2008 Arsenic Pilot Project

The City of Norman participated in an arsenic pilot project for Well #31. The project team that worked with the City of Norman included Urban Contractors, Severn Trent, and Garver Engineers.

EPA Mandate became effective January 2006 which reduced the Arsenic standard from 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion. In 2006, the Norman wellfield was reduced from 31 wells to 15 active wells.  Norman staff began researching arsenic removal methods in hopes of recovering a portion of these wells.

December 2007, construction began for Well #31 arsenic removal pilot project.

The Severn Trent Arsenic Removal system uses an iron based adsorption media developed specifically for the removal of dissolved arsenic from drinking water. The granular ferric oxide media exhibits a high capacity for arsenic adsorption.  The material is robust, easy to handle, and store.  The system is a simple “Pump and Treat” process that flows pressurized well water through a vessel containing the media.  As the water passes through the fixed bed of media, the arsenic is reduced to below 10 parts per billion until the media reaches its capacity.  The spent media is disposed of in a landfill.

This wellhead arsenic removal system has produced over 500 million gallons of water for the community since 2008.