20th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Session 8
Ask the Experts, Models and Tools Demonstrations, and Posters
Presentation and demo summaries and panelist and presenter biographies for Session 8 of the 20th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop.
September 13, 2023 from 3:45 to 5 p.m. ET
Location: Marriott at RiverCenter – Riverview Ballrooms 1, 2, & 3
See the full workshop agenda for all sessions.
This session will provide attendees an opportunity to have conversations with experts and officials from EPA, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), and other organizations about small system challenges and solutions; learn about drinking water research and technical assistance activities at EPA and other organizations; and get live demos from EPA model and tool developers and technical assistance providers.
Ask the Experts Panels | Models and Tools Demos | Posters
Ask the Experts Panels
Table 1: Regulatory Assistance and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Fraud Awareness
- Michael Finn, P.E. | EPA Office of Water
Mike is an environmental engineer with EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, Targeted Community and Compliance Assistance Branch. He is currently working with states and public water systems on the implementation of the Surface Water Treatment Rules, the Disinfection Byproducts Rules, the Groundwater Rule, and the Lead and Copper Rule, as well as microbial and other contaminant treatment issues, alternative treatment technologies, and potable water reuse. Mike has 30 years of experience in public water supplies and drinking water treatment and serves as a national subject matter expert in the areas of disinfection and microbial treatment of drinking water. He is a licensed professional engineer in California and Maryland and a certified water treatment operator. - Sarah Bradbury, M.S.E.S., M.P.A. | EPA Office of Water
Sarah is a physical scientist with EPA’s Drinking Water Capacity and Compliance Assistance Division in the Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water in Washington, DC. She is currently working on implementation of the Consumer Confidence Rule, the Public Notice Rule, and is the project lead for the Consumer Confidence Report Rule revisions. In her 10+ years of experience, Sarah has had the opportunity to work on a variety of water resource topics, including total maximum daily loads, water quality sampling, and source water protection. Sarah holds and an M.P.A. in environmental policy and natural resource management and an M.S.E.S. in water resources from the Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a B.S. in oceanography from the University of Michigan. - Deborah Vacs Renwick, M.E., P.E. | EPA Office of Water
Deborah is an environmental engineer with EPA’s Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, where she has worked on drinking water rule development and implementation, workforce development, distribution system water quality issues, and technical assistance projects. Before joining EPA in 2016, she worked as a water quality and regulatory compliance engineer at the Alameda County Water District in Fremont, California and served as a water and sanitation volunteer in the Peace Corps in Peru. Deborah holds an M.E. in water quality and environmental engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an Sc.B. in civil and environmental engineering from Brown University, and she is a registered professional engineer in the District of Columbia. - Jake Hardesty | EPA Office of Inspector General
Jake is a special agent with EPA’s Office of Inspector General covering EPA Region 5, which spans six states in the Midwest. Jake investigates fraud, waste, and abuse involving EPA and its programs. Prior to joining EPA-OIG, he was an active-duty special agent with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. Jake was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he worked a large variety of cases that included narcotics, sexual assaults, homicides, and fraud. Jake is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in criminal justice. During this session, Jake will provide information to help prevent, detect, and report Bipartisan Infrastructure Law fraud involving organizations or individuals that receive awards from, conduct business with, and work with U.S. EPA.
Table 2: Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
- Alison Dugan, M.S., P.E. | EPA Office of Water
Alison has been working as an environmental engineer with EPA’s Technical Support Branch in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water in Cincinnati, Ohio for over 20 years. As a member of the Agency’s drinking water treatment optimization team, her primary focus has been developing approaches for water systems to optimize their existing operations and infrastructure to control DBP formation in the plant and distribution system, while not compromising other treatment objectives. She has developed and provided training on these concepts to state, regional, and national audiences. Alison holds an M.S. and a B.S. in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is a registered professional engineer in Ohio. - Kevin Letterly, M.S. | Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
Kevin is a senior policy analyst with ASDWA and has been with ASDWA for five years. Some of his areas of focus include AWOP, drinking water security issues, climate change, and lead testing in schools. Kevin holds an M.S. in environmental science from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a B.S. in environmental science from the University of Illinois-Champaign. - Julian Fairey, Ph.D. | University of Arkansas
Julian is an associate professor of engineering and civil engineering with the University of Arkansas. He is primarily an experimentalist and works on applied research projects developing novel technologies to reduce the risks posed by pollutants in sediments and drinking waters. Julian holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. from the University of Alberta.
