Drought to flood: a comparative assessment of four parallel surface water treatments during the 2010-2012 inflows to the Murray-Darling Basin, South Australia.

Four treatment processes; conventional coagulation, magnetic ion exchange (MIEX)/coagulation, with and without granular activated carbon (GAC), and membrane treatment combining microfiltration (MF) and nanofiltration (NF), were operated in parallel using the same source water from the Murray-Darling basin in South Australia. During the two year study, high levels of natural organic matter and turbidity arising from floods affecting the Murray-Darling basin in 2010-2012 challenged the four processes. The comparative study indicated that all four processes could effectively meet basic water quality guidelines of turbidity and colour despite challenging source water quality but that the more advanced treatments improved overall organic and bacterial removal. Interestingly, the high organics and turbidity arising from the floods resulted in improved treatment efficiency for all treatments incorporating coagulation to the extent that, despite flood conditions, treated water quality could remain comparatively constant provided that the process was operated and optimised effectively.