AWWA WQTC58984

The South Tahoe Public Utility District (District) located at the southern tip of Lake Tahoe, California provides water to approximately 13,000 commercial and residential customers, serving a base population of 28,000, which can swell to over 150,000 during the peak tourist seasons. This paper presents the sequence of events that took place prior to the recent $69 million settlement with several oil companies and distributors held responsible for the contamination of 14 of 35 of the District's groundwater wells. The paper begins by giving background information on methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) use and contamination impacts, and lists three separate pilot tests performed on their advanced oxidation process that included: field evaluation of HiPOx£ Advanced Oxidation Technology for MTBE destruction on the Tata Lane Well, April 2000; field evaluation of HiPOx£ Advanced Oxidation Technology for MTBE destruction at Arrowhead Well No. 3, August 2000; and, HiPOx£ Technology Field Evaluation of spiked water from Tata Lane Well, February 2001. The paper describes the HiPOx£ process and discusses conclusions from these tests, and presents a case study of the full-scale treatment at Arrowhead Well No. 3 that includes: permitting and special design requirements; bidding and construction issues; operation and maintenance; pilot testing using granular activated carbon; and, litigation relative to MTBE contamination. Includes tables, figure.