Adaptive management using multiple barriers to control tastes and odors

An adaptive management framework was developed during the course of a three‐year case study to reduce taste and odor (T&O) problems in the Phoenix, Ariz., metropolitan area. The collaborative project used an extensive monitoring program, rapid feedback, and extensive communication to allow flexible responses to changing circumstances. A multiple‐barrier strategy was used with T&O control measures implemented in the reservoirs, canals, and water treatment plants. Research and implementation occurred concurrently, leading to substantial reductions in T&O problems over the course of the project.