The role of quantitative pollution ecology in water resource management: some examples from the Florida, Coastal Louisiana and Puerto Rico

11/28/11

David Tomasko, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist & Manager, Watershed Assessment and Sciences Program 

Atkins North America,

Tampa, FL

The successful management of water resources is essential task for communities dependent upon clean water and a healthy environment.  Balancing the needs for providing flood protection, water supply, and environmental features requires proficiency in the fields of hydrology, biology and general ecology.  Three examples will be reviewed that illustrate the value of fully integrating these fields to address specific water quality concerns.  In South Florida, the appearance of a large algal bloom in 2005 was investigated to determine the most likely cause(s).  In Louisiana, the restoration of its severely impacted and rapidly disappearing coastal wetlands is dependent upon the implementation of large-scale freshwater diversions into prior floodplains. In Puerto Rico, the reestablishment of an historical tidal connection between San Juan Bay and the San José Lagoon is a long-desired project for communities in the vicinity of the Martín Peña Canal. In all three examples, close coordination between the fields of engineering and environmental science was essential.

Dr. Tomasko is a Senior Scientist and the Manager of the Watershed Assessment and Sciences Program for Atkins North America, in Tampa.  David was previously the Manager of the Environmental Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and before that a Senior Scientist with the Water Management District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management Program.  

David led efforts to develop the scientific basis for a technology-based pollutant load reduction goal for Sarasota Bay, as well as the resource-based pollutant load reduction goal for Charlotte Harbor.  In addition, David has developed or refined pollutant load reduction strategies for portions of the Miami River, the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, Lakes Hancock and Jessup, and the Wekiva River.  David’s current work involves the estimation of water quality and natural system responses to ongoing or planned restoration projects in Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Wastewater infrastructure: onsite technologies & their management

11/21/11

A. Robert Rubin

Professor Emeritus

Biological & Agricultural Engineering

North Carolina State University

In a global perspective, wastewater reuse is a fledgling supply, but an important emerging source of supply. Only a very small portion of water is planned reuse – all water is returned to the water cycle and ultimately reused, but planned reuse is small. Legislation like California Title 22, the North Carolina 2U standards, EU standards and standards like those proposed as NSF 350 are helping raise the bar for reuse. A decentralized system allows recycle and reuse as close to potential users as possible and this reduces the energy required in a system. That can mean significant savings because the energy demands associated with moving water are quite significant. A distributed or decentralized approach reduces the disruption necessary to supply water, and can mine water from a collection system and use it through small, appropriately sized systems. The greatest challenge for us working with reuse is to create a vision where we cultivate building owners, operators, managers, and officials with an idea of how the future infrastructure of reuse can look. 

A. Robert Rubin is a Professor Emeritus and Extension Specialist, Biological and Agricultural Engineering North Carolina State University. He is water professional with expertise in drinking water, wastewater, storm water, and bio-solid management issues. He has authored several publications on water and waste management and has worked with the US EPA and state agencies on the development of rules, regulations, policies and guidelines for onsite/decentralized systems and land application of bio-solids. He has conducted an active demonstration and evaluation program addressing onsite-decentralized wastewater; land application systems, solid waste management and water supply management. From 1999 through 2005, Dr. Rubin served as a Visiting Scientist at the USEPA in Washington, DC. In June of 2003, Dr. Rubin was presented the "Bronze Medal for Commendable Service" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

