By Greentech Lead Team: American Water, a water utility, has received a research
grant from the WateReuse Research Foundation to develop best management
practices to control health risks and other issues associated with storage and
distribution of reclaimed water.
American Water
sponsors applied research which addresses the full range of scientific,
technical, policy, and social science issues related to water reuse and
desalination.
The project will utilize “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Process” as a basis to
prioritize water quality parameters that impact aesthetic and water quality
issues during storage and distribution of reclaimed water. Water quality
information will be supplemented with extensive case studies, using the company’s
geographically dispersed systems, to define best management practices. The
project is valued at $377,578.
“Complex interactions during storage
and distribution can create health-related and aesthetic issues that have a
tremendous impact on acceptance of reclaimed water by the end-user,” said
Mark LeChevallier, director of Innovation and Environmental Stewardship.
This research will provide the reuse
industry with tools to identify and optimize processes responsible for these
issues, helping to promote public acceptance and support for various reuse
applications including flushing, heating/cooling, irrigation, and industrial
applications.
The project team will consist of
LeChevallier as Principal Investigator, with American Water’s Zia Bukhari
and Patrick Jjemba, serving as Co-Principal Investigators.
Recently, American Water joined
the Alternative Fuels Renewable Energies Council (AFREC), establishing American
Water as the first U.S. water utility to join AFREC.