DRINKING WATER

WOL_iowa-park-smartball_385x250 Rural North Texas Community Cuts Non-Revenue Water By 42% With Pipeline Leak Detection Technology

Discover 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.

DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS

  • Integrated Level Solutions For The Future

    Smarter measurement supports safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations, improving uptime and extending servicelife, whatever the industry sector.

  • HVAC Efficiency – The Benefits Of Optimizing Your Heating And Cooling

    There has been no shortage of studies, discussions and debates surrounding the concept of energy efficiency over the past 40 years. Scientific studies suggest a relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change, strengthening the belief that human activity was harming the environment.

  • AMI Steps Up Efficiency Without Feet On The Street

    Begun in 1882 as a station along the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas (MKT or Katy) Railroad, Hewitt, Texas encompasses 6.86 square miles south of Waco.

  • EPA Scientists Test Non-Targeted Analysis Methods Using Drinking Water Filters

    Today, researchers can rapidly search for thousands of never-before studied chemical compounds in a wide variety of environmental, residential, and biological media. This approach is called “non-targeted analysis” (NTA). It differs from targeted analysis because researchers do not have to know what specific chemical they are looking for in a sample. They can use high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to rapidly identify many of the chemicals present in a sample. The HRMS measures the accurate mass of molecules and can find chemicals that would have gone unnoticed before. This approach is beneficial not just to researchers, but to States, tribes, and local communities who might want to know more about chemical exposure.

  • AFC Semper RPM: Topsfield Water Dept.'s Answer For Identifying Water Hammer

    For any water system, water hammer, also known as pressure transients, pose significant threats, from leaking joints to service connection failures and even pipes that burst. The damages resulting from these events can be costly to repair and leave customers without water.

  • Case Study: Singapore Utility Eliminates Harmful Transients Improving System Reliability And Prolonging The Asset Life

    Water scarcity has long prompted water self-sufficiency in Singapore, the third most densely populated country in the world, with 5.6 million residents crowded into just over 275 square miles.

  • Water Industry Awards - Alliancing And Partnership Initiative Of The Year Submission

    As an innovation-driven leak detection specialist, Ovarro’s research and development team works closely with utilities to develop best-in-class technologies. The Sheffield-based global company partnered with Anglian Water to develop a revolutionary remote leak detection device, Enigma3hyQ and cloud-based data platform, PrimeWeb.

  • Leveraging Digital Twins For 'Smart Water' Analytics

    Optimizing water and wastewater operations requires analyzing a lot of variables and the relationships among them. One good way to do that is with a digital twin — a digital parallel to a physical system — that can be used to test and develop new analytics or control strategies without disrupting real-time operations. Here are several examples of how to use digital twins to yield more efficient results.

  • Mannheim Water Treatment Plant Upgrades to Sidestream Injection

    Learn why Mannheim Water Treatment Plant's fine bubble diffusers were replaced with sidestream injection systems comprised of four skid-mounted venturi injectors, followed by four basin nozzle manifolds. 

  • Nanobubble Ozone Technology – Advancing Mass Transfer Through Physics

    Nanobubble physics enable higher ozone stability and mass transfer efficiency in water. Discover how the negative surface charge of these microstructures improves localized oxidation and penetration into difficult matrices.

DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES

  • Secret To Disinfection Monitoring For High Chlorine Residual Wastewater Applications
    8/2/2015

    Some wastewater applications require chlorine residuals greater than can be effectively monitored using DPD due to the oxidation of the Wurster dye to a colorless Imine. Such applications include industrial wastewater processes that inherently have a high chlorine demand thereby requiring a more robust monitoring method.

  • VFD Energy Savings For Pumping Applications
    4/6/2017

    In the early days of variable frequency drive (VFD) technology, the typical application was in process control for manufacturing synthetic fiber, steel bars, and aluminum foil.

  • Alcoholic Beverage Fusel Alcohol Testing With Static Headspace
    9/2/2014

    A static headspace method was developed using Teledyne Tekmar automated headspace vial samplers to meet the method requirements of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the US Department of the Treasury (TTB) method SSD: TM:2001 for testing fusel alcohols in alcoholic beverages.

  • Panametrics Technology Helps Track Potable Water Leaks
    4/22/2022

    Concerned about the volume of water leakages throughout their network, a Swedish water authority turned to Panametrics flowmeters to map their municipal water network -- enabling quick leak identification and fixes.

