Latest news, insights, and discussion on US and global drinking water regulations.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

SRP-Funded Technology Provides Affordable PFAS Testing For Homeowners
Widespread chemical contamination leaves many small water systems without viable testing options.Discover how an innovative, plant-based extraction method delivers affordable, highly accurate screening to identify complex contaminants and protect public health.
The Enzyme Bottleneck: Why Conventional Lake Management Is Failing — And What The Science Says About Genuine Bio-Dredging For decades, the dominant framework for assessing and managing lake health has been built around surface water measurements: chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus, water clarity, and the composite Trophic State Index derived from them. These metrics are familiar, standardized, and widely accepted. They are also, according to a growing body of peer-reviewed literature, measuring the wrong part of the lake.
Ozone Off-Gas: What It Reveals About System Efficiency, Safety, and Design
Learn how ozone off-gas impacts system efficiency, safety, and performance, and why monitoring and management are critical for optimized water treatment operations.
UK Reservoirs, Water Shortages, And Legionella Risks Is there a clear link between a less plentiful water supply and an increase in Legionella in our domestic water systems?
The Devastating Legacy Of Algaecides: Why The Quick Fix Is Failing Our Lakes As warmer months approach, water management professionals must confront the compounding consequences of biocidal algae treatments.
What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection? Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework.
Drinking Water Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Linked To An Increased Risk Of Childhood Asthma
While most of us are routinely exposed to low levels of PFAS, some communities are exposed to far higher levels from nearby pollution sources. A new study shows that in one of these at-risk communities, children were more likely to develop asthma if their mothers were exposed to very high PFAS levels during pregnancy.
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.
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.
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?

DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS

BioBarrier® Membrane BioReactor (MBR) & HSMBR

Bio-Microbics introduces a new generation of wastewater treatment solutions, the BioBarrier® HSMBR® (High Strength Membrane Bioreactor), to help meet the increasingly stringent needs of specialized applications. The membranes and processes used in this advanced system act as an impenetrable physical barrier for nearly all common pollutants found in wastewater today. The advanced technology offers the highest quality effluent possible on the market. The BioBarrier® MBR was the first system to be approved for water reuse (NSF/ANSI Std 350, class R) by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) International.

ACTIFLO®

Actiflo™ is a compact process that operates with microsand (Actisand™) as a seed for floc formation. Actisand™ provides surface area that enhances flocculation and also acts as a ballast or weight to aid a rapid settlement

ReFlex™ Reverse Osmosis

Desalitech's ReFlex Reverse Osmosis systems represent a new era of water treatment efficiency. With patented CCD technology, ReFlex systems guarantee maximum water savings and waste water reduction. Desalitech systems are making the best use of water resources, offering a recovery rate of up to 98 percent plus unmatched reliability and flexibility. ReFlex Reverse Osmosis typically reduces disposal costs by 50 percent to 75 percent and energy consumption by up to 35 percent.

Convertible-Potable-Water-Treatment-System-1

Convertible Potable Water Treatment System: PWT-12/50

For remote sites of 35 to 200 people, the newterra PWT-12/50 offers optimal flexibility – adapting to changing camp populations quickly and easily. The base 40' unit is a fully self-contained potable water treatment plant with capacity for up to 50 people.

SALINO® Pressure Center

In small to medium-sized desalination systems the SALINO® Pressure Center proves that greatness has nothing to do with size. The 4-in-1 technology combines all relevant components needed for pressure boosting and energy recovery in one RO system.

NeoTech CU-4 X™

The NeoTech CU4-X™ UV Water Treatment Control Interface is a remote and compact master controller capable of managing up to four NeoTech ultraviolet water treatment chambers independently and simultaneously.

VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS

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EPA Seeks Court‑Ordered Removal Of 4 PFAS Limits

Putting The National Toxicology Program's Fluoride Review In Context

Despite renewed public concern over fluoride and cognition, the National Toxicology Program’s findings focus on high‑fluoride groundwater conditions — not the controlled levels used in U.S. drinking water systems. Understanding that distinction is critical for utilities navigating policy questions and community expectations.
HAAs In The EU: Monitoring For Haloacetic Acids Under The Drinking Water Directive

In this Q&A, Dr. Elke Süss of Metrohm addresses the urgent need for haloacetic acid testing in response to “one of the most significant updates to EU drinking water monitoring in recent years.”
PFAS Unpacked: Experts Answer Questions On EPA Rules, Funding, Treatment, And More

With the U.S. EPA's PFAS rules now in place, utilities are finding themselves with a growing number of questions regarding how to treat these chemicals, the potential costs, and much more. For answers, Water Online's chief editor, Kevin Westerling, hosted an Ask Me Anything session featuring Ken Sansone, Senior Partner at SL Environmental Law Group; Kyle Thompson, National PFAS Lead at Carollo Engineers; and Lauren Weinrich, Principal Scientist at American Water.
Monitoring Know-How For PFAS Regulations

A Q&A to explain and resolve issues confronting water suppliers as they endeavor to comply with the monitoring requirements of federal PFAS regulations.
Clearing LCRI Hurdles

Assessing what lies ahead in the 10-year race to go lead-free, otherwise known as the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).

