Seasonal variation of fecal indicator bacteria in storm events within the US stormwater database

Bacteria are one of the major causes of surface water impairments in the USA. Over the past several years, best management practices, including detention basins, manufactured devices, grass swales, filters and bioretention cells have been used to remove bacteria and other pollutants from stormwater runoff. However, there are data gaps in the comprehensive studies of bacteria concentrations in stormwater runoff. In this paper, the event mean concentration (EMC) of fecal indicator bacteria (Enterococcus, Escherichia coli, fecal Streptococcus group bacteria, and fecal coliform) across the USA was retrieved from the international stormwater best management practices database to analyze the seasonal variations of inflow and outflow event mean concentrations and removal efficiencies. The Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to determine the seasonal variations of bacteria indicator concentrations and removals, and the two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for comparing different seasonal outcomes. The results indicate that all the inflow EMC of FIB in stormwater runoff is above the water quality criteria. The seasonal differences of fecal Streptococcus group bacteria and fecal coliform are significant. Summer has the potential to increase the bacteria EMC and illustrate the seasonal differences.     

Zinc-sulphate-heptahydrate coated activated carbon for microbe removal from stormwater

There is a need to develop effective stormwater filters for passive (without any addition of chemicals or energy) and effective removal of pathogens in order to mainstream stormwater harvesting. This study focuses on the development of coated granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration material in order to develop filters for effective removal of pathogens from urban stormwater. Several laboratory trials were performed to gauge the effectiveness of the filters, which use a mixture of the zinc-sulphate-heptahydrate coated GAC and sand, on the removal of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from semi-natural stormwater. On average, a 98% removal of the inflow concentration of E. coli was achieved. Furthermore, there was also an improvement of approximately 25% in the removal of phosphorous. However, it was found that the treated material was leaching zinc. It was important to determine whether the observed removal of E. coli was indirectly caused by the sampling methodology. The results showed that the inactivation of the E. coli in the collected sample was small compared with the inactivation which actually occurred within the filter. This provides much promise to the filter, but the presence of zinc in the outflow demonstrates the need for further investigation into the stabilisation of the coating process.     

Escherichia coli in urban stormwater: explaining their variability.

The development of a model that predicts the levels of microorganisms in urban stormwater will aid in the assessment of health risks when using stormwater for both recreational uses and as an alternate water resource. However, the development of such a model requires an understanding of the dominant processes that influence the behaviour of microorganisms in urban systems. Using simple and multiple regression analyses this paper determines the dominant processes which affect the inter-event variability of the microbial indicator Escherichia coli (E. coli ) in four urbanised catchments. The results reveal that a number of antecedent climatic conditions, together with rainfall intensity, can significantly explain the inter-event variation in wet weather E. coli levels.     

Assessment of Impact of Filter Design Variables on Clogging in Stormwater Filters

Stormwater filters are widely used in stormwater management, sometimes as standalone structures (e.g. stormwater filter beds), or as part of porous pavements, soak ways, infiltration basins and trenches. Due to the high levels of sediment present in stormwater, clogging is the main operational issue for these systems. A laboratory-based study was conducted to investigate the effect of filter bed design variables on the clogging phenomenon in non-vegetated stormwater filters with high infiltration rates. Design parameters studied include: filter media particle sizes (0.5 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm); depth of the filter bed (100 mm, 300 mm and 500 mm); and filter media packing configurations (layered or mixed). The size of filter media particles significantly impact the clogging process, as well as the overall sediment removal performance of the filters; filters with smaller particles had better sediment removal efficiency, but subsequently shorter lifespan. Deeper systems had longer lifespan compared with shallower ones, notwithstanding deeper systems removed more sediment over their life span. Having two layers of distinct sized media in the filter bed improved performance (e.g. volume of water treated; sediment removed) over the single-layered systems. However, the three-layered systems behaved similarly to two-layered systems. Mixed systems also showed improved performance, as compared with single-layered systems, and were similar to the three-layered systems. This study therefore suggests that simple modifications to a stormwater filtration system can help improve sediment removal performance and/or reduce maintenance intervals significantly, while only slightly affecting sediment removal performance.     

