Proactive management of dissolved organic carbon in catchments to mitigate climate change impacts on trihalomethanes formation in water treatment

Climatic conditions are changing, which affects dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in surface water.

DOC is a precursor for the formation of unwanted disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water treatment, which includes trihalomethanes (THMs).

Scenarios for climate change impacts on THM formation suggest a 39% increase by 2050 for the British Isles unless treatment is adapted.

This PhD project, led by Newcastle University, is in collaboration with Northumbrian Water, and will research proactive management of DOC in catchments to reduce loads into reservoirs and treatment works.

Proactive management of DOC in catchments addresses the root cause of the THM challenge and reduces the costs, chemical and energy demands, and environmental impacts of water treatment.

The project will review and evaluate nature-based mitigation measures for rising DOC in a case study catchment to develop and validate a catchment-scale DOC monitoring, modelling and management tool.

The fieldwork will involve innovative monitoring tools to study DOC loads and characteristics with real-time sensing of water quality, incl. fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM).

This will build on experience with real-time water quality sensing systems of the National Green Infrastructure Facility and Newcastle University's Urban Observatory.

The fieldwork will inform the development of a model for DOC management in catchments and in reservoirs to inform abstraction management and engagement with landowners.

The project thus seeks to demonstrate a smart water infrastructure solution that combines sensing and modelling with nature-based approaches for climate change resilience and water security.