ENCH 412 / ENCE 612 Environmental Physicochemical Processes

An Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

Baltimore Department of Public Works

 Current & Emerging Issues
Given the extensive history with drinking water treatment in
developed countries, what type of problems do we face?

Your First HW Assignment Read the following:

1. http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/milwaukee-marks-20-years-since-
cryptosporidium-outbreak-099dio5-201783191.html

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/magazine/the-lawyer-who-became-
duponts-worst-nightmare.html?_r=1

3. http://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i7/Lead-Ended-Flints-Tap-Water.html%20

4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/increase-in-miscarriages-coincided-
with-high-levels-of-lead-in-dc-water-study-finds/2013/12/09/22b4fe72-60f9-
11e3-8beb-3f9a9942850f_story.html

come prepared to discuss

Current Issues

In providing safe drinking water,

our job as engineers does not
end here

(MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)

 Drinking Water and Wastewater Flows
Drinking water can spend days in the distribution
system between production and consumption
In providing safe drinking water,
our job as engineers does not
end here

(Masters and Ela, 2008)

How comprehensive is this list?
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

What are the factors that will determine our drinking

water treatment process?
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(surface water 1)
(MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(surface water 2) (MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(surface water 3) (MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(surface water 4)
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(saline water 1) (MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(groundwater 1) (MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)

What is Groundwater

(Masters and Ela, 2008)

What is Groundwater

(Masters and Ela, 2008)

 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)

(groundwater 2)
Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

(MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)

(groundwater 3)
Typical Unit Processes Used in Water Treatment
No. Unit Process No. Unit Process No. Unit Process
1 Adsorption 10 Denitrification 19 Ion exchange

2 Advanced oxidation 11 Disinfection 20 Mixing

3 Aeration 12 Distillation 21 Nitrification

4 Biofiltration 13 Filtration (granular) 22 Reverse osmosis

5 Chemical 14 Filtration 23 Screening, coarse

disinfection (membrane)
6 Chemical 15 Flocculation 24 Screening, micro
neutralization
7 Chemical oxidation 16 Flotation, dissolved 25 Sedimentation
air
8 Chemical 17 Flow equalization 26 Stabilization
precipitation
9 Coagulation 18 Gravity separation 27 UV light oxidation

(See Table 4-7: MWH Water Treatment: Principles and Design, 3rd Ed.)
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

What are the factors that will determine our drinking

water treatment process?
 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment
What are the factors that will determine our drinking
water treatment process?

- Raw water quality

- pollutants present
- physical characteristics
- chemical characteristics

- Treatment objectives (regulations)

- Demand (often > 108 gal/d)

 Overview of Drinking Water Treatment

To Recap, we have PFDs for:

- Surface water

- Groundwater

- Saline water

- Other sources of water?

 Water Reuse
de facto indirect water reuse surface waters containing a fraction of
upstream wastewater effluent
Indirect potable water reuse Highly treated wastewater that is sent a
reservoir or injected into an aquifer
Direct potable water reuse Highly treated wastewater that is sent to a
drinking water treatment plant or directly into the distribution system
 Water Reuse

(Science, 2012)
 Q: Why does our engineering
process change depending on our
source of water?
 Contaminants in Surface Water
Major contaminants:
Possible contaminants:
Color
Pesticides
Taste and odor
Heavy metals
Suspended solids
Pharmaceuticals
Turbidity
Bacteria, viruses
Contaminants generated in
Protozoa Giardia,
DWTPs:
Cryptosporidium
Disinfection by-products
Dissolved organic matter
Corrosive agents
 Contaminants in Groundwater
Major contaminants: Contaminants generated
Salinity in DWTPs:
Heavy metals Disinfection by-products
Persistent organic pollutants Corrosive agents
Minerals iron and manganese
Hydrogen sulfide
Hardness

Possible
contaminants:
Pesticides
 Contaminants in Groundwater

5
1 3
9
6
7

2 8
4
What are the Possible Causes or Sources of
Changing Influent Water Quality?
 Changes in Influent Water Quality
- Accidents (Chemical spill)
WVA
 Changes in Influent Water Quality
On January 10, 2014, 7500 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexylmethanol (MCHM)
spilled into the Elk River in West Virginia. This spill disrupted municipal
water service to 300,000 people. At least 670 people reported symptoms.

(Source: Google Earth and the U.S. Census Bureau | Gene Thorpe/The Washington Post January 10, 2014)
 Changes in Influent Water Quality
- Changes in water source
Flint, MI
 Changes in Influent Water Quality
- Seasonal changes (algae / taste & odor)
Toledo, OH
NASA

Toxic algal bloom Oct. 9, 2011

 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak
The Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant became contaminated.

The root cause for this contamination is believed to derive from (1) runoff
from a cattle pasture or (2) wastewater treatment plant effluent (outfall is
2 miles upstream of the drinking water influent).

Over the span of two weeks, ~400,000 people (of 1.6 million residents)
became ill with stomach cramps, fever, diarrhea, and dehydration.

(D. Ferguson, Oxford U.)

 Approach to Influent Water Quality
How can we engineer solutions to address
changing influent water quality?
City of Baltimore Department of Public Works 2014 Water Quality
Report
(http://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/)
 Source of Raw Water in Baltimore?
Prettyboy
Reservoir
(19109 gal)

Loch Raven
Reservoir
Liberty (23109 gal)
Reservoir
(43109 gal)

Ashburton and Montebello

(I & II) Filtration Plants:
205 MGD
 Water Treatment in Baltimore

7 9
2 3 8
1 4 5
6

Baltimore Department of Public Works

 Baltimore DWTP Tour

Exam II ?? ?? ?? ??

Design II Presentations

Study
?? ?? Day
Final