EPA/600/S-22/017 | January 2022 | www.epa.gov/research
United States
Environmental Protection
Aaencv
Technical Support Summary
FISCAL YEAR 2021
Office of Research and Development
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
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EPA/600/S-22/017
January 2022
Technical Support Summary
Office of Research and Development
Fiscal Year 2021
by
Isaac Howard
Technical Writer
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Student Services
Contractor to the US Environmental Protection Agency
Amelia McCall
Public Affairs Specialist
Office of Research and Development
Jennifer Tully
Physical Scientist
Office of Research and Development
Water Infrastructure Division
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
Cincinnati, OH 45268
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Disclaimer Statement
The information in this report has been reviewed in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's policy and approved for publication. The views expressed in this article are those of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the views or the policies of EPA. Any mention of trade names,
manufacturers, or products does not imply an endorsement by the U.S. Government or EPA; EPA and
its employees do not endorse any commercial products, services, or enterprises.
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DISCLAIMER STATEMENT 3
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 5
1.0 FY2021 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS 6
Office of Research and Development 6
Figure 1. Technical support provided by ORD, stratified by type of assistance provided in FY2021. Some requests
provided more than one type of assistance 6
Figure 2. Technical support provided by ORD, showing count of activities spent on each technical support topic for
FY2020 and FY2021 7
Figure 3. Technical support provided by ORD, showing hours spent on each technical support topic for FY2020 and
FY2021 8
Figure 4. FY2021 technical support provided, stratified by type of requestor 9
2.0 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE HIGHLIGHTS 10
Small Drinking Water Systems Technical Support 10
18th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Small Systems Challenges and Solutions 10
Figure 5. EPA Small System Workshop Image Collage 10
Puerto Rico Technical Support 11
Figure 6. Picture of the solar-powered water treatment system 11
London, Ohio Biological Ammonia Removal for Small Systems 12
Figure 7. Biological pilot system 12
Gilbert, Iowa Water Quality Analysis for Small Systems 12
Corrosion Control for Lead Technical Support 13
Benton Harbor, Michigan Technical Support 13
Figure 8. Water tower in the community of Benton Harbor 13
Montana Apartment Complex 13
Microbial Contaminants Technical Support 14
Merrimack River Monitoring System 14
Figure 9. Monongahela River water quality monitoring site- updated as of 12/22/2021 15
PFAS Technical Support 15
Effectiveness of PFAS Removal with Granular Activated Carbon 15
Figure 10. PFAS are not readily biodegradable but are highly water soluble 16
Emergency Response Technical Support 16
Ohio Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network 16
Figure 11: Ohio Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network updated as of 12/13/2021 17
Laboratory Methods Technical Support 17
Drinking Water Methods 17
Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Training Course 18
Figure 12: 18
Water Models and Tools 18
EPANET 18
Storm Water Management Model 19
Figure 13. EPA'sSWMM Graphical User Interface (GUI) 19
Drinking Water Treatability Database 19
EPA Stormwater Calculator 20
Table 1. All FY2021 Technical Support Requests Related to Lead 21
Table 2. All FY2021 Technical Support Requests Related to PFAS 29
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Acronyms and Abbreviations
ASDWA Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
CCL Contaminant Candidate List
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CEC Contaminants of Emerging Concern
CWA Clean Water Act
DEQ Department of Environmental Quality
DHHS Department of Health and Human Services
EGLE Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FY Fiscal Year
GAC Granular Activated Carbon
Gl Green infrastructure
IX Ion Exchange
LCR Lead and Copper Rule
NGOs Non-governmental organizations
ORD Office of Research and Development
OW Office of Water
Pb Lead
PFAS Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances
POU Point of Use
PRASA Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority
PSC Pittsburgh Science Center
RAIN River Alert Information Network
RNA Ribonucleic acid
SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act
SWC Stormwater Calculator
SWNN Storm Water Management Model
TDB Treatability Database
USACE United States Army Corp of Engineers
WBS Work Breakdown Structure
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1.0 FY2021 Technical Assistance Requests
Office of Research and Development
This report provides a summary of the technical support requests that the United States Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) staff responded to during fiscal
year (FY) 2021 related to water treatment and infrastructure. In the Safe and Sustainable Water
Resources Research Program under the Water Treatment and Infrastructure research topic, ORD
conducts customer-driven research, provides scientific leadership on national-scale problems, and
works with communities, water utilities, states, and other national and Regional EPA Offices to solve
water quality issues.
ORD's technical support provides communities and state agencies across the United States with
scientific information and insight, delivers high quality science for use in formulating risk management
decisions, regulation or other policy actions, assistance in modeling applications, technical training on
laboratory methods and other techniques, and community design and planning. Due to the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic, much of ORD's typical on-site technical assistance remained virtual. Although
opportunities for in-person trainings and data collection decreased, staff increased the number of
presentations provided in FY2021 compared to years before the COVID-19 virus. The impact and focus
of the COVID-19 wastewater technical support can be seen in this fiscal year, with the emergency
response technical work totaling more than 3,000 hours. For comparison, FY2020 had around 750
hours of total technical assistance. In FY2021, ORD technical support was primarily requested through
phone calls, emails, virtual meetings, virtual workshops and teleconferences.
