Predicting Source Water Quality Following Wildfires Using Hydrologic Modeling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Wampler ◽  
Kevin D. Bladon ◽  
Monireh Faramarzi
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Forested Watersheds ◽  
Field Samples ◽  
The World

<p>Forested watersheds are critical sources of the majority of the world’s drinking water. Almost one-third of the world’s largest cities and two-thirds of cities in the United States (US) rely on forested watersheds for their water supply. These forested regions are vulnerable to the increasing incidence of large and severe wildfires due to increases in regional temperatures and greater accumulation of fuels. When wildfires occur, increases in suspended sediment and organic carbon can negatively affect aquatic ecosystem health and create many costly challenges to the drinking water treatment process. These effects are often largest in the first year following a wildfire. While past research has shown the likelihood of source water impacts from wildfire, the magnitude of effects remains uncertain in most regions. In our study, we will quantify the projected short-term effects of three large (>70,000 ha) wildfires on key water quality parameters (sediment and organic carbon) in two important forested source watersheds in the Cascade Range of Oregon, US. We calibrated and validated a modified Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate streamflow, sediment loads and transport, as well as in-stream organic carbon processes for a historical period prior to wildfire. The calibrated model parameters were then modified based on literature values and burn severity maps to represent post-fire conditions of the three large wildfires. The parameter adjustments for simulating wildfire will be validated with post-fire water quality field samples from the wildfires. We will present estimations of future water quality impacts in the burned watersheds under different precipitation conditions at a daily scale for the first year following the wildfires, which will provide testable hypotheses. Additionally, we will determine catchment characteristics most critical in determining the post-fire water quality response. This work will help predict the magnitude of effects from these historic wildfires, which can inform forest and drinking water management decision making.</p>

Development of communication networks and water quality early warning detection systems at drinking water utilities in the Ohio river valley basin

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 235-242
Author(s):  
J.G. Schulte ◽  
A.H. Vicory
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
The United States ◽  
River Valley ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Ohio River ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Ohio River Valley

Source water quality is of major concern to all drinking water utilities. The accidental introduction of contaminants to their source water is a constant threat to utilities withdrawing water from navigable or industrialized rivers. The events of 11 September, 2001 in the United States have heightened concern for drinking water utility security as their source water and finished water may be targets for terrorist acts. Efforts are underway in several parts of the United States to strengthen early warning capabilities. This paper will focus on those efforts in the Ohio River Valley Basin.

scholarly journals Assessment of drinking water contamination in food stalls of Jashore Municipality, Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molla Rahman Shaibur ◽  
Mohammed Sadid Hossain ◽  
Shirina Khatun ◽  
F. K. Sayema Tanzia
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Permissible Limit ◽  
World Health ◽  
Drinking Water Contamination ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractThis study aimed to determine the quality of drinking water supplied in different types of food stalls in Jashore Municipality, Bangladesh. A total of 35 water samples were collected from different tea stalls, street side fast food stalls, normal restaurants and well-furnished restaurants. The water quality was evaluated by determining the distinct physical, chemical and biological parameters. The results revealed that the water used in the food stalls and restaurants for drinking purpose was in desired quality in terms of turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, nitrate (NO3−), sulfate (SO42−), phosphate (PO43−), chloride (Cl−), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) concentrations. The values were within the permissible limit proposed by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the World Health Organization. Concentrations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) found in several samples were higher than the World Health Organization standard. Iron (Fe) concentrations were higher than the permissible limit of the World Health Organization. Only 46% exceeded the permissible limit of Bangladesh Bureau Statistics. The threatening result was that the samples were contaminated by fecal coliform, indicating that the people of Jashore Municipality may have a greater chance of being affected by pathogenic bacteria. The drinking water provided in the street side fast food stalls was biologically contaminated. The findings demonstrate that the drinking water used in food stalls and restaurants of Jashore Municipality did not meet up the potable drinking water quality standards and therefore was detrimental to public health.

scholarly journals Assessing clarity of message communication for mandated USEPA drinking water quality reports

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Phetxumphou ◽  
Siddhartha Roy ◽  
Brenda M. Davy ◽  
Paul A. Estabrooks ◽  
Wen You ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Water System ◽  
System Size ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Index Index ◽  
State Of The Science

The United States Environmental Protection Agency mandates that community water systems (CWSs), or drinking water utilities, provide annual consumer confidence reports (CCRs) reporting on water quality, compliance with regulations, source water, and consumer education. While certain report formats are prescribed, there are no criteria ensuring that consumers understand messages in these reports. To assess clarity of message, trained raters evaluated a national sample of 30 CCRs using the Centers for Disease Control Clear Communication Index (Index) indices: (1) Main Message/Call to Action; (2) Language; (3) Information Design; (4) State of the Science; (5) Behavioral Recommendations; (6) Numbers; and (7) Risk. Communication materials are considered qualifying if they achieve a 90% Index score. Overall mean score across CCRs was 50 ± 14% and none scored 90% or higher. CCRs did not differ significantly by water system size. State of the Science (3 ± 15%) and Behavioral Recommendations (77 ± 36%) indices were the lowest and highest, respectively. Only 63% of CCRs explicitly stated if the water was safe to drink according to federal and state standards and regulations. None of the CCRs had passing Index scores, signaling that CWSs are not effectively communicating with their consumers; thus, the Index can serve as an evaluation tool for CCR effectiveness and a guide to improve water quality communications.

scholarly journals Calculating Required Purification Effort to Turn Source Water into Drinking Water Using an Adapted CCME Water Quality Index