Assessment of the Impact of Stormwater Characteristics on Clogging in Stormwater Filters

Hydraulic conductivity of granular filter media and its evolution over time is a key design parameter for stormwater filtration and infiltration systems that are now widely used in management of polluted urban runoff. In fact, clogging of filter media is recognised as the main limiting factor of these stormwater treatment systems. This paper focuses on the effect of stormwater characteristics on the clogging of stormwater filters. Effect of five different operational regimes has been tested in this study of sediment concentration; pollutant concentrations; stormwater sediment size; loading rate and stormwater loading/dosing regime and compared with the Base case. For each operational condition, five column replicates were tested. Results suggest that sediment concentration in stormwater is a significant parameter affecting hydraulic and treatment performance, eventually affecting longevity of these stormwater treatment systems. Further, the size of sediments (and their relation to the size of filter media grains) in stormwater was found to be an important parameter to be considered in design of coarse filters with high infiltration rates that are used for stormwater treatment. As expected, the addition of metals and nutrients had limited or no contribution to changes in hydraulic or sediment removal performance of the studied stormwater filters. Whilst loading rate was found to be an important parameter affecting the hydraulic and treatment performance of these systems, any variation in the stormwater loading regime had a limited effect on their performance. This study therefore develops an understanding of the effect of catchment characteristics on design of filters and hence their longevity and maintenance needs.     

Exploring fecal indicator bacteria in a constructed stormwater wetland

Microbial pollution in surface waters is a concern throughout the world, with both public health and economic implications. One contributing source to such pollution is stormwater runoff, often treated using various types of stormwater control measures. However, relatively little is known regarding microbe sequestration in constructed stormwater wetlands (CSWs), one type of commonly installed stormwater control measure. In this study, indicator bacteria concentrations in both the water and sediment of a CSW were evaluated at multiple locations. Results suggested that fecal coliform concentrations in stormwater runoff decrease through the system, with relatively consistent concentrations noted throughout the second half of the wetland. This potentially indicates a baseline concentration of fecal coliform is present due to internal processes such as animal activity and microbial persistence. However, wetland sediments showed little E. coli present during most sampling events, with minimal patterns existing with respect to sediment sampling location. CSW designs should promote optimization of hydraulic retention time and minimization of stormwater velocities to promote sedimentation and degradation of microbes by way of wetland treatment functions.     

Biofiltration as pre-treatment to water harvesting and recycling

This paper presents the results of the long term biofilter experiments conducted with raw stormwater collected from a canal at Carlton, in Sydney. Anthracite and granular activated carbon (GAC) were used as a single filter media in biofilter columns. Media heights of 75 and 40 cm were used. The filter columns were operated at filtration velocities of 0.12 and 0.25 m/h. The removal efficiency for turbidity and DOC for the GAC filter media were found to be 75% and almost 100% respectively. The removal efficiency for the anthracite filter was much lower. Molecular weight distribution analysis showed an almost similar trend to the DOC removal. Compared with anthracite filter media, the GAC biofilter removed a much larger range of organic compounds present in the stormwater. The GAC biofilter removes organic matter earlier as compared to anthracite. Based on a limited sample of stormwater, the removal efficiency for phosphorus was upto 74% and that of nitrogen was up to 30%. In general GAC filter shows higher heavy metal removal efficiency than anthracite. The removal of zinc, iron, lead and nickel were good. However the concentration of heavy metal in the raw surface water sample was low.     

Influence of rainfall on the performance of bioretention systems modified with activated carbon and biochar

The use of bioretention areas is common in urban stormwater management, but their performance varies significantly depending on rainfall characteristics and design conditions. In this study, a pilot experiment using bioretention columns with different media (commercial activated carbon and river sediment-derived biochar) investigated the influence of rainfall on bioretention performance. The results indicated that the runoff volume retention ratio (R_v), which included the runoff purified and discharged at the bottom of the column, and the runoff retained in media during rainfall event, decreased significantly with increases in the rainfall event return period (p < 0.05). The R_v of the activated carbon and biochar columns decreased with a 2-yr return period and then fell further with a 50-yr return period. Porous material has been shown to improve the water-holding capacity of bioretention media, but it did not result in an improved R_v under heavy rain that exceeded the 2-yr return period. With the increase of the return period from two to 50 yr, the mass removal efficiency (R_L) of total phosphorus and phosphate illustrated a clear decreasing trend in all columns. The total nitrogen, ammonia and nitrate removal did not show a clear trend with return periods because of transformations among different forms of nitrogen and similar saturation periods during the different rainfall events. The influence of the return period on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was related to whether the inflow COD reached maximum COD removal capacity of the bioretention media. Under a rainfall event with a specific return period, there were no significant differences in the R_L of all nitrogen species and COD among the different columns (p > 0.05). The addition of adsorptive material, such as activated carbon and biochar, may not be the key factor for improving nitrogen and COD removal under heavy rain that exceeds the 2-yr return period. The bioretention performance of phosphorus removal from urban stormwater runoff could be improved by replacing or adding media with high adsorption capacity, but these improvements would not be significant under heavy rain that exceeds the 2-yr return period. The results provide some reference for evaluating bioretention performance and optimizing bioretention design in the future.     

