DRINKING WATER
Custom Tank Designs That Actively Manage PFAS Mass Transfer Zone (MTZ) — And Why It Matters More Than Ever
As utilities prepare for the pending 4-ppt PFAS drinking water MCL, many are discovering that legacy lead/lag designs—workhorses for decades when treating contaminants in the ppm and ppb range—simply are not optimized for the parts per trillion-level (ppt) precision PFAS demands.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![GettyImages-1360163565]( "Revolutionizing Aquaculture: How Pinnacle Ozone Solutions Solves Industry Challenges")
Revolutionizing Aquaculture: How Pinnacle Ozone Solutions Solves Industry ChallengesThe aquaculture industry is booming, driven by a growing global appetite for seafood. But behind this growth lies a challenge: ensuring water quality and sustainable operations in environments that are increasingly under pressure.
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Town Of Kittery, Maine Relies On Lime Feeders For pH Control For More Than 25 years
The Francis L. Hatch water filtration plant is in the coastal town in York county Maine and has an average capacity of 2.6 MGD. This is a surface water plant that utilizes hydrated or “slaked” lime (calcium hydroxide) to maintain the pH level around 7.0. For over 25 years, the district has used two of the UGSI Chemical Feed model 32‐055 Feeders to mix dry hydrated lime with water to create a lime slurry solution that can then be added to the finished water treatment.
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![meter-testing]( "Water Loss Control For Utilities")
Water Loss Control For UtilitiesWater utilities across the United States have made great strides in controlling water loss within their water distribution systems. However, more can be done to account for every last drop of water.
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![paducah-water-case-study-inc-cs-03082-en-1]( "Historic Town Builds A “Smart” Water System With ORION® Cellular And BEACON® Software as a Service (SaaS)")
Historic Town Builds A “Smart” Water System With ORION® Cellular And BEACON® Software as a Service (SaaS)Paducah Water in Kentucky identified a need to upgrade its water system. The utility used a manual reading system for decades and investigated multiple solutions, including touch-read and drive-by systems. None of the solutions met its requirements. “In both of our attempts to deploy new solutions, we found the equipment and systems to be unreliable. We even had to stop our implementation efforts after having installed 1,000 new water meters,” said Bill Robertson, general manager of Paducah Water. “We had to keep looking.” Read the full case study to learn more.
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![meter_pic]( "Moving Beyond Flow Measurement To Unlock Utility Efficiency")
Moving Beyond Flow Measurement To Unlock Utility EfficiencySmart meters offer the opportunity for utilities to do significantly more with the same number of devices, reducing operational costs, improving response times, and contributing to overall system sustainability.
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Evaluation Of Ceralite-A As An Alternative To Anthracite Filter Media
The Golden Heart WTP located in Fairbanks Alaska is a lime softened, ground water treatment plant with five filter basins, with a combined surface area of 1495 ft2 . Typical filter loading rates are in the 2.3 –to 3.1 gpm/ft2
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![oregon-city-RF-network]( "Oregon City Finds Improved Customer Service With The Aclara RF Network")
Oregon City Finds Improved Customer Service With The Aclara RF NetworkRedmond’s water utility previously relied on contracted meter readers to manually report water meter data once a month. Using this outdated monthly system, the city was obtaining inconsistent information that did not allow the utility to effectively answer customer questions.
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![getty-1130934816]( "Global Omnium: Transforming From Conventional To Smart Water")
Global Omnium: Transforming From Conventional To Smart WaterLessons learned from building one of the largest smart meter networks in Europe.
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Byers Gains Stable Chlorination And Reduced Maintenance With Constant Chlor® MC5 System
Byers is an unincorporated rural community in Arapahoe County, Colorado, approximately 50 miles east of Denver. Byers Water & Sanitation District provides drinking water to this area. The district operates five wells – each approximately 700 feet deep. Two wells are typically used in the winter and four in the summer. Annual water use averages 140,000 gallons per day for the district’s 500 active service connections.
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Poison In The Water: How To Defeat Toxic Algae
Like many municipalities, Hamilton, Ontario, is wary of harmful algal blooms and toxic cyanobacteria. To mitigate the threat and protect drinking water, a proactive, risk-based plan was developed.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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How To Install A Submersible Pump In Discharge Tubes11/28/2012
In the fields of water and waste water technology, submersible pumps represent a viable economic and technical alternative to conventional, dry-installed pumps. In particular, they offer a number of handling advantages during maintenance and installation work.
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Bridge Crossings And The Proper Use Of EX-TEND®, FLEX-TEND®, And Force Balanced FLEX-TEND Products11/1/2020
Of particular interest when it comes to bridges is the locating of pressurized water lines on and under bridge structures. Pressurized pipelines can present a number of unique challenges to the design engineer and utility owner.
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Fountain Testing Solutions10/29/2021
Accurate fountain (dampening) solution concentration control is essential for consistent, high-quality results in lithography. Low concentration can cause drying on the non-image area of the plate resulting in tinting, scumming, blanket piling, etc. High concentrations, on the other hand, bring about over-emulsification of the ink. This results in weakening of color strength and changes in ink rheology (body and flow properties). Correct concentration will allow the non-image areas of the plate to be appropriately wetted.
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Application Note: Busseron Creek Watershed Partnership Addresses Concerns In A Rural Watershed1/20/2010As with other watershed organizations, the Busseron Creek Watershed Partnership (BCWP) exists because of surface water quality degradation. In this case, those waters drain 163,231 acres of a watershed that crosses the boundaries of Vigo, Clay, Green, and Sullivan counties in West- Central Indiana. By YSI
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Real-Time Conductivity Monitoring Estimates Chloride Levels In Minnesota Watershed By Using The Aqua TROLL 20011/18/2011Monitoring deicing chemical levels can help researchers, city governments, and regulatory agencies understand runoff impacts on surface water, groundwater, and surrounding environments.
