Taste and odor (T&O) issues in drinking water are sometimes not linked to the traditional compounds responsible for T&O events, MIB and geosmin. In collaboration with the water industry, new automated analytical method to sample and analyze probable compounds that may be causing T&O events at water utilities in the Midwest and nationally. The research includes: 1) an occurrence study to identify which compounds most often lead to non-MIB/geosmin T&O events, 2) treatability testing, and 3) development of guidance for water utilities. (Collaborators: Susheera Pochiraju, Dr. Christiane Hoppe-Jones, Dr. Lauren Weinrich, others)

Ongoing research is investigating and validating methods to predict water quality parameters using satellite- and terrestrial-based spectral data. The intent of the work is to provide guidance to the water industry how to utilize satellite data to predict events in drinking water source waters. (Collaborators: Samar Maalouf, Dr. Vasit Sagan, Dr. Lauren Weinrich, others)

This Water Research Foundation Project is led by Hazen and Sawyer. Many utilities across the United States and Australia are struggling with an increase in the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxin occurrence at the same time that they are facing increasing regulatory and public pressure to watch for and address the issue. Through this project, our team will compile and analyze case studies from across the US and Australia, and synthesize the considerable guidance into short, actionable steps for utilities. (Collaborators: Dr. Christine Owen, Dr. Ruth Marfil-Vega, Dr. Ben Stanford, others)