WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS
-
![pfashazard_Getty-2204558906]( "D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOS")
D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOSThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently rejected industry challenges to the EPA's designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, leaving the agency's April 2024 rule fully intact. While the case centered on the EPA's authority to make the designation, its practical significance for water utilities is simpler: the liability concerns that have accompanied the rule since its adoption remain unresolved.
-
![LG-sonic-lake-pic]( "How Donner Summit PUD Cut Backwash Water Use By 45% With Ultrasonic Algae Control")
How Donner Summit PUD Cut Backwash Water Use By 45% With Ultrasonic Algae ControlRecurring algal blooms severely compromise water treatment efficiency, clogging filters and wasting finished water through frequent backwashing. Targeted ultrasonic suppression controls raw water algae growth at the source, significantly improving influent turbidity and lowering operational costs.
-
![pfas-testing-kit]( "SRP-Funded Technology Provides Affordable PFAS Testing For Homeowners")
SRP-Funded Technology Provides Affordable PFAS Testing For HomeownersWidespread 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.
-
![Nature, environmental-GettyImages-2172937599]( "The Enzyme Bottleneck: Why Conventional Lake Management Is Failing — And What The Science Says About Genuine Bio-Dredging")
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]( "Ozone Off-Gas: What It Reveals About System Efficiency, Safety, and Design")
Ozone Off-Gas: What It Reveals About System Efficiency, Safety, and DesignLearn how ozone off-gas impacts system efficiency, safety, and performance, and why monitoring and management are critical for optimized water treatment operations.
-
![A depleted reservoir in the Yorkshire countryside-GettyImages-2222868312]( "UK Reservoirs, Water Shortages, And Legionella Risks")
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? -
![Green Algae-GettyImages-1929939980]( "The Devastating Legacy Of Algaecides: Why The Quick Fix Is Failing Our Lakes")
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. -
![Cahaba River-GettyImages-2152826831]( "What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection?")
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. -
![pregnant_water-Getty-2207189112]( "Drinking Water Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Linked To An Increased Risk Of Childhood Asthma")
Drinking Water Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Linked To An Increased Risk Of Childhood AsthmaWhile 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.
-
![wastewater ecological damage-GettyImages-2231956262]( "The Pragmatic Shift In Source Water Protection: Moving From Symptom Management To Root-Cause Accountability")
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.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
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.
The art of manufacturing steel for industries is well over 100 years old. Within this time, the steel business has fulfilled consumer needs, including construction, transportation, and manufacturing. The steel manufacturing process is quite intensive as it requires a lot of water to cool down the application. Steel plants constantly look for strategies that can help sustain the steel for a longer time by efficiently improving water and energy consumption.
VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS
-
![Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA molecules-GettyImages-2179084012]( "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. -
![running faucet-GettyImages-175426122]( "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.” -
![questionmarks_Getty-1908249816]( "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. -
![1124-Microbac_Technologies]( "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.
-
![Rusty-pipe-GettyImages-186881378]( "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).
MORE WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES
-
![Scientists working in lab-GettyImages-542935478]( "Cell Culture Media Mixing In A Benchtop Single-Use Mixer")
Explore how efficient powder-liquid mixing and sterile filtration preserve media integrity and support reproducibility in biopharmaceutical workflows, with promising scalability for larger-volume applications.
-
![GettyImages-1074493878 (1) burst pipe]( "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.
-
![GettyImages-1473439906 carbon]( "When Granular Activated Carbon Isn't Enough: Optimize Performance With A Multi-Barrier Approach")
Learn why GAC alone may fall short in PFAS treatment — and how utilities can future-proof performance with multi-barrier strategies that tackle short-chain compounds, regulatory shifts, and rising operational risks.
-
![getty-1033851708-calendar-pages-turning]( "Navigating the Multi-Year Reality of CCCPH Compliance")
Implementing California's updated cross-connection policy requires managing multi-year hazard assessment schedules and strict staffing rules. Digital compliance tracking streamlines field data collection, validates tester credentials, and maintains continuous state audit readiness.