Performance of enviss? stormwater filters: results of a laboratory trial

An experimental study was undertaken by Monash University to develop and test enviss? stormwater treatment and harvesting technologies - non-vegetated filtration systems with an extremely low footprint. This paper focuses on the water quality and hydraulic performance of two systems tested over a 'year' of operation in a Melbourne climate: (1) REUSE enviss? filters, designed for stormwater harvesting systems for non-potable supply substitution, and (2) WSUD enviss? filters, developed to treat urban stormwater prior to discharge to downstream systems. The presence of chlorine as a disinfection agent proved to be very efficient for the removal of microorganisms in REUSE enviss? filters. WSUD enviss? filters had the benefit of providing an elevated nutrient treatment performance, due to an extended depth of filter media. However, nutrient outflow concentrations (total nitrogen (TN) in particular) were found to increase during the testing period. Also, extended dry weather periods were found to have a detrimental effect on the treatment performance of almost all pollutants for both filters (nutrients, Escherichia coli and heavy metals). Although hydraulic conductivity results indicated two or three sediment trap replacements per year are required to maintain filtration rates, it is expected that the compressed loading rate schedule overestimated this maintenance frequency.     

Filter media for stormwater treatment and recycling: the influence of hydraulic properties of flow on pollutant removal.

Improved urban water management in Australia is of national importance. Water resources are stretched and urban runoff is a recognized leading cause of degradation of urban waterways. Stormwater recycling is an option that can contribute to easing these problems. Biofilters are effective structural stormwater pollution control measures with the potential for integration into stormwater treatment and recycling systems. However, premature clogging of biofilters is a major problem, with resulting decreased infiltration capacity (and hence the volume of stormwater the system can detain) and increased detention time. This paper presents preliminary findings with respect to the effect of clogging on pollutant removal efficiency in conventional stormwater filter media. A one-dimensional laboratory rig was used to investigate the impact of clogging on pollutant removal efficiency in a conventional biofiltration filter media (gravel over sand). Both the individual gravel layer and the overall multi-filter were highly efficient at removing suspended solids and particulate-associated pollutants. This removal efficiency was consistent, even as the filters became clogged. Removal of dissolved nutrients was more variable, with little reduction in concentrations overall. Although preliminary, these results challenge the concept that increased detention time improves the treatment performance of stormwater filtration systems.     

生物滞留系统去除城市地表径流中多环芳烃的研究进展

低影响开发(LID)生物滞留系统是净化城市地表径流的重要措施。多环芳烃(PAHs)作为难降解有机污染物,是城市雨水径流中的重要成分之一。通过总结城市地表径流中PAHs污染现状和国内外应用生物滞留系统去除PAHs的研究动态,系统分析了PAHs类污染物的去除机理、效果和影响因素。研究结果表明:生物滞留系统主要通过填料吸附、微生物降解、植物吸收、挥发等作用去除PAHs,平均去除率在30%~90%。影响去除效果的主要因素包括PAHs性质、系统组成与设计、微生物及环境因子等。建议关注生物滞留系统中PAHs的积累和长期运行效果,并开展系统优化设计和作用机制研究工作。     

Stormwater Capture Efficiency of Bioretention Systems

Bioretention systems are increasingly being used to control the adverse effects of urbanization on stormwater quantity and quality. The stormwater capture efficiency of a bioretention system, defined as the fraction of stormwater volume captured by the system, can be used as an important index of its stormwater management performance. In this paper, an analytical probabilistic expression (APE) is derived for estimating the long-term average stormwater capture efficiency of bioretention systems. The derivation is based on the probability distribution functions of the input rainfall event characteristics and the rainfall-runoff-overflow transformations occurring on a bioretention system and its contributing catchment. In the derivation, instead of simply adopting the Howard’s conservative assumption as used in many previous studies, an approximate expected value of the surface depression water contents of a bioretention system at the end of a random rainfall event [denoted as E(S _dw )] is derived and used. The accuracy of the resulting APE is verified by comparing its results with those determined from continuous simulations. The use of E(S _dw ) is proven to be advantageous than the use of the Howard’s conservative assumption, it demonstrates that similar methods may be developed to analytically evaluate the stormwater management performance of other types of storage facilities for which the Howard’s conservative assumption was employed previously.     

