Water reuse in urban areas — Guidelines for water reuse safety evaluation — Stability evaluation of reclaimed water

This document provides parameters and methods for water quality stability evaluation of reclaimed water. This document can be used in various stages of water reclamation projects including storage, transportation, application and post-assessment. This document considers the needs and utilization of reclaimed water and is applicable to the evaluation and management of water quality stability of reclaimed water from municipal wastewater sources, including chemical stability and biological stability.

Recyclage des eaux dans les zones urbaines — Lignes directrices concernant l'évaluation de la sécurité du recyclage de l'eau — Évaluation de la stabilité de l'eau réutilisée

General Information

Status
Published
Publication Date
25-Jul-2022
Current Stage
6060 - International Standard published
Start Date
26-Jul-2022
Due Date
28-Oct-2022
Completion Date
26-Jul-2022
Ref Project
Standard
ISO 24416:2022 - Water reuse in urban areas — Guidelines for water reuse safety evaluation — Stability evaluation of reclaimed water Released:26. 07. 2022
English language
34 pages
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Standards Content (Sample)


INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 24416
First edition
2022-07
Water reuse in urban areas —
Guidelines for water reuse safety
evaluation — Stability evaluation of
reclaimed water
Recyclage des eaux dans les zones urbaines — Lignes directrices
concernant l'évaluation de la sécurité du recyclage de l'eau —
Évaluation de la stabilité de l'eau réutilisée
Reference number
© ISO 2022
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 2
5 Water quality stability .3
5.1 General . 3
5.2 E valuation principles of water quality stability . 6
6 E valuation system of water quality stability . 7
7 E valuation parameters of water quality stability . 8
7.1 General . 8
7.2 Single parameters . 8
7.3 Composite parameters . 11
7.3.1 General . 11
7.3.2 Langelier saturation index (LSI) .12
7.3.3 Ryznar stability index (RSI) . .12
7.3.4 Calcium carbonate precipitation potential (CCPP) .13
7.3.5 Aggressive index (AI) .13
7.3.6 Larson corrosion index (LR) . 13
7.3.7 Riddick corrosion index (RI) . 14
7.4 Selection principles of evaluation parameters . 15
7.5 Case study of evaluation parameters selection . 16
8 E valuation parameters of water quality stability for pipeline networks .17
9 E valuation parameters of water quality stability for equipment.17
Annex A (informative) Information on corrosion types .19
Annex B (informative) Chemical stability guidelines for water quality in urban water
supply systems of some countries .20
Annex C (informative) Guidelines for water conditioning of boiler water in Japan .21
Annex D (informative) Reuse of urban recycling water — Water quality standard for
industrial use in China .22
Annex E (informative) Water quality parameter limits of reclaimed water depending on
specific use .24
Annex F (informative) Modification methods based on the original AOC method.25
Annex G (informative) Biological stability guideline values for AOC .26
Annex H (informative) Comparison of measurement methods for evaluation parameters of
biological stability . .27
Annex I (informative) Chemical stability evaluation conclusions for different composite
parameters .28
Annex J (informative) Guideline values of reclaimed water used in toilet flushing .29
Annex K (informative) Guideline values of reclaimed water used for recreational purposes .30
Bibliography .31
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
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on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
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For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/
iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 282, Water reuse, Subcommittee SC 2,
Water reuse in urban areas.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
With economic development and population growth, the demand for water resources is steadily
increasing. Combined with the exploitation and utilization of water, numerous countries and regions
have faced water shortages to different degrees. Increasing efforts has been made to solve the water
crisis.
Water reuse has been recognized as a low-cost and effective means to alleviate water resource
shortages. Wastewater usually contains a variety of pathogens, chemical pollutants and nutrients.