Table 3: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- Thomas F. Speth, Ph.D., P.E. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Tom serves as senior science advisor for EPA’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in the Office of Research and Development. He is a professional engineer who has worked in the field of water treatment research at EPA since 1986. At EPA, Tom has served as branch chief of EPA’s Treatment Technology Evaluation Branch from May 2005 to January 2009. From January 2009 to March 2018, he served as division director of EPA’s Water Supply and Water Resources Division. During this time, from September 2015 to December 2016, he served in a detail with EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water’s Standards and Risk Management Division as a senior engineering advisor assigned to the Flint Enforcement Team. From March 2018 to April 2023, he served as the associate director for science for the Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. Tom is a member of AWWA, ASCE, and ACS. He has served as trustee for AWWA's Water Quality and Technology Division, an associate editor for ASCE's Journal of Environmental Engineering, a member of Journal AWWA’s Editorial Advisory Board, and as a trustee and chair of AWWA’s Water Science and Research Division. Tom has a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati, an M.S. in civil/environmental engineering from Michigan Technological University, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University. - Jonathan Pressman, Ph.D., P.E. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Jonathan is the branch chief of the Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution Branch of EPA’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division in the Office of Research and Development. Since joining EPA in 2005, his research has focused on process engineering for improving disinfection, reducing disinfection byproducts, characterizing NOM and most recently PFAS removal. Jonathan holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in civil engineering from Cornell University. He is a registered professional engineer in Ohio and Texas. - Eugene Leung, M.S., P.E. | California State Water Resource Control Board
Eugene Leung (lee-young) is the drinking water treatment technical specialist for the California Water Board’s State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (DDW), which is responsible for developing and enforcing drinking water regulations and standards in California. His office is in the San Francisco Bay Area, and he is responsible for the review and acceptance of treatment technologies and techniques for drinking water treatment. Eugene’s current efforts include working with and reviewing technologies as alternative filtration technologies, biological treatment of inorganic and organic contaminants, and treatment of PFAS and hexavalent chromium. He has also guided various state funded studies in UV-AOP; point-of-use and point-of-entry treatment; and true cost, feasibility, and challenges of nitrate treatment at disadvantaged communities. Eugene has worked for California’s Drinking Water Program since 1997, where he started as a field engineer regulating public water systems and was promoted to his current position in 2010. Prior to this, he worked for a year at Alameda County Water District. Eugene Holds an M.S. and a B.S. in civil engineering from UCLA and is a registered civil engineer and a T4 Water Treatment Operator in California. - Detlef Knappe, Ph.D. | North Carolina State University
Detlef is the S. James Ellen Distinguished Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. He joined the NCSU faculty in 1996 after receiving a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Detlef’s research interests broadly encompass drinking water quality and treatment, and he has conducted research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) since 2010. Detlef is a member of the North Carolina’s Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board, is deputy director of NCSU’s Superfund Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, and serves as associate editor of the AWWA Water Science journal.
