DRINKING WATER
Beyond Meter Reads: Leveraging Temetra For Enhanced Customer Engagement And Conservation
Las Vegas Valley Water District is modernizing conservation efforts with Temetra, using high-resolution meter data to detect leaks sooner, engage customers, and secure water resources amid extreme drought conditions.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![XRSCS010_NC_City_COVID-19_2020-1]( "Quick Response Restores Critical Water Supply To North Carolina Community During COVID-19 Outbreak")
Quick Response Restores Critical Water Supply To North Carolina Community During COVID-19 OutbreakDuring the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak — when handwashing and sanitation were essential to maintaining public health — a reduction in water supply to residents quickly became critical.
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How To Filter Iron & Manganese From Well Water With Manganese Dioxide Filter Media
There are various treatment processes that are used to remove iron and manganese from ground water for potable water supplies. Iron and manganese are typically found in groundwater in a dissolved state and the water may appear clear. While there are various less common treatment methods used (such as ion exchange), most treatment systems for iron and manganese oxidize the ferrous state (clear iron) to a ferric state so the solid particles can then be filtered out.
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One Million Gallons Of Wastewater Reused Daily To Irrigate Award-Winning Botanical Garden
The City of Silverton is known as Oregon’s Garden City and sends one million gallons a day of treated effluent to the Oregon Gardens, returning the remainder to Silver Creek.
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![day-1-of-training]( "The Importance Of Control Valve Training")
The Importance Of Control Valve TrainingBy understanding how to implement a pressure management program, the amount of recoverable water losses can be staggering, as well as have a significant reduction in pipe breakages.
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![Water Bubbles GettyImages-1424980326]( "Nanobubble Ozone Technology – Advancing Mass Transfer Through Physics")
Nanobubble Ozone Technology – Advancing Mass Transfer Through PhysicsNanobubble 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.
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![drinking_water_disinfection_tianjin_china_case_study-3]( "Drinking Water Treatment: Tianjin, China")
Drinking Water Treatment: Tianjin, ChinaFavorable reviews of UV technology in wastewater applications influenced Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA) Water Supply General Company to investigate the potential of using UV for drinking water applications at one of its water treatment plants.
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![Bottles]( "How pH Standards Impact The Accuracy Of Water Quality Measurements")
How pH Standards Impact The Accuracy Of Water Quality MeasurementsWhen it comes to pH measurement in water and wastewater treatment, there are two focal points for the word ‘standard’ — one is a compliance-related state or federal water quality specification; the other is a specific fluid used as a calibration reference point to ensure pH instrumentation accuracy. Here is why both are important and how they affect the best pH measurement outcomes in both areas.
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![swan]( "Monitoring Chlorine Residuals For RO Membranes - ORP Versus Chlorine Analyzers")
Monitoring Chlorine Residuals For RO Membranes - ORP Versus Chlorine AnalyzersIn processes where disinfection is required chlorine is the most common and economic disinfectant followed by sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach). It is important to disinfect the RO feedwater to avoid fouling of the membranes which results in poor performance and frequent cleaning.
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![peace-river]( "Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Uses Powdered Activated Carbon To Ensure High Quality Drinking Water")
Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Uses Powdered Activated Carbon To Ensure High Quality Drinking WaterFounded in 1982, Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority supplies drinking water to a region of approximately one million people living south of Tampa Bay in DeSoto, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Its surface water treatment plant draws water from the Peace River to a reservoir and treats it to drinking water standards at the rate of about 31 million gallons a day.
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![KROHNE Electronic ROI photo]( "The Financial Upside Of Electronic Meters")
The Financial Upside Of Electronic MetersMechanical flow meters have a proven track record. However, there’s a downside. Electronic meters — which are gaining wider acceptance — are less prone to damage, require little to no maintenance, and can be comparably priced or even less expensive when operating costs are taken into account.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Bringing Efficiency And New Confidence To BOD₅ Analysis2/4/2013
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) analysis is the test everyone loves to hate—and for compelling reasons.
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Alcoholic Beverage Fusel Alcohol Testing With Static Headspace9/2/2014
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.
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Harmonics Reduction Methods4/17/2017
There are several basic methods for reducing harmonic voltage and current distortion from nonlinear distribution loads such as adjustable frequency drives (AFDs). Following is a description of each method, along with each method’s advantages and disadvantages.
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Performance Test Services For UV Advanced Oxidation Systems12/1/2025
UV AOP performance verification requires a robust test matrix covering design, operating, and control conditions. This process includes on-site execution, sample analysis, and troubleshooting to achieve successful regulatory approval.
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Water Treatment In Boilers And Cooling Towers10/29/2021
Most people recognize problems associated with corrosion. Effects from scale deposits, however, are equally important. For example, as little as 1/8" of scale can reduce the efficiency of a boiler by 18% or a cooling tower heat exchanger by 40%!