250 237
Provide or Model or
present method
technical application
information
Other Review/revise Tools or Collect Analyze data Share data Draft original
documents technologies measurements documents
development or generate
data
Assistance Provided
Provide
training
Assessments
Figure 1. Technical support provided by ORD, stratified by type of assistance provided in FY2021. Some requests
provided more than one type of assistance.
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ORD provides technical support in a variety of topic areas, including the areas of stormwater
management and water reuse to improve best practices. Hydraulic and water quality modeling for
drinking water and stormwater management is also an important aspect of ORD's research portfolio,
including the maintenance and application of models like EPANET, the Storm Water Management
Model (SWMM), and the National Stormwater Calculator (SWC). Research conducted in ORD supports
the regulatory and nonregulatory scientific needs of EPA, water utilities, and state, local, territorial and
tribal agencies in their implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Clean Water Act
(CWA), and other legislative and policy mandates.
ICou nt FY2020 ¦ Cou nt FY2021
106
2 60
o
u
94 r
49
Jl
34 32
25 25 22 «21
l ¦ | 9 10 ¦ 5 10 5
24
i
Modeling Lead (Pb) Chemicals Other Harmful Algal Microbiological PFAS
Assistance Blooms
Corrosion Laboratory Treatment Small System Green
Methods Infrastructure
Assistance Type
Figure 2. Technical support provided by ORD, showing count of activities spent on each technical support topic for
FY2020 and FY2021.
The comparison between FY2020 and FY2021 shows an increase of 2.5% for the number of technical
requests going from one fiscal year to the next (Figure 2). FY2021 had a total of 283 technical requests
recorded with the actual number likely being higher. Modeling assistance remains the bulk of the
requests in terms of count (but not hours as shown in Figure 3). The assistance type labeled as "other"
captures miscellaneous requests that do not directly fall into another category. For example, permit
reviews, general grant requests, and unspecified requests. The comparison between FY2020 and
FY2021 for number of hours spent responding to technical support requests increased by roughly 520%
for FY2021 (Figure 3). The COVID-19 wastewater technical support and lead (Pb) are the primary
assistance types that increased from FY2020 to FY2021. When reviewing Figure 3 it is important to
remember that single projects requiring many hours of response can shift results. For example, while
modeling assistance had the highest count of support activities associated with it (Figure 2), most
requests could be quickly answered by researchers in a short amount of time and therefore, this
assistance type is third in the number of hours provided in Figure 3. Figures 2 and 3 represent technical
assistance logged by researchers for each fiscal year. It is possible that not all technical assistance
requests were captured for each fiscal year; therefore, the actual counts may be higher than the
numbers seen in these figures.
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¦ FY2020 ¦ FY2021
4,000
3108
Microbiological Lead (Pb) Modeling Other Treatment PFAS Chemicals Harmful Algal Corrosion Laboratory Small System Green
Assistance Blooms Methods Infrastructure
Assistance Type
Figure 3. Technical support provided by ORD, showing hours spent on each technical support topic for FY2020
and FY2021.
Throughout FY2021, ORD provided resources for critical water-related requests to individual citizens,
environmental protection groups, environmental consulting firms, academic institutions, international
entities, EPA Regional Offices, US cities and states, as well as other US federal agencies (Figure 4).
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120 112
Other Educational EPA Regional Office US State USGtiesand Federal Agency Office of Water Tribes
Institution Communities (OW)
Requestor
Other - Support provided to other EPA offices (excluding the Office of Water and Regional Offices),
international organizations, or individual citizens.
EPA Regional Office - Support provided to one of the ten Regional offices, each of which is responsible
for the execution of EPA programs within their states and territories.
Educational Institution - Support provided to schools, universities, or educational organizations.
Federal Agency - Support provided to another federal organization (ex. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)).
US State - Support provided on the State level.
US Cities and Communities - Support provided to various cities and communities across the United
States.
Office of Water (OW) - Support provided to the EPA OW. The OW is responsible for implementing the
CWA and the SDWA, among other legislative and policy mandates.
Tribes - Support provided to protect human health and the environment of federally recognized
Indian tribes.
Figure 4. FY2021 technical support provided, stratified by type of requestor.
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2.0 Technical Assistance Highlights
This section provides details on a few of the many technical support efforts handled in FY2021. All
technical assistance provided by ORD is important for helping communities around the nation and
globe. FY2021 was still influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore some traditionally in-
person technical support was moved online.
Small Drinking Water Systems Technical Support
There are approximately 144,140 active public water systems in the United States, of these, 97% are
small systems, meaning they serve 10,000 or fewer people. Many of these systems face some
challenges in achieving and maintaining system sustainability. Challenges include lack of expertise to
operate and maintain systems; lack of financial resources; aging infrastructure; limited options for
residual disposal; and state and territory primacy agencies with limited resources to support so
many small systems.
ORD conducts research on treatment technologies, costs, and best practices to support small drinking
water systems around the nation. In addition, ORD researchers provide many forms of technical
support geared toward small systems, including, but not limited to, providing expert advice, analyzing
samples, sharing data, offering training, and assisting with pilot scale implementation.
