WaterOne is a quasi-municipal water authority that provides drinking water to more than
375,000 people primarily in Johnson County, Kansas. WaterOne treats source waters of
poor quality, the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, and experiences periodic taste and odor
(T&O) episodes caused by geosmin and MIB.
From 2002 to 2004, WaterOne and Black & Veatch worked together to develop a comprehensive
T&O control program. This work included analysis of historical data to develop an early
warning system for T&O episodes, seminars to train WaterOne staff in the use of new
sensory analysis methods, and bench-scale testing to evaluate powdered activated carbon (PAC) treatment efficiency
for geosmin, MIB, and atrazine.
Over 10 years of T&O complaint data were evaluated to identify 15 T&O episodes that
occurred between 1990 and 2002. River flow, reservoir release, rainfall, and water quality
data for this period were analyzed for correlation to the T&O events. The objective was
to determine if a set of conditions could be linked to an increased probability of a T&O
episode and hence be used as an early warning system. The data analysis showed a strong
correlation of T&O events to both monthly rainfall accumulations < 2 inches and river
flows < 2000 cfs. No correlations were found between T&O episodes and raw water
nutrient levels or algae counts.
Training seminars were conducted by Black and Veatch and Dr. Andrea Dietrich to train WaterOne
staff how to use the new sensory analysis methods that are the subject of the AwwaRF
report, "Practical Taste-and-Odor Methods for Routine Operations: A Decision Tree". Over 30 staff were trained in the new methods and screened for their ability to detect
MIB. The results of the training seminars are presented.
Jar tests were conducted to compare the efficiency of 4 PAC brands for removal of
geosmin, MIB, and atrazine. Dose-response curves were developed for treatment of each
contaminant to establish PAC dose parameters. Test results showed that one of the PAC
brands was more efficient treating this water for MIB, geosmin, and atrazine.
The early warning system, sensory analysis methods, and treatment optimization were
used to develop a comprehensive taste and odor control program for WaterOne. Specific
operating rules were developed for monitoring conditions that are conducive to T&O
episodes, using new, practical sensory analysis methods for detection of T&O
compounds, and applying appropriate PAC doses when a T&O episode occurs.
Taste-and-odor complaints are among the most common for U.S. utilities.
This paper illustrates how utilities can integrate an early warning system, sensory
analysis techniques, and treatment optimization to develop an effective T&O control
program. Includes tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 1 MB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 14 |
| Published : | 06/17/2005 |
