Understanding and Improving Reuse Biofilter Performance during Transition from GAC to BAC

Ozone-biologically active filtration (ozone-BAF) is gaining momentum in potable reuse applications. However, few wastewater facilities currently utilize ozone-BAF, resulting in limited knowledge associated with this treatment technology. This project devloped a better understanding of the transformation from granular activated carbon (GAC) to biologically activated carbon (BAC) filtration, evaluated media-seeding strategies to minimize acclimation period, optimized biofilter performance, and improved treated water quality. Data collected during this project provides valuable insight and guidance to utilities on adopting biological filtration systems to address issues with filter performance and the impact on water quality during the transition period from GAC to BAC. Research partner: Gwinnett County. Published in 2024.