Traditional water treatment cannot remove all pollutants. During the long-term utilization of reclaimed
water, residual pollutants will affect human health (e.g. potential health risks to the public and workers
handling the reclaimed water), ecological environment (e.g. pollution of receiving water, soil) and
production safety (e.g. harmful effects on equipment operation such as corrosion, scaling and fouling).
Therefore, water quality stability is a prerequisite to ensure water reuse. It is necessary to monitor
and manage the quality of reclaimed water to ensure a safe supply. Chemical stability and biological
stability are crucial aspects of water quality stability. Water quality instability usually leads to frequent
occurrences of corrosion, scaling and fouling, bacterial regrowth, increasing energy consumption and
reduced service life of relevant equipment.
There are limited guidelines or regulations specifically regarding water quality stability for urban
purposes of reclaimed water at a global level. For different types of reclaimed water applications, the
selection of stability evaluation parameters remains controversial. Stability evaluation and management
of water quality are important to ensure safe utilization of reclaimed water. It is necessary to establish
a standard for comprehensively evaluating the stability of reclaimed water.
This document aims to provide guidance on water quality stability of reclaimed water and provide
stability parameters and methods based on different needs and utilization of reclaimed water. This
document includes:
— standard terms and definitions;
— evaluation principles of water quality stability for reclaimed water;
— evaluation parameters of water quality stability for reclaimed water;
— the selection of stability evaluation parameters for pipeline networks and equipment related to
reclaimed water;
— evaluation methods of water quality stability for reclaimed water.
Critical values of evaluation parameters for water quality stability are out of the scope of this document.
The ranges of different evaluation parameters are provided for reference. The water stability control
or management involving the reclamation treatment and/or the distribution system management (e.g.
residual disinfectant) are also out of the scope of this document.
This document provides guidance on storage, transportation and application of reclaimed water. The
beneficial aspects are reduction of energy consumption, expansion of service life of equipment and
reduction of operation costs.
v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 24416:2022(E)
Water reuse in urban areas — Guidelines for water reuse
safety evaluation — Stability evaluation of reclaimed water
1 Scope
This document provides parameters and methods for water quality stability evaluation of reclaimed
water. This document can be used in various stages of water reclamation projects including storage,
transportation, application and post-assessment.
This document considers the needs and utilization of reclaimed water and is applicable to the evaluation
and management of water quality stability of reclaimed water from municipal wastewater sources,
including chemical stability and biological stability.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 20670, Water reuse — Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 20670 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
assimilable organic carbon
AOC
organic carbon which can be used by microorganisms for assimilation
[SOURCE: ISO 23070:2020, 3.1]
3.2
corrosion
physicochemical interaction between a metallic material and its environment that results in changes in
the properties of the metal and that can lead to significant impairment of the function of the metal, the
environment or the technical system, of which these form a part
[SOURCE: ISO 8044:2020, 3.1, modified — Note 1 to entry removed.]
3.3
critical value
boundaries of acceptable values for evaluation parameters when water quality is stable
3.4
fouling
precipitation of suspended solids, including living organisms (biofouling) and chemical substances
(inorganic or organic)
3.5
microbiologically influenced corrosion
MIC
corrosion (3.2) influenced by the action of microorganisms
[SOURCE: ISO 8044:2020, 4.37, modified — Note 1 to entry removed.]
3.6
scaling
crystalline scales caused by the oversaturation of chemical substances on metallic or non-metallic
surfaces
4 Abbreviated terms
AI aggressive index
AOC assimilable organic carbon
ATP adenosine triphosphate
BDOC biodegradable dissolved organic carbon
BFR biofilm formation rate
BGP bacterial growth potential
CCPP calcium carbonate precipitation potential
COD chemical oxygen demand (dichromate method)
Cr
DO dissolved oxygen
DBP disinfection by-product
ILR improved Larson corrosion index
LR Larson corrosion index
LSI Langelier saturation index
MAP microbially available phosphorus
MIC microbiologically influenced corrosion
MPN most probable number
RI Riddick corrosion index
RSI Ryznar stability index
TDS total dissolved solids
TN total nitrogen
TP total phosphorus
TSS total suspended solids
5 Water quality stability
5.1 General
Water quality stability is the premise of reclaimed water use. The recommended parameters for water
reuse safety in ISO 20761 include routine physical and chemical parameters, aesthetic parameters,
[1]
microbial parameters, stability parameters and toxic and harmful chemicals. Among stability
parameters, chemical stability and biological stability are important aspects.
