Use of disinfection by-products (DBPs) generation simulation models in the risk analysis of secondary water contamination

Abstract

Despite the high efficiency of water treatment and disinfection, waterworks struggle with secondary water pollution. A major threat to human health are the so-called disinfection by-products (DBP), which have carcinogenic properties. Currently, the water quality supervision associated with the DBPs includes water quality control tests at critical points in the water supply system (WSS). However, such a solution only provides information about current water conditions, which makes it more difficult to choose effective countermeasures. In this case, a water quality forecasting system should be developed to support decision-making. Such a system can be a mathematical model that enables analysis of distribution systems’ operation in terms of hydraulics and water quality. This model would also generate a forecast of the WSS operation and information about the effects of future changes. In this paper, an analysis of water quality was carried out for the selected area of the main WSS of the Silesian agglomeration. Numerical simulations conducted in the Epanet software was used to assess risks related to secondary water contamination in the water distribution network.