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About the WTTC
 The
Water Treatment Technology Center (WTTC), situated within the Environmental
Research Group at the University of New Hampshire, specializes in
multidisciplinary research and development, piloting, verification,
and diffusion of innovative, large and especially small-system water
treatment technologies. Frequently, partnerships are formed between
the private sector, a host community, and relevant regulatory agencies
at the local, state, regional and national level.
The faculty and staff of the WTTC have expertise in the development
of new technologies, field-based pilot testing in host communities,
third-party verification of technology performance and reliability,
and the diffusion of appropriate technologies to end-users through
technology transfer processes. Technologies that have been developed
or evaluated include
- slow sand filtration
- GAC/biological filtration
- membrane filtration
- roughing filtration
- precoat pressure filtration
- air-stripping
- GAC adsorption
- advanced oxidation
- and conventional treatment.
 Since
its inception, faculty have been involved in over 30 research projects
funded by the private sector, water utilities, state government,
USEPA, and the American Water Works Association Research Foundation.
Typical piloting and verification studies involve working closely
with a host community; the studies last from months to a year or
two. As part of our education and scholarship mission, studies frequently
are used to support graduate student research under the careful
supervision of faculty. The research that is conducted is usually
widely disseminated and published. The WTTC is well
equipped to conduct these studies, with facilities to conduct
bench and pilot scales studies both at UNH and at host community
locations. An US EPA-certified pathogen detection facility is also
part of the WTTC.
Background
The WTTC has grown out of ERG's extensive work with communities,
regulatory agencies, and the private sector in developing or reinventing
technologies to meet ongoing legislative requirements associated
with the Safe Drinking Act Reauthorization, the Enhanced Surface
Water Treatment Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule, the Disinfection
and Disinfection Byproducts Rule, the proposed Radionuclide regulation,
and the Groundwater Disinfection Rule.
Technological
Expertise of the WTTC
During the last ten years, a variety of technologies have been
developed, evaluated, verified or diffused. These include the following:
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Slow Sand Filtration
Slow sand filtration is experiencing a renaissance in North
America. The requirements for cost-effective and dependable
filtration processes for filtering surface waters has helped
to promote this resurgence. Faculty have worked with conventional
slow sand filtration, granular media-amended slow sand filtration,
advanced oxidation (UV, H2O2, O3) slow sand filtration, and
GAC Sandwich (copyrighted) slow sand filtration.
Membrane Filtration
Membrane filtration, widely used in the industrial and food
processing industries, is now considered a promising technology
for water treatment. Depending upon membrane pore sizes and
pressures, a variety of contaminants can be removed. Studies
have been completed on hollow fiber membranes using pathogen
challenge studies.
Roughing Filtration
Pretreatment of surface waters containing high levels of
turbidity and algae is frequently needed in front of conventional,
pressure, and even slow sand filtration processes. Studies
have been conducted on process configuration and optimization.
GAC Biological Filtration
Biological GAC is widely used in Europe to promote both
filtration and biological removal of organic matter. The use
of preoxidation schemes to optimize the process has been examined
for a number of communities and projects.
GAC Adsorption
GAC has been evaluated as a sorbent for radon gas and methyl-tert-butyl
ether (MTBE). Pilot scale and point-of-use systems have been
piloted and verified.
Air Stripping
Packed tower, tray tower, and diffused bubble aeration technology
have been applied to ground waters containing radon or organic
compounds including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes,
MTBE, trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene. Both piloting
and verification studies have been conducted.
Advanced Oxidation
Ozone, UV and H2O2 have been used as pretreatments for surface
water filtration processes and complete oxidation of anthropogenic
organics, like MTBE, in drinking water supplies. UV has also
been extensively piloted as a means for disinfecting ground
waters.
Electrotechnologies
Innovative electrotechnologies including pulsed UV, pulsed
electric fields, plasma arc devices and high intensity UV
(UV lasers, high pressure UV lamps) have been tested at the
alpha stages of their development for ability to inactivate
virus, Giardia cysts, and Cryptosporidium oocysts. Small scale
(1 to 5 gpm) pilot studies are also on-going.
