How can water systems manage manganese?
Managing manganese in drinking water can take place in the
source water, at the treatment plant, and in the distribution system. For
reservoirs, adjusting the intake level and adding mixing can lower the
manganese concentration entering the plant. Primary treatment strategies for
removing manganese at the plant are oxidation and particle separation, sorption
to filter media, adsorptive contactor, and biological treatment. Manganese can
slowly accumulate over time in the distribution system and deposits are more difficult
to remove than iron, so more aggressive cleaning techniques like ice pigging or
foam swabbing may be needed to remove manganese films.