18th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Small Systems Challenges and Solutions
The 18th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop, held in partnership with the Association of State
Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), took place virtually from August 31-September 3, 2021. The
workshop provided in-depth information and training on solutions and strategies for handling small
drinking water system challenges with a focus on monitoring, distribution, source, and treatment
topics.
Figure 5. EPA Small System Workshop image Collage.
The workshop attracted over 3,000 attendees from around the world. Attendees included
representatives from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Northern Marianna
Islands, 8 territories and 7 other nations. Additionally, 41 different federal government agencies
(including the military; 34 were from the U.S. and 7 were from other nations), 173 water utilities, and
39 tribal governments attended the workshop. 533 attendees were from environmental organizations,
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health facilities, universities or private consulting groups. Although in-person networking opportunities
were still not possible due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual platform allowed for
increased accessibility and all session recordings are available online. The conference was a huge
success and provided information on a variety of topics such as source water quality, water treatment
and corrosion control, pathogens, PFAS, distribution system best practices, equity and underserved
communities, risk communication, emergency response, and more. Several in-depth trainings on
corrosion, modeling with EPANET, sanitary surveys, and managing legacy manganese in distribution
systems were also conducted during this year's workshop. This conference is a critical way for primacy
staff, water utilities, academics, engineers, and consultants to interact with researchers to network and
ask questions - potentially leading to more collaboration and technical assistance in the future.
Puerto Rico Technical Support
Much of Puerto Rico's population receives water from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority
(PRASA). However, there are approximately 240 very small water systems in rural areas, not served by
PRASA. These systems, known as non-PRASA, offer no treatment or have systems out of order or not in
use. Non-PRASA systems may find it difficult to meet regulatory requirements and water quality
standards. Without adequate water quality, isolated rural communities can suffer from chronic
problems resulting from pathogen contamination. Having low-cost options for small communities is
one of EPA Region 2's "Science-Related Issues of Importance." Low-cost technologies, easy to obtain
supplies, and simple to build and maintain systems can help provide non-PRASA systems with safe
water and improve the health of those living in the community.
Building on a history of working with citizens, community groups, students, and volunteers in Non-
PRASA communities of Apeadero, La Sofia, El Real and Mulas Jagual in Puerto Rico, ORD researchers
provided technical support for water treatment and distribution systems. These citizen science
ventures are a way for communities to actively contribute to the health of their community.
Additional technical support for non-PRASA systems included:
Solar-Powered Water Treatment: ORD researchers installed a solar-
powered system to energize a conventional water treatment
plant's water filtration system in Apeadero, Puerto Rico. In
addition, ORD helped install solar panels, a robust panel mounting
frame to withstand high winds and a secure waterproof building to
house batteries and a 12V to 110V inverter system. Turbidity
Bypass System: ORD researchers also installed and troubieshooted
a turbidity bypass system (e.g, turbidity monitor, solar panel,
battery, motor-driven valve) to block turbid water from reaching
the roughing filter and slow sand filter systems in El Real, Puerto
Rico. The turbidity bypass system was mounted to a 2-inch
galvanized vertical 6-foot pipe. Components were purchased and
shipped from Cincinnati, Ohio and from a solar power engineering
firm in Puerto Rico.
Figure 6. Picture of the solar-powered water treatment system.
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London, Ohio Biological Ammonia Removal for Small Systems
The London, OH technical support was initially reported in the FY2020 Technical Summary Report. Last
year, ORD was contacted to discuss options for addressing high levels of ammonia found in the city's
new water source. To assist the city in the removal of the ammonia, ORD installed a patented EPA
biological pilot system (Figure 7) in their water treatment plant. ORD also provided training on how to
operate the system and instruction for how to collect weekly samples. The city sent these samples to
be analyzed in ORD's analytical laboratory for ammonia, arsenic, nitrate, nitrite, iron, and other
inorganic compounds. The technical support to London, Ohio is near completion. The pilot was
decommissioned on July 13, 2021 after demonstrating the ability to remove ammonia, arsenic, iron,
and manganese to achieve the treated water quality goals and pass challenge tests. ORD researchers
are finalizing a report documenting the key findings in preparation for delivering it to the city. The pilot
system showed its ability to remove inorganic compounds and the data contained within the report
can serve as the basis of a design for a full-scale treatment system if the city chooses to proceed. Due
to its compact size, the pilot system can be implemented in other small communities who need
treatment options for high source water ammonia.
Figure 7. Biological pilot system.
Gilbert, Iowa Water Quality Analysis for Small Systems
The City of Gilbert, Iowa constructed a full-scale water treatment plant utilizing an EPA-patented
treatment technique of a biologically active aerobic contactor followed by a biologically active filter.
Start up and biological acclimation of the new water treatment plant began in December 2020, and the
plant was brought online in April 2021. ORD is assisting the City by conducting water quality analyses
on samples that are collected throughout the treatment train on a weekly basis, and by providing
technical expertise on a regular basis. ORD will continue this effort into the Spring of 2022, throughout
the first year the plant is in service. This project provides important full-scale data on biologically active
filters, providing a model of and practical experience for other communities to consider.
