Robust Drinking Water Treatment for Microbial Pathogens - Implications for Cryptosporidium

摘要

It is important that drinking water systems be as robust as possible. That is, they should be capable of delivering excellent quality water under adverse conditions. Robustness is important for each of the five elements necessary for providing safe drinking water (a good source, adequate treatment, secure distribution, appropriate monitoring and appropriate response to adverse monitoring results). However, a given degree of overall system robustness can be achieved in varying ways. The quantification of robustness facilitates its improvement in a rational way. The experimental investigations reported in this paper evaluated the application of a newly-developed robustness index for assessing granular media filtration. The focus of the assessment was on performance in relation to Cryptosporidium removal. The simplified index used showed promise, and, in the broader sense, provided an example of how robustness of one element of a drinking water supply system could be quantified.