The Whelton Premise Plumbing Decontamination: Group ... · PDF filePremise Plumbing...
Transcript of The Whelton Premise Plumbing Decontamination: Group ... · PDF filePremise Plumbing...
The Whelton Group
International Emerging Technology SymposiumMay 10, 2016 Chicago, IL USA
Lyles School of Civil Engineering
Purdue University, West Lafayette
Premise Plumbing Decontamination:
Research and Technology Needs
Andrew J. Whelton, Ph.D.Karen S. CasteloesJake Hawes
The Whelton GroupAcknowledgements
Students: Emily Conkling, Kyla
Prendergast, Yufei Zhang, Devin
Kelly, Jesse Li, Xiangning Huang,
Maryam Salehi
Special thanks to …Maya Nye, PCACS
WVTAP colleagues
Dr. Randi Brazeau, Metro State Univ.
John Hall, EPA ORD
Whirlpool Corporation
Funded by:
CBET # 1424627
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Project #4579
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Charleston, WV
Glendive, MT
Toledo, OH St. Bernard, LA
Longeueil, CN
Flint, MI
Washington, DC
Large scale
incidents
since 2014
and many
more…
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Contaminants
Organic chemicals
Inorganic chemicals
Radionuclides
Microorganisms
Oil spills
Coal flotation liquid
Algal toxins
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Goal: Gain a better understanding with regard to the state-of-the-knowledge for rapid and safe premise plumbing decontamination
1. Describe common premise plumbing decontamination approaches for -- chemical contamination
2. Identify premise plumbing components that require additional attention to clean
3. Explain health risk and waste management challenges specific to plumbing decontamination
4. Detail opportunities for research and technology development
Objectives:
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Residential Systems are ComplexObjects: Fixtures, pipes, tanks, fittings, valves, gaskets
Materials: Sediment, corrosion scale, biofilm, plastics vs. metals
Hot vs. Cold
Water Pipes
Water
Heaters
Solids
Corrosion
Products
Fixtures and
Aerators
Metals and Plastics
Whole House Filter
Water
Softener
The Whelton GroupMaterials: Deliberate and Undeliberate
Material Plastics Other Materials
PipePVC, HDPE, PEX,
PP, cPVC
Copper,
Galvanized Iron,
Concrete, Lead,
Lead-lined Steel,
Black Steel, Brass
Coatings EP, PU, PEUU -
Faucets,
Valves,
& Fittings
Synthetic rubber
(o-rings), PVC
Lead, Stainless Steel,
Brass, Copper,
Aluminum
Gaskets
EPDM [S,P], BR,
NBR, SBR, Viton,
Neoprene
-
Water
Heater
Polysulfone (PSU)
dip tubes
Steel, glass,
ceramic interior linings,
Mg or Al sacrificial
anode rod
Diameter,
inch
Required
Flow, GPM
6 308
4 137
2 34
1 ½ 19
1 9
3/4 5
5/8 3
Flow Rate Needed to
Remove Particles from
Pipes
3 fps per to achieve 2.5-
to 3.0-log removal of
sand particles for 4 to
16 inch diam. pipes
Microbial Control Strategies
for Main Breaks and
Depressurization, WaterRF
Project No. 4307. 2014.
?
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Review of Residential Premise Plumbing
System Decontamination Methods
Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h
The Whelton GroupLITERATURE REVIEWLocation, Date Contaminant Plumbing Flushing Procedure
Nibley, UT, 2015 Diesel fuel (sVOCs, VOCs)
Cold water 35 min, hot water 30 min,
run appliances, continue until odor
gone
Glendive, MT, 2015 Crude oil (metals, SVOCs, and VOCs) Cold water 20 min, hot water 15 min
Washington D.C., 2014
Estimated petroleum based solvent
(Contaminants unknown, Possible SVOCs and
VOCs)
Begin at the sink on the lowest floor,
run each cold water tap 10 min, flush
cold water from upper level sinks 5
min, refrigerator water dispenser 5
min
Toledo, OH, 2014 MicrocystinsHot water 15 min, cold water 5 min,
appliances 5 min
Charleston, WV, 2014Crude MCHM & Stripped PPH (SVOCs
present)
Hot water 15 min, cold water 5 min,
appliances 5 min
Stratford, CN, 2005Car wash cleaning agent containing 2-
Butoxyethanol (Possible VOCs)Cold water 5 min
Charlotte, NC, 1997Fire Suppressant (AFFF) - Hydrocarbon based
surfactant Hot water 10 min, cold water 10 min
Los Angeles, CA, 1994 Macrojet concentratei Flush both hot and cold water
Hope Mills, NC, 1986Pesticide (heptachlor, chlordane) (Possible
VOCs)
Flush to drain lines and hot water
heaters
Macon, GA, 1984 Creosote (VOCs present) Flush plumbing for 30 min
Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h
Protocols Differed Significantly Within and Across Incidents
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Weidhass et al. 2015. Presented at the WV Taskforce Symposium. Morgantown, WV.
