The MAFICA-II project aims to optimize the maintenance conditions of granular activated carbon (GAC) in drinking water treatment plants when the filters are inactive. This is essential to preserve the adsorptive efficiency of GAC, prolong its useful life and improve performance in future operating cycles. Among the objectives of the MAFICA II project is the collection of experiences on the maintenance of disused carbon filters in order to determine the tests to be performed and compare each strategy in the evolution of activated carbon.

According to the answers of the companies participating in the survey, it can be seen that in the Spanish water treatment plants, the actions carried out are very different from each other, there is no clear trend in almost any of the topics of the questions. Such diverse maintenance practices indicate the lack of standardization that exists in the sector on this issue and that each plant adapts the techniques to its treatment needs without prioritizing the optimization of the service life of the GAC. The results of the survey can be consulted at this link.

The first laboratory scale tests carried out at CATABB have shown that washing is necessary to control biofilm formation but can have counterproductive effects on the physical characteristics of the coal in the long term, so it is of interest to optimize the frequency of washing.

We would like to thank the collaboration of the participating companies for their help in the project, which has allowed us to know the current status and the need to deepen it.