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Conservation vs. Water Quality Beware of the Side Effects
Author(s) -
Wang Z. Michael,
Zhang Wayne,
Crisp H. Dale,
Garland John
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
opflow
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1551-8701
pISSN - 0149-8029
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8701.2009.tb02322.x
Subject(s) - environmental science , water quality , chloramine , environmental engineering , residual , distribution (mathematics) , water conservation , chemistry , water resources , mathematics , ecology , biology , mathematical analysis , organic chemistry , chlorine , algorithm
This article discusses a program at the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, to monitor disinfection byproduct (DBP) levels, chloramine residuals, and total coliform that helped the utility analyze conservation's long‐term influence and ensure water quality. Water age in a distribution system relates to water demand. Water resides in a distribution system longer during periods of conservation because less water flushes the system. Longer retention times and higher temperatures promote DBP formation, chloramine residual decay, and coliform growth. More lead and copper in plumbing material may also leach into a distribution system under such conditions.