Retrofitting a stormwater retention pond using a deflector island

Stormwater retention ponds are one of the principal methods to treat stormwater runoff. Analysis of residence time distribution (RTD) curves can be used to evaluate the capability of these ponds for sediment removal. Deflector islands have been suggested as a means of improving the performance of retention ponds, due to their diffusing the inlet jet. In this study, the effect of an island on retention pond performance was investigated using a physical model of an existing stormwater retention pond. The physical model is a trapezoidal pond having top dimensions 4.1 x 1.5 x 0.23 m and side slopes of 2:1 (h:v). Three different arrangements were studied. The results show that placing an island to deflect the influent to a stormwater retention pond does not improve pond performance, rather it stimulates short-circuiting. This unexpected behaviour, in relation to previous studies, is considered to be a consequence of the model pond incorporating sloping walls; which is a novel aspect of this paper.     

Nitrogen removal capacity of wetlands: sediment versus epiphytic biofilms.

Wetlands are important sinks for nutrients and constructed wetlands are current practice for stormwater treatment. For nitrogen, the main removal process is denitrification (microbial reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas). The bacteria responsible for this process are mostly found in the sediments and in epiphytic biofilms growing on wetland macrophytes. This paper reports on a project which aimed at measuring denitrification potential in sediments and epiphyton in urban wetlands. This study showed that wetland sediments could support high rates of denitrification. Interestingly, the most polluted of the wetlands studied had the highest denitrification potential. The management implication from this result is that indicators of pollution, such as hydrocarbon levels, will not necessarily reflect the ability of a wetland to denitrify. Two of the wetlands were studied in more detail. Here the denitrification potential of the epiphyton on dominant macrophytes and sediments were measured. The results indicated that the potential denitrification activity of the epiphyton was comparable to those measured in the sediments. Hence, biofilms could play a significant part in removing nitrogen loads. This work contributes to a better knowledge of the functioning of wetlands. This will lead to improved design and management of wetlands used for treating stormwater.     

Inflow based investigations on the efficiency of a lamella particle separator for the treatment of stormwater runoffs

The present design of stormwater tanks is based on the creation of storage volume to retain stormwater and the prevention or reduction of stormwater overflows. The treatment of stormwater is often improved with mechanical equipment. The general layout rules do usually not include the appropriate choice of design inflow related to the chosen treatment equipment. In the following investigations it was the task to analyze the hydraulic efficiency and the overflow behaviour of a lamella particle separator inside a stormwater tank under different design approaches regarding the chosen design inflow. Therefore six scenarios with different precipitation yield approaches were chosen and applied to a given constant sized catchment to calculate the design inflows. For a given minimum particle size, the necessary number of lamellas were determined for the scenarios and standard stormwater tanks were dimensioned. These stormwater tanks were modelled in the hydrologic model SMUSI to investigate the overflow behaviour of the different tank sizes. The number of overflow events, their duration and maximum flow rates were the results of the modelling. Comparisons to the design inflows were carried out. The treated particles sizes at the overflow events were determined reversible and compared to the original chosen minimum particle sizes.     

曝气条件对侧流活性污泥水解工艺脱氮性能和微生物的影响

通过改变传统厌氧/缺氧/好氧（A²/O）反应器和侧流活性污泥水解（SSH）反应器的曝气强度和溶解氧（DO）浓度,考察了曝气条件对脱氮性能的影响,并对比研究了微生物群落结构的变化规律。结果表明：相较于高DO阶段,两组反应器在中低DO阶段有更好的脱氮效果。在相同进水条件下,SSH反应器的脱氮性能优于A²/O反应器,且出水满足一级A标准。高通量测序结果表明,中低DO浓度更有利于脱氮微生物的生长。相对于A²/O反应器,SSH反应器中反硝化微生物的相对丰度更高。因此,合理控制曝气条件维持中低DO浓度有利于SSH工艺达到良好的脱氮性能及脱氮微生物的生长。     