Chemical stability includes corrosion, scaling and fouling. Corrosion can be classified into many types,
such as electrochemical corrosion, chemical corrosion, localized corrosion, pitting corrosion and layer
corrosion. Detailed information is given in Annex A. Table 1 lists factors influencing the likelihood
of corrosion. The main influencing factors include characteristics of equipment and pipelines,
characteristics of the reclaimed water and operating conditions. Reclaimed water can be used in many
fields for urban areas, such as industrial use, artificial landscape amenity, municipal non-potable
use and groundwater recharge. Related equipment includes boilers and heat exchangers, irrigation
equipment, air conditioning and toilet flushing devices. Related pipelines include steel and galvanized
steel pipelines, concrete and cement pipelines, cement-mortar-lined metal pipelines, plastic pipelines,
cast-iron and ductile-cast-iron pipelines and non-ferrous metal pipelines. Operating conditions include
temperature, flow conditions and pressure conditions. Scaling is mainly dependent on two situations.
One is the decrease in the solubility of ionic components, which lead to crystals precipitation when
thermodynamic conditions change. The other is precipitation formed by reactions between different
ionic components. Fouling is mainly caused by the precipitation of suspended chemicals. The
extent of fouling is affected by hydraulic conditions, the roughness of the contact surfaces and the
concentration, size and type of suspended chemicals.
Table 1 — Factors influencing the likelihood of corrosion
Characteristics of equipment
Characteristics of the water Operating conditions
and pipelines
— Chemical composition — Physico-chemical composition — Temperature
— Surface conditions — Colloidal and particulate matter — Flow conditions, such as flow
velocity, turbulence or laminar
— Design and construction — Living organisms
flow, continuous or intermittent
pattern
— Pressure conditions
Besides chemical stability, considering the possibility of opportunistic bacterial regrowth in reclaimed
water, biological stability is also an important aspect of water quality stability. Biological stability
includes MIC and biofouling. MIC is due to microbial activity involving bacteria, archaea and fungi.
Within bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, sulfur-oxidising bacteria, iron-oxidising or reducing
bacteria, acid-producing bacteria and bacteria that excrete extra-cellular polymeric substances
significantly affect corrosion. Among these, some microbes can coexist and their cooperative
metabolisms can lead to increasing corrosion rates. Microbes can directly cause MIC by producing acids
and they can accelerate the corrosion of pre-existing agents such as O and CO by damaging mineral
2 2
passivation films on metal surfaces. Moreover, the major mechanisms of MIC include fixing anodic sites,
formation of differential aeration or chemical concentration cells and cathodic depolarisation. MIC can
cause corrosion to various materials such as carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloy, magnesium,
[2]
zinc and concrete. Biofouling is caused by the excessive growth of biofilm. Biofilm is the aggregate
of microbial cells formed by microorganisms developing layers of polymer-like materials, called
extra-cellular polymeric substances, and attached at a surface-liquid interface. Microbial adhesion to
surfaces is governed by surface-charge, -free energy and -roughness. Electrostatic, hydrophobic and
chemical forces can cause microbial attachment to surfaces. Due to extra-cellular enzymes in the
biofilm, microorganisms can utilize complex organic substrates, such as humic acids that are not easily
biodegradable by microorganisms in bulk water, which enables the growth of different microorganisms
present in bulk water. Biofilm can also protect microorganisms from disinfectants and toxins in the
surrounding environment. The formation of biofilm is dependent on various environmental conditions,
such as salinity, temperature, conductivity, pH, DO level, BDOC and AOC content and hydrodynamic
conditions. In addition, it is not recommended that caustics are used to reduce biofilm formation in
pipeline networks, because some bacteria from biofilm can survive under unfavourable conditions
(higher pH values).
