Evaluation of approaches for consumers to eliminate chlorine off-flavors from drinking water at point-of-use

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yichao Qian ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Xing-Fang Li ◽  
Steve E. Hrudey
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Uv Irradiation ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Free Chlorine ◽  
Water Disinfection ◽  
Reaction Products ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Point Of Use ◽  
Off Flavors

Chlorine off-flavors of tap water have caused dissatisfaction and distrust from some consumers, placing pressure on operators concerning water disinfection. Evaluating practical approaches for eliminating chlorinous off-flavors by consumers at point-of-use while avoiding production of toxic byproducts is a practical concern. Three recognized dechlorination methods: ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ascorbic acid (AA) and hydrogen peroxide (HP), were evaluated for chlorinated and chloraminated waters. AA is the most efficient for removing free chlorine and chloramine from water samples. Three new chlorine-containing compounds were detected and identified from the reaction between AA and chlorine. High doses of UV irradiation at 254 nm virtually eliminated chlorine. HP could effectively remove free chlorine but was not effective for chloramine elimination. AA shows promise as a practical household dechlorination agent. However, to assure consumers about drinking water safety, further investigation is needed to evaluate any potential toxicity concerns for reaction products in treated water.

Off-flavor as the consumer's measure of drinking water safety

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. McGuire
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Safe Water ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Off Flavors ◽  
Health Related

If consumers detect an off-flavor in their drinking water, they are likely to believe that it probably is not safe. Water utilities will be defeating their best efforts to provide safe drinking water if they only meet health-related regulations and do not provide water that is free of off-flavor problems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current U.S. regulatory environment and discuss how these regulations can adversely impact the control of off-flavors in drinking water. Utilities should adopt a water quality goal that allows them to not only meet the minimums of the regulations, but also meet the customer's highest standards - water that is free of off-flavors.

scholarly journals Perceptions of drinking water safety and their associations with plain water intake among US Hispanic adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohyun Park ◽  
Stephen Onufrak ◽  
Anisha Patel ◽  
Joseph R. Sharkey ◽  
Heidi M. Blanck
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Intake ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Plain Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Hispanic Adults ◽  
Water Perceptions

Abstract We described sociodemographic differences in perceptions of drinking water safety and examined associations between perceptions and plain water intake. We used the 2015 Estilos survey of 1,000 US Hispanic adults conducted in both Spanish and English. Outcome was water intake. Exposures were the level of agreement about water perceptions (My tap water is safe to drink; Community tap water is safe to drink; Bottled water is safer; I would buy less bottled water if my tap water was safe). Covariates were sociodemographics, region, Hispanic heritage, and acculturation. We used chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression to examine associations of water perceptions and intake. Overall, 24% of Hispanic adults consumed water ≤1 time/day. Although 34% disagreed their home tap water was safe to drink, and 41% disagreed their community tap water was safe to drink, 65% agreed bottled water is safer than tap water, and 69% agreed they would buy less bottled water if they knew their tap water was safe. Perceptions differed by some covariates but were not significantly associated with plain water intake. In conclusion, negative perceptions of tap water were common among US Hispanic adults, which can inform efforts to increase awareness about safe public water systems.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of household water treatment and safe storage in improving drinking water quality: a disinfection by-product (DBP) perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 785-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Xiao ◽  
Youli Duan ◽  
Wenhai Chu
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Household Water Treatment ◽  
Safe Storage ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Household Water

Abstract Serving as the last barrier to secure drinking water safety, household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) is perceived as an interim measure for removing pathogens from drinking water and reducing disease risk. In recent years, the application of HWTS has shown a growing trend, and its performance in controlling chemicals has also received much attention. Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed by the reaction of chemical disinfectants and precursors, and are present at sub-μg·L−1 or low-to-mid-μg·L−1 levels in drinking water. Although precursor control and disinfection operation modification could contribute to DBP mitigation to some degree, DBP removal after their formation emerges as an important strategy due to the ubiquitous existence of DBPs in distribution systems and tap water. In order to figure out how DBP concentrations vary during the residence time of drinking water in households, this review summarizes the effectiveness and mechanism of HWTS and combination technologies for DBP control in municipal tap water, and makes a comparison with regard to technologies implementing different removal mechanisms as well as DBPs possessing different natures. Based on these results, this article provides an insight into DBP risk assessment and human health protection.

