DRINKING WATER
Why Multi‑Commodity Utilities Need Smart Meter Data Management
Breaking down data silos allows multi-commodity utilities to improve operational efficiency and infrastructure visibility. By managing water and electric data on a shared platform, providers can detect leaks faster and support long-term conservation goals.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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From Conventional To Smart: Lessons From Building One Of The Largest Smart Meter Networks In Europe
Digitalization paves the way for cost reduction in water utilities, thanks to greater process efficiency. To achieve success, both technology and the people factors need to be taken into account.
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![U Of I Urbana-Champaign Implements Remote Monitoring System]( "U Of I Urbana-Champaign Implements Remote Monitoring System")
U Of I Urbana-Champaign Implements Remote Monitoring SystemThe Utility Distribution team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign manage the water system which serves the entire campus. The University purchases water from Illinois American Water which is distributed across the campus for uses as diverse as chemistry labs, agricultural research, and competitive swimming complexes.
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![GettyImages-157440759_450_300 (002)]( "Which Is Better For Water Disinfection, Sodium Hypochlorite Or Chlorine Gas?")
Which Is Better For Water Disinfection, Sodium Hypochlorite Or Chlorine Gas?Although they work similarly, sodium hypochlorite and chlorine gas are very different. Learn the pros and cons of each chlorine composition.
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![WOL_iowa-park-smartball_385x250]( "Rural North Texas Community Cuts Non-Revenue Water By 42% With Pipeline Leak Detection Technology")
Rural North Texas Community Cuts Non-Revenue Water By 42% With Pipeline Leak Detection TechnologyDiscover how a city solved its non-revenue water challenge by rapidly pinpointing three hard-to-find leaks in 13 miles of aging pipeline using a free-swimming acoustic tool.
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![How To Get Accurate Flow Measurements Despite Flow Disturbers]( "How To Get Accurate Flow Measurements Despite Flow Disturbers")
How To Get Accurate Flow Measurements Despite Flow DisturbersFlow meter accuracy is critical for process control but can be hampered by upstream and downstream flow disturbers. This problem may be addressed during the design process, though in some circumstances it’s impossible to eliminate disturbers.
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![GettyImages-1405880444_450_300]( "How To Design A Solution For A Temporary Water Or Vapor Treatment Project")
How To Design A Solution For A Temporary Water Or Vapor Treatment ProjectThe key to a successful water treatment or vapor extraction project is to understand the elements that can impact the treatment process, as well dispelling key myths about temporary treatment systems.
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![wagtech-potatest]( "The Importance Of Microbiology Testing In Water Quality Management")
The Importance Of Microbiology Testing In Water Quality ManagementDetecting and addressing contamination early is vital to prevent diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
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![FPI-ProComm-Go-blog-image-1-bucket]( "The Hach FPI Mag And ProComm GO: A Versatile New Opportunity For Water And Wastewater Applications")
The Hach FPI Mag And ProComm GO: A Versatile New Opportunity For Water And Wastewater ApplicationsThe Hach FPI Mag® has satisfied metering project goals in the water and wastewater industry for years. While it has undergone minor changes and improvements to the overall design, such as the addition of bi-directional flow reading, the biggest improvements to the Hach FPI Mag’s capabilities come from the evolution of the electronics.
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Partnership For Safe Water Going Strong At 25
A quarter-century into its existence, the program started by six prestigious water groups to honor the highest achieving drinking water utilities continues to grow and evolve.
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Solution Highlight: GeneCount NGS Services
LuminUltra’s GeneCount® Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) service takes microbial monitoring to the “next” level by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, which is present in all bacteria and archaea. This gene contains sections that allow individual organisms to be differentiated from one another and classified to the genus level. Based on this classification, we gain information about how they could impact industrial water systems.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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What Are You Doing To My Pipe: Can PVC Pipe Be Loaded?4/13/2021
The argument has been used that PVC pipe is delicate and can’t be subjected to any kind of loading. In EBAA's years of testing we have found that is not the case at all. PVC can take an extreme amount of strain.
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Ion Exchange Resins And Activated Carbons For Better-Tasting Water12/18/2013
For many, access to good-tasting tap water is limited, and buying bottled water can be expensive. Simple pour-through jug filters offer a low-cost and effective alternative. Activated carbons, in conjunction with ion exchange products, produce drinking water that is absent of all industrial pesticides and contaminants.
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Deployment Of NextStep In Reverse Osmosis Systems1/15/2026
Pulsafeeder has secured a significant order for its NextStep series of stepper motor-driven metering pumps, specifically for use in advanced Reverse Osmosis (RO) applications. This deployment underscores the growing demand for precision chemical dosing in high-performance water treatment systems. The order includes NextStep NS1 and NS9 models, each selected for their unique capabilities in high-pressure and low-pressure RO environments.
