DRINKING WATER
Success Is The Break That Never Happened: How Embedded Acoustic Intelligence In Ultrasonic Meters Prevents Failure
Embedded acoustic sensing in ultrasonic meters enables continuous leak monitoring, helping utilities detect problems earlier, reduce water loss, and shift from reactive repairs to proactive infrastructure management.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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EPA Researchers Develop A Chemical Category-Based Approach To Prioritize PFAS For Data Collection
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires reporting, record-keeping, testing requirements and restrictions for chemicals of concern, including PFAS. To help meet these requirements, U.S. EPA researchers have developed a chemical category-based approach to help prioritize PFAS for further data collection efforts.
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Why Let A Computer Tell Me Where To Dig? Separating The Benefits Of Data Science From "AI" Snake Oil
Learn about the importance of doing data science right, and applying the right machine learning approach to the right part of the job.
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How To Find Critical Pipe Bursts
While there are commonalities for the chief causes of burst pipes (i.e. frozen pipes, water pressure, corrosion, etc.), the impact of each pipe burst will vary depending on the burst size, duration, location, time of the day, and many other parameters.
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900 Series System Ensures Quality, Increases Production, And Reduces Chemical Usage And Overall Costs
New Myron L® Company 900 Series system implementation for pH, Conductivity/TDS, and Temperature control ensures quality, increases production, and reduces chemical usage and overall costs in 5-Stage Pre-treatment Process prior to powder coat.
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Two-Way Fixed Network Helps Texas Community Become 'City Of The Future'
In January 2014, the city of Meadows Place, Texas, became the first city in Fort Bend County to fully convert to an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) fixed-network system. At the same time, the city also implemented a complete meter change-out for its 1,600 customers. Both projects represent large initiatives for the self-proclaimed “little city” with a population of 4,600 citizens.
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AMI Solution Enhances Efficiency And Boosts Customer Engagement
Read this case study to discover how the City of Santa Barbara uses Hubbell’s comprehensive water utility solutions to enhance customer service.
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Comparing Benefits Of V-Cone® And Coriolis Meters
Proper operation of water treatment processes depends on accurate flow measurements. Also, flow data is often required by regulatory agencies.
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High-Frequency Water Quality Monitoring To Ensure Compliance
A leading American supplier of carbon and alloy steel bar, rod, and wire faced a number of issues including effluent discharge containing heavy metals. They had a need for frequent testing to ensure compliance. Sampling and testing was time consuming, expensive, and very labor intensive.
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Precision Accuracy Flow Measurement Through Ultra Mag Implementation
Explore why he Hach Ultra Mag is a fan favorite in numerous industries such as municipal water and wastewater, amongst others.
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AMERICAN Spiral-Welded Steel Pipe And Big Easy Flood Control
If you think Hurricane Katrina was the first time New Orleans suffered major flood damage, think again. Flooding has been as much a part of New Orleans’ 300-year history as jazz, jambalaya and French Quarter juke joints.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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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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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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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.
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Waterworks Joints 10110/30/2025
There are many different joints that can be found on waterworks pipeline components. This paper focuses on the three most common joints.
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How To Install A Submersible Pump In Discharge Tubes11/28/2012
In the fields of water and waste water technology, submersible pumps represent a viable economic and technical alternative to conventional, dry-installed pumps. In particular, they offer a number of handling advantages during maintenance and installation work.
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Application Note: Water Flows From The Golden Hills Of California1/20/2010Each morning John Johnson drives the few miles from his smalltown home in northern California to the Center at Pardee Reservoir. Nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the reservoir is a long 100 miles away from San Francisco Bay. By YSI
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Ultrapure Water For Determination of Toxic Elements In Environmental Analyses4/10/2018
In this paper the importance of reagent water quality for toxic element environmental analyses is discussed, and the suitability of fresh ultrapure water produced using MilliporeSigma water purification systems for ICP-OES and ICP-MS trace element analyses in environmental laboratories is demonstrated.
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Municipal Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring9/24/2020
We arm municipalities with actionable data necessary to make informed decisions about water quality in their communities
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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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Improved Determination Of Volatile Organic Compounds In Water By SPME And GC/MS6/21/2018
The analysis of water for volatile organic compounds is important due to their toxicity. The current methods for this determination lack of sensitivity, selectivity or capability for automation. This paper presents the new ISO 17943 Standard using Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) and GC/MS. The sample preparation by SPME enables limits of detection and easy automation of the whole method. GC/MS provides the required sensitivity and selectivity. This ISO Standard was validated by an interlaboratory trial, which results confirm the outstanding performance for this method.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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Currently, water infrastructure is outdated and fragile, prone to breakages and leaks. Reactive approaches to water infrastructure are only implemented after an incident and are more expensive than simple maintenance fixes. Geotechnical Internet of Things (IoT) devices enable water and wastewater industry professionals to identify and address issues before they escalate into catastrophic events.
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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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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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Emerging state water reuse regulations are driving adoption of ozone and advanced oxidation, requiring flexible, high-performance systems to meet pathogen, trace organic, and DBP control objectives.
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EPA’s proposed perchlorate regulation challenges utilities to integrate advanced oxidation and separation technologies, enabling reliable removal, regulatory compliance, and flexible treatment for emerging contaminants.
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Ozone system performance hinges on reactor design, not generator size. Efficient mass transfer, hydraulic integrity, and contact time ensure consistent oxidation, reduced energy use, and reliable treatment 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.