Field based pilot-scale drinking water distribution system: Simulation of long hydraulic retention times and microbiological mediated monochloramine decay

Drinking water distribution systems with long hydraulic retention times (HRTs) commonly encounter rapid microbiological-mediated monochloramine decay that results in microbial regrowth and nitrification with reduction in alkalinity. In this paper, we report the design and operation of a field-based pilot-scale distribution system (PDS) operated at flows that simulate long HRTs (∼10 days) to promote rapid microbiological monochloramine decay over long periods. The PDS is designed to enable the testing of chemical treatment for the control of nitrification and monochloramine decay. The PDS has two identical cylindrical polyethylene tanks (DS(1) & DS(2)), each of 1 m diameter and 1.8 m height (∼1 kL) holding 900 m of polyethylene (PE) tubing with sampling points every 300 m intervals. Microbial mediated decay (determined by the Fm test) of monochloramine occurred as treated (alum coagulated and flocculated) and chloraminated water passed through the DSs. In this manuscript we report: • An inexpensive, flexible and compact system that can be readily set-up at a full-scale water treatment plant, requiring minimal supervision for operation. • A ‘draw & fill’ system for achieving control on HRT’s through the pipes.