PROJECT DETAILS


  • Project No 4546
  • Project Name Ecophysiology of microbes that produce taste/odour chemicals and their impact on drinking water treatability
  • Lead Organisation Sydney Water
  • Research Lead UNSW Sydney
  • Main Researcher Jin Zhu
  • Completion Year 2024

Project Description

Unexpected taste and odour (T&O) in drinking water is an emerging issue for the Australian water industry as it undermines customers’ trust in drinking water suppliers. Most water utilities monitor only cyanobacterial and microalgal populations, and measure only geosmin and MIB concentrations in raw water, which is likely to overlook the full extent of biogenic T&O challenges in the supply of drinking water. Conventional coagulation/flocculation/filtration are often adopted for T&O removal. This project identified key producers in source water and determined the treatability of unknown T&O for the proactive management of drinking water.

PhD Thesis completed by Jin Zhu.