Numerical Model for Decontamination of Organic Contaminants in Polyethylene Drinking Water Pipes in Premise Plumbing by Flushing

Abstract

Polymeric materials such as polyethylene are used extensively for indoor drinking water applications. These materials are subject to permeation by organic compounds such as those found in petroleum products and industrial chemicals, which can result in water quality issues with potential health effects. Although flushing is a common decontamination technique, disagreements and knowledge gaps in the scientific literature complicate prediction of how much flushing may be required to address organic contamination incidents. This paper utilizes a numerical solution to the diffusion equation to predict flushing decontamination times for toluene in cross-linked polyethylene tubing. Results suggest that for premise plumbing materials typically used for indoor drinking water applications, contaminated polyethylene tubing can be resistant to decontamination by flushing, possibly requiring days of continuous flushing to achieve contaminant removal to below regulatory levels.