ABOUT OUR SERVICES
WQTS provides a wide range of services to our clients including desktop evaluations of water quality data, analysis of treatment alternatives, bench-scale or pilot-scale testing of treatment alternatives, and full-scale plants performance evaluation. The following is a list of the types of services we have provided over the past few years, click on each category to expand a partial list of example projects we conducted under that category.
Bench-Scale Testing of Water Treatment Alternatives
WQTS staff is highly specialized in the planning, design, and execution of bench-scale tests aimed at evaluating the performance of different treatment alternatives and their ability to meet drinking water regulatory requirements. Testing ranges from simple jar testing for coagulant evaluation, to complex ion-exchange column testing for the removal of hexavalent chromium and other metals from water. All testing is conducted at WQTS' experimental laboratory in Los Angeles. The following are some example bench-scale testing projects we conducted over the last few years.
Zone 7 Water Agency, Alameda County Water District, & Santa Clara Valley Water District, California
Destruction of Cyanotoxins with ozone, chlorine, and chloramine at a Water Treatment Plant
Eastern Municipal Water District, California
Rapid Small Scale Column Testing (RSSCT) for the Removal of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFSA) with two GAC Media
City of Santa Barbara, California
Evaluation of Treatment Alternatives to Reduce the formation of Disinfection By-Products after a Watershed Wildfire
Park City, Utah
Evaluation of Novel Treatment Technology for the Removal of Heavy Metals to Ultra Low Levels
Uba City, California
Evaluation of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) for the removal of MIB & Geosmin from the City's Water Supply
Pilot-Scale Testing of Water Treatment Alternatives
Pilot-Scale testing of treatment alternatives is used to validate bench-scale testing results, and prepare for the design of full-scale treatment processes. WQTS staff has strong expertise in the planning and application of pilot-scale testing to answer water treatment questions. Over the years, we have designed and fabricated a number of pilot-scale unit processes that we have used to gather field data on the performance of water treatment processes. The following are some example pilot-scale testing projects we conducted over the last few years.
Suburban Water Systems, California
Evaluation of Oxidation-Filtration and GAC Adsorption for the Removal of Iron, Manganese, and Color from Groundwater
City of Fresno, California
Evaluation of Chemical Treatment Alternatives for Controlling Iron Release from Galvanized Pipes
City of Santa Barbara, California
A Novel Application of Iron Media for the Removal of Sulfide from Groundwater
California Water Company, California
Evaluation of Ion Exchange for the Removal of Color from Groundwater
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, California
Evaluation of Chlorite Addition for Nitrification Control in a Distribution System
Evaluation of Distribution System Water Quality & Corrosion Potential
A drinking water distribution system is a complex environment comprising a mix of physical, biological, and chemical processes. Together, they can greatly alter the quality of water delivered to customers. From chloramine conversion, to nitrification control, to mitigation of metals release from system piping or premise plumbing, WQTS staff has the expertise to help water agencies navigate through these challenges. The following are example projects related to water quality in distribution systems.
City of Ceres, California
Planning and Preparing for the Integration of a New Surface Water Supply into an Existing Groundwater System
Crescenta Valley Water District, California
Chloramine Conversion Plan & Implementation
City of Fresno, California
Pilot-Scale Testing of Corrosion Control Treatment
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, California
Pilot-Scale Testing of Chlorite Addition for Nitrification Control
Serrano Water District, California
Chloramine Conversion Plan & Implementation
Mid Peninsula Water District, California
Development of a Nitrification Monitoring & Control Plan
Groundwater Treatment
Implementing treatment technologies for contaminant removal from groundwater has unique challenges. From arsenic, to perchlorate, to volatile organic chemicals, WQTS staff has evaluated and implemented both conventional and innovative groundwater treatment technologies. The following are example projects dealing with contaminant removal from groundwater.
