2015/01/21 by Catherine R. Dunlap, Karen Seligman Sklenar, Laura J. Blake
Environmental Science · #Wastewater Treatment and Reuse #Water Quality and Pollution Assessment #Water Treatment and Disinfection
paper · doi:10.5942/jawwa.2015.107.0055
openalex publication_date 2015/01/21 · crossref created 2015/01/21 · crossref issued 2015/05/01 · crossref published 2015/05/01 · crossref published-online 2015/05/01 · crossref published-print 2015/05/01 · crossref deposited 2023/09/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Algal blooms in drinking water supplies can result in unpalatable flavors in tap water, human health concerns, and increased treatment costs. This study estimated the costs associated with treating algae and algal by‐products in the Waco, Tex., drinking water supply during 2002–2012. During that period, the city incurred an estimated cost of 70.4 million in addressing tap water taste and odor problems and potentially lost between 6.9 million and 10.3 million in revenue, partly as a result of decreased water sales to neighboring communities. Waco's average cost for providing tap water to its residents exceeds the national average for similar‐size water treatment systems, and a higher proportion of its drinking water production costs are attributed to advanced treatment compared with the national average. This analysis is intended to help water utility managers understand the costs associated with dealing with elevated nutrient loading and algal blooms in drinking water supplies.