Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID CO2024-R03

Wastewater Impacted Waters: An Investigation of Unregulated Disinfection By-product Formation in Downstream Rural and Urban Communities in Colorado

Institute: Colorado
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $10,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,000

Principal Investigators: Sheldon Masters

Project Summary: Disinfection is key for controlling pathogenic microorganisms, but reactions with organic matter occur to form disinfection byproducts (DBPs), some of which are potential human carcinogens. As climate change advances, increasingly impaired water quality across the state of Colorado can be expected, namely from a growing fraction of secondary treated wastewater effluents in drinking water sources due to drought. De-facto reuse increases the concentrations of N-, Br-, and I-DBP precursors yet facilities often lack advanced treatment to manage impaired influents potentially leading to the passthrough of precursors and heightened formation of urDBPs. This study aims to investigate DBP formation, fate, and transport in eight community types across Colorado.