The American Water Works Association (AWWA) launched an innovative hypochlorite assessment tool for water utilities, allowing water managers to make important treatment decisions based on scientific modeling.
The tool will provide guidance on the expected levels of perchlorate and chlorate in stored bulk hypochlorite solutions. It is based on predictive algorithms derived from earlier research and local, user-defined inputs, including storage conditions, ionic strength and ambient temperature.
AWWA developed the tool using findings of a joint AWWA and Water Research Foundation report titled “Hypochlorite - An Assessment of Factors that Influence the Formation of Perchlorate and Other Contaminants.” The report found that perchlorate is present in hypochlorite solutions and continues to form at different rates depending on storage conditions, which may cause regulatory compliance issues for utilities.
To address such issues, the hypochlorite tool will help water utilities determine the appropriate storage-time/life-cycle for the hypochlorite solution, based on the expected rate of degradation and contaminant formation, while enabling them to manage supply and take other countermeasures to mitigate further degradation.
Source: AWWA