Water quality stability is affected by many factors, including physical, chemical and biological factors.
Examples of related influencing factors on water quality stability are shown in Table 2 and Table 3.
Table 2 — Examples of related influencing factors on chemical stability
Influencing factors Notes of significance
Calcium and magnesium ions determine water hardness.
Calcium and magnesium Low hardness is beneficial for passivation film formation on the inner wall of pipeline
ions networks, which can prevent further corrosion.
High hardness can lead to scale formation.
High concentration of chloride can increase conductivity of water, accelerate migration
Chloride rate of ions and electrons in the water and accelerate corrosion. More specifically, high
concentration of chloride can cause pitting corrosion, especially for stainless steel.
High concentration of sulfate can increase conductivity of water, accelerate migration
rate of ions and electrons in the water and accelerate corrosion.
Sulfate
Sulfate can easily cause scale formation when calcium ions exist.
Nitrate can greatly accelerate the general corrosion of iron in acidic solutions but has
Nitrate
[3]
slight influence on the general corrosion in neutral solutions.
When DO acts on the inner wall of pipeline networks, it can accelerate corrosion.
DO
When DO acts on the surface of formed corrosion products, it can promote passivation
films formation and prevent further corrosion.
Carbon dioxide High contents of carbon dioxide can decrease pH value and corrode metals.
Silicon dioxide Excessive silicon dioxide can form hard scales, especially for heat exchangers.
Iron can form red iron hydroxide precipitation, causing scale formation.
Iron
Water containing iron bicarbonate can also cause corrosion.
The increase of pH within specific limits (pH 7,5 to pH 9,5) can reduce the release of
pH iron. Higher pH can increase the oxidation rate of Fe(II) and formed Fe(III) can inten-
sify the physical structure of tubercles, thus inhibiting the release of internal iron.
TSS are easily disturbed by water flow and can acceleratively scour off corrosion
surface layer, thus aggravating erosion of water flow on the inner wall of pipelines.
TSS
Suspended solids are nuclei of salt crystals. Excessive suspended solids will also
promote the formation of scales.
Table 3 — Examples of related influencing factors on biological stability
Influencing factors Notes of significance
AOC can provide carbon and energy for heterotrophic bacteria and is generally con-
AOC
sidered a major limiting factor for the growth of heterotrophic bacteria.
BDOC is considered as the hydrolysable pool of carbon available for bacterial growth
and biofilm formation in the distribution system. The BDOC can be used to evaluate
BDOC
the reduction in chlorine demand or disinfection by-product (DBP) formation potential
through a biological process.
Due to bacterial elemental composition (e.g. molar ratio C:N:P is 100:20:1,7), nitrogen is
also required for heterotrophic growth, though in considerably smaller amounts than
organic carbon. The lack of nitrogen will limit the growth of heterotrophic bacteria.
Ammonia can be oxidized to nitrous acid by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, which
Nitrogen simultaneously leads to pH decrease. Under low pH value, pipelines of carbon steel,
copper, aluminium and other metals are prone to corrode.
Nitrate-reducing bacteria can utilize nitrate and generate nitrogen gas which is not
corrosive, which prevents corrosion through competition with sulfate reduction by
sulfate-reducing bacteria.
Phosphorus is an important limiting factor for bacterial growth, among which phosphate
can provide nutrient source for bacteria. Compared with carbon content, phosphorus
Phosphorus
content required by bacteria is lower. The content of phosphorus in the effluent water
depends on the removal efficiency of the treatment process.
Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria can oxidize elemental sulfur and sulfide, and produce sulfate
and corrosive sulfuric acid, which can increase acidity, hydrogen penetration and
Inorganic
corrosion rates. The presence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria can promote the growth
of sulfate-reducing bacteria by producing the products necessary for their growth
nutrients
[4]
(e.g. sulfate).
Sulfur
Sulfate-reducing bacteria can use the oxygen component of sulfate for respiration
and generate hydrogen sulfide in the absence of DO or in biofilm. The sulfide will
come out of solution at various pH ranges and then convert to sulfuric acid by sul-
fur-oxidizing bacteria, which will easily lead to corrosion in concrete sewers. Just
like sulfate-reducing bacteria, thermophilic sulfate-reducing archaea can also cause
corrosion in a similar way.
Iron-oxidizing bacteria can oxidize divalent iron Fe(II) to trivalent ion Fe(III) by using
DO and produce large amounts of iron oxide precipitates, which can alter the acidity
and promote corrosion. In biofilm, aerobic or facultative iron-oxidizing bacteria can
provide an oxygen-free local environment for sulfate-reducing bacteria growth, which
Iron [4]
can lead to more severe corrosion.
Iron-reducing bacteria can promote corrosion by altering minerals adhering to al-
loyed steel, removing passivating layers and increasing the concentration of Fe(II)
[4]
and ferrous sulfide formed by mixed communities.
The absence of DO can provide suitable conditions for anaerobic bacteria growth,
such as sulfate-reducing bacteria and iron-reducing bacteria.
Low DO levels can provide suitable conditions for facultative bacteria growth, such
as nitrate-reducing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria.
High DO levels can provide suitable conditions for aerobic bacteria growth, such as
DO
ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and iron-oxidizing bacteria.
High pressure and low temperature can increase DO solubility in water and prevent
anaerobic conditions in pipelines; high temperature can decrease DO levels.
The metabolism of microorganisms in biofilm can lead to concentration gradients of
DO and affect microbial community compositions.
Table 3 (continued)
Influencing factors Notes of significance
AOC can provide carbon and energy for heterotrophic bacteria and is generally con-
AOC
sidered a major limiting factor for the growth of heterotrophic bacteria.
BDOC is considered as the hydrolysable pool of carbon available for bacterial growth
and biofilm formation in the distribution system. The BDOC can be used to evaluate
BDOC
the reduction in chlorine demand or disinfection by-product (DBP) formation potential
through a biological process.
Increasing temperature can promote bacterial growth.
Temperature
Temperature can also affect bacterial community composition by providing compet-
itive advantages to specific bacterial species in specified temperature ranges.
Low flow can lead to low flow velocities and long retention time, providing favourable
Hydraulic
conditions for bacterial growth.
Operating conditions
High flow can lead to increasing biofilm detachment and bacterial dispersal.
conditions
Operating modes of sewers include gravity modes and pressure modes.
Under gravity modes, DO level in sewers is high and dominant microorganisms are
Pressure aerobic and facultative bacteria.
Under pressure modes, sewers are in anaerobic conditions and dominant microor-
ganisms are anaerobic bacteria.
Dissolved nutrients, extra-cellular polymeric substances, organic and inorganic nu-
Disinfectants trients adsorbed on biofilm can react with disinfectants, resulting in consumption
of disinfectants and promoting bacterial regrowth.
The composition of pipeline materials can affect biofilm development, including growth
rates, bacterial densities and community compositions.
The corrosion of pipes can lead to release of particles and the formation of rough sinks
Pipeline materials
on the pipe surfaces, on which organic and inorganic compounds and bacteria can be
adsorbed, and which also protect bacteria from disinfectant residuals. The corrosion
of iron pipes is easier than that of plastic pipes as higher bacterial abundance is found
on iron pipes than on plastic pipes.
5.2 E valuation principles of water quality stability
The evaluation of water quality stability should consider the utilization of reclaimed water. Accordingly,
evaluation parameters for water quality stability of reclaimed water should be selected based on
equipment materials. Evaluation processes should follow the principles of accuracy, comprehensiveness
and independence (listed in Table 4).