Table 4: Pathogens
- Laura Boczek, M.S. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Laura is a research microbiologist with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. Her research areas have focused on disinfection efficacy of various microorganisms in drinking water, including the study of premise plumbing pathogens with an emphasis on Legionella; specifically, the ecology of these organisms, understanding how they persist, and what steps can be taken to mitigate the risk of infection to insure public health protection. She has also been involved with antibiotic resistance studies in various environmental matrixes and with pathogens and method development in biosolids. Laura holds an M.S. in biological science from the University of Cincinnati and a B.S. in biological science from Northern Kentucky University. - Jennifer Best, M.S. | EPA Office of Water
Jennifer is a senior microbiologist with EPA's Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Technical Support Center in Cincinnati Ohio, where she has served since 2001. Jennifer enjoys working at the intersection of science and policy in her role at EPA, where she provides technical support for regulatory and programmatic activities. In addition, Jennifer serves as a technical expert on several TNI committees and is the Part 9000 Coordinator for Standard Methods. Jennifer holds an M.S. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Table 5: Corrosion and Lead
- Darren A. Lytle, Ph.D., P.E. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Darren is an environmental engineer with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since beginning work at EPA in 1991, his primary goal has been to research the quality of drinking water. Over the years, he has investigated and published works on drinking water systems, including work on distribution system corrosion control and water quality (e.g., red water control, lead and copper corrosion control); filtration (emphasis on removal of particles, and microbial contaminants and pathogens from water); biological water treatment; and iron and arsenic removal. Darren holds a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois, an M.S. in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati, and a and a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Akron. - Simoni Triantafyllidou, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Simoni is an environmental engineer with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her research interests include aquatic chemistry, corrosion science, drinking water quality/treatment, sustainable drinking water infrastructure (premise plumbing/distribution systems) and public health. Simoni has authored/co-authored more than 30 publications on various scientific aspects of these research areas. At EPA, she is primarily conducting research on metallic corrosion and inorganic contaminants in drinking water. Simoni holds both a Ph.D. and an M.S. and in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech and is the chair of AWWA’s Committee, Premise Plumbing: Beyond the Meter. She is the recipient of First Place M.S., Thesis Awards by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) and by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), an Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation Award by AEESP, and Best Paper Awards from the journals Environmental Science and Technology, Journal AWWA and AWWA’s Opflow Periodical. - Colin White, M.S. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Colin is a physical scientist with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response where his work focuses on lead and copper corrosion. Prior to joining EPA, he served as the manager of the Emerging Contaminants Section at the Ohio EPA where he managed policy and implementation of unregulated contaminants (manganese, Legionella, PFAS), harmful algal blooms, and the Lead and Copper Rule. He also supervised the Public Water System Enforcement and Rule Unit at Ohio EPA. Colin began his career in drinking water with a research fellowship from EPA as an undergraduate, which continued though completion of a master's degree. Colin has authored dozens drinking water related scientific manuscripts and given numerous presentations and had led research projects on topics, including lead and copper corrosion, biological treatment for arsenic and ammonia, the characterization of bioterrorism agents in drinking water, and Legionella in premise plumbing.
Table 6: Risk, Crisis, and General Communication
- Diane Russell, B.S. | EPA Region 5
Diane is a community involvement coordinator with EPA’s Region 5, where she leverages her position in a Michigan field office to maximize engagement and relationship building in communities experiencing an emergency or living through long-term cleanups. Over her nearly 15-year career, she has become a national subject matter expert in community engagement specializing in science and risk communication. Some of her high-profile projects include dioxin and furan cleanup in and along the Tittabawassee River, PCB cleanup in and along the Kalamazoo River, DDT and PBB cleanup at the Former Velsicol Chemical Plant in St. Louis, Missouri, PFAS and heavy metal waste removal in Rockford, Michigan from former tannery operations by Wolverine World Wide, and lead the community engagement teams in the Flint Water Response and the East Palestine Train Derailment in Ohio. Diane has also leveraged resources to empower communities to effectively participate in decision-making including development and support of five Superfund Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) within the region, management of a multi-community, long-term facilitation support contract, and lead a multi-agency agreement bringing over $1.5 million dollars to community partners for fish consumption advisory education. She prioritizes award-winning methods in her work and integrates teaching and on-the-ground experience to mentor young professionals. Diane holds a B.S. with double majors in geophysics and earth science secondary education from Western Michigan University. - Mark Verbsky, REHS | Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Mark has over 35 years of public health service, with the last 29 years as an environmental specialist II inspecting public water systems with OEPA. He is a registered environmental health specialist and a former Certified Class 3 Water Treatment Plant Operator in Ohio. His primary focus has been on non-community public water system compliance, and he has served on numerous OEPA workgroups and on the American Water Works Association’s Ohio Section committees. Mark currently serves as the chairman of the State of Ohio Operator Certification Advisory Council. - Alycia Overbo, M.S. | Minnesota Department of Health
Alycia is the supervisor of the Communications and Strategic Initiatives Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health. In this role, she oversees planning, evaluation, and coordination of communications and strategic policy initiatives for the public Drinking Water Protection program. Alycia is a Ph.D. candidate in the Water Resources Science program at the University of Minnesota, where she researches sources of chloride pollution to Minnesota groundwater and surface waters. Alycia holds an M.S. in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a B.S. in biology from St. Olaf College, and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique. - Michelle Latham, M.Ed. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Michelle is a communications specialist with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, where she has led the outreach and stakeholder engagement support for the cross-cutting national research programs since 2019. Prior to her current position, she served as the technical communications and outreach lead for ORD’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program from 2014-2019 and as the technical communications lead for the Water Supply and Water Resources Division of ORD’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory from 2008-2014. A large portion of Michelle’s efforts at EPA focus on drinking water issues, response, and communication. She is the co-chair of the annual EPA drinking water workshop and is a member of EPA’s Response Support Corps. Michelle holds an M.Ed., a B.S. in biology, and a B.L.A. from Xavier University; an A.A.S. from Shoreline College; and a C.G. in advanced medical lab technology from the Naval School of Health Sciences.
