Project #4590

Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water Treatment Process Performance: Development of Evaluation Protocols and Management Practices

$247,522
Completed
Principal Investigator
Fernando
Rosario-Ortiz
Research Manager
Kenan Ozekin, PhD
Contractor
University of Colorado at Boulder
Wildfires
Source Water Protection
Emergency Response & Preparedness
Resilience

Abstract

The overarching objective of this project was to expand the knowledge base regarding the effects of wildfire on drinking water quality, treatment, plant performance, and operations. Specifically, this project included three important components: (1) assessment of the impact that a wildfire has on source water quality within a recently-impacted watershed, (2) development and application of a lab-based approach to simulate the effects of a wildfire on water quality and treatability, and (3) evaluation of the implications of a wildfire for full-scale operation and design. Tailored collaboration partners: Denver Water, City of Westminster, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and Truckee Meadows Water Authority. Published in 2018.

An article focused on this project was published in the July 2018 issue of Journal AWWA. This article is posted below under Project Papers.