A National Survey of Manpower Utilization and Future Needs of Consulting Engineering Firms Engaged in Water Pollution Control

Introduction: As part of the overall evaluation of manpower needs in the environmental field, a survey of architectural and engineering firms was jointly sponsored by the Consulting Engineers Council, the American Association of Professors in Sanitary Engineering and the Environmental Protection Agency. A questionnaire was mailed to 8,.5. engineering and architectural firms that subscribe to the magazin

Water Quality as an Approach to Managing Recreational Use and Development on a Mountain Watershed: South Fork of the Ogden River-Ogden Valley Area

The South Fork of the Ogden River, one of several heavily used mountain watersheds along Utah\u27s Wasatch Front, was studied between February 1 and November 1, 1974, to determine the effects of recreation on water quality. Although the greatest impacts on water quality occurred during spring runoff, it was found that recreational use had a definite effect on water quality. Bacteriological parameters were found to be the most sensitive indicators of contamination. Differences between heavy weekend and light weekday recreational use were reflected by differences in bacteriological counts. Also, it appears that changes in bacterial water quality were more closely correlated with high intensity, short duration use rather than with the overall number of visitor days use received at a recreational site. The results of this study indicate that improvements are needed at several recreational sites. Studies to investigate the improvement of recreational facilities along the South Fork are recommended

Appendices: Water Quality Management in Utah Mountain Watersheds

What Quality Management in Utah Mountain Streams: Several years of thorough monitoring of water quality parameters in Little Cottonwood Creek in Salt Lake County, Utah, measured the natural levels of the major water constituents, spotted significant (largely nonpoint) pollution sources, identified the pollutants deserving primary attention, and suggested the approaches to land and water management for pollution control in a mountain watershed used primarily for recreation purposes. Bacterial pollution is greater at night than during the day, on weekends than on week days, and in the summer than in the winter. Mineral content is of natural origin and largely explained by the passage of ground and surface waters through source geologic formations and aplified by the after effects of historic mining activity. Anion concentrations vary with underlying geology in a pattern that increases nitrate and sulfate and decreases phosphate concentrations while moving northwesterly through the basin. Acid is added by both mine drainage an dprecipitation. As to current human water quality impacts, runoff from roadside and other areas of construction is a varying source of sediment, but sediment concentrations are consistently high below major resort areas. Road salts are a major contributor of sodium chloride. Organic and fecal pollution originate from nonpoint soil sources contaminated by vegetation, wildlife, and human activities. Nitrates appear to come largely from natural sources. The toxic effect of mine drainage appears to reduce bacteria counts. Campgrounds, private cabins, and resorts were the primary source of fecal pollution that is considerably worse in the summer than in the winter. Ski areas are the lesser winter source as pollution levels fluctuate with visitor populations. Water quality may well be the most important limitation to the recreation carrying capacity of the canyon during the summer and fall. The most effective management program for pollution control may well be to limit summer recreation activities conducted apart from adequate sanitary facilities

The Kinetics of Rotating Biological Contactors Treating Domestic Wastewater

Four, four-stage, laboratory scale rotating biological contactor (RBC) units were employed to develop kinetic models for the RBC process when treating domestic wastewater. The study was conducted at three different temperatures of 5 degrees C, 15 degrees C, and 20 degrees C. Each unit operated at a different constant organic loading rate taht ranged from 4 qCOD/m^2/d to 14 gCOD/m^2/d and at a constand detention time of 2 hours. Carbonaceous substrate removals measured as COD cencentrations with the four-stage RBC\u27s were 80, 85, and 90 percent for 5 degrees C, 15 degrees C, and 20 degrees C, respectively. The major part of the removal occurred in the first stages. The overall precentage removals of ammonia nitrogen were 87 to 98 percent at 15 degrees C from 91 to 99 percent at 20 degrees C depending upon the influent organic loading rate. At 5 degrees C there was no ammonia nitrogen removal. Kinetic models were devloped and kinetic constants were determined for COD and ammonia nitrogen removal in the first and succeeding stages of the RBC units. Biomass yeild, biomass stabilization, and ammonia nitrogen removal were also evaluated. Monod growth kinetics were used in the development of the models for carbonaceous substrate removal in the first stages and for ammonia nitrogen removal in the system. The temeprature dependency of each kindetic constant was determined for the range of 5 degrees C to 20 Degrees C. Steady-state kinetic models were developed, and kinetic constants were determined as a function of temperature to provide a rational design approach for the RBC process treating domestic wastewater