rubin@ncsu.edu

Measuring Sustainability and Resilience of Urban Infrastructure

Adrienne T. Cooper

Florida A&M University, Biological and Agricultural Systems Engineering

adrienne.cooper@famu.edu

Sustainable infrastructure development has thus far been focused on conformance to a set of rules or guidelines. For example, LEED and BREEAM set national standards for Green Building Certification in the U.S. and UK respectively, and the Energy Star Rating System (US) has been developed for appliances and products. However, these must be used in conjunction with other indicators to evaluate sustainability. Principles of sustainability have been developed to address socio-ecological elements using a thermodynamic basis to identify the influence of society on nature and material exchange. Principles of green engineering have also been established that provide a guide for development. However, none of these principles are clearly applicable to infrastructure, and achievement of the principles is not readily measurable. The use of sustainability indices provides for measurable outcomes.
A sustainable design necessarily includes the ability of the system to recover from perturbations, whether they are natural, anthropogenic or technogenic. This system resiliency has traditionally been viewed as separate from sustainability, but more recently they have come to be recognized as two sides of the same coin. The interdependence of urban infrastructural elements adds an additional layer of complexity to be considered in evaluation and design.

We discuss the use of EMERGY methodology for the development of indices of resilience, with an eye toward a combined index dealing with both sustainability and resilience of water and wastewater infrastructure systems. We have provided a preliminary definition of a resiliency index that indicates the total time of a system to recover (TTR), a function of both the physical and the social aspects of the system as well as the EMERGY output (transformity). The physical and social recovery of the system are captured in a physical recovery index (PRI) and a social recovery index (SRI).

Adrienne T. Cooper, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Biological and Agricultural Systems Engineering at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She received her PhD. in Environmental Engineering in 1998 from the University of Florida. Working with Drs. Yogi Goswami and Tom Crisman, her research examined, "Solar Photochemical Treatment of Potable Water: Disinfection and Detoxification.” Her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering was from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. She is a the principal investigator in the Sustainable Systems Engineering Research Lab, a member of FAMU's Center for Water and Air Quality and the BioEnergy Group to Develop Renewable and Sustainable Sources of Energy. Some of her current research looks at implications of engineered nanoparticles in the natural food supply, sustainable biodiesel fuel production from algae, and the measurement of sustainability. As an active member in the American Chemical Society, she fosters new and innovative research applications that focus on processes for improving the sustainability of water resources, including those pertaining to providing safe drinking water and treatment of wastewater. She teaches Introduction to Computing, Natural Resource Conservation Engineer, Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological and Food Engineering, Food and Bioprocess Engineering, Environmental Modifications and Control, and Biochemical Engineering. Dr. Cooper is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award for her research in photocatalysis for water treatment and remediation and is a registered professional engineer in the state of South Carolina.

Overcoming the Challenges in the Commercial Development of Algae

November 7th in Marshall Center Room 3705

George Philippidis, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Biofuel Engineering

Director, Alternative Energy Research Center

USF Polytechnic

4100 S. Frontage Road, Suite 102

Lakeland, FL 33815

(863) 904-9961 · gphilippidis@poly.usf.edu

Algae promise to revolutionize the production of alternative transportation fuels, but the technology faces formidable challenges on its way to commercialization.  Water management is one of the major issues as algae need to be cultivated in huge ponds and harvested for further processing.  As water represents an increasingly scarce resource, engineers need to identify ways to minimize water usage and handling for both cost and environmental reasons.  Consistent lipid productivity is another critical cost factor as it determines the potential yield of alternative fuels and needs to be maximized.  Moreover, carbon dioxide needs to be secured from real-world industrial operations in a cost-effective way.  The presenter will discuss scale-up issues and his joint ventures with technology developers in the private sector and with venture capital firms and other investors.

Biography

George Philippidis, Ph.D. is the director of the Alternative Energy Research Center and associate professor of biofuel engineering at USF Polytechnic. He comes to USF from Florida International University, where he served as energy director of the Applied Research Center, co-director of the Global Energy Security Forum, and research associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computing. Prior to that he held management positions at a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Corporation and at the National Renewable Energy Lab. He has 18 years of experience in leading strategic business units in biofuels, energy, and biotechnology. His expertise includes biofuels (sugarcane and cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel), renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, and ocean power generation), energy security, and integration of alternatives into the oil & gas, coal, and nuclear infrastructure. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an executive MBA from the University of Denver. Dr. Philippidis can be contacted at gphilippidis@poly.usf.edu. 

