Managing water quality impacts from drought on drinking water supplies

Research Article| November 07 2013 Managing water quality impacts from drought on drinking water supplies Benjamen Wright; Benjamen Wright 1Hazen and Sawyer, P.C., 4011 Westchase Blvd, Suite 500, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Benjamin D. Stanford; Benjamin D. Stanford 1Hazen and Sawyer, P.C., 4011 Westchase Blvd, Suite 500, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA E-mail: bstanford@hazenandsawyer.com Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Allison Reinert; Allison Reinert 1Hazen and Sawyer, P.C., 4011 Westchase Blvd, Suite 500, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Jan C. Routt; Jan C. Routt 2Jan Routt and Associates, Lexington, KY, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Stuart J. Khan; Stuart J. Khan 3University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Jean F. Debroux Jean F. Debroux 4Kennedy Jenks Consultants, San Francisco, CA, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2014) 63 (3): 179–188. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.123 Article history Received: June 30 2013 Accepted: September 28 2013 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures Managing water quality impacts from drought on drinking water supplies. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 May 2014; 63 (3): 179–188. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.123 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Droughts, which are difficult to predict, are a natural feature of the hydrology in most regions. Climate change, however, has the potential to increase the frequency and magnitude of future droughts. While the lack of water availability during droughts is widely publicized, there are equally severe water quality impacts that occur during and after droughts as well. Recent droughts have led to water quality implications for drinking water supplies including turbidity, taste and odor, pathogen concerns, and challenges in managing disinfection byproducts (DBPs). This paper presents the results from a series of case studies prepared for a Water Research Foundation study on the effects of extreme weather on drinking water quality in order to help utilities prepare for vulnerabilities under future climate change. A key finding from the case studies is that droughts can fundamentally alter nutrient cycling and biota within both watersheds and reservoirs that influence water quality for months or years after the event. A few of the critical management actions for responding to degraded water quality related to droughts include awareness of potential impacts, increased monitoring during and after the event, and capacity to quickly adjust treatment processes. algae, disinfection byproducts, drought, extreme weather, management, water quality This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2014 You do not currently have access to this content.