Groundwater plays a fundamental role in water resource sustainability in Virginia (USA), but overpumping has caused significant declines in the potentiometric surface in the Potomac Aquifer System (PAS). With water levels falling, communities are at risk of wells running dry, saltwater intrusion, and land subsidence. The Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) project is an aquifer long-term replenishment (ALTR) project that uses continuous recharge into the multi-layered confined aquifer system to restore the potentiometric surface over space and time and increase storage in the system. The SWIFT Research Center (SWIFT-RC) is a 1 million gallon per day (MGD) demonstration facility in Suffolk, Virginia that recharges the PAS through a multi-screen well. Addressing research questions about the impact of continuous, sustained recharge on aquifer systems is crucial to the long-term sustainability of an ALTR project. Quantifying how flow moves through the multi-layered system is necessary to communicate travel times and water quality impacts on the aquifer system. This work uses injectate as an intrinsic tracer, an in-situ flowmeter, and a bromide tracer test to evaluate how flow is distributed through the eleven screens in the recharge well and to assess how flow distribution changes over time. Typically, flow distribution in multi-screen wells is estimated only once over the length of a project and assumed to remain constant for modeling purposes; by measuring flow distribution using multiple methods over the course of the project, this work shows that flow distribution is not constant. In future ALTR projects, developing a consistent and robust monitoring plan to use injectate as an indicator of movement through the aquifer system, paired with other methods to monitor changes in flow distribution, will be a critical part of effectively evaluating how flow moves through the groundwater system. / Doctor of Philosophy / Groundwater plays a fundamental role in water resource sustainability in Virginia (USA), but overpumping has left the Potomac Aquifer System (PAS) depleted. With water levels falling, communities are at risk of wells running dry, adverse water quality changes, and even changes to the land surface due to subsurface settling. The Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) project is an aquifer long-term replenishment (ALTR) project that uses continuous recharge into the deep aquifer system to restore water levels and increase storage in the system. The SWIFT Research Center (SWIFT-RC) is a 1 million gallon per day (MGD) demonstration facility in Suffolk, Virginia that recharges the PAS through a multi-screen well. Addressing research questions about the impact of continuous, sustained recharge on aquifer systems is crucial to the long-term sustainability of an ALTR project. Quantifying how flow moves through the multi-layered system is necessary to communicate travel times and water quality impacts on the aquifer system. This work uses multiple methods to evaluate how flow is distributed through the eleven screens in the recharge well and to assess how flow distribution changes over time. Typically, flow distribution in multi-screen wells is estimated only once over the length of a project and is assumed to remain constant for modeling purposes; by measuring flow distribution using multiple methods over the course of the project, this work shows that flow distribution is not constant. In future ALTR projects, developing a consistent and robust monitoring plan to use recharge water itself as an indicator of movement through the aquifer system, paired with other methods to monitor changes in flow distribution, will be a critical part of effectively evaluating how flow moves through the groundwater system.

San Diego imports 80 to 90 percent of its water supply, depending on conditions during any particular year. This high level of imports and low diversity of water supply have combined with climate change to generate an urgent need for increased conservation and diversification of San Diego's water supply. Water reuse is one option to mitigate this problem. An attempt was made in the early 1990s to recycle wastewater but the public reacted badly due to a combination of bad public relations, perceived environmental justice issues, and a psychological phenomenon called the yuck factor. With improved public relations and education, the project might go through this year.

