scholarly journals Temporal variations of de facto wastewater reuse and disinfection by-products in public water systems in the Shenandoah River watershed, USA

Author(s):  
Richard J. Weisman ◽  
Larry B. Barber ◽  
Kaycee Faunce ◽  
Jennifer L. Rapp ◽  
Celso M. Ferreira

Abstract Temporal variations of de facto wastewater reuse are relevant to public drinking water systems (PWSs) that obtain water from surface sources. Variations in wastewater discharge flows, streamflow, de facto reuse, and disinfection by-products (DBPs – trihalomethane-4 [THM4] and haloacetic acid-5 [HAA5]) over an 18-year period were examined at 11 PWSs in the Shenandoah River watershed, using more than 25,000 data records, in gaged and ungaged reaches. The relationship of de facto reuse with DBPs by year and quarter at the PWSs was examined. A linear relationship was found between THM4 and de facto reuse on an annual average basis (p = 0.050), as well as in quarters 3 (July – September) (p = 0.032) and 4 (October – December) (p = 0.031). Using a t-test (p < 0.05), the study also showed that there were significant differences in DBP levels for PWSs relative to 1% de facto reuse. This was found for THM4 based on annual average and quarter 1 (January – March) data, and for HAA5 based on quarter 3 data during the period of record.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 1699-1708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Weisman ◽  
Larry B. Barber ◽  
Jennifer L. Rapp ◽  
Celso M. Ferreira

The relationship between de facto reuse in the Shenandoah River watershed and DBPs in conventional surface water systems in that watershed was examined.


Author(s):  
Gabriel Pablo Lobo ◽  
Ashok Gadgil

Toxic levels of lead leaching from ageing water distribution infrastructure affect over 5,000 public drinking water systems in the US. Pipe replacement, the most effective solution to this problem, is...


2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 201-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Messner ◽  
Susan Shaw ◽  
Stig Regli ◽  
Ken Rotert ◽  
Valerie Blank ◽  
...  

In this paper, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presents an approach and a national estimate of drinking water related endemic acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) that uses information from epidemiologic studies. There have been a limited number of epidemiologic studies that have measured waterborne disease occurrence in the United States. For this analysis, we assume that certain unknown incidence of AGI in each public drinking water system is due to drinking water and that a statistical distribution of the different incidence rates for the population served by each system can be estimated to inform a mean national estimate of AGI illness due to drinking water. Data from public water systems suggest that the incidence rate of AGI due to drinking water may vary by several orders of magnitude. In addition, data from epidemiologic studies show AGI incidence due to drinking water ranging from essentially none (or less than the study detection level) to a rate of 0.26 cases per person-year. Considering these two perspectives collectively, and associated uncertainties, EPA has developed an analytical approach and model for generating a national estimate of annual AGI illness due to drinking water. EPA developed a national estimate of waterborne disease to address, in part, the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments. The national estimate uses best available science, but also recognizes gaps in the data to support some of the model assumptions and uncertainties in the estimate. Based on the model presented, EPA estimates a mean incidence of AGI attributable to drinking water of 0.06 cases per year (with a 95% credible interval of 0.02–0.12). The mean estimate represents approximately 8.5% of cases of AGI illness due to all causes among the population served by community water systems. The estimated incidence translates to 16.4 million cases/year among the same population. The estimate illustrates the potential usefulness and challenges of the approach, and provides a focus for discussions of data needs and future study designs. Areas of major uncertainty that currently limit the usefulness of the approach are discussed in the context of the estimate analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10740
Author(s):  
Linyan Pan ◽  
Junfeng Dai ◽  
Zhiqiang Wu ◽  
Liangliang Huang ◽  
Zupeng Wan ◽  
...  