Residential Flushing Had Mixed Effectiveness
Elk River Chemical Spill, January 2014
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Fixture
flowrates vary
widely in
buildings
Buchberger et al. 2015. ASPE Report.
Kirmeyer. 2016. JAWWA.
Example: Only Kitchen Faucets
Recognize
Design Actual
Flowrate
Are Fixture Flowrates Similar Across Homes? No.
The Whelton GroupService Lines Require Cleanout
Burlingame GA, Wiggins CW, Ogino CH. 2012. AWWA OPFLOW Magazine. http://dx.doi.org/10.5991/OPF.2012.38.0014
1 hr, 51 min
for service
line only
at 2 gpm
Single family
residences
vs.
Larger
buildings
The Whelton GroupWater Heater’s Require Extra Care
Consider shutting off and cooling the water heater before flushing
Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h
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0
20
40
60
80
100
0 10 20 30m
g/L
Co
nc
Minutes
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 10 20 30
mg
/L C
on
c
Minutes
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60
mg
/L C
on
c
Minutes
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60
mg
/L C
on
c
Minutes
Predicted value in RED; Measured concentration in BLUE
V = 20 gal
Q = 2.50 gpm
V = 20 gal
Q = 1.25 gpm
V = 50 gal
Q = 6.25 gpm
V = 50 gal
Q = 3.125 gpm
Hawes et al. 2016. 80 gal not shown
V = 40 galQ = 4 gpm
Single Family
Home
Purdue Pilot Facility
The CSTR Water Heater Cleaning ModelNo degradation, no temp. effects, no sorption, within 20-80 gal size
Elk River Spill Environmental Activist to the Media: “Your hot water heater is very
dangerous. It needs to be professionally cleaned out. You need to drain it down on the
bottom. They’re probably going to need to be replaced.”
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Building Inhabitant Protection During Flushing
Protect most sensitive
population
Appropriate PPE
Building evacuation
Models to predict
contaminated air
Expel air by opening
windows and doors/use fans
Shutoff water heaters?
Akalp D, Whelton AJ, Omu-Ozbek P. 2016. EURO MED.
mm
m
m
Kd
Kd
Kd
m
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Wastewater Treatment and Disposal
Septic Tanks
Typical size: 500 to 2,000 G
500 GPD (4 BR)
700 GPD (6 BR)
900 GPD (8 BR)
Do not overload
Contaminated water disposal / ecotoxicity: Soil, waterways, air, WWTP, septic tank, tanker trucks, NPDES permit(s)
Downstream impacts of flushingHydraulic capacity of system
Corrosivity and toxicity of wastewater
Health and safety
Chemical fate (i.e., Volatilization, transformation, sorption)
Septic
Tank
Leaching
Field
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Elk River Chemical Spill, January 2014
Statement by environmental activist:
“…the amount of chemical likely destroyed your
home water treatment system.”
“…if you had an RO system, the chemical likely
ate the membrane.”
“…your [plumbing] pipe material will not be
impacted…”
Statement by scientist:“It’s a hydrophobic molecule like oil. You can’t
just flush it out of a system, a substance like
that. It sticks to surfaces, and you have to use
soap and water.”
Q: Will surfactants solutions damage the piping system?
Plumbing Replacement and
Surfactants have been Used
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Initial Cu PEX-a0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000C
on
ce
ntr
atio
n (
g/L
)
BTEX
Total Xylenes
Ethylbenzene
Toluene
Benzene
BTEX likely permeated into the bulk plastic away from the surface
CleaningMethod
New Pipe, Cleaning
Effectiveness
Copper PEX-a
Drain, no flush Yes No
Flush Yes No
Flush, surfactant, flush
Yes No
Some Surfactants can
Damage Plumbing
Components-5
15
35
55
0 5 10 15 20 25ΔW
eig
ht
EPD
M, %
Exposure Time, Days
Surfactant B
No surfactant
Surfactant A
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Mixing, Sorption, Solids, Bonding,
Scales, Biofilm, and more..
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There is a Critical Need for Effective Partnerships as well as Applied and Fundamental Studies
Proposed “Grades” of PW Plumbing System Condition
Palatable and Safe: No off-odor/tastes, discoloration
Safe: Drinking, bathing … but aesthetics bad
Restricted: Bathing only, drinking only with in-building treatment
Functional: Toilet flushing, fire suppression
Condemned: No safe uses
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Due to the continued absence of data we cannot
best protect our families friends, colleagues, and
fellow citizens.
In the wake of many contamination incidents, we
do not have the data needed to safely and rapidly
recover plumbing systems
The Whelton GroupQuestions?
Andrew Whelton, Ph.D.
(540) 230-6069
http://www.WheltonGroup.org
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