2008 Annual Report - DC Water

Project collaborations enable DC WASA to expand its
research capacity, address its technology needs and
contribute to the development of the next generation of
wastewater and water treatment engineers and environmental
scientists. Blue Plains continues to take a lead in conducting
cutting-edge research in wastewater treatment and biosolids
management.
Blue Plains is a leader in cuttingedge
research in wastewater
treatment and biosolids management
During FY 2008, the Department of Wastewater Treatment
conducted and coordinated research in several areas
including: thermal hydrolysis, alternate substrates for
denitrification, post denitrification, bioaugmentation and
phosphorus removal.
•yDC WASA has several projects in association with
the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF).
One involves evaluating methods to optimize chemical
phosphorus removal. Another project is evaluating
sources and mitigation strategies for greenhouse gas
emissions from biological processes. A third project
looks at strategies to reduce odors and fecal coliforms in
digested biosolids. A fourth project is analyzing alternate
indicators for pathogen destruction in biosolids.
•yAlong with research partners at the George Washington
and Virginia Tech universities, DC WASA is conducting
laboratory-scale testing of thermophilic digestion and
thermal and enzymic hydrolysis to understand methods
to achieve Class A biosolids and reduce the required size
of an anaerobic digestion facility at Blue Plains.
•yDC WASA, in cooperation with Howard University, is
leading research to understand the bioavailability of
organic nitrogen from wastewater effluents.
•yDC WASA evaluated a new technology to efficiently
treat and remove high-strength ammonia from
recycle streams without external carbon. Several joint
workshops and published papers are planned for
national conferences.
•yIn cooperation with utilities in Maryland and Virginia,
DC WASA is evaluating alternate carbon sources for
denitrification. The testing is coordinated through faculty
and students from George Washington University, the
University of Cincinnati and Virginia Military Institute.
•yDC WASA is also working to optimize many of its current
processes for the enhanced nutrient removal program.
Research is underway to optimize the secondary
process for new, more energy efficient aeration and to
accomplish bioaugmentation.
•yIn association with Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments (MWCOG) and University of Maryland, DC
WASA is initiating a program to evaluate the expected
benefits to Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay water
quality in response to nutrient reductions at Blue Plains.
•yDC WASA is leading a large International Water
Association task group to develop scientific methodology
for the design and operation of wastewater treatment
plants based on risk and uncertainty analysis.
•yDC WASA has a cutting-edge collaborative research
program with University of Maryland (College Park) and
USDA’s Environmental Management and Byproducts
Utilization Laboratory. This program evaluates several
aspects of biosolids recycling and the effect of biosolids
applied to agricultural land.
Ongoing research aims to ensure
drinking water quality through
protection and detection
DC WASA continues to participate on the national research
front to enhance drinking water quality. During FY 2008, DC
WASA collaborated with national experts to focus on studying
the effects that older plumbing in local residential homes can
have on water quality.
•yDC WASA is studying, with the American Water Works
Association Research Foundation (AWWARF), the impact
of partial lead service line replacement and galvanic
corrosion on drinking water quality.
•yIn coordination with EPA and other water utilities, DC
WASA is determining the feasibility of online biological
and chemical monitoring for contaminants introduced in
the water distribution system.
2008 a n n u a l re p o r t 29
dcwasa essential to Life.