The city of Auburn has been chosen by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to participate in a study about the effects of harmful algal blooms on disinfection byproducts in water distribution systems.
The city was selected to be part of the study as Auburn and Owasco were the first municipalities in the state to have microcystins detected in the finished drinking water in 2016. Auburn and Owasco provide drinking water from Owasco Lake to over 43,000 Cayuga County residents. Auburn is one of a "handful" of other municipalities across the country taking part in the study, Director of Municipal Utilities Seth Jensen said.
The study will test for two common disinfection byproducts: total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and five haloacetic acids (HAA5). The city regularly tests for these chemicals, which can be carcinogenic at high levels, Water Treatment Plant Operator Sam Granato said.
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According to the city's 2016 Water Quality Report, TTHM and HAA5 levels in the city's drinking water did not exceed the EPA's maximum regulatory limits, 80 parts per billion and 60 part per billion respectively.
"We have always been under those numbers," Granato said.
The amount of TTHM and HAA5 will increase if there is an increase of "natural organic matter," such as blue-green algae, in the water, Granato said.
"The reason the EPA wants to talk to us is because we have a lot of natural organic matter in our water (due to the blooms)," Granato said.
The study will involve city staff taking samples of both raw and treated water over a 25-day period this fall, Jensen said. Additionally, water plant staff will provide the EPA with details about the plant, the city's treatment process and bloom monitoring protocols. There will be no cost to the city for participating in the study, nor will the city receive any funds for its involvement.
The results from this study could help municipalities like the city of Syracuse, which draws its water from Skaneateles Lake. During the summer of 2017, microcystin toxins were detected in Skaneateles Lake, which only uses chlorine to treat its water. Granato said increased levels of chlorine can increase disinfection byproducts.
"This is just another step in that direction of bettering everyone's understanding of harmful algal blooms," Jensen said.
Staff writer Natalie Brophy can be reached at (315)282-2239 or natalie.brophy@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie.