OCWD Online - Press Release: 06.26.2001 - District Receives Research Grant

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – The Orange County Water District (OCWD) was recently awarded a $118,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to conduct research on low-molecular-weight trace organic compounds – or compounds with a very low detection level – commonly found in wastewater environments. During 2001, the District’s Water Resources & Technology Department will focus on two specific research projects.

Numerous state of the art ultraviolet (UV) technologies will be assessed for their ability to remove the low-molecular-weight trace compounds such as methyl tertiary-butyl ether, otherwise known as MTBE. Specific objectives to be addressed include reviewing the quantity of UV exposure needed in the design and operation of futurewater purification plants.

Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes will also be evaluated for their ability to remove similar compounds. Since the development of the RO membrane, numerous improvements have been made in the design and use of new synthetic membrane materials. The treatment of low-molecular-weight trace compounds by RO membranes is particularly challenging due to their very small size. The ability of RO membranes to remove these compounds will be evaluated using a rapid and inexpensive testing protocol currently in development by OCWD’s Technology Department.

OCWD has a long history of water quality research to ensure public health and safety. For over 25 years, OCWD has sampled and tested the groundwater to ensure high quality water is being provided to north and central Orange County cities. The OCWD Water Resources & Technology Department conducts basic and applied research leading to the development of new, more effective technologies to protect OCWD’s groundwater.

The Orange County Water District is a special water agency created by the California Legislature in l933 to maintain and manage the huge groundwater basin under northern Orange County. The groundwater basin managed by OCWD supplies 75% of the water needs to more than 2 million residents in the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington and Newport Beach, Irvine, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster and Yorba Linda.