UV Disinfection and Solar Project

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) is planning the installation of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection treatment technology at the Richard Miller Treatment Plant in 2009 and 2010.  This is the most important new treatment technology in the water industry since the introduction of granular activated carbon filtration (GAC). With the implementation of this project, GCWW will be the first water utility in the United States to use sand filtration followed by GAC and then UV.

To reduce GCWW’s carbon footprint, a component of the UV project will be the installation of solar panels atop the new facility and a second installation on existing Water Works facilities. The entire project (UV and solar) is designed to protect public health with advanced water treatment technology and protect the environment by advancing the use of solar energy.  As currently designed, this solar project will represent one of the largest solar-generated electric supply installations in Ohio.

The addition of UV disinfection parallels the cutting edge research and implementation of our current GAC treatment process which was fully operational in 1992. When the use of GAC was researched, it was found to be the best technology available to remove the broad spectrum of organic contaminants in the Ohio River. Over the years, this has proven to be true.

You may remember that, in March 2008, the Associated Press (AP) ran a series of articles regarding pharmaceuticals detected in some drinking water. Pharmaceuticals can enter waterways, including the Ohio River, several different ways--from pets and livestock, human waste, and improper disposal of medicine.  These substances are being found now because new pharmaceuticals continue to be developed and water professionals have the technology to detect more substances at lower levels than ever before. 

In response to the AP stories, GCWW was pleased to announce that tests of our treated drinking water found only caffeine in trace amounts (one part per trillion).  This is the direct result of the use of GAC treatment, which is extremely effective in removing substances such as pharmaceuticals.  Many of these pharmaceuticals did not exist when the Cincinnati City Council made the decision to institute the use of GAC in water treatment.  However, the public continues to benefit from the wisdom of their decisions.

Recent advancements in water science analysis and health studies have resulted in increasing federal and state drinking water regulations.  Clearly more regulations are on the horizon.  As a leader in the water utility industry, GCWW continues to study the most effective options for protecting the public health while meeting existing and future regulations.  Today’s research shows that UV disinfection is an optimum technology to address our concerns in an economical way.  In fact, the US EPA has identified UV disinfection as one of the Best Available Technologies against Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

The GCWW Advisory Committee on Quality of Drinking Water is a group of local scientists and engineers who volunteer their expertise regarding drinking water treatment. Edna S. Kaneshiro, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati, has served on the Committee for many years.  She encourages the use of UV disinfection treatment and states, “We know that UV disinfection treatment is effective against pathogens including Crypto and possible future contaminants of concern such as microsporidia. UV disinfection treatment adds an additional level of protection to ensure public health.  One reason we need this additional level of protection is because we have sources of contamination, including wastewater treatment plants, upstream of our intakes, and we don’t know what is being dumped into the Ohio River.”

Cincinnati set the standard in drinking water treatment when they chose to implement GAC treatment.  Cincinnati is setting the standard again with the implementation of UV disinfection treatment following sand filtration and GAC treatment.

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