Schematic diagram of the HiPOx system.
Click here to enlarge imageMTBE is not easily removed by traditional treatment methods such as carbon filtration or air stripping, so the district broadened its search for a solution beyond the scope of these standard methods. District Manager of Water Operations Rick Hydrick explained: "We wanted something that would completely destroy all traces of MTBE and would produce the purest drinking water possible."
The district purchased an 800-gallon-per-minute advanced oxidation treatment system from Applied Process Technology, Inc. (Applied) based in Pleasant Hill, California. The portable system, called HiPOx, was purchased after site tests demonstrated that HiPOx could destroy MTBE in potable water and would meet the district's stringent requirements, probably the highest water quality standards in the USA.
Terry Applebury, Applied's president and CEO, says the HiPOx technology sets a new standard for removing MTBE from drinking water. "The HiPOx system is extremely precise and robust and can completely destroy MTBE without creating by-products associated with older treatment methods." The HiPOx advanced oxidation technology mixes hydrogen peroxide and ozone to form hydroxyl radicals, an aggressive oxidant that reacts chemically with MTBE, breaking it down into harmless carbon dioxide and water. The carbon dioxide is vented off while the cleansed water is returned to the drinking water system for distribution.
The HiPOx system is the first advanced oxidation treatment system approved by California's Department of Health Services (DHS) to completely eliminate MTBE contamination in drinking water. Since the HiPOx's commissioning on 26 June 2002, the previously unusable Arrowhead well has been providing clean, MTBE-free drinking water to the South Lake Tahoe public and surrounding communities.
"The Arrowhead well is the first MTBE-contaminated well to be brought back on line. Its restoration marks an important milestone in the total recovery of South Lake Tahoe's drinking water supply," said Cocking.
Author's note
Jill Foster is the corporate marketing manager of Applied Process Technology, based in Pleasant Hill, California, USA.