雨水花园对不同赋存形态氮磷的去除效果及土壤中优先流的影响

雨水花园作为一种生物滞留系统,能够有效降低城市化进程对城市水文和水质带来的负面影响,但其效果与雨水径流中污染物的赋存形态以及花园内部的水力特性等因素有关。通过一项在黄土地区开展的雨水花园对路面雨水径流水文过程及污染物降解的试验研究,分析了雨水花园对不同赋存形态氮磷污染物的去除效果;同时根据雨水花园入流和出流的水文过程监测数据,分析了土壤优先流的存在及其对污染物去除效果的影响。结果显示,雨水花园入流中颗粒态磷和溶解态磷的浓度比例约为4∶1,颗粒态氮和溶解态氮的浓度比例接近1∶1;颗粒态总磷的浓度去除率和负荷去除率分别为40.1%和69.9%,颗粒态总氮的浓度去除率和负荷去除率分别为44.8%和73.8%;系统对于溶解态的氮、磷几乎没有去除能力。雨水花园土壤中存在的优先流现象导致出流速度较快,雨水径流在花园内的水力停留时间较短,结果表明:系统能够拦截颗粒态污染物,但对溶解态污染物去除效果较差;雨水花园对入流中总磷和总氮的浓度去除率很低,平均值仅为6.3%和-2.7%,但因截留了很大比例的入流(平均为51.5%),其对氮、磷污染物总负荷的削减分别达到52.5%和51.5%。所以,利用城市雨水花园来滞留雨水径流,净化雨水水质在研究区具有良好的应用前景。     

Dual Porosity Filtration for treatment of stormwater runoff: first proof of concept from Copenhagen pilot plant

Dual Porosity Filtration (DPF) is designed for sedimentation-based removal of suspended solids (SS) and adsorption-based removal of dissolved contaminants from stormwater runoff. It consists of shallow (10 mm) low-porosity layers for contaminant retention, interlaid with high-porosity layers for horizontal, gravity-driven flow. First proof of concept was obtained in a 10 m by 60 m pilot plant receiving stormwater runoff from 1.3 hectares of trafficked area in Copenhagen. The pilot plant contains two versions of DPF-designs, a cheaper one with 6 pairs of low- and high-porosity layers ('DPF-6-layers'), and a more expensive one with 18 such pairs ('DPF-18-layers'). Both versions are designed for a flow capacity of 9 m(3)/h. The DPF-designs were tested on the basis of 25 rain events. Flow proportional event mean concentrations showed the concentration of SS to be on averaged reduced from 123 mg/L in the inlet to 10.4 mg/L in the outlet from the DPF-6-layers, and 1.4 mg/L from DPF-18-layers, Zn from 98 to 29 and 12.5 μg/L, Cu from 25 to 12.2 and 9.6 μg/L, Cr from 18 to 10.9 and 10 μg/L, Pb from 9 to 1.0 and 0.2 μg/L, and P from 178 μg/L to 47.4 μg/L and 38 μg/L, respectively for the DPF-6-layers and DFF-18-layers. Based on the observed hydraulic performance and contaminant removal rates the concept of DPF appears to hold a potential for treatment of road runoff to high water quality standards. Cu and Cr fate must be further studied. Suggestions for optimized full scale DPF-designs are given.     

Seasonal Forecasts of Unregulated Inflows into the Murray River, Australia

Water users along the Murray River, Australia, have traditionally used climatology forecasts of river flows for intra-annual planning of water use and trading. In this paper, we develop and assess the performance of statistical models for forecasting three-month inflow totals for the Murray River. Predictors are selected to represent the influence of initial catchment conditions and future climate on streamflows. These predictors vary with season and location, but are dominated by antecedent streamflows and indices describing the El Nino–Southern Oscillation. For all seasons, the forecasts are skilful with respect to climatology forecasts, and the forecast probability distributions appear to be reliable. Forecast skill is highest for forecasts made between September and December. The forecasts appear to be robust with respect to event size and time, except for the austral autumn seasons for which none of the predictors can forecast the decline in seasonal rainfall over the most recent decade.     

Definition of realistic disturbances as a crucial step during the assessment of resilience of natural wastewater treatment systems

Natural wastewater treatment systems (WWTSs) for urban areas in developing countries are subjected to large fluctuations in their inflow. This situation can result in a decreased treatment performance. The main aims of this paper are to introduce resilience as a performance indicator for natural WWTSs and to propose a methodology for the identification and generation of realistic disturbances of WWTSs. Firstly, a definition of resilience is formulated for natural WWTSs together with a short discussion of its most relevant properties. An important aspect during the evaluation process of resilience is the selection of appropriate disturbances. Disturbances of the WWTS are caused by fluctuations in water quantity and quality characteristics of the inflow. An approach to defining appropriate disturbances is presented by means of water quantity and quality data collected for the urban wastewater system of Coronel Oviedo (Paraguay). The main problem under consideration is the potential negative impact of stormwater inflow and infiltration in the sanitary sewer system on the treatment performance of anaerobic waste stabilisation ponds.