Guetiya; Losito, Francesca; Colizzi, Vittorio; Antonini, Giovanni

2015-08-25

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, "safe drinking-water must not represent any significant risk to health over a lifetime of consumption, including different sensitivities that may occur between life stages". Traditional methods of water analysis are usually complex, time consuming and require an appropriately equipped laboratory, specialized personnel and expensive instrumentation. The aim of this work was to apply an alternative method, the Micro Biological Survey (MBS), to analyse for contaminants in drinking water. Preliminary experiments were carried out to demonstrate the linearity and accuracy of the MBS method and to verify the possibility of using the evaluation of total coliforms in 1 mL of water as a sufficient parameter to roughly though accurately determine water microbiological quality. The MBS method was then tested "on field" to assess the microbiological quality of water sources in the city of Douala (Cameroon, Central Africa). Analyses were performed on both dug and drilled wells in different periods of the year. Results confirm that the MBS method appears to be a valid and accurate method to evaluate the microbiological quality of many water sources and it can be of valuable aid in developing countries.

Regulatory approaches for addressing dissolved oxygen concerns at hydropower facilities

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

Peterson, Mark J.; Cada, Glenn F.; Sale, Michael J.

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations are a common water quality problem downstream of hydropower facilities. At some facilities, structural improvements (e.g. installation of weir dams or aerating turbines) or operational changes (e.g., spilling water over the dam) can be made to improve DO levels. In other cases, structural and operational approaches are too costly for the project to implement or are likely to be of limited effectiveness. Despite improvements in overall water quality below dams in recent years, many hydropower projects are unable to meet state water quality standards for DO. Regulatory agencies in the U.S. are considering or implementingmore » dramatic changes in their approach to protecting the quality of the Nation’s waters. New policies and initiatives have emphasized flexibility, increased collaboration and shared responsibility among all parties, and market-based, economic incentives. The use of new regulatory approaches may now be a viable option for addressing the DO problem at some hydropower facilities. This report summarizes some of the regulatory-related options available to hydropower projects, including negotiation of site-specific water quality criteria, use of biological monitoring, watershed-based strategies for the management of water quality, and watershed-based trading. Key decision points center on the health of the local biological communities and whether there are contributing impacts (i.e., other sources of low DO effluents) in the watershed. If the biological communities downstream of the hydropower project are healthy, negotiation for site-specific water quality standards or biocriteria (discharge performance criteria based on characteristics of the aquatic biota) might be pursued. If there are other effluent dischargers in the watershed that contribute to low DO problems, watershed-scale strategies and effluent trading may be effective. This report examines the value of regulatory approaches by reviewing their use in other« less

Ohio Uses Wetlands Program Development Grants to Protect Wetlands

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The wetland water quality standards require the use of ORAM score to determine wetland quality. OEPA has also used these tools to evaluate wetland mitigation projects, develop performance standards for wetland mitigation banks and In Lieu Fee programs an.

Analysis of Distribution System and Domestic Service Line Pipe Deposits to Understand Water Treatment/Metal Release Relationships

EPA Science Inventory

This project puts the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) into a unique position of being able to bring analytical tools to bear to solve or anticipate future drinking water infrastructure water quality and metallic or cement material performance problems, for which little...

[The scientific contributions by the Roman School of Hygiene on the microbiological quality of the surface waters of Rome and her County from 1890 to 2010. A systemic review].

PubMed

Palazzo, C; Montacutelli, R; Del Vecchio, R; Solimini, A G; Marinelli, L; Lombardi, A M; De Giusti, M; Fara, G M; Boccia, A

2011-01-01

Research on quality of surface waters has been performed also in Italy during the development of the large urban areas, and in Rome this has been the duty of the Istituto di Igiene of the Sapienza University since 1890. Using MedLine--and also traditional consultation for papers printed before 1968--we identified 100 articles printed in the period 1890-2010. Thirty of them met the inclusion criteria (to have been written by researchers belonging to the Rome universities and to contain microbiological informations about the surface waters of Rome). The majority of papers identified (46.6%) were produced during the years Sixties and Seventies of the 20th century, and 30% in the twenty years to follow (1980-1999). The most frequent microbiological descriptors were "Total coliforms" and "Streptococci". The waterbodies most investigated were the Tiber river and the coastal waters around Fiumicino, where the Tiber flows into the Tyrrhenian sea. The quality of surface waters has always been a central interest of the research performed by the Hygienists of the Roman School. The good quality of the past research and the renovated interest of International Organizations and of the European Union should encourage the public health researchers toward a strategic field of investigation which has strong interconnections with the protection of the individual and community health and also with the protection of the environment.

Effect of water migration between arabinoxylans and gluten on baking quality of whole wheat bread detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

PubMed

Li, Juan; Kang, Ji; Wang, Li; Li, Zhen; Wang, Ren; Chen, Zheng Xing; Hou, Gary G

2012-07-04

A new method, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique characterized by T(2) relaxation time, was developed to study the water migration mechanism between arabinoxylan (AX) gels and gluten matrix in a whole wheat dough (WWD) system prepared from whole wheat flour (WWF) of different particle sizes. The water sequestration of AX gels in wheat bran was verified by the bran fortification test. The evaluations of baking quality of whole wheat bread (WWB) made from WWF with different particle sizes were performed by using SEM, FT-IR, and RP-HPLC techniques. Results showed that the WWB made from WWF of average particle size of 96.99 μm had better baking quality than those of the breads made from WWF of two other particle sizes, 50.21 and 235.40 μm. T(2) relaxation time testing indicated that the decreased particle size of WWF increased the water absorption of AX gels, which led to water migration from the gluten network to the AX gels and resulted in inferior baking quality of WWB.

The inland water macro-invertebrate occurrences in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Vannevel, Rudy; Brosens, Dimitri; Cooman, Ward De; Gabriels, Wim; Frank Lavens; Mertens, Joost; Vervaeke, Bart

2018-01-01

The Flanders Environment Agency (VMM) has been performing biological water quality assessments on inland waters in Flanders (Belgium) since 1989 and sediment quality assessments since 2000. The water quality monitoring network is a combined physico-chemical and biological network, the biological component focusing on macro-invertebrates. The sediment monitoring programme produces biological data to assess the sediment quality. Both monitoring programmes aim to provide index values, applying a similar conceptual methodology based on the presence of macro-invertebrates. The biological data obtained from both monitoring networks are consolidated in the VMM macro-invertebrates database and include identifications at family and genus level of the freshwater phyla Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Mollusca, and Arthropoda. This paper discusses the content of this database, and the dataset published thereof: 282,309 records of 210 observed taxa from 4,140 monitoring sites located on 657 different water bodies, collected during 22,663 events. This paper provides some background information on the methodology, temporal and spatial coverage, and taxonomy, and describes the content of the dataset. The data are distributed as open data under the Creative Commons CC-BY license.

Spatial patterning of water quality in Biscayne Bay, Florida as a function of land use and water management.

PubMed

Caccia, Valentina G; Boyer, Joseph N

2005-11-01

An objective classification analysis was performed on a water quality data set from 25 sites collected monthly during 1994-2003. The water quality parameters measured included: TN, TON, DIN, NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, TP, SRP, TN:TP ratio, TOC, DO, CHL A, turbidity, salinity and temperature. Based on this spatial analysis, Biscayne Bay was divided into five zones having similar water quality characteristics. A robust nutrient gradient, driven mostly by dissolved inorganic nitrogen, from alongshore to offshore in the main Bay, was a large determinant in the spatial clustering. Two of these zones (Alongshore and Inshore) were heavily influenced by freshwater input from four canals which drain the South Dade agricultural area, Black Point Landfill, and sewage treatment plant. The North Bay zone, with high turbidity, phytoplankton biomass, total phosphorus, and low DO, was affected by runoff from five canals, the Munisport Landfill, and the urban landscape. The South Bay zone, an embayment surrounded by mangrove wetlands with little urban development, was high in dissolved organic constituents but low in inorganic nutrients. The Main Bay was the area most influenced by water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean and showed the lowest nutrient concentrations. The water quality in Biscayne Bay is therefore highly dependent of the land use and influence from the watershed.

Water and sanitation hygiene knowledge attitude practice in urban slum settings.

PubMed

Joshi, Ashish; Prasad, Satish; Kasav, Jyoti B; Segan, Mehak; Singh, Awnish K

2013-11-18

Access to improved drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is one of the prime concerns around the globe. This study aimed at assessing water and sanitation hygiene-related attitude and practices, and quality of water in urban slums of south Delhi, India. This pilot cross sectional study was performed during July 2013 across four urban slums of South Delhi. A convenient sample of 40 participants was enrolled. A modified version of previously validated questionnaire was used to gather information on socio-demographics, existing water and sanitation facilities and water treatment practices. Water quality testing was additionally performed using hydrogen sulphide (H2S) vials. Average age of participants was 36 years (SD=10). 83% of the participants perceived gastrointestinal tract infection as the most important health problem. 75% of the participants did not use any method for drinking water treatment. 45% of the participants consumed water from privately-owned tube well/ bore well. Water shortage lasted two days or more (50%) at a stretch with severe scarcity occurring twice a year (40%). Females aged 15 years and above were largely responsible (93%) for fetching water from water source. 45% of the participants had toilets within their households. 53% of drinking water samples collected from storage containers showed positive bacteriological contamination. There is an urgent need to develop family centered educational programs that would enhance awareness about water treatment methods that are cost effective and easily accessible.

Performance of vegetated swales for improving road runoff quality in a moderate traffic urban area.

PubMed

Leroy, Marie-Charlotte; Portet-Koltalo, Florence; Legras, Marc; Lederf, Franck; Moncond'huy, Vincent; Polaert, Isabelle; Marcotte, Stéphane

2016-10-01

In recent years, due to their economic and ecological advantages, green infrastructures for stormwater management have been widely implemented. The present study focused on vegetated swales and compared two vegetated covers, grassed or planted with macrophytes in order to evaluate their performance in terms of water quality improvement. These swales collected runoff of a moderately busy road (<2500vehday(-1)) in a commercial area. Twelve storm events were analyzed over a two year period with measurement of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total hydrocarbons (THC), total phosphorous (TP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), trace elements and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The grass cover led to poor results due to lower retention of soil particles on which trace elements and PAHs are bounded. The swales planted with macrophytes, with a deeper root system more capable of retaining soil particles, led to reductions of concentrations from 17 to 45% for trace elements such as lead, zinc and copper and 30% for the 16 PAHs in infiltrated waters. In addition, the macrophyte cover showed lower variability of pollutant concentrations in infiltrated waters compared to incoming waters. This buffering capacity is interesting to mitigate the impact of moderate peak pollution on surface water or ground water quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined membrane bioreactor (MBR) and reverse osmosis (RO) system for thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display TFT-LCD, industrial wastewater recycling.

PubMed

Chen, T K; Chen, J N

2004-01-01

In TFT-LCD industry, water plays a variety of roles as a cleaning agent and reaction solvent. As good quality water is increasingly a scarce resource and wastewater treatment costs rises, the once-through use of industrial water is becoming uneconomical and environmentally unacceptable. Instead, recycling of TFT-LCD industrial wastewater is become more attractive from both an economic and environmental perspective. This research is mainly to explore the capacity of TFT-LCD industrial wastewater recycling by the process combined with membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis processes. Over the whole experimental period, the MBR process achieved a satisfactory organic removal. The COD could be removed with an average of over 97.3%. For TOC and BOD5 items, the average removal efficiencies were 97.8 and 99.4% respectively. The stable effluent quality and satisfactory removal performance were ensured by the efficient interception performance of the UF membrane device incorporated with biological reactor. Moreover, the MBR effluent did not contain any suspended solids and the SDI value was under 3. After treatment of RO, excellent water quality of permeate were under 5 mg/l, 2.5 mg/l and 150 micros/cm for COD, TOC and conductivity respectively. The treated water can be recycled for the cooling tower make-up water or other purposes.

Water quality monitoring of an international wetland at Harike, Punjab and its impact on biological systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Jasmit; Walia, Harpreet; Mabwoga, Samson Okongo; Arora, Saroj

2017-06-01

The present study entails the investigation of mutagenic and genotoxic effect of surface water samples collected from 13 different sites of the Harike wetland using the histidine reversion point mutation assay in Salmonella typhimurium (TA98) strain and plasmid nicking assay using pBR322, respectively. The physicochemical characterization of water samples using different parameters was conducted for water quality monitoring. Heavy metal analysis was performed to quantify the toxic components present in water samples. It was observed that although the water samples of all the sites demonstrated mutagenic as well as genotoxic activity, the effect was quite significant with the water samples from sites containing water from river Satluj, i.e., site 1 (upstream Satluj river), site 2 (Satluj river) and site 3 (reservoir Satluj). The high level of pollution due to industrial effluents and agricultural run-off at these sites may engender the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of water samples.

Five-year performance monitoring of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cover system at a reclaimed mine waste rock pile in the Sydney Coalfield (Nova Scotia, Canada).

PubMed

Power, Christopher; Ramasamy, Murugan; MacAskill, Devin; Shea, Joseph; MacPhee, Joseph; Mayich, David; Baechler, Fred; Mkandawire, Martin

2017-12-01

Cover systems are commonly placed over waste rock piles (WRPs) to limit atmospheric water and oxygen ingress and control the generation and release of acid mine drainage (AMD) to the receiving environment. Although covers containing geomembranes such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) exhibit the attributes to be highly effective, there are few, if any, published studies monitoring their performance at full-scale WRPs. In 2011, a HDPE cover was installed over the Scotchtown Summit WRP in Nova Scotia, Canada, and extensive field performance monitoring was conducted over the next five years. A range of parameters within the atmosphere, cover, waste rock, groundwater and surface water, were monitored and integrated into a comprehensive hydrogeochemical conceptual model to assess (i) atmospheric ingress to the waste rock, (ii) waste rock acidity and depletion and (iii) evolution of groundwater and surface water quality. Results demonstrate that the cover is effective and meeting site closure objectives. Depletion in oxygen influx resulted in slower sulphide oxidation and AMD generation, while a significant reduction in water influx (i.e. 512 to 50 mm/year) resulted in diminished AMD release. Consistent improvements in groundwater quality (decrease in sulphate and metals; increase in pH) beneath and downgradient of the WRP were observed. Protection and/or significant improvement in surface water quality was evident in all surrounding watercourses due to the improved groundwater plume and elimination of contaminated runoff over previously exposed waste rock. A variably saturated flow and contaminant transport model is currently being developed to predict long-term cover system performance.

Multilayer perceptron neural network-based approach for modeling phycocyanin pigment concentrations: case study from lower Charles River buoy, USA.

PubMed

Heddam, Salim

2016-09-01

This paper proposes multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) to predict phycocyanin (PC) pigment using water quality variables as predictor. In the proposed model, four water quality variables that are water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance were selected as the inputs for the MLPNN model, and the PC as the output. To demonstrate the capability and the usefulness of the MLPNN model, a total of 15,849 data measured at 15-min (15 min) intervals of time are used for the development of the model. The data are collected at the lower Charles River buoy, and available from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). For comparison purposes, a multiple linear regression (MLR) model that was frequently used for predicting water quality variables in previous studies is also built. The performances of the models are evaluated using a set of widely used statistical indices. The performance of the MLPNN and MLR models is compared with the measured data. The obtained results show that (i) the all proposed MLPNN models are more accurate than the MLR models and (ii) the results obtained are very promising and encouraging for the development of phycocyanin-predictive models.

Shape-Controlled Synthesis of High-Quality Cu7 S4 Nanocrystals for Efficient Light-Induced Water Evaporation.

PubMed

Zhang, Changbo; Yan, Cong; Xue, Zhenjie; Yu, Wei; Xie, Yinde; Wang, Tie

2016-10-01

Copper sulfides (Cu 2-x S), are a novel kind of photothermal material exhibiting significant photothermal conversion efficiency, making them very attractive in various energy conversion related devices. Preparing high quality uniform Cu 2-x S nanocrystals (NCs) is a top priority for further energy-and sustainability relevant nanodevices. Here, a shape-controlled high quality Cu 7 S 4 NCs synthesis strategy is reported using sulfur in 1-octadecene as precursor by varying the heating temperature, as well as its forming mechanism. The performance of the Cu 7 S 4 NCs is further explored for light-driven water evaporation without the need of heating the bulk liquid to the boiling point, and the results suggest that as-synthesized highly monodisperse NCs perform higher evaporation rate than polydisperse NCs under the identical morphology. Furthermore, disk-like NCs exhibit higher water evaporation rate than spherical NCs. The water evaporation rate can be further enhanced by assembling the organic phase Cu 7 S 4 NCs into a dense film on the aqueous solution surface. The maximum photothermal conversion efficiency is as high as 77.1%. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Natural organic matter (NOM) adsorption to multi-walled carbon nanotubes: effect of NOM characteristics and water quality parameters.

PubMed

Hyung, Hoon; Kim, Jae-Hong

2008-06-15

The effect of natural organic matter (NOM) characteristics and water quality parameters on NOM adsorption to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) was investigated. Isotherm experiment results were fitted well with a modified Freundlich isotherm model that took into account the heterogeneous nature of NOM. The preferential adsorption of the higher molecular weight fraction of NOM was observed by size exclusion chromatographic analysis. Experiments performed with various NOM samples suggested that the degree of NOM adsorption varied greatly depending on the type of NOM and was proportional to the aromatic carbon content of NOM. The NOM adsorption to MWNT was also dependent on water quality parameters: adsorption increased as pH decreased and ionic strength increased. As a result of NOM adsorption to MWNT, a fraction of MWNT formed a stable suspension in water and the concentration of MWNT suspension depended on the amount of NOM adsorbed per unit mass of MWNT. The amount of MWNT suspended in water was also affected by ionic strength and pH. The findings in this study suggested that the fate and transport of MWNT in natural systems would be largely influenced by NOM characteristics and water quality parameters.

Drinking of tap water is smart, but how do it better? - A tap water quality research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mika, Anna; Sekuła, Klaudia; Dendys, Marta; Ptaszek, Weronika; Postawa, Adam

2018-02-01

Drinking tap water has recently become popular. It is a way to fight with the tons of garbage (disposable, plastic bottles). However, many people are afraid of water quality. The research was performed in December 2015 in Krakow, during one week. 56 samples were collected. The samples were taken in different times of the day and in the two types of building (old one with installation from the 80s and new one with installation built in past few years). Samples were taken by two qualified operators. The first sample was collected at the morning at 6 a.m., before anyone uses the tap. The second one after the tap was flushed and then the third one after 30 minutes stagnation. At the evening was taken one sample (after using the tap all day).The aim of the research was to check the quality of drinking water in the end-user. The results show that quality of tap water in Krakow is good, also in the end-user, but the concentration of chemical elements are changing during the flushing and using of the tap.

Engineering evaluation of magma cooling-tower demonstration at Nevada Power Company's Sunrise Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-11-01

The Magma Cooling Tower (MCT) process utilizes a falling film heat exchanger integrated into an induced draft cooling tower to evaporate waste water. A hot water source such as return cooling water provides the energy for evaporation. Water quality control is maintained by removing potential scaling constituents to make concentrations of the waste water possible without scaling heat transfer surfaces. A pilot-scale demonstration test of the MCT process was performed from March 1979 through June 1979 at Nevada Power Company's Sunrise Station in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot unit extracted heat from the powerplant cooling system to evaporate cooling tower blowdown. Two water quality control methods were employed: makeup/sidestream softening and fluidized bed crystallization. The 11 week softening mode test was successful.

Pollutant load removal efficiency of pervious pavements: is clogging an issue?

PubMed

Kadurupokune, N; Jayasuriya, N

2009-01-01

Pervious pavements in car parks and driveways reduce the peak runoff rate and the quantity of runoff discharged into urban drains as well as improve the stormwater quality by trapping the sediments in the infiltrated water. The paper focuses on presenting results from the laboratory tests carried out to evaluate water quality improvements and effects of long-term decrease in infiltration rates with time due to sediments trapping (clogging) within the pavement pores. Clogging was not found to be a major factor affecting pervious pavement performance after simulating 17 years of stormwater quality samples.

A GPU-based mipmapping method for water surface visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hua; Quan, Wei; Xu, Chao; Wu, Yan

2018-03-01

Visualization of water surface is a hot topic in computer graphics. In this paper, we presented a fast method to generate wide range of water surface with good image quality both near and far from the viewpoint. This method utilized uniform mesh and Fractal Perlin noise to model water surface. Mipmapping technology was enforced to the surface textures, which adjust the resolution with respect to the distance from the viewpoint and reduce the computing cost. Lighting effect was computed based on shadow mapping technology, Snell's law and Fresnel term. The render pipeline utilizes a CPU-GPU shared memory structure, which improves the rendering efficiency. Experiment results show that our approach visualizes water surface with good image quality at real-time frame rates performance.

Variation in stream diatom communities in relation to water quality and catchment variables in a boreal, urbanized region.

PubMed

Teittinen, Anette; Taka, Maija; Ruth, Olli; Soininen, Janne

2015-10-15

Intensive anthropogenic land use such as urbanization alters the hydrological cycle, water chemistry and physical habitat characteristics, thus impairing stream physicochemical and biological quality. Diatoms are widely used to assess stream water quality as they integrate water chemistry temporally and reflect the joint influence of multiple stressors on stream biota. However, knowledge of the major community patterns of diatoms in urban streams remains limited especially in boreal regions. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of water chemistry and catchment characteristics on stream diatom communities, and to test the performance of the Index of Pollution Sensitivity (IPS) as a stream water quality indicator across an urban-to-rural gradient in southern Finland. Diatom community structure and species richness were related to local-scale variables such as water temperature, aluminium concentration, and electrical conductivity, which were in turn influenced by patterns in catchment land use and land cover. Diatoms reflected the intensity of human activities as more intensive land use increased the occurrence of pollution-tolerant species. The change in community structure along the land use intensity gradient was accompanied by a distinct decline in species richness. On the contrary, the IPS index failed to indicate differences in water quality along the urban-to-rural gradient as no consistent differences in the IPS values were found. Our results highlight the joint influence of multifaceted factors that underlie diatom patterns, and show that diatom biodiversity can be used as cost-effective metric indicating urban stream conditions. However, the IPS index turned out to be an unsuitable tool for assessing water quality among these streams. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of water treatment sludge and its reuse as coagulant.

PubMed

Ahmad, Tarique; Ahmad, Kafeel; Ahad, Abdul; Alam, Mehtab

2016-11-01

Coagulation-flocculation process results in the generation of large volume of waste or residue, known as water treatment sludge (WTS), in the purification of surface water for potable supplies. Sustainable management of the inevitable waste requires careful attention from the plant operators and sludge managers. In this study, WTS produced with the optimum alum dose of 30 ml/L at the laboratory scale has been treated with sulphuric acid to bring forth a product known as sludge reagent product (SRP). The performance of SRP is evaluated for its efficiency in removing the colloidal suspensions from the Yamuna river water over wide pH range of 2-13. 1% sludge acidified with sulphuric acid of normality 2.5 at the rate of 0.05 ml/ml sludge has been observed as the optimum condition for preparing SRP from WTS. The percentage turbidity removal is greater at higher pH value and increases with increasing the dosage of SRP. The optimum SRP dosage of 8 ml/L in the pH range of 6-8 performed well in removing the colloidal suspension and other impurities from the Yamuna water. The quality of treated water met the prescribed standards for most of the quality parameters. Thus, SRP has the potential to substitute the conventional coagulants partially or completely in the water treatment process, depending on the quality needed at the users end. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of quantitative trait loci affecting response to crowding stress in rainbow trout

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aquaculture environmental stressors such as handling, overcrowding, sub-optimal water quality parameters and social interactions negatively impact growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, disease resistance, flesh quality and reproductive performance in rainbow trout. To identify QTL affecting response...

A fuzzy-logic based decision-making approach for identification of groundwater quality based on groundwater quality indices.

PubMed

Vadiati, M; Asghari-Moghaddam, A; Nakhaei, M; Adamowski, J; Akbarzadeh, A H

2016-12-15

Due to inherent uncertainties in measurement and analysis, groundwater quality assessment is a difficult task. Artificial intelligence techniques, specifically fuzzy inference systems, have proven useful in evaluating groundwater quality in uncertain and complex hydrogeological systems. In the present study, a Mamdani fuzzy-logic-based decision-making approach was developed to assess groundwater quality based on relevant indices. In an effort to develop a set of new hybrid fuzzy indices for groundwater quality assessment, a Mamdani fuzzy inference model was developed with widely-accepted groundwater quality indices: the Groundwater Quality Index (GQI), the Water Quality Index (WQI), and the Ground Water Quality Index (GWQI). In an effort to present generalized hybrid fuzzy indices a significant effort was made to employ well-known groundwater quality index acceptability ranges as fuzzy model output ranges rather than employing expert knowledge in the fuzzification of output parameters. The proposed approach was evaluated for its ability to assess the drinking water quality of 49 samples collected seasonally from groundwater resources in Iran's Sarab Plain during 2013-2014. Input membership functions were defined as "desirable", "acceptable" and "unacceptable" based on expert knowledge and the standard and permissible limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. Output data were categorized into multiple categories based on the GQI (5 categories), WQI (5 categories), and GWQI (3 categories). Given the potential of fuzzy models to minimize uncertainties, hybrid fuzzy-based indices produce significantly more accurate assessments of groundwater quality than traditional indices. The developed models' accuracy was assessed and a comparison of the performance indices demonstrated the Fuzzy Groundwater Quality Index model to be more accurate than both the Fuzzy Water Quality Index and Fuzzy Ground Water Quality Index models. This suggests that the new hybrid fuzzy indices developed in this research are reliable and flexible when used in groundwater quality assessment for drinking purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PARTICLE REMOVAL AND HEAD LOSS DEVELOPMENT IN BIOLOGICAL FILTERS

EPA Science Inventory

The physical performance of granular media filters was studied under pre-chlorinated, backwash-chlorinated, and nonchlorinated conditions. Overall, biological filteration produced a high-quality water. Although effluent turbidities showed littleer difference between the perform...

Cloud-enabled microscopy and droplet microfluidic platform for specific detection of Escherichia coli in water.

PubMed

Golberg, Alexander; Linshiz, Gregory; Kravets, Ilia; Stawski, Nina; Hillson, Nathan J; Yarmush, Martin L; Marks, Robert S; Konry, Tania

2014-01-01

We report an all-in-one platform - ScanDrop - for the rapid and specific capture, detection, and identification of bacteria in drinking water. The ScanDrop platform integrates droplet microfluidics, a portable imaging system, and cloud-based control software and data storage. The cloud-based control software and data storage enables robotic image acquisition, remote image processing, and rapid data sharing. These features form a "cloud" network for water quality monitoring. We have demonstrated the capability of ScanDrop to perform water quality monitoring via the detection of an indicator coliform bacterium, Escherichia coli, in drinking water contaminated with feces. Magnetic beads conjugated with antibodies to E. coli antigen were used to selectively capture and isolate specific bacteria from water samples. The bead-captured bacteria were co-encapsulated in pico-liter droplets with fluorescently-labeled anti-E. coli antibodies, and imaged with an automated custom designed fluorescence microscope. The entire water quality diagnostic process required 8 hours from sample collection to online-accessible results compared with 2-4 days for other currently available standard detection methods.

Wastewater retreatment and reuse system for agricultural irrigation in rural villages.

PubMed

Kim, Minyoung; Lee, Hyejin; Kim, Minkyeong; Kang, Donghyeon; Kim, Dongeok; Kim, YoungJin; Lee, Sangbong

2014-01-01

Climate changes and continuous population growth increase water demands that will not be met by traditional water resources, like surface and ground water. To handle increased water demand, treated municipal wastewater is offered to farmers for agricultural irrigation. This study aimed to enhance the effluent quality from worn-out sewage treatment facilities in rural villages, retreat effluent to meet water quality criteria for irrigation, and assess any health-related and environmental impacts from using retreated wastewater irrigation on crops and in soil. We developed the compact wastewater retreatment and reuse system (WRRS), equipped with filters, ultraviolet light, and bubble elements. A pilot greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate lettuce growth patterns and quantify the heavy metal concentration and pathogenic microorganisms on lettuce and in soil after irrigating with tap water, treated wastewater, and WRRS retreated wastewater. The purification performance of each WRRS component was also assessed. The study findings revealed that existing worn-out sewage treatment facilities in rural villages could meet the water quality criteria for treated effluent and also reuse retreated wastewater for crop growth and other miscellaneous agricultural purposes.

Cloud-Enabled Microscopy and Droplet Microfluidic Platform for Specific Detection of Escherichia coli in Water

PubMed Central

Kravets, Ilia; Stawski, Nina; Hillson, Nathan J.; Yarmush, Martin L.; Marks, Robert S.; Konry, Tania

2014-01-01

We report an all-in-one platform – ScanDrop – for the rapid and specific capture, detection, and identification of bacteria in drinking water. The ScanDrop platform integrates droplet microfluidics, a portable imaging system, and cloud-based control software and data storage. The cloud-based control software and data storage enables robotic image acquisition, remote image processing, and rapid data sharing. These features form a “cloud” network for water quality monitoring. We have demonstrated the capability of ScanDrop to perform water quality monitoring via the detection of an indicator coliform bacterium, Escherichia coli, in drinking water contaminated with feces. Magnetic beads conjugated with antibodies to E. coli antigen were used to selectively capture and isolate specific bacteria from water samples. The bead-captured bacteria were co-encapsulated in pico-liter droplets with fluorescently-labeled anti-E. coli antibodies, and imaged with an automated custom designed fluorescence microscope. The entire water quality diagnostic process required 8 hours from sample collection to online-accessible results compared with 2–4 days for other currently available standard detection methods. PMID:24475107

Effects of water deficit on breadmaking quality and storage protein compositions in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

PubMed

Zhou, Jiaxing; Liu, Dongmiao; Deng, Xiong; Zhen, Shoumin; Wang, Zhimin; Yan, Yueming

2018-03-12

Water deficiency affects grain proteome dynamics and storage protein compositions, resulting in changes in gluten viscoelasticity. In this study, the effects of field water deficit on wheat breadmaking quality and grain storage proteins were investigated. Water deficiency produced a shorter grain-filling period, a decrease in grain number, grain weight and grain yield, a reduced starch granule size and increased protein content and glutenin macropolymer contents, resulting in superior dough properties and breadmaking quality. Reverse phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the total gliadin and glutenin content and the accumulation of individual components were significantly increased by water deficiency. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis detected 144 individual storage protein spots with significant accumulation changes in developing grains under water deficit. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed that water deficiency resulted in significant upregulation of 12 gliadins, 12 high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits and 46 low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the expression of storage protein biosynthesis-related transcription factors Dof and Spa was upregulated by water deficiency. The present results illustrated that water deficiency leads to increased accumulation of storage protein components and upregulated expression of Dof and Spa, resulting in an improvement in glutenin strength and breadmaking quality. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Building America

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

Brad Oberg

2010-12-31

Builders generally use a 'spec and purchase' business management system (BMS) when implementing energy efficiency. A BMS is the overall operational and organizational systems and strategies that a builder uses to set up and run its company. This type of BMS treats building performance as a simple technology swap (e.g. a tank water heater to a tankless water heater) and typically compartmentalizes energy efficiency within one or two groups in the organization (e.g. purchasing and construction). While certain tools, such as details, checklists, and scopes of work, can assist builders in managing the quality of the construction of higher performancemore » homes, they do nothing to address the underlying operational strategies and issues related to change management that builders face when they make high performance homes a core part of their mission. To achieve the systems integration necessary for attaining 40% + levels of energy efficiency, while capturing the cost tradeoffs, builders must use a 'systems approach' BMS, rather than a 'spec and purchase' BMS. The following attributes are inherent in a systems approach BMS; they are also generally seen in quality management systems (QMS), such as the National Housing Quality Certification program: Cultural and corporate alignment, Clear intent for quality and performance, Increased collaboration across internal and external teams, Better communication practices and systems, Disciplined approach to quality control, Measurement and verification of performance, Continuous feedback and improvement, and Whole house integrated design and specification.« less

A methodology for space-time classification of groundwater quality.

PubMed

Passarella, G; Caputo, M C

2006-04-01

Safeguarding groundwater from civil, agricultural and industrial contamination is matter of great interest in water resource management. During recent years, much legislation has been produced stating the importance of groundwater as a source for drinking water supplies, underlining its vulnerability and defining the required quality standards. Thus, schematic tools, able to characterise the quality and quantity of groundwater systems, are of very great interest in any territorial planning and/or water resource management activity. This paper proposes a groundwater quality classification method which has been applied to a real aquifer, starting from several studies published by the Italian National Hydrogeologic Catastrophe Defence Group (GNDCI). The methodology is based on the concentration values of several parameters used as indexes of the natural hydro-chemical water condition and of potential man-induced modifications of groundwater quality. The resulting maps, although representative of the quality, do not include any information on its evolution in time. In this paper, this "stationary" classification method has been improved by crossing the quality classes with three indexes of temporal behaviour during recent years. It was then applied to data from monitoring campaigns, performed in spring and autumn, from 1990 to 1996, in the plain of Modena aquifer (central Italy). The results are reported in the form of space-time classification table and maps.

Temporal performance assessment of wastewater treatment plants by using multivariate statistical analysis.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Milad; Gerber, Erin L; Rockaway, Thomas D

2017-05-15

For most water treatment plants, a significant number of performance data variables are attained on a time series basis. Due to the interconnectedness of the variables, it is often difficult to assess over-arching trends and quantify operational performance. The objective of this study was to establish simple and reliable predictive models to correlate target variables with specific measured parameters. This study presents a multivariate analysis of the physicochemical parameters of municipal wastewater. Fifteen quality and quantity parameters were analyzed using data recorded from 2010 to 2016. To determine the overall quality condition of raw and treated wastewater, a Wastewater Quality Index (WWQI) was developed. The index summarizes a large amount of measured quality parameters into a single water quality term by considering pre-established quality limitation standards. To identify treatment process performance, the interdependencies between the variables were determined by using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The five extracted components from the 15 variables accounted for 75.25% of total dataset information and adequately represented the organic, nutrient, oxygen demanding, and ion activity loadings of influent and effluent streams. The study also utilized the model to predict quality parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Phosphorus (TP), and WWQI. High accuracies ranging from 71% to 97% were achieved for fitting the models with the training dataset and relative prediction percentage errors less than 9% were achieved for the testing dataset. The presented techniques and procedures in this paper provide an assessment framework for the wastewater treatment monitoring programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated water system simulation by considering hydrological and biogeochemical processes: model development, with parameter sensitivity and autocalibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. Y.; Shao, Q. X.; Ye, A. Z.; Xing, H. T.; Xia, J.

2016-02-01

Integrated water system modeling is a feasible approach to understanding severe water crises in the world and promoting the implementation of integrated river basin management. In this study, a classic hydrological model (the time variant gain model: TVGM) was extended to an integrated water system model by coupling multiple water-related processes in hydrology, biogeochemistry, water quality, and ecology, and considering the interference of human activities. A parameter analysis tool, which included sensitivity analysis, autocalibration and model performance evaluation, was developed to improve modeling efficiency. To demonstrate the model performances, the Shaying River catchment, which is the largest highly regulated and heavily polluted tributary of the Huai River basin in China, was selected as the case study area. The model performances were evaluated on the key water-related components including runoff, water quality, diffuse pollution load (or nonpoint sources) and crop yield. Results showed that our proposed model simulated most components reasonably well. The simulated daily runoff at most regulated and less-regulated stations matched well with the observations. The average correlation coefficient and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency were 0.85 and 0.70, respectively. Both the simulated low and high flows at most stations were improved when the dam regulation was considered. The daily ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentration was also well captured with the average correlation coefficient of 0.67. Furthermore, the diffuse source load of NH4-N and the corn yield were reasonably simulated at the administrative region scale. This integrated water system model is expected to improve the simulation performances with extension to more model functionalities, and to provide a scientific basis for the implementation in integrated river basin managements.

Fate and Effects of Leachate Contamination on Alaska's Tribal Drinking Water Sources

EPA Science Inventory

EPA and Alaskan tribal communities identified and selected five representative Alaskan tribal landfills/dump sites and performed water quality sampling and analysis to identify chemical and microbial contaminants of concern (COCs) that could potentially impact the local drinking ...

Chemical application strategies to protect water quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Management of turfgrass on golf courses and athletic fields often involves application of plant protection products to maintain or enhance turfgrass health and performance. However, the transport of fertilizer and pesticides with runoff to adjacent surface waters can enhance algal blooms, promote e...