Another Great Stink is needed: Sanitation and hygiene in poor urban areas

Ben Fawcett, Ph.D.
10/31/11

Ben Fawcett is an environmental health engineer, development manager, lecturer and researcher with three decades of work experience throughout the developing world.  He spent ten years with Oxfam GB, initially as technical adviser on humanitarian emergencies and long-term development projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, then as their first Program Manager in Vietnam and finally as Manager of their global Technical Unit.

Ben is co-author of 'The Last Taboo: Opening the door on the global sanitation crisis' (2008) aiming to publicise the scandalous situation in which 40% of the world's people have nowhere to 'go'. Since 2007 he has been based in northern New South Wales, teaching water supply and sanitation at the International WaterCentre as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Advanced Water Management Centre of The University of Queensland.  He advises Engineers Without Borders and continues to campaign for toilets for those suffering the indignity of life without such basic facilities. Ben has been awarded the 2011 Oklahoma University International WaTER Prize.

Reclaimed Water History and Challenges in Southwest Florida

10/24/11

Anthony Andrade

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Over the past 30 years water reuse has become an accepted and safe alternative water supply throughout Florida.  The growth of reclaimed water use has been especially prevalent in urban centers for irrigation, as up to 50 percent of a community’s drinking water is used on landscapes. Much of this irrigation water could be replaced with reclaimed water.  The utilities within the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) recognized reclaimed water’s potential and have become leaders in the reuse industry.  District-wide reclaimed water use has grown from 10 mgd in 1980 to 150 mgd in 2010.  Much of the expansion is due to the assistance provided by the District.  Since the late 1980’s, the District has provided $343 million for 308 reclaimed water projects worth more than $823 million.  As a result, utilities within the District now serve more than 100,000 reuse customers. When all of the ongoing reuse projects are completed, they will make 232 mgd of reclaimed water available.  As of 2010, 10% of all water use in the District was supplied by reclaimed water, and by 2030 that is anticipated to grow to nearly 20% and exceed 374 mgd.  Challenges remain in maximizing reclaimed water resources. This presentation will focus on the history of reclaimed water, the District’s long-term goals, development costs, overuse, nutrients, chlorides and quality.

Reclaimed Infrastructure Within the Southwest Florida Water Management District

Anthony Andrade is a Senior Water Conservation Analyst and Project Manager specializing in reclaimed water at the Southwest Florida Water Management District.  Mr. Andrade holds a B.A. degree from the University of South Florida (1987) and is a state certified wastewater treatment plant operator and reclaimed water specialist. Mr. Andrade has been in the reclaimed water field for two decades and has been with the Southwest Florida Water Management District since 1998.

Website: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/reclaimed/

Email: anthony.andrade@watermatters.org

Extra information: 

Reclaimed water is used by more than 400 reclaimed water systems in Florida which safely provide reuse to over 280,000 residential irrigation customers, 13,000 acres of edible crops, 525 golf courses, 877 parks, 324 schools and more than 100 industrial/commercial customers across the State (FDEP, 2011).  

Reclaimed water has safely been used within the United States for nearly 100 years (Golden Gate Park, San Francisco- first customer in 1912) and has been used in Florida for more than 40 years with no documented cases of illness or disease (FDEP). 

Recent scientific studies provide perspective on the safe use of reclaimed water.

-According to a national study on the Irrigation of Parks, Playgrounds and Schoolyards with Reclaimed Water (1600 sites) there has been "no incidences of illness or disease from either microbial pathogens or chemicals"(WateReuse Foundation, 2005).
-According to the latest national study comparing reclaimed water quality to surface and groundwater, " results indicate that reuse, surface, and groundwater are more similar than dissimilar" and "the largest difference between reuse and the other waters is that reuse has been disinfected" (CH2MHill, USBR, USGS, University of Miami, and Florida International University for WateReuse Foundation, 2009)
-Florida DEP literature review of research found; “there is no evidence or documentation of any disease associated with water reuse systems in the United States or in other countries that have reasonable standards for reuse” (FDEP, 2003)
-National Academies of Science, Reclaimed Water Study found in 1996; Crops irrigated with reuse “do NOT present a greater risk to the consumer than do crops irrigated from conventional sources”