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre van den Doel ◽  
Geert H van Kollenburg ◽  
Thomas D.N. van Remmen ◽  
Joanne A de Jonge ◽  
Gerard J Stroomberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Quality Index ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Source Water

Foundation News: Impact of the pandemic on the GWB drinking water project in the Nepal Himalaya region

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-243
Author(s):  
Kirsten Nicholson ◽  
Klaus Neumann ◽  
Subodh Sharma ◽  
Lakpa Thering Sherpa
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
National Park ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Geologic Mapping ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽  
Sagarmatha National Park ◽  
Water Vulnerability

In 2019, after almost a decade of working on water quality in the Himalayas, we submitted a proposal to Geoscientists Without Borders® (GWB) titled “Understanding high mountain aquifers to source drinking water in Sagarmatha National Park.” The project involves a combination of water-quality and quantity measurements, geologic mapping, and an electrical resistivity tomography survey. The goal of the project is to help two communities (Phortse and Lobuche within Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal) minimize their water vulnerability to climate change and earthquakes. The project team includes researchers and students from the United States and Nepal, as well as nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, and community councils. In the proposal, we identified physical health and altitude as the primary risks that could hinder the success of the project. Like everyone else in early 2019, we had no way to foresee the events of 2020, which would almost completely derail our project. Health has turned out to be the major hinderance. The irony of the global pandemic is how much it has impacted the work of the U.S.-based team and how little it has impacted the necessity of the project.

scholarly journals Natural organic matter removal by ion exchange at different positions in the drinking water treatment lane

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Grefte ◽  
M. Dignum ◽  
E. R. Cornelissen ◽  
L. C. Rietveld
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Natural Organic Matter ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Biological Stability ◽  
Sand Filtration ◽  
Slow Sand Filtration

Abstract. To guarantee a good water quality at the customers tap, natural organic matter (NOM) should be (partly) removed during drinking water treatment. The objective of this research was to improve the biological stability of the produced water by incorporating anion exchange (IEX) for NOM removal. Different placement positions of IEX in the treatment lane (IEX positioned before coagulation, before ozonation or after slow sand filtration) and two IEX configurations (MIEX® and fluidized IEX (FIX)) were compared on water quality as well as costs. For this purpose the pre-treatment plant at Loenderveen and production plant Weesperkarspel of Waternet were used as a case study. Both, MIEX® and FIX were able to remove NOM (mainly the HS fraction) to a high extent. NOM removal can be done efficiently before ozonation and after slow sand filtration. The biological stability, in terms of assimilable organic carbon, biofilm formation rate and dissolved organic carbon, was improved by incorporating IEX for NOM removal. The operational costs were assumed to be directly dependent of the NOM removal rate and determined the difference between the IEX positions. The total costs for IEX for the three positions were approximately equal (0.0631 € m−3), however the savings on following treatment processes caused a cost reduction for the IEX positions before coagulation and before ozonation compared to IEX positioned after slow sand filtration. IEX positioned before ozonation was most cost effective and improved the biological stability of the treated water.

scholarly journals Assessment of Physiochemical Characteristics of Drinking Water Quality in Allahabad Metropolitan City, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-135
Author(s):  
Roohi Rawat ◽  
A. R. Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
The World

Clean and safe drinking water is important for the overall health and wellbeing; therefore, access to safe potable drinking water is one of the basic amenities of humankind, especially in urban areas with high consumption pattern of the large population inhabiting these spaces. Among the various sources of water, groundwater is considered to be the safest source of drinking water. However, due to rapid industrialization and population growth, the groundwater resources are getting polluted with harmful contaminants. These contaminants can be chemical or microbiological and cause various health problems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80 percent of all diseases in the world are directly or indirectly related to the contamination of water. Water in its natural state is colorless, odorless, and free from pathogens with pH in the range of 6.5–8.5. This water is termed as “potable water.” In the present study, the researchers have made an attempt to assess the physiochemical characteristics of drinking water quality in Allahabad and the effect of these contaminants on the health of the consumers. A comparison of the parameter standards as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) (ISI, Indian standard specification for drinking water (IS10500). New Delhi: ISI, 1983 ) and the WHO (Guidelines for drinking water quality (Vol. 1). Geneva: WHO, 1984 ) have also been made to understand the national and global benchmarks. With the help of the standards of various parameters given by these organizations, the assessment of water quality of samples from various locations in Allahabad has been done.

scholarly journals Small-scale drinking water treatment unit of filtration and UV disinfection for remote area

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 2106-2118
Author(s):  
Kassim Chabi ◽  
Jie Zeng ◽  
Lizheng Guo ◽  
Xi Li ◽  
Chengsong Ye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽  
Bacterial Community Composition ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Remote Areas

Abstract People in remote areas are still drinking surface water that may contain certain pollutants including harmful microorganisms and chemical compounds directly without any pretreatment. In this study, we have designed and operated a pilot-scale drinking water treatment unit as part of our aim to find an economic and easily operable technology for providing drinking water to people in those areas. Our small-scale treatment unit contains filtration and disinfection (UV–C irradiation) stages to remove pollutants from source water. The water quality index was determined based on various parameters such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon and bacteria. Water and media samples after DNA extraction were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq throughput sequencing for the determination of bacterial community composition. After the raw water treatment, the reduction of bacteria concentration ranged from 1 to 2 log10. The average removal of the turbidity, ammonium, nitrite, phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon reached up to 95.33%, 85.71%, 100%, 28.57%, and 45%, respectively. In conclusion, multiple biological stages in our designed unit showed an improvement of the drinking water quality. The designed drinking treatment unit produces potable water meeting standards at a lower cost of operation and it can be used in remote areas.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document