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Corrosion Control for Lead Technical Support
Drinking water lead contamination continues to be one of the most pressing challenges affecting public
health in communities with aging water infrastructure. In these communities, changes to source water
and water treatment can sometimes have adverse effects that result in pipe corrosion issues. Lead in
drinking water poses significant health risks, especially to small children.
As part of the Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health
Impacts, ORD conducts extensive research on strategies to reduce lead in drinking water. ORD research
focuses on corrosion control treatment, exposure assessment and modeling tools, source
characterization and assessment, and drinking water sampling and monitoring approaches. See Table 1
at the end of this document for a complete listing of all lead technical support requests addressed in
FY2021. Two lead-related technical support requests are described here
Benton Harbor; Michigan Technical Support
EPA is supporting the community of Benton Harbor to protect its residents and its drinking water from
lead contamination. In 2021, EPA's Office of Water requested ORD conduct a filter effectiveness study
in response to a Safe Drinking Water Act petition filed on behalf of the residents of Benton Harbor. In
FY21, ORD designed the study which would evaluate filter effectiveness, identify lead (Pb) sources, and
characterize particles within residences in Benton Harbor. The planning work included designating
resources, mobilizing logistical support, gathering existing data, and coordinating with various
organizations to support Benton Harbor.
Protecting communities from lead in drinking water is a priority for
ORD. The FY2022 sampling study will provide the scientific
foundation for understanding why lead was releasing into Benton
Harbor's drinking water. EPA, in conjunction with the Michigan
Department of Health and Human Services, and the Michigan
Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, will
implement a coordinated drinking water study. The planned
sampling includes a filter efficacy study to determine if certified
filters are working as expected to reduce lead; a sequential
sampling study to determine if lead is present in a home's water
and what plumbing components lead release may be associated
with; and a particle study to determine if lead is present in the
drinking water as small particles. EPA will evaluate the results of
these studies to guide decision making and protect the people of
Benton Harbor from lead in drinking water.
Figure 8. Water tower in the community of Benton Harbor.
Montana Apartment Complex
ORD researchers met virtually with staff members of Montana's Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) to discuss corrosion control treatment options for an apartment complex in Montana. The
apartment complex needs treatment to address both lead and fluoride at the tap. Potential lead
iflT'ON HARBOR
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sources in the system are lead/tin soldered joints and brasses, while the fluoride is present in the
source water. Montana DEQ plans to pursue an option to get a point of use (POU) device Lead and
Copper Rule (LCR) exemption from Region 8. Montana DEQ would also like to pinpoint lead sources
within the complex and requested that ORD provide written instructions on how to conduct sequential
sampling to identify faucets and fixtures that leach lead. If faucets are determined to be one of the
main sources of lead, replacing those faucets may be a practical remediation option that allows the
complex to avoid needing to install corrosion control treatment.
Microbial Contaminants Technical Support
Microbial contaminants such as pathogenic viruses, bacteria, protozoa and cyanobacteria toxins in
treated drinking water can adversely affect public health, causing short-term and long-term health
effects. The next two examples of technical support are related to treatment technologies, monitoring
and modeling to address microbial contaminants in water
Merrimack River Monitoring System
The Merrimack River is a critical drinking water source for approximately 600,000 residents throughout
New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Although critical, it is threatened, as it receives combined sewer
overflow, and the discharges of stormwater, and wastewater effluent. Many of the discharges come
from communities upstream of Lawrence, MA, which along with other communities such as Methuen,
Andover, Tewksbury, and Lowell, rely on the Merrimack for drinking water as their only drinking water
source. Protection of this drinking water source is paramount. Beginning in 2015, and continuing
through 2019, EPA Region 1 and ORD researchers produced deliverables and collected data for
research use. The collected body of work resulted in a dataset summary that provides technical
information and conclusions of previous collaborated work on the Merrimack River projects. The
document includes information regarding real-time monitoring and nowcasting (short time prediction
of water quality), technical information and conclusions on the data collected, analysis conducted and
future areas of research. The document was created for sharing with all the stakeholders in the
Merrimack Rivershed.
This technical support effort has additionally assisted EPA Region 3. ORD collaborated with EPA Region
3 to use this monitoring technology to assemble stations for year-round monitoring on the
Monongahela River in Pittsburg, PA. After installation, the first station successfully streamed real-time
water quality data to the regional River Alert Information Network (RAIN) for public access (Figure 9).
Additionally, ORD and Region 3 coordinated with the Pittsburgh Science Center (PSC), near the
monitoring station for a public iterative display. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan was
halted. The first monitoring station and neighboring operational RAIN station displayed the technical
utility of monitoring water quality events in the river. These results coupled with related research in
the Merrimack River nowcasting, led the foundation for developing and using real-time monitoring and
nowcasting of water quality in rivers and streams.
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PFAS Technical Support
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that are persistent in
water and can lead to adverse human health effects when consumed. PFAS has been manufactured
and used in a variety of industries around the globe since the 1940s. Drinking water can be a source of
exposure in communities when these PFAS materials leach into the groundwater, runoff into the
environment, or are directly dumped into surface water.