Reclaimed Water Quality Publication

 Also below is a link to a brochure the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) published with citations of existing literature which specifically address quality and safety questions about the use of reclaimed water.http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/files/database/site_file_sets/118/reclaimed_water_lev2_08.09.pdf

 The brochure includes the findings of studies which have concluded;

-Reclaimed, surface and ground water are more similar than dissimilar(2009),

-No incidences of illness or disease from either microbial pathogens or chemicals, and risks are not measurably different than risks associated with irrigation using potable water (2005),

-There is no evidence or documentation of any disease associated with water reuse systems in the United States or in other countries that have reasonable standards for reuse (2003).

Edible Crop Irrigation Information

In addition to residential irrigation, reclaimed water has safely been used on edible crops for decades.  Below are links to a number of published articles/studies on the topic.

York, D. W., R. Holden, B. Sheikh, L. Parsons, “Safety and Suitability of Recycled Water for Irrigation of Edible Crops,” Proceedings of the 23rd Annual WateReuse Symposium, Dallas: http://www.bahmansheikh.com/pdf_files/Food_Safety.pdf

The State of California has also done quite a bit of research on the safety of reclaimed water for California’s extremely successful agricultural reuse program.  One of the most important is the landmark Monterey agriculture study, which the findings indicated;

                        -The use of reclaimed water for food crop irrigation is safe and acceptable

-No soil or groundwater quality degradation occurred

-Conventional farming practices were adequate, excellent crop yields were obtained

-There were no obstacles to the marketability of the produce

-There was no accumulation of heavy metals in the crops or soil

-Chlorine residuals had no observable effect on crops, and dechlorination was not necessary

http://www.jstor.org/pss/25043824

Additional California reclaimed water information is available via an on-line agriculture site at;  http://agwaterstewards.org/txp/Resource-Center-Articles/24/use-of-municipal-recycled-water

National Reuse Information

The National Research Council (NRC) conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the use of recycled water and residuals in food crop production (NRC, 1996). The NRC concluded that: “Current technology to remove pollutants from wastewater, coupled with existing regulations and guidelines governing the use of recycled water in crop production, are adequate to protect human health and the environment.” They also stated “food crops thus produced do not present a greater risk to the consumer than do crops irrigated from conventional sources.” http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5175&page=1

International Reuse Information

Other countries such as Australia also have a history of reclaimed water research and use, which the links below provide a brief overview and examples.

http://www.nwc.gov.au/resources/documents/Recycled_water_use_in_Australia.pdf

http://www.recycledwater.com.au/uploads/File/newsletters/reWater%20Winter%2008.pdf

Additional Reuse Research and Information

Sheikh, B., and R. C. Cooper, “Recycled Water Food Safety Study for Monterey County Water Recycling Projects,” 1998.http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/wr/recycled_h20_food_safety.pdf

Monterey County Water Resources Agency, “Monterey Wastewater Reclamation Study for Agriculture, Final Report,” 1987. http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/wr/mwrsa.pdf

California Agriculture Stewardship Info (lots of reuse info from Ag Industry in CA)

http://agwaterstewards.org/txp/Resource-Center-Articles/24/use-of-municipal-recycled-water 

http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/wr/4th_intl_ihc.pdf

http://www.recycledwater.com.au/uploads/File/newsletters/reWater%20June%2009.pdf 

Additional information and maps of reclaimed water systems within the SWFWMD can be found on the SWFWMD Reclaimed Water Web Page athttp://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/reclaimed/

Also below is the contact information for Shanin Speas-Frost (FDEP’s reclaimed water expert).  Ms. Speas-Frost has a wealth of knowledge and experience related to reuse.

