Monitoring Programs Are an Evolving Process: Detection of T&O in Filter Media

Abstract

The City of Wichita Falls, Texas, has experienced 13 taste and odor (T&O) events in the past five years, with one especially significant cyanobacterial bloom occurring in 2020.Thanks to Cypress Environmental Laboratory's thorough and effective T&O monitoring program developed in 2016, in each of the 13 cases, drinking water with elevated T&O concentrations was detected and treated before being released to the public.Laboratory staff further improved the monitoring program in January 2021, learning from steps they took to address an odor in the water at one of Wichita Falls' treatment plants.

Novel and Simple Method for Quantification of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol with Microbial Conversion to 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole

“…Among the 35 isolates in this study, the isolates with high TCA productions were concentrated on the Actinomycete members, which partly reflected the selectivity of the R2A agar and the bacterial population in the samples; moreover, all Mycolicibacterium and Mycobacterium isolates had high TCA productions. Notably, high TCA productions by actinomycetes is consistent with previous literature [ 11 , 26 ]. On the other hand, most Proteobacteria members, except for one isolate out of five Sphingomonas spp., produced negligible TCA.…”

“…Haloanisoles, such as 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), a famous odorant in wine [ 7 ], have recently been recognized as a group of important T&O compounds in drinking water [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. In fact, TCA was identified as the likely target for a recent event of T&O problems in the US [ 11 ]. Unlike other events experienced at the water treatment facility, the TCA event was probably caused by actinomycetes forming biofilms on the filter media in the treatment facility [ 11 ].…”

“…In fact, TCA was identified as the likely target for a recent event of T&O problems in the US [ 11 ]. Unlike other events experienced at the water treatment facility, the TCA event was probably caused by actinomycetes forming biofilms on the filter media in the treatment facility [ 11 ]. In order to mitigate these T&O problems by TCA, it is essential to control its formation in water treatment facilities, including in the distribution pipes, although in the case of the T&O problems by algal-origin compounds, such as GSM and 2-MIB, oxidation and/or adsorption are effective removal processes in the treatment facilities [ 6 , 12 ].…”

Proactive Management of Aesthetic Quality to Maintain Customer Confidence

“…As shown in Figure 2 (Adams et al 2022b), proactive monitoring can be used by utilities to drastically reduce or eliminate T&O complaints. Monitoring plans can be adapted for T&O issues produced by other organisms as well, such as halogenated anisoles in filter media, and to detect elevated levels of inorganics such as total dissolved solids (TDS) (Adams et al 2021, Gallagher & Dietrich 2010).…”

Characterizing and Mitigating Cyanobacterial Blooms in Drinking Water Reservoirs

“…Sensory methods are reliable when used correctly, directing analyses to likely target compounds (Adams et al 2021b). Analysts refer to the Standard Method (SM) 2170 T&O wheel categories ( Standard Methods 2017), which can point out the appropriate analytical method to determine T&O compound concentration.…”