The effect of pH on taste and odor production and control of drinking water

There is general agreement that pH is an important parameter in many drinking water treatment and control processes such as taste and odor (T&O) control. However, pH is not usually targeted as a primary control parameter and its effects on T&O are often overlooked in favor of other treatment issues. When it comes to T&O control, treatment alternatives typically focus on oxidation and adsorption processes. Whether within these processes or separately, pH plays an important role and the effects on T&O should be considered. For example, pH plays a role in the speciation of odorous chemicals in the environment, some of which arise in wastewater treatment and others from the occurrence of metals in water. During blooms of algae and cyanobacteria in surface water, pH is an important parameter affecting water quality and T&O. Finally, as pH is important for the sample preservation and analysis of T&O compounds, pH is important in the fate and control of T&O. The objective of this article is to better understand the various ways that pH can influence T&O production, control, and analysis of odorants in water and encourage advancement in the state of the science of pH optimization for T&O control.