Closed Assistance Opportunity - Abstract

RFIP Number: TBN 21519

CFDA Number: 66.511 Consolidated Research

Statutory Authority for Award Assistance: Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 1442 (a)(11) (minimum of 5 percent cost sharing). No profit makers. This project will provide research for the public good to investigate the merits of PUV compared to low and medium UV to determine if PUV is a better treatment technology for drinking water disinfections.

Cost Sharing Requirements: Minimum of 5 percent permitted under SDWA

Eligible Applicants: Non-profit organizations, states, universities, tribes, local governments. No profit makers allowed.

Expected Number of Awards: One

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

Estimated Amount of Funding Available: $200,000

Project Period: Date of award through two years (projected to end in 2006)

Copy of RFIP anticipated: Early to mid-November 2003

Abstract: The Water Supply and Water Resources Division (WSWRD) of the National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), Office of Research and Development (ORD) is interested in investigating treatment efficiency differences using pulsed UV (PUV) light versus low-to-medium pressure continuous wave UV in the removal of pathogenic organisms from drinking water sources. The proposed Long-Term Goal 2 (LTG2), Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule lists UV as one possible item in a potential “microbial toolkit” that can be used by treatment systems in combating microbial contaminants. The majority of drinking water systems in the United States use chlorine gas as the primary and secondary disinfectant; however, chlorine gas is dangerous to store and transport. Chlorine disinfection can lead to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of which (e.g., haloacetic acids) are regulated under National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. The WSWRD wishes to promote the public welfare by stimulating interest in determining if pulsed UV is suitable as an additional treatment technology. It has the added features of:

• “Instant on”
• Minimizing risks from mercury
• Minimizing disinfection by-product formation
• Providing additional disinfection capabilities for chlorine-resistant contaminants

Additional treatment technologies are becoming necessary as more stringent water treatment regulations are being proposed. Under the proposed LTG2, treatment systems can earn log inactivation credits for microbial contaminants based on the reduction equivalent dose delivered by a particular UV reactor.

EPA has also produced the Ultraviolet Disinfection Guidance Manual that thoroughly describes the validation procedure required for different UV reactors to ensure their effectiveness.

Results from studies on drinking water treatment could be applied to future research on wastewater treatment. Wastewater has low transmittance and it is not certain whether PUV can penetrate turbid water better than low or medium pressure UV. PUV treatment of wastewater could reduce the amount of chlorine needed in conventional treatment methods, thereby reducing the costs associated with chlorine removal prior to discharge. This work could also lay the foundation for PUV wastewater treatment and reuse.

Contact

Cynthia Johnson (513) 569-7873