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Hot Springs Combats Aging Infrastructure Challenges With Xylem Digital Solutions

The City of Hot Springs, Arkansas knows the challenges of dealing with aging infrastructure well. The city’s 143-year-old system covers 923 miles of water mains in rocky terrain, making it difficult to detect leaks. That is why the utility’s water department decided to act.
Greater Versatility: Multi-Well Inserts Allow For A Two-Chamber System

Multi-well inserts allowing for a two-chamber system that can expose cell cultures from above and below provide greater versatility and expand research options compared to standard cell culture plates.
Optimising Coagulation And Flocculation Systems In Surface Water Facilities

Coagulation and flocculation remain essential but increasingly sensitive processes, requiring flexible design and real-time optimisation to maintain performance across widening source water variability.
Viral Disinfectant Efficacy Studies: Key Guiding Factors And Design Elements

Achieving compliance and safety through Disinfectant Efficacy Studies (DES) is about adhering to regulations and committing to high standards of safety and quality of manufacturing operations.
Ozone Contactors: The Engineering Variable That Determines Oxidation Success

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.
How Advanced Oxidation Is Tackling 1,4 Dioxane At Orlando Drum & Container

Orlando Drum & Container eliminates hazardous 1,4 Dioxane from groundwater using Pinnacle Ozone Solutions’ Advanced Oxidation Process, restoring water quality sustainably and ensuring regulatory compliance.
The Future Of Surface Water Treatment In Critical Infrastructure: Why Digital Planning Is No Longer Optional

Surface water supplies most urban drinking water, but rising variability and contamination are straining ageing infrastructure—making digital planning tools essential for resilient, future-ready treatment systems.
LC-UV-Based Synthetic Peptide Impurity Tracking And Reporting

Explore a UPLC-UV method using Empower 3 Software to assess synthetic peptide purity. Learn how integrated tools streamline impurity tracking, data reporting, and compliance in peptide analysis workflows.
5 Best Practices To Keep Your Incubator Shaker Contamination-Free

Learn five essential best practices to maintain a sterile incubator shaker environment, from routine cleaning and humidity control to advanced HEPA filtration for reliable results.
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.
The Active Control Program For Advanced UV Oxidation

This application note will explore how active control programs lower operational costs of compliant contaminant removal.
8 Ways MBR Assists Your Utility In Emergency Response

Whether it’s a hurricane, flood, fire, or extended power outage, the systems that sustain communities are often the first to be tested. And among all treatment technologies available, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have proven uniquely resilient.
The Role Of Ozone In Municipal Water Treatment

Discover why ozone, a powerful oxidant and sanitizer, has become a leading solution for addressing water quality challenges.
The Retirement Cliff Is Here. Your Analyzers Shouldn't Need A 30-Year Operator.

Widespread industry retirements and staffing shortages threaten operational continuity. Adopting low-maintenance, self-calibrating monitoring technology reduces reliance on specialized manual upkeep while establishing automated digital historical records that protect critical operational knowledge through workforce transitions.

Contamination In The Shadows: Risks Lurking From Environmental Issues

Discover how science-based bio-decontamination strategies effectively eliminate invisible pathogens and rapidly restore facilities to operational safety following major infrastructure disruptions.
PPC Filters Positively Charged, Double Layered PES Membrane

Boost sterile filtration performance with dual-layer membranes and charge-based capture for more effective contaminant removal and reliable results.
2,080 Hours: What Five Sensors Gave Back To One Utility

Routine sensor maintenance silently drains utility workforce capacity through constant recalibration, reagent refills, and travel time. Transitioning to low-maintenance monitoring technology reclaims thousands of operator hours, allowing short-handed crews to focus on vital system infrastructure priorities.
AEC PFAS Removal System Reduces PFAS Contamination In New Jersey

This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of a new technology for removing PFAS from well water to below the EPA’s detection limits.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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