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
-
![GettyImages-1365319925]( "Smart Meters: From Billing To Guardians Of Our Water Supply")
Smart Meters: From Billing To Guardians Of Our Water SupplyBy leveraging the data that meters provide, we can move from reactive repairs to a proactive approach, safeguarding our precious water resources and ensuring a more sustainable future.
-
Rural Water Corporation Solves Chloramine Residual Issue
Bluebonnet Rural Water Corporation (BRWC), a subsidiary of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, serves approximately 1,094 water meters in northeast Washington County, TX, but had a water storage problem not unfamiliar to even the largest water utilities in Texas.
-
![Kasco-CertiSafe_-WhitePaper-How-Active-Mixing-Prevents-Ice-Damage-1]( "Winter Is Coming. Are Your Water Tanks Ready?")
Winter Is Coming. Are Your Water Tanks Ready?When winter is coming, water utilities gear up to battle the cold and its impact on their distribution systems. What happens to water tanks during the winter and how can you protect your tanks?
-
City Of Punta Gorda Improves Distribution System Residuals By Installing The Tank Shark® Mixing System In Two Million Gallon Punta Gorda Isles Reservoir
Historic Punta Gorda, located on the shores of scenic Charlotte Harbor on the west coast of Florida prides itself in the proactive management of its water supply. With the responsibility of providing water to over 34,000 customers in the 38 square mile service area, Punta Gorda manages 237 miles of distribution pipe and two water storage facilities. The 1 million gallon (MG) Burnt Store elevated tank and the 2 MG Punta Gorda Isles ground storage tank provide distribution system balance as well as the ability to meet peak demands and fire protection capacity.
-
![GettyImages-1436516010_450_300_money]( "Underdrain Designs: Why The Internal Cone Is The Most Economical Choice")
Underdrain Designs: Why The Internal Cone Is The Most Economical ChoiceA poor underdrain design can cause filtration inefficiencies and inconsistencies, including uneven pressure drops and dead zones where water flows slowly or not at all.
-
![KETOS_-Meat-Processing-Case-Study-3]( "KETOS SHIELD Delivers Insight Into Critical Water Quality Parameters")
KETOS SHIELD Delivers Insight Into Critical Water Quality ParametersFood company leverages the KETOS SHIELD to stabilize water quality, reduce chemical costs, and ensure compliance with proactive water quality monitoring.
-
![120WA_PWSA_CS-V3]( "PWSA Reduces Customer Request Fulfillment From 4 Months To 14 Days")
PWSA Reduces Customer Request Fulfillment From 4 Months To 14 DaysDue to recent LCR exceedances, PWSA faced skyrocketing customer requests on top of the order to replace 7% of their roughly 18,000-33,000 lead service lines every year. In addition, their Lead and Copper Compliance (LCR) and Lead Service Line Replacement testing program (LSLR) required immense amounts of manpower. These two events combined to require thousands of point-of-use kits to be collected and tested every year. They looked to 120WA to solve the challenges of siloed data sources, kit delivery and pickup, lab coordination, and distribution of results.
-
![PSI-RCS-PP-1056-Abington-Township-PA-04-12-2019-450_300 (002)]( "Automated Disinfectant Generation And Control Systems Produce Consistent Residual Levels In Aqua Pennsylvania's Distribution System")
Automated Disinfectant Generation And Control Systems Produce Consistent Residual Levels In Aqua Pennsylvania's Distribution SystemAqua Pennsylvania (Aqua PA), an Aqua America subsidiary, serves more than 1.4 million people in 32 counties across Pennsylvania. Aqua PA has significant experience using chloramine chemistry to mitigate trihalomethane (THM) disinfection byproduct formation in its many distribution systems.
-
![LovelandWO (002)]( "Loveland Takes Guesswork Out Of LCR Requirements")
Loveland Takes Guesswork Out Of LCR RequirementsThe City of Loveland’s Water Utility has served customers for decades, proudly bringing water “from snowy caps to Loveland taps.” When the Lead and Copper Rule went into effect in the early 1990s, it was labor-intensive to find a pool of people in the correct tier to complete the sampling.
-
![image (3)]( "The Enduring Value Of Ultrasonic Level Measurement In Water And Wastewater Level Applications")
The Enduring Value Of Ultrasonic Level Measurement In Water And Wastewater Level ApplicationsDiscover how using ultrasonic technology allows level and pump controllers to progress in ways that enhance both accuracy and usability — rather than remaining static.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
-
The Process Of Deionizing Water10/29/2021
Years ago, high purity water was used only in limited applications. Today, deionized (Dl) water has become an essential ingredient in hundreds of applications including: medical, laboratory, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, electronics manufacturing, food processing, plating, countless industrial processes, and even the final rinse at the local car wash.
-
MEGA-STOP Bell Protection System Aids In Pipe Joint Assembly4/13/2021
Water and wastewater piping come in a variety of materials, joints, and diameters. They can meet a multitude of demands and needs for the country's infrastructure.