Table 4 — Evaluation principles of water quality stability of reclaimed water
Principle Notes
Accurate and objective parameters should be recommended according to
Accuracy
utilization, equipment materials and characteristics of reclaimed water.
An appropriate number of evaluation parameters should be selected.
The evaluation with multiple parameters is beneficial for accuracy of
Comprehensiveness
results. Excessive selection of parameters should be avoided due to the
complexity and cost of the evaluation process.
Independent parameters should be selected. If several parameters
Independence
describe similar characteristics, one of them should be recommended.
6 E valuation system of water quality stability
The evaluation of water quality stability can be performed according to the framework depicted in
Figure 1. The following points show considerations for establishing a framework for water quality
stability evaluation of reclaimed water.
a) Reclaimed water use is a complex process. The evaluation of water quality stability should be based
on the specific reuse conditions. Reuse conditions can vary based on applications, equipment and
component materials and operating conditions. For example, when characteristics of reclaimed
water change, different ionic components can react and form scales. The changes of thermodynamic
conditions can lead to reclaimed water instability (e.g. temperature decrease can reduce the
solubility of ionic components, thus leading to scaling; increasing temperature can promote
bacterial growth). Besides, the extent of fouling is affected by, for example, hydraulic conditions
and roughness of the contact surfaces. Water quality stability parameters for reclaimed water are
respectively proposed according to chemical stability and biological stability. It is also necessary to
supplement or omit some parameters according to the actual situation of different regions. Every
parameter has its own characteristics, scopes and limits, and will be discussed in detail in Clause 7.
Annex B describes chemical stability evaluation parameters in urban water supply systems of some
countries. Annex C and D describe evaluation parameters in water quality standards for boiler
water and industrial water, respectively.
b) The tendency of water quality stability for reclaimed water can be evaluated by comparing the
determined or calculated values of selected parameters with critical values. The critical values
determination usually needs to consider many factors, including social and economic levels and
comprehensive utilization benefits of water reuse. It is recommended that generally accepted values
are selected as critical values. Moreover, critical values need to be updated with the development of
technology.
c) Stability evaluation results for reclaimed water include corrosion, scale formation (including
scaling and fouling) and relatively stable. They can be divided into five grades: severe corrosion,
slight corrosion, relatively stable, slight scaling or fouling and severe scaling or fouling. Evaluation
results should be accurate and comprehensive. The contingency and uncertainty in the evaluation
process should be minimized or avoided if possible. Final stability evaluation conclusions for
reclaimed water should be drawn based on evaluation results. Suggestions and improvement
measures should be proposed.
The framework includes five steps (Figure 1). Specifically, the first step is to determine equipment and
pipe materials and to collect given parameters of water quality characteristics for reclaimed water and
operating conditions of a specific application. The second step is to select corresponding parameters
based on the available information. The third step is to measure or calculate parameters for stability
evaluation of reclaimed water. The fourth step is to compare calculated values with critical values. The
last step is to analyse evaluation results and draw a conclusion.
Figure 1 — Framework of water quality stability evaluation
7 E valuation parameters of water quality stability
7.1 General
There are two kinds of stability parameters: single parameters and composite parameters. Single
parameters such as pH, hardness and alkalinity are common parameters in water quality standards. The
data of single parameters are easy to obtain. The data of composite parameters are usually calculated
from single parameters. Calculation formulas of most composite parameters also consider multiple
influencing factors, which is beneficial for comprehensively evaluating water quality stability. Those
parameters with independent and complementary information should be selected to characterize the
water quality stability.
7.2 Single parameters
A set of single parameters for stability evaluation of reclaimed water are proposed in Table 5. The
selection of evaluation parameters depends on water characteristics, characteristics of equipment and
pipelines and operating conditions.