When considering the factors affecting the spatial and temporal variation of nitrogen and phosphorus in karst watersheds, the unique karst hydrogeology as an internal influencing factor cannot be ignored, as well as natural factors such as meteorological hydrology and external factors such as human activities. A watershed-scale field investigation was completed to statistically analyze spatial and temporal dynamics of nitrogen and phosphorus through the regular monitoring and collection of surface water and shallow groundwater in the agricultural-dominated Mudong River watershed in the Huixian Karst Wetland over one year (May 2020 to April 2021). Our research found that non-point source pollution of nitrogen (84.5% of 239 samples TN > 1.0 mg/L) was more serious than phosphorus (7.5% of 239 samples TP > 0.2 mg/L) in the study area, and shallow groundwater nitrogen pollution (98.3% of 118 samples TN > 1.0 mg/L) was more serious than surface water (68.6% of 121 samples TN > 1.0 mg/L). In the three regions with different hydrodynamic features, the TN concentration was higher and dominated by NO3−-N in the river in the northern recharge area, while the concentrations of TN and TP were the highest in shallow groundwater wells in the central wetland core area and increased along the surface water flow direction in the western discharge area. This research will help improve the knowledge about the influence of karst hydrodynamic features on the spatial patterns of nitrogen and phosphorus in water, paying attention to the quality protection and security of water in karst areas with a fragile water ecological environment.


Author(s):  
Frank R. Spellman ◽  
Lorilee Medders ◽  
Paul Fuller ◽  
Gordon Graham

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 67-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. T. Miettinen ◽  
O. Zacheus ◽  
C-H. von Bonsdorff ◽  
T. Vartiainen

Fourteen waterborne epidemics occurred in Finland during 1998-1999. About 7,300 illness cases were registered in these outbreaks. All except one of the waterborne epidemics were associated with undisinfected groundwaters. An equal number of waterborne epidemics occurred in public and private water systems, but most cases of illness occurred in public water systems. The three largest epidemics comprised 6,700 illness cases. Insufficient purification treatment unable to remove Norwalk-like viruses caused the only waterborne epidemic in a surface water plant. The main reasons for groundwater outbreaks were floods and surface runoffs which contaminated water. Norwalk-like viruses caused eight and Campylobacter three of the outbreaks. In two cases the epidemic ceased by the exhaustion of susceptible persons in the exposed community but in most cases it was terminated by changing the water source, boiling the drinking water, and starting chlorination.


Opflow ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 32-33
Author(s):  
Robert Spon

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 5936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack E. Beard ◽  
Marc F.P. Bierkens ◽  
Ruud P. Bartholomeus

De facto (or indirect) wastewater reuse is the practice of extracting from surface water bodies which are impacted by treated wastewater (TWW) for anthropogenic use. The extent to which surface water bodies in the Netherlands are impacted by TWW is poorly understood, and the distribution of de facto reuse even more so. This study addresses these knowledge gaps, with a focus on reuse for agricultural irrigation. This is achieved via a novel application of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) Explorer water quality model, allowing for the distribution of different flow components—namely TWW and flow from transboundary rivers—to be discerned for the national surface water network. When paired with data on surface water extractions for irrigation, this identifies notable areas of de facto reuse. Results show that during dry conditions, TWW is a significant flow component in many surface water bodies, particularly in smaller streams located close to WWTPs. De facto reuse is indicated as widespread, with several key areas identified in which extractions are from impacted surface water bodies. This study represents a first attempt to directly link TWW emissions to agricultural irrigation, highlighting a mechanism by which wastewater-associated contaminants can propagate through the hydrological system.


1973 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Arthur B. Daugherty ◽  
J. Dean Jansma

Water utilities are being subjected to progressively greater economic pressures. The demand for water is increasing, due to both a growing number of customers and rising per capita consumption. Consequently, many utilities are faced with declining reserves of water, necessitating additional investment to develop sources of supply. Frequently, new or enlarged facilities to treat, store and distribute the larger volume of water are required. Public policies, also, are promoting the extension or development of public water systems to serve sparsely populated suburban communities, small towns, and rural areas. All these changes affecting the demand for water, combined with rising construction costs, are causing water utility costs to skyrocket.


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