Using Amplicon Sequencing To Characterize and Monitor Bacterial Diversity in Drinking Water Distribution Systems.

PubMed

Shaw, Jennifer L A; Monis, Paul; Weyrich, Laura S; Sawade, Emma; Drikas, Mary; Cooper, Alan J

2015-09-01

Drinking water assessments use a variety of microbial, physical, and chemical indicators to evaluate water treatment efficiency and product water quality. However, these indicators do not allow the complex biological communities, which can adversely impact the performance of drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs), to be characterized. Entire bacterial communities can be studied quickly and inexpensively using targeted metagenomic amplicon sequencing. Here, amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene region was performed alongside traditional water quality measures to assess the health, quality, and efficiency of two distinct, full-scale DWDSs: (i) a linear DWDS supplied with unfiltered water subjected to basic disinfection before distribution and (ii) a complex, branching DWDS treated by a four-stage water treatment plant (WTP) prior to disinfection and distribution. In both DWDSs bacterial communities differed significantly after disinfection, demonstrating the effectiveness of both treatment regimes. However, bacterial repopulation occurred further along in the DWDSs, and some end-user samples were more similar to the source water than to the postdisinfection water. Three sample locations appeared to be nitrified, displaying elevated nitrate levels and decreased ammonia levels, and nitrifying bacterial species, such as Nitrospira, were detected. Burkholderiales were abundant in samples containing large amounts of monochloramine, indicating resistance to disinfection. Genera known to contain pathogenic and fecal-associated species were also identified in several locations. From this study, we conclude that metagenomic amplicon sequencing is an informative method to support current compliance-based methods and can be used to reveal bacterial community interactions with the chemical and physical properties of DWDSs. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Modelling of the Water Exchange between Shallow Groundwater and River during bank filtration and changing conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weishi; Munz, Matthias; Oswald, Sascha E.

2015-04-01

The interaction of river water and groundwater is of importance for the hydrological cycle and water quality in rivers. Moreover, drinking water is often obtained by pumping groundwater in the direct vicinity of rivers, called bank filtration. Typically this implies a considerable dynamics, because changes in river water level and pumping activities will cause varying conditions, and in its effects modified by the local hydrogeology. Numerical modelling can be a tool to study spatial patterns and temporal changes. Often this is limited by model performance, uncertainty of geological structure and lack of sufficient observation values beyond water heads, for example water quality or temperature data. The aim of this research is to model the hydraulic conditions for transient conditions, including a period of substantial re-construction works in the river. Later this will then be used to include the temperature and other water quality data to improve the model performance. As shown from the geological information analysis, the majority of the water volume pumped is from the first and second aquifers, where a strong exchange between the river and groundwater can happen. The implementation of the geological structure is based on 7 main geological profiles and several scattered drilling wells of difference depths. A first model has been built in FEFLOW 6.2 as a steady fluid flow model, while the pilot-points auto-calibration method is used for estimating the hydraulic conductivity of different sediment types, based on water head information of 19 observation wells. Then a transient model during the year 2011-2013 is further calibrated based on estimated hydraulic conductivity. Furthermore, the observation wells are used to make a statistic analysis with the hydrograph of the river to clarify the correlation of changes in river to changes in groundwater.

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.

Assessment of Pressure Sources and Water Body Resilience: An Integrated Approach for Action Planning in a Polluted River Basin.

PubMed

Mirauda, Domenica; Ostoich, Marco

2018-02-23

The present study develops an integrated methodology combining the results of the water-quality classification, according to the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC-WFD, with those of a mathematical integrity model. It is able to analyse the potential anthropogenic impacts on the receiving water body and to help municipal decision-makers when selecting short/medium/long-term strategic mitigation actions to be performed in a territory. Among the most important causes of water-quality degradation in a river, the focus is placed on pollutants from urban wastewater. In particular, the proposed approach evaluates the efficiency and the accurate localisation of treatment plants in a basin, as well as the capacity of its river to bear the residual pollution loads after the treatment phase. The methodology is applied to a sample catchment area, located in northern Italy, where water quality is strongly affected by high population density and by the presence of agricultural and industrial activities. Nearly 10 years of water-quality data collected through official monitoring are considered for the implementation of the system. The sample basin shows different real and potential pollution conditions, according to the resilience of the river and surroundings, together with the point and diffuse pressure sources acting on the receiving body.

Cellular-enabled water quality measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Y.; Kerkez, B.

2013-12-01

While the past decade has seen significant improvements in our ability to measure nutrients and other water quality parameters, the use of these sensors has yet to gain traction due to their costprohibitive nature and deployment expertise required on the part of researchers. Furthermore, an extra burden is incurred when real-time data access becomes an experimental requirement. We present an open-source hardware design to facilitate the real-time, low-cost, and robust measurements of water quality across large urbanized areas. Our hardware platform interfaces an embedded, vastly configurable, high-precision, ultra-low power measurement system, with a low-power cellular module. Each sensor station is configured with an IP address, permitting reliable streaming of sensor data to off-site locations as measurements are made. We discuss the role of high-quality hardware components during extreme event scenarios, and present preliminary performance metrics that validate the ability of the platform to provide streaming access to sensor measurements.

Dishwashing water recycling system and related water quality standards for military use.

PubMed

Church, Jared; Verbyla, Matthew E; Lee, Woo Hyoung; Randall, Andrew A; Amundsen, Ted J; Zastrow, Dustin J

2015-10-01

As the demand for reliable and safe water supplies increases, both water quality and available quantity are being challenged by population growth and climate change. Greywater reuse is becoming a common practice worldwide; however, in remote locations of limited water supply, such as those encountered in military installations, it is desirable to expand its classification to include dishwashing water to maximize the conservation of fresh water. Given that no standards for dishwashing greywater reuse by the military are currently available, the current study determined a specific set of water quality standards for dishwater recycling systems for U.S. military field operations. A tentative water reuse standard for dishwashing water was developed based on federal and state regulations and guidelines for non-potable water, and the developed standard was cross-evaluated by monitoring water quality data from a full-scale dishwashing water recycling system using an innovative electrocoagulation and ultrafiltration process. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) was also performed based on exposure scenarios derived from literature data. As a result, a specific set of dishwashing water reuse standards for field analysis (simple, but accurate) was finalized as follows: turbidity (<1 NTU), Escherichia coli (<50 cfu mL(-1)), and pH (6-9). UV254 was recommended as a surrogate for organic contaminants (e.g., BOD5), but requires further calibration steps for validation. The developed specific water standard is the first for dishwashing water reuse and will be expected to ensure that water quality is safe for field operations, but not so stringent that design complexity, cost, and operational and maintenance requirements will not be feasible for field use. In addition the parameters can be monitored using simple equipment in a field setting with only modest training requirements and real-time or rapid sample turn-around. This standard may prove useful in future development of civilian guidelines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION AND HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH PHOTODIODE ARRAY DETECTION OF CHEMICAL INDICATORS OF HUMAN FECAL CONTAMINATION IN WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Faster and more sensitive analysis of water that is contaminated by human fecal matter is very important for health. The current microbiological methods to assess water quality do not meet this need. Alternate non-microbial human fecal indicators have been proposed by various r...

The impact of water exchange rate on the health and performance of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in recirculation aquaculture systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fish mortality in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) has been observed by the authors to increase when RAS are managed at low makeup water exchange rates with relatively high feed loading. The precise etiology of this elevated mortality was unknown, all typical water quality parameters were wit...

Effects of coconut granular activated carbon pretreatment on membrane filtration in a gravitational driven process to improve drinking water quality.

PubMed

da Silva, Flávia Vieira; Yamaguchi, Natália Ueda; Lovato, Gilselaine Afonso; da Silva, Fernando Alves; Reis, Miria Hespanhol Miranda; de Amorim, Maria Teresa Pessoa Sousa; Tavares, Célia Regina Granhen; Bergamasco, Rosângela

2012-01-01

This study evaluates the performance of a polymeric microfiltration membrane, as well as its combination with a coconut granular activated carbon (GAC) pretreatment, in a gravitational filtration module, to improve the quality of water destined to human consumption. The proposed membrane and adsorbent were thoroughly characterized using instrumental techniques, such as contact angle, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The applied processes (membrane and GAC + membrane) were evaluated regarding permeate flux, fouling percentage, pH and removal of Escherichia coli, colour, turbidity and free chlorine. The obtained results for filtrations with and without GAC pretreatment were similar in terms of water quality. GAC pretreatment ensured higher chlorine removals, as well as higher initial permeate fluxes. This system, applying GAC as a pretreatment and a gravitational driven membrane filtration, could be considered as an alternative point-of-use treatment for water destined for human consumption.

Evaluation of membrane bioreactor for advanced treatment of industrial wastewater and reverse osmosis pretreatment

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The evaluation of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) for pretreatment of reverse osmosis (RO) in order to reuse and reclamation of industrial town wastewater treatment plant was investigated in this study. Performance of MBR effluent through water quality in term of parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN) and total coliform (TC) were measured. Also Silt density index (SDI) was used as indicator for RO feed water. The results of this study demonstrated that MBR produce a high quality permeate water. Approximately 75%, 98%, 74% and 99.9% removal of COD, TSS, TN and TC were recorded, respectively. Also SDI of the permeate effluent from membrane was below 3 for most of the times. It means that pilot yield a high quality treated effluent from the membrane module which can be used as RO feed water. PMID:24355199

Environmetric data interpretation to assess the water quality of Maritsa River catchment.

PubMed

Papazova, Petia; Simeonova, Pavlina

2013-01-01

Maritsa River is one of the largest rivers flowing on Bulgarian territory. The quality of its waters is of substantial importance for irrigation, industrial, recreation and domestic use. Besides, part of the river is flowing on Turkish territory and the control and management of the Maritsa catchment is of mutual interst for the neighboring countires. Thus, performing interpretation and modeling of the river water quality is a major environmetric problem. Two multivariate statstical methods (Cluster analysis/CA/and Principal components analysis/PCA/) were applied for model assessment of the water quality of Maritsa River on Bulgarian territory. The study used long-term monitoring data from 21 sampling sites characterized by 8 surface water quality indicators. The application of CA to the indicators results in 3 significant clusters showing the impact of biological, anthropogenic and eutrophication sources. For further assessment of the monitoring data, PCA was implemented, which identified, again,three latent factors confirming, in principle, the clustering output. The latent factors were conditionally named "biologic", "anthropogenic" and "eutrophication" source. Their identification coinside correctly to the location of real pollution sources along the Maritsa River catchment. The linkage of the sampling sites along the river flow by CA identified four special patterns separated by specific tracers levels: biological and anthropogenic major impact for pattern 1, euthrophication major impact for pattern 2, background levels for pattern 3 and eutrophication and agricultural major impact for pattern 4. The apportionment models of the pollution determined the contribution of each one of identified pollution factors to the total concentration of each one of the water quality parameters. Thus, a better risk management of the surface water quality is achieved both on local and national level.

Testing of Commercial Hollow Fiber Membranes for Space Suit Water Membrane Evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bue, Grant C.; Trevino, Luis; Tsioulos, Gus; Hanford, Anthony

2009-01-01

Three commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hollow fiber (HoFi) membrane evaporators, modified for low pressure, were tested in a vacuum chamber at pressures below 33 pascals as potential space suit water membrane evaporator (SWME) heat rejection technologies. Water quality was controlled in a series of 25 tests, first simulating potable water reclaimed from waste water and then changing periodically to simulate the ever concentrating make-up of the circulating coolant over that is predicted over the course of 100 EVAs. Two of the systems, comprised of non-porous tubes with hydrophilic molecular channels as the water vapor transport mechanism, were severely impacted by the increasing concentrations of cations in the water. One of the systems, based on hydrophobic porous polypropylene tubes was not affected by the degrading water quality, or the presence of microbes. The polypropylene system, called SWME 1, was selected for further testing. An inverse flow configuration was also tested with SWME 1, with vacuum exposure on the inside of the tubes, provided only 20% of the performance of the standard configuration. SWME 1 was also modified to block 50% and 90% of the central tube layers, and tested to investigate performance efficiency. Performance curves were also developed in back-pressure regulation tests, and revealed important design considerations arising from the fully closed valve. SWME 1 was shown to be insensitive to air bubbles injected into the coolant loop. Development and testing of a full-scale prototype based on this technology and these test results is in progress.

Multisite Evaluation of APEX for Water Quality: I. Best Professional Judgment Parameterization.

PubMed

Baffaut, Claire; Nelson, Nathan O; Lory, John A; Senaviratne, G M M M Anomaa; Bhandari, Ammar B; Udawatta, Ranjith P; Sweeney, Daniel W; Helmers, Matt J; Van Liew, Mike W; Mallarino, Antonio P; Wortmann, Charles S

2017-11-01

The Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model is capable of estimating edge-of-field water, nutrient, and sediment transport and is used to assess the environmental impacts of management practices. The current practice is to fully calibrate the model for each site simulation, a task that requires resources and data not always available. The objective of this study was to compare model performance for flow, sediment, and phosphorus transport under two parameterization schemes: a best professional judgment (BPJ) parameterization based on readily available data and a fully calibrated parameterization based on site-specific soil, weather, event flow, and water quality data. The analysis was conducted using 12 datasets at four locations representing poorly drained soils and row-crop production under different tillage systems. Model performance was based on the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), the coefficient of determination () and the regression slope between simulated and measured annualized loads across all site years. Although the BPJ model performance for flow was acceptable (NSE = 0.7) at the annual time step, calibration improved it (NSE = 0.9). Acceptable simulation of sediment and total phosphorus transport (NSE = 0.5 and 0.9, respectively) was obtained only after full calibration at each site. Given the unacceptable performance of the BPJ approach, uncalibrated use of APEX for planning or management purposes may be misleading. Model calibration with water quality data prior to using APEX for simulating sediment and total phosphorus loss is essential. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Modelling transport of storm-water pollutants using the distributed Multi-Hydro platform on an urban catchment near Paris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yi; Bonhomme, Celine; Giangola-Murzyn, Agathe; Schertzer, Daniel; Chebbo, Ghassan

2015-04-01

Nowadays, the increasingly use of vehicles causes expanding contaminated storm-water runoff from roads and the associated quarters. Besides, the current utilization of city's separated sewer systems underlines the needs for evaluating precisely the growing impact of these polluted effluents on receiving water bodies. Nevertheless, traditional means of water quality modelling had shown its limits (Kanso, 2004), more accurate modelling schemes are hence required. In this paper, we found that the application of physically based and fully distributed model coupled with detailed high-resolution data is a promising approach to reproduce the various dynamics and interactions of water quantity/quality processes in urban or peri-urban environment. Over recent years, the physically based and spatially distributed numerical platform Multi-Hydro (MH) has been developed at Ecole des Ponts ParisTech (El-Tabach et al. , 2009 ; Gires et al., 2013 ; Giangola-Murzyn et al., 2014). This platform is particularly adapted for representing the hydrological processes for medium size watersheds, including the surface runoff, drainage water routing and the infiltrations on permeable zones. It is formed by the interactive coupling of several independent modules, which depend on generally used open-access models. In the framework of the ANR (French National Agency for Research) Trafipollu project, a new extension of MH, MH-quality, was set up for the water-quality modelling. MH-quality was used for the simulation of pollutant transport on a peri-urban and highly trafficked catchment located near Paris (Le Perreux-sur-Marne, 0.2 km2). The set-up of this model is based on the detailed description of urban land use features. For this purpose, 15 classes of urban land uses relevant to water quality modelling were defined in collaboration with the National Institute of Geography of France (IGN) using Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (5cm). The delimitation of the urban catchment was then performed by operating a Digital Terrain Model which was generated by applying Lidar data (20cm), and by using GIS information of the drainage system. In addition to land use information, the implementation of different human activities allows a better evaluation of contamination. Experimental data such as rainfall intensities, particle size distribution and dry weather depositions are also used, in order to feed the model with realistic input data and parameters. The runoff and water quality are then simulated for a few rainfall events. Taking advantage of the available data of the continuous observations of precipitation, water discharges and turbidity at the outlet of the drainage systems, the sensitivity analysis is carried out in order to evaluate the performance of MH-quality and the most sensitive parameters. Using appropriate parameters, we are now able to follow the pollutant transport on our experimental urban catchment. The limitations and the perspectives of MH-quality are discussed as well.

Performance specification for high performance concrete overlays on bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-01-01

Hydraulic cement concrete overlays are usually placed on bridges to reduce the infiltration of water and chloride ions and to improve skid resistance, ride quality, and surface appearance. Constructed in accordance with prescription specifications, s...

Integration of membrane distillation into traditional salt farming method: Process development and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizam, S.; Bilad, M. R.; Putra, Z. A.

2017-10-01

Farmers still practice the traditional salt farming in many regions, particularly in Indonesia. This archaic method not only produces low yield and poor salt quality, it is also laborious. Furthermore, the farming locations typically have poor access to fresh water and are far away from electricity grid, which restrict upgrade to a more advanced technology for salt production. This paper proposes a new concept of salt harvesting method that improves the salt yield and at the same time facilitates recovery of fresh water from seawater. The new concept integrates solar powered membrane distillation (MD) and photovoltaic cells to drive the pumping. We performed basic solar still experiments to quantify the heat flux received by a pond. The data were used as insight for designing the proposed concept, particularly on operational strategy and the most effective way to integrate MD. After the conceptual design had been developed, we formulated mass and energy balance to estimate the performance of the proposed concept. Based on our data and design, it is expected that the system would improve the yield and quality of the salt production, maximizing fresh water harvesting, and eventually provides economical gain for salt farmers hence improving their quality of life. The key performance can only be measured via experiment using gain output ratio as performance indicator, which will be done in a future study.

Drinking Water Quality Governance: A Comparative Case Study of Brazil, Ecuador, and Malawi.

PubMed

Kayser, Georgia L; Amjad, Urooj; Dalcanale, Fernanda; Bartram, Jamie; Bentley, Margaret E

2015-04-01

Human health is greatly affected by inadequate access to sufficient and safe drinking water, especially in low and middle-income countries. Drinking water governance improvements may be one way to better drinking water quality. Over the past decade, many projects and international organizations have been dedicated to water governance; however, water governance in the drinking water sector is understudied and how to improve water governance remains unclear. We analyze drinking water governance challenges in three countries-Brazil, Ecuador, and Malawi-as perceived by government, service providers, and civil society organizations. A mixed methods approach was used: a clustering model was used for country selection and qualitative semi-structured interviews were used with direct observation in data collection. The clustering model integrated political, economic, social and environmental variables that impact water sector performance, to group countries. Brazil, Ecuador and Malawi were selected with the model so as to enhance the generalizability of the results. This comparative case study is important because similar challenges are identified in the drinking water sectors of each country; while, the countries represent diverse socio-economic and political contexts, and the selection process provides generalizability to our results. We find that access to safe water could be improved if certain water governance challenges were addressed: coordination and data sharing between ministries that deal with drinking water services; monitoring and enforcement of water quality laws; and sufficient technical capacity to improve administrative and technical management of water services at the local level. From an analysis of our field research, we also developed a conceptual framework that identifies policy levers that could be used to influence governance of drinking water quality on national and sub-national levels, and the relationships between these levers.

Drinking Water Quality Governance: A Comparative Case Study of Brazil, Ecuador, and Malawi

PubMed Central

Kayser, Georgia L.; Amjad, Urooj; Dalcanale, Fernanda; Bartram, Jamie; Bentley, Margaret E.

2015-01-01

Human health is greatly affected by inadequate access to sufficient and safe drinking water, especially in low and middle-income countries. Drinking water governance improvements may be one way to better drinking water quality. Over the past decade, many projects and international organizations have been dedicated to water governance; however, water governance in the drinking water sector is understudied and how to improve water governance remains unclear. We analyze drinking water governance challenges in three countries—Brazil, Ecuador, and Malawi—as perceived by government, service providers, and civil society organizations. A mixed methods approach was used: a clustering model was used for country selection and qualitative semi-structured interviews were used with direct observation in data collection. The clustering model integrated political, economic, social and environmental variables that impact water sector performance, to group countries. Brazil, Ecuador and Malawi were selected with the model so as to enhance the generalizability of the results. This comparative case study is important because similar challenges are identified in the drinking water sectors of each country; while, the countries represent diverse socio-economic and political contexts, and the selection process provides generalizability to our results. We find that access to safe water could be improved if certain water governance challenges were addressed: coordination and data sharing between ministries that deal with drinking water services; monitoring and enforcement of water quality laws; and sufficient technical capacity to improve administrative and technical management of water services at the local level. From an analysis of our field research, we also developed a conceptual framework that identifies policy levers that could be used to influence governance of drinking water quality on national and sub-national levels, and the relationships between these levers. PMID:25798068

Water-quality data and Escherichia coli predictions for selected karst catchments of the upper Duck River watershed in central Tennessee, 2007–10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, Jennifer C.; Farmer, James; Layton, Alice

2016-06-13

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency, monitored water quality at several locations in the upper Duck River watershed between October 2007 and September 2010. Discrete water samples collected at 24 sites in the watershed were analyzed for water quality, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci concentrations. Additional analyses, including the determination of anthropogenic-organic compounds, bacterial concentration of resuspended sediment, and bacterial-source tracking, were performed at a subset of sites. Continuous monitoring of streamflow, turbidity, and specific conductance was conducted at seven sites; a subset of sites also was monitored for water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration. Multiple-regression models were developed to predict instantaneous E. coli concentrations and loads at sites with continuous monitoring. This data collection effort, along with the E. coli models and predictions, support analyses of the relations among land use, bacteria source and transport, and basin hydrology in the upper Duck River watershed.

[Water and health-related problems, local perception and quality of water sources in a Toba (qom) community in the Impenetrable (Chaco, Argentina)].

PubMed

Martínez, Gustavo J; Beccaglia, Ana M; Llinares, Analía

2014-08-01

We present a transdisciplinary study centering on aspects of environmental health of the Toba (qom) communities that relate to water and health problems of the Impenetrable Chaco region. Information was obtained through the methods and tools of participatory research, household participant observation, and ethnobotanical documentation of species related to water management and use. Vernacular terms referring to the suitability and taste of the water, as well as representations, attitudes and practices related to water collection and purification were recorded. In addition, a microbiological and physicochemical analysis of the water was performed and compared with the perceptual categories. It was observed that perceptual aspects were in tension with the hygienic quality of water. We documented phreatophyte plants, indicative of the presence of water, as well as plants that store water, act as flocculants, refresh the water or improve taste. The results of this research are discussed from an ecosystem approach and its relationship to the development of proposals for intervention.

Chemical Analysis Results for Potable Water from ISS Expeditions 21 Through 25

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straub, John E., II; Plumlee, Debrah K.; Schultz, John R.; McCoy, J. Torin

2011-01-01

The Johnson Space Center Water and Food Analytical Laboratory (WAFAL) performed detailed ground-based analyses of archival water samples for verification of the chemical quality of the International Space Station (ISS) potable water supplies for Expeditions 21 through 25. Over a 14-month period the Space Shuttle visited the ISS on four occasions to complete construction and deliver supplies. The onboard supplies of potable water available for consumption by the Expeditions 21 to 25 crews consisted of Russian ground-supplied potable water, Russian potable water regenerated from humidity condensate, and US potable water recovered from urine distillate and condensate. Chemical archival water samples that were collected with U.S. hardware during Expeditions 21 to 25 were returned on Shuttle flights STS-129 (ULF3), STS-130 (20A), STS-131 (19A), and STS-132 (ULF4), as well as on Soyuz flights 19-23. This paper reports the analytical results for these returned potable water archival samples and their compliance with ISS water quality standards.

Water use benefit index as a tool for community-based monitoring of water related trends in the Great Barrier Reef region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smajgl, A.; Larson, S.; Hug, B.; De Freitas, D. M.

2010-12-01

SummaryThis paper presents a tool for documenting and monitoring water use benefits in the Great Barrier Reef catchments that allows temporal and spatial comparison along the region. Water, water use benefits and water allocations are currently receiving much attention from Australian policy makers and conservation practitioners. Because of the inherent complexity and variability in water quality, it is essential that scientific information is presented in a meaningful way to policy makers, managers and ultimately, to the general public who have to live with the consequences of the decisions. We developed an inexpensively populated and easily understandable water use benefit index as a tool for community-based monitoring of water related trends in the Great Barrier Reef region. The index is developed based on a comparative list of selected water-related indices integrating attributes across physico-chemical, economic, social, and ecological domains currently used in the assessment of water quality, water quantity and water use benefits in Australia. Our findings indicate that the proposed index allows the identification of water performance indicators by temporal and spatial comparisons. Benefits for decision makers and conservation practitioners include a flexible way of prioritization towards the domain with highest concern. The broader community benefits from a comprehensive and user-friendly tool, communicating changes in water quality trends more effectively.

The role of environmental variables on the efficiency of water and sewerage companies: a case study of Chile.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Sala-Garrido, Ramón; Lafuente, Matilde

2015-07-01

This paper evaluates the efficiency of water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) by introducing the lack of service quality as undesirable outputs. It also investigates whether the production frontier of WaSCs is overall constant returns to scale (CRS) or variable returns to scale (VRS) by using two different data envelopment analysis models. In a second-stage analysis, we study the influence of exogenous and endogenous variables on WaSC performance by applying non-parametric hypothesis tests. In a pioneering approach, the analysis covers 18 WaSCs from Chile, representing about 90% of the Chilean urban population. The results evidence that the technology of the sample studied is characterized overall by CRS. Peak water demand, the percentage of external workers, and the percentage of unbilled water are the factors affecting the efficiency of WaSCs. From a policy perspective, the integration of undesirable outputs into the assessment of WaSC performance is crucial not to penalize companies that provide high service quality to customers.

Integrated solutions for urban runoff pollution control in Brazilian metropolitan regions.

PubMed

Morihama, A C D; Amaro, C; Tominaga, E N S; Yazaki, L F O L; Pereira, M C S; Porto, M F A; Mukai, P; Lucci, R M

2012-01-01

One of the most important causes for poor water quality in urban rivers in Brazil is the low collection efficiency of the sewer system due to unforeseen interconnections with the stormwater drainage system. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Brazilian cities have adopted separate systems for sanitary sewers and stormwater runoff. Gradually these two systems became interconnected. A major challenge faced today by water managers in Brazil is to find efficient and low cost solutions to deal with this mixed system. The current situation poses an important threat to the improvement of the water quality in urban rivers and lakes. This article presents an evaluation of the water quality parameters and the diffuse pollution loads during rain events in the Pinheiros River, a tributary of the Tietê River in São Paulo. It also presents different types of integrated solutions for reducing the pollution impact of combined systems, based on the European experience in urban water management. An evaluation of their performance and a comparison with the separate system used in most Brazilian cities is also presented. The study is based on an extensive water quality monitoring program that was developed for a special investigation in the Pinheiros River and lasted 2.5 years. Samples were collected on a daily basis and water quality variables were analyzed on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Two hundred water quality variables were monitored at 53 sampling points. During rain events, additional monitoring was carried out using an automated sampler. Pinheiros River is one of the most important rivers in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region and it is also a heavily polluted one.

Predicting the Effect of Changing Precipitation Extremes and Land Cover Change on Urban Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SUN, N.; Yearsley, J. R.; Lettenmaier, D. P.

2013-12-01

Recent research shows that precipitation extremes in many of the largest U.S. urban areas have increased over the last 60 years. These changes have important implications for stormwater runoff and water quality, which in urban areas are dominated by the most extreme precipitation events. We assess the potential implications of changes in extreme precipitation and changing land cover in urban and urbanizing watersheds at the regional scale using a combination of hydrology and water quality models. Specifically, we describe the integration of a spatially distributed hydrological model - the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM), the urban water quality model in EPA's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), the semi-Lagrangian stream temperature model RBM10, and dynamical and statistical downscaling methods applied to global climate predictions. Key output water quality parameters include total suspended solids (TSS), toal nitrogen, total phosphorous, fecal coliform bacteria and stream temperature. We have evaluated the performance of the modeling system in the highly urbanized Mercer Creek watershed in the rapidly growing Bellevue urban area in WA, USA. The results suggest that the model is able to (1) produce reasonable streamflow predictions at fine temporal and spatial scales; (2) provide spatially distributed water temperature predictions that mostly agree with observations throughout a complex stream network, and characterize impacts of climate, landscape, near-stream vegetation change on stream temperature at local and regional scales; and (3) capture plausibly the response of water quality constituents to varying magnitude of precipitation events in urban environments. Next we will extend the scope of the study from the Mercer Creek watershed to include the entire Puget Sound Basin, WA, USA.

Comparative analysis of the outflow water quality of two sustainable linear drainage systems.

PubMed

Andrés-Valeri, V C; Castro-Fresno, D; Sañudo-Fontaneda, L A; Rodriguez-Hernandez, J

2014-01-01

Three different drainage systems were built in a roadside car park located on the outskirts of Oviedo (Spain): two sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), a swale and a filter drain; and one conventional drainage system, a concrete ditch, which is representative of the most frequently used roadside drainage system in Spain. The concentrations of pollutants were analyzed in the outflow of all three systems in order to compare their capacity to improve water quality. Physicochemical water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity and total petroleum hydrocarbons were monitored and analyzed for 25 months. Results are presented in detail showing significantly smaller amounts of outflow pollutants in SUDS than in conventional drainage systems, especially in the filter drain which provided the best performance.

Drinking water quality assessment.

PubMed

Aryal, J; Gautam, B; Sapkota, N

2012-09-01

Drinking water quality is the great public health concern because it is a major risk factor for high incidence of diarrheal diseases in Nepal. In the recent years, the prevalence rate of diarrhoea has been found the highest in Myagdi district. This study was carried out to assess the quality of drinking water from different natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps at Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district. A cross-sectional study was carried out using random sampling method in Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district from January to June,2010. 84 water samples representing natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps from the study area were collected. The physico-chemical and microbiological analysis was performed following standards technique set by APHA 1998 and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 11.5. The result was also compared with national and WHO guidelines. Out of 84 water samples (from natural source, reservoirs and tap water) analyzed, drinking water quality parameters (except arsenic and total coliform) of all water samples was found to be within the WHO standards and national standards.15.48% of water samples showed pH (13) higher than the WHO permissible guideline values. Similarly, 85.71% of water samples showed higher Arsenic value (72) than WHO value. Further, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P<0.05) of physico-chemical parameters and total coliform count of drinking water for collection taps water samples of winter (January, 2010) and summer (June, 2010). The microbiological examination of water samples revealed the presence of total coliform in 86.90% of water samples. The results obtained from physico-chemical analysis of water samples were within national standard and WHO standards except arsenic. The study also found the coliform contamination to be the key problem with drinking water.

Mitochondrial activity in fern spores of Cyathea costaricensis as an indicator of the impact of land use and water quality in rivers running through cloud forests.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Romero, Alexis Joseph; Rico-Sánchez, Axel Eduardo; Catalá, Myriam; Sedeño-Díaz, Jacinto Elías; López-López, Eugenia

2017-12-01

Early-warning biomarkers, such as mitochondrial activity, have become a key tool in ecosystem assessment. This study aims to evaluate the response of mitochondrial activity in spores of the autochthonous fern Cyathea costaricensis as a bioassessment tool concurrently with land use and physicochemical evaluation in 11 sites along Bobos River, Veracruz, Mexico, to assess river water quality. Bobos River is located in the Nautla basin, northeastern Veracruz (Mexico); the upper river runs through a protected natural area (Filobobos River and adjacent areas). The study involved three monitoring periods: February, June and September 2014. In each study site, physicochemical water quality parameters were recorded to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI); also, study sites were characterized in terms of land use. Water samples were collected to perform bioassays where spores of C. costaricensis were exposed to samples to assess mitochondrial activity; a positive control exposure test was run under controlled conditions to maximize mitochondrial activity. A Principal Component Analysis was performed to correlate land-use attributes with environmental variables and mitochondrial activity. Three river sections were identified: the upper portion was characterized by the dominance of native vegetation, the highest WQI (in September), and the lowest mitochondrial activity (63.87%-77.47%), related to the geological nature of the basin and high hardness levels. Mitochondrial activity peaked in September (98.32% ± 9.01), likely resulting from nutrient enrichment in the rainy season, and was lowest in February (74.54% ± 1.60) (p < 0.05). Mitochondrial activity was found to be a good benchmark for the assessment of water quality, reflecting the effects of physicochemical characteristics. Mitochondrial activity showed changes along the river and between seasons, associated with environmental characteristics such as land use and the geological nature of the basin, as well as with those related to human impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterisation of dissolved organic matter in stormwater using high-performance size exclusion chromatography.

PubMed

Huang, Huiping; Chow, Christopher W K; Jin, Bo

2016-04-01

Understanding the complexity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in stormwater has drawn a lot of interest, since DOM from stormwater causes not only environmental impacts, but also worsens downstream aquatic quality associated with water supply and treatability. This study introduced and employed high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) coupled with an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diode array detector to assess changes in stormwater-associated DOM characteristics. Stormwater DOM was also analysed in relation to storm event characteristics, water quality and spectroscopic analysis. Statistical tools were used to determine the correlations within DOM and water quality measurements. Results showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) as conventional DOM parameters were found to be correlated well to the changes in stormwater quality during each of the three storm events studied. Both detector wavelengths (210 and 254 nm) and their ratio (A210/A254) were found to provide additional information on the physiochemical properties of stormwater-associated DOM. This study indicated that A210/A254 is an important parameter which could be used to estimate the DOM proportions of functional groups and conjugated carbon species. This study provided also an understanding of stormwater quality constituents through assessing variability and sensitivity for various parameters, and the additional information of rainfall characteristics on runoff quality data for a better understanding of parameter correlations and influences. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hydration during intense exercise training.

PubMed

Maughan, R J; Meyer, N L

2013-01-01

Hydration status has profound effects on both physical and mental performance, and sports performance is thus critically affected. Both overhydration and underhydration - if sufficiently severe - will impair performance and pose a risk to health. Athletes may begin exercise in a hypohydrated state as a result of incomplete recovery from water loss induced in order to achieve a specific body mass target or due to incomplete recovery from a previous competition or training session. Dehydration will also develop in endurance exercise where fluid intake does not match water loss. The focus has generally been on training rather than on competition, but sweat loss and fluid replacement in training may have important implications. Hypohydration may impair training quality and may also increase stress levels. It is unclear whether this will have negative effects (reduced training quality, impaired immunity) or whether it will promote a greater adaptive response. Hypohydration and the consequent hyperthermia, however, can enhance the effectiveness of a heat acclimation program, resulting in improved endurance performance in warm and temperate environments. Drinking in training may be important in enhancing tolerance of the gut when athletes plan to drink in competition. The distribution of water between body water compartments may also be important in the initiation and promotion of cellular adaptations to the training stimulus. Copyright © 2013 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel.

Optimization of the Implementation of Managed Aquifer Recharge - Effects of Aquifer Heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maliva, Robert; Missimer, Thomas; Kneppers, Angeline

2010-05-01

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has become a key component of integrated water resources management, especially in water scarce regions. MAR can serve the dual role of increasing the supply of available water and improving the quality of recharged water through natural attenuation processes. The performance of MAR systems is highly dependent upon site-specific hydrogeological conditions. Aquifer heterogeneity, such as the presence of high-permeability preferential flow zones and dual or even the so-called triple-porosity conditions, has been responsible for the under performance or failure of some MAR systems. Aquifer heterogeneity can result in much more rapid and unpredictable movement and mixing of recharged water and the bypassing of natural attenuation processes. A critical element of MAR projects is a detailed aquifer characterization and the development of groundwater flow and solute transport models at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales that accurately simulate local heterogeneous flow systems. Geochemical modeling based on high-quality, site-specific mineralogical and water chemistry data can also be used to predict the potential for adverse water-rock interactions such as the leaching of arsenic and trace metals into recharged water. Hydrogeological conditions that could lead to poor system performance should be identified early in the project development before the investment is made to construct a full-scale system. Hydrogeological conditions that have lead to poor MAR system performance are typically identifiable at the exploratory well stage of projects. Early detection of adverse hydrogeological conditions provides an opportunity to either abandon a likely under-performing project, select an alternative site with more favorable conditions, or modify the system design to be more compatible with local hydrogeology. Advanced borehole geophysical techniques and workflow software can allow for enhanced aquifer characterization and thus allow for more successful MAR implementation as a tool for improved water resources management.

What Medical Directors Need to Know about Dialysis Facility Water Management.

PubMed

Kasparek, Ted; Rodriguez, Oscar E

2015-06-05

The medical directors of dialysis facilities have many operational clinic responsibilities, which on first glance, may seem outside the realm of excellence in patient care. However, a smoothly running clinic is integral to positive patient outcomes. Of the conditions for coverage outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, one most critical to quality dialysis treatment is the provision of safe purified dialysis water, because there are many published instances where clinic failure in this regard has resulted in patient harm. As the clinical leader of the facility, the medical director is obliged to have knowledge of his/her facility's water treatment system to reliably ensure that the purified water used in dialysis will meet the standards for quality set by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for conditions for coverage. The methods used to both achieve and maintain these quality standards should be a part of quality assessment and performance improvement program meetings. The steps for water treatment, which include pretreatment, purification, and distribution, are largely the same, regardless of the system used. Each water treatment system component has a specific role in the process and requires individualized maintenance and monitoring. The medical director should provide leadership by being engaged with the process, knowing the facility's source water, and understanding water treatment system operation as well as the clinical significance of system failure. Successful provision of quality water will be achieved by those medical directors who learn, know, and embrace the requirements of dialysis water purification and system maintenance. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Relative benefits of on-plot water supply over other 'improved' sources in rural Vietnam.

PubMed

Brown, Joe; Hien, Vo Thi; McMahan, Lanakila; Jenkins, Marion W; Thie, Lauren; Liang, Kaida; Printy, Erin; Sobsey, Mark D

2013-01-01

Access to improved water sources is rapidly expanding in rural central Vietnam. We examined one NGO-led piped water supply programme to assess the drinking water quality and health impacts of piped water systems where access to 'improved' water sources is already good. This longitudinal, prospective cohort study followed 300 households in seven project areas in Da Nang province, Vietnam: 224 households who paid for an on-plot piped water connection and 76 control households from the same areas relying primarily on 'improved' water sources outside the home. The 4-month study was intended to measure the impact of the NGO-led water programmes on households' drinking water quality and health and to evaluate system performance. We found that: (i) households connected to a piped water supply had consistently better drinking water quality than those relying on other sources, including 'improved' sources and (ii) connected households experienced less diarrhoea than households without a piped water connection (adjusted longitudinal prevalence ratio: 0.57 (95% CI 0.39-0.86, P = 0.006) and households using an 'improved' source not piped to the plot: (adjusted longitudinal prevalence ratio: 0.59 (95% CI 0.39-0.91, P = 0.018). Our results suggest that on-plot water service yields benefits over other sources that are considered 'improved' by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Assessing the microbiological performance and potential cost of boiling drinking water in urban Zambia.

PubMed

Psutka, Rebecca; Peletz, Rachel; Michelo, Sandford; Kelly, Paul; Clasen, Thomas

2011-07-15

Boiling is the most common method of disinfecting water in the home and the benchmark against which other point-of-use water treatment is measured. In a six-week study in peri-urban Zambia, we assessed the microbiological effectiveness and potential cost of boiling among 49 households without a water connection who reported "always" or "almost always" boiling their water before drinking it. Source and household drinking water samples were compared weekly for thermotolerant coliforms (TTC), an indicator of fecal contamination. Demographics, costs, and other information were collected through surveys and structured observations. Drinking water samples taken at the household (geometric mean 7.2 TTC/100 mL, 95% CI, 5.4-9.7) were actually worse in microbiological quality than source water (geometric mean 4.0 TTC/100 mL, 95% CI, 3.1-5.1) (p < 0.001), although both are relatively low levels of contamination. Only 60% of drinking water samples were reported to have actually been boiled at the time of collection from the home, suggesting over-reporting and inconsistent compliance. However, these samples were of no higher microbiological quality. Evidence suggests that water quality deteriorated after boiling due to lack of residual protection and unsafe storage and handling. The potential cost of fuel or electricity for boiling was estimated at 5% and 7% of income, respectively. In this setting where microbiological water quality was relatively good at the source, safe-storage practices that minimize recontamination may be more effective in managing the risk of disease from drinking water at a fraction of the cost of boiling.

Using SCADA Data, Field Studies, and Real-Time Modeling to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has been providing technical assistance to the City of Flint and the State of Michigan in response to the drinking water lead contamination incident. Responders quickly recognized the need for a water distribution system hydraulic model to provide insight on flow patterns and water quality as well as to evaluate changes being made to the system operation to enhance corrosion control and improve chlorine residuals. EPA partnered with the City of Flint and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to update and calibrate an existing hydraulic model. The City provided SCADA data, GIS data, customer billing data, valve status data, design diagrams, and information on operations. Team members visited all facilities and updated pump and valve types, sizes, settings, elevations, and pump discharge curves. Several technologies were used to support this work including the EPANET-RTX based Polaris real-time modeling software, WaterGEMS, ArcGIS, EPANET, and RTX:LINK. Field studies were conducted to collect pressure and flow data from more than 25 locations throughout the distribution system. An assessment of the model performance compared model predictions for flow, pressure, and tank levels to SCADA and field data, resulting in error measurements for each data stream over the time period analyzed. Now, the calibrated model can be used with a known confidence in its performance to evaluate hydraulic and water quality problems, and the model can be easily

Water mutagenic potential assessment on a semiarid aquatic ecosystem under influence of heavy metals and natural radioactivity using micronuclei test.

PubMed

Chaves, Luiz Cláudio Cardozo; Navoni, Julio Alejandro; de Morais Ferreira, Douglisnilson; Batistuzzo de Medeiros, Silvia; Ferreira da Costa, Thomas; Petta, Reinaldo Antônio; Souza do Amaral, Viviane

2016-04-01

The contamination of water bodies by heavy metals and ionizing radiation is a critical environmental issue, which can affect water quality and, thus, human health. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Boqueirão de Parelhas Dam in the Brazilian semiarid region. A 1-year study (2013-2014) was performed through the assessment of physicochemical parameters, heavy metal content, and radioactivity along with the mutagenicity potential of water using micronuclei test in Orechromis niloticus (in vivo) and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes (in vitro). A deterioration of water organoleptics characteristics by the presence of high levels of sulfate and total solids was observed. High concentrations of aluminum, nickel, silver, and lead along with the alpha particle content were higher than the limits suggested by the World Health Organization and Brazilian legislation for drinking water. An increase in the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities was observed in both experimental models. The results obtained confirmed the mutagenic potential present in water samples. This study highlights that geogenic agents affect water quality becoming a human health concern to be taken into account due to the relevance that this water reservoir has in the region.

THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT MODEL (SWMM) AND RELATED WATERSHED TOOLS DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is a dynamic rainfall-runoff simulation model used for single event or long-term (continuous) simulation of runoff quantity and quality from primarily urban areas. It is the only publicly available model capable of performing a comprehensiv...

Simulating Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Transport in Surface Water Systems Using the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP)

EPA Science Inventory

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to perform new chemical reviews of nanomaterials identified in premanufacture notices. However, environmental fate models developed for traditional contaminants are limited in the...

Colored dissolved organic matter dynamics and anthropogenic influences in a major transboundary river and its coastal wetland

PubMed Central

Zeri, Christina; Dimitriou, Elias; Ding, Yan; Jaffé, Rudolf; Anagnostou, Emmanouil; Pitta, Elli; Mentzafou, Angeliki

2015-01-01

Abstract Most transboundary rivers and their wetlands are subject to considerable anthropogenic pressures associated with multiple and often conflicting uses. In the Eastern Mediterranean such systems are also particularly vulnerable to climate change, posing additional challenges for integrated water resources management. Comprehensive measurements of the optical signature of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were combined with measurements of river discharges and water physicochemical and biogeochemical properties, to assess carbon dynamics, water quality, and anthropogenic influences in a major transboundary system of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Evros (or, Марица or, Meriç) river and its Ramsar protected coastal wetland. Measurements were performed over three years, in seasons characterized by different hydrologic conditions and along transects extending more than 70 km from the freshwater end‐member to two kilometers offshore in the Aegean Sea. Changes in precipitation, anthropogenic dissolved organic matter (DOM) inputs from the polluted Ergene tributary, and the irregular operation of a dam were key factors driving water quality, salinity regimes, and biogeochemical properties in the Evros delta and coastal waters. Marsh outwelling affected coastal carbon quality, but the influence of wetlands was often masked by anthropogenic DOM contributions. A distinctive five‐peak CDOM fluorescence signature was characteristic of upstream anthropogenic inputs and clearly tracked the influence of freshwater discharges on water quality. Monitoring of this CDOM fluorescence footprint could have direct applications to programs focusing on water quality and environmental assessment in this and other transboundary rivers where management of water resources remains largely ineffective. PMID:27656002

Rainfall effects on inflow and infiltration in wastewater treatment systems in a coastal plain region.

PubMed

Cahoon, Lawrence B; Hanke, Marc H

2017-04-01

Aging wastewater collection and treatment systems have not received as much attention as other forms of infrastructure, even though they are vital to public health, economic growth, and environmental quality. Inflow and infiltration (I&I) are among potentially widespread problems facing central sewage collection and treatment systems, posing risks of sanitary system overflows (SSOs), system degradation, and water quality impairment, but remain poorly quantified. Whole-system analyses of I&I were conducted by regression analyses of system flow responses to rainfall and temperature for 93 wastewater treatment plants in 23 counties in eastern North Carolina, USA, a coastal plain region with high water tables and generally higher rainfalls than the continental interior. Statistically significant flow responses to rainfall were found in 92% of these systems, with 2-year average I&I values exceeding 10% of rainless system flow in over 40% of them. The effects of rainfall, which can be intense in this coastal region, have region-wide implications for sewer system performance and environmental management. The positive association between rainfall and excessive I&I parallels the effects of storm water runoff on water quality, in that excessive I&I can also drive SSOs, thus confounding water quality protection efforts.

Stormwater Runoff and Water Quality Modeling in Urban Maryland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Forman, B. A.; Natarajan, P.; Davis, A.

2015-12-01

Urbanization significantly affects storm water runoff through the creation of new impervious surfaces such as highways, parking lots, and rooftops. Such changes can adversely impact the downstream receiving water bodies in terms of physical, chemical, and biological conditions. In order to mitigate the effects of urbanization on downstream water bodies, stormwater control measures (SCMs) have been widely used (e.g., infiltration basins, bioswales). A suite of observations from an infiltration basin installed adjacent to a highway in urban Maryland was used to evaluate stormwater runoff attenuation and pollutant removal rates at the well-instrumented SCM study site. In this study, the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was used to simulate the performance of the SCM. An automatic, split-sample calibration framework was developed to improve SWMM performance efficiency. The results indicate SWMM can accurately reproduce the hydraulic response of the SCM (in terms of reproducing measured inflow and outflow) during synoptic scale storm events lasting more than one day, but is less accurate during storm events lasting only a few hours. Similar results were found for a suite of modeled (and observed) water quality constituents, including suspended sediment, metals, N, P, and chloride.

Monitoring technologies for the evaluation of a Soil-Aquifer-Treatment system in coastal aquifer environments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallioras, Andreas; Tsertou, Athanasia; Foglia, Laura; Bumberger, Jan; Vienken, Thomas; Dietrich, Peter; Schüth, Christoph

2014-05-01

Artificial recharge of groundwater has an important role to play in water reuse. Treated sewage effluent can be infiltrated into the ground for recharge of aquifers. As the effluent water moves through the soil and the aquifer, it undergoes significant quality improvements through physical, chemical, and biological processes in the underground environment. Collectively, these processes and the water quality improvement obtained are called soil-aquifer-treatment (SAT) or geopurification. Recharge systems for SAT can be designed as infiltration-recovery systems, where all effluent water is recovered as such from the aquifer, or after blending with native groundwater. SAT typically removes essentially all suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and pathogens (viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminthic eggs). Concentrations of synthetic organic carbon, phosphorous, and heavy metals are greatly reduced. The pilot site of LTCP will involve the employment of infiltration basins, which will be using waters of impaired quality as a recharge source, and hence acting as a Soil-Aquifer-Treatment, SAT, system. T he LTCP site will be employed as a pilot SAT system complemented by new technological developments, which will be providing continuous monitoring of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of infiltrating groundwater through all hydrologic zones (i.e. surface, unsaturated and saturated zone). This will be achieved through the development and installation of an integrated system of prototype sensors, installed on-site, and offering a continuous evaluation of the performance of the SAT system. An integrated approach of the performance evaluation of any operating SAT system should aim at parallel monitoring of all hydrologic zones, proving the sustainability of all involved water quality treatment processes within unsaturated and saturated zone. Hence a prototype system of Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) sensors will be developed, in order to achieve continuous quantitative monitoring of the unsaturated zone through the entire soil column down to significant depths below the SAT basin. The above technique will offer continuous monitoring of infiltration rates and possible mechanical clogging effects. The qualitative monitoring of the unsaturated zone will be achieved through the installation of appropriate pore-water samplers within a multi-level basis, ensuring repeatability of sampling of infiltrating water of impaired quality. This study also involves the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the Lavrion multi-aquifer system through continuous monitoring of the performance of (i) the alluvial aquifer and its potential for additional water treatment as well as (ii) the effects of the SAT system for countermeasuring seawater intrusion in the area of Lavrion. Additionally, setup and calibration of numerical flow and transport models for evaluating and optimizing different operational modes of the SAT system within both saturated and unsaturated zones will be conducted. The monitoring system will be connected to an ad-hoc wireless network for continuous data transfer within the SAT facilities. It is envisaged that the development and combined application of all the above technologies will provide an integrated monitoring platform for the evaluation of SAT system performance.

Ecosystem function in waste stabilisation ponds: Improving water quality through a better understanding of biophysical coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadouani, Anas; Reichwaldt, Elke S.; Coggins, Liah X.; Ivey, Gregory N.; Ghisalberti, Marco; Zhou, Wenxu; Laurion, Isabelle; Chua, Andrew

2014-05-01

Wastewater stabilisation ponds (WSPs) are highly productive systems designed to treat wastewater using only natural biological and chemical processes. Phytoplankton, microbial communities and hydraulics play important roles for ecosystem functionality of these pond systems. Although WSPs have been used for many decades, they are still considered as 'black box' systems as very little is known about the fundamental ecological processes which occur within them. However, a better understanding of how these highly productive ecosystems function is particularly important for hydrological processes, as treated wastewater is commonly discharged into streams, rivers, and oceans, and subject to strict water quality guidelines. WSPs are known to operate at different levels of efficiency, and treatment efficiency of WSPs is dependent on physical (flow characteristics and sludge accumulation and distribution) and biological (microbial and phytoplankton communities) characteristics. Thus, it is important to gain a better understanding of the role and influence of pond hydraulics and vital microbial communities on pond performance and WSP functional stability. The main aim of this study is to investigate the processes leading to differences in treatment performance of WSPs. This study uses a novel and innovative approach to understand these factors by combining flow cytometry and metabolomics to investigate various biochemical characteristics, including the metabolite composition and microbial community within WSPs. The results of these analyses will then be combined with results from the characterisation of pond hydrodynamics and hydraulic performance, which will be performed using advanced hydrodynamic modelling and advanced sludge profiling technology. By understanding how hydrodynamic and biological processes influence each other and ecosystem function and stability in WSPs, we will be able to propose ways to improve the quality of the treatment using natural processes, with less reliance on chemical treatment. This will in turn contribute to the reduction in the cost of operation, but more importantly reduce the impact on the environment (i.e., discharge, GHGs), and increase water quality and the potential for water reuse worldwide.

Water mass interaction in the confluence zone of the Daning River and the Yangtze River--a driving force for algal growth in the Three Gorges Reservoir.

PubMed

Holbach, Andreas; Wang, Lijing; Chen, Hao; Hu, Wei; Schleicher, Nina; Zheng, Binghui; Norra, Stefan

2013-10-01

Increasing eutrophication and algal bloom events in the Yangtze River Three Gorges Reservoir, China, are widely discussed with regard to changed hydrodynamics and nutrient transport and distribution processes. Insights into water exchange and interaction processes between water masses related to large-scale water level fluctuations in the reservoir are crucial to understand water quality and eutrophication dynamics. Therefore, confluence zones of tributaries with the Yangtze River main stream are dedicated key interfaces. In this study, water quality data were recorded in situ and on-line in varying depths with the MINIBAT towed underwater multi-sensor system in the confluence zone of the Daning River and the Yangtze River close to Wushan City during 1 week in August 2011. Geostatistical evaluation of the water quality data was performed, and results were compared to phosphorus contents of selective water samples. The strongly rising water level throughout the measurement period caused Yangtze River water masses to flow upstream into the tributary and supply their higher nutrient and particulate loads into the tributary water body. Rapid algal growth and sedimentation occurred immediately when hydrodynamic conditions in the confluence zone became more serene again. Consequently, water from the Yangtze River main stream can play a key role in providing nutrients to the algal bloom stricken water bodies of its tributaries.

Towards a Real-Time Embedded System for Water Monitoring Installed in a Robotic Sailboat

PubMed Central

da Silva Junior, Andouglas Goncalves; de Lima Sa, Sarah Thomaz; dos Santos, Davi Henrique; de Negreiros, Álvaro Pinto Ferrnandes; de Souza Silva, João Moreno Vilas Boas; Álvarez Jácobo, Justo Emílio; Garcia Gonçalves, Luiz Marcos

2016-01-01

Problems related to quality (and quantity) of water in natural resources or in artificial reservoirs are frequently arising and are at the center of attention of authorities and governments around the world. Many times the monitoring is not performed in an efficient time frame and a precise manner, whereas the adoption of fast and punctual solutions would undoubtedly improve the water quality and consequently enhance the life of people. To minimize or diminish such kinds of problems, we propose an architecture for sensors installed in a robotic platform, an autonomous sail boat, able to acquire raw data relative to water quality, to process and make them available to people that might be interested in such information. The main contributions are the sensors architecture itself, which uses low cost sensors, with practical experimentation done with a prototype. Results show data collected for points in lakes and rivers in the northeast of Brazil. This embedded system is fixed in the sailboat robot with the intention to facilitate the study of water quality for long endurance missions. This robot can help monitoring water bodies in a more consistent manner. Nonetheless the system can also be used with fixed vases or buoys in strategic points. PMID:27509506

Frequency analysis of urban runoff quality in an urbanizing catchment of Shenzhen, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Huapeng; Tan, Xiaolong; Fu, Guangtao; Zhang, Yingying; Huang, Yuefei

2013-07-01

This paper investigates the frequency distribution of urban runoff quality indicators using a long-term continuous simulation approach and evaluates the impacts of proposed runoff control schemes on runoff quality in an urbanizing catchment in Shenzhen, China. Four different indicators are considered to provide a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts: total runoff depth, event pollutant load, Event Mean Concentration, and peak concentration during a rainfall event. The results obtained indicate that urban runoff quantity and quality in the catchment have significant variations in rainfall events and a very high rate of non-compliance with surface water quality regulations. Three runoff control schemes with the capacity to intercept an initial runoff depth of 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm are evaluated, respectively, and diminishing marginal benefits are found with increasing interception levels in terms of water quality improvement. The effects of seasonal variation in rainfall events are investigated to provide a better understanding of the performance of the runoff control schemes. The pre-flood season has higher risk of poor water quality than other seasons after runoff control. This study demonstrates that frequency analysis of urban runoff quantity and quality provides a probabilistic evaluation of pollution control measures, and thus helps frame a risk-based decision making for urban runoff quality management in an urbanizing catchment.

Persistent Urban Impacts on Surface Water Quality Mediated by Stormwater Recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, R. S.; Brooks, P. D.; Neilson, B. T.; Bowen, G. J.; Jameel, M. Y.; Hall, S. J.; Eiriksson, D.; Millington, M. R.; Gelderloos, A.

2016-12-01

Growing population centers along mountain watersheds put added stress on sensitive hydrologic systems and create water quality impacts downstream. We examined the mountain-to-urban transition in watersheds on Utah's Wasatch Front to identify mechanisms by which urbanization impacts water resources. Rivers in the Wasatch flow from the mountains directly into an urban landscape, where they are subject to channelization, stormwater runoff systems, and urban inputs to water quality from sources such as road salt and fertilizer. As part of an interdisciplinary effort within the iUTAH project, multiple synoptic surveys were performed and a variety of measurements were made, including basic water chemistry along with discharge, water isotopes, and nutrients. Red Butte Creek, a stream in Salt Lake City, does not show significant urban impact to water quality until several kilometers after it enters the city where concentrations of solutes such as chloride and nitrate more than triple in a gaining reach. Groundwater springs discharging to this gaining section demonstrate urban-impacted water chemistry, suggesting that during baseflow a contaminated alluvial aquifer significantly controls stream chemistry. By combining hydrometric and hydrochemical observations we were able to estimate that these groundwater springs were 17-20% urban runoff. We were then able to predict the chemistry of urban runoff that feeds into the alluvial aquifer. Samples collected from storm culverts, roofs, and asphalt during storms had chemistry values within the range of those predicted by the mixing model. This evidence that urbanization affects the water quality of baseflow through impacted groundwater suggests that stormwater mitigation may not be sufficient for protecting urban watersheds, and quantifying these persistent groundwater mediated impacts is necessary to evaluate the success of restoration efforts. By comparing these results from Red Butte Creek with similar studies from other rivers in the Wasatch Front and other alluvial systems, we can quantify how characteristics such as discharge patterns and land-use determine alluvial recharge controls on surface water quality.

Prediction of settled water turbidity and optimal coagulant dosage in drinking water treatment plant using a hybrid model of k-means clustering and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chan Moon; Parnichkun, Manukid

2017-11-01

Coagulation is an important process in drinking water treatment to attain acceptable treated water quality. However, the determination of coagulant dosage is still a challenging task for operators, because coagulation is nonlinear and complicated process. Feedback control to achieve the desired treated water quality is difficult due to lengthy process time. In this research, a hybrid of k-means clustering and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system ( k-means-ANFIS) is proposed for the settled water turbidity prediction and the optimal coagulant dosage determination using full-scale historical data. To build a well-adaptive model to different process states from influent water, raw water quality data are classified into four clusters according to its properties by a k-means clustering technique. The sub-models are developed individually on the basis of each clustered data set. Results reveal that the sub-models constructed by a hybrid k-means-ANFIS perform better than not only a single ANFIS model, but also seasonal models by artificial neural network (ANN). The finally completed model consisting of sub-models shows more accurate and consistent prediction ability than a single model of ANFIS and a single model of ANN based on all five evaluation indices. Therefore, the hybrid model of k-means-ANFIS can be employed as a robust tool for managing both treated water quality and production costs simultaneously.

[Water quality and personal hygiene in rural areas of Senegal].

PubMed

Faye, A; Ndiaye, N M; Faye, D; Tal-Dia, A

2011-02-01

The high prevalence of diarrhea in developing countries is mostly due to poor water quality and hygiene practices. The purpose of this study was to assess water quality as well as hygiene practices and their determinants in Ngohé, i.e., a rural community (RC) in Senegal. A combined approach consisting of a cross-sectional descriptive survey and bacterial analysis of water was used. Study was conducted in 312 randomly selected households. Data was collected through individual interviews with the assistance of a guide. Water for bacteriological analysis was collected from various sources, i.e., 3 modem borehole wells, 2 protected wells, and 10 traditional wells. Study points included home water treatment, drinking water source, latrine use, hand washing habits, and bacteria identified in water. A multiple regression model was used for data analysis. The household survey population was 59% male, 61% illiterate, and 93% married. Mean age was 44.8 +/- 18.1 years. Chlorination technique was inadequate in 62% of cases. Latrines were not restricted to adult use in 76% of homes. Hand washing was not performed at critical times in 94%. Drinking water was drawn from traditional wells in 48% of households, modem borehole wells in 45% and protected wells in 7%. Escherichia coli was found in water from all three sources and Vibrio cholerae was found in two traditional wells. Level of education, average monthly income, knowledge about chlorination techniques, and source of the water consumed were the main behavioral determinants (p < 0.05). Water treatment at the source and in the home as well as protection of water sources is necessary to ensure water quality. This will require effective public education campaigns and financial support for improvement of sanitary facilities.

Water surface modeling from a single viewpoint video.

PubMed

Li, Chuan; Pickup, David; Saunders, Thomas; Cosker, Darren; Marshall, David; Hall, Peter; Willis, Philip

2013-07-01

We introduce a video-based approach for producing water surface models. Recent advances in this field output high-quality results but require dedicated capturing devices and only work in limited conditions. In contrast, our method achieves a good tradeoff between the visual quality and the production cost: It automatically produces a visually plausible animation using a single viewpoint video as the input. Our approach is based on two discoveries: first, shape from shading (SFS) is adequate to capture the appearance and dynamic behavior of the example water; second, shallow water model can be used to estimate a velocity field that produces complex surface dynamics. We will provide qualitative evaluation of our method and demonstrate its good performance across a wide range of scenes.

Groundwater withdrawal impacts in a karst area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Destephen, R. A.; Benson, C. P.

1993-12-01

During a 3000-gpm pump test on a groundwater supply well in Augusta County, Virginia, residential properties were impacted. The impacts included lowered farm pond water levels, development of a sinkhole, and water level decrease in residential wells. A study was performed to assess whether a lower design yield was possible with minimal impacts on adjacent property. This study included a 48-h 1500-gpm pump test that evaluated impacts due to: (1) sinkhole development and potential damage to homes, (2) loss of water in residential wells, and (3) water-quality degradation. Spring flows, residential well levels, survey monuments, and water quality were monitored. Groundwater and surface water testing included inorganic water-quality parameters and microbiological parameters. The latter included particulate analyses, Giardia cysts, and coliforms, which were used to evaluate the connection between groundwater and local surface waterbodies. Although results of the study indicated a low potential for structural damage due to future sinkhole activity, it showed that the water quality of some residential wells might be degraded. Because particulate analyses confirmed that groundwater into the supply well is under the direct influence of surface water, it was recommended that certain residents be placed on an alternate water supply prior to production pumping and that filtration be provided for the well in accordance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule. A mitigation plan was implemented. This plan included crack surveys, a long-term settlement station monitoring program, and limitation of the groundwater withdrawal rate to 1.0 million gallons per day (mgd) and maximum production rate to 1500 gpm.

A novel integrated assessment methodology of urban water reuse.

PubMed

Listowski, A; Ngo, H H; Guo, W S; Vigneswaran, S

2011-01-01

Wastewater is no longer considered a waste product and water reuse needs to play a stronger part in securing urban water supply. Although treatment technologies for water reclamation have significantly improved the question that deserves further analysis is, how selection of a particular wastewater treatment technology relates to performance and sustainability? The proposed assessment model integrates; (i) technology, characterised by selected quantity and quality performance parameters; (ii) productivity, efficiency and reliability criteria; (iii) quantitative performance indicators; (iv) development of evaluation model. The challenges related to hierarchy and selections of performance indicators have been resolved through the case study analysis. The goal of this study is to validate a new assessment methodology in relation to performance of the microfiltration (MF) technology, a key element of the treatment process. Specific performance data and measurements were obtained at specific Control and Data Acquisition Points (CP) to satisfy the input-output inventory in relation to water resources, products, material flows, energy requirements, chemicals use, etc. Performance assessment process contains analysis and necessary linking across important parametric functions leading to reliable outcomes and results.

Microbial and geochemical quality of shallow well water in high-density areas in Mzuzu City in Malawi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Msilimba, Golden; Wanda, Elijah M. M.

In Malawi, shallow wells constitute the most important water sources for domestic purposes. However, increasing human population coupled with poor sanitation and infrastructure is undermining the quality of shallow well water. An assessment of microbial and geochemical quality of shallow well water in high-density areas of Zolozolo, Ching’ambo and Chiputula in Mzuzu City, Northern Malawi, has been carried out. The study aimed at characterising domestic water sources, identifying possible sources of water contamination and determining levels of microbial and chemical contamination. Arc-view GIS was used to map the water sources. A questionnaire survey was carried out to elicit information on characteristics of drinking water sources. Water samples were collected from quasi-randomly selected shallow wells and analysed for microbial and chemical parameters using standard methods. HCA, performed using R-programme, was used to group sampled sites according to their bio-physicochemical characteristics. Compliance of the water with MBS/WHO water quality guidelines was determined. The WQI was computed to turn multifaceted data obtained from laboratory analyses into simple information that is comprehensible and useable by the public to assess overall quality of water at a specific water points. The GW-chart was used to show hydrogeochemical water types from each sampled site. Microbial analysis revealed that water from 96.3% of shallow wells recorded faecal coliforms ranging from 129 to 920 cfu per 100 ml which were significantly higher than the Malawi Standards and WHO thresholds. In general, shallow well water is of low mineralisation (EC range 80-500 μS cm-1), with hydrogeochemical facies dominated by Ca-HCO3, which evolves to Ca-Cl water type. The shallow well water registered a WQI range of 50.16-66.04%, with a medium WQ rating. This suggested that the water obtained from the shallow wells is unsuitable for direct human consumption. It was observed that 100% of the shallow wells were at risk of pollution from onsite sanitation because of their proximity to sanitary facilities. It was strongly recommended that onsite treatment interventions have to be mobilised and initiated to protect the households from further possible consequences of using the water.

Quality site seasonal report, Tucson Job Corps Center, SFBP (Solar in Federal Buildings Program) 1751, November 1984 through July 1985

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

Logee, T.L.

1987-10-15

The active solar Domestic Hot Water (DHW) system at the Tucson Job Corps Center was designed and constructed as part of the Solar in Federal Buildings Program (SFBP). This retrofitted system is one of eight of the systems in the SFBP selected for quality monitoring. The purpose of this monitoring effort is to document the performance of quality state-of-the-art solar systems in large Federal buildings. The systems are unique prototypes. Design errors and system faults discovered during the monitoring period could not always be corrected. Therefore, the aggregated overall performance is often considerably below what might be expected had similarmore » systems been constructed consecutively with each repetition incorporating corrections and improvements. The solar collector system is installed on a two story dormitory at the Job Corps Center. The solar system preheats hot water for about two hundred students. The solar system provided about 50% of the energy needed for water heating in the winter and nearly 100% of the water heating needs in the summer. There are about 70,000 gallons of water used per month. There are seventy-nine L.O.F. panels or 1659 square feet of collectors (1764 square feet before freeze damage occurred) mounted in two rows on the south facing roof. Collected solar energy is stored in the 2200-gallon storage tank. The control system is by Johnson Controls. City water is piped directly to the storage tank and is circulated in the collectors. Freeze protection is provided by recirculation of storage water. There is an auxiliary gas fired boiler and 750 gallon DHW storage tank to provide backup for the solar system. Highlights of the performance monitoring from the solar collection system at the Tucson Job Corps Center during the November 1984 through July 1985 monitoring period are presented in this report.« less

Optimum coagulant forecasting by modeling jar test experiments using ANNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghiri, Sadaf; Daghighi, Amin; Moharramzadeh, Sina

2018-01-01

Currently, the proper utilization of water treatment plants and optimizing their use is of particular importance. Coagulation and flocculation in water treatment are the common ways through which the use of coagulants leads to instability of particles and the formation of larger and heavier particles, resulting in improvement of sedimentation and filtration processes. Determination of the optimum dose of such a coagulant is of particular significance. A high dose, in addition to adding costs, can cause the sediment to remain in the filtrate, a dangerous condition according to the standards, while a sub-adequate dose of coagulants can result in the reducing the required quality and acceptable performance of the coagulation process. Although jar tests are used for testing coagulants, such experiments face many constraints with respect to evaluating the results produced by sudden changes in input water because of their significant costs, long time requirements, and complex relationships among the many factors (turbidity, temperature, pH, alkalinity, etc.) that can influence the efficiency of coagulant and test results. Modeling can be used to overcome these limitations; in this research study, an artificial neural network (ANN) multi-layer perceptron (MLP) with one hidden layer has been used for modeling the jar test to determine the dosage level of used coagulant in water treatment processes. The data contained in this research have been obtained from the drinking water treatment plant located in Ardabil province in Iran. To evaluate the performance of the model, the mean squared error (MSE) and correlation coefficient (R2) parameters have been used. The obtained values are within an acceptable range that demonstrates the high accuracy of the models with respect to the estimation of water-quality characteristics and the optimal dosages of coagulants; so using these models will allow operators to not only reduce costs and time taken to perform experimental jar tests but also to predict a proper dosage for coagulant amounts and to project the quality of the output water under real conditions.

[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.

Application of receptor models on water quality data in source apportionment in Kuantan River Basin

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Recent techniques in the management of surface river water have been expanding the demand on the method that can provide more representative of multivariate data set. A proper technique of the architecture of artificial neural network (ANN) model and multiple linear regression (MLR) provides an advance tool for surface water modeling and forecasting. The development of receptor model was applied in order to determine the major sources of pollutants at Kuantan River Basin, Malaysia. Thirteen water quality parameters were used in principal component analysis (PCA) and new variables of fertilizer waste, surface runoff, anthropogenic input, chemical and mineral changes and erosion are successfully developed for modeling purposes. Two models were compared in terms of efficiency and goodness-of-fit for water quality index (WQI) prediction. The results show that APCS-ANN model gives better performance with high R2 value (0.9680) and small root mean square error (RMSE) value (2.6409) compared to APCS-MLR model. Meanwhile from the sensitivity analysis, fertilizer waste acts as the dominant pollutant contributor (59.82%) to the basin studied followed by anthropogenic input (22.48%), surface runoff (13.42%), erosion (2.33%) and lastly chemical and mineral changes (1.95%). Thus, this study concluded that receptor modeling of APCS-ANN can be used to solve various constraints in environmental problem that exist between water distribution variables toward appropriate water quality management. PMID:23369363

Water quality assessment of the Sinos River, Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Blume, K K; Macedo, J C; Meneguzzi, A; Silva, L B; Quevedo, D M; Rodrigues, M A S

2010-12-01

The Sinos River basin is located Northeast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (29º 20' to 30º 10' S and 50º 15' to 51º20'W), Southern Brazil, covering two geomorphologic provinces: the Southern plateau and central depression. It is part of the Guaíba basin and has an area of approximately 800 km², encompassing 32 municipalities. The objective of this study was to monitor water quality in the Sinos River, the largest river in this basin. Water samples were collected at four selected sites in the Sinos River, and the following parameters were analysed: pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), turbidity, fecal coliforms, total dissolved solids, temperature, nitrate, nitrite, phosphorous, chromium, lead, aluminum, zinc, iron, and copper. The results were analysed based on Resolution No. 357/2005 of the Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA) regarding regulatory limits for residues in water. A second analysis was performed based on a water quality index (WQI) used by the Sinos River Basin Management Committee (COMITESINOS). Poor water quality in the Sinos River presents a worrying scenario for the region, since this river is the main source of water supply for the urban core. Health conditions found in the Sinos River, mainly in its lower reaches, are worrying and a strong indicator of human activities on the basin.

Consideration of drainage ditches and sediment rating cure on SWAT model performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water quality models most often require a considerable amount of data to be properly configured and in some cases this requires additional procedural steps prior to model applications. We examined two different scenarios of such input issues in a small watershed using the Soil and Water Assessment ...

The Costs of Small Drinking Water Systems Removing Arsenic from Groundwater

EPA Science Inventory

Between 2003 and 2011, EPA conducted an Arsenic Demonstration Program whereby the Agency purchased, installed and evaluated the performance and cost of 50 small water treatment systems scattered across the USA. A major goal of the program was to collect high-quality cost data (c...

Application of principal component regression and partial least squares regression in ultraviolet spectrum water quality detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiangtong; Luo, Yongdao; Dai, Honglin

2018-01-01

Water is the source of life and the essential foundation of all life. With the development of industrialization, the phenomenon of water pollution is becoming more and more frequent, which directly affects the survival and development of human. Water quality detection is one of the necessary measures to protect water resources. Ultraviolet (UV) spectral analysis is an important research method in the field of water quality detection, which partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis method is becoming predominant technology, however, in some special cases, PLSR's analysis produce considerable errors. In order to solve this problem, the traditional principal component regression (PCR) analysis method was improved by using the principle of PLSR in this paper. The experimental results show that for some special experimental data set, improved PCR analysis method performance is better than PLSR. The PCR and PLSR is the focus of this paper. Firstly, the principal component analysis (PCA) is performed by MATLAB to reduce the dimensionality of the spectral data; on the basis of a large number of experiments, the optimized principal component is extracted by using the principle of PLSR, which carries most of the original data information. Secondly, the linear regression analysis of the principal component is carried out with statistic package for social science (SPSS), which the coefficients and relations of principal components can be obtained. Finally, calculating a same water spectral data set by PLSR and improved PCR, analyzing and comparing two results, improved PCR and PLSR is similar for most data, but improved PCR is better than PLSR for data near the detection limit. Both PLSR and improved PCR can be used in Ultraviolet spectral analysis of water, but for data near the detection limit, improved PCR's result better than PLSR.