ORD conducts extensive research on PFAS in drinking water including evaluating conventional
treatment technologies for the removal of PFAS, developing innovative new treatment and
incineration approaches, publishing cost and treatment data in the Drinking Water Treatability
Database, and developing models to predict costs and treatment system performance for different
PFAS contaminants. ORD researchers deliver many forms of technical support related to PFAS, such as
providing expert advice, analyzing samples, sharing data, modeling treatment performance, offering
training, and more. One example of ORD PFAS technical support is described below. See Table 2 at the
end of this document for a complete listing of all PFAS technical support requests addressed in FY2021.
Effectiveness of PFAS Removal with Granular Activated Carbon
Calgon Carbon is currently running a pilot PFAS treatment operation for the city of Ridgewood, NJ. The
purpose of this pilot operation is to compare the effectiveness for granular activated carbon (GAC)
against strong base anion exchange resins. EPA has agreed to support the project by providing PFAS
analysis on water samples from the site. This is a valuable effort because there have not been many
field studies conducted and the data can be used not just to help this one community, but to also
inform other communities interested in treatments to remove PFAS.
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ORD has been receiving samples from two ion exchange and granular activated carbon columns on a
biweekly basis. These samples are sent to a contractor for analysis, the results of which are being
compiled into a data package that will be shared with the city. A parallel set of samples are being sent
to the PFAS analytical method development team, where they are used for a comparative study of the
different analytical methods presently being used or under development within ORD. The Ridgewood
samples ORD analyzed were initially groundwater; the study is analyzing both the source water as well
as water treated with either anion exchange or granulated activated carbon columns. This study will
allow the performance of different methods to be comparatively evaluated in groundwater as well as
treated waters. EPA is planning to use the
PFAS data in combination with other water
quality and system information provided by
Calgon and the city to further develop and
refine ORD's ion exchange and activated
carbon treatment models. The model
development and refinement in this support
effort will allow the collected data to be
useful to other communities interested in
PFAS removal methods.
Figure 10. PFAS are not readily biodegradable but are highly water soluble.
Emergency Response Technical Support
When natural disasters, industrial spills, or other types of environmental emergencies occur, ORD
researchers are often called on to offer technical support. In FY2021, ORD supported emergency
response efforts by giving expert advice, analyzing samples, sharing data, modeling assistance, training,
and more.
Ohio Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network
ORD is continuously developing tools, methods, and scientific information to improve water utilities'
ability to prepare and respond to incidents that threaten public health. Through planning and strategy
development, ORD researchers can help water utilities be on alert for rising problems in water
systems. ORD researchers collaborated with the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Water Resources
Center, Ohio EPA and various university and commercial laboratories across Ohio to monitor
wastewater from utilities as part of a statewide wastewater surveillance plan. Detecting and measuring
SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) in wastewater can help officials determine the communities that
have higher waves of infections, often before any symptoms of disease are present. RNA is a complex
compound that serves a critical role in coding, decoding, and gene expression. Using wastewater as a
public health monitoring tool can help with public health decisions and response.
ORD researchers collected data from approximately 70 monitored wastewater utilities across Ohio,
and processed samples from 11 sites, reporting SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations. The information
collected from the sampling sites was contributed to a State of Ohio Coronavirus Dashboard website
used to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Ohio (see Figure 11). Additional wastewater monitoring and
sample collection expanded to Florida in FY2021. ORD researchers collected and processed wastewater
samples from Miami-Dade Wastewater Utility in Florida and provided RNA concentrations.
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The Ohio Water Resources Center coordinated with ORD to develop a set of standardized methods and
procedures for sampling and analyzing wastewater samples. In coordination with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ORD researchers began optimizing methods to sequence the
genetic material extracted from wastewater to evaluate the diversity of mutations within the SARS-
CoV-2 variants circulating in the community. This work has been presented at local, national, and
international meetings. Publication of the data through websites, reports, and manuscripts are
ongoing.
State of Ohio I Wastewater Treatment Plant Locations and Boundaries
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Marysville WRF
Muddy Creek WWTP
Newark WWTP
Zanesville WWTP
Norwalk WWTP
Kent WRF
EORWA
Put In Bay WWTP
City of Eaton WWTP
Pataskala WWTP
City of Wooster WRRF
Mount Vernon WWTP
Bucyrus WWTP
Figure 11: Ohio Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network updated as of 12/13/2021.
Laboratory Methods Technical Support
ORD researchers are instrumental in the development of sensitive, selective and rugged standardized
methods for chemicals on the Office of Water's Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), as well as
contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). These methods or method improvements have been
developed for chemicals in drinking water and ambient water. Standardized methods are used in
support of the Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory requirements, implementation of the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulations, 6-year review of the Groundwater Rule and the Drinking Water
Standards, and the Clean Water Act. ORD's drinking water methods are published freely on-line and
are used by a wide variety of stakeholders including private laboratories, public water systems, state
laboratories, and other agencies. ORD provides significant technical support to help others implement
these laboratory methods.
Drinking Water Methods
The development of analytical methods is instrumental in assisting the various stakeholders and
laboratories across the country implement brand new and existing drinking water methods. During
FY2021, many questions were received regarding EPA method 537.1 for analysis of PFAS. ORD
researchers provided guidance on measurement methodology, sample preparation procedures,
common practical issues and suggestions for overcoming them, along with sharing recent research and
how it can be applied in real-world laboratory settings. This support aids in the standardization of
laboratory procedures.