The world’s growing population is causing an ever increasing demand for clean safe drinking water. In some countries suitable sources of drinking water are becoming scarce and will not be able to satisfy future demand. Consequently, there is a need to find alternative sources of water that can be used for potable supply or to augment current sources. Advanced water treatment methods are now being examined to investigate whether treated domestic sewage effluent can be treated to drinking water standards and discharged upstream of a drinking water abstraction point; a process known as Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR). The aim of this project was to investigate biological activity associated with developmental exposure to IPR water at the various stages of treatment using zebrafish embryos. Embryos reared in water at different stages of the treatment process were observed for developmental abnormalities, and differences in gene expression (compared to an aquarium water control) were used to establish both the nature and persistence of these effects along the treatment process. In addition to the embryo assays, passive sampling devices, Pharmaceutical Polar Organic Integrative Sampler (Pharm-POCIS) were deployed over eight, four week periods to collect composite concentrated samples of some of the contaminants present in the effluent. These concentrated extracts were then used in an in vitro assay; an Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) to measure the inhibition of prostaglandins (an indirect measure of inhibitors of cyclooxygenase activity). We compared our results of the bioassays with the large body of chemical analysis data recorded over a number of years from each of the treatments. The developmental exposures highlighted a low frequency of consistent abnormalities to the heart and spine, and also a lack of pigmentation. Gene expression analysis demonstrates the developmental stage of the embryo to have the greatest influence on global gene expression as opposed to the treatment. Single genes of interest included the two cytochrome P450s (cyp1a and cyp1b1) and somatolactin beta. Some of the pathways disrupted included steroid synthesis, retinol metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and melanogenesis. The latter was consistent with observations of some embryos devoid of pigment. Along the treatment process reverse osmosis seemed to cause the largest change to the gene expression. The extracts from less treated effluent inhibited prostaglandin production, however following reverse osmosis prostaglandin inhibition was greatly reduced. The chemical contaminantion is greatly reduced as the effluent progresses along the IPR treatment process, this is evident from both the chemical data and the biological assays. Reverse osmosis seems to have the greatest influence on the gene expression. The results have highlighted the importance of an appropriate control, to remove background noise.

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) of treated wastewater performance was evaluated across published full-scale and lab-scale studies developing insights on the aquifer and operational factors that affect SAT efficacy. The goal of this study was to develop a basis for predicting the contaminant removal capabilities of any given aquifer during managed recharge with treated wastewater. Over 40 published SAT studies were reviewed and systematically compared to determine the influence of five major factors on contaminant removal performance: geologic composition, geochemical conditions, hydrogeological conditions, operational methods, and source water quality. Removal mechanisms for standard contaminants (dissolved and total organic carbon, nitrogen, and pathogens) were considered for each factor. By supplementing the theoretical understanding of contaminant removal in SAT systems with full scale and lab scale results, recommendations were developed for practical and effective SAT feasibility standards. SAT of standard contaminants was found to be most effective in aquifers with a water table below 20-meters. SAT was also most favorable for source water with 10 to 20-mg/L of bulk organics and less than 10-mg/L of total nitrogen. Moreover, extended residence times in the saturated zone provide little additional bulk organic and nitrogen removal for aquifers with vadose zones that achieve more than 85% of total bulk organic removal. The results of this study should enhance feasibility studies for future soil aquifer treatment projects, thereby facilitating the use of sustainable indirect potable reuse.

This study evaluates soil properties that impact the effectiveness of soil aquifer treatment (SAT) as a polishing step to the remove two classes of ECs from wastewater effluent: pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and engineering nanomaterials (ENMs). In recent years, it has been determined that elevated levels of emerging contaminants (ECs) are being released into the environment with wastewater effluent. ECs are proven to cause adverse environmental and health effects as a result of long-term exposure. It is important to evaluate sustainable solutions to improve the current methods of wastewater treatment to address these ECs. Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) is a sustainable, cost effect treatment alternative to advanced treatment at a wastewater treatment plant. SAT replenishes local groundwater supplies while allowing for indirect potable reuse, if contaminants of concern such as ECs can be effectively removed from the water. Since wastewater effluent can contain a variety of contaminants with myriad physical and chemical properties, understanding the potential of the aquifer itself to provide EC removal is a key step in establishing SAT as a viable treatment alternative. Peer-reviewed research studies were analyzed to determine the soil properties that affect the fate and transport of ECs in the aquifer environment. The data was complied to produce recommendations for an effective SAT site. Physical and chemical properties of the soil facilitate contaminant removal as the groundwater flows through the aquifer. This study determined that removal of ECs from effluent had a correlation with (1) high clay content, (2) small Darcy Velocity, (3) high soil organic matter content, and (4) low sand content. Based on the 6 peer-reviewed research studies reviewed, the removal of nanomaterials is affected by clay content and sand content, but not soil organic matter content. Conversely, the removal of PPCPs is affected by clay content and soil organic mater content, but not sand content. It can be concluded that two different removal mechanisms facilitate the removal of nanomaterials versus PPCPs; physical removal for nanomaterials and chemical removal (sorption) for PPCPs. Clay facilitates the removal of both contaminants. The small soil diameter of clay forms smaller pores in the soil media. This causes increased pore straining, while also restricting the flow through the soil, which increases the contact time between the soil particle and the ECs. Additionally, clay has a large surface area, which increases surface interactions, such as sorption, of the EC to the surface of the clay particle.

