July 9, 2004 -- The American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF) has elected to provide funding for a two-year research program led by national environmental engineering consultant Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. to develop treatment/ disinfection/ operational strategies to enable retail water systems that purchases treated water from other larger systems, to comply with upcoming federal drinking water regulations.
The experienced research team, comprised of practicing water industry professionals from Malcolm Pirnie and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and academic experts from the University of Colorado-Boulder and the University of Cincinnati, will be led by Dr. Zaid Chowdhury, P.E., a Senior Associate in Malcolm Pirnie's Phoenix office.
The proposed Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (D/DBPR), which regulates the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in the distribution system, may have a significant impact on communities that obtain water from larger systems or wholesalers (WS). Under the new regulations, these smaller consecutive systems (CSs) will have more direct responsibility for water quality delivered to consumers, and thus may have to modify current operating practices. Since CSs typically do not further treat water obtain from a WS, they have limited options available to minimize DBP formation in their systems.
The Pirnie-led research team will review data collected from up to 75 water utilities regarding current DBP control practices to characterize factors impacting DBP formation; bench- and full-scale testing will be used to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies such as improved disinfection practices and optimizing storage tank operations to reduce DBP concentrations in the distribution system.
Nearly half the cost of the $730,000 project will be provided by AwwaRF, with the balance contributed by participating utilities and team members. Research efforts are anticipated to begin in fall of 2004.
About Malcolm Pirnie
Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., a century-old environmental consulting firm with a diversified staff of over 1,400 engineers, scientists and consultants in 45+ offices nationwide, provides governmental and industrial clients with comprehensive services in water and wastewater engineering, solid and hazardous waste management, environmental sciences. Malcolm Pirnie's drinking water experts provided technical assistance to USEPA during development of the drinking water rules and participated in writing the USEPA guidance manual for implementation of the D/DBP Rule. Pirnie has won numerous awards of excellence from national professional organizations for its drinking water projects.
About AwwaRF
The AwwaRF is a member-supported, international non-profit organization that sponsors research to enable water utilities, public health agencies and other professionals to provide safe and affordable drinking water to consumers.