Table 5 — Single parameters for stability evaluation of reclaimed water
Single Determination
Units Notes of significance
parameters method
The changes of pH can break many dynamic equilibrium reactions
pH – ISO 3696
and affect ion concentration related to water quality stability.
High hardness can easily lead to scale formation; low hardness
can easily lead to corrosion.
mg/l cal-
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an appropri-
Total hard-
culated as ISO 6059
ate range of hardness in its Guidelines for drinking-water quality. If
ness
CaCO
3 hardness is less than 100 mg CaCO /l or exceeds 200 mg CaCO /l,
3 3
corrosion or scaling will respectively occur in the pipelines of
[7]
drinking water.
Taking iron pipeline as an example, increasing alkalinity can
promote the formation of ferrous carbonate (FeCO ), which is an
intermediate corrosion product. Ferrous intermediate can then
mg/l cal-
be oxidized to stable trivalent iron oxide (e.g. Fe O , FeOOH).
Total alka- 3 4
culated as ISO 9963-1
These products deposit on the pipelines and form passivation
linity
CaCO
films, which can prevent further corrosion.
Changes of alkalinity can lead to changes of pH, which can affect
the growth of certain types of bacteria.
When DO acts on the surface of the inner wall of metal pipelines,
corrosion can be accelerated.
When DO acts on the surface of formed corrosion products, it can
accelerate the formation of passivation films, which can delay or
prevent further corrosion.
High DO levels can provide suitable conditions for aerobic bacteria
growth, so that sulfates are not degraded by anaerobic sulfate-re-
ducing bacteria generating corrosion and odours.
ISO 5814 and
DO mg/l
Low DO levels can provide suitable conditions for facultative
ISO 17289
bacteria growth, such as nitrate-reducing bacteria.
The absence of DO can provide suitable conditions for anaerobic
bacteria growth, such as sulfate-reducing bacteria and iron-re-
ducing bacteria.
DO levels can affect the structure of biofilms. Under aerobic
conditions, biofilms can show a hollow and seeding dispersal
structure. Under anaerobic conditions, biofilm can show a round
[11]
and densely-packed structure.
NOTE 1 Annex E lists some limits of pH, DO and TSS for different purposes of reclaimed water.
NOTE 2 Annex F lists some modified measurement methods based on the original AOC method.
NOTE 3 Annex G describes the biological stability guideline values for AOC.
NOTE 4 Annex H compares measurement methods for evaluation parameters of biological stability.
NOTE 5 In ISO 20468-1, the monitoring parameters for non-potable water reuse projects can include biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), turbidity or TSS, E. coli and chlorine residual.
Key
CFU  colony-forming unit
NTU  nephelometric turbidity unit
Table 5 (continued)
Single Determination
Units Notes of significance
parameters method
Among TDS, chloride has the highest influence on the corrosion of
[12]
the carbon steel, followed by sulfate, nitrate and ammonium.
High concentration of sulfate and chloride ions will increase
conductivity of water, accelerate the migration rate of ions and
electrons and promote corrosion; release of irons (sulfate and
chloride ions) can promote the release of aluminium and manga-
TDS mg/l ISO 7888 nese ions, but have little effect on the release of copper, chromium,
[14]
zinc, nickel and arsenic ions.
Nitrate can greatly accelerate the general corrosion of iron in
acidic solutions but has only a slight influence on the general
[3]
corrosion in neutral solutions. Nitrate can be easily degraded
by bacteria so that sulfate is not degraded in the sewer, generating
corrosion and odours.
TSS are easily disturbed by water flow and can aggravate erosion
of water flow on the inner wall of pipelines. Then, the corrosion
surface layer can be scoured off in an accelerated manner, leading
to aggravation of corrosion.
TSS mg/l ISO 11923
TSS can also promote scale formation. Suspended solids are
nuclei of salt crystals. Excessive suspended solids promote the
formation of scales.
