USING SURROGATES TO IMPROVE PLANT PERFORMANCE

This article presents the results of a study designed to evaluate the use of pathogen surrogates as a tool in treatment optimization and to predict pathogen occurence. A comprehensive matrix was developed to relate water quality and process variables for 24 potable water sources and 12 possible surrogates to the target pathogens of giardia, cryptosporidium and enteric viruses. Aerobic spores and particle counts could be used as surrogate measures to evaluate or improve treatment plant performance.