AWWA ACE93227

The Surface Water Treatment Rule requirements have greatly increased interest in the possible use of package plants in many areas of the United States. The term package plant can be applied to facilities developed to treat water from protected groundwater sources, such as units designed to remove iron and manganese from water via oxidation and filtration. The AWWA study described in this paper explored the broad application and use of package plants across the US. Topics studied include: (1) appropriateness of treatment process in respect to water quality, funding availability, operator skills, and state approval; (2) observations and opinions from small system operators, state and federal drinking water regulators, and package plant manufacturers on the use of package water treatment plants; (3) the effect and use of available training, technical assistance, and funding on process selection and long-term operational success and regulatory compliance; (4) regulatory variations in regard to acceptable water treatment and sludge disposal procedures from state to state; and (5) the presence or absence of public and professional education in regard to coordinated drinking water solutions to achieve affordable compliance while assuring customers of quality drinking water.