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT), the removal of contaminants during percolation through soil, is a strategy employed in managed aquifer recharge (MAR), one method of indirect potable water reuse. As part of Hampton Roads Sanitation District's (HRSD) MAR project, The Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT), a soil column study was performed using four columns filled with sand taken from the Potomac Aquifer System (PAS) as well as water from various stages in SWIFT's 1MGD demonstration facility. Two pairs of two columns were operated in series, simulating 3 days and 1 month of travel time through aerobic to anaerobic conditions. During Phase 1 of testing, each pair of columns was fed from different stages in the SWIFT treatment process. During Phase 2 of testing, one set of columns was spiked with a conservative tracer bromide, and several contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The contaminants monitored during both phases included total organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen species, and the disinfection byproducts bromate and NDMA. During Phase 2 of testing, CECs, iron, arsenic, bromide, and sulfate were monitored in addition to those monitored during Phase 1. About 50% of the TOC was removed within 3 days of travel time, with no additional removal observed in 1 month. Nitrate was conserved in the 3-day columns, but completely removed after 1 month, indicating denitrification. Bromate and NDMA were reduced significantly in the 3-day columns and mostly non-detect in the 1-month effluent. Many of the spiked CECs were reduced significantly in the 3-day column indicating degradation. Three compounds exhibited some retardation through both columns but were not degraded. A few compounds, notably perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), showed no retardation or degradation. / Master of Science / In order to continue to meet the water demands of the future, potable reuse is a necessary and effective solution. HRSD's SWIFT project aims to create a sustainable source of drinking water through advanced treatment of its wastewater effluent and subsequent recharge of the Potomac Aquifer in a process known as managed aquifer recharge (MAR). During MAR, chemical and biological contaminants are attenuated or removed through a process known as soil aquifer treatment (SAT). HRSD installed pilot-scale soil columns at their 1MGD SWIFT demonstration facility to evaluate the potential removal of contaminants. During the study, removal of contaminants, both regulated and unregulated, was observed. This study demonstrated that SAT provides an effective environmental barrier against many contaminants and helped to inform the level of treatment necessary to protect public health during MAR potable reuse projects.

Optimal operation of water reclamation facilities (WRFs) is critical for an indirect potable reuse (IPR) system, especially when the reclaimed water constitutes a major portion of the reservoir's safe yield. It requires timely and informed decision-making in response to the fluctuating operational conditions, e.g., weather patterns, plant performance, water demand, etc. Advanced integrated modeling techniques can be used to develop reliable operational strategies to mitigate future risks associated with water quality without needing high levels of financial investment. The Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) WRF, located in northern Virginia, discharges nitrified reclaimed water directly into a tributary of the Occoquan Reservoir, one of the major water supply sources for Fairfax County. Among the many operational challenges at UOSA, one is to regulate the nitrate concentration in its reclaimed water based on the denitrifying capacity of the reservoir. This study presents an integrated model that is used to predict future reservoir conditions based on the weather and streamflow forecasts obtained from the Climate Forecast System and the National Water Model. The application captures the dynamic transformations of the pollutant loadings in the streams, withdrawals by the water treatment plant, WRF effluent flows, and plant operations to manage the WRF performance. It provides plant operators with useful feedback for correctly targeting the effluent nitrates using an intelligent process simulator called IViewOps. The platform is powered by URUNME, a new software that fully automates the operation of the reservoir and process models integrating forecasting products, and data sources. URUNME was developed in C#.NET to provide out-of-the-box functionality for model coupling, data storage, analysis, visualization, scenario management, and decision support systems. The software automatically runs the entire integrated model and outputs data on user-friendly dashboards, displaying historical and forecasting trends, on a periodic basis. This decision support system can provide stakeholders with a holistic view for the design, planning, risk assessments, and potential improvements in various components of the water supply chain, not just for the Occoquan but for any reservoir augmentation type IPR system. / Doctor of Philosophy / In an indirect potable reuse (IPR) system, reclaimed water from an advanced wastewater treatment facility is blended with a natural water source, such as a reservoir, to augment drinking water supply. Reliable operation of such a system is critical, especially when the reclaimed water constitutes a major portion of the withdrawals from the reservoir for treatment and distribution. One example of such an IPR system is the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) water reclamation facility (WRF) which discharges its reclaimed water into the