Prediction of Water Quality Parameters Using Statistical Methods: A Case Study in a Specially Protected Area, Ankara, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alp, E.; Yücel, Ö.; Özcan, Z.

2014-12-01

Turkey has been making many legal arrangements for sustainable water management during the harmonization process with the European Union. In order to make cost effective and efficient decisions, monitoring network in Turkey has been expanding. However, due to time and budget constraints, desired number of monitoring campaigns can not be carried. Hence, in this study, independent parameters that can be measured easily and quickly are used to estimate water quality parameters in Lake Mogan and Eymir using linear regression. Nonpoint sources are one of the major pollutant components in Eymir and Mogan lakes. In this paper, a correlation between easily measurable parameters, DO, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, precipitation and dependent variables, TN, TP, COD, Chl-a, TSS, Total Coliform is investigated. Simple regression analysis is performed for each season in Eymir and Mogan lakes by using SPSS Statistical program using the water quality data collected between 2006-2012. Regression analysis demonstrated significant linear relationship between measured and simulated concentrations for TN (R2=0.86), TP (R2=0.85), TSS (R2=0.91), Chl-a (R2=0.94), COD (R2=0.99), T. Coliform (R2=0.97) which are the best results in each season for Eymir and Mogan Lakes. The overall results of this study shows that by using easily measurable parameters even in ungauged situation the water quality of lakes can be predicted. Moreover, the outputs obtained from the regression equations can be used as an input for water quality models such as phosphorus budget model which is used to calculate the required reduction in the external phosphorus load to Lake Mogan to meet the water quality standards.

Replicating the microbial community and water quality performance of full-scale slow sand filters in laboratory-scale filters.

PubMed

Haig, Sarah-Jane; Quince, Christopher; Davies, Robert L; Dorea, Caetano C; Collins, Gavin

2014-09-15

Previous laboratory-scale studies to characterise the functional microbial ecology of slow sand filters have suffered from methodological limitations that could compromise their relevance to full-scale systems. Therefore, to ascertain if laboratory-scale slow sand filters (L-SSFs) can replicate the microbial community and water quality production of industrially operated full-scale slow sand filters (I-SSFs), eight cylindrical L-SSFs were constructed and were used to treat water from the same source as the I-SSFs. Half of the L-SSFs sand beds were composed of sterilized sand (sterile) from the industrial filters and the other half with sand taken directly from the same industrial filter (non-sterile). All filters were operated for 10 weeks, with the microbial community and water quality parameters sampled and analysed weekly. To characterize the microbial community phyla-specific qPCR assays and 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were used in conjunction with an array of statistical techniques. The results demonstrate that it is possible to mimic both the water quality production and the structure of the microbial community of full-scale filters in the laboratory - at all levels of taxonomic classification except OTU - thus allowing comparison of LSSF experiments with full-scale units. Further, it was found that the sand type composing the filter bed (non-sterile or sterile), the water quality produced, the age of the filters and the depth of sand samples were all significant factors in explaining observed differences in the structure of the microbial consortia. This study is the first to the authors' knowledge that demonstrates that scaled-down slow sand filters can accurately reproduce the water quality and microbial consortia of full-scale slow sand filters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality modeling in the dead end sections of drinking water (Supplement)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Dead-end sections of drinking water distribution networks are known to be problematic zones in terms of water quality degradation. Extended residence time due to water stagnation leads to rapid reduction of disinfectant residuals allowing the regrowth of microbial pathogens. Water quality models developed so far apply spatial aggregation and temporal averaging techniques for hydraulic parameters by assigning hourly averaged water demands to the main nodes of the network. Although this practice has generally resulted in minimal loss of accuracy for the predicted disinfectant concentrations in main water transmission lines, this is not the case for the peripheries of the distribution network. This study proposes a new approach for simulating disinfectant residuals in dead end pipes while accounting for both spatial and temporal variability in hydraulic and transport parameters. A stochastic demand generator was developed to represent residential water pulses based on a non-homogenous Poisson process. Dispersive solute transport was considered using highly dynamic dispersion rates. A genetic algorithm was used tocalibrate the axial hydraulic profile of the dead-end pipe based on the different demand shares of the withdrawal nodes. A parametric sensitivity analysis was done to assess the model performance under variation of different simulation parameters. A group of Monte-Carlo ensembles was carried out to investigate the influence of spatial and temporal variation

Understanding the influence of climate change on the embodied energy of water supply.

PubMed

Mo, Weiwei; Wang, Haiying; Jacobs, Jennifer M

2016-05-15

The current study aims to advance understandings on how and to what degree climate change will affect the life cycle chemical and energy uses of drinking water supply. A dynamic life cycle assessment was performed to quantify historical monthly operational embodied energy of a selected water supply system located in northeast US. Comprehensive multivariate and regression analyses were then performed to understand the statistical correlation among monthly life cycle energy consumptions, three water quality indicators (UV254, pH, and water temperature), and five climate indicators (monthly mean temperature, monthly mean maximum/minimum temperatures, total precipitation, and total snow fall). Thirdly, a calculation was performed to understand how volumetric and total life cycle energy consumptions will change under two selected IPCC emission scenarios (A2 and B1). It was found that volumetric life cycle energy consumptions are highest in winter months mainly due to the higher uses of natural gas in the case study system, but total monthly life cycle energy consumptions peak in both July and January because of the increasing water demand in summer months. Most of the variations in chemical and energy uses can be interpreted by water quality and climate variations except for the use of soda ash. It was also found that climate change might lead to an average decrease of 3-6% in the volumetric energy use of the case study system by the end of the century. This result combined with conclusions reached by previous climate versus water supply studies indicates that effects of climate change on drinking water supply might be highly dependent on the geographical location and treatment process of individual water supply systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A linear and non-linear polynomial neural network modeling of dissolved oxygen content in surface water: Inter- and extrapolation performance with inputs' significance analysis.

PubMed

Šiljić Tomić, Aleksandra; Antanasijević, Davor; Ristić, Mirjana; Perić-Grujić, Aleksandra; Pocajt, Viktor

2018-01-01

Accurate prediction of water quality parameters (WQPs) is an important task in the management of water resources. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are frequently applied for dissolved oxygen (DO) prediction, but often only their interpolation performance is checked. The aims of this research, beside interpolation, were the determination of extrapolation performance of ANN model, which was developed for the prediction of DO content in the Danube River, and the assessment of relationship between the significance of inputs and prediction error in the presence of values which were of out of the range of training. The applied ANN is a polynomial neural network (PNN) which performs embedded selection of most important inputs during learning, and provides a model in the form of linear and non-linear polynomial functions, which can then be used for a detailed analysis of the significance of inputs. Available dataset that contained 1912 monitoring records for 17 water quality parameters was split into a "regular" subset that contains normally distributed and low variability data, and an "extreme" subset that contains monitoring records with outlier values. The results revealed that the non-linear PNN model has good interpolation performance (R 2 =0.82), but it was not robust in extrapolation (R 2 =0.63). The analysis of extrapolation results has shown that the prediction errors are correlated with the significance of inputs. Namely, the out-of-training range values of the inputs with low importance do not affect significantly the PNN model performance, but their influence can be biased by the presence of multi-outlier monitoring records. Subsequently, linear PNN models were successfully applied to study the effect of water quality parameters on DO content. It was observed that DO level is mostly affected by temperature, pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and phosphorus concentration, while in extreme conditions the importance of alkalinity and bicarbonates rises over pH and BOD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water Resources Research Grant Program Project Descriptions: Fiscal Year 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lew, Melvin; McCoy, Beverly M.

1989-01-01

This report contains information on the 38 new projects funded by the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources Research Grant Program in fiscal year 1988 and on 11 projects completed during the year. For the new projects, the report gives the grant number, project title, performing organization, principal investigator(s), project duration, and a project description that includes: (1) identification of water-related problems and problem-solution approach, (2) contribution to problem solution, (3) objectives, and (4) approach. The 38 projects include 14 in the area of ground-water quality problems, 10 in the science and technology of water-quality management, 4 in climate variability and the hydrologic cycle, 7 in institutional change in water-resources management, and 3 in miscellaneous water-resources management problems. For the 11 completed projects, the report gives the grant number, project title, performing organization, principal investigator(s), starting date, date of receipt of final report, and an abstract of the final report. Each project description provides the information needed to obtain a copy of the final report. The report also contains tables showing (1) proposals received according to area of research interest, (2) grant awards and funding according to area of research interest, (3) proposals received according to type of submitting organization, and (4) awards and funding according to type of organization.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of pesticides in water by Carbopak-B solid-phase extraction and high-preformance liquid chromatography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Werner, Stephen L.; Burkhardt, Mark R.; DeRusseau, Sabrina N.

1996-01-01

In accordance with the needs of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA), the U.S. Geological Survey has developed and implemented a graphitized carbon-based solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic analytical method. The method is used to determine 41 pesticides and pesticide metabolites that are not readily amenable to gas chromatography or other high-temperature analytical techniques. Pesticides are extracted from filtered environmental water samples using a 0.5-gram graphitized carbon-based solid-phase cartridge, eluted from the cartridge into two analytical fractions, and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection. The upper concentration limit is 1.6 micrograms per liter (=B5g/L) for most compounds. Single-operator method detection limits in organic-free water samples ranged from 0.006 to 0.032 =B5g/L= Recoveries in organic-free water samples ranged from 37 to 88 percent. Recoveries in ground- and surface-water samples ranged from 29 to 94 percent. An optional on-site extraction procedure allows for samples to be collected and processed at remote sites where it is difficult to ship samples to the laboratory within the recommended pre-extraction holding time of 7 days.

Microbial quality and molecular identification of cultivable microorganisms isolated from an urban drinking water distribution system (Limassol, Cyprus).

PubMed

Botsaris, George; Kanetis, Loukas; Slaný, Michal; Parpouna, Christiana; Makris, Konstantinos C

2015-12-01

Microorganisms can survive and multiply in aged urban drinking water distribution systems, leading to potential health risks. The objective of this work was to investigate the microbial quality of tap water and molecularly identify its predominant cultivable microorganisms. Tap water samples collected from 24 different households scattered in the urban area of Limassol, Cyprus, were microbiologically tested following standard protocols for coliforms, E. coli, Pseudomonas spp., Enterococcus spp., and total viable count at 22 and 37 °C. Molecular identification was performed on isolated predominant single colonies using 16SrRNA sequencing. Approximately 85% of the household water samples were contaminated with one or more microorganisms belonging to the genera of Pseudomonas, Corynebacterium, Agrobacterium, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Delftia, Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, and Aeromonas. However, all samples tested were free from E. coli. This is the first report in Cyprus molecularly confirming specific genera of relevant microbial communities in tap water.

Comparison of solid-phase and pore-water approaches for assessing the quality of marine and estuarine sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Robert Scott; Chapman, Duane C.

1992-01-01

As part of our continuing evaluation of the pore-water approach for assessing sediment quality, we made a series of side-by-side comparisons between the standard 10-day amphipod whole sediment test with the corophiid Grandidierella japonica and a suite of tests using pore water extracted from the same sediments. the pore-water tests evaluated were the sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) sperm cell test and morphological development assay, the life-cycle test with the polychaete Dinophilus gyrociliatus, and acute exposures of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) embryo-larval stages. Sediment and surface microlayer samples were collected from contaminated sites. Whole-sediment, pore-water, and surface microlayer toxicity tests were performed. Pore-water toxicity tests were considerably more sensitive than the whole-sediment amphipod test, which is currently the most sensitive toxicity test now recommended for determining the acceptability of dredged material for open ocean disposal.

Cumulative uncertainty in measured streamflow and water quality data for small watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harmel, R.D.; Cooper, R.J.; Slade, R.M.; Haney, R.L.; Arnold, J.G.

2006-01-01

The scientific community has not established an adequate understanding of the uncertainty inherent in measured water quality data, which is introduced by four procedural categories: streamflow measurement, sample collection, sample preservation/storage, and laboratory analysis. Although previous research has produced valuable information on relative differences in procedures within these categories, little information is available that compares the procedural categories or presents the cumulative uncertainty in resulting water quality data. As a result, quality control emphasis is often misdirected, and data uncertainty is typically either ignored or accounted for with an arbitrary margin of safety. Faced with the need for scientifically defensible estimates of data uncertainty to support water resource management, the objectives of this research were to: (1) compile selected published information on uncertainty related to measured streamflow and water quality data for small watersheds, (2) use a root mean square error propagation method to compare the uncertainty introduced by each procedural category, and (3) use the error propagation method to determine the cumulative probable uncertainty in measured streamflow, sediment, and nutrient data. Best case, typical, and worst case "data quality" scenarios were examined. Averaged across all constituents, the calculated cumulative probable uncertainty (??%) contributed under typical scenarios ranged from 6% to 19% for streamflow measurement, from 4% to 48% for sample collection, from 2% to 16% for sample preservation/storage, and from 5% to 21% for laboratory analysis. Under typical conditions, errors in storm loads ranged from 8% to 104% for dissolved nutrients, from 8% to 110% for total N and P, and from 7% to 53% for TSS. Results indicated that uncertainty can increase substantially under poor measurement conditions and limited quality control effort. This research provides introductory scientific estimates of uncertainty in measured water quality data. The results and procedures presented should also assist modelers in quantifying the "quality"of calibration and evaluation data sets, determining model accuracy goals, and evaluating model performance.

Seasonal Variations in Water-Quality, Antibiotic Residues, Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Escherichia coli Isolates from Water and Sediments of the Kshipra River in Central India.

PubMed

Diwan, Vishal; Hanna, Nada; Purohit, Manju; Chandran, Salesh; Riggi, Emilia; Parashar, Vivek; Tamhankar, Ashok J; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia

2018-06-17

To characterize the seasonal variation, over one year, in water-quality, antibiotic residue levels, antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from water and sediment of the Kshipra River in Central India. Water and sediment samples were collected from seven selected points from the Kshipra River in the Indian city of Ujjain in the summer, rainy season, autumn and winter seasons in 2014. Water quality parameters (physical, chemical and microbiological) were analyzed using standard methods. High-performance liquid chromatography⁻tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of antibiotic residues. In river water and sediment samples, antibiotic resistance and multidrug resistance patterns of isolated E. coli to 17 antibiotics were tested and genes coding for resistance and phylogenetic groups were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher tests were applied to determine seasonal variation. In river water, seasonal variation was significantly associated with various water quality parameters, presence of sulfamethoxazole residues, bacteria resistant to ampicillin, cefepime, meropenem, amikacin, gentamicin, tigecycline, multidrug resistance and CTX-M-1 gene. The majority of the Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolates from river water and sediment in all different seasons belonged to phylogenetic group A or B1. Antibiotic pollution, resistance and resistance genes in the Kshipra River showed significant seasonal variation. Guidelines and regulatory standards are needed to control environmental dissemination of these “pollutants” in this holy river.

National List of Beaches

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has published a list of coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches (or similar points of access) used by the public in the U.S. The list, required by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act), identifies waters that are subject to a state beach water quality monitoring and public notification program consistent with the National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for BEACH Act Grants.

PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION OF ADVANCED MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR AIR, WATER, AND SOIL

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program, beginning as an initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1995, verifies the performance of commercially available, innovative technologies that can be used to assess environmental quality. The ETV p...

Trends and variability of water quality in Lake Tana, Ethiopia using MODIS-Aqua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuca, N. M.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Monger, B. C.

2017-12-01

Determining long-term water quality trends and variability in remote inland lakes has been challenging due to a lack of continuous in situ measurements. Utilizing ocean color remote sensing techniques for these lakes is difficult due to their sizes, shapes, and optically complex waters. Lake Tana is the largest body of water in Ethiopia, and is located in the country's northwestern highlands. The lake is quite shallow, averaging at about 8 meters depth, and is characteristically turbid due to nearby land degradation and high soil erosion rates. Lake Tana is an important source of accessible water for the rapidly growing population of Ethiopia and serves as the headwaters for the Blue Nile. Therefore, understanding water quality trends and seasonal variation over the past decade is essential to better preparing for future water needs. Here we use MODIS-Aqua data spanning years 2002-2016 to investigate these trends and variability in Lake Tana, where in situ measurements are limited. Daily water quality products were first processed using SeaDAS and then aggregated by month and year for analyses. Frequent cloud cover in the June, July, and August (JJA) rainy season due to monsoon and zonal dynamics presents an obstacle for obtaining mean lake values during these months. We also performed analyses on targeted regions of Lake Tana to determine whether some of the major tributaries and their corresponding watersheds have more influence on observed trends than others.

[HYGIENIC JUSTIFICATION OF OPTIMIZATION OF THE INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER ACCORDING TO THE WATER QUALITY INDEX].

PubMed

Krasovskiy, G N; Rakhmanin, Yu; Egorova, N

2015-01-01

The present study is devoted to theoretical questions of optimization of integrated assessment of the composition and properties of drinking water with the use of the Water Quality Index (WQI) and considering in it all 4 criteria for its hygienic quality-sanitary-toxicological, microbiological, radiation and organoleptic. There is presented a sequence of the analysis of benchmark data of the laboratory study of drinking water, including the selection of priority indices, their distribution into 4 groups according to hygienic criteria, calculations the ratios of real values (C) of indices to their hygiene MPC and the final calculation of the WQI. There is emphasized the importance of classes of hazard of substances, and the need for the special attention to the substances-carcinogens in the integrated assessment of water quality. To overcome the non-equivalence of contributions to the assessment of water quality factors, measured in different units, often disparated in their effect on human health, there are used the principles of combined action at levels below the MCL:C/MPC indices of performance of the unidirectional action are summed (e.g. carcinogenic substances), from indices of the independent action there are selected the most significant ones with the highest values of C/MPC, besides that there are also used counterbalancing factors K determined accordingly to Delphi method, with a maximum values of 5 for carcinogens and the minimum value of 1 for the substances affecting the organoleptic properties ofwater. There is presented the scheme of the final calculation of the value of WQI.

Transferable Discharge Permit Trading Under Varying Stream Conditions: A Simulation of Multiperiod Permit Market Performance on the Fox River, Wisconsin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neil, William B.

1983-06-01

The state of Wisconsin has recently established the legislative basis for what may be the first, operating water-pollution permit market in the United States. The efficient properties of such markets have been discussed widely in the theoretical literature, but little empirical work has been published regarding the potential cost savings attainable in specific situations. This paper describes part of the empirical analysis that supported the creation of a transferable discharge permit (TDP) market on the Fox River in Wisconsin. A multiperiod water quality planning model is developed to illustrate the performance of a TDP market under conditions of varying stream flow and temperature. The model is applied to the case of the Fox River and is used to compare the cost of achieving target water quality levels under conventional regulatory rules with the cost associated with operation of a TDP market. In addition to the cost estimates, the simulation of market performance yields information on the probable pattern of trading that may occur in the Fox River TDP market.

A Web-Based Decision Support System for Assessing Regional Water-Quality Conditions and Management Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, N. L.; Everman, E.; Kuo, I.; Sprague, L.; Murphy, L.

2011-12-01

A new web-based decision support system has been developed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program's (NAWQA) effort to provide ready access to Spatially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) results of stream water-quality conditions and to offer sophisticated scenario testing capabilities for research and water-quality planning via an intuitive graphical user interface with a map-based display. The SPARROW Decision Support System (DSS) is delivered through a web browser over an Internet connection, making it widely accessible to the public in a format that allows users to easily display water-quality conditions, distribution of nutrient sources, nutrient delivery to downstream waterbodies, and simulations of altered nutrient inputs including atmospheric and agricultural sources. The DSS offers other features for analysis including various background map layers, model output exports, and the ability to save and share prediction scenarios. SPARROW models currently supported by the DSS are based on the modified digital versions of the 1:500,000-scale River Reach File (RF1) and 1:100,000-scale National Hydrography Dataset (medium-resolution, NHDPlus) stream networks. The underlying modeling framework and server infrastructure illustrate innovations in the information technology and geosciences fields for delivering SPARROW model predictions over the web by performing intensive model computations and map visualizations of the predicted conditions within the stream network.

Effect of intense short rainfall events on coastal water quality parameters from remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbari, Chiara; Lassini, Fabio; Mancini, Marco

2016-07-01

Strong rainfall events, especially during summer, in small river basins cause spills in the sea that often compromise the quality of coastal waters. The goal of this paper is then to study the changes of coastal waters quality as a result of intense rainfall events during the bathing season through the use of remote sensing data. These analyses are performed at the outlets of small watersheds which are not usually affected by high sediment transport as in the case of large basins which are persistently affected by intense solid transport which does not allow retrieving a reliable correlation between rainfall events and water quality parameters. Four small watersheds in different Italian regions on the Mediterranean Sea are selected for this study. The remotely sensed parameters of turbidity, total suspend solids and secchi disk depth, are retrieved from MODIS data. Secchi disk depths are also compared to available ground data during the summer seasons between 2003 and 2006 showing good correlations. Then the spatial and temporal changes of these parameters are analyzed after intense short storm events. Increases of turbidity and total suspend solids are found to be around 35 NTU and 20 mg L-1 respectively depending on the intensity of the rainfall event and on the distance from the shoreline. Moreover the recovery of water quality after the rain event is reached after two or three days.

Probabilistic Determination of Green Infrastructure Pollutant Removal Rates from the International Stormwater BMP Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliom, R.; Hogue, T. S.; McCray, J. E.

2017-12-01

There is a need for improved parameterization of stormwater best management practices (BMP) performance estimates to improve modeling of urban hydrology, planning and design of green infrastructure projects, and water quality crediting for stormwater management. Percent removal is commonly used to estimate BMP pollutant removal efficiency, but there is general agreement that this approach has significant uncertainties and is easily affected by site-specific factors. Additionally, some fraction of monitored BMPs have negative percent removal, so it is important to understand the probability that a BMP will provide the desired water quality function versus exacerbating water quality problems. The widely used k-C* equation has shown to provide a more adaptable and accurate method to model BMP contaminant attenuation, and previous work has begun to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the k-C* method. However, no systematic method exists for obtaining first-order removal rate constants needed to use the k-C* equation for stormwater BMPs; thus there is minimal application of the method. The current research analyzes existing water quality data in the International Stormwater BMP Database to provide screening-level parameterization of the k-C* equation for selected BMP types and analysis of factors that skew the distribution of efficiency estimates from the database. Results illustrate that while certain BMPs are more likely to provide desired contaminant removal than others, site- and design-specific factors strongly influence performance. For example, bioretention systems show both the highest and lowest removal rates of dissolved copper, total phosphorous, and total nitrogen. Exploration and discussion of this and other findings will inform the application of the probabilistic pollutant removal rate constants. Though data limitations exist, this research will facilitate improved accuracy of BMP modeling and ultimately aid decision-making for stormwater quality management in urban systems.

Quality-Assurance Plan for Water-Quality Activities in the USGS Ohio Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Francy, Donna S.; Shaffer, Kimberly H.

2008-01-01

In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Office of Water Quality in the Water Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey, a quality-assurance plan has been written for use by the Ohio Water Science Center in conducting water-quality activities. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the Ohio Water Science Center for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and publication of water-quality data. The policies and procedures documented in this quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities are meant to complement the Ohio Water Science Center quality-assurance plans for water-quality monitors, the microbiology laboratory, and surface-water and ground-water activities.

Method of analysis at the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center, Sacramento Laboratory - determination of haloacetic acid formation potential, method validation, and quality-control practices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zazzi, Barbara C.; Crepeau, Kathryn L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.

2005-01-01

An analytical method for the determination of haloacetic acid formation potential of water samples has been developed by the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center Sacramento Laboratory. The haloacetic acid formation potential is measured by dosing water samples with chlorine under specified conditions of pH, temperature, incubation time, darkness, and residual-free chlorine. The haloacetic acids formed are bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, dibromochloroacetic acid, dibromoacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, tribromoacetic acid, and trichloroacetic acid. They are extracted, methylated, and then analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector. Method validation experiments were performed to determine the method accuracy, precision, and detection limit for each of the compounds. Method detection limits for these nine haloacetic acids ranged from 0.11 to 0.45 microgram per liter. Quality-control practices include the use of blanks, quality-control samples, calibration verification standards, surrogate recovery, internal standard, matrix spikes, and duplicates.

Detection of human enteric viruses in stream water with RT-PCR and cell culture.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Denis-Mize, K.; Fout, G.S.; Dahling, D.R.; Francy, D.S.

2004-01-01

A multiplex RT-PCR method was used to measure virus occurrence at five stream water sites that span a range of hydroclimatic, water-quality, and land-use characteristics. The performance of the molecular method was evaluated in comparison with traditional cell culture and Escherichia coli membrane filtration assays. The study incorporated multiple quality controls and included a control for virus recovery during the sampling procedure as well as controls to detect potentially false-negative and false-positive data. Poliovirus recovery ranged from 16 to 65% and was variable, even in samples collected within the same stream. All five sites were positive for viruses by both molecular and cell culture-based virus assays. Enteroviruses, reoviruses, rotaviruses, and hepatitis A viruses were detected, but the use of the quality controls proved critical for interpretation of the molecular data. All sites showed evidence of faecal contamination, and culturable viruses were detected in four samples that would have met the US Environmental Protection Agency's recommended E. coli guideline for safe recreational water.

Water Quality Modeling in the Dead End Sections of Drinking ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Dead-end sections of drinking water distribution networks are known to be problematic zones in terms of water quality degradation. Extended residence time due to water stagnation leads to rapid reduction of disinfectant residuals allowing the regrowth of microbial pathogens. Water quality models developed so far apply spatial aggregation and temporal averaging techniques for hydraulic parameters by assigning hourly averaged water demands to the main nodes of the network. Although this practice has generally resulted in minimal loss of accuracy for the predicted disinfectant concentrations in main water transmission lines, this is not the case for the peripheries of a distribution network. This study proposes a new approach for simulating disinfectant residuals in dead end pipes while accounting for both spatial and temporal variability in hydraulic and transport parameters. A stochastic demand generator was developed to represent residential water pulses based on a non-homogenous Poisson process. Dispersive solute transport was considered using highly dynamic dispersion rates. A genetic algorithm was used to calibrate the axial hydraulic profile of the dead-end pipe based on the different demand shares of the withdrawal nodes. A parametric sensitivity analysis was done to assess the model performance under variation of different simulation parameters. A group of Monte-Carlo ensembles was carried out to investigate the influence of spatial and temporal variations

An investigation on co-axial water-jet assisted fiber laser cutting of metal sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhukar, Yuvraj K.; Mullick, Suvradip; Nath, Ashish K.

2016-02-01

Water assisted laser cutting has received significant attention in recent times with assurance of many advantages than conventional gas assisted laser cutting. A comparative study between co-axial water-jet and gas-jet assisted laser cutting of thin sheets of mild steel (MS) and titanium (Ti) by fiber laser is presented. Fiber laser (1.07 μm wavelength) was utilised because of its low absorption in water. The cut quality was evaluated in terms of average kerf, projected dross height, heat affected zone (HAZ) and cut surface roughness. It was observed that a broad range process parameter could produce consistent cut quality in MS. However, oxygen assisted cutting could produce better quality only with optimised parameters at high laser power and high cutting speed. In Ti cutting the water-jet assisted laser cutting performed better over the entire range of process parameters compared with gas assisted cutting. The specific energy, defined as the amount of laser energy required to remove unit volume of material was found more in case of water-jet assisted laser cutting process. It is mainly due to various losses associated with water assisted laser processing such as absorption of laser energy in water and scattering at the interaction zone.

Construction, water-level, and water-quality data for multiple-well monitoring sites and test wells, Fort Irwin National Training Center, San Bernardino County, California, 2009-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kjos, Adam R.; Densmore, Jill N.; Nawikas, Joseph M.; Brown, Anthony A.

2014-01-01

Because of increasing water demands at the U.S. Army Fort Irwin National Training Center, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army carried out a study to evaluate the water quality and potential groundwater supply of undeveloped basins within the U.S. Army Fort Irwin National Training Center. In addition, work was performed in the three developed basins—Langford, Bicycle, and Irwin—proximal to or underlying cantonment to provide information in support of water-resources management and to supplement monitoring in these basins. Between 2009 and 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey installed 41 wells to expand collection of water-resource data within the U.S. Army Fort Irwin National Training Center. Thirty-four monitoring wells (2-inch diameter) were constructed at 14 single- or multiple-well monitoring sites and 7 test wells (8-inch diameter) were installed. The majority of the wells were installed in previously undeveloped or minimally developed basins (Cronise, Red Pass, the Central Corridor area, Superior, Goldstone, and Nelson Basins) proximal to cantonment (primary base housing and infrastructure). Data associated with well construction, water-level monitoring, and water-quality sampling are presented in this report.

Bioavailability of atrazine, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in European river waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Akkanen, J.; Penttinen, S.; Haitzer, M.; Kukkonen, J.V.K.

2001-01-01

Thirteen river waters and one humic lake water were characterized. The effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the bioavailability of atrazine, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) was evaluated. Binding of the chemicals by DOM was analyzed with the equilibrium dialysis technique. For each of the water samples, 24 h bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of the chemicals were measured in Daphnia magna. The relationship between DOM and other water characteristics (including conductivity, water hardness and pH), and bioavailability of the chemicals was studied by performing several statistical analyses, including multiple regression analyses, to determine how much of the variation of BCF values could be explained by the quantity and quality of DOM. The bioavailability of atrazine was not affected by DOM or any other water characteristics. Although equilibrium dialysis showed binding of pyrene to DOM, the bioavailability of pyrene was not significantly affected by DOM. The bioavailability of B[a]P was significantly affected by both the quality and quantity of DOM. Multiple regression analyses, using the quality (ABS270 and HbA%) and quantity of DOM as variables, explainedup to 70% of the variation in BCF of B[a]P in the waters studied. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life Support Systems Microbial Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, Monsi C.

2010-01-01

Many microbiological studies were performed during the development of the Space Station Water Recovery and Management System from1990-2009. Studies include assessments of: (1) bulk phase (planktonic) microbial population (2) biofilms, (3) microbially influenced corrosion (4) biofouling treatments. This slide presentation summarizes the studies performed to assess the bulk phase microbial community during the Space Station Water Recovery Tests (WRT) from 1990 to 1998. This report provides an overview of some of the microbiological analyses performed during the Space Station WRT program. These tests not only integrated several technologies with the goal of producing water that met NASA s potable water specifications, but also integrated humans, and therefore human flora into the protocols. At the time these tests were performed, not much was known (or published) about the microbial composition of these types of wastewater. It is important to note that design changes to the WRS have been implemented over the years and results discussed in this report might be directly related to test configurations that were not chosen for the final flight configuration. Results microbiological analyses performed Conclusion from the during the WRT showed that it was possible to recycle water from different sources, including urine, and produce water that can exceed the quality of municipally produced water.

New prospects of VESUVIO applied to measurements in water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Palomino, L. A.; Dawidowski, J.; Blostein, J. J.; Cuello, G. J.

2014-12-01

We present new measurements on mixtures of light and heavy water in the spectrometer VESUVIO (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK), and analyze them from the perspective of different kind of applications. We perform a single detector analysis and show the multiple scattering and attenuation corrections with the aim to employ them in mass- spectrometry. We also show the capabilities to perform transmission measurements to determine total cross sections of an acceptable quality by means of its transmission monitor.

A novel integrated modelling framework to assess the impacts of climate and socio-economic drivers on land use and water quality.

PubMed

Zessner, Matthias; Schönhart, Martin; Parajka, Juraj; Trautvetter, Helene; Mitter, Hermine; Kirchner, Mathias; Hepp, Gerold; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Strenn, Birgit; Schmid, Erwin

2017-02-01

Changes in climatic conditions will directly affect the quality and quantity of water resources. Further on, they will affect them indirectly through adaptation in land use which ultimately influences diffuse nutrient emissions to rivers and therefore potentially the compliance with good ecological status according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). We present an integrated impact modelling framework (IIMF) to track and quantify direct and indirect pollution impacts along policy-economy-climate-agriculture-water interfaces. The IIMF is applied to assess impacts of climatic and socio-economic drivers on agricultural land use (crop choices, farming practices and fertilization levels), river flows and the risk for exceedance of environmental quality standards for determination of the ecological water quality status in Austria. This article also presents model interfaces as well as validation procedures and results of single models and the IIMF with respect to observed state variables such as land use, river flow and nutrient river loads. The performance of the IIMF for calculations of river nutrient loads (120 monitoring stations) shows a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.73 for nitrogen and 0.51 for phosphorus. Most problematic is the modelling of phosphorus loads in the alpine catchments dominated by forests and mountainous landscape. About 63% of these catchments show a deviation between modelled and observed loads of 30% and more. In catchments dominated by agricultural production, the performance of the IIMF is much better as only 30% of cropland and 23% of permanent grassland dominated areas have a deviation of >30% between modelled and observed loads. As risk of exceedance of environmental quality standards is mainly recognized in catchments dominated by cropland, the IIMF is well suited for assessing the nutrient component of the WFD ecological status. Copyright © 2016 British Geological Survey, NERC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of chemometric methods for assessment and modelling of microbiological quality data concerning coastal bathing water in Greece.

PubMed

Papaioannou, Agelos; Rigas, George; Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2014-12-02

Worldwide, the aim of managing water is to safeguard human health whilst maintaining sustainable aquatic and associated terrestrial, ecosystems. Because human enteric viruses are the most likely pathogens responsible for waterborne diseases from recreational water use, but detection methods are complex and costly for routine monitoring, it is of great interest to determine the quality of coastal bathing water with a minimum cost and maximum safety. This study handles the assessment and modelling of the microbiological quality data of 2149 seawater bathing areas in Greece over 10-year period (1997-2006) by chemometric methods. Cluster analysis results indicated that the studied bathing beaches are classified in accordance with the seasonality in three groups. Factor analysis was applied to investigate possible determining factors in the groups resulted from the cluster analysis, and also two new parameters were created in each group; VF1 includes E. coli, faecal coliforms and total coliforms and VF2 includes faecal streptococci/enterococci. By applying the cluster analysis in each seasonal group, three new groups of coasts were generated, group A (ultraclean), group B (clean) and group C (contaminated). The above analysis is confirmed by the application of discriminant analysis, and proves that chemometric methods are useful tools for assessment and modeling microbiological quality data of coastal bathing water on a large scale, and thus could attribute to effective and economical monitoring of the quality of coastal bathing water in a country with a big number of bathing coasts, like Greece. Significance for public healthThe microbiological protection of coastal bathing water quality is of great interest for the public health authorities as well as for the economy. The present study proves that this protection can be achieved by monitoring only two microbiological parameters, E. coli and faecal streptococci/enterococci instead four microbiological parameters (the two mentioned above plus Total coliforms and Faecal coliforms) that are usually monitored today. As a consequence, countries, especially those with large quantities of coastal bathing sites, can perform microbiological monitoring of their bathing waters by checking only the mentioned two parameters, thus ensuring economies of scale. Thus, funds can be used in other actions to preserve the quality of coastal water and human health. This in turn, would aid in the assessment of the quality of coastal bathing waters and provide a more timely indication of bathing water quality, hence contributing to the immediate health protection of bathers.

