Full Description

The Northampton Borough Municipal Authority (NBMA) serves 13,000 customers in the Lehigh Valley north of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The primary water supply for the 6 million gallons per day water treatment plant is the Lehigh River. Water is also taken from Clear Spring Pond which has a limited safe yield. This paper discusses a taste and odor episode which began in mid-May 1996. Customers complained of musty or earthy odors and by the end of May, complaints had increased with repeat callers indicating that tastes and odors had intensified. Investigations began into the source of the tastes and odors and interim treatment measures were implemented to improve finished water quality. The source of the tastes and odors was quickly identified as the Lehigh River. Key measures immediately implemented included modification of powdered activated carbon (PAC) equipment to allow higher dosages of PAC to be added, and purchase and use of a more effective PAC. Both measures were implemented by early June and tastes and odors subsided to undetectable levels by mid-June.

Product Details

Published: 01/01/1997 ISBN(s): 0898679583 Number of Pages: 15File Size: 1 file , 170 KB