Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering CE 356 ( The Safe Drinking Water Act )

Darigold operates a milk products facility in Lynden, Washington. Production processes include evaporation of milk, which generates what is referred to as condensate of whey (COW) water. COW water contains low molecular weight organic compounds including traces of lactic acid, alcohols, acetoin, and non-protein nitrogen (Möslang, 2017). COW water and non-contact cooling water from the Darigold Lynden facility are currently discharged to Outfall 001, which combines with stormwater and the City of Lynden’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent discharge to the Nooksack River through the City’s outfall. Darigold’s discharge is regulated under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. WA0002470 administered by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology). In the future, Darigold’s COW Water and non-contact cooling water will be directly discharged to the Nooksack River in a new outfall pipe (Outfall 002) currently being constructed by the City.

Big data analysis for water supply and sanitation is important for ensuring urban viability. Our research is devoted to studying the methodology for analyzing big data of the water supply and sanitation systems. Based on a review of scientific publications and their analysis, a model for analyzing large data was proposed. It comprises information sources, data collection and storage platforms with indication of parameters for the programming model, runtime and storage environment, as well as data analysis and processing.

The 2006 version of the Pa. DEP Inorganic Contaminant Removal module has detailed advanced treatment information on this topic and can be obtained by e-mailing the Pa. DEP Safe Drinking Water Training Section at DEPWSTechtrain@pa.gov to request a copy. This advanced module has additional information on the removal of various inorganic contaminants as well as on oxidation, ion exchange, activated alumina and sequestration. The 2006 document also includes more detailed information on the inorganic contaminant treatments of GAC (granular activated carbon), coagulation/filtration, membranes, and lime softening. It includes the following information:

• Inorganic contaminant treatment selection considerations
• Advanced inorganic contaminant removal chemistry terminology
• Advanced inorganic contaminant removal chemistry explanations
• Conventional filtration and how it relates to inorganic removal
• Detailed information on treatments for iron and manganese removal
• Detailed information on treatments for hardness removal
• Detailed information on inorganic contaminant monitoring protocols
• Detailed tables on the following topics:
• Sources of 26 inorganic contaminants
• Common secondary standards with effects, inorganic contributors and indications
• Various treatment technology options to consider for 24 inorganic contaminants
• Potential forms of iron and manganese
• Iron and manganese sampling procedures
• Iron and manganese oxidant selection criteria
• Iron and manganese theoretical (initial) dosing criteria
• Potential treatments for less common inorganics
• Potential treatments for miscellaneous trace metals

Aluminium in drinking water comes from natural sources and the alum used as coagulant in the water treatment process. Exposure to aluminium has been implicated in dialysis dementia, Parkinson and Alzheimer’s disease. Drinking water containing aluminium was considered to be one of the main sources of Al intake into human body. For this reason, the removal of aluminium from drinking water is vital to our health. In this study, removal of aluminium was carried out by using a chelating resin.

This paper aims at analyzing the drinking water issue in the Mediterranean region, highlighting the principal problems and the appropriate technologies applicable in the different countries. The countries of this area are characterized by a huge variety from social, cultural, economic and environmental point of view. In particular, water distribution is inhomogeneous between the North, East, and South; even the type of water sources and the related quantity and quality problems differ country by country. Potable water comes from brackish and seawater, surface water, groundwater and water reservoirs with each source face different issues. The main problem of brackish and seawater for example is the high salinity and the contamination by disinfection byproducts, in addition to the microbiological and chemical contamination due to human activities that characterize also other surface water sources. Groundwater is also affected by human activity and it is not exempted from salinity because of the water intrusion. Moreover, water reservoirs are often contaminated by seasonal algal blooms. Technologies applied for drinking water treatment vary country by country. The paper presents the main treatment processes associated with the main water pollutants, according to the Mediterranean region. Case studies of drinking water treatment plants are also analyzed, presenting alternative technologies appropriate for specific contexts, among others. The characteristics of each specific context should be carefully analyzed in order to develop the most appropriate technologies; high-end technologies for drinking water treatment may not be applied equally to all countries or communities of the Mediterranean region.