Reverse Osmosis in the Treatment of Drinking Water

An extensive review of the literature was conducted and results were evaluated for the use of the reverse osmosis process in the treatment of drinking water supplies. All aspects of reverse osmosis technology, including pretreatment requirements; membrane type and configuration; membrane cleaning and maintenance; and reverse osmosis removal of organics, inorganics, and microbial contaminants were incorporated inot the literature evaluation. A survey (Appendix E) of existing full scale reverse osmosis installations was also carried out and results of the survey are discussed. In light of data presented in the literature and results of the survey conducted, the following recommendations were made to prevent catastrophic membrane fouling occurrences and costly plant shutdowns in the future. 1) Conduct a comprehensive raw water quality evaluation. 2) Maintain continuous feed and product water quality monitoring. 3) Incororate process automation and system upset warning provisions in future installations. 4) Provide greatly improved training for reverse osmosis installation operators. The reverse osmosis system is particularly well suited for the treatment of water supplies which contain a number of contaminants that would otherwise require a combination of treatment processes for their removal, due to the ability of the reverse osmosis process to remove salts, organics, and a number of microbial contaminants. Effective pretreatment and routine backwashing, membrane cleaning, and disinfection must be carried out; however, if adequate system operation is to be assured

Effects of land use on water quality: Summit Creek, Smithfield, Utah

The effects of various land uses on water quality in Summit Creek were evaluated during the period beginning March 13, 1971, and ending October 27, 1971. Potential sources of pollution investigated where: (1) septic tank use, (2) feedlot runoff, (3) urban runoff, (4) rural runoff. Samples were collected from five sampling stations on 16 separate days during the sampling period. Analyses were performed to determine the following constituents: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, coliform bacteria, chloride, suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, total carbon, organic carbon, temperature, and pH. Agricultural activates, including livestock feedlot operations, were identified as the major source of pollutant inputs to Summit Creek. No significant pollutant inputs could be attributed to septic tank use, urban runoff, or rural runoff

Development of Design Criteria for Sensitizer Photooxidation Treatment Systems

Sensitized photooxidation is a physicochemical process that can degrade many toxic and refractory organic pollutants. A trace quantity of sensitizer added to the waste absorbs visible light; electronically excited intermediates then transfer the energy to decompose the waste. Engeineering design criteria were developed for industrial waste treatment lagoons that would use sensitized photooxidation. Design criteria were developed regarding optimum lagoon pH, optimum sensitizer concentration, depth and sizing of lagoons, dissolved oxygen requirements, and effect of temperature on photooxidation rate. Treatment of the refractory pesticides bromacil, terbacil, and fluometuron was investigated using methylene blue and riboflavin as sensitizers. Methylene blue-sensitized photooxidation of the three pesticides was most efficient at basic pH. The optimum pH of riboflavin-sensitized photooxidaction varied and was substrate-dependent. A model was developed to predict sensitized photooxidation rate as a function of lagoon depth. The model is based on light intesnity, sensitizer extinction coefficient, and an applied quantum yeirld, all of which are integrated over wavelengths of visible light. The model serves as the basis of sizing photooxidation lagoons. A dissolved oxygen residual of 1 mg/1 was required to maintain maximum methylene blue-sensitized photooxidation rate. At least 4 mg/1 dissolved oxygen was necessary to maintain riboflavin-sensitized phooxidation at maximum levels. Oxygen uptake rates in sensitized phooxidation reactions were proportional to the concentration of substrate. Temperatures from 10 degrees to 35 degreees Celcius had no significant effect on sensitized photooxidation rates. Using the model developed, a methylene blue-sensitized phooxidation pilot lagoon was designed to treat a 30 mg/1 bromacil influent concentraion to 0.1 mg/1 bromacil in the effluent. For an influent flow of 0.263 m^3/min (0.1 MGD) waste, a 0.1 mg/1 methylene blue concentration, 36 cm depth, and 1870 m^2 surface area are required. A cost analysis was performed which indicated that sensitized photooxidation lagoons appear to be cost-compentitive with other industrial waste treatement systems

Ecological Implications of Dimethyl Mercury in an Aquatic Food Chain

Laboratory studies indicate dimethyl mercury may be a major product of microbial methylation of inorganic mercury. Although another methylation product, monomethyl mercury, has been extensively studied, the physical, chemical, and biologicl factors affecting the transport and food chain distribution of dimethyl mercury have remained unclear. This report presents results of laboratory studies of volatilization rates from water as a function of temperature and mixing conditions, uptake kinetics and equilibrium concentrations in algae

Effects of Baffles on the Performance of Anerobic Waste Stabilization Ponds

The performance of three baffled model ponds was monitored and compared to the performance of an unbaffled model pond utilizing four hydraulic and organic loading rates. All four ponds were operated simultaneously under the same environmental conditions using a synthetic wastewater. Removal of organic carbon by the biological system in the different pond configurations only varied from 94-98 percent at the longest detention time (15 days); however, a considerable effect of the baffling was observed at the lower detention times. At a hydraulic detention time of 1.5 days the percent carbon removal was 53, 60, 62, and 70 percent for the control, end-around, over-and-under, and longitudinal baffling systems, respectively. The biological kinetics of the model ponds were determined using three mathematical models. Performance was evaluated by using the kinetic parameters and conventional stabilization pond operating parameters. Direct comparisons with the performance parameters of the model ponds appear valid for analysis of the three models studied. The performance of the baffled ponds was described by a completely mixed model incorporating attached biomass; however, the performance of the unbaffled control pond was not described by the completely mixed model. Performance parameters of the baffled, model ponds were significantly better than the control pond