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Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Training Course
ORD presented lectures and conducted various training and laboratory exercises during the Chemistry
Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Training Course. The course is sponsored by the Office of
Ground Water and Drinking Water Technical Support Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its purpose is to train
EPA Regional staff and representatives of state laboratory certification programs in the skills necessary
to perform laboratory audits of state, municipal and commercial laboratories that analyze drinking
water samples for chemical contaminants
in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water
Act. ORD participants in the training course
were selected for their expertise and in-
depth knowledge of EPA drinking water
methods and quality assurance practices.
This course is instrumental to training
auditors to ensure laboratories analyzing
compliance samples for public water
systems are following EPA approved
methods and provide reliable data back to
water systems.
Figure 12: Laboratory work.
Water Models and Tools
ORD develops, maintains, and updates a variety of models, software tools, and databases which are
freely available to the public. These products and their associated user manuals and training materials
are applied by engineers, community planners, scientists, students, and consultants across the globe to
address water quality issues. ORD conducts research applying these tools to solve water quality
problems in water infrastructure systems and provides many forms of technical support related to
models, tools and databases including expert advice, training, modeling results and more. Users can
download the modeling tools from epa.gov websites but also directly from GitHub where the software
is developed and maintained. GitHub is an internet hosting provider for software development, which
allows creators to collaborate with others on open access projects.
EPANET
EPANET is a software application used to model drinking water distribution systems. It was developed
to understand the movement of drinking water constituents within distribution systems and has a wide
range of different applications. ORD researchers responded to numerous inquiries over the past year
on a wide range of EPANET topics. Including, for example, requests about the availability of non-
Windows versions of EPANET, questions about user licensing requirements and security concerns,
requests for instructor-led training and reference reports, and a wide range of specific technical
questions. Inquiries were received from researchers, university and college professors or faculty, utility
engineers and consultants, and representatives of commercial software companies. In FY2021,
EPANET had 179,291 total pageviews and 140,930 unique pageviews. The majority of EPANET related
technical requests centered around setting modeling parameters, software compatibility, running
EPANET on an Apple operating system, and specific training questions.
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Storm Water Management Model
EPA's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is used throughout the world for planning, analysis,
and design related to stormwater runoff, combined and sanitary sewers, and other drainage systems
(Figure 12). It can be used to evaluate gray and green stormwater management control strategies,
such as pipes and storm drains, and is a useful tool for creating cost-effective green/gray hybrid
stormwater control solutions. During FY2021, the SWMM software had over 36,500 unique downloads.
The SWMM technical requests involved questions about setting modeling parameters, locating data,
getting started, and specific training questions.
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Drinking Water Treatability Database
The Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB) is an interactive web application that provides
information from thousands of literature sources on the control of contaminants in drinking water. By
design, the database is for use by utilities, first responders, consultants, technical assistance providers,
treatment process designers, and researchers. It can be used to identify effective drinking water
treatment processes, plan for future treatment plant upgrades, provide information to first
responders for spills or emergencies, to recognize research needs, complement literature reviews and
literature searches, and to assist regulators in the best available technology. In FY2021, the TDB had
13,760 unique pageviews and included 38 new references for PFAS, 11 new PFAS compounds, and a
filtering/data extraction Excel-based tool for using TDB's data in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Cost Models. The WBS Cost Models are a collection of Excel-based tools to assist EPA in estimating
national compliance costs. The TDB has contaminant and treatment data that can be imported with
the extraction tool into the cost models to use more specific estimations and model scenarios. ORD
also provides technical support related to the TDB by answering user questions, adding new data to
address user needs, and providing training on how to use the database.
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EPA Stormwater Calculator
The National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) is a planning software application that can estimate the
annual amount of rainfall, stormwater runoff, and can project costs from any site in the US. The SWC is
designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing stormwater runoff from a property using green
infrastructure (Gl), including site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, and homeowners.
FY2021, the SWC had 25,320 unique pageviews and 4,745 downloads. Examples for technical support
included answering questions on setting modeling parameters, accessing weather data, and software
setup.
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Table 1. All FY2021 Technical Support Requests Related to Lead.
Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
11/19/2020
11/19/2020
An ORD researcher was contacted regarding a question about an increase
in lead levels. This is a small system where the chlorine dose
malfunctioned, and they were feeding way too much chlorine into their
system which caused lead problems.
Region 4
Lead
(Pb)
Region 4
12/3/2020
12/7/2020
An ORD researcher responded to questions regarding disinfection
chemicals currently used in drinking water.