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Organics Aren't Invisible: A Guide for Simple Online Monitoring5/13/2019
Control of dissolved organics has been one of the highest priority concerns for most water treatment plants for over 20 years. Organics monitoring is an even more critical issue today in the face of more stringent regulations and concerns around trace organics, emerging contaminants, and even counter-terrorism or water security. Despite the critical need, many plants still rely primarily on turbidity for monitoring and process control.
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The Active Control Program For Advanced UV Oxidation12/1/2025
This application note will explore how active control programs lower operational costs of compliant contaminant removal.
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UV Technology Offers Solution For Emerging Water Crisis2/19/2014
Many are turning to UV as an effective barrier to enable the reuse of wastewater, for indirect reuse, and aquifer recharge.
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Application Note: Low-Flow Sampling Of Water Quality Parameters Used In Determining Groundwater Stability1/20/2010In April 1996, the U.S. EPA developed and published a document entitled Low-Flow (Minimal Drawdown) Ground-Water Sampling Procedures. The document states that “the most common ground water purging and sampling methodology is to purge wells using bailers or high speed pumps to remove 3 to 5 casing volumes followed by sample collection.” Adverse impacts can occur through this method affecting sample quality by increasing levels of turbidity. These problems can often be mitigated by using low-flow purging and sampling to reduce sampling-induced turbidity. By YSI
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Operations And LRV Calculations At Southwest Pipeline Project Drinking Water Treatment Facility4/14/2016
This presentation will discuss the operation of a 4 MGD pressurized two-stage Ultrafiltration (UF) plant over a 14 month period at the Oliver-Mercer-North Dunn (OMND) Drinking Water Treatment Facility, North Dakota.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The EX-TEND® 200 joint is designed for pipelines that are subjected to expansion and contraction forces and is self restrained at full expansion.
The Force Balanced EX-TEND Expansion/Contraction Joint is designed to provide expansive or contractive movement to water pipelines subjected to linear movement. Unlike normal expansion joints, the Force Balanced EX-TEND does not generate an imparting thrust.
The SAF-X self-cleaning filter provides improved usability, easier maintenance and higher installation flexibility along with Amiad’s proven suction-scanning cleaning technology. SAF-X. Simply Better.
ULTRAPEN™ PT4 is Myron L Company’s ground-breaking new pocket tester for measuring free chlorine disinfecting power, free chlorine equivalent (FCE), and temperature. It is waterproof and designed for accuracy and simplicity for use in diverse water quality applications.
The patented U.S. Pipe TY-CON Conductive Gaskets are for use in Ductile-Iron pipe and fittings provided with the time proven TYTON JOINT®, and HDSS® restrained joint. TY-CON gaskets are intended to provide pipe joint conductivity for thawing service connections in cold climates.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![businesswoman asking question in education event-GettyImages-2198836359]( "AMI Under The Microscope: Beaverton Water Division Answers Questions About Its AMI Transition")
Beaverton Water Division’s transition to Kamstrup AMI and acoustic leak detection is modernizing meter reading, reducing infrastructure costs, improving leak identification, and streamlining operations as deployment progresses.
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![Texas Flag-GettyImages-942623440]( "Meeting Demand, Ensuring Compliance: A Success Story In Executing Fast-Paced Water System Improvements In Missouri City, Texas")
Learn how the Mustang Bayou Service Area (MBSA) Water System Improvements project delivered a fast-tracked, multi-phase response to rapid development and critical capacity challenges in one of the Missouri City’s fastest-growing regions.
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![Legionella pneumophila-GettyImages-1451790531]( "Legionella And The Need For Next-Generation Detection: Steps Water Utilities Can Take To Alleviate The Risk")
As water systems grow more complex and climate patterns shift, Legionella is emerging as one of the most persistent and underestimated risks in the built environment. The threat to public health from Legionnaires' disease will likely further escalate unless decisive action is taken. -
![maasjackson]( "Metering as a Service Improves Jackson, MS, Water Infrastructure")
The city of Jackson faced a water crisis that went beyond the tap. What began as an ambitious plan to modernize its water metering infrastructure in 2014 became a logistical and financial nightmare, costing the city millions in lost revenue and declining public trust. Metering as a Service (MaaS) offered the city an alternative option. -
![leadpipeInground_Getty-2211014580]( "The Final Mile: The U.S. Simply Must Rush To Finish Its Critical Lead-Pipe Cleanup")
There has been an abundance of funding available to address the estimated 9.2 million lead service lines currently deliver drinking water to homes, businesses, schools, and unsuspecting citizens throughout the United States. So it is disheartening to realize that millions of lead water lines are still delivering water to citizens. -
![Digital communication-GettyImages-2042965298]( "Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, And Savings")
This Q&A follows the Webinar: Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, & Savings hosted by Water Online on October 21, 2025. The webinar featured the leadership team from Beaverton Water Division as they discussed lessons learned across operations, billing, and customer service, offering a 360-degree perspective on implementing and managing an AMI system.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Out of sight, the country’s underground water infrastructure is aging and failing. In this interview, AMERICAN’s Derek Scott and Maury Gaston discuss the problem, challenges facing cities, and the latest technologies for providing and protecting one of our most precious resources — water.
In this episode of the Water Online Show, hosts Travis Kennedy and Kevin Westerling explore AI's transformative role in water utility operations with guest Dave Brown, Director of Maintenance at Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), which serves nearly a million customers across 682 square miles in Southern California.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.