Membrane and absorption processes in water treatment: adaptation to climate change

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Since the 1993 cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Milwaukee, WI, which impacted over 400,000 citizens, microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membrane-based processes have been increasingly used in water treatment plant upgrades and new plants. Mississauga, ON, North Bay, ON and St. John's, NF are examples of cities now using membrane technology. Climate change is expected to produce changes in surface water quality, particularly much greater algal growth during summer months, thus water treatment plants will need to adapt. Membranes will likely foul more rapidly so dissolved air flotation (DAF) is expected to become a more popular form of pre-treatment. Also activated carbon (AC) adsorption will likely be used more frequently to help control algal-related taste and odour incidents. The applicant proposes to pursue three initiatives to address these impacts. First, to study the impact of dissolved air flotation (DAF) pretreatment on the performance of membrane processes under algal stress. DAF is an established technolgy but the interactions of DAF on hollow fibre membrane systems have hardly been studied. Second, to further develop a very promising new ultrafiltration membrane material with low fouling tendencies. This initiative will involve optimizing the preparation of this membrane, checking its chlorine resistance, developing hollow fibres from this material and testing them with several challenge waters. And finally, to evaluate a new adsorbent/electrochemical regeneration process which could potentially be more practical than AC for water treatment applications.