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Freedom Water Drink up residents of Eldersburg - that's some quality water coming out of the faucet. The Freedom District Water Treatment Plant, which services 24,913 customers in southern Carroll County by pulling and treating water from Liberty Reservoir, recently placed second in a taste test held by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Water from various Chesapeake-area water plants was sampled and analyzed by experts in the field of water purification. When it came to taste, odor, mouth feel, after taste and clarity,Freedom's water treatment plant took home the silver. This may not be news to those who have followed results of past taste tests - in the three contests the Freedom plant has taken part in it has scored second place twice and first place once. Though the water was so good this time around that the AWWA said the plant should compete on a national level, according to Joe Barrington, Carroll County bureau chief of utilities. The path to purified success While not the sole reason for the plant's success, the recent upgrades made to the plant's treatment apparatus could have played a part. Started in September of 2007, the upgrade to the plant took about a year and a half to complete. The new system became operational in March. Though even before the upgrade, Freedom's water was top notch. "It by far surpassed the water treatment standards put forth by the state of Maryland," said Barrington. According to a press release, the plant is now a "state-of-the-art water treatment system with the latest in dissolved air floatation treatment and computer technology." In short, the plant cleans better and more efficiently. In addition to this the plant's capacity has increased a little over twofold, from three to seven million gallons per day. While this has little impact on current users of the plant, Barrington said it could expand the service area. "We have ample supply of water for all those who want to be connected," he explained. The new system in place at the Freedom District plant incorporates not only new filtration methods, but also increased monitoring of water purity, according to Barrington. With the new system, air is injected into the intake water of the plant. Barrington said the resultant air bubbles carry virtually all the debris to the top of the water, allowing it to be skimmed off. The water then passes through a membrane that is capable of filtering out even virus-sized contaminants before being treated with chlorine. What's in your water? The answer may seem simple, but a lot goes into water. The Freedom District's 2007 Annual Water Quality Report, the most recent available, goes into great detail on the types of contaminants found in water. According to the report, groundwater, such as the water that pools in Liberty Reservoir, can be laced with various contaminants. These include microbial - viruses and bacteria, inorganic - salts, metals and the like, pesticides and herbicides - usually from farm runoff, and radioactive contaminants - either naturally occurring or the result of industrial activity. Treatment plants run the water through various filters to remove suspended particles and add chemicals to kill bacteria and viruses. As per Environment Protection Agency regulations, drinking water must have minimal, safe levels of contaminants before it is dispersed to the public. Links: Freedom District Water Treatment Plant upgrade project, with pictures of the project from start to finish - Freedom District 2007 Annual Water Quality Report - American Water Works Association, Chesapeake Section - From beaches to reservoirs, everything you'd possibly want to know about water in the Mid-Atlantic region courtesy of the EPA -
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