Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2019RI231B

Decreasing trihalomethanes in the providence drinking water system

Institute: Rhode Island
Year Established: 2019 Start Date: 2019-05-31 End Date: 2020-05-30
Total Federal Funds: $21,601 Total Non-Federal Funds: $111,211

Principal Investigators: Joseph E. Goodwill

Project Summary: The chlorination of drinking water was perhaps the most important public health breakthrough of the 20th century, leading to a near eradication of waterborne disease in areas where it is practiced (Mcguire, 2006). However, there are several unintended and unavoidable negative outcomes that result from water disinfection with chlorine. Primary among these is the formation of chlorinated organic compounds, broadly defined as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) (Trussell, 1978). Over 500 DBPs have been discovered in chlorinated water systems, and many are now known to be hazardous to human health over relatively long time scales (e.g. decades) (Plewa et al., 2008). Several DBPs have been regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in order to decrease the potential risk to public health.