Taste and Odor Control
The Three Rivers Water Filtration Plant uses Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) for taste and odor control. Instead of waiting until the water coming into the Plant shows a potential for a taste and odor problem, chemical feed operators at the Plant begin increasing the amount of PAC used in the treatment process as soon as weather conditions indicate that a taste and odor problem could occur. Tastes and odors in the water are caused by organic material in the river and tend to be worse in the spring, fall and during run-off events after heavy rains. By increasing the dose of PAC at the beginning of a thaw or major storm, Plant operators have been able to significantly reduce the number of taste and odor complaints received.