2007 Ground Water Summit

Monday, April 30, 2007 : 10:30 a.m.

Arsenic Treatment at Nellis Air Force Base

Dennis Bitter, Sami Abdalla and John Roe, Severn Trent Services

In December 2005, the Nellis Air Force Base started up two adsorption systems using Granular Ferric Oxide Media. The system for Man Camp was 550 gpm with arsenic concentrations around 45 ppb and a pH of 8.3 and the system for Industrial Site was 450 gpm with arsenic concentrations around 31ppb with a pH of 8.4.
The Nellis AFB needed to comply with the arsenic regulation promulgated in January 22, 2001 with a compliance date of January 23, 2006 that lowered the arsenic concentration from 50 ppb down to 10ppb. The arsenic in the water was in two valence states As(III) and As(V) with an elevated pH around 8.3. NAFB considered both qualitative drivers and life cycle cost analysis. Of the qualitative drivers, ease of use was highly rated. The systems are located on wells in remote locations of the base. The system needed to operate independently with minimal labor for maintenance, calibration, monitoring and over site management.
Technologies considered were adsorption, IX, Coagulation/Filtration, membrane. IX, C/F and Membrane were high cost options and considered challenging for remote locations. Adsorption with Granular Iron Media’s offered the best practical solution.
The construction and installation schedule was 6 months from award. The presentation will review construction consideration and costs. Start-up was in December 2005. To date, the system is operating very well and the paper will conclude with results from the first months of operations.

Dennis Bitter, Severn Trent Services Dennis J. Bitter – North American Sales / Business Manager - Severn Trent Services Experience that expands over 23 years in the fields of water, wastewater and manufacturing within the markets of food processing, petroleum, chemical manufacturing, environmental and municipal. Currently, Bitter is the North American Sales Manager for Severn Trent Services Bayoxide E33 Program for arsenic removal technology. Experience in the Water /Wastewater industry includes working for Calgon Carbon Corporation, USFilter/Westates, Chemical Waste Management and Nalco Chemical. AFFILIATIONS Mentor FSEA – Future Scientists and Engineers in America; American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) American Water Works Association (AWWA) NGWA


The 2007 Ground Water Summit