Engineer Training Program

Completed Projects
Current Projects

The objective of this program is to develop technology guides in a CD-ROM and webpage formats to provide information to regulatory and consulting engineers about new water treatment technologies that are important for small water systems. The development of this engineer training program has been a collaboration between Dr. M. Robin Collins at the University of New Hampshire and Dr. R. Bruce Robinson at the University of Tennessee. The structure and content of the program have been jointly developed and the researchers at the University of Tennessee have packaged the information into a complete multimedia software package.

Small Public Water System Technology Guide, Volume I

Researchers at NE-WTTAC and the University of Tennessee have compiled educational modules regarding slow sand filtration, iron and manganese control and arsenic removal. These modules, developed in HTML format for web page display are available here >>

You may be prompted to download Authorware which is necessary to run this program. If you do not receive a prompt but cannot run the program, please go to the Macromedia website and download Authorware.

 

An engineer training CD covering the topics of slow sand filtration, iron and manganese control, and arsenic removal has been completed. This CD was presented by Dr. R. Bruce Robinson at the New England Water Works Association Annual Conference held in September 2002. If you are interested in receiving a copy of this CD, please contact the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse at 1-800-624-8301 or email ndwc_orders@mail.nesc.wvu.edu and request item #DWCDOM24.

 

Small Public Water System Technology Guide, Volume II

Researchers at NE-WTTAC and the University of Tennessee have compiled educational modules regarding limestone contactors and UV disinfection. These modules, developed in HTML format for web page display are available here >>

Read the Project Summary

 

 

 

Literature Review Assessment of UV Design Modification to Reduce Risk of Mercury Release

This project involved a detailed literature review to identify appropriate technologies to be implemented by small systems to reduce the risk of mercury releases. The review identified and evaluated a minimum of five practical approaches that can be used. The project also reviewed and evaluated several case studies where control technologies have been implemented. Finally, the project prepared detailed guidance for small systems on how to avoid this problem.

Co-Sponsorship of an International Slow Sand and Alternative Biological Filtration Conference

The 4th International Slow Sand and alternative Biological Filtration Conference took place in Mülheim an der Ruhr in Germany on May 3-5 2006. The objective of the conference was to provide an updated perspective on the physical, chemical, biological, and operational factors affecting the performance of biological filtration systems from slow sand and riverbank filtration to more advanced biological treatment techniques such as biological activated carbon (BAC).

Membrane Training Module

Riverbank Filtration Engineer Training Website

Engineers that design or consult with small drinking water systems are not always easily able to keep up with the latest treatment technologies due to time and money constraints. The purpose of this engineer training program is to develop web based training modules designed for the engineering audience to keep them informed of available technologies for small water systems. The proposed web site will focus on the topic of riverbank filtration as a treatment option.

Riverbank Filtration Design Workshop and Manual

The specific goal of this project is to produce a design manual for riverbank filtration (RBF) systems. Although site specific, RBF requires certain conditions to be met or present for RBF to be even considered feasible. For example, the presence of a clay deposit directly below the riverbed will effectively eliminate the site for RBF since very little river water will enter the subsurface. The fouling or clogging potential and the frequency of natural "cleanings" need to be considered by the designer. Overall, the significance of hydrologic parameters on RBF performance cannot be overlooked.

Book on Bioclogging of Filters and Natural Porous Media (in collaboration with Cornell University)

The proposed book will provide a detailed and comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art of bioclogging. Bioclogging occurs in filters and membranes used for water treatment, in the practice of in-situ bioremediation of aquifers, in river and water beds, in the practice of groundwater recharge, and in riverbank filtration processes. Attempts have also been made to simulate it in the field to create bioactive barriers for containment of organic contaminants in subsurface environments. Given current concerns about water resources in the future, research on bioclogging will intensify tremendously in the next few years. The proposed book is meant as a published resource to the water works industry whereby a deterrent to the use of such non-aligned water treatment systems as slow sand and riverbank filtration systems can be effectively contained and managed. A potential technique to protect groundwater resources from organic contaminants may also be documented in a manner that will be readily available to the water works industry.

Helping Small Water Systems Develop and Manage a Corrosion Control Strategy

Aggressive corrosion can severely disrupt operations at a small water provider, and undermine their ability to deliver safe potable water at a high quality. The goal of this project is to educate smaller water utilities about the different types of corrosion problems that can be encountered in the main and residential plumbing distribution system. Utilities will be advised on how to most effectively sample and assess these types of problems. Finally, options to mitigate corrosion incidents including water treatment changes or dosing a corrosion inhibitor at the treatment plant will be reviewed. An interactive web based training module will be developed to facilitate the above project objectives that can be accessed anytime via the internet.