Drinking water treatment options for taste and odor control

The effectiveness of drinking water treatment options for eliminating seasonal taste and odor events caused by phytoplankton blooms in the source water were evaluated. Dissolved air flotation (DAF), conventional gravity sedimentation (CGS), ozonation and granulated activated carbon (GAC) filtration processes were studied in pilot plant-scale experiments. Clarification by DAF consistently produced water with lower turbidity and particle counts (NP > 2.0 μm/ml) than CGS. Mean particle counts detected in water following DAF and CGS treatment were 3600 and 7500 particles/ml, respectively. The absolute abundance of phytoplankton in the source water was the single most important factor influencing DAF and CGS removal efficiency. Removal efficiencies for both processes were poorer at low source water biomass (near 250 μg/l) than at higher biomass concentrations (1750 μg/l). For the eight phytoplankton taxa present in the source water, DAF and CGS removal ranged from 29–85% and 21–49%, respectively. With the exception of the total nanoplankton for which removal by both processes was comparable, all other taxa were removed more efficiently by DAF than CGS. Flavor profile analysis (FPA) indicated that DAF alone could not completely mitigate the strong fishy, musty odors associated with some phytoplankton blooms. Ozone altered the fishy odor to an undesirable “plastic-like” odor. Only filtration through GAC/sand filters removed all odors. Removal of soluble constituents such as color and total organic carbon (TOC) by DAF and CGS were comparable for most of the year. During phytoplankton blooms, however, TOC removal by DAF was significantly greater than by CGS. TOC and color removal were substantially greater through GAC than through anthracite filters. A combination of DAF clarification and GAC filtration was the most effective treatment combination for removal of particulates, color and taste and odor compounds