-
Recording & Control: In Coagulant Dosage Applications For Potable Water Treatment7/1/2019
Potable water or drinking water as it is also known, is water that is safe to drink or to be used in food preparation. Typically, in developed countries, tap water meets the required drinking water standards, although only a small proportion is actually drank or used in food preparation.
-
Groundwater Remediation12/1/2020
Good quality groundwater is an important natural resource. It provides drinking water for the public as well as process water for industrial applications. Groundwater can become contaminated through a number of ways including improper handling of process chemicals or disposal of wastes.
-
Network Monitors Water Quality In Shale Gas Drilling Region9/2/2011High-pressure injection of water, sand, and chemicals that fracture shale deposits deep underground to free trapped natural gas is employed by drillers tapping the Marcellus shale beds, a geologic deposit that stretches from central New York to Virginia and contains gas believed to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars. By YSI
-
How Activated Carbon Works To Purify Air And Water10/31/2019
The first step is to define the performance limiting factors in the application. For this application, most of the adsorber is used for MTBE adsorption in the ppb concentration range. Adsorption of BTEX, TBA, or humic acids or other total organic carbon (TOC) components are removed by the front end of the column.
-
Optimizing Brine Flow In A Geothermal Power Plant1/27/2022
Different flow meter technologies were used in this geothermal power plant to monitor and measure brine. However, these traditional technologies failed. That’s where Panametrics PT900 Portable Ultrasonic Flowmeter was able to help.
-
Ion Exchange Resins Reduce Pollution From Refineries12/23/2013
A single operational oil and gas refinery produces millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater a year, leading to environmental pollution concerns. Ion exchange resins are a metal- and ion-removal solution to help clean this wastewater for plant reuse or safe disposal. This application guide explains how resins can be used to demineralize refinery water in process, boiler, and cooling water applications.
-
Application Note: Miami Conservancy District Uses Nitrate Screening As Conjunctive Management Tool1/20/2010Tasked with monitoring a watershed covering nearly 4,000 square miles, almost 2,300 miles of rivers and streams, and a huge aquifer that provides drinking water for more than 1.2 million people, water quality monitoring specialists at the Miami Conservancy District (MCD) in Dayton, Ohio, have their hands full. By YSI
-
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.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The PHOSPHAX sc Phosphate Analyzer is environmentally controlled for rugged, outdoor installations, provides a wide measurement range for a variety of wastewater and drinking water applications (e.g. in the activated sludge basin, for phosphate elimination and my more), and comes with the fully featured "Plug & Play" digital controller.
The Hydra Total PFAS Reduction System delivers a sophisticated, pre-configured point-of-use water treatment solution meticulously engineered to combat the growing threat of PFAS contamination in residential and commercial water supplies. This advanced filtration system represents the culmination of ResinTech’s industry-leading research and development, offering unparalleled protection against these persistent environmental contaminants.
AQUAFLOW™ SMART VALVE with integrated AMI endpoint provides two-way communication between the service location and our AquaControl™, our Cloud-based web & mobile applications, supporting either Cellular LTE-M or LoRaWAN remote connectivity.
The Model T70G4000 chlorine dioxide generator is designed to produce and consistently maintain a product yield greater than 90%, which makes it ideal for drinking water treatment. It is a two chemical system, utilizing commercially available concentrations of hydrochloric acid and sodium chlorite in the production of chlorine dioxide. No chlorine gas is required. A proven design, durable construction and the use of the best available corrosion-resistant materials assure efficient gas production, precise solution feeding, low maintenance and dependable operation for the life of the equipment.
The Series 1520 CHLOR-A-VAC® affords high efficiency addition and mixing of gases and liquid chemicals resulting in substantial chemical cost savings.
iPERL+ redefines water metering, offering an integrated solution that not only ensures seamless system compatibility but also maintains unmatched accuracy in water usage measurement for your utility. With enhanced data logging capabilities and a choice between polymer and metal flow tube casings, iPERL+ is tailored to meet the unique needs of your utility.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
-
![Bacteria, Medical research, healthcare-GettyImages-2161239007]( "The Hidden Legionella Risk In Closed-Loop Systems")
For a long time, it’s been assumed that closed-loop water systems — those commonly found in building heating systems, air-conditioning units, and cooling systems — are at a low risk for Legionella. However, there are many reasons why closed-loop systems can actually inadvertently promote the risk of Legionella.
-
![Avoid pitfall Planning, obstacle avoidance-GettyImages-2167644498]( "5 Common AMI Implementation Mistakes And How To Navigate Them")
The journey from manual water-meter reads to a fully integrated digital ecosystem is long and complex. To help utilities along, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) released the global Smart Metering Playbook, which includes both implementation best practices and common pitfalls. Here are five common advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout mistakes from the Playbook, along with examples of how to overcome them. -
![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.
-
![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.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
"Wastewater Dan” talks with FOX 4 News Kansas City about drought conditions in California and procedures to conserve water in the home. He also demonstrates the use of a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter to test drinking water quality, and interprets the results.
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.