Models and Tools Demonstrations
Table 7: Hydrant Sampler
The hydrant sampler allows for the efficient collection of samples throughout a water distribution system and provides drinking water systems an approach to assess distribution system water quality. It was designed to allow the hydrant valve to be fully open, while collecting samples in a controlled, safe manner. In addition, utilization of the hydrant sampler allows samplers to determine the appropriate flush time because the length and diameter of the hydrant service line may be easily estimated. The hydrant sampler may be constructed out of common plumbing materials that can be purchased at a local hardware store. (Hydrant Sampler)
Thomas Waters, P.E. | EPA Office of Water
Tom is an environmental engineer with EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Technical Support Branch in Cincinnati, Ohio. He works on EPA’s drinking water optimization program, providing technical assistance to primacy agencies and water systems, with a particular focus on water treatment for cyanobacteria and their associated cyanotoxins, membrane treatment, and distribution system optimization. Tom is a licensed professional engineer in Ohio with 15 years of experience in drinking water treatment and distribution.
Callie Acuff, B.S. | EPA Office of Water
Callie is a physical scientist with EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Technical Support Branch in Cincinnati, Ohio. She works on EPA’s drinking water optimization program, providing technical assistance to primacy agencies and water systems. Callie has a background in environmental engineering and as a drinking water regulator in the state of Arkansas, with her areas of focus being technical assistance relating to disinfection byproduct formation, AWOP program administration, evaluation of system CT operations, and surface water treatment plant evaluations. Callie holds a B.S. in biological engineering with a minor in sustainability from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Table 8: Chloramine Formation and Decay Simulator and Chlorine Breakpoint Curve Simulator
The Chloramine Formation and Decay Simulator and the Chlorine Breakpoint Curve Simulator can be used for simulating inorganic chloramine formation and subsequent decay in drinking water systems, including breakpoint chlorination. (Chloramine Formation and Decay Simulator, Chlorine Breakpoint Curve Simulator, journal article)
David Wahman, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Dave is a research environmental engineer with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. His research interests include disinfectant chemistry, disinfectant biofilm penetration, and distribution system water quality issues, including nitrification. He is a registered professional engineer with over 27 years of experience. Dave holds a Ph.D. in civil engineering and an M.S.E. in environmental and water resources engineering and from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in civil engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Following graduation with his Ph.D., he conducted a post-doctoral fellowship at the EPA before accepting his permanent position.
Table 9: Environmental Technologies Design Option Tool (ETDOT)
ETDOT/AdDesignS can be used for predicting treatment performance in granular activated carbon, and HSDM-IX for predicting treatment performance in ion exchange media for removing contaminants during drinking water treatment operations. (ETDOT)
Jonathan Burkhardt, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Jonathan is an environmental engineer with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division and has over ten years of experience in research associated with drinking water quality and supply topics. He is currently leading research into modeling PFAS removal using granular activated carbon and ion exchange systems and modeling water quality in premise plumbing systems and water distribution systems. Jonathan holds a Ph.D., and M.S., and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
Table 10: EPANET
EPANET is a software application used throughout the world to model water distribution systems. It was developed as a tool for understanding the movement and fate of drinking water constituents within distribution systems and can be used for many different types of applications in distribution systems analysis. This demo will showcase its capabilities with hydraulic and water quality simulations and analysis. (EPANET)
Benjamen Burkhart, M.S. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Ben has been Oak Ridge Associated Universities National Student Services Contractor with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response since 2020, where his research focuses on water age and EPANET. He provides technical support for EPANET, including responding to users' questions and producing presentations and papers to help make EPANET easier to learn and use. Prior to joining the EPA, he spent his last three co-ops at Wayne Water Systems designing and testing residential water pumps. Ben holds an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
Posters
Board 1: How Many Small Systems are in Your Area?