Tensiometer-Based Irrigation Management of Subirrigated Soilless Tomato: Effects of Substrate Matric Potential Control on Crop Performance

PubMed Central

Montesano, Francesco F.; Serio, Francesco; Mininni, Carlo; Signore, Angelo; Parente, Angelo; Santamaria, Pietro

2015-01-01

Automatic irrigation scheduling based on real-time measurement of soilless substrate water status has been recognized as a promising approach for efficient greenhouse irrigation management. Identification of proper irrigation set points is crucial for optimal crop performance, both in terms of yield and quality, and optimal use of water resources. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of irrigation management based on matric potential control on growth, plant–water relations, yield, fruit quality traits, and water-use efficiency of subirrigated (through bench system) soilless tomato. Tensiometers were used for automatic irrigation control. Two cultivars, “Kabiria” (cocktail type) and “Diana” (intermediate type), and substrate water potential set-points (−30 and −60 hPa, for “Diana,” and −30, −60, and −90 hPa for “Kabiria”), were compared. Compared with −30 hPa, water stress (corresponding to a −60 hPa irrigation set-point) reduced water consumption (14%), leaf area (18%), specific leaf area (19%), total yield (10%), and mean fruit weight (13%), irrespective of the cultivars. At −60 hPa, leaf-water status of plants, irrespective of the cultivars, showed an osmotic adjustment corresponding to a 9% average osmotic potential decrease. Total yield, mean fruit weight, plant water, and osmotic potential decreased linearly when −30, −60, and −90 hPa irrigation set-points were used in “Kabiria.” Unmarketable yield in “Diana” increased when water stress was imposed (187 vs. 349 g·plant−1, respectively, at −30 and −60 hPa), whereas the opposite effect was observed in “Kabiria,” where marketable yield loss decreased linearly [by 1.05 g·plant−1 per unit of substrate water potential (in the tested range from −30 to −90 hPa)]. In the second cluster, total soluble solids of the fruit and dry matter increased irrespective of the cultivars. In the seventh cluster, in “Diana,” only a slight increase was observed from −30 vs. −60 hPa (3.3 and 1.3%, respectively, for TSS and dry matter), whereas in “Kabiria,” the increase was more pronounced (8.7 and 12.0%, respectively, for TSS and dry matter), and further reduction in matric potential from −60 to −90 hPa confirmed the linear increase for both parameters. Both glucose and fructose concentrations increased linearly in “Kabiria” fruits on decreasing the substrate matric potential, whereas in “Diana,” there was no increase. It is feasible to act on matric potential irrigation set-points to control plant response in terms of fruit quality parameters. Precise control of substrate water status may offer the possibility to steer crop response by enhancing different crop-performance components, namely yield and fruit quality, in subirrigated tomato. Small-sized fruit varieties benefit more from controlled water stress in terms of reduced unmarketable yield loss and fruit quality improvements. PMID:26779189

Water quality monitor. [spacecraft potable water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, S.; Crisos, J.; Baxter, W.

1979-01-01

The preprototype water quality monitor (WQM) subsystem was designed based on a breadboard monitor for pH, specific conductance, and total organic carbon (TOC). The breadboard equipment demonstrated the feasibility of continuous on-line analysis of potable water for a spacecraft. The WQM subsystem incorporated these breadboard features and, in addition, measures ammonia and includes a failure detection system. The sample, reagent, and standard solutions are delivered to the WQM sensing manifold where chemical operations and measurements are performed using flow through sensors for conductance, pH, TOC, and NH3. Fault monitoring flow detection is also accomplished in this manifold assembly. The WQM is designed to operate automatically using a hardwired electronic controller. In addition, automatic shutdown is incorporated which is keyed to four flow sensors strategically located within the fluid system.

An integrated logit model for contamination event detection in water distribution systems.

PubMed

Housh, Mashor; Ostfeld, Avi

2015-05-15

The problem of contamination event detection in water distribution systems has become one of the most challenging research topics in water distribution systems analysis. Current attempts for event detection utilize a variety of approaches including statistical, heuristics, machine learning, and optimization methods. Several existing event detection systems share a common feature in which alarms are obtained separately for each of the water quality indicators. Unifying those single alarms from different indicators is usually performed by means of simple heuristics. A salient feature of the current developed approach is using a statistically oriented model for discrete choice prediction which is estimated using the maximum likelihood method for integrating the single alarms. The discrete choice model is jointly calibrated with other components of the event detection system framework in a training data set using genetic algorithms. The fusing process of each indicator probabilities, which is left out of focus in many existing event detection system models, is confirmed to be a crucial part of the system which could be modelled by exploiting a discrete choice model for improving its performance. The developed methodology is tested on real water quality data, showing improved performances in decreasing the number of false positive alarms and in its ability to detect events with higher probabilities, compared to previous studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards spatially smart abatement of human pharmaceuticals in surface waters: Defining impact of sewage treatment plants on susceptible functions.

PubMed

Coppens, Lieke J C; van Gils, Jos A G; Ter Laak, Thomas L; Raterman, Bernard W; van Wezel, Annemarie P

2015-09-15

For human pharmaceuticals, sewage treatment plants (STPs) are a major point of entry to surface waters. The receiving waters provide vital functions. Modeling the impact of STPs on susceptible functions of the surface water system allows for a spatially smart implementation of abatement options at, or in the service area of, STPs. This study was performed on a nation-wide scale for the Netherlands. Point source emissions included were 345 Dutch STPs and nine rivers from neighboring countries. The Dutch surface waters were represented by 2511 surface water units. Modeling was performed for two extreme discharge conditions. Monitoring data of 7 locations along the rivers Rhine and Meuse fall mostly within the range of modeled concentrations. Half of the abstracted volumes of raw water for drinking water production, and a quarter of the Natura 2000 areas (European Union nature protection areas) hosted by the surface waters, are influenced by STPs at low discharge. The vast majority of the total impact of all Dutch STPs during both discharge conditions can be attributed to only 19% of the STPs with regard to the drinking water function, and to 39% of the STPs with regard to the Natura 2000 function. Attributing water treatment technologies to STPs as one of the possible measures to improve water quality and protect susceptible functions can be done in a spatially smart and cost-effective way, using consumption-based detailed hydrological and water quality modeling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced intelligent water drops algorithm for multi-depot vehicle routing problem

PubMed Central

Akutsah, Francis; Olusanya, Micheal O.; Adewumi, Aderemi O.

2018-01-01

The intelligent water drop algorithm is a swarm-based metaheuristic algorithm, inspired by the characteristics of water drops in the river and the environmental changes resulting from the action of the flowing river. Since its appearance as an alternative stochastic optimization method, the algorithm has found applications in solving a wide range of combinatorial and functional optimization problems. This paper presents an improved intelligent water drop algorithm for solving multi-depot vehicle routing problems. A simulated annealing algorithm was introduced into the proposed algorithm as a local search metaheuristic to prevent the intelligent water drop algorithm from getting trapped into local minima and also improve its solution quality. In addition, some of the potential problematic issues associated with using simulated annealing that include high computational runtime and exponential calculation of the probability of acceptance criteria, are investigated. The exponential calculation of the probability of acceptance criteria for the simulated annealing based techniques is computationally expensive. Therefore, in order to maximize the performance of the intelligent water drop algorithm using simulated annealing, a better way of calculating the probability of acceptance criteria is considered. The performance of the proposed hybrid algorithm is evaluated by using 33 standard test problems, with the results obtained compared with the solutions offered by four well-known techniques from the subject literature. Experimental results and statistical tests show that the new method possesses outstanding performance in terms of solution quality and runtime consumed. In addition, the proposed algorithm is suitable for solving large-scale problems. PMID:29554662

Enhanced intelligent water drops algorithm for multi-depot vehicle routing problem.

PubMed

Ezugwu, Absalom E; Akutsah, Francis; Olusanya, Micheal O; Adewumi, Aderemi O

2018-01-01

The intelligent water drop algorithm is a swarm-based metaheuristic algorithm, inspired by the characteristics of water drops in the river and the environmental changes resulting from the action of the flowing river. Since its appearance as an alternative stochastic optimization method, the algorithm has found applications in solving a wide range of combinatorial and functional optimization problems. This paper presents an improved intelligent water drop algorithm for solving multi-depot vehicle routing problems. A simulated annealing algorithm was introduced into the proposed algorithm as a local search metaheuristic to prevent the intelligent water drop algorithm from getting trapped into local minima and also improve its solution quality. In addition, some of the potential problematic issues associated with using simulated annealing that include high computational runtime and exponential calculation of the probability of acceptance criteria, are investigated. The exponential calculation of the probability of acceptance criteria for the simulated annealing based techniques is computationally expensive. Therefore, in order to maximize the performance of the intelligent water drop algorithm using simulated annealing, a better way of calculating the probability of acceptance criteria is considered. The performance of the proposed hybrid algorithm is evaluated by using 33 standard test problems, with the results obtained compared with the solutions offered by four well-known techniques from the subject literature. Experimental results and statistical tests show that the new method possesses outstanding performance in terms of solution quality and runtime consumed. In addition, the proposed algorithm is suitable for solving large-scale problems.

Estimating the effectiveness of using atmospheric deaerators for decarbonizing makeup water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larin, B. M.; Larin, A. B.

2015-02-01

According to the water coolant quality standards, the makeup water supplied to a thermal power plant's (TPP) steam-generating systems must not have any content of free carbonic acid. As a rule, free and partially bound carbonic acid is removed from makeup water supplied to the power-generating boilers at TPPs in atmospheric deaerators. Their performance as decarbonizers can be evaluated by measuring the pH values of water supplied to the deaerator and of the deaerated water. A procedure for calculating the residual concentration of carbonic acid in deaerated water and the decarbonization effect from the change in the pH value (ΔpH) is presented together with an example of calculation carried out by specialists of the Ivanovo State Power Engineering University based on a long-term industrial experiment performed on DSA-300 atmospheric deaerators.

BASIC Programming In Water And Wastewater Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreschel, Thomas

1988-01-01

Collection of computer programs assembled for use in water-analysis laboratories. First program calculates quality-control parameters used in routine water analysis. Second calculates line of best fit for standard concentrations and absorbances entered. Third calculates specific conductance from conductivity measurement and temperature at which measurement taken. Fourth calculates any one of four types of residue measured in water. Fifth, sixth, and seventh calculate results of titrations commonly performed on water samples. Eighth converts measurements, to actual dissolved-oxygen concentration using oxygen-saturation values for fresh and salt water. Ninth and tenth perform calculations of two other common titrimetric analyses. Eleventh calculates oil and grease residue from water sample. Last two use spectro-photometric measurements of absorbance at different wavelengths and residue measurements. Programs included in collection written for Hewlett-Packard 2647F in H-P BASIC.

Evaluation of Green Roof Water Quantity and Quality Performance in an Urban Climate

EPA Science Inventory

In this report we present an analysis of water benefits from an array of observed green roof and control (non-vegetated) roof project sites throughout NYC. The projects are located on a variety of building sites and represent a diverse set of available extensive green roof instal...

Public Attitudes towards Socio-Cultural Aspects of Water Supply and Sanitation Services: Palestine as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddad, Marwan

2005-01-01

Identifying and considering public attitudes towards various aspects of water supply and sanitation services by planners and decision makers represent an important developmental element relating to the quality, efficiency, and performance of those services. A sample of 1000 Palestinian adults completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes towards…

Effects of semi-continous peracetic acid dosing on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss performance, water quality, and off-flavor compounds in recirculation aquaculture systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water clarifying and disinfection techniques such as ozonation and ultraviolet irradiation are commonly used in recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS); however, the capital and operating costs of these technologies are expensive. Cost-effective treatment options that maintain fish health and simult...

Production, performance, slaughter characteristics, and meat quality of Ziwuling wild crossbred pigs.

PubMed

Chen, Guoshun; Sui, Yanan

2018-02-01

Wild boars, because of their large size and ability to survive adverse conditions, are usually used to cross with domestic breeds to improve the quality of domesticated pigs. This study aimed to investigate the growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality of Ziwuling crossbred pigs. Crossbred pigs in four groups (n = 8 per group, 4 boars and 4 sows, all aged 100 days), F 1 [wild × B (Bamei)], F 1  × B, F 1  × Y (Yorkshire), and F 1  × F 1 , were selected at a commercial pig farm. Growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality of these crossbred pigs were determined. Characteristics of fatty acids, amino acids, and longissimus muscle fiber in relation to growth, carcass, and meat quality traits were also investigated. Pigs in F 1 and F 1  × F 1 groups had lower average daily weight gain, water and storage loss rates, larger meat color score, higher muscle amino acid levels, larger muscle fiber diameter, and higher ratio of flavor amino acids to unsaturated fatty acids compared to other groups. Crossbred pigs with higher rate of wild boar's consanguinity could improve production performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality. Thus, crossbreeding wild pig with domestic breeds might be an effective method to improve meat quality and flavor.

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting for quality control of Phragmitis rhizoma (Lugen) produced in Baiyangdian

PubMed Central

Li, Hong; Gao, Yu-Mei; Zhang, Jing; Wang, Lin; Wang, Xiao-Xin

2013-01-01

Objective: To establish an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) fingerprinting method for quality control of Phragmitis rhizoma from Baiyangdian. Materials and Methods: Ultrasonic extraction with 70% methanol was performed on 10 samples of P. rhizoma collected from 10 different villages in Baiyangdian. The sample solutions were analyzed by Waters UPLC equipped with the ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column and photodiode array (PDA) detector, and gradient eluted with acetonitrile/water as the mobile phase. The flow rate was set to 0.1 mL/min; the column temperature was set to 25°C; and the detection wavelength was set to 285 nm. Results: The chromatograms of the 10 samples showed 27 common peaks, of which one was identified as the ferulic acid standard. The similarity indexes were all above 0.82. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the constituents and their quantities differed according to the diameter of the original plant, which is related to its age. Conclusion: The UPLC fingerprinting method had the advantages of being fast, accurate, and highly efficient; this indicated that it can be used for quality control of P. rhizoma produced in Baiyangdian. Also, the relation between the quality and diameter/age of the plant needs to be further investigated. PMID:24124278

Evaluation of spatial and temporal water quality in the Akkaya dam watershed (Niğde, Turkey) and management implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaşar Korkanç, Selma; Kayıkçı, Sedef; Korkanç, Mustafa

2017-05-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the water pollution in the Akkaya Dam watershed spatially and temporally and put forward management suggestions in a watershed scale. For this purpose, monthly water sampling was performed from 11 sampling stations on streams that fed the dam. According to land surveys they have a potential to inflict pollution to the dam. Thus the physical and chemical parameters (i.e. pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, temperature, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and suspended solids) were monitored monthly for 1-year period. Chloride, sulfate, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate were monitored for a 6-month period, and the results were evaluated in accordance with the Turkish Regulation of Surface Water Quality Management. Results of the study show that the most important reasons for the pollution in the dam are caused by domestic and industrial wastewaters, which were released to the system without being treated, or without being sufficiently treated, and also of agricultural activities. It was determined that electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, nitrite, nitrate, total nitrogen, sulfate, and chloride parameters which were high at the sampling stations where domestic and industrial wastewaters discharge were present. pH and temperature demonstrate a difference at a significant level by seasons. As a result of the study, it was determined that the water was of IVth quality in terms of nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, and total nitrogen, and it was of IIIrd quality water with respect to ammonium, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. It was observed that the dam outflow water was of IVth quality with respect to nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, and total nitrogen, and of IIIrd quality with respect to dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity. It is considered that the pollution problem in the Akkaya Dam can only be resolved with prevention studies on a watershed scale. Therefore, coordination between the institutions is necessary. The preparation for the integrated water management plan of the watershed will provide a significant contribution to the solution of the water quality problem.

Follow-Up Study to Assess the Use and Performance of Household Filters in Zambia

PubMed Central

Peletz, Rachel; Simuyandi, Michelo; Simunyama, Martin; Sarenje, Kelvin; Kelly, Paul; Clasen, Thomas

2013-01-01

Effective household water treatment can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease if used correctly and consistently over time. One year after completion of a randomized controlled study of water filters among households in Zambia with children < 2 years old and mothers who were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, we conducted a follow-up study to assess use and performance of new filters distributed at the conclusion of the study; 90% of participating households met the criteria for current users, and 75% of participating households had stored water with lower levels of fecal contamination than source water. Microbiologically, the filters continued to perform well, removing an average of 99.0% of fecal indicator bacteria. Although this study provides some encouraging evidence about the potential to maintain high uptake and filter performance, even in the absence of regular household visits, additional research is necessary to assess whether these results can be achieved over longer periods and with larger populations. PMID:24100635

Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination. An evaluation of water quality, and of its impact on end products.

PubMed

D'Acunzo, Francesca; Del Cimmuto, Angela; Marinelli, Lucia; Aurigemma, Caterina; De Giusti, Maria

2012-01-01

We evaluated the microbiological impact of low-level chlorination (1 ppm free chlorine) on the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables by monitoring the microbiological quality of irrigation and processing water in two production plants over a 4-season period, as well as the microbiological quality of unprocessed vegetables and RTE product. Water samples were also characterized in terms of some chemical and physico-chemical parameters of relevance in chlorination management. Both producers use water with maximum 1 ppm free chlorine for vegetables rinsing, while the two processes differ by the number of washing cycles. Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp were detected once in two different irrigation water samples out of nine from one producer. No pathogens were found in the vegetable samples. As expected, the procedure encompassing more washing cycles performed slightly better in terms of total mesophilic count (TMC) when comparing unprocessed and RTE vegetables of the same batch. However, data suggest that low-level chlorination may be insufficient in preventing microbial build-up in the washing equipment and/or batch-to batch cross-contamination.

Treatment performance of a constructed wetland during storm and non-storm events in Korea.

PubMed

Maniquiz, M C; Lee, S Y; Choi, J Y; Jeong, S M; Kim, L H

2012-01-01

The efficiency of a free water surface flow constructed wetland (CW) in treating agricultural discharges from stream was investigated during storm and non-storm events between April and December, 2009. Physico-chemical and water quality constituents were monitored at five sampling locations along the flow path of the CW. The greatest reduction in pollutant concentration was observed after passing the sedimentation zone at approximately 4% fractional distance from the inflow. The inflow hydraulic loading, flow rates and pollutant concentrations were significantly higher and variable during storm events than non-storm (baseflow) condition (p <0.001) that resulted to an increase in the average pollutant removal efficiencies by 10 to 35%. The highest removal percentages were attained for phosphate (51 ± 22%), ammonium (44 ± 21%) and phosphorus (38 ± 19%) while nitrate was least effectively retained by the system with only 25 ± 17% removal during non-storm events. The efficiency of the system was most favorable when the temperature was above 15 °C (i.e., almost year-round except the winter months) and during storm events. Overall, the outflow water quality was better than the inflow water quality signifying the potential of the constructed wetland as a treatment system and capability of improving the stream water quality.

Spatial and temporal assessment of surface water quality in the Arka River, Akkar, Lebanon.

PubMed

Daou, Claude; Nabbout, Rony; Kassouf, Amine

2016-12-01

Surface water quality monitoring constitutes a crucial and important step in any water quality management system. Twenty-three physicochemical and microbiological parameters were assessed in surface water samples collected from the Arka River located in the Akkar District, north of Lebanon. Eight sampling locations were considered along the river and seven sampling campaigns were performed in order to evaluate spatial and temporal influences. The extraction of relevant information from this relatively large data set was done using principal component analysis (PCA), being a very well established chemometric tool in this field. In a first step, extracted PCA loadings revealed the implication of several physicochemical parameters in the discriminations and trends highlighted by PCA scores, mainly due to soil leaching and seawater intrusion. However, further investigations showed the implication of organic and bacterial parameters in the discrimination of stations in the Akkar flatland. These discriminations probably refer to anthropogenic pollution coming from the agricultural area and the surrounding villages. Specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA) indices confirmed these findings since values decreased for samples collected across the villages and the flatland, indicating an increase in anthropogenic dissolved organic matter. This study will hopefully help the national and local authorities to ameliorate the surface water quality management, enabling its proper use for irrigation purposes.

The role of pesticide fate modelling in a prevention-led approach to potable water quality management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolan, Tom; Pullan, Stephanie; Whelan, Mick; Parsons, David

2013-04-01

Diffuse inputs from agriculture are commonly the main source of pesticide contamination in surface water and may have implications for the quality of treated drinking water. After privatisation in 1991, UK water companies primarily focused on the provision of sufficient water treatment to reduce the risk of non-compliance with the European Drinking Water Directive (DWD), under which all pesticide concentrations must be below 0.1µg/l and UK Water Supply Regulations for the potable water they supply. Since 2000, Article 7 of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has begun to drive a prevention-led approach to compliance with the DWD. As a consequence water companies are now more interested in the quality of 'raw' (untreated) water at the point of abstraction. Modelling (based upon best available estimates of cropping, pesticide use, weather conditions, pesticide characteristics, and catchment characteristics) and monitoring of raw water quality can both help to determine the compliance risks associated with the quality of this 'raw' water resource. This knowledge allows water companies to prioritise active substances for action in their catchments, and is currently used in many cases to support the design of monitoring programmes for pesticide active substances. Additional value can be provided if models are able to help to identify the type and scale of catchment management interventions required to achieve DWD compliance for pesticide active substances through pollution prevention at source or along transport pathways. These questions were explored using a simple catchment-scale pesticide fate and transport model. The model employs a daily time-step and is semi-lumped with calculations performed for soil type and crop combinations, weighted by their proportions within the catchment. Soil properties are derived from the national soil database and the model can, therefore, be applied to any catchment in England and Wales. Various realistic catchment management intervention scenarios were explored (including changes to land use and pesticide usage) with the aim of providing a useful input to the debate between water companies, their regulators and pesticide users over the scale of catchment management required to support both DWD and WFD Article 7 compliance.

Expected Improvements in the Quantitative Remote Sensing of Optically Complex Waters with the Use of an Optically Fast Hyperspectral Spectrometer—A Modeling Study

PubMed Central

Moses, Wesley J.; Bowles, Jeffrey H.; Corson, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Using simulated data, we investigated the effect of noise in a spaceborne hyperspectral sensor on the accuracy of the atmospheric correction of at-sensor radiances and the consequent uncertainties in retrieved water quality parameters. Specifically, we investigated the improvement expected as the F-number of the sensor is changed from 3.5, which is the smallest among existing operational spaceborne hyperspectral sensors, to 1.0, which is foreseeable in the near future. With the change in F-number, the uncertainties in the atmospherically corrected reflectance decreased by more than 90% across the visible-near-infrared spectrum, the number of pixels with negative reflectance (caused by over-correction) decreased to almost one-third, and the uncertainties in the retrieved water quality parameters decreased by more than 50% and up to 92%. The analysis was based on the sensor model of the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) but using a 30-m spatial resolution instead of HICO’s 96 m. Atmospheric correction was performed using Tafkaa. Water quality parameters were retrieved using a numerical method and a semi-analytical algorithm. The results emphasize the effect of sensor noise on water quality parameter retrieval and the need for sensors with high Signal-to-Noise Ratio for quantitative remote sensing of optically complex waters. PMID:25781507

Evaluation of multi-resolution satellite sensors for assessing water quality and bottom depth of Lake Garda.

PubMed

Giardino, Claudia; Bresciani, Mariano; Cazzaniga, Ilaria; Schenk, Karin; Rieger, Patrizia; Braga, Federica; Matta, Erica; Brando, Vittorio E

2014-12-15

In this study we evaluate the capabilities of three satellite sensors for assessing water composition and bottom depth in Lake Garda, Italy. A consistent physics-based processing chain was applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and RapidEye. Images gathered on 10 June 2014 were corrected for the atmospheric effects with the 6SV code. The computed remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) from MODIS and OLI were converted into water quality parameters by adopting a spectral inversion procedure based on a bio-optical model calibrated with optical properties of the lake. The same spectral inversion procedure was applied to RapidEye and to OLI data to map bottom depth. In situ measurements of Rrs and of concentrations of water quality parameters collected in five locations were used to evaluate the models. The bottom depth maps from OLI and RapidEye showed similar gradients up to 7 m (r = 0.72). The results indicate that: (1) the spatial and radiometric resolutions of OLI enabled mapping water constituents and bottom properties; (2) MODIS was appropriate for assessing water quality in the pelagic areas at a coarser spatial resolution; and (3) RapidEye had the capability to retrieve bottom depth at high spatial resolution. Future work should evaluate the performance of the three sensors in different bio-optical conditions.

Microbiological concerns and methodological approaches related to bacterial water quality in spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pyle, Barry H.; Mcfeters, Gordon A.

1992-01-01

A number of microbiological issues are of critical importance to crew health and system performance in spacecraft water systems. This presentation reviews an army of these concerns which include factors that influence water treatment and disinfection in spaceflight such as biofilm formation and the physiological responses of bacteria in clean water systems. Factors associated with spaceflight like aerosol formation under conditions of microgravity are also discussed within the context of airborne infections such as Legionellosis. Finally, a spectrum of analytical approaches is reviewed to provide an evaluation of methodological alternatives that have been suggested or used to detect microorganisms of interest in water systems. These range from classical approaches employing colony formation on specific microbiological growth media to direct (i.e. microscopic) and indirect (e.g. electrochemical) methods as well as the use of molecular approaches and gene probes. These techniques are critically evaluated for their potential utility in determining microbiological water quality through the detection of microorganisms under the influence of ambient environmental stress inherent in spaceflight water systems.

Water Resources Research Grant Program project descriptions, fiscal year 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1987-01-01

This report contains information on the 34 new projects funded by the United States Geological Survey 's Water Resources Research Grant Program in fiscal year 1987 and on 3 projects completed during the year. For the new projects, the report gives the grant number, project title, performing organization, principal investigator(s), and a project description that includes: (1) identification of water related problems and problem-solution approach (2) contribution to problem solution, (3) objectives, and (4) approach. The 34 projects include 12 in the area of groundwater quality problems, 12 in the science and technology of water quality management, 1 in climate variability and the hydrologic cycle, 4 in institutional change in water resources management, and 5 in surface water management. For the three completed projects, the report furnishes the grant number; project title; performing organization; principal investor(s); starting data; data of receipt of final report; and an abstract of the final report. Each project description provides the information needed to obtain a copy of the final report. The report contains tables showing: (1) proposals received according to area of research interest, (2) grant awards and funding according to area of research interest, (3) proposals received according to type of submitting organization, and (4) awards and funding according to type of organization. (Author 's abstract)

What's in Your Water? An Educator's Guide to Water Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Constabile, Kerry, Comp.; Craig, Heidi, Comp.; O'Laughlin, Laura, Comp.; Reiss, Anne Bei, Comp.; Spencer, Liz, Comp.

This guide provides basic information on the Clean Water Act, watersheds, and testing for water quality, and presents four science lesson plans on water quality. Activities include: (1) "Introduction to Water Quality"; (2) "Chemical Water Quality Testing"; (3) "Biological Water Quality Testing"; and (4) "What Can We Do?" (YDS)

Water quality assessment and apportionment of pollution sources using APCS-MLR and PMF receptor modeling techniques in three major rivers of South Florida.

PubMed

Haji Gholizadeh, Mohammad; Melesse, Assefa M; Reddi, Lakshmi

2016-10-01

In this study, principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA), and the absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor modeling technique were used to assess the water quality and identify and quantify the potential pollution sources affecting the water quality of three major rivers of South Florida. For this purpose, 15years (2000-2014) dataset of 12 water quality variables covering 16 monitoring stations, and approximately 35,000 observations was used. The PCA/FA method identified five and four potential pollution sources in wet and dry seasons, respectively, and the effective mechanisms, rules and causes were explained. The APCS-MLR apportioned their contributions to each water quality variable. Results showed that the point source pollution discharges from anthropogenic factors due to the discharge of agriculture waste and domestic and industrial wastewater were the major sources of river water contamination. Also, the studied variables were categorized into three groups of nutrients (total kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, total phosphate, and ammonia-N), water murkiness conducive parameters (total suspended solids, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a), and salt ions (magnesium, chloride, and sodium), and average contributions of different potential pollution sources to these categories were considered separately. The data matrix was also subjected to PMF receptor model using the EPA PMF-5.0 program and the two-way model described was performed for the PMF analyses. Comparison of the obtained results of PMF and APCS-MLR models showed that there were some significant differences in estimated contribution for each potential pollution source, especially in the wet season. Eventually, it was concluded that the APCS-MLR receptor modeling approach appears to be more physically plausible for the current study. It is believed that the results of apportionment could be very useful to the local authorities for the control and management of pollution and better protection of important riverine water quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water technology for specific water usage.

PubMed

Frimmel, Fritz H

2003-01-01

Water is the basis for life and culture. In addition to the availability of water its quality has become a major issue in industrialized areas and in developing countries as well. Water usage has to be seen as part of the hydrological cycle. As a consequence water management has to be sustainable. The aim of the contribution is to give water usage oriented quality criteria and to focus on the technical means to achieve them. Water is used for many purposes, ranging from drinking and irrigation to a broad variety of technical processes. Most applications need specific hygienic, chemical and/or physical properties. To meet these demands separation and reaction principles are applied. The reuse of water and the application of water treatment with little or no waste and by-product formation is the way to go. Membrane separation and advanced oxidation including catalytic reactions are promising methods that apply natural processes in sustainable technical performance. Thus elimination of specific water constituents (e.g. salts and metals, microorganisms) and waste water cleaning (e.g. pollutants, nutrients and organic water) can be done efficiently. Learning from nature and helping nature with appropriate technology is a convincing strategy for sustainable water management.

An early warning system for groundwater pollution based on the assessment of groundwater pollution risks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weihong.; Zhao, Yongsheng; Hong, Mei; Guo, Xiaodong

2009-04-01

Groundwater pollution usually is complex and concealed, remediation of which is difficult, high cost, time-consuming, and ineffective. An early warning system for groundwater pollution is needed that detects groundwater quality problems and gets the information necessary to make sound decisions before massive groundwater quality degradation occurs. Groundwater pollution early warning were performed by considering comprehensively the current groundwater quality, groundwater quality varying trend and groundwater pollution risk . The map of the basic quality of the groundwater was obtained by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation or BP neural network evaluation. Based on multi-annual groundwater monitoring datasets, Water quality state in sometime of the future was forecasted using time-sequenced analyzing methods. Water quality varying trend was analyzed by Spearman's rank correlative coefficient.The relative risk map of groundwater pollution was estimated through a procedure that identifies, cell by cell,the values of three factors, that is inherent vulnerability, load risk of pollution source and contamination hazard. DRASTIC method was used to assess inherent vulnerability of aquifer. Load risk of pollution source was analyzed based on the potential of contamination and pollution degree. Assessment index of load risk of pollution source which involves the variety of pollution source, quantity of contaminants, releasing potential of pollutants, and distance were determined. The load risks of all sources considered by GIS overlay technology. Early warning model of groundwater pollution combined with ComGIS technology organically, the regional groundwater pollution early-warning information system was developed, and applied it into Qiqiha'er groundwater early warning. It can be used to evaluate current water quality, to forecast water quality changing trend, and to analyze space-time influencing range of groundwater quality by natural process and human activities. Keywords: groundwater pollution, early warning, aquifer vulnerability, pollution load, pollution risk, ComGIS

Quality-Assurance Plan for Water-Quality Activities of the U.S. Geological Survey Montana Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, John H.

2006-01-01

In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Office of Water Quality in the Water Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a quality-assurance plan has been created for use by the USGS Montana Water Science Center in conducting water-quality activities. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the USGS Montana Water Science Center for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and publication of water-quality data. The policies and procedures presented in this quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities complement the quality-assurance plans for surface-water and ground-water activities and suspended-sediment analysis.

Can There Ever Be Enough to Impact Water Quality? Evaluating BMPs in Elliot Ditch, Indiana Using the LTHIA-LID Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, M. S.; Hoover, F. A.; Bowling, L. C.

2017-12-01

Elliot Ditch is an urban/urbanizing watershed located in the city of Lafayette, IN, USA. The city continues to struggle with stormwater management and combined sewer overflow (CSO) events. Several best-management practices (BMP) such as rain gardens, green roofs, and bioswales have been implemented in the watershed, but the level of adoption needed to achieve meaningful impact is currently unknown. This study's goal is to determine what level of BMP coverage is needed to impact water quality, whether meaningful impact is determined by achieving water quality targets or statistical significance. A power analysis was performed using water quality data for total suspended solids (TSS), E.coli, total phosphorus (TP) and nitrate (NO3-N) from Elliot Ditch from 2011 to 2015. The minimum detectable difference (MDD) was calculated as the percent reduction in load needed to detect a significant change in the watershed. The water quality targets were proposed by stakeholders as part of a watershed management planning process. The water quality targets and the MDD percentages were then compared to simulated load reductions due to BMP implementation using the Long-term Hydrologic Impact Assessment-Low Impact Development (LTHIA-LID) model. Seven baseline model scenarios were simulated by implementing the maximum number of each of six types of BMPs (rain barrels, permeable patios, green roofs, grassed swale/bioswales, bioretention/rain gardens, and porous pavement), as well as all the practices combined in the watershed. These provide the baseline for targeted implementation scenarios designed to determine if statistically and physically meaningful load reductions can be achieved through BMP implementation alone.

Artificial neural network modeling of dissolved oxygen in reservoir.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Bo; Liu, Wen-Cheng

2014-02-01

The water quality of reservoirs is one of the key factors in the operation and water quality management of reservoirs. Dissolved oxygen (DO) in water column is essential for microorganisms and a significant indicator of the state of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, two artificial neural network (ANN) models including back propagation neural network (BPNN) and adaptive neural-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) approaches and multilinear regression (MLR) model were developed to estimate the DO concentration in the Feitsui Reservoir of northern Taiwan. The input variables of the neural network are determined as water temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, suspended solids, total hardness, total alkalinity, and ammonium nitrogen. The performance of the ANN models and MLR model was assessed through the mean absolute error, root mean square error, and correlation coefficient computed from the measured and model-simulated DO values. The results reveal that ANN estimation performances were superior to those of MLR. Comparing to the BPNN and ANFIS models through the performance criteria, the ANFIS model is better than the BPNN model for predicting the DO values. Study results show that the neural network particularly using ANFIS model is able to predict the DO concentrations with reasonable accuracy, suggesting that the neural network is a valuable tool for reservoir management in Taiwan.

Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling and Analysis Plan for Calendar Year 2004

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

Elvado Environmental LLC for the Environmental Compliance Department ES&H Division, Y-12 National Security Complex Oak Ridge, Tennessee

2003-09-30

This plan provides a description of the groundwater and surface water quality monitoring activities planned for calendar year (CY) 2004 at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex that will be managed by the Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). Groundwater and surface water monitoring performed by the GWPP during CY 2004 will be in accordance with the following requirements of DOE Order 5400.1: (1) to maintain surveillance of existing and potential groundwater contamination sources; (2) to provide for the early detection of groundwater contamination and determine the quality of groundwater and surface water where contaminants are mostmore » likely to migrate beyond the Oak Ridge Reservation property line; (3) to identify and characterize long-term trends in groundwater quality at Y-12; and (4) to provide data to support decisions concerning the management and protection of groundwater resources. Groundwater and surface water monitoring during CY 2004 will be performed primarily in three hydrogeologic regimes at Y-12: the Bear Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (Bear Creek Regime), the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (East Fork Regime), and the Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime (Chestnut Ridge Regime). The Bear Creek and East Fork regimes are located in Bear Creek Valley, and the Chestnut Ridge Regime is located south of Y-12 (Figure A.1). Additional surface water monitoring will be performed north of Pine Ridge, along the boundary of the Oak Ridge Reservation (Figure A.1). Modifications to the CY 2004 monitoring program may be necessary during implementation. Changes in programmatic requirements may alter the analytes specified for selected monitoring wells, or wells could be added or removed from the planned monitoring network. All modifications to the monitoring program will be approved by the Y-12 GWPP manager and documented as addenda to this sampling and analysis plan.« less

Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling and Analysis Plan for Calendar Year 2005

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

None

2004-09-30

This plan provides a description of the groundwater and surface water quality monitoring activities planned for calendar year (CY) 2005 at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) that will be managed by the Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). Groundwater and surface water monitoring performed by the GWPP during CY 2005 will be in accordance with DOE Order 540.1 requirements and the following goals: (1) to maintain surveillance of existing and potential groundwater contamination sources; (2) to provide for the early detection of groundwater contamination and determine the quality of groundwater and surface water where contaminantsmore » are most likely to migrate beyond the Oak Ridge Reservation property line; (3) to identify and characterize long-term trends in groundwater quality at Y-12; and (4) to provide data to support decisions concerning the management and protection of groundwater resources. Groundwater and surface water monitoring during CY 2005 will be performed primarily in three hydrogeologic regimes at Y-12: the Bear Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (Bear Creek Regime), the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (East Fork Regime), and the Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime (Chestnut Ridge Regime). The Bear Creek and East Fork regimes are located in Bear Creek Valley, and the Chestnut Ridge Regime is located south of Y-12 (Figure A.1). Additional surface water monitoring will be performed north of Pine Ridge, along the boundary of the Oak Ridge Reservation (Figure A.1). Modifications to the CY 2005 monitoring program may be necessary during implementation. Changes in programmatic requirements may alter the analytes specified for selected monitoring wells or may add or remove wells from the planned monitoring network. All modifications to the monitoring program will be approved by the Y-12 GWPP manager and documented as addenda to this sampling and analysis plan.« less

Determination of tributyltin in whole water matrices under the European Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Richter, Janine; Fettig, Ina; Philipp, Rosemarie; Jakubowski, Norbert; Panne, Ulrich; Fisicaro, Paola; Alasonati, Enrica

2016-08-12

Monitoring of water quality is important to control water pollution. Contamination of the aquatic system has a large effect on human health and the environment. Under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC and the related directive on environmental quality standards (EQS) in the field of water policy 2008/105/EC, the need for sensitive reference methods was highlighted. Since tributyltin (TBT) is one of the WFD listed priority substances a method was developed which is capable to qualify and quantify the pollutant at the required low WFD EQS of 0.2ngL(-1) in whole water bodies, i.e. in non-filtered water samples with dissolved organic carbon and suspended particulate matter. Therefore special attention was paid on the interaction of TBT with the suspended particulate matter and humic substances to obtain a complete representation of the pollution in surface waters. Different water samples were investigated varying the content of organic dissolved and suspended matter. Quantification was performed using species-specific isotope dilution (SSID) and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS). Different sample treatment strategies were evaluated and compared. The process of internal standard addition was investigated and optimized, hence the equilibrium between internal standards and matrix is of primary importance to perform accurate SSID. Samples spiked at EQS level were analyzed with a recovery between 95 and 105 %. Additionally real surface water samples were investigated and the TBT concentration for the whole water body was determined and compared with conventional routine analysis method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Upper Illinois River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedel, Michael J.

