Phosphate treatment to reduce plumbosolvency of drinking water also reduces discharges of copper into environmental surface waters

  1. Sean Comber1,
  2. Franck Cassé1,
  3. Bruce Brown2,
  4. John Martin3,
  5. Peter Hillis4,
  6. Mike Gardner1

Article first published online: 28 FEB 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2010.00219.x

Issue

Water and Environment Journal

Water and Environment Journal

Volume 25, Issue 2, pages 266–270, June 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Comber, S., Cassé, F., Brown, B., Martin, J., Hillis, P. and Gardner, M. (2011), Phosphate treatment to reduce plumbosolvency of drinking water also reduces discharges of copper into environmental surface waters. Water and Environment Journal, 25: 266–270. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2010.00219.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Atkins Limited, Almondsbury, Bristol, UK

  2. 2

    Environment Agency, Howbery Business Park, Wallingford, UK

  3. 3

    Severn Trent Water, Sheldon, Birmingham, UK

  4. 4

    United Utilities, Great Sankey, Warrington, UK

*Correspondence Mike Gardner, Atkins Limited, 500 Park Avenue, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4RZ, UK. Email: michael.gardner@atkinsglobal.com

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 FEB 2010
  2. Article first published online: 28 FEB 2010

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Keywords:

  • copper;
  • cuprosolvency;
  • sewage effluent;
  • Water Framework Directive

Abstract

The majority of drinking water supply zones in the United Kingdom are currently dosed with phosphate in order to meet the drinking water quality standards for lead. Consequent reductions in other metals released from domestic plumbing might be expected. Lead, copper, zinc and nickel concentrations in the tap water of supply zones and in effluents from related sewage works were examined to assess reductions in the concentrations of these metals associated with the dosing of orthophosphate. This paper provides an analysis of the impact of phosphate dosing of drinking water on the metal concentrations in drinking water and sewage work effluents and the potential impacts in relation to the Water Framework Directive. Phosphate treatment the reduced average copper concentrations in drinking water by around 40% from 65 to 35 μg/L; the reduction is proportional to the phosphate dose. A corresponding 30% decrease in wastewater treatment work effluent concentrations is observed. No significant changes are evident in the zinc and nickel concentrations.

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