The particle size of TSS is over 1 μm, while that of turbidity is
between 1 nm and 1 μm, which is commonly called colloidal
[17]
Turbidity NTU ISO 7027-1 substances. Because colloidal substances play an essential
role in scaling, it is more accurate to select turbidity instead of
TSS to describe water quality stability.
AOC serve as carbon source and energy source for heterotrophic
µg/l calcu-
Specific method is
bacteria and can be converted to biomass by heterotrophic bacteria.
lated as
AOC described in Refer-
acetate
It is generally recognized that the AOC level to keep biological
ence [18]
carbon [19,20]
stability is below 100 μg/l.
The maximum
bacterial count
The maximum bacterial count that can be achieved owing to
after inoculation of
diverse compounds available in water and complex interactions
indigenous bacteria
among indigenous bacterial population.
BGP CFU/ml
and incubation
Suitable application field: direct evaluation of what really happens
Specific method is
in the water sample.
described in Refer-
ence [21]
NOTE 1 Annex E lists some limits of pH, DO and TSS for different purposes of reclaimed water.
NOTE 2 Annex F lists some modified measurement methods based on the original AOC method.
NOTE 3 Annex G describes the biological stability guideline values for AOC.
NOTE 4 Annex H compares measurement methods for evaluation parameters of biological stability.
NOTE 5 In ISO 20468-1, the monitoring parameters for non-potable water reuse projects can include biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), turbidity or TSS, E. coli and chlorine residual.
Key
CFU  colony-forming unit
NTU  nephelometric turbidity unit
Table 5 (continued)
Single Determination
Units Notes of significance
parameters method
The flux of sub-
strate through
The rate and extent of biofilm formation as a function of time.
column or monitor
pg ATP/
BFR
2 Suitable application field: determination of the ability of water
cm ·d
Specific method is
to promote biomass accumulation.
described in Refer-
ence [22]
The difference
between initial DOC
The consumption of DOC to catabolize organic carbon to carbon
and final DOC dur-
dioxide and/or new biomass.
ing incubation
BDOC mg/l
Suitable application field: evaluation of the reduction in chlorine
Specific method is
demand or DBP formation potential through a biological process.
described in Refer-
ence [23]
The linear rela-
tionship between
The bacterial maximum growth from inoculation until steady-
MAP value and the
state with phosphorus as the standard substrate.
concentration of
MAP µg PO -P/l
4 phosphorus Suitable application field: regions where microbial growth in
water is restricted by phosphorus content rather than organic
Specific method is
carbon content.
described in Refer-
ence [24]
The chemical and/
or enzymatic
extraction of ATP
from bacterial cells,
followed by the
ATP is present in all living cells and it helps to estimate the total
measurement of
live biomass in a sample.
light emission de-
ng ATP/
ATP
rived when the dis- Suitable application field: ATP can be complementary to conven-
cell
solved ATP reacts tional parameters to account for bacterial dynamics in storage
with the luciferin/ and distribution.
luciferase reagent
Specific method is
described in Refer-
ence [25]
NOTE 1 Annex E lists some limits of pH, DO and TSS for different purposes of reclaimed water.
NOTE 2 Annex F lists some modified measurement methods based on the original AOC method.
NOTE 3 Annex G describes the biological stability guideline values for AOC.
NOTE 4 Annex H compares measurement methods for evaluation parameters of biological stability.
NOTE 5 In ISO 20468-1, the monitoring parameters for non-potable water reuse projects can include biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), turbidity or TSS, E. coli and chlorine residual.
Key
CFU  colony-forming unit
NTU  nephelometric turbidity unit
7.3 Composite parameters
7.3.1 General
Composite parameters are mainly divided into two kinds: the first based on calcium carbonate
dissolution equilibrium and the second based on multi-parameter analysis. Annex I illustrates water
quality stability evaluation conclusions for different composite parameters.
IS
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