-
![GettyImages-1220229790 north american oil]( "Oilfield Pollution In West Texas: Engineering Lessons For Groundwater Protection And Advanced Oxidation")
Legacy oilfield contamination requires advanced strategies to protect vital groundwater. Explore the technical challenges of subsurface remediation and how advanced oxidation processes provide a more effective pathway for destroying persistent hydrocarbons and restoring aquifer quality.
-
![GettyImages-921346070 water funding money]( "The Cheapest Capital You'll Deploy This Year Is The Sensor That Doesn't Break")
A growing infrastructure funding gap requires utilities to maximize every capital dollar. Relying on continuous, trustworthy monitoring data allows systems to shift away from age-based asset replacement and target maintenance precisely where water quality degrades.
-
![Transferring And Validating Your Lab-Based Test Onto A Lateral Flow Device]( "Filters For Medical Device Reprocessing")
Enhance medical device reprocessing with multi-stage filtration that reduces bacteria and contaminants, limits recontamination risk, protects device integrity, and supports safer infection control.
-
![GettyImages-1158890456 tug of war, conflict]( "Analytics: A Referee For The Tug-Of-War Between MSC-EVs' Nature And Nurture")
Like a referee in a contest, advanced analytical methods are essential to mediate the push and pull of different factors influencing therapeutic efficacy.
-
![GettyImages-2215842270 lab]( "Charged For Action: The Hidden Secrets Of AEX Oligonucleotide Analysis")
Understanding how to fine-tune pH and ionic strength allows for the detection of truncated sequences and single-nucleotide variants, turning complex purification challenges into reproducible data.
-
![aria-filtra]( "Microfiltration Membranes Lead The Way In Water Filtration")
For water treatment professionals prioritizing precision and efficiency, hollow-fiber microfiltration membranes are revolutionizing the way industries and municipalities treat water.
-
![getty-1191054657-ROI]( "The Cost Of Not Using Ozone, A Lifecycle ROI Analysis For Water Treatment Systems")
Focusing on lifecycle ROI reveals ozone's value. It significantly reduces chemical and operational costs while extending filter media life, providing measurable long-term financial savings and compliance resilience.
-
![GettyImages-1297378695-lab-with-microscope-modern-sterile-environment]( "Product-Wet Integrity Testing: Risk-Based Strategies")
When standard water‑based integrity testing falls short, product‑wet approaches can offer a more representative alternative. Learn how risk‑based strategies are used to establish reliable test limits.
-
![GettyImages-2153059351-gloved-hand-with-test-tube-testing-water]( "Navigating EPA Surface Water Treatment Rules In 2026 And Beyond")
Single-future design assumptions are no longer sufficient. See what scenario modelling reveals about building treatment infrastructure that performs across decades of uncertainty.
-
![GettyImages-1807380795-analytics-cell-analysis-laboratory]( "Oligonucleotide Purification And Synthesis")
Examine how a 21‑mer oligo was synthesized and purified through systematic resin screening, method optimization, and successful scale‑up to build reliable, high‑purity chromatography workflows.
-
![Samsung Bioreactor Image thumb]( "Understanding And Mitigating Oxygen Heterogeneity In Large-Scale Bioreactors")
Oxygen heterogeneity, caused by pressure variations and other factors in large-scale bioreactors, can significantly impact cell growth and product yield.
-
![GettyImages-1401109426_450_300]( "The New Imperative For Water Treatment: A Shift From Compliance To Efficiency")
As water scarcity and energy costs rise, new ultrafiltration membrane technologies deliver higher flux, longer lifespan, and reduced fouling — turning water treatment from a compliance task into an efficiency opportunity.
-
![wtp-1391161353]( "How Utilities, Engineers, And Manufacturers Can Overcome Mounting PFAS Compliance Workloads")
Recent federal PFAS regulations will overwhelm consulting engineers, water and wastewater utilities, and equipment manufacturers as thousands of utilities work to comply. Generative design can enable these parties to meet the workload demand and deadlines.
-
![GettyImages-1462148610 Engineers Using Laptop In Factory]( "The Engineer's Guide To Maximizing Dynamic Range In RF Testing")
Learn practical strategies for improving RF dynamic range through noise reduction, linearity optimization, filtering, calibration, and advanced signal conditioning techniques.