This poster displays the number of active small drinking water systems in the United States per state, territory, Navajo Nation, and EPA Region as of Quarter 1 of Fiscal Year 2023. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, a water system is considered small if it serves 10,000 or fewer people.
Caroline Cole, B.A. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Caroline is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities National Student Services Contractor with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development, Immediate Office of the Assistant Administrator. She is member of the team that coordinates science communications and outreach and engagement for ORD's National Research Programs and is a member of EPA’s Annual Drinking Water Workshop logistics planning committee. She also assists with other projects in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Administrator, such as serving on the Cumulative Impacts Science Committee and supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility efforts. Caroline holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a concentration in strategic communications.
Elizabeth Stanziano, B.S. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Elizabeth is a program analyst with EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Administrator. She has been member of the team that coordinates science communications and outreach and engagement for ORD's National Research Programs since 2022. Elizabeth is a member of EPA’s Annual Drinking Water Workshop logistics planning committee, serves as executive secretary for two National Science and Technology Council subcommittees, and is the lead content creator for ORD’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility training campaign. Prior to her current position, she worked as an Oak Ridge Associated Universities National Student Services Contractor in ORD’s Office of Resource Management. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in management from George Mason University.
Board 2: U.S. EPA’s Compliance Advisors for Sustainable Water Systems
EPA’s Compliance Advisors program provides hands-on, one-on-one technical assistance to operators of small drinking water systems. Advisors help systems return to compliance by providing training and technical assistance tools such as standard operating procedures, guidance, checklists, asset management tools and other products helpful to operators. Compliance advisors have helped more than 200 drinking water systems across the country so far. This poster will summarize the Compliance Advisor program, list tools developed, discuss several success stories, and present data showing its effectiveness.
John Kosco, M.S., P.E., CPESC | EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
John is an environmental engineer in the Water Branch of EPA’s Office of Compliance (OC). He has worked for the Water Branch for four years, where he leads the Compliance Advisor program, which provides technical assistance to small wastewater and drinking water systems. John is also working towards obtaining his EPA NPDES inspector credentials. Prior to joining EPA, John worked for an industry association and was a long-time consultant to EPA’s Office of Water on stormwater issues. He began his career as an EPA employee in the Office of Water working on the team that published the Stormwater Phase II Final Rule in 1999. John holds an M.S. in environmental engineering from George Washington University and a B.S. in agricultural engineering from Penn State. He is also a Professional Engineer in two states and is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).
Board 3: Drinking Water Provision in Small, Rural, and Remote Communities in Canada: Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities
For reasons ranging from aging infrastructure to limited operational capacity, small, rural, and remote communities in Canada are more likely to experience long-term and repeated boil water advisories and endure higher levels of water safety risk than larger communities. Despite these challenges, small communities and the government bodies that support them have filled the water safety gap with ground-up technical and operational solutions. This poster will present background information on these challenges and solutions and describe ongoing and future research projects at York University that aim to support small communities in their efforts to address water safety risks.
