Water Research Foundation Releases Results from Ongoing Study on Direct Potable Reuse

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released interim results from the project “Blending Requirements for Water from Direct Potable Reuse Treatment Facilities.” The objective of this project is to provide guidance for the appropriate use of blending as part of a direct potable reuse (DPR) project. The study is examining the impact of four blending variables: source water type, blending location, recycled water ratio, and type of advanced treatment train. The video, Exploring Potable Reuse to Diversify Water Supplies, provides a preview of the project.

Four utilities are participating in the bench-scale treatment/distribution system study: Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), City of Ventura, Clark County Water Reclamation District, and Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. The bench-scale simulations were based on the participating utilities’ full-scale processes. The parameters tested include pathogens, emerging contaminants, regulated contaminants, corrosion-related issues, and general parameters such as pH and turbidity. Preliminary findings are as follows:

• Blending with DPR waters may help lower trihalomethanes (THMs).
• Blended water quality and bacterial activity appear to be predominant factors for corrosion products in premise plumbing testing.
• Antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) composition in DPR blends appears similar or better than in potable water tests.

Bench testing using water from SCVWD, Ventura, and Clark County Water Reclamation District is complete and the data is being analyzed. Bench testing using water from LADWP is in progress. The research team will be issuing a survey to roughly 20 participating utilities to understand their perspective on blending, and gather some water quality data. The final project results should be published in early 2018.

 

 

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