CHAPTER 26: The Impact of On-Line THM Monitoring on Drinking Water Plant Design, Total Life Costs, and Regulatory Standards and Requirements

The automation of sampling, analysis and reporting available through the growing suite of commercially viable online water quality instruments offers great potential for onsite or remote process control automation, as well as for making management decisions on water quality at the source, intake, discharge, treatment plant and distribution system. Since water quality parameters are frequently changing, a firm and immediate understanding of water quality is necessary in order to anticipate problems and maintain optimal treatment conditions. In the absence of regulatory drivers calling for the implementation of online water quality instruments, operators and water quality managers have been installing online analysers and monitors because they are convinced of their ability to improve operational efficiency and maximize optimal water quality. Automated THM monitors help utilities to ensure regulatory compliance by providing immediate results on TTHM values throughout the water treatment process and prompting alterations to THM mitigation strategies. This paper details the benefits of online THM monitoring as part of DBP mitigation strategies; case study detail is presented.