The Whelton Group

International Emerging Technology SymposiumMay 10, 2016 Chicago, IL USA

Lyles School of Civil Engineering

Purdue University, West Lafayette

Premise Plumbing Decontamination:

Research and Technology Needs

Andrew J. Whelton, Ph.D.Karen S. CasteloesJake Hawes

The Whelton GroupAcknowledgements

Students: Emily Conkling, Kyla

Prendergast, Yufei Zhang, Devin

Kelly, Jesse Li, Xiangning Huang,

Maryam Salehi

Special thanks to …Maya Nye, PCACS

WVTAP colleagues

Dr. Randi Brazeau, Metro State Univ.

John Hall, EPA ORD

Whirlpool Corporation

Funded by:

CBET # 1424627

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Project #4579

The Whelton Group

Charleston, WV

Glendive, MT

Toledo, OH St. Bernard, LA

Longeueil, CN

Flint, MI

Washington, DC

Large scale

incidents

since 2014

and many

more…

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Contaminants

Organic chemicals

Inorganic chemicals

Radionuclides

Microorganisms

Oil spills

Coal flotation liquid

Algal toxins

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Goal: Gain a better understanding with regard to the state-of-the-knowledge for rapid and safe premise plumbing decontamination

1. Describe common premise plumbing decontamination approaches for -- chemical contamination

2. Identify premise plumbing components that require additional attention to clean

3. Explain health risk and waste management challenges specific to plumbing decontamination

4. Detail opportunities for research and technology development

Objectives:

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Residential Systems are ComplexObjects: Fixtures, pipes, tanks, fittings, valves, gaskets

Materials: Sediment, corrosion scale, biofilm, plastics vs. metals

Hot vs. Cold

Water Pipes

Water

Heaters

Solids

Corrosion

Products

Fixtures and

Aerators

Metals and Plastics

Whole House Filter

Water

Softener

The Whelton GroupMaterials: Deliberate and Undeliberate

Material Plastics Other Materials

PipePVC, HDPE, PEX,

PP, cPVC

Copper,

Galvanized Iron,

Concrete, Lead,

Lead-lined Steel,

Black Steel, Brass

Coatings EP, PU, PEUU -

Faucets,

Valves,

& Fittings

Synthetic rubber

(o-rings), PVC

Lead, Stainless Steel,

Brass, Copper,

Aluminum

Gaskets

EPDM [S,P], BR,

NBR, SBR, Viton,

Neoprene

-

Water

Heater

Polysulfone (PSU)

dip tubes

Steel, glass,

ceramic interior linings,

Mg or Al sacrificial

anode rod

Diameter,

inch

Required

Flow, GPM

6 308

4 137

2 34

1 ½ 19

1 9

3/4 5

5/8 3

Flow Rate Needed to

Remove Particles from

Pipes

3 fps per to achieve 2.5-

to 3.0-log removal of

sand particles for 4 to

16 inch diam. pipes

Microbial Control Strategies

for Main Breaks and

Depressurization, WaterRF

Project No. 4307. 2014.

?

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Review of Residential Premise Plumbing

System Decontamination Methods

Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h

The Whelton GroupLITERATURE REVIEWLocation, Date Contaminant Plumbing Flushing Procedure

Nibley, UT, 2015 Diesel fuel (sVOCs, VOCs)

Cold water 35 min, hot water 30 min,

run appliances, continue until odor

gone

Glendive, MT, 2015 Crude oil (metals, SVOCs, and VOCs) Cold water 20 min, hot water 15 min

Washington D.C., 2014

Estimated petroleum based solvent

(Contaminants unknown, Possible SVOCs and

VOCs)

Begin at the sink on the lowest floor,

run each cold water tap 10 min, flush

cold water from upper level sinks 5

min, refrigerator water dispenser 5

min

Toledo, OH, 2014 MicrocystinsHot water 15 min, cold water 5 min,

appliances 5 min

Charleston, WV, 2014Crude MCHM & Stripped PPH (SVOCs

present)

Hot water 15 min, cold water 5 min,

appliances 5 min

Stratford, CN, 2005Car wash cleaning agent containing 2-

Butoxyethanol (Possible VOCs)Cold water 5 min

Charlotte, NC, 1997Fire Suppressant (AFFF) - Hydrocarbon based

surfactant Hot water 10 min, cold water 10 min

Los Angeles, CA, 1994 Macrojet concentratei Flush both hot and cold water

Hope Mills, NC, 1986Pesticide (heptachlor, chlordane) (Possible

VOCs)

Flush to drain lines and hot water

heaters

Macon, GA, 1984 Creosote (VOCs present) Flush plumbing for 30 min

Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h

Protocols Differed Significantly Within and Across Incidents

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Weidhass et al. 2015. Presented at the WV Taskforce Symposium. Morgantown, WV.