Suburban Water System, California
Pilot-ScaleTesting of Manganese and Color Removal from Three Groundwater Sources
City of Victorville, California
Bench-Scale and Pilot-ScaleTesting of Arsenic Removal with Granular Ferric Oxide Media
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, California
Evaluation, Selection, and Pilot Testing of Arsenic Treatment Technologies
Park Water Company (Currently Liberty Utilities), California
Pilot-ScaleTesting and Full-Scale Implementation of Arsenic Treatment
Virgin Valley Water District, Nevada
Evaluation, Selection, and Pilot Testing of Arsenic Treatment Technologies
City of Glendale, California
Pilot-Scale Testing of Biological Denitrification of Groundwater
City of Santa Barbara, California
Pilot-Scale Testing of Iron Media for Sulfide Removal from Groundwater
Water Chemistry & Treatment Models
WQTS staff has strong expertise in the development of Interactive Project Analysis (IPA) models developed in Microsoft EXCEL® and designed for specific projects. These models are excellent tools to explore a wide number of what-if scenarios for a project. The models can include simulation of treatment technologies, sizing and costing of treatment facilities, outcome of various water blending scenarios, etc. The following are example projects in which IPA models were developed.
Park City Municipal Corporation, Utah
Development of a Process Simulation Model for the Quinns Junction Water Treatment Plant
Mid Peninsula Water District, California
Development of a Chloramine Boosting Calculator for Distribution System Storage Tanks
Water Research Foundation, Colorado
Development of a Treatment Performance and Cost Model for the Removal of Hexavalent Chromium from Groundwater
South Bay Recycling Program, California
Development of a Regional Reclaimed Water Desalination Model
Utah Division of Water Resources, Utah
Alternatives Analysis Model for the Bear River Transmission & Treatment Project
Watershed Sanitary Surveys
WQTS has completed a number of Watershed Sanitary Survey (WSS) updates for several California water agencies. The following are example WSS projects completed by WQTS in the last few years:
Santa Clara Valley Water District, California
Local Watershed Sanitary Survey Update, 2016
Stockton East Water District, California
Calaveras and Stanislaus Rivers Watershed Sanitary Survey Update, 2016
Contra Costa Water District, California
Watershed Sanitary Survey Update, 2015
Irvine Ranch Water District, California
Harding Canyon Watershed Sanitary Survey, 2017
Trabuco Canyon Water District, California
Watershed Sanitary Survey Update, 2018
Serrano Water District, California
Watershed Sanitary Survey Update, 2014
On-Call Technical, Regulatory, and Operational Support Services
From time to time, an agency requires technical assistance in one or more areas where several projects may be implemented. In these cases, clients have opted to retain WQTS under an on-call services agreement. Under such an agreement, WQTS provides as-needed services on a task-order basis. The following are example situations where WQTS was retained under an on-call services agreement to provide such services.
City of Sacramento, California
On-Call Regulatory, Technical, and Operational Support Services
Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy, Utah
On-Call Technical Support Services
Zone 7 Water Agency, California
On-Call Technical Support Services
Operator Classes
WQTS has conducted a large number of water quality and treatment refresher classes for water treatment and distribution operators in California, Nevada, and Utah. Classes are available in 1-hr, 2-hr, or 4-hr increments. Topics currently covered include:
- Understanding Chloramine Chemistry
- History of Water Treatment Regulations
- Understanding pH & Alkalinity Adjustment in Water Treatment
- Understanding Coagulation, Flocculation, & Sedimentation
- UV Application in Water Treatment
- Ozone Application in Water Treatment
- Formation and Control of Disinfection By-Products
- Best Practices in Water Treatment
WQTS staff has given these classes to staffs of various water agencies. Classes are given at the agency’s premises, and are coordinated with agency staff's schedule. The following are example description of classes given by WQTS staff.
Rancho California Water District, California
Understanding Chloramine Chemistry and Nitrification Occurrence in Distribution Systems
Crescenta Valley Water District, California
Understanding Chloramine Chemistry and Nitrification Occurrence in Distribution Systems
Suburban Water Systems, California
Understanding Chloramine Chemistry and Nitrification Occurrence in Distribution Systems
Zone 7 Water Agency, California
Fundamentals and Applications of Ozone in Water Treatment
Understanding Chloramine Chemistry and Nitrification Occurrence in Distribution Systems
Alameda County Water District, California
Classes to Water Treatment Operators
San Francisco Water Department, California
Classes for Water Treatment & Distribution Operators
Peer Reviews
WQTS has conducted a number of peer reviews of various projects related to the selection and design of water treatment systems. WQTS staff reviews testing results collected by others, evaluates the analysis conducted, and assesses the recommended process selection and design criteria. The following are example projects in which WQTS staff provided peer reviews of specific work products prepared by other engineering firms.
