Join OHM Advisors and other water industry professionals at #MWEA2024AC and expand your knowledge of how to best preserve, restore and enhance Michigan's water resources 

Mark your calendars for insightful presentations by two of OHM Advisors' water quality and drinking water experts.

Putting Optical E. coli Measurements to the Test in the Flashy, Turbid Waters of the Lower Rouge River
Date and Time: Monday, 6/10 at 2:45 p.m. EST

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is exploring real-time bacteria monitoring strategies to support the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements to eliminate or provide adequate treatment of combined sewer overflows (CSO)s. With a large system, it is challenging for GLWA to prioritize projects that will achieve the greatest in-stream water quality improvements. Real-time bacteria monitoring tools would support GLWA in watershed characterization efforts and evaluate the effectiveness of programmatic improvements. Karlin Danielsen, PhD, Technical Specialist at OHM Advisors, presents a pilot study that tests the ability of an optical indicator parameter called Tryptophan-like fluorescence (TLF) to predict E. coli concentrations continuously and in real-time. The results of this study inform GLWA where optical based E. coli measurements are (and are not) a good fit.

Comparing Flow Cytometry, Flow Impedance Cytometry, and Heterotrophic Plate Count Methods for Bacterial Quantification
Date and Time: Tuesday, 6/11 at 10:30 a.m. EST

Bacteria are removed at multiple stages during drinking water treatment processes. During this session, Ambica Salwan, OHM Advisors Engineer, details a study that compares two traditional methods of biological monitoring, heterotrophic plate count (HPC) and flow impedance cytometry (FIC), with a newer method, flow cytometry (FCM), to understand plant performance better. FCM has recently gained popularity as a fast, culture-independent, fluorescence-based technology that measures total and intact cells. Results suggest traditional methods for biological monitoring (i.e. HPCs) are not the best method for predicting regrowth following treatment and new methods may be useful for treatment automation.

For conference and registration details, click here.