Water Quality in Open Finished Water Reservoirs - Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

摘要

The purpose of this investigation was to study water quality changes occurring in open reservoirs in the distribution systems of five water supplies located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Results of chemical, bacteriological, and biological analyses showed deterioration of water quality in the reservoirs, and a significant improvement in water quality occurred after two of the reservoirs were covered. A highly significant relationship was observed between density of autotrophic organisms and endotoxin concentration in the open reservoirs, and a similar relationship between total bacterial population and endotoxin concentration.