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

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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?
The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction
The U.S. EPA’s 2026 trichloroethylene (TCE) compliance deadlines are now forcing a concrete shift toward source-zone destruction. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), sequenced with enhanced bioremediation, is proving to be the most credible path to groundwater contaminant rebound mitigation.
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.
EPA Seeks Court‑Ordered Removal Of 4 PFAS Limits The U.S. EPA is testing a new procedural strategy to remove four PFAS drinking‑water limits from ongoing litigation, asking the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to invalidate those limits on the grounds that the EPA itself committed a procedural misstep when issuing the 2024 PFAS rule.
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.

DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS

Based on proven electrodialysis reversal (EDR) technology, the END® system transforms two key components of traditional EDR to deliver maximum recovery with minimum energy consumption in numerous brackish water treatment applications.

Industrial Solutions and Services

Veolia Water Technologies is a full service water management company dedicated to developing customer-specific solutions that reduce water consumption, effectively manage and treat wastewater, minimize water discharge and ensure environmental compliance.

Aria FAST Mobile Water Treatment

Aria FAST mobile water units deliver the water you need, when and where you need it. Our mobile systems are easily installed and produce highquality water in as little as four hours after utility connections are complete.

Water Reuse: Solutions For Sustainability, Efficiency, And Resilient Water Systems

What is water reuse?

Water reuse is the process of treating and reclaiming water from various sources for practical purposes, including groundwater recharge, industrial applications, wetland restoration, agricultural irrigation, public access area uses, as well as drinking water applications. By reusing water, communities can reduce dependence on traditional water supplies, avoid costly imported water from 3rd party providers, and improve resilience in water systems. Thanks to progress in water treatment technology, along with economic and regulatory incentives, water recycling has become a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet the growing demand for highly treated water and overcome supply shortages during droughts.

There are three primary types of water reuse: Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR), Direct Potable Reuse (DPR), and Non-Potable. In IPR reuse systems, advanced treated water is either injected into an environmental buffer (groundwater, river, or reservoir) before being extracted again for use, whereas DPR is directly blended into the drinking water treatment plant or distribution system. Non-potable water is not intended for human consumption and can be used for irrigation, industrial processes, laundry, or toilet flushing.

Advanced treatment technologies, such as membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection, ozonation, and advanced oxidation processes (AOP), play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and safety of reclaimed water.

Why reuse water?

As water scarcity continues to rise, water reuse is an essential strategy for creating a more sustainable future. The use of recycled water reduces the demand for freshwater sources, which are becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and other factors.

Here are some key benefits of water reuse:

Safeguard quality and resilience: Reused water is purified well beyond drinking water standards, improving resilience and ensuring quality for both potable and even non-potable purposes.
Uphold safety: Treatment processes like ozone and ultraviolet light can be used to disinfect or break down complex contaminants, ensuring water is pathogen-free and concentrations are below maximum contaminant levels (MCL).
Ensure cost savings and efficiency: After treating a waste stream to discharge level, it may require less treatment to bring it to reuse standards, making reuse not only environmentally responsible but also cost-effective in many scenarios and locations.
Conserve traditional water supplies: By reusing water, we can lessen our reliance on conventional water resources like rivers, lakes, and aquifers, thereby conserving them for future generations.
Reduce carbon footprint: Water reclamation is often more efficient than treating a raw water resource, which can lessen environmental impact.
Enable versatility and customization: Advanced treatment systems are tailored to meet specific needs for a variety of sectors, including industrial, urban, agricultural, and public access area uses.

How to reuse water

The major aim of every reuse project is to minimize human health risk associated with the use or consumption of reclaimed water. While the exact treatment requirements depend upon the source water quality and the reuse purpose, to be cost-effective, the treatment must be energy efficient and have a high-water yield.

An adequate treatment design plan depends on the application the water will be used in. In non-potable applications, normally filtration and disinfection will suffice, while potable reuse generally requires a combination of advanced treatment processes such as membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, disinfection, and/or advanced oxidation.

Xylem has brands and solutions to fit every stage of the water reuse process:

beginning with the transport of raw sewage and wastewater with Xylem brands like Flygt
to secondary treatment to remove most dissolved and suspended organic matter and nutrients with brands like Sanitaire and Envirex
to tertiary stages that remove residual particulate matter, nutrients, TDS, and nematode eggs with brands like Leopold and Davco
along with disinfection and advanced oxidation that inactivates pathogens, and breaks down trace constituents and emerging contaminants of concern with brands like Wedeco, ETS-UV, ATG UV Systems, Pacific Ozone, and Wallace & Tiernan
and finally, digital solutions like YSI, OI Analytical, Xylem Vue that leverage remote monitoring, alerts, and data analytics for proactive and predictive maintenance

Based on practical knowledge from decades of combined brand experience, thousands of installations worldwide, and strengths in powerful R&D innovation, our team looks at the entire wastewater process at your plant. We will work with your consulting engineer and State regulators to integrate the right technologies to meet your intended targets. Modular design makes it easy to fit your requirements now and easily expand to meet your future needs.

