Support for Utility Development
of Ten Attributes
While waiting for the benchmarking project
to be completed, Foundation subscribers
can access a wide portfolio of published
research projects that water utility managers
can refer to now as they plan processes and
programs to support specific attributes. The
succeeding discussion will start with the
Primer’s definition of the attribute followed
by a summary of relevant Foundation
research reports.
1. Product Quality
Product quality means to produce “potable
water, treated effluent, and process residuals
in full compliance with regulatory and
reliability requirements and consistent with
customer, public health, and ecological
needs.” It includes maintaining regulatory
compliance and quality service delivery based
on utility-established objectives and service
level targets (i.e., non-regulatory performance
targets). Much of the Foundation’s water
quality work has been funded to investigate
the occurrence, analysis, and treatment of
various contaminants to help utilities meet
and exceed regulatory requirements.
Some of the Foundation’s recent body of
research provides support in a variety of
capacities for producing and delivering a
high quality product, including:
• Assisting utilities in making appropriate
technology choices to comply with
multiple water quality goals: Decision–Tool–
to–Help–Utilities–Develop–Simultaneous–
Compliance–Strategies–(Schendel et al.
2009, order #91263)
• Supporting compliance with the Lead and
Copper Rule:
– – Comparison–of–Zinc–vs.–Non-Zinc–
Corrosion–Control–for–Lead–and–
Copper–(Schneider 2011, order #4103)
– – Lead–and–Copper–Corrosion–in–New–
Construction–(Edwards et al. 2011,
order #4164)
• Supporting compliance with the Stage 2
Disinfection By-Products (DBP) Rule:
– – Cost-Effective–Regulatory–Compliance–
With–GAC–Biofilters (Chowdhury et al.
2010, order #4155)
– – Abiotic–Degradation–of–DBPs–in–the–
Distribution–System (Hozalski et al.
2009, order #91247 )
– – Long-Term–Impact–of–Disinfection–
Changes (Dyksen 2007, order #91169)
– – Formation–and–Decay–of–DBPs–in–the–
Distribution–System (Baribeau 2006,
order #91115)
• Improving methodologies for monitoring
and complying with for the Long-Term 2
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
(LT2ESWTR):
– – Cryptosporidium–Genotyping–Method–
for–Regulatory–Microscope–Slides–
(Di Giovanni et al. 2010, order #4099)
– – Developing–a–Strategy–to–Increase–the–
Value–of–Regulatory–Cryptosporidium–
Monitoring:–Cryptosporidium
Detection–Method–Research–Needs
(Ruecker et al. 2009, order #4178)
– – Application–of–the–LT2ESWTR–Toolbox–
to–Retrofit–Existing–Water–Plants
(Cornwell 2007, #2750 Webtool)
• Improving assessments of microbial risks
of surface waters to groundwater systems
to comply with groundwater under
direct influence (GWUDI) regulatory
requirements:–Methods–to–Assess–GWUDI–
and–Bank–Filtration–Performance
(Abbaszadegan et al. 2011, order #3121)
• Improving distribution system water
quality beyond regulatory requirements:
Development–of–Distribution–System–
Water–Quality–Optimization–Plans–
(Friedman et al. 2005, order #91069)
