When administrators in Loyola Marymount University’s facilities management department needed to eliminate the odor from the recycled water used for campus irrigation, they knew the right man to go to for help.
Joseph Reichenberger, a civil engineering and environmental science professor at LMU, is an authority on the subject. He’s spent more than 44 years designing wastewater treatment and recycling facilities for clients ranging from Pepperdine University to the California cities of Palm Desert, San Diego and Pebble Beach.
Reichenberger conducted a series of experiments to help LMU in its commitment to using recycled water, and enlisted the help of student researchers for the project. Through a Rains Research Grant, undergraduate civil engineering student Patrick Stahl and graduate environmental science student Laura August-Schmidt analyzed water samples to measure the concentration of hydrogen sulfide – the compound that makes recycled water smell.
Treating the water with hydrogen peroxide oxidizes the stinky sulfide and removes the odor. It’s a well-known technique, but LMU’s approach to treating its water stands out.
“There really is no other facility that treats recycled water for odor control the way we do here at LMU,” Reichenberger said. “The hydrogen peroxide method we use is truly unique.”
Thanks to Reichenberger and his students, the water recycling program is in full force at LMU and administrators are pleased with the results.