The State of California Department of Water Resources (DWR) applies copper
sulfate bimonthly, from April through September, to control algae in the South
Bay Aqueduct (SBA). During this time, water quality measurements are
performed on both source and finished waters at the Santa Clara Valley Water
District's drinking water treatment plants. The interpretation and assessment of
this water quality data then provides management and operational staff the
information necessary in making appropriate source water and/or treatment
decisions. The following test parameters are analyzed to determine source and
finished water quality before and after the application of copper sulfate in the
SBA: Turbidity, threshold odor number (TON), fluorescence, flavor profile
analysis (FPA), 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol
(geosmin), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH,
color, temperature, conductivity, phosphate, nitrate, and examination and
enumeration of algae. However, after applying copper sulfate and testing for
potential taste and odor indicators, the District still experienced a severe taste
and odor incident, which caused water quality management to change source
and treated water operations significantly. The District responded by conducting
more frequent flavor profile analyses, reducing the flow of the affected source
water, feeding more powder activated carbon, and blending the affected source
water with a cleaner water source. Additionally, the DWR increased the
frequency of copper sulfate to eliminate the taste and odor producing algae. As a
result of these actions, the taste and odor incident subsided through a
coordinated effort from the District's maintenance, operations, water quality, and
laboratory services as well as through communication among DWR, District
retailers, and the District. Therefore, this study evaluates how water quality
management addressed the taste and odor incident through optimizing source
and treated water operations as well as addresses the communication efforts
necessary in dealing with the problem of taste and odor compounds and
consumer complaints. Finally, this study provides decision making tools and
water treatment strategies that other utilities may find useful when responding to
a taste and odor event. Includes 11 references, table, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 3.1 MB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 18 |
| Published : | 11/15/2004 |