Alternative Disinfection
Alternatives to chlorination have been examined in pilot
scale studies for both ground water and surface water supplies.
Studies have been performed for ozone, chlorine dioxide, UV,
chloramines and the innovative electrotechnologies previously
mentioned. Research has also focused on synergistic combinations
of disinfectants such as ozone-chloramines and UV- chloramines.
Pathogen Detection
Molecular biological techniques, including Polymerase Chain
Reaction amplification and nucleic acid probes, have been
or are under development and/or application for viruses, bacteria
and protozoa of public health concern.
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US
EPA/National Sanitation Foundation Certified Field Testing Organization
The UNH WTTC is a certified field testing organization under US
EPA's and the National Sanitation Foundation's Environmental Technology
Verification program for small package water treatment systems.
Small Public Water Treatment Technology
Center
The UNH WTTC was recently designated by Congressional appropriation
to receive $500,000 from the US EPA in support of its technology
development, verification, outreach and training mission. The activity
will have support from an Advisory Board from the New England states.
Research Contracts
Since its inception, WTTC faculty have entered into over 30 grants
and contracts relative to water treatment technology development
and verification. Partners include the private sector (ESSEF Corp.,
Koch Membranes, Inc., Thames Water, Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Inc.,
Calgon Carbon Corp., Pall Corporation, Ion Physics), federal agencies
and foundations (US EPA, National Science Foundation, the American
Water Works Association Research Foundation), state agencies (New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services), and numerous municipalities
(including the cities of New York; Indianapolis; Salem, Oregon;
and Rutland, Vermont). These awards have totaled over $2.5 million
to date.
WTTC Faculty
BALLESTERO, Thomas P. (PhD, PE, PH, CGWP, Colorado State University,
1981, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering). Interests: hydrogeology,
hydrogeologic monitoring, water resources and hydrology.
BRANNAKA, Larry K. (PhD, PE,the Pennsylvania State University,
1993, Assistant Research Professor of Civil Engineering). Interests:
transport and fate of contaminants in porous media, hydrologic monitoring
and testing instrumentation, groundwater-surface water interactions,
natural contaminant attenuation processes, non-point source pollution.
COLLINS, M. Robin . (PhD, PE, University of Arizona, 1985, Professor
of Civil Engineering). Interests: water filtration processes, physical-chemical
treatment applications, water chemistry, aquatic humic substances
and natural organic matter, disinfection by-product precursor characterization
and treatability, technology adoption, and pilot testing.
EIGHMY, T. Taylor. (PhD, University of New Hampshire, 1986, Research
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering). Interests: surface analysis,
geochemical modeling, biological water treatment, aquatic microbiology,
fixed-film processes, and technology diffusion.
KINNER, Nancy E. (PhD, University of New Hampshire, 1986, Professor
of Civil Engineering). Interests: radon removal techniques, biological
treatment, environmental microbiology, sampling and analysis, and
radon measurements.
MALLEY, James P., Jr. (PhD, University of Massachusetts, 1988,
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering). Interests: aquatic and
surface chemistry, oxidation processes (UV, ozone, UV-peroxide),
innovative technologies, dissolved air flotation, activated carbon,
pilot testing, and technology adoption.
MARGOLIN, Aaron B. (PhD, University of Arizona, 1986, Associate
Professor of Microbiology). Interests: aquatic virology, disinfection,
molecular biology, probe techniques, and POU disinfection testing.
SPROUL, Otis J. (Sc.D., Washington University, 1961, Emeritus Professor
of Civil Engineering). Interests: water treatment, disinfection,
public health microbiology, emerging treatment practices.
WTTC Contact Information:
Dr. Robin Collins Director UNH Water Treatment Technology Center
Department of Civil Engineering 236 Kingsbury Hall University of
New Hampshire Durham, NH 03824 (603) 862-1407 [phone] (603) 862-2364
[fax] robin.collins@unh.edu
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