Measuring the effectiveness of an integrated algae bloom, T&O, and cyanotoxin monitoring program

Abstract

The City of Wichita Falls (CWF) Cypress Environmental Laboratory (CEL) established an integrated monitoring program in response to extreme taste and odor (T&O) events in 2016. The program uses field monitoring with sondes, sensory analysis to describe types of odors, water quality bench testing, algae/cyanobacteria identification and enumeration by flow-imaging microscopy, actinomycetes culturing, T&O detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), cyanotoxin screening by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and cyanotoxin detection by fluorometry. To date, the CEL had detected 16 T&O events prior to finished tap being discharged to the distribution system. This has allowed utility staff to take proactive measures to mitigate events, which has virtually eliminated consumer T&O complaints. This article provides a brief history of T&O analysis, means to monitor and mitigate blooms, T&O compounds, and cyanotoxins, and measures the effectiveness of the CEL's monitoring program by evaluating each T&O event, and specifically geosmin.