Study on Mechanism Design of Rural Drinking Water Safety Engineering Project Financing Guarantee

2013 ◽  
Vol 361-363 ◽  
pp. 674-681
Author(s):  
Wei Li
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Mechanism Design ◽  
Safety Engineering ◽  
Project Financing ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Public Fund ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Project Construction ◽  
Set Up

As more and more non-public fund entering rural drinking water safety engineering project market; it becomes very necessary to built rural drinking water safety engineering project guarantee mechanism. This paper proposes three steps of mechanism design. Firstly, history data is used to fit multivariate linear equation set up describing relationship between bank loss and key risk factors. Secondly, guarantee fee is calculated through model regression, which is threefold of possible bank loss. Thirdly, guarantee fee is adjusted according to variety of key risk factor in the process of project construction and operating.

Implementation of Alberta's drinking water safety plans

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Reid ◽  
K. Abramowski ◽  
A. Beier ◽  
A. Janzen ◽  
D. Lok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Effective Action ◽  
Main Element ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
Biological Parameters ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Regulatory Approach ◽  
Water Safety Plans ◽  
Safety Of Drinking Water

Traditionally, the regulatory approach to maintaining the quality and safety of drinking water has largely been a prescriptive one based on the ability of any given supply to meet standards set for a number of different chemical and biological parameters. There are a number of issues around the assumptions and the limitations of a sampling and analysis regime. The basis for such regimes is essentially reactive rather than proactive and, consequently, the cause of the concern may already have impacted consumers before any effective action can be taken. Environment and Sustainable Resource Development has developed a template for recording drinking water safety plans together with guidance notes to help complete them. The template has been developed in MS-Excel and has been designed in a straightforward step-wise manner with guidance on the completion of each sheet. It includes four main risk tables covering each main element of water supply which are pre-populated with commonly found ‘generic’ risks and these are carefully assessed before considering what action is required to deal with significant risks. Following completion of the risk tables, key risks are identified and the interventions required to bring them into control.

A fatal waterborne disease epidemic in Walkerton, Ontario: comparison with other waterborne outbreaks in the developed world

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Hrudey ◽  
P. Payment ◽  
P.M. Huck ◽  
R.W. Gillham ◽  
E.J. Hrudey
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Reference Source ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Public Inquiry ◽  
Contaminated Drinking Water ◽  
The Government ◽  
Safety Of Drinking Water ◽  
Developed World

An estimated 2,300 people became seriously ill and seven died from exposure to microbially contaminated drinking water in the town of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada in May 2000. The severity of this drinking water disaster resulted in the Government of Ontario calling a public inquiry by Mr. Justice Dennis O’Connor to address the cause of the outbreak, the role (if any) of government policies in contributing to this outbreak and, ultimately, the implications of this experience on the safety of drinking water across the Province of Ontario. The circumstances surrounding the Walkerton tragedy are an important reference source for those concerned with providing safe drinking water. Although some circumstances are obviously specific to this epidemic, others are uncomfortably reminiscent of waterborne outbreaks that have occurred elsewhere. These recurring themes suggested the need for attention to broad issues of drinking water security and they present the challenge for how drinking water safety can be managed to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Rapid drinking water safety estimation in cities: Piloting a globally scalable method in Cochabamba, Bolivia

2019 ◽  
Vol 654 ◽  
pp. 1132-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Rocha-Melogno ◽  
Rebecca Yoo ◽  
Osvaldo Broesicke ◽  
Achilles Kallergis ◽  
José Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Safety Estimation

scholarly journals One-step removal of lead from water using an electricity-free and sustainable membrane filtration

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 166-172
Author(s):  
Junwei Zhang ◽  
Yan Tung Lo ◽  
Hao Guo ◽  
Chuyang Tang
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Drinking Water Contamination ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Effective Removal ◽  
Volumetric Loading

Lead (Pb) is a typical contaminant in water with adverse effects on human health. Hong Kong’s incident of drinking water contamination by Pb in 2015 caused severe public concerns regarding drinking water safety. Conventional treatment methods for Pb removal generally require electricity, chemical dosage, and considerable time and space, which significantly restrict their use for rapid water purification under emergency situations. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid (PVA/PAA) composite nanofibrous membrane was developed for the rapid and effective removal of Pb from water. The PVA/PAA membrane had a high water permeability of 550 L/m2/h/kPa - 710 L/m2/h/kPa, which allowed the filtration to be driven by gravity (e.g. with a water height of 10.0 cm). The membrane showed consistently high removal efficiency of Pb (> 95%) with a volumetric loading up to 3000 L/m2. This high removal efficiency was attributed to the combined effects of complexing and electrostatic attraction between Pb and PAA. An esculent citric acid was used to regenerate the exhausted PVA/PAA membrane. The regenerated membrane maintained its removal efficiency of Pb over a five-cycle filtration. These results imply that the PVA/PAA composite membrane can be repeatedly used in electricity-free filtration devices for rapid elimination of Pb under emergency situations.

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