Tracing dissolved organic carbon and trihalomethane formation potential between source water and finished drinking water at a lowland and an upland UK catchment

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2015-12, Vol.537, p.203-212
• Main Authors: Brooks, Emma, Freeman, Christopher, Gough, Rachel, Holliman, Peter J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Catchment; Catchments; Dissolved organic carbon; Drinking water; Drinking Water - chemistry; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Formations; Highlands; Lowlands; Reservoirs; Trihalomethanes; Trihalomethanes - analysis; Water Purification; Water quality
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.017

Rising dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in many upland UK catchments represents a challenge for drinking water companies, in particular due to the role of DOC as a precursor in the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs). Whereas traditionally, the response of drinking water companies has been focussed on treatment processes, increasingly, efforts have been made to better understanding the role of land use and catchment processes in affecting drinking water quality. In this study, water quality, including DOC and THM formation potential (THMFP) was assessed between the water source and finished drinking water at an upland and a lowland catchment. Surprisingly, the lowland catchment showed much higher reservoir DOC concentrations apparently due to the influence of a fen within the catchment from where a major reservoir inflow stream originated. Seasonal variations in water quality were observed, driving changes in THMFP. However, the reservoirs in both catchments appeared to dampen these temporal fluctuations. Treatment process applied in the 2 catchments were adapted to reservoir water quality with much higher DOC and THMFP removal rates observed at the lowland water treatment works where coagulation–flocculation was applied. However, selectivity during this DOC removal stage also appeared to increase the proportion of brominated THMs produced. [Display omitted] •Origin and fate of trihalomethane precursors assessed in upland and lowland catchment.•Reservoirs acted to dampen seasonal variations in water quality.•The lowland fen acted as a significant source of dissolved organic carbon.•Selectivity during drinking water treatment increased the proportion of brominated THM species.