DRINKING WATER
GeoTree - First Aqueduct Water Pipeline Rehabilitated With GeoSpray Geopolymer For SDCWA
Critical water tunnels require efficient structural renewal to meet strict shutdown schedules. Certified geopolymer mortar provides a cost-effective, high-strength solution that eliminates groundwater infiltration and improves water quality while ensuring a 70-year service life for essential aqueduct systems.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![Custom Solutions For Reuse Applications]( "Custom Solutions For Reuse Applications")
Custom Solutions For Reuse ApplicationsAs supplies of fresh water become increasingly scarce, methods of recycling and reusing this vital resource are getting more attention than ever before. Orenco’s AdvanTex Treatment Systems consistently produce clear effluent that meets the most stringent permit limits.
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Membrane Treatment Of Groundwater
The groundwater that a southern Louisiana water utility supplies to local residents has traditionally carried a high amount of organic material and color. In the past, the organics were oxidized and broken down by chlorination, but this practice had gone out of favor due to production of disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacidic Acids (HAAs).
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![GettyImages-2204179431_450_300]( "How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Transforming Water Loss Management For Utilities")
How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Transforming Water Loss Management For UtilitiesAI is reshaping water loss management by turning complex utility data into clearer priorities, faster insights, and more proactive decision-making—without replacing the people responsible for running the system.
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![Visual-SIWA-Meter-Management_large]( "A Dynamic Trio Helps Tackle The Challenge Of Non-Revenue Water")
A Dynamic Trio Helps Tackle The Challenge Of Non-Revenue WaterNon-revenue water is a global problem: Around 30% of drinking water is lost on its way to the consumer. But this decades-old problem can now be solved: By applying proven, easy-to-use digital solutions, utilities can now make the best use of data they already have from sensors and from hydraulic models to learn more about how much water they are losing and why.
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![MunicipalBldg]( "Water Meter Upgrade Delivers More Than Accurate Readings")
Water Meter Upgrade Delivers More Than Accurate ReadingsMunicipality benefits from guaranteed savings, reduced costs, and customer service accolades
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![Microbrewery_iStock-1153437163]( "Here's To Microbrews And POTWs")
Here's To Microbrews And POTWsAs local breweries grow in popularity, their initial focus on hand-crafted recipes can quickly shift to business realities such as the costs and logistics of process wastewater treatment. Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), brewery owners, and consulting engineers all have roles to play in making that trajectory smoother for up-and-coming craft and microbrewers.
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![PHScale]( "The Importance And Impact Of Accurate pH Measurement")
The Importance And Impact Of Accurate pH MeasurementAcross many water-quality measurements — from free chlorine residual to disinfection byproducts, etc. — pH is an underlying factor affecting many water treatments and compliance testing results. Here are some guidelines for maintaining accurate pH readings to assure cost-effective treatment and final water quality despite changes in source water composition, treatment protocols, or other factors.
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Case Study: High Chemical & Blowdown Rates
The client used soft water make up on their large boiler system and was interested in reducing their operational water costs.
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![GettyImages-1334491787_450_300]( "Why Your Water Utility Should Be Using Hydraulic Modeling")
Why Your Water Utility Should Be Using Hydraulic ModelingHydraulic modeling offers a vast range of benefits such as improving system performance, long-term infrastructure planning, predicting and anticipating demographic changes, and more.
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SuperDisc™ Filtration System Case Study
Glendale Heights Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges treated water to the East Branch of the DuPage River in Illinois.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Active Energy Control – Energy Reductions Of Up To 10% Above Standard Drives4/1/2017
Energy costs continue to increase. At the same time, there is increased pressure to reduce utility bills without sacrificing operations or comfort.
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LC-MS/MS Analysis Of PFAS Extractables In Polyethersulfone Syringe Filters Using EPA 537.15/18/2022
A key consideration for any PFAS method is to avoid contamination that can impact the accuracy of data, including those coming from sample preparation techniques such as filtration.
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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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Innovative Solutions To Drinking Water Decontamination In Small And Medium Treatment Plants9/21/2017
Air stripping technology effectively removes VOCs, THMs, and CO2 for improved adherence to water quality regulations.
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Pile Cloth Media Filtration Removes 97% Of Microplastics From Wastewater12/6/2023
Learn about filtering microplastics from industrial wastewater prior to discharge, and how this is one way to effectively reduce the volume of this waste material from entering our surface water.
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Advances In Paper-Based Devices For Water Quality Analysis2/22/2017
Water quality test strips have been around for decades. They are usually constructed from a porous media, including different types of paper, and undergo a color change when dipped into water containing the analyte of interest. These test strips have seen application in swimming pools, aquariums, hot tubs, remediation sites, and other commercial/environmental areas.
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Optimization Of Water Treatment Using Zeta Potential5/27/2020
Drinking water in the US and developed nations of the world is treated to remove contamination of foreign materials, both mineral and organic.
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Analysis Of Pesticide Residue In Spinach Using The AutoMate-Q40 An Automated QuEChERS Solution10/16/2014
QuEChERS is a Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe extraction method that has been developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.
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The Basics: Testing RO Quality4/28/2014
Osmosis is the phenomenon of lower dissolved solids in water passing through a semi-permeable membrane into higher dissolved solids water until a near equilibrium is reached.
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(E)-2-Nonenal In Beer4/5/2015
Numerous compounds contribute to changes in beer flavor as it becomes stale. One of these compounds, (E)-2-nonenal, has been investigated as a major source of the papery/cardboard flavor that develops in aged beer.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
Adjusting chemical dose based on flow or setting a fixed chemical dose can be very expensive. With a system that provides Real-Time Control, you can significantly lower chemical costs, quickly adjust for loading changes, and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing your effluent phosphorus levels are within permit range.
In municipal drinking water applications or pre-treatment for desalination plants using gravity filters, the filter underdrain is one of the most important components contributing to overall system performance and operation — whether a new filter design or retrofitting an existing filter.
The Series 1420 CHLOR-A-VAC® affords high efficiency addition and mixing of gases and liquid chemicals resulting in substantial chemical cost savings.
The DE NORA TETRA™ Modular DeepBed Filter Plant from De Nora Water Technologies is designed as a competitive filtration plant for tertiary effluent from small to medium size sewage works. The Modular DeepBed Filter utilizes the technology of DeepBed filtration that has made the TETRA filter such a successful tertiary treatment process over many years in Europe and the United States.
At 120Water, we take the weight off the shoulders of our clients. From expert guidance and best practices to a proven activation process, we help ensure your program achieves ongoing success.
The PT6 is a rugged, lab-accurate water quality pocket tester with simple, one-button functionality.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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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? -
![Oil spill clean up-GettyImages-1369921282]( "The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction")
The U.S. EPA’s 2026 trichloroethylene (TCE) compliance deadlines are now forcing a concrete shift toward source-zone destruction. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), sequenced with enhanced bioremediation, is proving to be the most credible path to groundwater contaminant rebound mitigation.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
RIP Kitty Hach-Darrow (October 20, 1922 - June 4, 2020), co-founder of Hach Company
In this episode of Ozone Talks, host Sannel Patel takes viewers deep inside Pinnacle Ozone Solutions’ cutting-edge ozone generation technology. Joined by senior engineer Eric Francis and technician Dayton Julius, the discussion centers around the Quad Block ozone cell—a patented, modular system redefining ozone production through innovation, precision, and durability.
In Raleigh, N.C., there's a house... or what looks like a house. What's hidden inside is more important than most people realize.
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.