1998-01-01

During the past 25 years, industry and government made large financial investments that resulted in better water quality across the Nation; however, many water-quality concerns remain. Following a 1986 pilot project, the U.S. Geological Survey began implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991. This program differs from other national water-quality assessment studies in that the NAWQA integrates monitoring of surface- and ground-water quality with the study of aquatic ecosystems. The goals of the NAWQA Program are to (1) describe current water-quality conditions for a large part of the Nation's freshwater streams and aquifers (water-bearing sediments and rocks), (2) describe how water quality is changing over time, and (3) improve our understanding of the primary natural and human factors affecting water quality.The Upper Illinois River Basin National Water- Quality Assessment (NAWQA) study will increase the scientific understanding of surface- and ground-water quality and the factors that affect water quality in the basin. The study also will provide information needed by water-resource managers to implement effective water-quality management actions and evaluate long-term changes in water quality.

NASA-modified precipitation products to improve USEPA nonpoint source water quality modeling for the Chesapeake Bay.

PubMed

Nigro, Joseph; Toll, David; Partington, Ed; Ni-Meister, Wenge; Lee, Shihyan; Gutierrez-Magness, Angelica; Engman, Ted; Arsenault, Kristi

2010-01-01

The USEPA has estimated that over 20,000 water bodies within the United States do not meet water quality standards. One of the regulations in the Clean Water Act of 1972 requires states to monitor the total maximum daily load, or the amount of pollution that can be carried by a water body before it is determined to be "polluted," for any watershed in the United States (Copeland, 2005). In response to this mandate, the USEPA developed Better Assessment Science Integrating Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) as a decision support tool for assessing pollution and to guide the decision-making process for improving water quality. One of the models in BASINS, the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF), computes continuous streamflow rates and pollutant concentration at each basin outlet. By design, precipitation and other meteorological data from weather stations serve as standard model input. In practice, these stations may be unable to capture the spatial heterogeneity of precipitation events, especially if they are few and far between. An attempt was made to resolve this issue by substituting station data with NASA-modified/NOAA precipitation data. Using these data within HSPF, streamflow was calculated for seven watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay Basin during low flow periods, convective storm periods, and annual flows. In almost every case, the modeling performance of HSPF increased when using the NASA-modified precipitation data, resulting in better streamflow statistics and, potentially, in improved water quality assessment.

The occurrence and alleviation by surfactants of soil-water repellency on sand-based turfgrass systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cisar, J. L.; Williams, K. E.; Vivas, H. E.; Haydu, J. J.

2000-05-01

Even with routine irrigation, soil water-repellency on sand-based turfgrass systems can occur. This study evaluated three commercially available surfactants alone or in combination in 1996, four experimental surfactant formulations in 1997, and four commercially available surfactants and one experimental surfactant in 1998 for their effect on reducing soil-water repellency in mature Cynodon dactylon X Cynodon transvaalensis cv. Tifdwarf sand-based greens. The treatments in 1996 were a commercial standard AquaGro (AG), and two new products, Primer (P) and Aqueduct (AD), applied as liquids at the rates 250, 190 and 250 ml per 100 m2, respectively, and a control. Combination treatments of P+AG, and P+AD were also applied at standard rates. Surfactants were evaluated for their effect on turfgrass quality and percent dry spot incidence through a period of drought that induced soil-water repellency symptoms and subsequently through a period of recovery. Water drop penetration time (WDPT), on the soil cores were determined. Data were analyzed for statistical significance (P<0.05) by automated ANOVA procedures. Results in 1996 demonstrated that during a period of drought, P or AD generally provided both significantly (P<0.05) higher turfgrass quality and reduced percent dry spotting than AG and the control. Primer or AD significantly (P<0.05) reduced WDPT. Furthermore, during a recovery period following the drought, P or AD provided significantly (P<0.05) higher turfgrass quality than untreated controls. Combinations of P+AG or P+AD did not provide significantly higher quality turfgrass or less percent dry spots than individual applications of either P or AD. The second experiment in 1997 consisted of four experimental surfactant formulations of (ACA 1257, ACA 1313, ACA 1455, and ACA 1457), and a control applied at the recommended rate of 250 ml per 100 m2, weekly, to plots. As in 1996, surfactants were visually evaluated for turfgrass quality and percent dry spot incidence and soil cores for WDPT. Results demonstrated that ACA treatments generally provided significantly (P<0.10) higher turfgrass quality and reduced percent dry spotting than the untreated control. In 1998, for the third experiment, on a green with extensive soil-water repellency, AD, P, Cascade, LescoFlo, and an experimental surfactant (N-07/05) were applied to alleviate soil-water repellency symptoms. The four commercially available surfactants performed well and provided statistically equivalent (P<0.01) and better turfgrass quality and percent dry spot reduction than the untreated control. The N-07/05 treatment improved turfgrass quality and reduced dry spots compared to the untreated plots as well, but on most dates did not perform as well as the commercial standards.

Water Quality and Algal Data for the North Umpqua River Basin, Oregon, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Arnsberg, Andrew J.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Carpenter, Kurt D.

2006-01-01

The upper North Umpqua River Basin has experienced a variety of water-quality problems since at least the early 1990's. Several reaches of the North Umpqua River are listed as water-quality limited under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. Diamond Lake, a eutrophic lake that is an important source of water and nutrients to the upper North Umpqua River, is also listed as a water-quality limited waterbody (pH, nuisance algae). A draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) was proposed for various parameters and is expected to be adopted in full in 2006. Diamond Lake has supported potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms since 2001 that have resulted in closures to recreational water contact and impacts to the local economy. Increased populations of the invasive tui chub fish are reportedly responsible, because they feed on zooplankton that would otherwise control the algal blooms. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Diamond Lake Restoration Project advocates reduced fish biomass in Diamond Lake in 2006 as the preferred alternative. A restoration project scheduled to reduce fish biomass for the lake includes a significant water-level drawdown that began in January 2006. After the drawdown of Diamond Lake, the fish toxicant rotenone was applied to eradicate the tui chub. The lake will be refilled and restocked with game fish in 2007. Winter exports of nutrients from Diamond Lake during the restoration project could affect the summer trophic status of the North Umpqua River if retention and recycling in Lemolo Lake are significant. The FEIS includes comprehensive monitoring to assess the water quality of the restored Diamond Lake and the effects of that restoration downstream. One component of the monitoring is the collection of baseline data, in order to observe changes in the river's water quality and algal conditions resulting from the restoration of Diamond Lake. During July 2005, the USGS, in cooperation with Douglas County, performed a synoptic survey of water quality and algal conditions, the results of which can be used for comparison with post-restoration conditions in the river as well as with those documented in an earlier study in 1995. This report presents data from that survey.

Estimation of the possible flood discharge and volume of stormwater for designing water storage.

PubMed

Kirzhner, Felix; Kadmon, Avri

2011-01-01

The shortage of good-quality water resources is an important issue in arid and semiarid zones. Stormwater-harvesting systems that are capable of delivering good-quality wastewater for non-potable uses while taking into account environmental and health requirements must be developed. For this reason, the availability of water resources of marginal quality, like stormwater, can be a significant contribution to the water supply. Current stormwater management practices in the world require the creation of control systems that monitor quality and quantity of the water and the development of stormwater basins to store increased runoff volumes. Public health and safety considerations should be considered. Urban and suburban development, with the creation of buildings and roads and innumerable related activities, turns rain and snow into unwitting agents of damage to our nation's waterways. This urban and suburban runoff, legally known as stormwater, is one of the most significant sources of water pollution in the world. Based on various factors like water quality, runoff flow rate and speed, and the topography involved, stormwater can be directed into basins, purification plants, or to the sea. Accurate floodplain maps are the key to better floodplain management. The aim of this work is to use geographic information systems (GIS) to monitor and control the effect of stormwater. The graphic and mapping capabilities of GIS provide strong tools for conveying information and forecasts of different storm-water flow and buildup scenarios. Analyses of hydrologic processes, rainfall simulations, and spatial patterns of water resources were performed with GIS, which means, based on integrated data set, the flow of the water was introduced into the GIS. Two cases in Israel were analyzed--the Hula Project (the Jordan River floods over the peat soil area) and the Kishon River floodplains as it existed in the Yizrael Valley.

Impacts of global change on the concentrations and dilution of combined sewer overflows in a drinking water source.

PubMed

Jalliffier-Verne, Isabelle; Leconte, Robert; Huaringa-Alvarez, Uriel; Madoux-Humery, Anne-Sophie; Galarneau, Martine; Servais, Pierre; Prévost, Michèle; Dorner, Sarah

2015-03-01

This study presents an analysis of climate change impacts on a large river located in Québec (Canada) used as a drinking water source. Combined sewer overflow (CSO) effluents are the primary source of fecal contamination of the river. An analysis of river flowrates was conducted using historical data and predicted flows from a future climate scenario. A spatio-temporal analysis of water quality trends with regard to fecal contamination was performed and the effects of changing flowrates on the dilution of fecal contaminants were analyzed. Along the river, there was a significant spatial trend for increasing fecal pollution downstream of CSO outfalls. Escherichia coli concentrations (upper 95th percentile) increased linearly from 2002 to 2012 at one drinking water treatment plant intake. Two critical periods in the current climate were identified for the drinking water intakes considering both potential contaminant loads and flowrates: local spring snowmelt that precedes river peak flow and extra-tropical storm events that occur during low flows. Regionally, climate change is expected to increase the intensity of the impacts of hydrological conditions on water quality in the studied basin. Based on climate projections, it is expected that spring snowmelt will occur earlier and extreme spring flowrates will increase and low flows will generally decrease. High and low flows are major factors related to the potential degradation of water quality of the river. However, the observed degradation of water quality over the past 10 years suggests that urban development and population growth may have played a greater role than climate. However, climate change impacts will likely be observed over a longer period. Source water protection plans should consider climate change impacts on the dilution of contaminants in addition to local land uses changes in order to maintain or improve water quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water Quality Performance of Three Side-by-Side Permeable Pavement Surface Materials: Three Year Update

EPA Science Inventory

Communities are increasingly installing structural low impact development (LID) practices to mange stormwater and reduce pollutant loads associated with stormwater runoff. Permeable pavement is a LID practice that has limited research on working-scale, side-by-side performance o...

Central online hemodiafiltration in Japan: management of water quality and practice.

PubMed

Yamashita, Akihiro C; Sato, Takashi

2009-01-01

Hemodiafiltration (HDF) includes a variety of technologies and preparation of ultrapure dialysis fluid has made it possible to perform online HDF and its extensive alternatives. According to current statistics, 5.8% of ESRD patients are treated with HDF in Japan. The majority of these HDF treatments are performed using the central dialysis fluid delivery system (CDDS), this is because most Japanese clinicians and researchers consider that with CDDS it is easier to prepare substitution fluid; moreover, CDDS has economical advantages against single-patient dialysis machine (SPDM)-based counterparts. The water quality at each patient station (dialysis console) is regularly validated by bacterial culture (colony-forming units) and by measuring endotoxin concentration (ET). Since ET measurement takes much less time than bacterial culture, ET is often used as an indicator to verify the water quality for online use. Dialysis fluid with ET below the detection level (usually <0.001 EU/ml) is used for online substitution. In CDDS online HDF, since dialysis clinics must prepare not only the dialysis fluid but also the substitution fluid, they need to satisfy almost the same requirements as pharmaceutical water treatment factories do. The Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) together with the Japanese Society for Hemodiafiltration (JS-HDF) is now preparing guidelines to meet all these necessary requirements on a worldwide basis. (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Predicting Trihalomethanes (THMs) in the New York City Water Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukundan, R.; Van Dreason, R.

2013-12-01

Chlorine, a commonly used disinfectant in most water supply systems, can combine with organic carbon to form disinfectant byproducts including carcinogenic trihalomethanes (THMs). We used water quality data from 24 monitoring sites within the New York City (NYC) water supply distribution system, measured between January 2009 and April 2012, to develop site-specific empirical models for predicting total trihalomethane (TTHM) levels. Terms in the model included various combinations of the following water quality parameters: total organic carbon, pH, specific conductivity, and water temperature. Reasonable estimates of TTHM levels were achieved with overall R2 of about 0.87 and predicted values within 5 μg/L of measured values. The relative importance of factors affecting TTHM formation was estimated by ranking the model regression coefficients. Site-specific models showed improved model performance statistics compared to a single model for the entire system most likely because the single model did not consider locational differences in the water treatment process. Although never out of compliance in 2011, the TTHM levels in the water supply increased following tropical storms Irene and Lee with 45% of the samples exceeding the 80 μg/L Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in October and November. This increase was explained by changes in water quality parameters, particularly by the increase in total organic carbon concentration and pH during this period.

A review of the bioretention system for sustainable storm water management in urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafique, Muhammad

2016-10-01

Bioretention basins/rain garden is a very suitable low-impact development (LID) practice for storm water management around the globe. By using this practice in urban areas, flash flooding problems can be decreased and the environment of an area can be improved. The concept of bioretention was introduced a few decades ago and has been proven to be the best management practice (BMP) for storm water in urban areas. Due to urbanisation, natural surface areas are converted into hard surfaces such as roads, through which water cannot infiltrate into the ground. Due to this, infiltration decreases and surface run-off increases, which causes depletion of ground water continuously. In this study, we mainly explain the bioretention concept and its function as derived from different studies. This review includes different scientists' results for the performance of the bioretention system at different locations. A summary of the research findings by different scientists on the performance of bioretention systems is also provided, including the hydrologic and water quality performances. Finally, future work necessary to enhance the performance and widespread use of bioretention systems is also explained.

Assessment of the Efficacy of Home Remedial Methods to Improve Drinking Water Quality in Two Major Aquifer Systems in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Subanky, Suvendran

2017-01-01

Chunnakam and Vadamaradchi are two major aquifer systems in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. This study was performed to compare water quality in the domestic wells in these aquifers and to assess the efficacy of household water treatments for treating contaminated water. Replicate well water samples were collected from each aquifer and pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, temperature, total solids (TS), total hardness (TH), chemical oxygen demand (COD), oil and grease (OG), nitrate N (N), and total phosphate (TP) were measured. The sampled water from the domestic wells was filtered through commercial mineral filter and Moringa oleifera leaf powder and boiled at 100°C for 10 minutes and the TH, OG, N, and TP were measured. Both OG and N in Chunnakam were significantly higher and the DO were significantly lower than those of Vadamaradchi. TH, N, and OG of some wells exceeded the drinking water quality standards established by Sri Lanka Standards Institution. Moringa oleifera leaf powder filtration reduced N significantly and filtering through commercial mineral filter reduced OG, TH, and N significantly. Boiling at 100°C could remove TH significantly but may cause significant increase in N which might result in health impacts. PMID:29181225

Assessment of the Efficacy of Home Remedial Methods to Improve Drinking Water Quality in Two Major Aquifer Systems in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Wijeyaratne, W M Dimuthu Nilmini; Subanky, Suvendran

2017-01-01

Chunnakam and Vadamaradchi are two major aquifer systems in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. This study was performed to compare water quality in the domestic wells in these aquifers and to assess the efficacy of household water treatments for treating contaminated water. Replicate well water samples were collected from each aquifer and pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, temperature, total solids (TS), total hardness (TH), chemical oxygen demand (COD), oil and grease (OG), nitrate N (N), and total phosphate (TP) were measured. The sampled water from the domestic wells was filtered through commercial mineral filter and Moringa oleifera leaf powder and boiled at 100°C for 10 minutes and the TH, OG, N, and TP were measured. Both OG and N in Chunnakam were significantly higher and the DO were significantly lower than those of Vadamaradchi. TH, N, and OG of some wells exceeded the drinking water quality standards established by Sri Lanka Standards Institution. Moringa oleifera leaf powder filtration reduced N significantly and filtering through commercial mineral filter reduced OG, TH, and N significantly. Boiling at 100°C could remove TH significantly but may cause significant increase in N which might result in health impacts.

Public perceptions of drinking water: a postal survey of residents with private water supplies

PubMed Central

Jones, Andria Q; Dewey, Catherine E; Doré, Kathryn; Majowicz, Shannon E; McEwen, Scott A; David, Waltner-Toews; Eric, Mathews; Carr, Deborah J; Henson, Spencer J

2006-01-01

Background In Canada, the legal responsibility for the condition of private water supplies, including private wells and cisterns, rests with their owners. However, there are reports that Canadians test these water supplies intermittently and that treatment of such water is uncommon. An estimated 45% of all waterborne outbreaks in Canada involve non-municipal systems. An understanding of the perceptions and needs of Canadians served by private water supplies is essential, as it would enable public health professionals to better target public education and drinking water policy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the public perceptions of private water supplies in the City of Hamilton, Ontario (Canada), with the intent of informing public education and outreach strategies within the population. Methods A cross-sectional postal survey of 246 residences with private water supplies was conducted in May 2004. Questions pertained to the perceptions of water quality and alternative water sources, water testing behaviours and the self-identified need for further information. Results Private wells, cisterns or both, were the source of household water for 71%, 16% and 13% of respondents, respectively. Although respondents rated their water quality highly, 80% also had concerns with its safety. The most common concerns pertained to bacterial and chemical contamination of their water supply and its potential negative effect on health. Approximately 56% and 61% of respondents used in-home treatment devices and bottled water within their homes, respectively, mainly due to perceived improvements in the safety and aesthetic qualities compared to regular tap water. Testing of private water supplies was performed infrequently: 8% of respondents tested at a frequency that meets current provincial guidelines. Two-thirds of respondents wanted more information on various topics related to private water supplies. Flyers and newspapers were the two media reported most likely to be used. Conclusion Although respondents rated their water quality highly, the majority had concerns regarding the water from their private supply, and the use of bottled water and water treatment devices was extensive. The results of this study suggest important lines of inquiry and provide support and input for public education programs, particularly those related to private water testing, in this population. PMID:16608511

Water quality assessment with hierarchical cluster analysis based on Mahalanobis distance.

PubMed

Du, Xiangjun; Shao, Fengjing; Wu, Shunyao; Zhang, Hanlin; Xu, Si

2017-07-01

Water quality assessment is crucial for assessment of marine eutrophication, prediction of harmful algal blooms, and environment protection. Previous studies have developed many numeric modeling methods and data driven approaches for water quality assessment. The cluster analysis, an approach widely used for grouping data, has also been employed. However, there are complex correlations between water quality variables, which play important roles in water quality assessment but have always been overlooked. In this paper, we analyze correlations between water quality variables and propose an alternative method for water quality assessment with hierarchical cluster analysis based on Mahalanobis distance. Further, we cluster water quality data collected form coastal water of Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea of China, and apply clustering results to evaluate its water quality. To evaluate the validity, we also cluster the water quality data with cluster analysis based on Euclidean distance, which are widely adopted by previous studies. The results show that our method is more suitable for water quality assessment with many correlated water quality variables. To our knowledge, it is the first attempt to apply Mahalanobis distance for coastal water quality assessment.

Water Quality Assessment for Deep-water Channel area of Guangzhou Port based on the Comprehensive Water Quality Identification Index Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yi

2018-03-01

The comprehensive water quality identification index method is able to assess the general water quality situation comprehensively and represent the water quality classification; water environment functional zone achieves pollution level and standard objectively and systematically. This paper selects 3 representative zones along deep-water channel of Guangzhou port and applies comprehensive water quality identification index method to calculate sea water quality monitoring data for different selected zones from year 2006 to 2014, in order to investigate the temporal variation of water quality along deep-water channel of Guangzhou port. The comprehensive water quality level from north to south presents an increased trend, and the water quality of the three zones in 2014 is much better than in 2006. This paper puts forward environmental protection measurements and suggestions for Pearl River Estuary, provides data support and theoretical basis for studied sea area pollution prevention and control.

Power analysis and trend detection for water quality monitoring data. An application for the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irvine, Kathryn M.; Manlove, Kezia; Hollimon, Cynthia

2012-01-01

An important consideration for long term monitoring programs is determining the required sampling effort to detect trends in specific ecological indicators of interest. To enhance the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network’s water resources protocol(s) (O’Ney 2006 and O’Ney et al. 2009 [under review]), we developed a set of tools to: (1) determine the statistical power for detecting trends of varying magnitude in a specified water quality parameter over different lengths of sampling (years) and different within-year collection frequencies (monthly or seasonal sampling) at particular locations using historical data, and (2) perform periodic trend analyses for water quality parameters while addressing seasonality and flow weighting. A power analysis for trend detection is a statistical procedure used to estimate the probability of rejecting the hypothesis of no trend when in fact there is a trend, within a specific modeling framework. In this report, we base our power estimates on using the seasonal Kendall test (Helsel and Hirsch 2002) for detecting trend in water quality parameters measured at fixed locations over multiple years. We also present procedures (R-scripts) for conducting a periodic trend analysis using the seasonal Kendall test with and without flow adjustment. This report provides the R-scripts developed for power and trend analysis, tutorials, and the associated tables and graphs. The purpose of this report is to provide practical information for monitoring network staff on how to use these statistical tools for water quality monitoring data sets.

Explore the Impacts of River Flow and Water Quality on Fish Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, W. P.; Chang, F. J.; Lin, C. Y.; Hu, J. H.; Yu, C. J.; Chu, T. J.

2015-12-01

Owing to the limitation of geographical environment in Taiwan, the uneven temporal and spatial distribution of rainfall would cause significant impacts on river ecosystems. To pursue sustainable water resources development, integrity and rationality is important to water management planning. The water quality and the flow regimes of rivers are closely related to each other and affect river ecosystems simultaneously. Therefore, this study collects long-term observational heterogeneity data, which includes water quality parameters, stream flow and fish species in the Danshui River of norther Taiwan, and aims to explore the complex impacts of water quality and flow regime on fish communities in order to comprehend the situations of the eco-hydrological system in this river basin. First, this study improves the understanding of the relationship between water quality parameters, flow regime and fish species by using artificial neural networks (ANNs). The Self-organizing feature map (SOM) is an unsupervised learning process used to cluster, analyze and visualize a large number of data. The results of SOM show that nine clusters (3x3) forms the optimum map size based on the local minimum values of both quantization error (QE) and topographic error (TE). Second, the fish diversity indexes are estimated by using the Adapted network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on key input factors determined by the Gamma Test (GT), which is a useful tool for reducing model dimension and the structure complexity of ANNs. The result reveals that the constructed models can effectively estimate fish diversity indexes and produce good estimation performance based on the 9 clusters identified by the SOM, in which RMSE is 0.18 and CE is 0.84 for the training data set while RMSE is 0.20 and CE is 0.80 for the testing data set.

Hydrodynamic modelling of recreational water quality using Escherichia coli as an indicator of microbial contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eregno, Fasil Ejigu; Tryland, Ingun; Tjomsland, Torulv; Kempa, Magdalena; Heistad, Arve

2018-06-01

Microbial contamination of recreational beaches is often at its worst after heavy rainfall events due to storm floods that carry fecal matter and other pollutants from the watershed. Similarly, overflows of untreated sewage from combined sewerage systems may discharge directly into coastal water or via rivers and streams. In order to understand the effect of rainfall events, wind-directions and tides on the recreational water quality, GEMSS, an integrated 3D hydrodynamic model was applied to assess the spreading of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at the Sandvika beaches, located in the Oslo fjord. The model was also used to theoretically investigate the effect of discharges from septic tanks from boats on the water quality at local beaches. The model make use of microbial decay rate as the main input representing the survival of microbial pathogens in the ocean, which vary widely depending on the type of pathogen and environmental stress. The predicted beach water quality was validated against observed data after a heavy rainfall event using Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (E) and the overall result indicated that the model performed quite well and the simulation was in - good agreement with the observed E. coli concentrations for all beaches. The result of this study indicated that: 1) the bathing water quality was poor according to the EU bathing water directive up to two days after the heavy rainfall event depending on the location of the beach site. 2) The discharge from a boat at 300-meter distance to the beaches slightly increased the E. coli levels at the beaches. 3) The spreading of microbial pathogens from its source to the different beaches depended on the wind speed and the wind direction.

Integrated water management system - Description and test results. [for Space Station waste water processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elden, N. C.; Winkler, H. E.; Price, D. F.; Reysa, R. P.

1983-01-01

Water recovery subsystems are being tested at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center for Space Station use to process waste water generated from urine and wash water collection facilities. These subsystems are being integrated into a water management system that will incorporate wash water and urine processing through the use of hyperfiltration and vapor compression distillation subsystems. Other hardware in the water management system includes a whole body shower, a clothes washing facility, a urine collection and pretreatment unit, a recovered water post-treatment system, and a water quality monitor. This paper describes the integrated test configuration, pertinent performance data, and feasibility and design compatibility conclusions of the integrated water management system.

Monitoring water stress and fruit quality in an orange orchard under regulated deficit irrigation using narrow-band structural and physiological remote sensing indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stagakis, S.; González-Dugo, V.; Cid, P.; Guillén-Climent, M. L.; Zarco-Tejada, P. J.

2012-07-01

This paper deals with the monitoring of water status and the assessment of the effect of stress on citrus fruit quality using structural and physiological remote sensing indices. Four flights were conducted over a citrus orchard in 2009 using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying a multispectral camera with six narrow spectral bands in the visible and near infrared. Physiological indices such as the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI570), a new structurally robust PRI formulation that uses the 515 nm as the reference band (PRI515), and a chlorophyll ratio (R700/R670) were compared against the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Renormalized Difference Vegetation Index (RDVI) and Modified Triangular Vegetation Index (MTVI) canopy structural indices for their performance in tracking water status and the effects of sustained water stress on fruit quality at harvest. The irrigation setup in the commercial orchard was compared against a treatment scheduled to satisfy full requirements (based on estimated crop evapotranspiration) using two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies. The water status of the trees throughout the experiment was monitored with frequent field measurements of stem water potential (Ψx), while titratable acidity (TA) and total soluble solids (TSS) were measured at harvest on selected trees from each irrigation treatment. The high spatial resolution of the multispectral imagery (30 cm pixel size) enabled identification of pure tree crown components, extracting the tree reflectance from shaded, sunlit and aggregated pixels. The physiological and structural indices were then calculated from each tree at the following levels: (i) pure sunlit tree crown, (ii) entire crown, aggregating the within-crown shadows, and (iii) simulating a lower resolution pixel, including tree crown, sunlit and shaded soil pixels. The resulting analysis demonstrated that both PRI formulations were able to track water status, except when water stress altered canopy structure. In such cases, PRI570 was more affected than PRI515 by the structural changes caused by sustained water stress throughout the season. Both PRI formulations were proven to serve as pre-visual water stress indicators linked to fruit quality TSS and TA parameters (r2 = 0.69 for PRI515 vs TSS; r2 = 0.58 vs TA). In contrast, the chlorophyll (R700/R670) and structural indices (NDVI, RDVI, MTVI) showed poor relationships with fruit quality and water status levels (r2 = 0.04 for NDVI vs TSS; r2 = 0.19 vs TA). The two PRI formulations showed strong relationships with the field-measured fruit quality parameters in September, the beginning of stage III, which appeared to be the period most sensitive to water stress and the most critical for assessing fruit quality in citrus. Both PRI515 and PRI570 showed similar performance for the two scales assessed (sunlit crown and entire crown), demonstrating that within-crown component separation is not needed in citrus tree crowns where the shaded vegetation component is small. However, the simulation conducted through spatial resampling on tree + soil aggregated pixels revealed that the physiological indices were highly affected by soil reflectance and between-tree shadows, showing that for TSS vs PRI515 the relationship dropped from r2 = 0.69 to r2 = 0.38 when aggregating soil + crown components. This work confirms a previous study that demonstrated the link between PRI570, water stress, and fruit quality, while also making progress in assessing the new PRI formulation (PRI515), the within-crown shadow effects on the physiological indices, and the need for high resolution imagery to target individual tree crowns for the purpose of evaluating the effects of water stress on fruit quality in citrus.

Use of GIS Technology in Surface Water Monitoring fro Targeted Policy Intervention in a Mountainous Catchment in Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giali, Gabriela; Schneider, Petra

2015-04-01

USE OF GIS TECHNOLOGY IN SURFACE WATER MONITORING FOR TARGETED POLICY INTERVENTION IN A MOUNTAINOUS CATCHMENT IN ROMANIA The collection of information on surface water quality is a specific activity that takes place systematically and regularly at regional and national scale, and it is important for the assessment of the water quality as well as for water management policy-making. A data base information management using a Geographical Information System (GIS) forms an important aspect of environmental management, which provides the frame for processing and visualisation of water monitoring data and information as well as for the optimisation of monitoring concepts. This paper presents an architecture performed by a GIS which provides a grafic database and attributes the nesessary measurements of the water quality to different sections of the mountainous catchment of the Suceava river in the north of Romania. With this approach the location of the water sampling points can be optimised in terms of the selection and setting of the river sections. To facilitate the setting of the sampling locations in the various sections of water sampling in the river, the presented GIS system provides to the user different information layers with combined or isolated data according to the objectives. In the frame of the research were created 5 layers of information in the basin under study, underlying the determination of a new information layer, namely the "Hydrografic Network Graded to Hydrographic Sections". Practically, in the studied basin were established 8 sections for water sampling locations, and the water quality characterization was done by the consideration of 15 quality indicators. The GIS system presented in this research is a valuable, useful and adaptable to land use changes data base that can be exploited by any number of combinations, its capabilities justify it's role as "tool to support decision making." With this characteristics it supports the policy-making of the competent bodies to fulfil the requirements of EC Water Framework Directive on catchment scale and it serves as planning tool for hydroengineering and water resources management.

A new unconditionally stable and consistent quasi-analytical in-stream water quality solution scheme for CSTR-based water quality simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woldegiorgis, Befekadu Taddesse; van Griensven, Ann; Pereira, Fernando; Bauwens, Willy

2017-06-01

Most common numerical solutions used in CSTR-based in-stream water quality simulators are susceptible to instabilities and/or solution inconsistencies. Usually, they cope with instability problems by adopting computationally expensive small time steps. However, some simulators use fixed computation time steps and hence do not have the flexibility to do so. This paper presents a novel quasi-analytical solution for CSTR-based water quality simulators of an unsteady system. The robustness of the new method is compared with the commonly used fourth-order Runge-Kutta methods, the Euler method and three versions of the SWAT model (SWAT2012, SWAT-TCEQ, and ESWAT). The performance of each method is tested for different hypothetical experiments. Besides the hypothetical data, a real case study is used for comparison. The growth factors we derived as stability measures for the different methods and the R-factor—considered as a consistency measure—turned out to be very useful for determining the most robust method. The new method outperformed all the numerical methods used in the hypothetical comparisons. The application for the Zenne River (Belgium) shows that the new method provides stable and consistent BOD simulations whereas the SWAT2012 model is shown to be unstable for the standard daily computation time step. The new method unconditionally simulates robust solutions. Therefore, it is a reliable scheme for CSTR-based water quality simulators that use first-order reaction formulations.

Indicator Organisms: Learner's Guide for a Critical Path in Water Quality Monitoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Richard B.; And Others

This learner's guide on indicator organisms is derived from a water monitoring curriculum developed at Ulster County Community College. There are 37 modules in this guide; each is introduced with a statement of purpose and then broken down into units of instruction. These units contain an objective, learning conditions, and a performance level.…

Nutrients: Learner's Guide for a Critical Path in Water Quality Monitoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Richard B.; And Others

This learner's guide on nutrients is derived from a water monitoring curriculum developed at Ulster County Community College. There are 30 modules in this guide; each introduced with a statement of purpose and then broken down into an objective, learning conditions, and performance level. The modules cover: (1) safety; (2) chemical compounds; (3)…

Performance of two quantitative PCR methods for microbial source tracking of human sewage and implications for microbial risk assessment in recreational waters

EPA Science Inventory

Before new, rapid quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods for recreational water quality assessment and microbial source tracking (MST) can be useful in a regulatory context, an understanding of the ability of the method to detect a DNA target (marker) when the contaminant soure has been...

Chlorophyll-a concentration estimation with three bio-optical algorithms: correction for the low concentration range for the Yiam Reservoir, Korea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bio-optical algorithms have been applied to monitor water quality in surface water systems. Empirical algorithms, such as Ritchie (2008), Gons (2008), and Gilerson (2010), have been applied to estimate the chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations. However, the performance of each algorithm severely degr...

Varying evapotranspiration and salinity level of irrigation water influence soil quality and performance of perennial ryegrass (lolium perenne l.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing use of recycled water that is often high in salinity warrants further examination of irrigation practices for turfgrass health and salinity management. A study was conducted during 2011-2012 in Riverside, CA to evaluate the response of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) ‘SR 4550’ turf...

Development and performance evaluation of air fine bubbles on water quality of thai catfish rearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subhan, Ujang; Muthukannan, Vanitha; Azhary, Sundoro Yoga; Mulhadi, Muhammad Fakhri; Rochima, Emma; Panatarani, Camellia; Joni, I. Made

2018-02-01

The efficiency and productivity of aquaculture strongly depends on the development of advanced technology for water quality management system. The most important factor for the success of intensive aquaculture system is controlling the water quality of fish rearing media. This paper reports the design of fine bubbles (FBs) generator and performance evaluation of the system to improve water quality in thai catfish media (10 g/ind) with density (16.66 ind./L). The FBs generator was designed to control the size distribution of bubble by controlling its air flow rate entry to the mixing chamber of the generator. The performance of the system was evaluated based on the produced debit, dissolved oxygen rate and ammonia content in the catfish medium. The size distribution was observed by using a high speed camera image followed by processing using ImageJ. freeware application. The results show that air flow rate 0.05 L/min and 0.1 L/min received average bubble size of 29 µm and 31 µm respectively. The generator produced bubbles with capacity of 6 L/min and dissolved oxygen rate 0.2 ppm/min/L. The obtained DO growth was 0.455 ppm/second/L while the average decay rate was 0.20 ppm/second/L. (0.011/0.005 fold). In contrast, the recieved DO growth rate is faster compared to the DO consumption rate of the Thai catfish. This results indicated that the potential application of FBs enhanced the density of thai catfish seed rearing. In addition, ammonia can be reduced at 0.0358 ppm/hour/L and it is also observed that the inhibition of bacterial growth of air FBs is postive to Aeromonas hydrophila bacteria compared to the negative control. It is concluded that as-developed FBs system can be potentially applied for intensive thai catfish culture and expected to improve the feeding efficiency rate.

78 FR 20252 - Water Quality Standards; Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-04

... aquatic life water quality criteria applicable to waters of New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and California's San Francisco Bay. In 1992, EPA promulgated the National Toxics Rule or NTR to establish numeric water quality... Water Quality Standards; Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to California...

Recycling wastewater after hemodialysis: an environmental analysis for alternative water sources in arid regions.

PubMed

Tarrass, Faissal; Benjelloun, Meryem; Benjelloun, Omar

2008-07-01

Water is a vital aspect of hemodialysis. During the procedure, large volumes of water are used to prepare dialysate and clean and reprocess machines. This report evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of recycling hemodialysis wastewater for irrigation uses, such as watering gardens and landscape plantings. Water characteristics, possible recycling methods, and production costs of treated water are discussed in terms of the quality of the generated wastewater. A cost-benefit analysis is also performed through comparison of intended cost with that of seawater desalination, which is widely used in irrigation.

