Elevated manganese concentrations in groundwater wells after longtime abstraction with bank filtration: developing and testing of a sorption model for Ringerike waterworks, Norway

Abstract

Groundwater abstraction wells located in aquifers hydraulically connected with rivers or lakes will induce bank filtration if the water level in the aquifer is lowered below the surface-water level. Many groundwater works utilize this induced infiltration to increase the abstraction capacity of their wells. Unfortunately, infiltration of organic-rich surface water may alter the aquifer’s redox geochemistry, and mobilize iron and/or manganese. Ringerike groundwater works in southeastern Norway operates with bank filtration. Manganese concentrations in the abstracted water began to increase 19 years after the start of operations, and stabilized at an elevated level 8 years later. The estimated manganese retardation (Rsorp = 45±18) from a simplified advection-sorption model is comparable to the observed manganese retardation range 36 < Robs < 50, assuming a groundwater residence time tgw ~200 days. The advection-sorption model is based on limited sediment composition and hydrochemical data, which introduces significant uncertainty to Rsorp. However, Rsorp and Robs in the same range, and the good fit between PHREEQC simulated and observed data, indicates that sorption is a possible explanation for the delayed breakthrough of elevated manganese concentrations in Ringerike waterworks’ production wells. Comparable bank filtration schemes are advised to establish observation well(s) between the bank filtration and production well field for early detection of sorption fronts. This would facilitate (1) longer time available for remediation measures and their evaluation, and (2) less manganese to be desorbed during the remediation stage.