Stephanie Gora, Ph.D., P.Eng. | York University
Stephanie is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at York University in Toronto. She previously worked as a consulting engineer at CBCL Limited, one of Atlantic Canada’s leading engineering firms. Her team works with utilities, government bodies, and communities to develop sustainable solutions for drinking water safety in small, rural, and remote communities. She also supervises research projects related to UV, UV AOPs, novel water quality sensors, and artificial intelligence for water and wastewater process optimization. Stephani holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and is registered as a professional engineer in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Caroline Duncan, M.Sc. | York University
Caroline leads the Arctic research subgroup in Stephanie Gora’s research team. Her dissertation research aims to co-develop community-based solutions to persistent water challenges in Nunavut, one of Canada’s northern territories using tools such as participatory system dynamics and water safety planning. She is the recipient of multiple scholarships, including the prestigious Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholarship at York University. Caroline also works part time as a Municipal Engineering Support staff member with the Department of Community and Government Services at the Government of Nunavut, where she leads water quality sampling activities in communities across the territory and contributed to Nunavut’s new Drinking Water Strategy. Caroline is a Ph.D. candidate at York University and holds an M.Sc. from Heriot-Wyatt University and a B.S. in marine biology from the University of Aberdeen./p>
Board 4: U.S. EPA Technical Assistance Project for Treating Emerging Contaminants
This poster describes an EPA project to engage with water systems to evaluate treatment schemes for cost-effectively and sustainably removing emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. EPA will be partnering with systems that are piloting, running a full-scale temporary treatment unit, or have installed a permanent full-scale unit and with systems that are contemplating residuals treatment (e.g., reverse osmosis concentrate, GAC reactivation, ion exchange regeneration). The nature of each engagement can be tailored to the needs of the participating system, ranging from sampling support to―in limited cases―turnkey installation, operation, and sampling of pilot systems. The data generated will be shared with the participating water systems, their state primacy agencies, and consultants. The goal of the data sharing will be to help the systems better understand their treatment process, better understand their treatment options, and engage more productively with their consulting engineers. The results will also be used in the development of nationally available tools for treatment choice, optimization, and costing purposes. Finally, the results will be used to generate informational resources for disseminating best practices to states, tribes, territories, and communities. This technical assistance project is being conducted by EPA’s Office of Research and Development in support of the Agency’s administration and implementation of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.
Nicholas Dugan, P.E. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Nick is an environmental engineer with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division. He has over 25 years of experience conducting bench- and pilot-scale and field research in the removal of microbial and chemical contaminants from drinking water, including Cryptosporidium, cyanobacteria, cyanobacterial toxins, nitrate, perchlorate, and PFAS. Nick holds degrees in economics and civil and environmental engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in Ohio.
Board 5: Development of a GC-MS/MS Method for Semi-Volatile PFAS Precursors
This poster presents EPA research to optimize GC-MS/MS targeted analysis of 19 semi-volatile PFAS precursors: fluorotelomer alcohols, acrylates, and methacrylates; develop liquid-liquid microextraction procedure for precursors in aqueous samples; and demonstrate method performance in non-potable aqueous matrices: wastewater, landfill leachate, groundwater, and surface water.
Jean Van Buren, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Jean is a physical scientist with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response where she studies PFAS and emerging contaminants in environmental media with a focus on non-targeted analysis, analytical method development, and contaminant treatment and fate. Jean holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley where she studied oxidative water treatment of organic contaminants. She then focused on potable water reuse as a University of Southern California postdoc and then PFAS as an ORISE postdoc before joining the EPA in 2022.
Board 6: U.S. EPA Technical Assistance Project for Lead Service Line Identification
This poster provides an overview of a five-year lead service line identification project, accomplishments to date and a description of on-going research and technical assistance activities.
Page Jordan, M.En. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Page is a physical scientist with EPA's Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since joining the Agency in 2020, Page has contributed to a wide variety of water quality topics, including drinking water treatment efficacies for emerging contaminants, treatment optimization for small systems, stormwater management from green infrastructure placement and performance evaluation, and lead service line identification approaches cost and accuracy tool development. She also manages EPA’s Drinking Water Treatability Database. Prior to her federal position, Page was an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) participant with ORD and focused on Superfund site characterization and solid waste management, and she also and taught geology at Miami Middletown for two years. Page holds an M.En. in environmental science with a focus on water resource management and a B.A. in environmental science, geography, and sustainability and from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Board 7: The Effect of Temperature on Lead Particle Properties and Solubility
This poster discusses the effect of temperature on the properties of lead particles, including solubility. Select background information regarding observed seasonal impacts on lead levels during field drinking water sampling events will be presented. Data collected from bench-scale studies designed to systematically evaluate the impact of temperature and other water quality parameters on lead properties will be presented. Specifically, lead particle size, shape, mineralogy, and solubility will be discussed. Lastly, next study steps will be described.