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Application Note: YSI Water Quality Monitoring Buoys Help Connecticut DOT Protect The Housatonic River12/27/2005When replacement of the Sikorski Bridge spanning the Housatonic River was authorized, Paul Corrente and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT-DOT) set about the design and development of a water quality monitoring program to monitor the contractor’s in-water activities to insure full protection of the river from perturbation
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Flow Monitoring At Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Plant Improves Water Distribution1/6/2025
Read about a desalination plant that was in need of a practical verification methodology for permanent and/or temporary (portable) solutions on large pipes.
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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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Organics Aren't Invisible: A Guide for Simple Online Monitoring5/13/2019
Control of dissolved organics has been one of the highest priority concerns for most water treatment plants for over 20 years. Organics monitoring is an even more critical issue today in the face of more stringent regulations and concerns around trace organics, emerging contaminants, and even counter-terrorism or water security. Despite the critical need, many plants still rely primarily on turbidity for monitoring and process control.
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Phosphate In Groundwater And Surface Water: A Rapid And Reliable Determination Method Using The Photometric Spectroquant® Test1/31/2019
Phosphorus is an essential element for organisms and plants. In natural, uncontaminated waters, it occurs as organically bound phosphate, condensed phosphates or as orthophosphate — often referred to by its chemical formula PO4-P. The small quantity of phosphorus present in natural waters does not promote the growth of plants. However, a rise in the concentration of phosphorus results in the proliferation of algae, which leads to the eutrophication of the water body.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
Loprest pressure filters can be provided in horizontal or vertical configurations for flow rates from 50 to 5,000 GPM.
Amiad’s ABF Series consists of heavy duty automatic filters with an electric self-cleaning mechanism. The five models of the “ABF” product line range in flow-rates of up to 7200 m³/h (32000 US gpm) with screens ranging from 3,500-200 micron filtration degree.
This proprietary composite spiral element is available in fiberglass and netting wrap configurations with an anti-telescoping device (ATD) on both ends. A brine seal (one end) is available on the fiberglass wrap only.
The Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator's (AEC) modular design provides a small footprint and low energy consumption, and it can be skidded, trailer-mounted, or custom configured to fit into existing spaces.
Each measuring path is formed by two coordinated transducers that transmit ultrasonic signals back and forth through the pipe. Using the transmit and receive time difference between the two signals, caused by the flow in the pipe slowing the transit time against the flow and accelerating the time with the flow, the transmitter calculates the resulting flow measurement.
Improve your experience in nitrate measurement with Hach's new NT3100sc sensor. Backed by a legacy of reagent-free UV absorbance technology expertise, Hach's NT3100sc UV Nitrate Sensor is equipped to meet your unique application needs. Whether measuring nitrate in municipal sewage treatment plants, surface water, untreated water or treated drinking water, you’ll have the choice of 3 different path lengths to fit your measurement ranges and turbidity compensation needs.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![businesswoman asking question in education event-GettyImages-2198836359]( "AMI Under The Microscope: Beaverton Water Division Answers Questions About Its AMI Transition")
Beaverton Water Division’s transition to Kamstrup AMI and acoustic leak detection is modernizing meter reading, reducing infrastructure costs, improving leak identification, and streamlining operations as deployment progresses.
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![Texas Flag-GettyImages-942623440]( "Meeting Demand, Ensuring Compliance: A Success Story In Executing Fast-Paced Water System Improvements In Missouri City, Texas")
Learn how the Mustang Bayou Service Area (MBSA) Water System Improvements project delivered a fast-tracked, multi-phase response to rapid development and critical capacity challenges in one of the Missouri City’s fastest-growing regions.
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![Legionella pneumophila-GettyImages-1451790531]( "Legionella And The Need For Next-Generation Detection: Steps Water Utilities Can Take To Alleviate The Risk")
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. -
![maasjackson]( "Metering as a Service Improves Jackson, MS, Water Infrastructure")
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. -
![leadpipeInground_Getty-2211014580]( "The Final Mile: The U.S. Simply Must Rush To Finish Its Critical Lead-Pipe Cleanup")
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. -
![Digital communication-GettyImages-2042965298]( "Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, And Savings")
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.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Why have only 20% of water utilities deployed an AMI fixed network? If you are considering a fixed network, I've got something you seriously need to consider prior to soliciting quotations or putting out your RFP. The question is, who is going to manage the network infrastructure? Do you have qualified individuals within your utility ready to continuously monitor, maintain and manage the network? In this video, we're going to discuss some of the options available for water utilities today: a utility managed network versus a network as a service agreement (NaaS).
See how SIWA MDM Event and Data Action Management (EDAM) helps utilities detect anomalies and identify service points with potential issues. With EDAM, utilities can define a set of conditions or rules that SIWA MDM meter data management uses to analyze data and events such as water leaks and missing reads.
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.