Temporary increases in the organic content of raw waters from heavy rains or snowmelt can lead to a number of operational problems as the waters are difficult to treat. Under conditions of high organic loading the performance of treatment plants can rapidly deteriorate. This research report provides practical solutions for dealing with treatment problems associated with high organic content in raw waters. Researchers tested the efficacy of various treatment strategies for dealing with high organic content waters. In addition, the research identifies the effect of organic content on floc size and breakup and assesses the impact of floc strength on downstream clarification processes.