Region 6
Lead
(Pb)
Region 6
1/21/2021
1/21/2021
An ORD researcher provided information on lead service line inventories.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
1/25/2021
2/25/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions about lead solubility curves.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Cincinnati,
Ohio
1/27/2021
1/27/2021
An ORD researcher provided contact names and emails of lead and copper
experts in ORD, as well as reference publications on lead and copper that
have not yet been added to EPA's Drinking Water Treatability Database.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Cincinnati,
Ohio
2/3/2021
2/3/2021
ORD answered questions about lead in drinking water, specifically related
to how lead can react with other byproducts that disinfectants may form,
such as chloramine or chlorine.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Region 4
Lead
(Pb)
Region 4
2/5/2021
2/5/2021
Two ORD researchers reviewed and provided feedback for an educational
video created by Region 4 Compliance Assistance Branch (ECAD). The
video's purpose is to support corrective actions in Mississippi.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Akron, Ohio
2/8/2021
2/8/2021
ORD answered questions about the LEADSOL model, including the
reasoning for using the point of least solubility instead of the point of most
solubility in a specific graph.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Blacksburg,
Virginia
2/9/2021
2/9/2021
ORD answered questions about plumbing configurations and materials for
the homes in an EPA study published in Water Research.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Cincinnati,
Ohio
2/17/2021
2/17/2021
ORD provided information about lead in drinking water.
US State
Lead
(Pb)
New Jersey
2/25/2021
3/17/2021
ORD was contacted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP) to discuss lead pipe scale analysis.
Cities and
Communities
Lead
(Pb)
Prairieburg,
Iowa
2/26/2021
2/26/2021
ORD provided technical information about reducing yellow iron bacteria
and corrosion control.
Region 5
Lead
(Pb)
Wisconsin
3/1/2021
3/1/2021
ORD provided technical information about regarding pipe scale analysis.
Region 2
Lead
(Pb)
Region 2
3/2/2021
3/2/2021
Region 2 contacted ORD researchers to ask them to give a 20-minute
educational presentation on lead in drinking water.
Other
Lead
Pb)
Rockland,
Massachusetts
3/3/2021
3/3/2021
Multiple ORD researchers provided information about scale analysis to
evaluate mineralogy and morphology on lead pipes.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Chicago,
Illinois
3/4/2021
3/4/2021
ORD provided information regarding strategies for replacing lead service
lines.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
3/9/2021
3/9/2021
An ORD researcher shared previously given presentation materials about
lead in drinking water.
Region 9
Lead
(Pb)
Region 9
3/9/2021
3/9/2021
US EPA Region 9 contacted ORD for recommendations to reduce corrosion
for a system using RO water.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Michigan
3/10/2021
3/10/2021
ORD answered questions about about WaterSense aerators addressing
concerns that aerators reduce water flow rate.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Washington,
D.C.
3/22/2021
3/22/2021
An ORD researcher gave an educational presentation and responded to
audience questions after a lead training presentation at US EPA ORD/OW
Small Drinking Water Systems Webinar from February 23, 2021.
Questions were from variety of folks on various scientific aspects of lead
release and control.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Rhode Island
3/25/2021
3/25/2021
ORD provided information about the work presented in the 2007 AWWA
Water Quality Technology Conference.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
3/26/2021
3/26/2021
ORD was invited to present to various water industry groups on lead in
drinking water research.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
3/26/2021
3/26/2021
ORD was asked to review a technical memo from a water system
investigating the impacts of source water change and phosphate-based
inhibitor concentrations on lead release. This system has switched from a
ground water to a surface water source and is experiencing elevated lead
levels.
Region 8
Lead
(Pb)
Region 8
4/1/2021
4/7/2021
ORD provided technical information to an EPA employee in Region 8
regarding a lead action level exceedance at a Wyoming surface water
system that provided water to a hospital, a nursing home and single and
multi-family homes.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Canada
4/12/2021
4/12/2021
ORD provided information on acceptable levels of chlorine in biological
septic systems after shock chlorination in buildings and homes with lead
pipes and fixtures.
Region 5
Lead
(Pb)
Illinois
4/20/2021
4/22/2021
ORD provided technical support to Region 5 regarding lead in the
University Park, IL drinking water.
Cities and
Communities
Lead
(Pb)
Benton
Harbor,
Michigan
4/20/2021
4/21/2021
ORD provided technical information to Benton Harbor, Ml about corrosion
control optimization best practices.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Ohio
5/10/2021
5/10/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions regarding if Zebra Mussel
treatment would impact lead and copper levels in a water system.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Massachusetts
5/12/2021
5/12/2021
ORD provided technical support on how to adjust orthophosphate to
counteract a change in WQ related to chloride-sulfate mass ratio (CSMR).
Region 9
Lead
(Pb)
Region 9
5/13/2021
5/13/2021
An ORD researcher provided technical support to Region 9 regarding
water quality parameter testing and bringing on a new well without
increasing copper/lead levels.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Region 4
5/18/2021
5/18/2021
An ORD researcher provided information on lead service lines.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
5/21/2021
6/11/2021
An ORD researcher provided feedback on a technical brief on lead in
drinking-water for the World Health Organization. ORD was asked to
review the technical information and identify any research needs.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
5/26/2021
5/26/2021
An ORD researcher provided information about the federal definition of
"lead-free" to the Health Policy Coordinator at Women for a Healthy
Environment.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
6/1/2021
6/1/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions about plumbing, lead, and how
water moves throughout a home plumbing system.
US State,
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Illinois
6/7/2021
6/7/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions for an independent engineer and
the Illinois EPA, regarding pipe loop bench scale corrosion inhibitor
protocols.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Canada
6/7/2021
6/21/2021
An ORD researcher reviewed the new Health Canada corrosion control
guidelines at the request of Health Canada/Government of Canada,
focusing on the accuracy of the technical information as well as the
identification of gaps or other subject matter to include.
US State
Lead
(Pb)
Kentucky
6/8/2021
6/8/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions from the state of Kentucky on
chemicals used for corrosion control.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Boston,
Massachusetts
6/8/2021
6/8/2021
An ORD researcher answered questions about the presentation "Lead
Corrosion Caused by Water Stagnation."
Region 6
Lead
(Pb)
Region 6
6/10/2021
6/10/2021
ORD provided information regarding sequential drinking water sampling
protocols for lead as well as additional information.
Other
Lead
(Pb)
Unavailable
7/3/2021
7/28/2021
ORD answered technical questions about Pb release from galvanized
plumbing (after a talk ORD gave during the Private Well Conference).
ORD shipped instructions, bottles and a cooler to the requestor and
provided an analysis of the water quality.
Educational
Institution
Lead
(Pb)
Newark, New
Jersey
7/30/2021
7/30/2021
An ORD scientist answered questions regarding sources for the purchase
of Pb standards.
Federal
Agency
Lead
(Pb)
Washington,
D.C.
8/2/2021
8/2/2021
ORD provided information related to galvanized components of drinking
water service lines that potentially contain lead hazards.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
US State
Lead
(Pb)
Montana
8/9/2021
8/9/2021
Two ORD researchers met with staff members of Montana's Department
of Environmental Quality (DEQ) via Teams to provide technical information
about corrosion control treatment options for a system that needed to
address both Pb and F at the tap. Montana DEQ was seeking input on
options and how to identify sources of Pb
Region 7
Lead
(Pb)
Region 7
8/9/2021
8/12/2021
An ORD researcher provided technical support related to cobalt and lead
in drinking water. ORD provided a hazard summaries, treatment
information, and POU treatment options.
US State
Lead
(Pb)
Montana
8/16/2021
8/16/2021
ORD provided technical support to Montana DEQ regarding sampling for
Pb sources.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Region 5
Lead
(Pb)
Benton
Harbor,
Michigan
9/16/2021
9/30/2021
ORD supported OW and R5's response to Benton Harbor, Ml by
developing a filter efficacy and concurrent lead assessment study,
determining resources needed, evaluating historical water quality data,
evaluating data collected during previous sampling events, determining
types of filters distributed to the Benton Harbor community and
certification status, determining laboratory capacity and laboratory needs,
human resources, setting up statistical support, quality assurance project
plan drafting, sampling protocol drafting, information gathering, and
conveying technical information. Also participated in meetings including
R5 staff, OW staff, Ml EGLE (Department of Environment, Great Lakes and
Energy), Ml DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services), Benton
Harbor city manager, and the Berrien County health department.
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Table 2. All FY2021 Technical Support Requests Related to PFAS.
Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Federal Agency
PFAS
Washington,
D.C.
10/29/2020
11/20/2020
The US Army Corps of Engineers reached out for information to help them
design PFAS rapid small scale column tests (RSSCT) tests. ORD ran some
simulations of their proposed RSSCTs. The tests were based on data
collected in other projects.
Other
PFAS
Massachusetts
12/17/2020
12/17/2020
ORD provided technical input into a pilot study in a Massachusetts
community as well as some general feedback about what the PSDM model
might predict for removal efficiency.
Other
PFAS
Costa Rica
1/27/2021
1/27/2021
An ORD researcher provided information about an operating procedure for
RSSCT.
Federal Agency
PFAS
Washington,
D.C.
3/25/2021
6/11/2021
The US Army Corps of Engineers asked for help modeling RSSCT data
related to PFAS removal. They provided some criteria to consider, and ORD
provided bed replacement intervals based on a lead-lag operation with
GAC for various flowrates.
Region 1 &
State
PFAS
Massachusetts
4/6/2021
4/6/2021
ORD provided technical information related to household treatment
systems for removal of PFAS.
Office of Water
(OW)
PFAS
Washington,
D.C.
4/9/2021
4/15/2021
An ORD researcher provided modeling support including predictions of
bed replacement intervals for various influent concentrations and
treatment objectives.
Other
PFAS
Ohio
4/13/2021
4/13/2021
ORD provided information on whole house treatment systems for PFAS
removal.
Educational
Institution
PFAS
Tennessee
6/16/2021
6/28/2021
ORD assembled a team to discuss PFAS data analyses.
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Requestor
Topic
Location
Begin Date
End Date
Comments
Office of Water
(OW)
PFAS
Washington,
D.C.
6/21/2021
7/16/2021
The Office of Water requested information on the amount of PFAS that
would load on GAC, specifically how many pounds of carbon would contain
one pound (lib) of PFAS. Following initially sharing results, OW requested
that the results be broken down by the individual PFAS compounds.
Other
PFAS
Canada
8/26/2021
8/27/2021
ORD provided PFAS presentations on widefield aquifer treatment and
treatment technologies to a Canadian Health Department.
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vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and
Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460
PRESORTED
STANDARD POSTAGE
& FEES PAID EPA
PERMIT NO. G-35
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
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