EAGER: Understand the concentration dynamics of fecal-specific chemical and bacterial markers in a tropical residential sewershed

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0964260YanAging sanitary sewer systems in the U.S. are undermining municipalities ability to safeguard public health. To fix the problem will require enormous sewer rehabilitation efforts in coming years. Efficient implementation of such efforts requires a thorough assessment of sewer deterioration status, so that proactive rehabilitation can be achieved by directing resources toward the most vulnerable sections of sewer systems. Current sewer inspection technologies, however, are not suitable for such a task. The proposed exploratory research will test the novel concept of using sewage markers to rapidly and reliably rank sewer deterioration severities among different sewer sections. The hypothesis is that pollutographs based on quantitative PCR of certain fecal specific markers exhibit stable and signature diurnal influx patterns under dry weather conditions, and that their fluctuations under wet-weather conditions are quantitatively related to sewer deterioration severities. The objective of this project is to obtain preliminary data testing this hypothesis. If this hypothesis is proven out, there will be potential to transform the handling of the rehabilitation of sewer systems. Both graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the project. Additionally, a working relationship will be enhanced with underrepresented student communities via the university's native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentoring program.