Seasonal and interannual effects of hypoxia on fish habitat quality in central Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arend, Kristin K.; Beletsky, Dmitry; DePinto, Joseph; Ludsin, Stuart A.; Roberts, James J.; Rucinski, Daniel K.; Scavia, Donald; Schwab, David J.; Höök, Tomas O.

2011-01-01

1. Hypoxia occurs seasonally in many stratified coastal marine and freshwater ecosystems when bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations are depleted below 2–3 mg O2 L-1. 2. We evaluated the effects of hypoxia on fish habitat quality in the central basin of Lake Erie from 1987 to 2005, using bioenergetic growth rate potential (GRP) as a proxy for habitat quality. We compared the effect of hypoxia on habitat quality of (i) rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax mordax Mitchill (young-of-year, YOY, and adult), a cold-water planktivore, (ii) emerald shiner, Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque (adult), a warm-water planktivore, (iii) yellow perch, Perca flavescens Mitchill (YOY and adult), a cool-water benthopelagic omnivore and (iv) round goby Neogobius melanostomus Pallas (adult) a eurythermal benthivore. Annual thermal and DO profiles were generated from 1D thermal and DO hydrodynamics models developed for Lake Erie’s central basin. 3. Hypoxia occurred annually, typically from mid-July to mid-October, which spatially and temporally overlaps with otherwise high benthic habitat quality. Hypoxia reduced the habitat quality across fish species and life stages, but the magnitude of the reduction varied both among and within species because of the differences in tolerance to low DO levels and warm-water temperatures. 4. Across years, trends in habitat quality mirrored trends in phosphorus concentration and water column oxygen demand in central Lake Erie. The per cent reduction in habitat quality owing to hypoxia was greatest for adult rainbow smelt and round goby (mean: -35%), followed by adult emerald shiner (mean: -12%), YOY rainbow smelt (mean: -10%) and YOY and adult yellow perch (mean: -8.5%). 5. Our results highlight the importance of differential spatiotemporally interactive effects of DO and temperature on relative fish habitat quality and quantity. These effects have the potential to influence the performance of individual fish species as well as population dynamics, trophic interactions and fish community structure.

Neural network processing of microbial fuel cell signals for the identification of chemicals present in water.

PubMed

Feng, Yinghua; Barr, William; Harper, W F

2013-05-15

Biosensing is emerging as an important element of water quality monitoring. This research demonstrated that microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based biosensing can be integrated with artificial neural networks (ANNs) to identify specific chemicals present in water samples. The non-fermentable substrates, acetate and butyrate, induced peak areas (PA) and peak heights (PH) that were generally larger than those caused by the injection of fermentable substrates, glucose and corn starch. The ANN successfully identified peaks associated with these four chemicals under a variety of experimental conditions and for two MFCs that had different levels of sensitivity. ANNs that employ the hyperbolic tangent sigmoid transfer function performed better than those using non-continuous transfer functions. ANNs should be integrated into water quality monitoring efforts for smart biosensing. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities in the U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Huffman, Raegan L.; Barton, Cynthia

2017-05-08

In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Office of Water Quality in the Water Mission Area of the U.S. Geological Survey, a quality-assurance plan has been created for use by the Washington Water Science Center (WAWSC) in conducting water-quality activities. This qualityassurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the WAWSC for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and publication of water-quality data. The policies and procedures documented in this quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities complement the quality-assurance plans for surface-water and groundwater activities at the WAWSC.

Environmental Database For Water-Quality Data for the Penobscot River, Maine: Design Documentation and User Guide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giffen, Sarah E.

2002-01-01

An environmental database was developed to store water-quality data collected during the 1999 U.S. Geological Survey investigation of the occurrence and distribution of dioxins, furans, and PCBs in the riverbed sediment and fish tissue in the Penobscot River in Maine. The database can be used to store a wide range of detailed information and to perform complex queries on the data it contains. The database also could be used to store data from other historical and any future environmental studies conducted on the Penobscot River and surrounding regions.

A review on risk assessment techniques for hydraulic fracturing water and produced water management implemented in onshore unconventional oil and gas production.

PubMed

Torres, Luisa; Yadav, Om Prakash; Khan, Eakalak

2016-01-01

The objective of this paper is to review different risk assessment techniques applicable to onshore unconventional oil and gas production to determine the risks to water quantity and quality associated with hydraulic fracturing and produced water management. Water resources could be at risk without proper management of water, chemicals, and produced water. Previous risk assessments in the oil and gas industry were performed from an engineering perspective leaving aside important social factors. Different risk assessment methods and techniques are reviewed and summarized to select the most appropriate one to perform a holistic and integrated analysis of risks at every stage of the water life cycle. Constraints to performing risk assessment are identified including gaps in databases, which require more advanced techniques such as modeling. Discussions on each risk associated with water and produced water management, mitigation strategies, and future research direction are presented. Further research on risks in onshore unconventional oil and gas will benefit not only the U.S. but also other countries with shale oil and gas resources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sorption of pollutants by porous carbon, carbon nanotubes and fullerene- an overview.

PubMed

Gupta, Vinod K; Saleh, Tawfik A

2013-05-01

The quality of water is continuously deteriorating due to its increasing toxic threat to humans and the environment. It is imperative to perform treatment of wastewater in order to remove pollutants and to get good quality water. Carbon materials like porous carbon, carbon nanotubes and fullerene have been extensively used for advanced treatment of wastewaters. In recent years, carbon nanomaterials have become promising adsorbents for water treatment. This review attempts to compile relevant knowledge about the adsorption activities of porous carbon, carbon nanotubes and fullerene related to various organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions. A detailed description of the preparation and treatment methods of porous carbon, carbon nanotubes and fullerene along with relevant applications and regeneration is also included.

Research on the Relationship between Water Diversion and Water Quality of Xuanwu Lake, China.

PubMed

Song, Weiwei; Xu, Qing; Fu, Xingqian; Zhang, Peng; Pang, Yong; Song, Dahao

2018-06-14

Water diversion is often used to improve water quality to reach the standard of China in the short term. However, this large amount of water diversion can not only improve the water quality, but also lead to a decline in the water quality (total phosphorus, total nitrogen) of Xuanwu Lake. Through theoretical analysis, the relationship between water quality and water diversion is established. We also found that the multiplication of the pollutant degradation coefficient ( K ) and the water residence time ( T ) is a constant ( N ), K⋅T=N. The water quality changed better at first, with the increase of inflow discharge, and then became worse, and the optimal water quality inflow discharge is 180,000 m³/day. By constructing two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality models, the optimal diversion water plan is calculated. Through model calculations, it can be seen that reducing the inflow discharge makes the water residence time longer (15.3 days changed to 23.8 days). Thereby, increasing the degradation of pollutants, and thus improving water quality. Compared with other wind directions, the southwest wind makes the water quality of Xuanwu Lake the most uniform. The concentration of water quality first became smaller and then became larger, as the wind speed increased, and eventually became constant. Implementing these results for water quality improvement in small and medium lakes will significantly reduce the cost of water diversion.

Effect-based trigger values for in vitro and in vivo bioassays performed on surface water extracts supporting the environmental quality standards (EQS) of the European Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Escher, Beate I; Aїt-Aїssa, Selim; Behnisch, Peter A; Brack, Werner; Brion, François; Brouwer, Abraham; Buchinger, Sebastian; Crawford, Sarah E; Du Pasquier, David; Hamers, Timo; Hettwer, Karina; Hilscherová, Klára; Hollert, Henner; Kase, Robert; Kienle, Cornelia; Tindall, Andrew J; Tuerk, Jochen; van der Oost, Ron; Vermeirssen, Etienne; Neale, Peta A

2018-07-01

Effect-based methods including cell-based bioassays, reporter gene assays and whole-organism assays have been applied for decades in water quality monitoring and testing of enriched solid-phase extracts. There is no common EU-wide agreement on what level of bioassay response in water extracts is acceptable. At present, bioassay results are only benchmarked against each other but not against a consented measure of chemical water quality. The EU environmental quality standards (EQS) differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable surface water concentrations for individual chemicals but cannot capture the thousands of chemicals in water and their biological action as mixtures. We developed a method that reads across from existing EQS and includes additional mixture considerations with the goal that the derived effect-based trigger values (EBT) indicate acceptable risk for complex mixtures as they occur in surface water. Advantages and limitations of various approaches to read across from EQS are discussed and distilled to an algorithm that translates EQS into their corresponding bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ). The proposed EBT derivation method was applied to 48 in vitro bioassays with 32 of them having sufficient information to yield preliminary EBTs. To assess the practicability and robustness of the proposed approach, we compared the tentative EBTs with observed environmental effects. The proposed method only gives guidance on how to derive EBTs but does not propose final EBTs for implementation. The EBTs for some bioassays such as those for estrogenicity are already mature and could be implemented into regulation in the near future, while for others it will still take a few iterations until we can be confident of the power of the proposed EBTs to differentiate good from poor water quality with respect to chemical contamination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relevance of Regional Hydro-Climatic Projection Data for Hydrodynamics and Water Quality Modelling of the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenberg, R.; Vigouroux, G.; Chen, Y.; Bring, A.; Kalantari, Z.; Prieto, C.; Destouni, G.

2017-12-01

The Baltic Sea, located in Northern Europe, is one of the world's largest body of brackish water, enclosed and surrounded by nine different countries. The magnitude of climate change may be particularly large in northern regions, and identifying its impacts on vulnerable inland waters and their runoff and nutrient loading to the Baltic Sea is an important and complex task. Exploration of such hydro-climatic impacts is needed to understand potential future changes in physical, ecological and water quality conditions in the regional coastal and marine waters. In this study, we investigate hydro-climatic changes and impacts on the Baltic Sea by synthesizing multi-model climate projection data from the CORDEX regional downscaling initiative (EURO- and Arctic- CORDEX domains, http://www.cordex.org/). We identify key hydro-climatic variable outputs of these models and assess model performance with regard to their projected temporal and spatial change behavior and impacts on different scales and coastal-marine parts, up to the whole Baltic Sea. Model spreading, robustness and impact implications for the Baltic Sea system are investigated for and through further use in simulations of coastal-marine hydrodynamics and water quality based on these key output variables and their change projections. Climate model robustness in this context is assessed by inter-model spreading analysis and observation data comparisons, while projected change implications are assessed by forcing of linked hydrodynamic and water quality modeling of the Baltic Sea based on relevant hydro-climatic outputs for inland water runoff and waterborne nutrient loading to the Baltic sea, as well as for conditions in the sea itself. This focused synthesis and analysis of hydro-climatically relevant output data of regional climate models facilitates assessment of reliability and uncertainty in projections of driver-impact changes of key importance for Baltic Sea physical, water quality and ecological conditions and their future evolution.

Stability of ricinine, abrine, and alpha-amanitin in finished tap ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal Article Ricinine and abrine are potential indicators of drinking water contamination by the biotoxins ricin and abrin, respectively. Simultaneous detection of ricinine and abrine, along with α-amanitin, another potential biotoxin water contaminant, is reportable through the use of automated sample preparation via solid phase extraction and detection using liquid chromatography/tandem-mass spectrometry. Performance of the method was characterized over eight analytical batches with quality control samples analyzed over 10 days. For solutions of analytes prepared with appropriate preservatives, the minimum reporting level (MRL) was 0.50 μg/L for ricinine and abrine and 2.0 μg/L for α-amanitin. Among the analytes, the accuracy of the analysis ranged between 93 and 100% at concentrations of 1-2.5 x the MRL, with analytical precision ranging from 4 to 8%. Five drinking waters representing a range of water quality parameters and disinfection practices were fortified with the analytes and analyzed over a 28 day period to determine their storage stability in these waters. Ricinine was observed to be stable for 28 days in all tap waters. The analytical signal decreased within 5 hrs of sample preparation for abrine and μ-amanitin in some waters, but afterwards, remained stable for 28 days. The magnitude of the decrease correlated with common water quality parameters potentially related to sorption of contaminants onto dissolved and colloidal components within

Application of SWAT-HS, a lumped hillslope model to simulate hydrology in the Cannonsville Reservoir watershed, New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Linh; Schneiderman, Elliot; Mukundan, Rajith; Moore, Karen; Owens, Emmet; Steenhuis, Tammo

2017-04-01

Surface runoff is the primary mechanism transporting substances such as sediments, agricultural chemicals, and pathogens to receiving waters. In order to predict runoff and pollutant fluxes, and to evaluate management practices, it is essential to accurately predict the areas generating surface runoff, which depend on the type of runoff: infiltration-excess runoff and saturation-excess runoff. The watershed of Cannonsville reservoir is part of the New York City water supply system that provides high quality drinking water to nine million people in New York City (NYC) and nearby communities. Previous research identified saturation-excess runoff as the dominant runoff mechanism in this region. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a promising tool to simulate the NYC watershed given its broad application and good performance in many watersheds with different scales worldwide, for its ability to model water quality responses, and to evaluate the effect of management practices on water quality at the watershed scale. However, SWAT predicts runoff based mainly on soil and land use characteristics, and implicitly considers only infiltration-excess runoff. Therefore, we developed a modified version of SWAT, referred to as SWAT-Hillslope (SWAT-HS), which explicitly simulates saturation-excess runoff by redefining Hydrological Response Units (HRUs) based on wetness classes with varying soil water storage capacities, and by introducing a surface aquifer with the ability to route interflow from "drier" to "wetter" wetness classes. SWAT-HS was first tested at Town Brook, a 37 km2 headwater watershed draining to the Cannonsville reservoir using a single sub-basin for the whole watershed. SWAT-HS performed well, and predicted streamflow yielded Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiencies of 0.68 and 0.87 at the daily and monthly time steps, respectively. More importantly, it predicted the spatial distribution of saturated areas accurately. Based on the good performance in the Town Brook watershed, we scale-up the application of SWAT-HS to the 1160 km2 Cannonsville watershed utilizing a setup of multiple sub-basins, and evaluate the model performance on flow simulation at different gauged locations in the watershed. Results from flow predictions will be used as a basis for evaluating the ability of SWAT-HS to make sediment and nutrient loading estimates.

Analytical scaling relations to evaluate leakage and intrusion in intermittent water supply systems.

PubMed

Taylor, David D J; Slocum, Alexander H; Whittle, Andrew J

2018-01-01

Intermittent water supplies (IWS) deliver piped water to one billion people; this water is often microbially contaminated. Contaminants that accumulate while IWS are depressurized are flushed into customers' homes when these systems become pressurized. In addition, during the steady-state phase of IWS, contaminants from higher-pressure sources (e.g., sewers) may continue to intrude where pipe pressure is low. To guide the operation and improvement of IWS, this paper proposes an analytic model relating supply pressure, supply duration, leakage, and the volume of intruded, potentially-contaminated, fluids present during flushing and steady-state. The proposed model suggests that increasing the supply duration may improve water quality during the flushing phase, but decrease the subsequent steady-state water quality. As such, regulators and academics should take more care in reporting if water quality samples are taken during flushing or steady-state operational conditions. Pipe leakage increases with increased supply pressure and/or duration. We propose using an equivalent orifice area (EOA) to quantify pipe quality. This provides a more stable metric for regulators and utilities tracking pipe repairs. Finally, we show that the volume of intruded fluid decreases in proportion to reductions in EOA. The proposed relationships are applied to self-reported performance indicators for IWS serving 108 million people described in the IBNET database and in the Benchmarking and Data Book of Water Utilities in India. This application shows that current high-pressure, continuous water supply targets will require extensive EOA reductions. For example, in order to achieve national targets, utilities in India will need to reduce their EOA by a median of at least 90%.

Analytical scaling relations to evaluate leakage and intrusion in intermittent water supply systems

PubMed Central

Slocum, Alexander H.; Whittle, Andrew J.

2018-01-01

Intermittent water supplies (IWS) deliver piped water to one billion people; this water is often microbially contaminated. Contaminants that accumulate while IWS are depressurized are flushed into customers’ homes when these systems become pressurized. In addition, during the steady-state phase of IWS, contaminants from higher-pressure sources (e.g., sewers) may continue to intrude where pipe pressure is low. To guide the operation and improvement of IWS, this paper proposes an analytic model relating supply pressure, supply duration, leakage, and the volume of intruded, potentially-contaminated, fluids present during flushing and steady-state. The proposed model suggests that increasing the supply duration may improve water quality during the flushing phase, but decrease the subsequent steady-state water quality. As such, regulators and academics should take more care in reporting if water quality samples are taken during flushing or steady-state operational conditions. Pipe leakage increases with increased supply pressure and/or duration. We propose using an equivalent orifice area (EOA) to quantify pipe quality. This provides a more stable metric for regulators and utilities tracking pipe repairs. Finally, we show that the volume of intruded fluid decreases in proportion to reductions in EOA. The proposed relationships are applied to self-reported performance indicators for IWS serving 108 million people described in the IBNET database and in the Benchmarking and Data Book of Water Utilities in India. This application shows that current high-pressure, continuous water supply targets will require extensive EOA reductions. For example, in order to achieve national targets, utilities in India will need to reduce their EOA by a median of at least 90%. PMID:29775462

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.

Data analysis considerations for pesticides determined by National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shoda, Megan E.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Stone, Wesley W.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Bexfield, Laura M.

2018-04-02

In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) made a new method available for the analysis of pesticides in filtered water samples: laboratory schedule 2437. Schedule 2437 is an improvement on previous analytical methods because it determines the concentrations of 225 fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and associated degradates in one method at similar or lower concentrations than previously available methods. Additionally, the pesticides included in schedule 2437 were strategically identified in a prioritization analysis that assessed likelihood of occurrence, prevalence of use, and potential toxicity. When the NWQL reports pesticide concentrations for analytes in schedule 2437, the laboratory also provides supplemental information useful to data users for assessing method performance and understanding data quality. That supplemental information is discussed in this report, along with an initial analysis of analytical recovery of pesticides in water-quality samples analyzed by schedule 2437 during 2013–2015. A total of 523 field matrix spike samples and their paired environmental samples and 277 laboratory reagent spike samples were analyzed for this report (1,323 samples total). These samples were collected in the field as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment groundwater and surface-water studies and as part of the NWQL quality-control program. This report reviews how pesticide samples are processed by the NWQL, addresses how to obtain all the data necessary to interpret pesticide concentrations, explains the circumstances that result in a reporting level change or the occurrence of a raised reporting level, and describes the calculation and assessment of recovery. This report also discusses reasons why a data user might choose to exclude data in an interpretive analysis and outlines the approach used to identify the potential for decreased data quality in the assessment of method recovery. The information provided in this report is essential to understanding pesticide data determined by schedule 2437 and should be reviewed before interpretation of these data.

Evaluation of a cost effective technique for treating aquaculture water discharge using Lolium perenne Lam as a biofilter.

PubMed

Nduwimana, André; Yang, Xiang-Long; Wang, Li-Ren

2007-01-01

Wastewater stabilization ponds generate low cost by-products that are useful for agriculture. The utilization of these by-products for soil amendment and as a source of nutrients for plants requires a high level of sanitation and stabilization of the organic matter, to maintain acceptable levels of soil, water and air quality. In this study, two aquaculture wastewater treatment systems; recirculating system and a floating plant bed system were designed to improve the quality of irrigation water in local communities with low income. In both systems the grass species Lolium perenne Lam was used as a plant biofilter while vegetable specie Amaranthus viridis was used to evaluate the performance of the system and the suitability of the phyto-treated water for irrigation. It was found that the harmful material removal rate for recirculating system was 88.9% for TAN (total ammonia nitrogen), 90% for NO2(-)-N, 64.8% for NO3(-)-N while for floating plant bed system 82.7% for TAN, 82% for NO2(-)-N and 60.5% for NO3(-)-N. Comparative analysis of the efficiency of waste element removal between the two systems revealed that both systems performed well, however, plant growth was not robust for floating plant bed system while recirculating system is energy consuming. Although both systems did not attain sufficient levels of TN (total nitrogen) and TP (total phosphorus) load reduction, the treatment with L. perenne remarkably improved the irrigation water quality. A. viridis plants irrigated with the phyto-treated discharge water had lesser concentrations of heavy metals in their tissues compared to those irrigated with untreated discharge. The control plants irrigated with untreated discharge were also found to be highly lignified with few stems and small leaves.

Wireless in-situ Sensor Network for Agriculture and Water Monitoring on a River Basin Scale in Southern Finland: Evaluation from a Data User’s Perspective

PubMed Central

Kotamäki, Niina; Thessler, Sirpa; Koskiaho, Jari; Hannukkala, Asko O.; Huitu, Hanna; Huttula, Timo; Havento, Jukka; Järvenpää, Markku

2009-01-01

Sensor networks are increasingly being implemented for environmental monitoring and agriculture to provide spatially accurate and continuous environmental information and (near) real-time applications. These networks provide a large amount of data which poses challenges for ensuring data quality and extracting relevant information. In the present paper we describe a river basin scale wireless sensor network for agriculture and water monitoring. The network, called SoilWeather, is unique and the first of this type in Finland. The performance of the network is assessed from the user and maintainer perspectives, concentrating on data quality, network maintenance and applications. The results showed that the SoilWeather network has been functioning in a relatively reliable way, but also that the maintenance and data quality assurance by automatic algorithms and calibration samples requires a lot of effort, especially in continuous water monitoring over large areas. We see great benefits on sensor networks enabling continuous, real-time monitoring, while data quality control and maintenance efforts highlight the need for tight collaboration between sensor and sensor network owners to decrease costs and increase the quality of the sensor data in large scale applications. PMID:22574050

Monitoring of urban and rural basins: water quality of Mourão basin.

PubMed

Passig, F H; Lima, S B; Carvalho, K Q; Halmeman, M C R; Souza, P C; Gusmão, L K

2015-12-01

The Mourão River basin is located on the central western region of the Paraná State - Brazil, between coordinates 23º 44' - 24º 25 South latitude and 52º 12' - 52º 30' West longitude, between 270 and 820 m above sea level, and 1,648.21 km2 drainage area. Water quality was evaluated by monitoring physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. Monthly samplings were performed for a year at five sites in the basin for analysis of: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus, turbidity, total solids, volatile solids and fecal coliforms. The results of the evaluated parameters showed higher values than the limits set by CONAMA Resolution 357 from 2005 for Class 2 in some samples. The Water Quality Index (WQI) indicated that 72% of samples had average quality and 28% had good quality for the Mourão River basin. Higher values of WQI were observed after rainfall period with median of 75 compared to the dry period with median of 62. The source of the Mourão River is contaminated with fecal coliforms, evidencing the real need to treat sewage in rural areas.

Feeding strategies for groundwater enhanced biodenitrification in an alluvial aquifer: chemical, microbial and isotope assessment of a 1D flow-through experiment.

PubMed

Vidal-Gavilan, G; Carrey, R; Solanas, A; Soler, A

2014-10-01

Nitrate-removal through enhanced in situ biodenitrification (EISB) is an existing alternative for the recovery of groundwater quality, and is often suggested for use in exploitation wells pumping at small flow-rates. Innovative approaches focus on wider-scale applications, coupling EISB with water-management practices and new monitoring tools. However, before this approach can be used, some water-quality issues such as the accumulation of denitrification intermediates and/or of reduced compounds from other anaerobic processes must be addressed. With such a goal, a flow-through experiment using 100mg-nitrate/L groundwater was built to simulate an EISB for an alluvial aquifer. Heterotrophic denitrification was induced through the periodic addition of a C source (ethanol), with four different C addition strategies being evaluated to improve the quality of the denitrified water. Chemical, microbial and isotope analyses of the water were performed. Biodenitrification was successfully stimulated by the daily addition of ethanol, easily achieving drinking water standards for both nitrate and nitrite, and showing an expected linear trend for nitrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation, with a εN/εO value of 1.1. Nitrate reduction to ammonium was never detected. Water quality in terms of remaining C, microbial counts, and denitrification intermediates was found to vary with the experimental time, and some secondary microbial respiration processes, mainly manganese reduction, were suspected to occur. Carbon isotope composition from the remaining ethanol also changed, from an initial enrichment in (13)C-ethanol compared to the value of the injected ethanol (-30.6‰), to a later depletion, achieving δ(13)C values well below the initial isotope composition (to a minimum of -46.7‰). This depletion in the heavy C isotope follows the trend of an inverse fractionation. Overall, our results indicated that most undesired effects on water quality may be controlled through the optimization of the C/N ratio determined from the amounts of injected ethanol vs. the amount of nitrate in groundwater, with a smaller C/N ratio causing a lower level of undesired impurities. Furthermore, the authors suggest that the biofilm life-time has a direct effect on microbial population and hence affects biodenitrification performance, influencing the accumulation of nitrite over time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring and Assessment of Youshui River Water Quality in Youyang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xue-qin; Wen, Juan; Chen, Ping-hua; Liu, Na-na

2018-02-01

By monitoring the water quality of Youshui River from January 2016 to December 2016, according to the indicator grading and the assessment standard of water quality, the formulas for 3 types water quality indexes are established. These 3 types water quality indexes, the single indicator index Ai, single moment index Ak and the comprehensive water quality index A, were used to quantitatively evaluate the quality of single indicator, the water quality and the change of water quality with time. The results show that, both total phosphorus and fecal coliform indicators exceeded the standard, while the other 16 indicators measured up to the standard. The water quality index of Youshui River is 0.93 and the grade of water quality comprehensive assessment is level 2, which indicated that the water quality of Youshui River is good, and there is room for further improvement. To this end, several protection measures for Youshui River environmental management and pollution treatment are proposed.

Water quality in Reedy Fork and Buffalo Creek basins in the Greensboro area, North Carolina, 1986-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davenport, M.S.

1989-01-01

Water and bottom-sediment samples were collected from April 1986 through September 1987 at 19 sites in Guilford County and the City of Greensboro, North Carolina. Sampling locations included 13 stream sites, two lakes that supply the City of Greensboro with drinking water, two City of Greensboro finished drinking-water filtration plants, and effluent from the two municipal wastewater plants prior to outfall into receiving streams. Water sampling consisted of six surveys during various stages of steady ground-water flow at all sites and high-flow-event sampling during two storms at six sites. Bottom-sediment samples were collected at three sites during two routine sampling surveys. A summary of nearly 22, 000 separate chemical or physical analyses of water samples or bottom sediment is presented and discussed as individual values, ranges of values, or median values with respect to the locations of sampling sites, streamflow conditions, or other information bearing on water-quality conditions under discussion. The results include discussions of general water-quality indicators; major ion, nutrient, and trace-element concentrations; acid and base/neutral extractable organic compounds; volatile organic compounds; and organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides detected at each sampling site. Loadings of selected constituents are also estimated on a yearly and daily basis. The quality of the raw and finished water, municipal effluents, and streams in the Greensboro area are characterized by using State and Federal water-quality standards. Inorganic constituents most commonly found in excess of standards were iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, phosphorus, manganese, cyanide, and mercury. Relatively few organic compounds were detected; however, those consistently reported were phthalate, thihalomethane, organophosphorus pesticide, benzol, and phenolic compounds. Selected inorganic, physical, and total organic carbon data are used in a Wilcoxon test for two independent variables to statistically compare water-quality characteristics in selected rural, semideveloped and urban basins. During low-flow sampling, the constituents that differed significantly among all sites were calcium, magnesium, and chloride. During low flows, concentrations of orthophosphate, fluoride, sulfate, and TOC differed at the urban site from the rural and semideveloped and urban sites. There were no significant differences among sites in concentrations of sodium, suspended sediment, nickel, zinc, copper, and mercury during low flows. The Wilcoxon test performed on high-flow data indicated that concentrations of TOC, chloride, sulfate, suspended sediment, and nickel were not significantly different among the sites.

The Air-Carbon-Water Synergies and Trade-Offs in China's Natural Gas Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Yue

China's coal-dominated energy structure is partly responsible for its domestic air pollution, local water stress, and the global climate change. Primarily to tackle the haze issue, China has been actively promoting a nationwide coal to natural gas end-use switch. My dissertation focuses on evaluating the air quality, carbon, and water impacts and their interactions in China's natural gas industry. Chapter 2 assesses the lifecycle climate performance of China's shale gas in comparison to coal based on stage-level energy consumption and methane leakage rates. I find the mean lifecycle carbon footprint of shale gas is about 30-50% lower than that of coal under both 20 year and 100 year global warming potentials (GWP20 and GWP100). However, primarily due to large uncertainties in methane leakage, the lifecycle carbon footprint of shale gas in China could be 15-60% higher than that of coal across sectors under GWP20. Chapter 3 evaluates the air quality, human health, and the climate impacts of China's coal-based synthetic natural gas (SNG) development. Based on earlier 2020 SNG production targets, I conduct an integrated assessment to identify production technologies and end-use applications that will bring as large air quality and health benefits as possible while keeping carbon penalties as small as possible. I find that, due to inefficient and uncontrolled coal combustion in households, allocating currently available SNG to the residential sector proves to be the best SNG allocation option. Chapter 4 compares the air quality, carbon, and water impacts of China's six major gas sources under three end-use substitution scenarios, which are focused on maximizing air pollutant emission reductions, CO 2 emission reductions, and water stress index (WSI)-weighted water consumption reductions, respectively. I find striking national air-carbon/water trade-offs due to SNG, which also significantly increases water demands and carbon emissions in regions already suffering from severe water stress and having the largest per capita carbon footprint. Gas sources other than SNG may bring national air-carbon-water co-benefits. However, end-use deployment can cause enormous variations in air quality, carbon, and water impacts, with notable air-carbon synergies but air-water trade-offs.

Application of Fe(II)/peroxymonosulfate for improving ultrafiltration membrane performance in surface water treatment: Comparison with coagulation and ozonation.

PubMed

Cheng, Xiaoxiang; Liang, Heng; Ding, An; Zhu, Xuewu; Tang, Xiaobin; Gan, Zhendong; Xing, Jiajian; Wu, Daoji; Li, Guibai

2017-11-01

Coagulation and ozonation have been widely used as pretreatments for ultrafiltration (UF) membrane in drinking water treatment. While beneficial, coagulation or ozonation alone is unable to both efficiently control membrane fouling and product water quality in many cases. Thus, in this study an emerging alternative of ferrous iron/peroxymonosulfate (Fe(II)/PMS), which can act as both an oxidant and a coagulant was employed prior to UF for treatment of natural surface water, and compared with conventional coagulation and ozonation. The results showed that the Fe(II)/PMS-UF system exhibited the best performance for dissolved organic carbon removal, likely due to the dual functions of coagulation and oxidation in the single process. The fluorescent and UV-absorbing organic components were more susceptible to ozonation than Fe(II)/PMS treatment. Fe(II)/PMS and ozonation pretreatments significantly increased the removal efficiency of atrazine, p-chloronitrobenzene and sulfamethazine by 12-76% and 50-94%, respectively, whereas coagulation exerted a minor influence. The Fe(II)/PMS pretreatment also showed the best performance for the reduction of both reversible and irreversible membrane fouling, and the performance was hardly affected by membrane pore size and surface hydrophobicity. In addition, the characterization of hydraulic irreversible organic foulants confirmed its effectiveness. These results demonstrate the potential advantages of applying Fe(II)/PMS as a pretreatment for UF to simultaneously control membrane fouling and improve the permeate quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality assessment of Australian ports using water quality evaluation indices

PubMed Central

Jahan, Sayka

2017-01-01

Australian ports serve diverse and extensive activities, such as shipping, tourism and fisheries, which may all impact the quality of port water. In this work water quality monitoring at different ports using a range of water quality evaluation indices was applied to assess the port water quality. Seawater samples at 30 stations in the year 2016–2017 from six ports in NSW, Australia, namely Port Jackson, Botany, Kembla, Newcastle, Yamba and Eden, were investigated to determine the physicochemical and biological variables that affect the port water quality. The large datasets obtained were designed to determine the Water Quality Index, Heavy metal Evaluation Index, Contamination Index and newly developed Environmental Water Quality Index. The study revealed medium water quality index and high and medium heavy metal evaluation index at three of the study ports and high contamination index in almost all study ports. Low level dissolved oxygen and higher level of total dissolved solids, turbidity, fecal coliforms, copper, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium and cobalt are mainly responsible for the poor water qualities of the port areas. Good water quality at the background samples indicated that various port activities are the likely cause for poor water quality inside the port area. PMID:29244876

Application of Nemerow Index Method and Integrated Water Quality Index Method in Water Quality Assessment of Zhangze Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; Feng, Minquan; Hao, Xiaoyan

2018-03-01

[Objective] Based on the water quality historical data from the Zhangze Reservoir from the last five years, the water quality was assessed by the integrated water quality identification index method and the Nemerow pollution index method. The results of different evaluation methods were analyzed and compared and the characteristics of each method were identified.[Methods] The suitability of the water quality assessment methods were compared and analyzed, based on these results.[Results] the water quality tended to decrease over time with 2016 being the year with the worst water quality. The sections with the worst water quality were the southern and northern sections.[Conclusion] The results produced by the traditional Nemerow index method fluctuated greatly in each section of water quality monitoring and therefore could not effectively reveal the trend of water quality at each section. The combination of qualitative and quantitative measures of the comprehensive pollution index identification method meant it could evaluate the degree of water pollution as well as determine that the river water was black and odorous. However, the evaluation results showed that the water pollution was relatively low.The results from the improved Nemerow index evaluation were better as the single indicators and evaluation results are in strong agreement; therefore the method is able to objectively reflect the water quality of each water quality monitoring section and is more suitable for the water quality evaluation of the reservoir.

Hurricane Rita surge data, southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas, September to November 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGee, Benton D.; Goree, Burl B.; Tollett, Roland W.; Woodward, Brenda K.; Kress, Wade H.

2006-01-01

Pressure transducers and high-water marks were used to document the inland water levels related to storm surge generated by Hurricane Rita in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. On September 22-23, 2005, an experimental monitoring network consisting of 47 pressure transducers (sensors) was deployed at 33 sites over an area of about 4,000 square miles to record the timing, extent, and magnitude of inland hurricane storm surge and coastal flooding. Sensors were programmed to record date and time, temperature, and barometric or water pressure. Water pressure was corrected for changes in barometric pressure and salinity. Elevation surveys using global-positioning systems and differential levels were used to relate all storm-surge water-level data, reference marks, benchmarks, sensor measuring points, and high-water marks to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). The resulting data indicated that storm-surge water levels over 14 feet above NAVD 88 occurred at three locations and rates of water-level rise greater than 5 feet per hour occurred at three locations near the Louisiana coast. Quality-assurance measures were used to assess the variability and accuracy of the water-level data recorded by the sensors. Water-level data from sensors were similar to data from co-located sensors, permanent U.S. Geological Survey streamgages, and water-surface elevations performed by field staff. Water-level data from sensors at selected locations were compared to corresponding high-water mark elevations. In general, the water-level data from sensors were similar to elevations of high quality high-water marks, while reporting consistently higher than elevations of lesser quality high-water marks.

Land use change and conversion effects on ground water quality trends: An integration of land change modeler in GIS and a new Ground Water Quality Index developed by fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making models.

PubMed

Shooshtarian, Mohammad Reza; Dehghani, Mansooreh; Margherita, Ferrante; Gea, Oliveri Conti; Mortezazadeh, Shima

2018-04-01

This study aggregated Land Change Modeller (LCM) as a useful model in GIS with an extended Groundwater Quality Index (GWQI) developed by fuzzy Multi-Criteria Group Decision-Making models to investigate the effect of land use change and conversion on groundwater quality being supplied for drinking. The model's performance was examined through an applied study in Shiraz, Iran, in a five year period (2011 to 2015). Four land use maps including urban, industrial, garden, and bare were employed in LCM model and the impact of change in area and their conversion to each other on GWQI changes was analysed. The correlation analysis indicated that increase in the urban land use area and conversion of bare to the residential/industrial land uses, had a relation with water quality decrease. Integration of LCM and GWQI can accurately and logically provide a numerical analysis of the possible impact of land use change and conversion, as one of the influencing factors, on the groundwater quality. Hence, the methodology could be used in urban development planning and management in macro level. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quality-control results for ground-water and surface-water data, Sacramento River Basin, California, National Water-Quality Assessment, 1996-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munday, Cathy; Domagalski, Joseph L.

2003-01-01

Evaluating the extent that bias and variability affect the interpretation of ground- and surface-water data is necessary to meet the objectives of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Quality-control samples used to evaluate the bias and variability include annual equipment blanks, field blanks, field matrix spikes, surrogates, and replicates. This report contains quality-control results for the constituents critical to the ground- and surface-water components of the Sacramento River Basin study unit of the NAWQA Program. A critical constituent is one that was detected frequently (more than 50 percent of the time in blank samples), was detected at amounts exceeding water-quality standards or goals, or was important for the interpretation of water-quality data. Quality-control samples were collected along with ground- and surface-water samples during the high intensity phase (cycle 1) of the Sacramento River Basin NAWQA beginning early in 1996 and ending in 1998. Ground-water field blanks indicated contamination of varying levels of significance when compared with concentrations detected in environmental ground-water samples for ammonia, dissolved organic carbon, aluminum, and copper. Concentrations of aluminum in surface-water field blanks were significant when compared with environmental samples. Field blank samples collected for pesticide and volatile organic compound analyses revealed no contamination in either ground- or surface-water samples that would effect the interpretation of environmental data, with the possible exception of the volatile organic compound trichloromethane (chloroform) in ground water. Replicate samples for ground water and surface water indicate that variability resulting from sample collection, processing, and analysis was generally low. Some of the larger maximum relative percentage differences calculated for replicate samples occurred between samples having lowest absolute concentration differences and(or) values near the reporting limit. Surrogate recoveries for pesticides analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), pesticides analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and volatile organic compounds in ground- and surface-water samples were within the acceptable limits of 70 to 130 percent and median recovery values between 82 and 113 percent. The recovery percentages for surrogate compounds analyzed by HPLC had the highest standard deviation, 20 percent for ground-water samples and 16 percent for surface-water samples, and the lowest median values, 82 percent for ground-water samples and 91 percent for surface-water samples. Results were consistent with the recovery results described for the analytical methods. Field matrix spike recoveries for pesticide compounds analyzed using GC/MS in ground- and surface-water samples were comparable with published recovery data. Recoveries of carbofuran, a critical constituent in ground- and surface-water studies, and desethyl atrazine, a critical constituent in the ground-water study, could not be calculated because of problems with the analytical method. Recoveries of pesticides analyzed using HPLC in ground- and surface-water samples were generally low and comparable with published recovery data. Other methodological problems for HPLC analytes included nondetection of the spike compounds and estimated values of spike concentrations. Recovery of field matrix spikes for volatile organic compounds generally were within the acceptable range, 70 and 130 percent for both ground- and surface-water samples, and median recoveries from 62 to 127 percent. High or low recoveries could be related to errors in the field, such as double spiking or using spike solution past its expiration date, rather than problems during analysis. The methodological changes in the field spike protocol during the course of the Sacramento River Basin study, which included decreasing the amount of spike solu

Study of different pretreatments for reverse osmosis reclamation of a petrochemical secondary effluent.

PubMed

Benito-Alcázar, C; Vincent-Vela, M C; Gozálvez-Zafrilla, J M; Lora-García, J

2010-06-15

Conventionally treated petrochemical wastewaters contain substantial quantities of hazardous pollutants. In addition, wastewater reuse is being enhanced as a consequence of the shortage of fresh water. Advanced petrochemical wastewater treatment for water reuse will reduce hazardous pollutants discharges as well as water consumption. Reverse osmosis is a suitable technology to obtain pure water. This work studies the adequacy of different pretreatments applied to a petrochemical secondary effluent to produce a suitable feeding for reverse osmosis treatment. The permeate obtained can be used in the petrochemical industry for different processes. In this work, several experiments (granulated activated carbon filtration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and granulated activated carbon filtration coupled with nanofiltration) were performed to improve the conventional pretreatment. Total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and silt density index were used to evaluate water quality for reverse osmosis feeding. In granulated activated carbon filtration, all the measured parameters but silt density index indicated a good filtrate quality to feed reverse osmosis membranes. Although the ultrafiltration permeate obtained was suitable for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and granulated activated carbon filtration coupled with NF provided a better effluent quality for reverse osmosis than the other pretreatments studied. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recovery of condensate water quality in power generator's surface condenser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawan, Lilik Adib

2017-03-01

In PT Badak NGL Plant, steam turbines are used to drive major power generators, compressors, and pumps. Steam exiting the turbines is condensed in surface condensers to be returned to boilers. Therefore, surface condenser performance and quality of condensate water are very important. One of the recent problem was caused by the leak of a surface condenser of Steam Turbine Power Generator. Thesteam turbine was overhauled, leaving the surface condenser idle and exposed to air for more than 1.5 years. Sea water ingress due to tube leaks worsens the corrosionof the condenser shell. The combination of mineral scale and corrosion product resulting high conductivity condensate at outlet condenser when we restarted up, beyond the acceptable limit. After assessing several options, chemical cleaning was the best way to overcome the problem according to condenser configuration. An 8 hour circulation of 5%wt citric acid had succeed reducing water conductivity from 50 μmhos/cm to below 5 μmhos/cm. The condensate water, then meets the required quality, i.e. pH 8.3 - 9.0; conductivity ≤ 5 μmhos/cm, therefore the power generator can be operated normally without any concern until now.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of pesticides in water by graphitized carbon-based solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Furlong, Edward T.; Anderson, Bruce D.; Werner, Stephen L.; Soliven, Paul P.; Coffey, Laura J.; Burkhardt, Mark R.

2001-01-01

In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) developed and implemented a graphitized carbon-based solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic analytical method to determine polar pesticide concentrations in surface- and ground-water samples. Subsequently, the NWQL developed a complementary analysis that uses high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to detect, identify, and quantify polar pesticides and pesticide metabolites in filtered water at concentrations as low as 10 nanograms per liter. This new method was designed to improve sensitivity and selectivity over the prior method, and to reduce known interferences from natural organic matter.In this new method, pesticides are extracted from filtered water samples by useing a 0.5-gram graphitized carbon-based solid-phase extraction cartridge, eluted from the cartridge, and concentrations determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The upper concentration limit is 1.000 microgram per liter (μg/L) for most compounds. Single-operator method detection limits in organic-free water samples fortified with pesticides at a concentration of 0.025 μg/L ranged from 0.0019 to 0.022 μg/L for all compounds in the method. The grand mean (mean of mean recoveries for individual compounds) recoveries in organic-free water samples ranged from 72 to 89 percent, fortified with pesticides at three concentrations between 0.025 and 0.5 μg/L. Grand mean recoveries in ground- and surface-water samples ranged from 46 to 119 percent, also fortified with pesticides at three concentrations between 0.025 and 0.5 μg/L. Long-term recoveries from reagent water spikes were used to demonstrate that 38 of 65 compounds can be reported without qualification of the quantitative result across the analytical range of the method. The remaining 27 are reported with qualified estimates of concentration because of greater variability of recovery.

The psychology of drinking water quality: An exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syme, Geoffrey J.; Williams, Katrina D.

1993-12-01

Perceptions of drinking water quality were measured for residents at four locations in Western Australia. The total dissolved solid levels for the locations varied. Four scales of drinking water satisfaction were measured: acceptability of water quality; water quality risk judgment; perception of neighborhood water quality; and attitudes toward fluoride as an additive. Responses to each of these scales did not appear to be highly related to total dissolved solids. The relationship between attitudes toward water quality and a variety of psychological, attitudinal, experiential, and demographic variables was investigated. It was found that responses to the acceptability of water quality and water quality risk judgment scales related to perceived credibility of societal institutions and feelings of control over water quality and environmental problems. For the remaining two scales few significant correlations were found. The results support those who advocate localized information and involvement campaigns on drinking water quality issues.

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines the water quality goals of a water body, or portion thereof, by designating the use or uses to be made... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Water quality standards. 130.3 Section...

Optical techniques for the determination of nitrate in environmental waters: Guidelines for instrument selection, operation, deployment, maintenance, quality assurance, and data reporting

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pellerin, Brian A.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Downing, Bryan D.; Saraceno, John Franco; Garrett, Jessica D.; Olsen, Lisa D.

2013-01-01

The recent commercial availability of in situ optical sensors, together with new techniques for data collection and analysis, provides the opportunity to monitor a wide range of water-quality constituents on time scales in which environmental conditions actually change. Of particular interest is the application of ultraviolet (UV) photometers for in situ determination of nitrate concentrations in rivers and streams. The variety of UV nitrate sensors currently available differ in several important ways related to instrument design that affect the accuracy of their nitrate concentration measurements in different types of natural waters. This report provides information about selection and use of UV nitrate sensors by the U.S. Geological Survey to facilitate the collection of high-quality data across studies, sites, and instrument types. For those in need of technical background and information about sensor selection, this report addresses the operating principles, key features and sensor design, sensor characterization techniques and typical interferences, and approaches for sensor deployment. For those needing information about maintaining sensor performance in the field, key sections in this report address maintenance and calibration protocols, quality-assurance techniques, and data formats and reporting. Although the focus of this report is UV nitrate sensors, many of the principles can be applied to other in situ optical sensors for water-quality studies.

Water-quality observations of the San Antonio segment of the Edwards aquifer, Texas, with an emphasis on processes influencing nutrient and pesticide geochemistry and factors affecting aquifer vulnerability, 2010–16

USGS Publications Warehouse

Opsahl, Stephen P.; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Mahler, Barbara J.; Lambert, Rebecca B.

2018-06-07

As questions regarding the influence of increasing urbanization on water quality in the Edwards aquifer are raised, a better understanding of the sources, fate, and transport of compounds of concern in the aquifer—in particular, nutrients and pesticides—is needed to improve water management decision-making capabilities. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, performed a study from 2010 to 2016 to better understand how water quality changes under a range of hydrologic conditions and in contrasting land-cover settings (rural and urban) in the Edwards aquifer. The study design included continuous hydrologic monitoring, continuous water-quality monitoring, and discrete sample collection for a detailed characterization of water quality at a network of sites throughout the aquifer system. The sites were selected to encompass a “source-to-sink” (that is, from aquifer recharge to aquifer discharge) approach. Network sites were selected to characterize rainfall, recharging surface water, and groundwater; groundwater sites included wells in the unconfined part of the aquifer (unconfined wells) and in the confined part of the aquifer (confined wells) and a major discharging spring. Storm-related samples—including rainfall samples, stormwater-runoff (surface-water) samples, and groundwater samples—were collected to characterize the aquifer response to recharge.Elevated nitrate concentrations relative to national background values and the widespread detection of pesticides indicate that the Edwards aquifer is vulnerable to contamination and that vulnerability is affected by factors such as land cover, aquifer hydrogeology, and changes in hydrologic conditions. Greater vulnerability of groundwater in urban areas relative to rural areas was evident from results for urban groundwater sites, which generally had higher nitrate concentrations, elevated δ15N-nitrate values, a greater diversity of pesticides, and higher pesticide concentrations. The continuum of water quality from unconfined rural groundwater sites (least affected by anthropogenic contamination) to unconfined urban groundwater sites (most affected by anthropogenic contamination) demonstrates enhanced vulnerability of urban versus rural land cover. Differences in contaminant occurrences and concentration among unconfined urban wells indicate that the urban parts of the aquifer are not uniformly vulnerable, but rather are affected by spatial differences in the sources of nutrients and pesticides. In urban areas, the shallow, unconfined groundwater sites showed greater temporal variability in both nutrient and pesticide concentrations, as well as a greater degree of contamination, than did deeper, confined groundwater sites. In comparison to that of the shallow, unconfined groundwater sites, the water quality of the deeper, confined groundwater sites was relatively invariant during this multiyear study. Although aquifer hydrogeology is an important factor related to aquifer vulnerability, land cover likely has a greater influence on pesticide contamination of groundwater. Temporal variability in hydrologic conditions for the Edwards aquifer is apparent in data for surface water as a source of groundwater recharge, water-level altitude in wells, spring discharge, and groundwater quality. This temporal variability affects recharge sources, recharge amounts, groundwater traveltimes, flow routing, water-rock interaction processes, dilution, mixing, and, in turn, water quality. Relations of land cover, aquifer hydrogeology, and changing hydrologic conditions to water quality are complex but provide insight into the vulnerability of Edwards aquifer groundwater—a vital drinking-water resource.

Water quality under increased biofuel production and future climate change and uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demissie, Y. K.; Yan, E.

2015-12-01

Over the past decade, biofuel has emerged as an important renewable energy source to supplement gasoline and reduce the associated greenhouse gas emission. Many countries, for instant, have adopted biofuel production goals to blend 10% or more of gasoline with biofuels within 10 to 20 years. However, meeting these goals requires sustainable production of biofuel feedstock which can be challenging under future change in climate and extreme weather conditions, as well as the likely impacts of biofuel feedstock production on water quality and availability. To understand this interrelationship and the combined effects of increased biofuel production and climate change on regional and local water resources, we have performed watershed hydrology and water quality analyses for the Ohio River Basin. The basin is one of the major biofuel feedstock producing region in the United States, which also currently contributes about half of the flow and one third of phosphorus and nitrogen loadings to the Mississippi River that eventually flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The analyses integrate future scenarios and climate change and biofuel development through various mixes of landuse and agricultural management changes and examine their potential impacts on regional and local hydrology, water quality, soil erosion, and agriculture productivity. The results of the study are expected to provide much needed insight about the sustainability of large-scale biofuel feedstock production under the future climate change and uncertainty, and helps to further optimize the feedstock production taking into consideration the water-use efficiency.

A software sensor model based on hybrid fuzzy neural network for rapid estimation water quality in Guangzhou section of Pearl River, China.

PubMed

Zhou, Chunshan; Zhang, Chao; Tian, Di; Wang, Ke; Huang, Mingzhi; Liu, Yanbiao

2018-01-02

In order to manage water resources, a software sensor model was designed to estimate water quality using a hybrid fuzzy neural network (FNN) in Guangzhou section of Pearl River, China. The software sensor system was composed of data storage module, fuzzy decision-making module, neural network module and fuzzy reasoning generator module. Fuzzy subtractive clustering was employed to capture the character of model, and optimize network architecture for enhancing network performance. The results indicate that, on basis of available on-line measured variables, the software sensor model can accurately predict water quality according to the relationship between chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dissolved oxygen (DO), pH and NH 4 + -N. Owing to its ability in recognizing time series patterns and non-linear characteristics, the software sensor-based FNN is obviously superior to the traditional neural network model, and its R (correlation coefficient), MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) and RMSE (root mean square error) are 0.8931, 10.9051 and 0.4634, respectively.

Water Quality Improvement through Reductions of Pollutant Loads on Small Scale of Bioretention System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elyza Muha, Norshafa; Mohd Sidek, Lariyah; Jajarmizadeh, Milad

2016-03-01

Bioretention system is introduced as an important topic namely Urban Storm Water Management Manual for Malaysia (MSMA) by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (DID) in May 2012. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the performance of water quality for small scale bioretention system under tropical climate via MUSIC model. Two bioretention systems 1 and 2 are observed based on the difference media depth. The result of bioretention system is compared with a reference model which has infrastructure with Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation (MUSIC) for pollutants load reduction and water quality results. Assessment of results via MUSIC software indicates a significant percentage of reduction for Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN). The prediction of pollutant reduction via using MUSIC has the harmony for requirement in MSMA. TSS pollutant reduction is more than 80%, while for TP and TN more than 50%. The outcome of this study can be helpful for improvement of the existing MSMA guidelines for application of bioretention systems in Malaysia.

Effect of wheat flour characteristics on sponge cake quality.

PubMed

Moiraghi, Malena; de la Hera, Esther; Pérez, Gabriela T; Gómez, Manuel

2013-02-01

To select the flour parameters that relate strongly to cake-making performance, in this study the relationship between sponge cake quality, solvent retention capacity (SRC) profile and flour physicochemical characteristics was investigated using 38 soft wheat samples of different origins. Particle size average, protein, damaged starch, water-soluble pentosans, total pentosans, SRC and pasting properties were analysed. Sponge cake volume and crumb texture were measured to evaluate cake quality. Cluster analysis was applied to assess differences in flour quality parameters among wheat lines based on the SRC profile. Cluster 1 showed significantly higher sponge cake volume and crumb softness, finer particle size and lower SRC sucrose, SRC carbonate, SRC water, damaged starch and protein content. Particle size, damaged starch, protein, thickening capacity and SRC parameters correlated negatively with sponge cake volume, while total pentosans and pasting temperature showed the opposite effect. The negative correlations between cake volume and SRC parameters along with the cluster analysis results indicated that flours with smaller particle size, lower absorption capacity and higher pasting temperature had better cake-making performance. Some simple analyses, such as SRC, particle size distribution and pasting properties, may help to choose flours suitable for cake making. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Data Used in Analyses of Trends, and Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Loads for Streams in the Southeastern United States, 1973-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Staub, Erik L.; Peak, Kelly L.; Tighe, Kirsten C.; Sadorf, Eric M.; Harned, Douglas A.

2010-01-01

Water-quality data from selected surface-water monitoring sites in the Southeastern United States were assessed for trends in concentrations of nutrients, suspended sediment, and major constituents and for in-stream nutrient and suspended-sediment loads for the period 1973-2005. The area of interest includes river basins draining into the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Tennessee River-drainage basins in Hydrologic Regions 03 (South Atlantic - Gulf) and 06 (Tennessee). This data assessment is related to studies of several major river basins as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, which was designed to assess national water-quality trends during a common time period (1993-2004). Included in this report are data on which trend tests could be performed from 44 U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS) sampling sites. The constituents examined include major ions, nutrients, and suspended sediment; the physical properties examined include pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and streamflow. Also included are data that were tested for trends from an additional 290 sites from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storage and Retrieval (STORET) database. The trend analyses of the STORET data were limited to total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations. Data from 48 U.S. Geological Survey NWIS sampling sites with sufficient water-quality and continuous streamflow data for estimating nutrient and sediment loads are included. The methods of data compilation and modification used prior to performing trend tests and load estimation are described. Results of the seasonal Kendall trend test and the Tobit trend test are given for the 334 monitoring sites, and in-stream load estimates are given for the 48 monitoring sites. Basin characteristics are provided, including regional landscape variables and agricultural nutrient sources (annual variations in cropping and fertilizer use). The data and results presented in this report are in tabular format and can be downloaded and used by environmental researchers and water managers, particularly in the Southeast.

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Non-point Sources (BASINS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is a multipurpose environmental analysis system designed to help regional, state, and local agencies perform watershed- and water quality-based studies.

Field-analysis of potable water quality and ozone efficiency in ozone-assisted biological filtration systems for surface water treatment.

PubMed

Zanacic, Enisa; Stavrinides, John; McMartin, Dena W

2016-11-01

Potable water treatment in small communities is challenging due to a complexity of factors starting with generally poor raw water sources, a smaller tax and consumption base that limit capital and operating funds, and culminating in what is typically a less sophisticated and robust water treatment plant for production and delivery of safe, high quality potable water. The design and optimization of modular ozone-assisted biological filtration systems can address some of these challenges. In surface water treatment, the removal of organic matter (e.g., dissolved organic carbon - DOC), inorganic nutrients and other exposure-related contaminants (e.g., turbidity and dissolved solids) from the raw water source is essential. Thus, a combination of chemical and biological oxidation processes can produce an effective and efficient water treatment plant design that is also affordable and robust. To that end, the ozone-assisted biological filtration water treatment plants in two communities were evaluated to determine the efficacy of oxidation and contaminant removal processes. The results of testing for in-field system performance indicate that plant performance is particularly negatively impacted by high alkalinity, high organics loading, and turbidity. Both bicarbonate and carbonate alkalinity were observed to impede ozone contact and interaction with DOC, resulting in lower than anticipated DOC oxidation efficiency and bioavailability. The ozone dosage at both water treatment plants must be calculated on a more routine basis to better reflect both the raw water DOC concentration and presence of alkalinities to ensure maximized organics oxidation and minimization of trihalomethanes production. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Association between perceptions of public drinking water quality and actual drinking water quality: A community-based exploratory study in Newfoundland (Canada).

PubMed

Ochoo, Benjamin; Valcour, James; Sarkar, Atanu

2017-11-01

Studying public perception on drinking water quality is crucial for managing of water resources, generation of water quality standards, and surveillance of the drinking-water quality. However, in policy discourse, the reliability of public perception concerning drinking water quality and associated health risks is questionable. Does the public perception of water quality equate with the actual water quality? We investigated public perceptions of water quality and the perceived health risks and associated with the actual quality of public water supplies in the same communities. The study was conducted in 45 communities of Newfoundland (Canada) in 2012. First, a telephone survey of 100 households was conducted to examine public perceptions of drinking water quality of their respective public sources. Then we extracted public water quality reports of the same communities (1988-2011) from the provincial government's water resources portal. These reports contained the analysis of 2091 water samples, including levels of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs), nutrients, metals, ions and physical parameters. The reports showed that colour, manganese, total dissolved solids, iron, turbidity, and DBPs were the major detected parameters in the public water. However, the majority of the respondents (>56%) were either completely satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of drinking water. Older, higher educated and high-income group respondents were more satisfied with water quality than the younger, less educated and low-income group respondents. The study showed that there was no association with public satisfaction level and actual water quality of the respective communities. Even, in the communities, supplied by the same water system, the respondents had differences in opinion. Despite the effort by the provincial government to make the water-test results available on its website for years, the study showed existing disconnectedness between public perception of drinking water quality and actual quality. We had little scope to explore the possible explanations, and hence further studies are required to verify the age, gender educational status and income differential about the satisfaction of public service like water supply. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 131.35 - Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.35 Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation. The water quality standards applicable to the waters within the... these Federal water quality standards to prescribe minimum water quality requirements for the surface...

Cistern and planter box monitoring in Camden, NJ revisited ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority installed green infrastructure Stormwater Control Measures at multiple locations around the city of Camden, NJ. The Stormwater Control Measures include raised downspout planter boxes and cisterns. EPA is monitoring a subset of the locations to document the performance of individual Stormwater Control Measures. The selected monitoring sites include two sets of raised downspout planter boxes and five cisterns. These Stormwater Control Measures are being monitored: to investigate their hydrologic performances, to document water consumption patterns of cisterns for a better understanding of the supply and demand relationship, and to analyze cistern water quality. The continuous electronic monitoring devices included time domain reflectometers, rain gauges and pressure transducers. EPA decided to monitor these Stormwater Control Measures for three years and second year monitoring is ongoing. Monitoring data present the internal water flow patterns and media saturation frequency of the raised planter boxes and the capture ratio, water use patterns and water quality analysis of cisterns. Second year monitoring shows larger capture ratio for cisterns compared to the first year data and higher metal concentration at one site. The high metal concentration was later resolved by flushing the cistern and resampling. The presentation will summarize the comparison between first and second year data, providing results from the

Performance of a pilot showcase of different wetland systems in an urban setting in Singapore.

PubMed

Quek, B S; He, Q H; Sim, C H

2015-01-01

The Alexandra Wetlands, part of PUB's Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme, showcase a surface flow wetland, an aquatic pond and a sub-surface flow wetland on a 200 m deck built over an urban drainage canal. Water from the canal is pumped to a sedimentation basin, before flowing in parallel to the three wetlands. Water quality monitoring was carried out monthly from April 2011 to December 2012. The order of removal efficiency is sub-surface flow (81.3%) >aquatic pond (58.5%) >surface flow (50.7%) for total suspended solids (TSS); sub-surface (44.9%) >surface flow (31.9%) >aquatic pond (22.0%) for total nitrogen (TN); and surface flow (56.7%) >aquatic pond (39.8%) >sub-surface flow (5.4%) for total phosphorus (TP). All three wetlands achieved the Singapore stormwater treatment objectives (STO) for TP removal, but only the sub-surface flow wetland met the STO for TSS, and none met the STO for TN. Challenges in achieving satisfactory performance include inconsistent feed water quality, undesirable behaviour such as fishing, release of pets and feeding of animals in the wetlands, and canal dredging during part of the monitoring period. As a pilot showcase, the Alexandra Wetlands provide useful lessons for implementing multi-objective wetlands in an urban setting.

[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.

Hydrological Modeling of Rainfall-Watershed-Bioretention System with EPA SWMM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

gülbaz, sezar; melek kazezyılmaz-alhan, cevza

2016-04-01

Water resources should be protected for the sustainability of water supply and water quality. Human activities such as high urbanization with lack of infrastructure system and uncontrolled agricultural facilities adversely affect the water resources. Therefore, recent techniques should be investigated in detail to avoid present and future problems like flood, drought and water pollution. Low Impact Development-Best Management Practice (LID-BMP) is such a technique to manage storm water runoff and quality. There are several LID storm water BMPs such as bioretention facilities, rain gardens, storm water wetlands, vegetated rooftops, rain barrels, vegetative swales and permeable pavements. Bioretention is a type of Low Impact Developments (LIDs) implemented to diminish adverse effects of urbanization by reducing peak flows over the surface and improving surface water quality simultaneously. Different soil types in different ratios are considered in bioretention design which affects the performance of bioretention systems. Therefore, in this study, a hydrologic model for bioretention is developed by using Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Management Model (EPA SWMM). Part of the input data is supplied to the hydrologic model by experimental setup called Rainfall-Watershed-Bioretention (RWB). RWB System is developed to investigate the relation among rainfall, watershed and bioretention. This setup consists of three main parts which are artificial rainfall system, drainage area and four bioretention columns with different soil mixture. EPA SWMM is a dynamic simulation model for the surface runoff which develops on a watershed during a rainfall event. The model is commonly used to plan, analyze, and control storm water runoff, to design drainage system components and to evaluate watershed management of both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, EPA SWMM is a well-known program to model LID-Bioretention in the literature. Therefore, EPA SWMM is employed in drainage and bioretention modeling. Calibration of hydrologic model is made using part of the measured data in RWB System for drainage area and for each bioretention column separately. Finally, performance of the model is evaluated by comparing the model results with the experimental data collected in RWB system.

Physical characteristics and chemical quality of selected springs in parts of Juab, Millard, Tooele, and Utah counties, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilberg, D.E.; Stolp, B.J.

1985-01-01

Hydrologic, geologic, and partial water quality data were collected at 90 selected springs in west-central Utah, and chemical analyses performed on water samples from 62 of the springs. Descriptions of the physiographic and geologic conditions, climate, and vegetation patterns for the study area are included. Allowable limits of certain chemical constituents in water for human and livestock consumption are included with the water quality data. Three classifications of springs were established based on physical characteristics of the springs, and chemical composition of the springflow: (1) mountain springs; (2) non-thermal valley springs, and (3) thermal valley springs. Mountain springs are in and near recharge areas, have seasonal variations of discharge and temperature, typically discharge from extrusive and metamorphic geohydrologic units, and generally discharge freshwater. Non-thermal valley springs are peripheral to recharge areas, have seasonal variations of discharge and temperature, typically discharge from a variety of geohydrologic units, and have variable water composition. Thermal valley springs are near topographic low areas of valleys , and have little seasonal variation of discharge or temperature. They typically discharge from unconsolidated deposits (but the discharge probably has flowed through buried carbonate geohydrologic units). They also have a considerable range of water composition that reflects the relative complexity of the groundwater system. (Author 's abstract)

Particle behaviour consideration to maximize the settling capacity of rainwater storage tanks.

PubMed

Han, M Y; Mun, J S

2007-01-01

Design of a rainwater storage tank is mostly based on the mass balance of rainwater with respect to the tank, considering aspects such as rainfall runoff, water usage and overflow. So far, however, little information is available on the quality aspects of the stored rainwater, such as the behavior of particles, the effect of retention time of the water in the tank and possible influences of system configuration on water quality in the storage tank. In this study, we showed that the performance of rainwater storage tanks could be maximized by recognizing the importance of water quality improvement by sedimentation and the importance of the system configuration within the tank, as well as the efficient collection of runoff. The efficiency of removal of the particles was increased by there being a considerable distance between the inlet and the outlet in the rainwater storage tank. Furthermore, it is recommended that the effective water depth in a rainwater tank be designed to be more than 3 m and that the rainwater be drawn from as close to the water surface as possible by using a floating suction device. An operation method that increases the retention time by stopping rainwater supply when the turbidity of rainwater runoff is high will ensure low turbidity in the rainwater collected from the tank.

Data collection and compilation for a geodatabase of groundwater, surface-water, water-quality, geophysical, and geologic data, Pecos County Region, Texas, 1930-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, Daniel K.; Bumgarner, Johnathan R.; Houston, Natalie A.; Stanton, Gregory P.; Teeple, Andrew; Thomas, Jonathan V.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District, Pecos County, City of Fort Stockton, Brewster County, and Pecos County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, compiled groundwater, surface-water, water-quality, geophysical, and geologic data for site locations in the Pecos County region, Texas, and developed a geodatabase to facilitate use of this information. Data were compiled for an approximately 4,700 square mile area of the Pecos County region, Texas. The geodatabase contains data from 8,242 sampling locations; it was designed to organize and store field-collected geochemical and geophysical data, as well as digital database resources from the U.S. Geological Survey, Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District, Texas Water Development Board, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,and numerous other State and local databases. The geodatabase combines these disparate database resources into a simple data model. Site locations are geospatially enabled and stored in a geodatabase feature class for cartographic visualization and spatial analysis within a Geographic Information System. The sampling locations are related to hydrogeologic information through the use of geodatabase relationship classes. The geodatabase relationship classes provide the ability to perform complex spatial and data-driven queries to explore data stored in the geodatabase.

Do low-cost ceramic water filters improve water security in rural South Africa?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Jens; Materne, Tineke; Grüner, Jörg

2016-10-01

This study examined the performance of a low-cost ceramic candle filter system (CCFS) for point of use (POU) drinking water treatment in the village of Hobeni, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. CCFSs were distributed in Hobeni and a survey was carried out among their users. The performance of 51 CCFSs was evaluated by dip slides and related to human factors. Already after two-thirds of their specified lifetime, none of the distributed CCFSs produced water without distinct contamination, and more than one-third even deteriorated in hygienic water quality. Besides the water source (springs were preferable compared to river or rain water), a high water throughput was the dominant reason for poor CCFS performance. A stepwise laboratory test documented the negative effects of repeated loading and ambient field temperatures. These findings suggest that not every CCFS type per se guarantees improved drinking water security and that the efficiency of low-cost systems should continuously be monitored. For this purpose, dip slides were found to be a cost-efficient alternative to standard laboratory tests. They consistently underestimated microbial counts but can be used by laypersons and hence by the users themselves to assess critical contamination of their filter systems.

Effect of organic matter to nitrogen ratio on membrane bioreactor performance.

PubMed

Hao, L; Liao, B Q

2015-01-01

Effect of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrogen (COD:N) ratio in feed on the performance of aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) for treating a synthetic high-strength industrial waste water containing glucose was studied for over 370 days. The widely recommended nutrients ratio (COD:N:P = 100:5:1) is not necessary for aerobic biological industrial waste water treatment. An increased COD:N ratio from 100:5 to 100:2.5 and 100:1.8 had a limited impact on COD removal efficiency and further led to a significant improvement in membrane performance, a reduced sludge yield, and improved effluent quality in terms of residual nutrients. An increased COD:N ratio will benefit the industrial waste water treatment using MBRs by reducing membrane fouling and sludge yield, saving chemical costs, and reducing secondary pollution by nutrients addition. Optimization of nutrients usage should be conducted for specific industrial waste water streams.

NASA-Modified Precipitation Products to Improve EPA Nonpoint Source Water Quality Modeling for the Chesapeake Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nigro, Joseph; Toll, David; Partington, Ed; Ni-Meister, Wenge; Lee, Shihyan; Gutierrez-Magness, Angelica; Engman, Ted; Arsenault, Kristi

2010-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that over 20,000 water bodies within the United States do not meet water quality standards. Ninety percent of the impairments are typically caused by nonpoint sources. One of the regulations in the Clean Water Act of 1972 requires States to monitor the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), or the amount of pollution that can be carried by a water body before it is determined to be "polluted", for any watershed in the U.S.. In response to this mandate, the EPA developed Better Assessment Science Integrating Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) as a Decision Support Tool (DST) for assessing pollution and to guide the decision making process for improving water quality. One of the models in BASINS, the Hydrological Simulation Program -- Fortran (HSPF), computes daily stream flow rates and pollutant concentration at each basin outlet. By design, precipitation and other meteorological data from weather stations serve as standard model input. In practice, these stations may be unable to capture the spatial heterogeneity of precipitation events especially if they are few and far between. An attempt was made to resolve this issue by substituting station data with NASA modified/NOAA precipitation data. Using these data within HSPF, stream flow was calculated for seven watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay Basin during low flow periods, convective storm periods, and annual flows. In almost every case, the modeling performance of HSPF increased when using the NASA-modified precipitation data, resulting in better stream flow statistics and, ultimately, in improved water quality assessment.

Viticulture microzoning: a functional approach aiming to grape and wine qualities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonfante, A.; Agrillo, A.; Albrizio, R.; Basile, A.; Buonomo, R.; De Mascellis, R.; Gambuti, A.; Giorio, P.; Guida, G.; Langella, G.; Manna, P.; Minieri, L.; Moio, L.; Siani, T.; Terribile, F.

2014-12-01

This paper aims to test a new physically oriented approach to viticulture zoning at the farm scale, strongly rooted on hydropedology and aiming to achieve a better use of environmental features with respect to plant requirement and wine production. The physics of our approach is defined by the use of soil-plant-atmosphere simulation models which applies physically-based equations to describe the soil hydrological processes and solves soil-plant water status. This study (ZOVISA project) was conducted in a farm devoted to high quality wines production (Aglianico DOC), located in South Italy (Campania region, Mirabella Eclano-AV). The soil spatial distribution was obtained after standard soil survey informed by geophysical survey. Two Homogenous Zones (HZs) were identified; in each one of those a physically based model was applied to solve the soil water balance and estimate the soil functional behaviour (crop water stress index, CWSI) defining the functional Homogeneous Zones (fHzs). In these last, experimental plots were established and monitored for investigating soil-plant water status, crop development (biometric and physiological parameters) and daily climate variables (temperature, solar radiation, rainfall, wind). The effects of crop water status on crop response over must and wine quality were then evaluated in the fHZs. This was performed by comparing crop water stress with (i) crop physiological measurement (leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, leaf water potential, chlorophyll content, LAI measurement), (ii) grape bunches measurements (berry weight, sugar content, titratable acidity, etc.) and (iii) wine quality (aromatic response). Eventually this experiment has proved the usefulness of the physical based approach also in the case of mapping viticulture microzoning.

Quality site seasonal report: Army Air Force Exchange Service Headquarters Building, SFBP 1343, August 1984 through May 1985

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

Pollock, E.O. Jr.

1987-10-15

The active solar Domestic Hot Water (DHW) system at the HQ Army-Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Building was designed and constructed as part of the Solar in Federal Buildings Programs (SFBP). This retrofitted system is one of eight of the systems in the SFBP selected for quality monitoring. The purpose of this monitoring effort is to document the performance of quality state-of-the-art solar systems in large federal building applications. The six-story HQ AAFES Building houses a cafeteria, officer's mess and club and office space for 2400 employees. The siphon-return drainback system uses 1147 ft/sup 2/ of Aircraftsman flat-plate collectors tomore » collect solar energy which is used to preheat domestic hot water. Solar energy is stored in a 1329-gallon tank and transferred to the hot water load through a heat exchanger located in the 356-gallon DHW preheat tank. Auxiliary energy is supplied by two gas fired boilers which boost the temperature to 130/sup 0/F before it is distributed to the load. Highlights of the performance of the HQ AAFES Building solar system during the monitoring period from August 1984 through May 1985 are presented in this report.« less

Water quality and quantity assessment of pervious pavements performance in experimental car park areas.

PubMed

Sañudo-Fontaneda, Luis A; Charlesworth, Susanne M; Castro-Fresno, Daniel; Andres-Valeri, Valerio C A; Rodriguez-Hernandez, Jorge

2014-01-01

Pervious pavements have become one of the most used sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) techniques in car parks. This research paper presents the results of monitoring water quality from several experimental car park areas designed and constructed in Spain with bays made of interlocking concrete block pavement, porous asphalt, polymer-modified porous concrete and reinforced grass with plastic and concrete cells. Moreover, two different sub-base materials were used (limestone aggregates and basic oxygen furnace slag). This study therefore encompasses the majority of the materials used as permeable surfaces and sub-base layers all over the world. Effluent from the test bays was monitored for dissolved oxygen, pH, electric conductivity, total suspended solids, turbidity and total petroleum hydrocarbons in order to analyze the behaviour shown by each combination of surface and sub-base materials. In addition, permeability tests were undertaken in all car parks using the 'Laboratorio Caminos Santander' permeameter and the Cantabrian Portable Infiltrometer. All results are presented together with the influence of surface and sub-base materials on water quality indicators using bivariate correlation statistical analysis at a confidence level of 95%. The polymer-modified porous concrete surface course in combination with limestone aggregate sub-base presented the best performance.