Occoquan Reservoir, a key water resource for Fairfax County. Integrated environmental modeling (IEM) provides a comprehensive approach towards the design and operation of water resource systems in which water supply, drainage, and sanitation are simulated as a single entity rather than independent units. In IEM, different standalone models, each representing a single subsystem, are linked together to analyze the complex interactions between various components of the system. This approach can be used for developing operational support tools for an IPR system to ensure timely and informed decision-making in response to the fluctuating conditions, e.g., weather patterns, plant performance, water demand, etc. The overarching goal of this research was to integrate different models and the data sources and develop a decision support system (DSS) to manage the UOSA-WRF performance. This resulting integrated model is used to predict future reservoir conditions based on the weather and streamflow forecasts obtained from the National Weather Service. The application runs various future scenarios to capture the possible variations of the pollutant loadings in the streams, withdrawals by the water treatment plant, WRF effluent flows, and plant operations and provide feedback to plant operators. The entire integrated model is operated periodically to output data on user-friendly dashboards, displaying historical and forecasting trends. The DSS provides stakeholders with a holistic view for the design, planning, risk assessments, and potential improvements in various components of the water supply chain, not just for the Occoquan but for any reservoir augmentation type IPR system.

The Potomac River Basin is significant for both public and ecological health as it flows directly into the ecologically-sensitive Chesapeake Bay. It is a drinking water source for about 5 million people living in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The discovery of intersex fish, an indicator of poor ecological health, in the Chesapeake Bay occurred in the 2000s, and has led to a series of studies in the watershed to determine the sources and magnitude of endocrine disruption. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are exogenous chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system and can cause detrimental health effects at low concentrations. This study aims to understand a best management practice referred to as planned indirect potable reuse (IPR) and its impacts on EDCs. The Occoquan Watershed is a planned IPR subwatershed of the Potomac River Basin. Water samples were collected at the water reclamation plant discharge (Upper Occoquan Service Authority), up- and downstream of that location along Bull Run, and at the water treatment plant intake (Frederick P. Griffith WTP) in the Occoquan Watershed to assess planned IPR. Samples were also collected at a water treatment plant (James J. Corbalis WTP) along the Potomac River for comparison as an unplanned IPR location. These two groups of samples were analyzed for EDCs (categorized into two groups: estrogen hormones and other synthetic organic compounds (SOCs)), nutrients, and other water quality parameters. The infrequency of estrogen hormones and SOC patterns indicate planned and unplanned IPR are both viable approaches to provide safe drinking water / Master of Science / Our river systems are important to maintain both for human and environmental health. The Potomac River Basin is the area of land drained by the Potomac River and its tributaries. The Potomac River Basin is significant for both public and ecological health as it flows directly into the ecologically-sensitive Chesapeake Bay. It is a drinking water source for about 5 million people living in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The discovery of intersex fish, or when a single fish has both male and female characteristics, occurred in the Chesapeake Bay in the 2000s. Fish health is often an indicator of poor environmental health, and in this case endocrine disruption. This discovery led to a series of studies in the watershed to determine the sources and magnitude of endocrine disruption. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are external chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system once they enter the body of a human or another organism, and can cause detrimental health effects even at low concentrations. This study aims to understand a best management practice, or a type of water pollution control, referred to as planned indirect potable reuse (IPR) and its impacts on EDCs. IPR occurs when wastewater from a community is discharged into to a river or a reservoir, and then downstream it is withdrawn from that same source for drinking water purposes. This can be either planned or unplanned. Planned IPR is becoming more common as population, especially in urban areas, increases. The Occoquan Watershed is a planned IPR subwatershed of the Potomac River Basin. Water samples were collected at the water reclamation plant discharge (Upper Occoquan Service Authority), up- and downstream of that location along Bull Run, and at the water treatment plant intake (Frederick P. Griffith WTP) in the Occoquan Watershed to assess planned IPR. Samples were also collected at a water treatment plant (James J. Corbalis WTP) along the Potomac River for comparison as an unplanned IPR location. These two groups of samples were analyzed for EDCs (categorized into two groups: estrogen hormones and other synthetic organic compounds (SOCs)), nutrients, and other water quality parameters. The infrequency of estrogen hormones and SOC patterns indicate planned and unplanned IPR are both viable approaches to provide safe drinking water.