  • Optimizing Brine Flow In A Geothermal Power Plant
    1/27/2022

    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.

  • Determination Of Pesticide Residues In Honey, By An Automated QuEChERS Solution
    9/17/2014

    The QuEChERS (Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe) sample extraction method was developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.

  • Application Note: Troubleshooting A pH Electrode
    1/26/2011

    Many factors affect performance of a pH electrode. When performance degrades, it is always a challenge for the analyst to identify the cause. Common troubleshooting procedures, which include evaluation of slope, electrode drift, time response, and accuracy, take considerable time. By Thermo Fisher Scientific

  • Determination Of Polar Pesticide Residues In Food Of Plant Origin, By And Automate QuPPe Solution
    9/29/2014

    The QuEChERS (Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe) sample extraction method was developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.

  • Innovative Solutions To Drinking Water Decontamination In Small And Medium Treatment Plants
    9/21/2017

    Air stripping technology effectively removes VOCs, THMs, and CO2 for improved adherence to water quality regulations.

  • Biofouling Control In Cooling Towers With A Halogen Stabilizer
    10/22/2020

    Biofouling in cooling towers is undesirable because it can reduce heat transfer efficiency, restrict water flow, and accelerate corrosion rates. Of even greater concern is the fact that pathogen growth in cooling towers can lead to disease transmission. Given the favorable growth environment of a cooling tower, these microorganisms can reproduce, proliferate and form complex biofilm communities. Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease, are one of the greatest concerns from a public health standpoint because infections are often lethal and cooling towers are the most frequently reported non-potable water source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks (Llewellyn 2017).

DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS

The OPTIFLUX 1300 is an electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) with lightweight wafer-style design. The meter is an economical solution for applications with conductive liquids (≥ 5 μS/cm) and higher solid content (up to 70%). Unlike the OPTIFLUX 1100, the OPTIFLUX 1300 offers a better accuracy. The flowmeter already meets the demands of many applications in various industries. It has established itself as the preferred solution for OEM machinery applications, dosing systems, compact skids, chemical handling systems or pump and firefighting systems.

Delivers leading-edge technology to the non-invasive switch market by facilitating accurate level measurement for oil & gas, chemical, and power generation applications.

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..

Trilogy is a modular laboratory fluorometer offering sensitive, precise measurements across multiple applications. With interchangeable modules for chlorophyll, CDOM, turbidity, and more, Trilogy delivers laboratory-grade performance with flexibility.

The Restraint Harness consists of one Series 1100 MEGALUG Restraint and one split bell back up ring. For use on water or wastewater pipelines subject to hydrostatic pressure and tested in accordance with either AWWA C600 or ASTM D2774.

The C3 is a rugged, three-channel submersible fluorometer and datalogger that allows simultaneous detection of multiple parameters such as chlorophyll, CDOM, and phycocyanin. Its compact size and versatile design make it ideal for profiling, discrete sampling, and autonomous platforms. Rated to 600 meters, the C3 gives researchers a flexible, reliable tool for multi-parameter water quality studies.

LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Amid the AI-fueled gold rush, more leaders are beginning to pay attention to the short- and long-term natural resource concerns, especially around all the water needed to keep data centers running.
  • Water pricing often fails to reflect scarcity, quality, or long-term risk, forcing companies to act internally. But this action is not being done in a vacuum. The ripple effect of internal water pricing is bound to impact water utilities, and ultimately, ratepayers and consumers.

DRINKING WATER VIDEOS

IPR'S CIPP liner system for gravity-flow sewers and culverts is the most proven, cost-effective trenchless pipeline rehabilitation system in the industry. It is also the most widely specified form of trenchless pipeline rehabilitation.

Alex and the crew travel to Saudi Arabia and talk to Noura Shehab, a Ph.D. student at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), about her research to use microbes to power sea water desalination.

EXO, a state-of-the art water quality monitoring platform, is designed to address the many challenges of collecting accurate field data in the natural environment.

This video gives an overview of the features and benefits of the YSI Professional Plus, or Pro Plus, handheld multiparameter water quality instrument.

Check out this brief video with Greg, and industry veteran and our Product Manager for Measurement technologies, as he provides a lowdown on the new AWWA Standard covering solid-state meters which are increasingly being adopted by water utilities of all sizes.

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:

  1. Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
  2. Drinking water treatment of source water
  3. 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.