Shanin Speas-Frost, P.E.Water Reuse/Wastewater Wetlands Coordinator
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road MS3540
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
Phone: 850-245-8610
Fax: 850-245-8621
email: shanin.speasfrost@dep.state.fl.us “Purple is the New Green!  Use it Again, Florida!”





Below is the information in a format that is easily emailed (feel free to resend it).

The WateReuse Research Foundation (the largest organization in the US dedicated specifically to reclaimed water and desalination research) and The Water Research Foundation (the largest organization in the US dedicated to drinking water research) have completed two landmark studies on microconstituents (hormones, steroids, endocrine disrupting compounds-EDCs, pathogens, pharmaceuticals and personal care products-PPCPs in water and other sources).

The first is a 2009 study by the WateReuse Research Foundation (A Reconnaissance-Level Quantitative Comparison of Reclaimed Water Surface Water and Groundwater).  The results of that study comparing levels of microconstituents in various water types indicated that; “reclaimed, surface, and groundwater are more similar than dissimilar with regard to microconstituents”.  The main findings as well as other study information are included below (see WateReuse Research Foundation study).

The second more recent 2010 study by the Water Research Foundation (Toxicological Relevance of EDCs and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water) was published in the American Water Works Association Journal (AWWA Journal Nov. 2010).  This groundbreaking study compared human exposure to trace contaminants from water, air, beverage and food.  The results demonstrated the relative exposure to microconstituents from water “pale in comparison” when compared with food, beverage, and air, as “air and dietary routes may account for thousands of times greater exposure to EDCs, PPCPs, carcinogens, and other contaminants”.  The main findings and the companion synopsis article, as well as other information which provide perspective on the issue is included below (see Water Research Foundation study).


WateReuse Research Foundation Study
In 2009 The WateReuse Research Foundation published a study (A Reconnaissance-Level Quantitative Comparison of Reclaimed Water Surface Water and Groundwater) which compared levels of microconstituents in various water types (reclaimed, surface and groundwater).  The results of the study indicated that; “reclaimed, surface, and groundwater are more similar than dissimilar with regard to microconstituents” (hormones, steroids, endocrine disrupting compounds-EDCs, pathogens, pharmaceuticals and personal care products-PPCPs).

Main Findings:
1. No significant differences in health risks between reclaimed water and other water types were found.
2. Reclaimed water can safely be used on lands within critical (drinking water) watersheds.
3. Reclaimed water was generally not found to cause the quality of surface water to be significantly different.
4. The primary difference between reclaimed, surface and groundwater is that reclaimed water is disinfected and thus has a higher level of disinfection-by-products.
5. Pharmaceuticals, hormones, steroids, organics, nutrients, microbials and synthetic chemical constituents have multiple pathways into the environment and many are now ubiquitous in the environment.

Significance:
The project assists in providing a scientific basis for the sound and responsible development of future projects to increase reclaimed water utilization consistent with goals for water quality, natural systems restoration, and water supply, and more specifically demonstrates that reclaimed water can safely be used on lands within drinking water watersheds.

Additional Copies and Article Link:
Interested parties may obtain copies of the report by ordering on-line http://www.watereuse.org/catalog/research-reports/microbiology-and-disinfection (see "A Reconnaissance-Level Quantitative Comparison of Reclaimed Water, Surface Water, and Groundwater"). A synopsis of the study can be found in Chapter 6 Summary and Conclusions (pages 121-125).

Link to an article on the findings of the study
http://www.wateronline.com/article.mvc/New-Study-Finds-Reclaimed-Water-Quality-0001


Water Research Foundation Study
In 2010 The Water Research Foundation published a study (Toxicological Relevance of EDCs and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water) which compared levels of microconstituents in various sources (water, air, food and beverages).

The study found that contrary to a common perception of drinking water representing the most direct vector for human exposure,  “in fact, based on average daily intake (e.g., 2 liters of water per person per day vs. 24,000 liters of air per person per day), air and dietary routes may account for thousands of times greater exposure to EDCs, PPCPs, carcinogens, and other contaminants”.