Zone 7 Water Agency, Livermore, California
Peer Review of the Altamont WTP Design Project
Bowen Collins & Associates / Bridger Valley Water District, Utah
Value Engineering of Water Treatment Plant Expansion
County of San Luis Obispo, California
Peer Review of the Lopez WTP Expansion Project
Sweetwater Authority, San Diego, California
Peer Review of the Perdue WTP Expansion Project
Pilot Design and Fabrication
WQTS staff has extensive experience with the design, implementation, and interpretation of pilot-scale testing of water treatment technologies. WQTS staff has designed a number of pilot testing equipment units, and WQTS currently owns a growing list of pilot testing equipment that is designed to be transported to a remote testing site, set up, and operated. The following examples describe pilot plant design projects completed by WQTS staff.
Grisham, Smith & Partners / Nashville Metro. Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Lease and Installation of a Dual-Train Pilot Plant with Ozonation
City of Sacramento, Sacramento, California
Design of a Conventional Water Treatment Pilot Plant
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Preliminary Design of an Advanced Water Treatment Pilot Plant
Regulatory Monitoring & Compliance Plans
Navigating the waters of regulatory compliance can be difficult, especially for water utilities with limited internal resources. WQTS has keen knowledge of State and Federal water quality and treatment regulations impacting water agencies, and has provided regulatory compliance support to a large number of water agencies. Such support can be in the form of a review of regulatory monitoring and reporting procedures, development of regulatory compliance and monitoring plans, modification and updating of existing plans, and negotiations with regulatory agencies on behalf of the water agencies. The following are example projects.
City of Sacramento, Sacramento, California
Development of a Regulatory Monitoring & Compliance Plan
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
Development of a Regulatory Monitoring & Compliance Plan
Serrano Water District
Evaluation of the District's Water Treatment Plant Performance & Regulatory Compliance
Research Projects
WQTS staff has conducted dozens of research projects dealing with different aspects of water quality, water treatment, and residuals minimization. These projects were funded either by water agencies or research-funding agencies such as the Water Research Foundation. These projects are conducted independently or in collaboration with other firms and/or water agencies. The following are example research projects completed by WQTS staff.
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Understanding the Effect of pH on the Inactivation Efficiency of Chlorine
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Cost Effective Hexavalent Chromium Residuals Management Strategies
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Impact of Water Quality on the Removal of Hexavalent Chromium from various Groundwater Sources
Eight California Water Agencies
Evaluation of NDMA Formation from Water Treatment Polymers
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Formation of Hydrazine as a Chloramine By-Product
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Ultra-light Media for Minimizing Backwash Water in Coagulation-Filtration Arsenic Treatment Plants
Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado
Validating Disinfection in Ozone Contactors
Surface Water Treatment
Since the promulgation of the Surface Water Treatment Rule, the treatment of surface water to drinking water standards has become increasingly complex. From maximizing disinfection, to minimizing disinfection by-products, to maintaining high aesthetic quality of treated water, the challenges are never-ending. WQTS staff has worked with numerous water agencies, large and small, to address these challenges. The following are example projects focused on identifying solutions to surface water treatment challenges.
City of Santa Barbara, California
Evaluation of Alternative Coagulation Strategies for improved DBP Reduction
Park City Municipal Corporation, Park City, Utah
Development of a Water Treatment Process for Metals Removal to Ultra-Low Levels
Montecito Water District, Montecito, California
Design and Implementation of In-Reservoir Spray Aeration for THM Removal from Treated Water
Casitas Water District, Oak View, California
Evaluation of Treatment Modifications to Reduce DBP Formation
Helix Water District, Lakeside, California
Design and Implementation of an In-Plant Manganese Monitoring Plan
Idyllwild Water District, Idyllwild, California
Evaluation and Implementation of Treatment Alternatives for DBP Reduction
Serrano Water District, Villa Park, California
Evaluation of Water Treatment Plant Performance
Alameda County Water District, California
Bromate Mitigation Full-Scale Study
Zone 7 Water Agency, California
Evaluation of Ozone and Ozone-Peroxide for T&O Control
City of Santa Barbara/Carollo Engineers, California
Pilot-Scale Testing of Ozone and Activated Carbon for DBP Reduction
Water Reclamation
Woodard & Curran / Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, California
Mitigating Water Quality Challenges in a Recycled Water Distribution System
Eastern Municipal Water District, California
Tracer Testing of Disinfection Contactors to Meet Title 22 Modal Time Requirements (Multiple Plants)
We provide a comprehensive list of services to improve your water quality while reducing your treatment costs. Contact us for more information.
