MTAC - Sponsored Research Awards

	Watershed Modeling to Evaluate Water Quality at Intakes of Small Drinking Water Systems - II. Deva K. Borah, Edward C. Krug and Xin-Zhong Liang, Illinois State Water Survey Description: Requesting support to further develop the modeling tool that was developed from MTAC funding last year. This software tool will be usable by small water systems to provide source water protection assessment. Using Technical, Managerial, and Financial Capacity Measrues in an Assistance-Oriented Approach to Comparative Performance Assessment of Small Drinking Water Utilities. R. Lawton, A. Desai, J. Wilhellm, & M. Stanford from Ohio State University - National Regulatory Research Institute. Description: Develop and provide comparative performance measures that improve the technical, managerial and financial capacity of small public and private drinking water utilities in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. System Development Charge Development Project. C. Gary Carroll and William L. Jarocki, Boise State University Description: Develop an easy to use computer software tool that can be used by a small water system’s in-house staff to develop an accurate and justifiable system development charge. Will also present a workshop to provide the necessary training to use the software tool effectively. Understanding and Minimizing Impacts of Agricultural Pesticides on Small Water Systems Using Surface Water. Jane Frankenberger, Purdue University Description: Help small water systems that use surface water develop effective source water protection plans for atrazine and other pesticides. Fate of Arsenic in the Mahomet Aquifer; the Influence of Added Sulfate and Nitrate Walt Kelly, Tom Holm, Steve Wilson, George Roadcap ISWS and Robert A. Sanford, Craig M. Bethke, Dept. of Geology, University of Illinois Description: Arsenic concentrations in Mahomet aquifer groundwater are high when sulfate concentrations are low. It is hypothesized that biological sulfidogenesis by sulfate reducing bacteria leads directly to the precipitation of arsenic from the groundwater solution. In this project we will determine how additions of biological electron acceptors (oxidants) such as sulfate and nitrate influence the concentration of soluble arsenic in a selected high arsenic well in the Mahomet aquifer. This project will provide rates of biological metabolism and arsenic removal achievable in groundwater upon the addition of simple amendments. Developing Guidelines for Evaluating Drought Impacts to Small Surface Water Supply Systems. H. Vernon Knapp, Illinois State Water Survey Description: An initial survey of drought planning studies of the Midwest indicates that, although guidelines are available to evaluate distribution and treatment systems for smaller water supplies, most states do not provide guidelines for evaluating the capacity or adequacy of the water supply source. There is also a lack of guidelines as to how vulnerable systems may cope with drought conditions. The goal of the proposed project is to provide a report or booklet that gives basic information and guidelines to water supply managers and community leaders for understanding and evaluating their water supply, and developing responses that will help communities improve their ability to manage potential drought impacts. Building Technical, Financial, and Managerial Capacity for Small Water Systems: The Role of Consolidation, Partnership, and other Organizational Innovations John Braden and Martin Jaffe, University of Illinois Description: The project involves assessing the role of institutional innovation (municipalization, privatization, merger, partnerships, and outsourcing) as a strategy for small water supply systems to gain the technical, financial, and managerial capacity needed to provide safe and reliable drinking water. Econometric choice models will be used in part to help draw conclusions about organizational responses to changing economic, technical, and policy forces. Continuing Education to Support Smaller Water Systems Dick Warner, University of Illinois Description: The Office of Continuing Education at the University of Illinois and county governments in the state have recently forged partnerships with industries and local governments to develop continuing education programs via a web portal. The emerging partnership affords the opportunity for MTAC to take advantage of the web portal design and other resources related to the partnerships, initially for Illinois. The course is designed to help managers of small water systems think holistically about security, including the protection and monitoring of critical assets (e.g., physical infrastructure, finished drinking water, etc.). Improved Monitoring for Safe and Secure Water Supplies: An Integrated Approach to Emerging Information Technologies Dick Warner, University of Illinois Description: The objective of this project is to identify the steps needed to improve collaboration and information integration among and within small water supply systems, such that sensors and emerging information management systems can be effectively adopted as these technologies emerge. While larger water systems are likely to be the early adopters of new IT infrastructure, the benefits of IT components to small water systems in the near future should not be overlooked. For example, sensors are becoming available that provide real-time monitoring of chemical and biological attributes of water, and the long term impact of this project is to accelerate the adoption of these technologies for small systems. Emerging Health Concerns Related to Water Treatment Michael Plewa, University of Illinois Description: Disinfection of drinking water primarily uses chemical disinfectants that convert naturally occurring and synthetic organic material along with bromide and iodide in the raw water into chemical disinfectant by-products (DBPs). DBPs represent an important class of environmentally hazardous chemicals that may represent long-term human health implications. The goals of this project are to (1) begin to generate more information about the occurrence of DBPs in selected (representative) small water systems in the region; (2) use the information to begin to engage managers in the issues at hand; and (3) use information derived from goals 1 and 2 to outline a future continuing education module addressing DBPs and regulations for water supply managers.


	Sponsored Research Final Reports