Significance:
The project researchers found; “At present, providing a drinking water that is 100% free of EDCs and PPCPs is impossible to achieve, since no technology can completely remove all contaminants. It would also likely provide little benefit, since the concentrations present in drinking water pale in comparison to food and airborne exposure routes”.

Additional Copies and Article Links:

2011 Synopsis Article on the Study (Pages 8-11)
http://www.hazenandsawyer.com/uploads/files/horizons/Horizons_Fall_Summer_2011low_res.pdf

2010 Full Published AWWA Article
http://www.hazenandsawyer.com/uploads/files/Estrogenic_Activity_of_US_Drinking_Waters.pdf

2010 Water Research Foundation Study
http://www.waterrf.org/ProjectsReports/ExecutiveSummaryLibrary/91238_3085_profile.pdf


Note: The Water Research Foundation (http://www.waterrf.org/thefoundation/aboutus/Pages/Overview.aspx) and the WateReuse Research Foundation (http://www.watereuse.org/foundation/about/mission) are two different and independent research organizations.  The organizations occasionally co-fund projects jointly, however their primary research focus differs.  The Water Research Foundation (headquarters in Denver, CO) is the largest organization in the US dedicated to drinking water research, and the WateReuse Research Foundation (headquarters in Alexandria, VA) is the largest organization in the US dedicated specifically to reclaimed water and desalination research.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss.



Anthony J. Andrade
Project Manager/Senior Water Conservation Analyst
Conservation & Water Use Outreach Section
Resource Projects Bureau
Phone: 1-800-423-1476 (Florida only)
or 352-796-7211, extension 4196
Fax: 352-797-5806
E-Mail: anthony.andrade@swfwmd.state.fl.us

Manual Drilling of Water Wells: Use in Development, Academic Research, and Teaching

10/17/11

Michael F. MacCarthy, M.Sc.

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

University of South Florida

Manual water well drilling techniques are increasingly being promoted to help provide water for drinking and irrigation purposes to developing communities throughout the world. The low cost of manually-drilled wells, compared to machine-drilled wells or hand dugs wells, as well as the low cost and relative portability of their equipment, make them an attractive water supply option when hydro-geological conditions are favorable. The presented research consists of an assessment of hand auguring, percussion, and percussion-jetting manual drilling equipment, designed for use in developing communities. As part of the study, the equipment set-ups are assessed for relevance in academic field research, where collection of hydro-geologic data is often limited due to the expense of conventional machine drilling. While basic manual drilling techniques (e.g. hand auguring) are commonly used in academic field research, the use of hybrid manual drilling methods offer potential for significantly greater data to be obtained with minimal economic resources. Additionally, the research considers how the use of manual drilling techniques can be used to effectively teach essential aspects of groundwater hydrogeology to engineering, science and public health students, with manual drilling field labs being developed and taught at the University of South Florida over the past two years.

Michael MacCarthy is a Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Associate in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida.  He started his studies at USF in 2009 following several years living in sub-Saharan Africa (Cameroon, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa), where he worked with rural communities to design and implement low-cost water supply projects.  He previously received his M.Sc. in Engineering for Development from the University of Southampton (England) and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.  Mr. MacCarthy’s doctoral research focuses on sustainable low-cost household water supplies for developing communities, including manual pumps, manual drilling techniques, and rainwater harvesting systems.  The primary field sites for this research are in Bolivia and Madagascar.

Marine Aquaponics: Closing the Loop

Suzanne Boxman, Ph.D. Student

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

University of South Florida

Stresses on fish production from marine waters make on land fish production facilities attractive. Not only will they serve as a source of nutrition on commercial markets, but they also offer stability in the event that there is a disturbance like an offshore oil spill that negatively impacts fish populations. A zero discharge facility for on land fish production requires proper management of wastewater and solid waste. Reduced water consumption is also desired. An interdisciplinary team involving USF, Mote Aquaculture Research Park, Aquatic Plants of America, and Mote Marine Laboratory, are currently working on a NOAA project to evaluate the performance of wastewater treatment systems associated with pilot- and commercial-scale marine recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). 