Alexander Paul, B.S. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Alexander is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities research participant with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. His research focuses on lead particles and studying how different water chemistry and conditions affects size, properties, and filterability. In addition to research his research projects, he assists in analyzing water samples and provides technical assistance for communities and his mentor, along with creating maps on ArcGIS for spatial analysis. Alexander holds a B.S. in environmental and ecological engineering with a minor in environmental policy from Purdue University.
Board 8: Impact of Tap Flushing Times on Lead Concentrations in Drinking Water
This poster will present data from a review of several studies that used tap flushing to reduce lead concentrations in water. Findings will be contrasted with a comparative analysis of publicly available state guidance on flushing times for lead reduction.
Evan Crockett, B.S. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Evan is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities participant with U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental and Emergency Response, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His research covers the interactions of lead with iron corrosion scale and pipe systems. Evan holds a B.S in chemistry and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Ohio University.
Board 9: Test Methodologies for Assessing the Impact of Water Quality Changes on Corrosion and Corrosion Control Treatment Strategies
This poster provides an overview of approaches used to evaluate corrosion control. A brief description of traditional corrosion control assessment tools, including flow -through pipe loops, recirculating pipe loops, coupon studies, and others will be provided. Lastly, a new conceptual design for a recirculating flow-through pipe loop approach that offers several potential advantages over other methods will be discussed.
Rachel LaDue, B.S. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Rachel is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities research participant with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio under the mentorship of Darren Lytle in the Drinking Water Quality Branch. She has worked at EPA since 2022, where she conducts corrosion control research in both lead and copper, including pipe loop studies and the aging of corrosion materials. Rachel holds a B.S. in environmental engineering from Cornell University.
Board 10: Phosphate Usage Trends in the U.S.: Data Mining SDWIS
The Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) contains information about nearly 50,000 community water systems across the United States. However, this database requires categorization and analysis. This poster discusses trends observed in SDWIS to illustrate how frequently different types of systems use different types of phosphate chemicals.
Matthew Pinelli, B.S. | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (Contractor to EPA-Office of Research and Development)
Matthew is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities participant with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. His research primarily involves particulate and soluble lead behavior, often associated with filtration effectiveness. His other work includes organizing and analyzing field data, maintaining EPA’s home plumbing system and associated database, and 3D printing experimental apparatus and patent models. Matthew holds a B.S. in chemical engineering with a minor in chemistry from the University of Toledo.
Board 11: EPA's Drinking Water Treatment and Infrastructure Research and Technical Support
This poster provides an overview of drinking water treatment and infrastructure research being done within EPA’s Office of Research and Development to fill knowledge gaps related to the Lead and Copper Rule; measurement, characterization, treatment, and removal of known pathogens and chemicals (including DBPs, PFAS, and lead); and identification of emerging contaminants likely to occur. Research is addressing management of distribution systems, including disinfection, monitoring, and operation of storage tanks. Improving the resilience and sustainability of infrastructure to natural disasters and climate change is a priority, including methods to assess pipe conditions, map infrastructure, and make repairs. Emphasis is being placed on providing actionable and affordable solutions for rural and urban low-income communities. Technical support activities apply research results, models, tools, and technical expertise to build capacity in communities with critical needs and includes training and outreach activities, site-specific and other technical and administrative support.
Hale Thurston, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Hale is an economist and assistant center director for EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati, Ohio. He’s done research on nonmarket valuation of natural resources and the use of water quality trading markets to reduce nutrient loading, and currently coordinates the drinking water, stormwater, and technical assistance research areas for ORD. Hale holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of New Mexico, an M.A in international affairs from Ohio University, and a B.A. in English literature from Bates College.
Joe Williams, M.S. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Joe is the principal associate national program director for EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) National Research Program. He has been in this role since July 2014, providing support to National Program Director Suzanne van Drunick, in the management and direction of the SSWR broad program topics of watersheds, nutrients and HABs, and water treatment and infrastructure. Joe holds an M.S. in soil science with a concentration on soil physics from Oklahoma State University and a B.S. in natural resource management/soil and water conservation from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in these presentations are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Any mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute EPA endorsement or recommendation for use.