The David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility (DLTWTF) located in Tampa, Florida, treats
the Hillsborough River water, which is characterized by relatively high organic matter contents
especially during high rainfall seasons. In December 2001, ozonation and biologically activated
carbon (BAC) filtration were newly installed along with a few additional modifications to the
existing facility. After the new process started, unexpectedly low monochloramine formation
efficiency and a rapid decay of monochloramine residual in treated waters were observed.
Changing the sequence of free chlorine and ammonia injection as well as providing sufficient
mixing and reaction time for free chlorine dramatically increased monochloramine formation
efficiency. However, monochloramine remained unstable in finished waters, which might
supposedly be related to biological activities in BAC filters. Includes 5 references, figures.