DRINKING WATER
Testing For Yesterday's Water In A PFAS World
Relying on assumptions when designing water treatment systems creates unnecessary financial and operational risks. Adopting predictive modeling and data-driven testing provides the precise, actionable insights required to optimize performance, manage costs, and ensure compliance.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![GettyImages-1069158396 raw sewage coagulation wastewater sewage]( "Using Historical Performance To Optimize Your Coagulation Control")
Using Historical Performance To Optimize Your Coagulation ControlNon-intrusive ultrasonic technology provides precise, bi-directional flow measurement without process downtime. By clamping onto the pipe exterior, these systems eliminate maintenance and pressure loss, offering a reliable, data-rich solution for complex water and wastewater monitoring environments.
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![GettyImages-182188515 water testing]( "Understanding Ultrapure Water, Difficulties With pH Measurement")
Understanding Ultrapure Water, Difficulties With pH MeasurementBy gaining insights into the diverse types of pH measuring analyzers and sensors, companies can make informed decisions to enhance their UPW management strategies and drive operational excellence.
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![Philippines Potable Water System Improvement Project Uses Filter Underdrain Blocks To Improve Backwash Efficiency]( "Philippines Potable Water System Improvement Project Uses Filter Underdrain Blocks To Improve Backwash Efficiency")
Philippines Potable Water System Improvement Project Uses Filter Underdrain Blocks To Improve Backwash EfficiencyFounded in 1997, the Manila Water Company (MWC) serves the potable water needs of more than five million residents of the Philippines capital and cities to the east. The company serves as the private partner in a public-private partnership with the Philippines government in operating the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System for Metro Manila’s East Zone.
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![Comparing Benefits Of V-Cone® And Coriolis Meters]( "Comparing Benefits Of V-Cone® And Coriolis Meters")
Comparing Benefits Of V-Cone® And Coriolis MetersProper operation of water treatment processes depends on accurate flow measurements. Also, flow data is often required by regulatory agencies.
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Pulse Burst Radar 'Levels' Competition For Chemical Waste Tank Process Control
Our customer case studies illustrate how our proven level and flow controls are helping industry leaders improve the safety of their mission-critical applications. This recent case study demonstrates that pulse burst radar technology can provide a highly reliable level control solution for challenging process applications.
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![ConnectionsPD02.jpg]( "Restrained Pipeline Design And Horizontal Bends")
Restrained Pipeline Design And Horizontal BendsIn the last forty years, a quiet revolution has occurred in our industry. This revolution is the result of new generations of joint restraint products that make it possible to quickly and safely restrain fittings at bends, dead ends, tees, valves, and reducers without the need for concrete thrust blocks or tie rods. These joint restraint products turn the pipeline into its own thrust block. The key to utilizing these new products is the understanding and proper application of the pipeline restraint design theory.
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![DN3000-flowmeter]( "ABB's Largest Electromagnetic Flowmeter Will Help Address Water Scarcity In Saudi Arabia")
ABB's Largest Electromagnetic Flowmeter Will Help Address Water Scarcity In Saudi ArabiaA super-sized electromagnetic flowmeter produced by ABB is on its way to Saudi Arabia where it will help supply fresh water to the region as part of a desalination project.
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![Milliporesigma1.jpg]( "New Data Management Capabilities Help Labs Run Smoothly")
New Data Management Capabilities Help Labs Run SmoothlyLaboratory performance is critical for evaluating water treatment operations — from operational and disinfection efficiency to regulatory compliance reporting to human health and safety. Errors, oversights, or incomplete documentation can plague even the most finely tuned water treatment utilities. Here is a quick review of tools and techniques that can improve workflow accountability.
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A Lesson In DMA Management
White House Utility District (WHUD) is one of the largest water and sewer utilities in the state of Tennessee. While developing a network of pipelines, pumping stations and storage units was challenging, the greater test came in finding access to a plentiful water supply.
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![GettyImages-2137836204]( "Disinfection For Municipal Water Supply, Montana, US")
Disinfection For Municipal Water Supply, Montana, USThe Big Sky district in Montana, spanning 228 square miles and serving approximately 2,600 customers, has been grappling with the challenge of increasing summer water demand for irrigation.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Water Determination In Liquefied Petroleum Gas Using GC BID And Ionic Liquid Column Watercol™6/28/2018
Water in petrochemical feedstocks can cause problems for processors. Freezing of pipe lines and valves and poisoning of expensive catalysts are just a few examples.
