AWWA ACE91055

As a result of the 1986 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the drinking water industry faces many new technical challenges. Among these challenges is the need to meet an increasing number of disinfection by-product (DBP) limits without sacrificing the ability to maintain required levels of disinfection. In order to meet the challenge, utilities will need to plan carefully and consider the long-term, not just the short-term, implications associated with the ever-increasing number of DBPs being identified. This paper focuses on the first three steps of a four-step process that utilities should consider in an effort to meet short-term and long-term DBP regulations. The four steps include: develop an understanding of the issues; define where the system stands; evaluate alternatives; and design and build with flexibility.