Contaminants of Concern: Chemistry, Toxicity and Treatment

In recent years, the quality of our drinking waters has come under unsurpassed scrutiny by the public due to accidents, new regulations, and a greater general awareness of the issues due to social media. Waterworks owners, operators, and supervisors are increasingly aware that they need to think more broadly about the possibility of accidents, emergency responses, and communications with their local community. It is not necessarily enough to meet state and federal regulations, because the public is skeptical that the regulations do not adequately address the Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs), such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and nanomaterials. Efforts by the EPA to determine if additional contaminants should be regulated are reflected in the Contaminant Candidate Listings (CCLs). Participants will learn about CECs, CCLs, and the chemistry, toxicity and effectiveness of treatment options for several chemicals of concern through case studies and what has been gleaned through research. The impacts of recent spills, leaching of lead, and formation of disinfection by-products will also be covered.

About This Course

The first day of lectures will set a foundation that will enable participants to better understand the technical details and significance of lectures in the following days. The topics in following days will deal with specific contaminants and/or events. Case studies will be integrated to enhance interest and demonstrate how situations were actually managed. Participants will also work in small groups to discuss how they would deal with a certain situation. They will then share their solution with the entire class.