Fate of human viruses in groundwater recharge systems

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6644898· OSTI ID:6644898

Vaughn, J. M.; Landry, E. F.

The overall objective of this research program was to determine the ability of a well-managed tertiary effluent-recharge system to return virologically acceptable water to the groundwater aquifer. The study assessed the quality of waters renovated by indigenous recharge operations and investigated a number of virus-soil interrelationships. The elucidation of the interactions led to the establishment of basin operating criteria for optimizing virus removal. Raw influents, chlorinated tertiary effluents, and renovated wastewater from the aquifer directly beneath a uniquely designed recharge test basin were assayed on a weekly basis for the presence of human enteroviruses and coliform bacteria. High concentrations of viruses were routinely isolated from influents but were isolated only on four occasions from tertiary-treated sewage effluents. In spite of the high quality effluent being recharged, viruses were isolated from the groundwater observation well, indicating their ability to penetrate the unsaturated zone. Results of poliovirus seeding experiments carried out in the test basin clearly indicated the need to operate recharge basins at low (e.g. 1 cm/h) infiltration rates in areas having soil types similar to those found at the study site. The method selected for reducing the test basin infiltration rate involved clogging the basin surface with settled organic material from highly turbid effluent. Alternative methods for slowing infiltration rates are discussed in the text.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6644898
• Report Number(s): BNL-51214
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ADSORPTION
AQUIFERS
DATA
DRINKING WATER
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LIQUID WASTES
MASS TRANSFER
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
POLLUTION
RAIN WATER
RECHARGE
SOILS
SORPTION
VIRUSES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION