Activated carbon has high adsorptive power for the impurities that cause taste, odor, and color and can be finely powdered for high porosity to offer a great number of adsorption sites. Its action in adsorbing the impurities is physical, no chemical reaction taking place between it and the water or impurities in the water. Activated carbon will remove the tastes and odors due to microscopic organisms and putrefying organic matter. It has also given good results in problems involving the adsorption of trace wastes, and is efficacious in dechlorinating water. It may be applied with a dry feed or in suspension from a tank where it is mixed with water and constantly agitated.
SURFACE WATER The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and most state-based departments of health consider adsorption by granular activated carbon (GAC) to be the best available technology for the removal of many organic materials in surface water. On its own, or paired with a UV disinfection system, GAC can facilitate the removal of:
Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) associated with chlorine and alternative disinfectants
Algal toxins, such as microcystin-LR and anatoxin-A
Bacteria, viruses and parasites such as cryptosporidium and giardia
Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDC)
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP)
Taste and odor-causing compounds (T&O)
Organic materials from decaying plants and other naturally occurring matter (NOM) which serve as the precursors for DBPs
The adsorptive capacity of granular activated carbon (GAC) makes it ideal for removing a variety of contaminants from water, air, liquids and gases. GAC is also an environmentally responsible product that can be reactivated through thermal oxidation and used multiple times for the same application.
How can we afford to change?
The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments directed the EPA to conduct a survey of the infrastructure needs of public water systems every four years. The surveys collect data from water systems nationwide that are eligible to receive Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies regarding their 20-year capital improvement needs to ensure the continued provision of safe drinking water. Data from these surveys are used to develop formulas used by Congress to allot Drinking Water State Revolving Fund grants to each state based on their need.
Support infrastructure legislation
The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) establishes a new financing mechanism for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. WIFIA provides low interest rate financing for large dollar-value projects.