With the discovery of lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, and GenX and 1,4-Dioxane in North Carolina, chemical contamination of drinking water is increasingly a topic of public discussion and concern. Some chemical compounds tend to dominate headlines, but there are many other chemical contaminants present in our water system that do not receive much scrutiny. A major class of these rarely discussed chemical contaminants is synthetic organic compounds. Kyle Pohle, EI will provide a helpful primer on synthetic organic compounds: what they are, where they originate, how they can potentially affect public health, and what treatment techniques exist. By educating themselves on all types of chemical contamination, including regulated and unregulated synthetic organic compounds, engineers can provide complete answers and recommendations to the public when issues arise.
Kyle Pohle, EI is Staff Professional with hands-on experience in drinking water treatment, sample collection, and testing. He uses this experience, as well as his skills in developing technical specifications, estimating project costs, and providing construction administration, to support a variety of water and wastewater transmission and treatment projects.
This preview is part of our AWWA Speaker Preview series, which highlights the WithersRavenel staff invited to speak at the 2018 NC AWWA-WEA Annual Conference. For more previews, follow along during the week of October 29 through November 2, or click here to see all of the posts in the series.