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Determining Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) With Lovibond® OxiDirect3/12/2026
The Biochemical Oxygen Demand over a testing period of n days (BODn) is precisely defined and associated with experimental standards. It represents the quantity of oxygen aspirated in the course of aerobic breakdown of organic substances by microorganisms.
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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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Flow Monitoring At Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Plant Improves Water Distribution1/6/2025
Read about a desalination plant that was in need of a practical verification methodology for permanent and/or temporary (portable) solutions on large pipes.
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Industry-Specific Applications For UV Technology6/17/2024
In Microelectronics, Aquafine UV systems provide a synergistic approach towards the reduction of trace organics and microbial contamination for ultrapure water.
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Simplify And Optimize Your Process With Level And Pump Control3/1/2022
Level controllers have evolved to meet today’s environmental challenges and industry demands. Learn how they support improved process management and, ultimately, a better bottom line.
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Application Note: Simultaneous Determination Of Total Bound Nitrogen (TNb) And Total Organic Carbon (TOC) In Aqueous Samples5/31/2011Total bound nitrogen (TNb) consists of dissolved ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, amines, and other organic nitrogen-containing compounds. TNb measurements represent an alternative to Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) analysis for rapid screening of industrial wastewater, drinking water,agricultural run-off, and surface waters. By OI Analytical
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Application Note: Desalination Plants: YSI Instruments Monitor Flow & Water Quality At Multiple Stages2/3/2011Desalination is the process of removing salt from sea water or brackish river or groundwater to make potable water. By YSI
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
ResinTech SIR-700-HP delivers targeted hexavalent chromium removal with exceptional chromate capacity and is WQA Gold Seal certified for potable water applications.
ResinTech SIR-110-MP-HP is a WQA Gold Seal certified macroporous resin engineered for short-chain PFAS removal and optimized for highertemperature drinking water applications.
Is your data working for you? For many modern utilities, it can be difficult to get a complete understanding of their true level of operational efficiency. Not because they don’t have enough data, but because it is often split between various systems that can’t easily communicate with one another.
SureSafe™ Filter Cartridges will inhibit the growth of Legionella on your filter cartridges. Silver has been used to help sanitize liquids for more than 4,000 years. Permanent Silver Zeolite fibers are used to manufacture HARMSCO® SureSafe™ Filtration Media which inhibits the growth of biofilms on and in the filtration media.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![pregnant_water-Getty-2207189112]( "Drinking Water Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Linked To An Increased Risk Of Childhood Asthma")
While most of us are routinely exposed to low levels of PFAS, some communities are exposed to far higher levels from nearby pollution sources. A new study shows that in one of these at-risk communities, children were more likely to develop asthma if their mothers were exposed to very high PFAS levels during pregnancy.
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![wastewater ecological damage-GettyImages-2231956262]( "The Pragmatic Shift In Source Water Protection: Moving From Symptom Management To Root-Cause Accountability")
A shift in how we approach source water protection is long overdue. Currently, we are trapped in a cycle of escalating costs, forced to treat symptoms like algae and invasive weeds expediently with chemicals while the underlying risk in the reservoir compounds. True risk management requires breaking this cycle. -
![River water pollution, Ecological-GettyImages-1215336784]( "The AWWA Said $2.4 Trillion. It Missed The Compound Interest.")
Einstein once said of compound interest, "He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn't, pays it." The same logic of compounding applies to the organic sediment accumulating on the floor of your drinking water reservoir. The longer you wait to address it, the more exponentially expensive it becomes to fix. -
![snowystream-Getty-521971897]( "Winter's Alarmingly Low Snowpack Offers A Glimpse Of The Changing Rhythm Of Water In The Western U.S.")
The April 1 snowpack measurement has long been the single most important number in western water management, considered a strong proxy for how much water the mountains are holding in reserve. But in 2026, that savings account has been woefully deficient. -
![ColoradoRiverDam_Getty-1280300802]( "Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, And How They Could Resume With The Possibility Of Agreement")
Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, And How They Could Resume With The Possibility Of AgreementThe five most common sources of conflict between people are values, data, relationships, interests, and structure. The current Colorado River negotiations include all five. -
![Water droplets, PFAS, Forever chemical water contamination-GettyImages-2173433890]( "Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies")
Water agencies across the U.S. are facing a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that poses a conundrum: Should they take a cautious or aggressive approach to treating PFAS contamination in their water system?
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Discover how specialized restrained joints facilitate efficient horizontal directional drilling and bridge piping through a simplified, tool-free assembly process that ensures long-term reliability.
NASA scientists used tree rings to understand past droughts and climate models incorporating soil moisture data to estimate future drought risk in the 21st century.
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.