Bromate Surveys in French Drinking Waterworks

Two bromate surveys were made recently in order to evaluate the frequency of bromate appearance in drinking waters issued from waterworks including one or two ozonation steps. The First survey was carried out on 47 waterworks. Two sampling campaigns were analyzed in cool and warm seasons. The objective of the second survey was to follow, during 4 to 10 months, at 12 selected waterworks.

The aim of this paper is to present the data obtained and to try to model for some waterworks the bromate formation by means of some important parameters (Br, O₃/DOC, T° and pH) of water to ozonate.

The main conclusion is that the bromate presence in distributed drinking waters is a reality for waterworks using ozonation steps, especially in warm period of the year. In the case of some waterworks, disinfection by sodium hypochlorite increased bromate levels in distributed water.

As shown by others on a laboratory-scale level, a multi-linear regression allows us the prediction of the bromate formation from some determining parameters, for some waterworks. However, the poor values of the linear regression lead us to have some doubts about its universal application in the real situation of an operating waterworks. A better evaluation of “C.t” will be required in the future in order to get a better prediction by the use of multi linear regression.