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) during managed aquifer recharge has been studied as a method of providing additional environmental barriers to pathogens and contaminants in indirect potable reuse (IPR) applications. A soil column study was conducted by Hampton Roads Sanitation District in order to evaluate the effectiveness of SAT, as a component of its IPR project involving the replenishment of the Potomac Aquifer System (PAS), in providing a sustainable source of drinking water. Four packed soil columns were constructed with sand from the PAS and were designed to simulate the travel time of 3 days and 30 days. The tests conducted aimed at evaluating pathogen removal (MS2, E. coli and Cryptosporidium oocysts); evaluating attenuation of regulated (nitrate, nitrite, bromate, trihalomethane (THM), haloacetic acids (HAA), organic carbon) and unregulated contaminants of concern that affect drinking water quality. Effective pathogen removal was observed with 6 to 7-log removals of MS2 and E. coli and 3 to 5-log removals of microbeads, used as a surrogate for Cryptosporidium. Removal across 3 day columns was comparable to 30-day columns but the potential to achieve higher removal with longer retention time was acknowledged. Nitrate, bromate, THMs and HAAs were completely reduced in 30-day columns. Total organic carbon was removed at 25 – 35% in all four columns. Seven out of the 106 contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) tested were consistently detected in the column feed and effluent at concentrations greater than 100 ng/L; some compounds showed potential for removal while no conclusive results were drawn for the remaining compounds. / MS / Potable reuse is a sustainable solution to the increasing water demands of the present and more so the future. Hampton Road Sanitation District (HRSD) aims to treat effluent from its wastewater treatment plants using advanced treatment process for direct recharge of the Potomac aquifer system. This is a method of indirect potable reuse termed as managed aquifer recharge (MAR). MAR can provide additional environmental barriers to contaminants present in water through a process of natural attenuation called soil aquifer treatment (SAT). A soil column study was conducted at HRSD’s pilot scale facility in order to asses SAT under controlled conditions at a meaningful scale. Attenuation of pathogens; regulated contaminants (nitrate, nitrite, bromate, etc.) and contaminants of emerging concern was evaluated through the soil columns. The results showed effective removal of most contaminants of interest which demonstrated that SAT potentially improves water quality and meets public health standards in potable reuse applications.

Indirect potable reuse has been practiced with the potential to enhance sustainability of water resources if planned accordingly. Depending on the pretreatment implemented for potable reuse, emerging contaminants; such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial solvents, bacterial/viral pathogens, and disinfection byproducts, might be present in source water and difficult to remove via various water treatment technologies. Low molecular weight organic compounds are especially challenging to remove and may require treatment optimization. The overarching purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a carbon-based advanced treatment train; including ozonation, biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration and granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption to achieve water quality suitable for potable reuse and assess the impact of a range of operating conditions for emerging contaminant removal at pilot-scale. The results from this study showed that carbon-based treatment train is equally effective as more commonly used, and more costly, membrane-based treatment trains in terms of pathogen and disinfection byproduct removal. A multiple-barrier approach was implemented, with each treatment stage capable of removing total organic carbon (TOC). GAC was responsible for removal of most of the TOC and emerging contaminants and this removal depended on the number of bed volumes of water processed by GAC. Empty bed contact time was another factor that dictated the extent of TOC removal in the BAC and GAC units as the carbon media was exhausted. Among the emerging contaminants detected, sucralose, iohexol and acesulfame-k were present in the highest concentrations in the influent and were detected consistently in the GAC effluent, thus making them good indicators of treatment performance. Apart from organics removal, BAC played an important role in removal of nutrients, such as ammonia via nitrification. N-Nitrosodimethlyamine (NDMA) was formed in the treatment process by ozone, but was shown to be effectively removed by BAC. EBCT, temperature, ozone dose and presence of pre-oxidants, such as monochloramine, played an important role in determining the amount of NDMA removed. These factors can be further optimized to improve NDMA removal. Sodium bisulfite was used for dechlorinating monochloramine residual post ozone. Nitrification in the BAC was shown to be