Wastewater from fish tanks is passed through raceways in a greenhouse containing Florida relevant coastal plants like red mangrove seedlings to utilize nutrients and improve the quality of water that is recycled to this fish tanks. This talk provides an overview of the project to date and discusses preliminary results from plant growth and water quality measurements.

Suzanne Boxman is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida.  She started her studies at USF in 2010 after receiving her bachelor’s in biology from the University of Florida.  In 2011 she researched vegetative vertical walls for wastewater treatment at UNESCO-IHE as a part of a National Science Foundation International Research Experience for Students.

As an intern with the University of Florida’s Cooperative Teaching Unit she conducted field research on monitoring the Florida Scrub-Jay in the Ocala National Forest.  She also participated in a study abroad trip to Namibia, Africa at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a private organization that protects and studies cheetahs in Africa.  Her research at USF focuses on the sustainable management of aquaponics systems that provide multiple benefits for food production, water resources/quality & coastal zone restoration. She is a member of the executive committee of Engineers for a Sustainable World at USF.

The CARIACO Ocean Time Series Program

10/10/11

Frank Muller-Karger, PhD

College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

The CARIACO program conducts monthly oceanographic cruises to the Cariaco Basin (10°30’N, 64°40’W, SE Caribbean Sea) since November 1995. This basin is connected with the Caribbean Sea in the upper 140 m and is well ventilated above this sill depth, but waters below ~250 m are anoxic. The time-series objective is to understand the relationship between hydrography, community composition, primary production, microbial activity, terrigenous inputs, sediment fluxes, and element cycling in the water column, and how changes in these processes are preserved in seafloor sediments. The observations show major changes have occurred in the oceanography of the Basin since the mid-2000’s, with primary productivity falling by 20-30% from >500 gC m-2 y-1 in the late 1990’s. We discuss trends in several parameters, including a sharp decrease in sardines in the region. An ecosystem shift has resulted from a decrease in the Trade Wind intensity and weaker coastal upwelling.

Frank E. Muller-Karger is a biological oceanographer (Professor) at the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, where he directs the Institute for Marine Remote Sensing. He conducts research on marine primary production using satellite remote sensing, large data sets, networking, and high-speed computing. This research helps in the location and monitoring of large-scale phenomena, understanding climate control and climate change, and in the interpretation of numerical models of the ocean. He assess the importance of continental margins, including areas of upwelling, river discharge, and coral reefs in the global carbon budget, using satellites that measure ocean color and sea surface temperature.

A Performance Evaluation of a UASB Reactor and a Facultative Pond to Determine the Feasibility of Reusing Wastewater for Irrigation AND Laboratory Assessment of Four Point-of-Use Water Treatment Filters Designed for Households in Developing Countries

Matthew E. Verbyla, M.Sc. Candidate

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of South Florida

According to the United Nations 2011 Millennium Development Goals Report the percentage of undernourished people in the developing world has remained relatively stagnant during the past decade, despite significant reductions in poverty. The world is also far from meeting the sanitation target, with almost half of the population in developing regions without access to improved sanitation. In order to increase food production to meet rising demands in the developing world, many farmers use wastewater (treated and untreated) for irrigation. The use of inadequately-treated wastewater for irrigation greatly increases the risk of transmission of excreta-related diseases, especially for vulnerable groups such as those living in extreme poverty. Instead of focusing on the removal of traditional physical-chemical parameters from wastewater with the ultimate goal of discharging to surface waters, wastewater treatment in developing countries should be centered on the removal of human pathogens, with the ultimate goal of safe reuse. The reuse of wastewater for irrigation is very important, especially in certain regions of of the world experiencing water stress. This presentation will focus on a recent study comparing the pathogen removal and the performance of two waste stabilization pond systems in Bolivia which utilize different methods of primary treatment: an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a facultative pond. The goal of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of reuse for irrigation in accordance with the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines.