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Best Practices In Moist And Wet Gas Flow12/20/2021
The Wet Gas MASSter sensor is for use in applications that have a high level of moisture or condensation present in the gas flow stream that cannot otherwise be removed.
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Determination Of Pesticide Residues In Tea4/10/2015
In 2012, Americans consumed well over 79 billion servings of tea, which is just over 3.60 billion gallons.
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Aquafine Ultraviolet Treatment Systems For TOC Reduction1/29/2025
Aquafine TOC reduction units coupled with ion exchange systems or EDI will oxidize trace organics into smaller ionic species, carbon dioxide and water, which are more readily removed by ion exchange resins, EDI, and/or degasifiers.
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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
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FLEX-TEND® Flexible Expansion Joints, Features And Specifications12/3/2020
FLEX-TEND® flexible expansion joints are designed to protect structures and pipelines from differential movement whether this movement is earthquake induced or the gradual motion of soil subsidence. This bulletin offers a concise listing and discussion of the important features and materials of the double and single ball assemblies.
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Determination Of Hexanal In Foods Utilizing Dynamic Headspace4/9/2015
Hexanal is one of many well-documented aromatic components that contribute to flavor and aroma in common consumer food products containing omega-6 fatty acids. Hexanal content is also used to measure the oxidative status of foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids.
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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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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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Removal Of Chloramines With Activated Carbon12/30/2013
In order to reduce the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts in drinking water, alternative disinfectant use has become increasingly widespread. Monochloramine is a leading alternative disinfectant that offers advantages for municipal water. This tech brief details the removal of monochloramine using activated carbon.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The PT6 is a rugged, lab-accurate water quality pocket tester with simple, one-button functionality.
HYMAX GRIP joins and restrains a wide selection of pipes of different types and diameters, easily and reliably. Due to its patented design, it allows the joining of pipes of the same or different materials and diameters and preventing axial pipe movement.
By creating strong, consistent circulation, CertiSafe Tank Mixers quickly and evenly move water while eliminating common water quality problems. CertiSafe’s industry-leading blend times ensure drinking water is always well-mixed, helping communities meet and exceed regulatory standards..
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.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Water Drop with brain-GettyImages-481129858]( "When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk")
A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health.
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![Water Treatment system for boiler station-GettyImages-914817776]( "Filtration Media For Municipal, Industrial, And Landscape Water Treatment: Legacy And Novel Technologies")
The growing demand for water across a variety of sectors combined with the increasingly understood complexity of emerging contaminants is creating a dynamic marketplace for filtration media. The goal of selecting the right filtration media is not to meet minimum standards but to achieve the right balance of performance, durability, and operational simplicity to ensure long-term compliance and cost-effective operation.
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![GettyImages-1272611333]( "Ozone Formulas And Conversions")
Learn key ozone formulas, unit conversions, and measurement standards to accurately calculate generator output, concentration, and dosage for effective system design, performance verification, and safe operation.
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![SaudiDesal-GettyImages-1139892550]( "Persian Gulf Desalination Plants Could Become Military Targets In Regional War")
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf region use the fossil fuels under their desert lands not only to make money, but also to make drinking water. The petroleum they produce powers more than 400 desalination plants, which turn seawater into drinkable water. -
![chemical element Chromium-GettyImages-1376151842]( "From Compliance To Circularity: Rethinking Chromium Management In Chrome Tanning")
In an industrial landscape increasingly shaped by lifecycle accountability, material traceability, and rising disposal costs, chromium recovery is not merely a technical alternative — it is a strategic upgrade, where wastewater can become a resource stream. -
![GettyImages-1180604487 drought]( "Extreme Weather Is Transforming The World's Rivers. We Need New Ways To Protect Them")
Around the world, rivers are no longer changing gradually. Rather, they are being increasingly transformed by extreme climatic events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. A newly published global review finds these events are pushing ecosystems beyond their limits and eroding biodiversity and core functions.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Water infrastructure projects often face extreme installation conditions, from deep-trench burials to exposed bridge crossings. Ensuring long-term reliability requires a material capable of withstanding environmental stressors that can compromise other piping options. Ductile iron pipe offers superior durability, maintaining its structural integrity regardless of temperature fluctuations or UV exposure. Watch the full video to explore these benefits in action.
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.