inhibited by excess of sodium bisulfite dose. Thus monochloramine residual needs to be dechlorinated with sodium bisulfite to help with NDMA degradation but at the same time the sodium bisulfite dose needs to be monitored to allow complete nitrification in the BAC. 1,4-dioxane, another contaminant of emerging concern, was monitored in the treatment process. Biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane was enhanced via addition of tetrahydrofuran as a growth substrate. Biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane can help reduce energy and capital costs associated with advanced oxidation processes that are currently used for 1,4-dioxane removal. Further, relying on biodegradation for the removal of 1,4-dioxane can help avoid the formation of disinfection byproducts associated with advanced oxidation processes such as ozone with peroxide or ultraviolet disinfection with peroxide. The results from this project can be useful for designing potable reuse treatment trains and provide a baseline for removal of organic carbon and emerging contaminants. The conventionally used reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration approach is useful for organics removal in areas where the rationale behind potable reuse is water scarcity. Operational difficulties encountered during this study can prove to be important as this treatment process is scaled up to treat a total of 120 MGD of water for managed aquifer recharge. Overall the lessons learnt from this study can give a better understanding of a carbon-based treatment and further the advancement of reuse projects that have drivers other than water scarcity. / Doctor of Philosophy / The increased growth in urban areas has been accompanied by an increase in potable water demand, leading to depletion of surface and groundwater. Further, the discharge of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus into some of these water bodies can lead to algal blooms. Water reuse involves treating used water and discharging into either a surface or groundwater body. Water reuse has been sought after as a solution to prevent these nutrients being discharged into surface water and to provide a sustainable solution for depletion of water sources. Direct or indirect potable reuse can include a combination of advanced treatment methods such as membrane filtration using ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, biological filtration, granular or powdered activated carbon adsorption and disinfection methods such as ozonation and ultraviolet disinfection. This study focused on Hampton Roads Sanitation District's managed aquifer recharge project 'sustainable water initiative for tomorrow' (SWIFT), two different advanced water treatment strategies, namely carbon-based and membrane-based were implemented on a pilot-scale (20,000 L/day). The driver for indirect potable reuse in this study was not related to water shortage but aimed at reducing the nutrients discharged into the Chesapeake Bay. Other reasons for implementing reuse included recharging the depleting groundwater levels, land subsidence, and preventing flooding and seawater intrusion near the coastal areas. Membrane-based treatments, such as reverse osmosis, have been well established and studied for potable reuse. The less frequently used carbon-based treatment, that includes used of activated carbon for adsorption and biodegradation of organics (not involving any membrane barrier), was shown to be cost-effective and provided equal protection as that of the membrane-based system in terms of removal of pathogens. Further, since there is no membrane involved in the carbon-based treatment the energy requirements are less than that of the membrane-based treatment and concentrated brine solution is not produced, which makes it favorable for potable reuse where water scarcity is not an issue. This carbon-based treatment which included ozonation and activated carbon filtration and adsorption was further monitored and optimized for removal of organic contaminants and disinfection byproducts. Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, industrial solvents and personal care products can be harmful to human health and water ecology even at low concentrations. These contaminants are often present in wastewater effluent and can enter drinking water sources if untreated. These emerging contaminants were shown to be effectively removed by ozonation and granular activated carbon adsorption. The formation of disinfection byproducts such as N-nitrosodimethylamine in the treatment process and its removal in the biological activated carbon filtration was also monitored. The impact of temperature, presence of pre-oxidants and design factors such as ozone dose and empty bed contact time affected the removal of all these contaminants. This study provided an understanding of implementing carbon-based treatment for managed aquifer recharge for optimizing removal of bulk organic carbon and emerging contaminants. The results from this study can be utilized for designing advanced water treatment systems and can prove to be a guideline for monitoring and removing emerging contaminants.