Water reuse partnership

Though Xylem has teams of specialists, years of expertise, deep understanding of water regulations, and a broad solutions portfolio, we understand the complexities of water systems and the potential to partner with various water treatment experts. Xylem has partnered with hundreds of different firms around the globe to ensure the most efficient and viable water systems for communities and municipalities.

Our goal is to thoroughly understand each project, determine the best methods, and customize optimal solutions that meet local regulations and requirements while delivering resiliency, quality, and cost savings.

Let us be your partner in making every drop count. Contact us today to discuss your project needs.

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.

Emerging Pollutants: The Role Of Activated Carbons

The presence of active pharmaceutical ingredients, radio-opaque substances and endocrine disrupting chemicals in raw water sources is a relatively new emerging issue in relation to drinking water quality. However, the influence of pollutants on health and general well-being is becoming apparent with the incidence of carcinoma increasing and fertility rates being affected. A solution for the efficient removal of these substances from water use by production sites is required.

VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS

PFAS regulatory requirement-GettyImages-2220893562

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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To 10X & Beyond, AgentV™-DSP Arrives Ready To Rock

Filter fouling has limited exosome therapeutic scalability—until now. Explore how a breakthrough reagent achieves 50% particle recovery versus 5% traditionally, enabling affordable clinical manufacturing.
How High-Performing Trials Operationalize Health Equity Early

Explore how embedding inclusion early in clinical development enhances enrollment, strengthens data integrity, and improves outcomes, especially in oncology and rare disease trials.
Scenario Modelling For Surface Water Treatment: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Single-future design assumptions are no longer sufficient. See what scenario modelling reveals about building treatment infrastructure that performs across decades of uncertainty.
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.
Improving API Solubility With Mesoporous Silica

Poor solubility of active pharmaceutical ingredients can hinder drug effectiveness. Learn how innovative formulation strategies enhance solubility and bioavailability to improve therapeutic outcomes for challenging drug candidates.
Proprietary Reactivation Study Demonstrates PFAS Removal And Destruction Expertise

Thermal reactivation of granular activated carbon is a proven and scalable method to achieve >99.9% destruction removal efficiency for PFAS. This process fully restores the carbon for reuse, providing a sustainable solution that breaks the cycle of "forever chemicals."
3 Utilities Achieve Cleaner, More Reliable Water For Their Communities With Intelligent Solutions

From droughts to floods to leaking pipes, water utilities are under more pressure than ever. Traditional infrastructure wasn’t designed for today’s demands, but digital technology is helping close the gap. Tucson Water, Buffalo Sewer Authority and Hot Springs are three utilities leveraging Xylem’s intelligent solutions to identify and address issues before they happen – providing a cleaner, more reliable water supply for the communities they serve.
What Is Aseptic Processing?

Aseptic processing sterilizes products and packaging separately, then combines them in a sterile environment. See how this method ensures safety, extends shelf life, and protects medicines from contamination.
Foreign Action Notification To Health Canada

Health Canada is tightening foreign action reporting expectations. MAHs need to understand what the updated draft guidance means for their compliance and monitoring processes now.
A Year Of Reflection And Preparation

The Trial Master File (TMF) landscape in 2025 will require companies to stay attuned to the evolving ICH E6(R3) guidelines and the full implementation of the CTIS.
Practical Tips For Maintaining Healthy Cell Cultures

Humidity is a critical yet often overlooked factor in cell culture. Learn how it impacts cell viability and discover practical strategies to maintain optimal conditions for reliable results.
When It Comes To PFAS Removal, Not All Media Are Created Equal

As regulatory standards for PFAS become more stringent, specialized ion exchange resins provide a more efficient, high-capacity alternative to traditional carbon media, ultimately lowering long-term operational costs and improving overall system throughput and performance.
Collaborative Tech: How Dunea Is Boosting Network Visibility And Resilience

Integrating high-frequency sensor data with digital twins enhances network visibility and accelerates response times. This collaborative approach allows utilities to detect anomalies instantly, optimize maintenance, and simulate operational scenarios to ensure long-term system resilience.
Ensure Safety And Compliance With A Guide To Sterilization Validation

Sterilization validation is vital in pharma and medical device manufacturing to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance. Explore essential principles, best practices, and frameworks for effective implementation.

5 Misconceptions About PFAS Removal Technologies

This article will explore five common misconceptions about GAC and IX technologies for PFAS removal, helping utilities choose effective, site-specific treatment strategies for contaminated drinking water.
Demand Based Flushing Using AMI And Water Quality Sensors

Improve efficiency and water quality with demand-based flushing. The integration of sensors and smart networks allows utilities to remotely monitor and optimize flushing cycles.
Patient-Centric Formulations In Pediatric Adherence

Improving pediatric adherence requires age-appropriate formulations, taste-masking, and swallowability strategies. Regulatory, clinical, and technological insights help overcome barriers and support safer, more effective therapies for children across developmental stages.
UV Advanced Oxidation For Groundwater Remediation

Industrial pollution increasingly threatens clean groundwater. Learn how UV advanced oxidation permanently destroys resilient micropollutants like 1,4-dioxane and VOCs at the molecular level, while simultaneously providing robust pathogen disinfection without chemical byproducts.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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