Residential Flushing Had Mixed Effectiveness

Elk River Chemical Spill, January 2014

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Fixture

flowrates vary

widely in

buildings

Buchberger et al. 2015. ASPE Report.

Kirmeyer. 2016. JAWWA.

Example: Only Kitchen Faucets

Recognize

Design Actual

Flowrate

Are Fixture Flowrates Similar Across Homes? No.

The Whelton GroupService Lines Require Cleanout

Burlingame GA, Wiggins CW, Ogino CH. 2012. AWWA OPFLOW Magazine. http://dx.doi.org/10.5991/OPF.2012.38.0014

1 hr, 51 min

for service

line only

at 2 gpm

Single family

residences

vs.

Larger

buildings

The Whelton GroupWater Heater’s Require Extra Care

Consider shutting off and cooling the water heater before flushing

Casteloes KS, Brazeau RH, Whelton AJ. 2015. ES:RSC DOI: 10.1039/c5ew00118h

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0

20

40

60

80

100

0 10 20 30m

g/L

Co

nc

Minutes

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 10 20 30

mg

/L C

on

c

Minutes

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60

mg

/L C

on

c

Minutes

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60

mg

/L C

on

c

Minutes

Predicted value in RED; Measured concentration in BLUE

V = 20 gal

Q = 2.50 gpm

V = 20 gal

Q = 1.25 gpm

V = 50 gal

Q = 6.25 gpm

V = 50 gal

Q = 3.125 gpm

Hawes et al. 2016. 80 gal not shown

V = 40 galQ = 4 gpm

Single Family

Home

Purdue Pilot Facility

The CSTR Water Heater Cleaning ModelNo degradation, no temp. effects, no sorption, within 20-80 gal size

Elk River Spill Environmental Activist to the Media: “Your hot water heater is very

dangerous. It needs to be professionally cleaned out. You need to drain it down on the

bottom. They’re probably going to need to be replaced.”

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Building Inhabitant Protection During Flushing

Protect most sensitive

population

Appropriate PPE

Building evacuation

Models to predict

contaminated air

Expel air by opening

windows and doors/use fans

Shutoff water heaters?

Akalp D, Whelton AJ, Omu-Ozbek P. 2016. EURO MED.

mm

m

m

Kd

Kd

Kd

m

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Wastewater Treatment and Disposal

Septic Tanks

Typical size: 500 to 2,000 G

500 GPD (4 BR)

700 GPD (6 BR)

900 GPD (8 BR)

Do not overload

Contaminated water disposal / ecotoxicity: Soil, waterways, air, WWTP, septic tank, tanker trucks, NPDES permit(s)

Downstream impacts of flushingHydraulic capacity of system

Corrosivity and toxicity of wastewater

Health and safety

Chemical fate (i.e., Volatilization, transformation, sorption)

Septic

Tank

Leaching

Field

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Elk River Chemical Spill, January 2014

Statement by environmental activist:

“…the amount of chemical likely destroyed your

home water treatment system.”

“…if you had an RO system, the chemical likely

ate the membrane.”

“…your [plumbing] pipe material will not be

impacted…”

Statement by scientist:“It’s a hydrophobic molecule like oil. You can’t

just flush it out of a system, a substance like

that. It sticks to surfaces, and you have to use

soap and water.”

Q: Will surfactants solutions damage the piping system?

Plumbing Replacement and

Surfactants have been Used

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Initial Cu PEX-a0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000C

on

ce

ntr

atio

n (

g/L

)

BTEX

Total Xylenes

Ethylbenzene

Toluene

Benzene

BTEX likely permeated into the bulk plastic away from the surface

CleaningMethod

New Pipe, Cleaning

Effectiveness

Copper PEX-a

Drain, no flush Yes No

Flush Yes No

Flush, surfactant, flush

Yes No

Some Surfactants can

Damage Plumbing

Components-5

15

35

55

0 5 10 15 20 25ΔW

eig

ht

EPD

M, %

Exposure Time, Days

Surfactant B

No surfactant

Surfactant A

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Mixing, Sorption, Solids, Bonding,

Scales, Biofilm, and more..

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There is a Critical Need for Effective Partnerships as well as Applied and Fundamental Studies

Proposed “Grades” of PW Plumbing System Condition

Palatable and Safe: No off-odor/tastes, discoloration

Safe: Drinking, bathing … but aesthetics bad

Restricted: Bathing only, drinking only with in-building treatment

Functional: Toilet flushing, fire suppression

Condemned: No safe uses

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Due to the continued absence of data we cannot

best protect our families friends, colleagues, and

fellow citizens.

In the wake of many contamination incidents, we

do not have the data needed to safely and rapidly

recover plumbing systems

The Whelton GroupQuestions?

Andrew Whelton, Ph.D.

awhelton@purdue.edu

(540) 230-6069

http://www.WheltonGroup.org

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