Biography

Mr. Verbyla graduated from Lafayette College in 2006 with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and is now pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. Mr. Verbyla is a LEED Green Associate and a Project Engineer at HRP Associates, Inc. and has several years of consulting experience on a wide range of wastewater, solid waste, potable water, and stormwater projects. Mr. Verbyla spent two and a half years studying, working, and volunteering in rural developing and urban slum communities of Central and South America, and is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese. He was also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship in 2007, where he studied the effects of decentralization policies on the sustainability of rural water systems in Honduras. His current research focuses on wastewater reuse and the removal of pathogens in wastewater treatment systems in developing communities of the world. Mr. Verbyla can be contacted at verbylam@mail.usf.com. 

Laboratory Assessment of Four Point-of-Use Water Treatment Filters Designed for Households in Developing Countries

Sarah Ness

Civil & Environmental Engineering

University of South Florida

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s Joint Monitoring Programme, 884 billion people do not have access to improved sources of drinking water.  Household water treatment technologies, termed point-of-use (POU) technologies, have been developed in an effort to solve this problem and improve peoples’ access to clean and safe drinking water.  

A laboratory assessment is evaluating the effectiveness of four POU treatment technologies that utilize physical filtration methods.  The two clay ceramic filters are further being evaluated in longer term field studies. Three of the systems, Potters for Peace, Filter Pure, and Tulip filters, are ceramic filters that treat water through filtration and also disinfect the water through the use of impregnated or coated silver.  The Potters for Peace (PFP) filter is a flower pot-shaped, 8 liter (L) ceramic filter with a silver coating.  The Filter Pure (FP) filter is a rounded-bottom lemon-juicer shaped, 7 L ceramic filter with silver fired into the ceramic.  The Tulip filter is a submersible candle-type ceramic filter that uses siphon pressure to push water through the filter element, which includes silver impregnated into the ceramic.  The fourth filter included in this evaluation is the LifeStraw Family (LS) filter, which utilizes ultrafiltration and water disinfection through chlorination.  

In the laboratory, flow rates, turbidity removal, total suspended solids (TSS) removal, coliform removal, and E. coli removal have been measured.  All four filter types have been tested using natural pond water.  Additionally, the PFP and FP ceramic filters have filtered tap water to simulate rain water, while the Tulip filters and LS filters have filtered a synthetic water that incorporates silica sand to simulate varying levels of natural turbid surface waters.  Particle size distribution analysis was also performed on waters associated with the Tulip and LS filters.  

Preliminary results are suggesting that none of the POU filters are functioning at the full operational levels reported by their respective manufacturers.  The Tulip filters are removing turbidity, TSS, coliforms, and E.coli and are flowing at the expected flow rate of 4-5 L/hour if the filter unit is functioning without a quality control error.  However, several of the Tulip filters are appearing to deteriorate in effluent water quality before the expected 7,000 L end-of-life reported by the manufacturer.  In contrast, the FP, PFP, and LS filters are removing the predicted coliforms and E.coli, as well as turbidity and TSS.  However, none are performing at the expected flow rates.  Laboratory results show that both filters are operating around 0.2-0.5 L/hour.  In addition, the LS filters are not performing at the expected flow rate of 12-15 L/hour, as claimed by the manufacturer.  Continued laboratory results and field measurements of the two clay ceramic filters will be reported in this presentation.  This will allow for further analysis to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of the four POU filters.

Sarah Ness is a graduate student at the University of South Florida.  She is part of the Peace Corps Master’s International program and is studying Environmental Engineering.  Sarah’s B.S. degree is in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and she has water and wastewater treatment experience from working at Gannett Fleming consulting firm.  The focus of Sarah’s research is water and wastewater treatment with an emphasis on sustainability and appropriate technology for developing countries.