Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

For surface drinking water supplies, conventional treatment (coagulation, flocculation, clarification, granular media filtration, and disinfection) remains the most common treatment approach. Although treatment process selection, design, and operation are based on many factors, quality-based threshold values/ranges for turbidity and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) play a significant role in designing new or optimizing existing treatment processes; when exceeded, they necessitate conventional treatment. Ideally, treatment processes should be robust in their particle (turbidity and microbial pathogen) and DOC removal capacity by providing excellent removals during stable operating conditions and deviating minimally from this performance during periods of moderate to severe process stress. Economic growth and changing climate are contributing to more variable source water qualities (turbidity and DOC), particularly in watersheds of high quality, such as many of those found in North America. In this research, lab- and pilot-scale experiments will be conducted to evaluate the DOC, turbidity, and colloid contaminant removal efficiencies of drinking water treatment processes that utilize novel, engineered filtration media and assess the potential performance benefits they may offer over conventional dual-media and granular activated carbon filtration. These technologies are applicable to both large- and small-scale drinking water systems. The proposed work will contribute essential research, generate technological innovation, and train highly qualified personnel in developing and validating novel and cost-effective drinking water treatment technologies. The long-term benefits of the research include the training of personnel required to effectively apply this technology and the creation of full-time job opportunities by allowing Best Sand Inc. (and others) to expand market presence by offering a more diverse range of drinking water treatment (filtration) technologies and services. Improved drinking water treatment technologies improve public health and safety, reduce the economic cost of waterborne health related illnesses, enable water utility adaptation to the effects of changing climate, and contribute to sustainable natural resource management.