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?

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Ion Exchange Resins Reduce Pollution From Refineries

A single operational oil and gas refinery produces millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater a year, leading to environmental pollution concerns. Ion exchange resins are a metal- and ion-removal solution to help clean this wastewater for plant reuse or safe disposal. This application guide explains how resins can be used to demineralize refinery water in process, boiler, and cooling water applications.

Temperature Measurement

Endress+Hauser offers a complete assortment of compact thermometers, modular thermometers, thermowells, measurement inserts, transmitters and accessories for all types of process industries such as Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Food & Beverage, Life Sciences, Primaries & Metal, Power & Energy.

Cloth Media Filtration Removes Coal Ash And Coal Fines At Power Plants

Coal-fired power plants generate coal fines and coal ash from a number of sources, including coal combustion residuals (CCR), particularly fly and bottom ash from coal furnaces, and coal pile runoff during rain events. In support of an industry-wide effort to reduce, improve, and remove coal ash ponds, a variety of technologies have been tested and employed. Read the full application note to learn more.

Reducing And Reusing Water In Steel Manufacturing

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.

NeoTech D328™

The NeoTech D328™ is specially designed to disinfect water and is an essential component in advanced oxidation processes.

AOS Advanced Oxidation System

Highly effective against bacteria and viruses, the Advanced Oxidation System (AOS) is also well-suited for the decontamination of hard-to-treat organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants The AOS can be configured to deliver optimized performance for most water or wastewater treatment applications.

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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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Scope 3 Emissions: A Shared Challenge, A Collective Responsibility

Despite growing sustainability efforts, our industry lags in climate goals, especially Scope 3 emissions. Discover why bold action and deep collaboration across the value chain are essential for real progress.
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.
Development Of An Effective LC-MS/MS Cleaning Validation Method

Gain insight into a robust LC-MS/MS method for quantifying therapeutic peptides that supports contamination control and cleaning validation to ensure product safety and integrity.
Martin County Saves Millions With leadCAST's Automated Workflows And Statistical Analysis To Tackle LCRR

With the LCRR deadline fast approaching and over 59% of its service lines unverified, Martin County recognized the significant work ahead in preparing to meet the LCRR requirements. The county needed to establish a clear strategy for its compliance program, and to support this effort, it needed an engineering consulting partner with extensive expertise in LCRR.
How Climate Change Is Reshaping Surface Water Treatment Plant Design

Climate change is expanding source water variability beyond historical limits, forcing treatment plants to design for wider conditions—and making digital planning essential for resilient infrastructure decisions.
Eliminating Chlorine Sensor Pain Points With New Technology

Next-generation chlorine sensors eliminate the need for reagents and membranes, while offering flow-independent, multi-parameter, self-cleaning operation. This reduces maintenance and enhances monitoring accuracy.
Office Of Naval Research Contract Leads To New Chlorine Sensor Technology

Developed from U.S. Office of Naval Research requirements, this multiparameter chlorine sensor offers extended maintenance-free operation, flow-independence, and automatic compensation for reliable, in-pipe monitoring.
PFAS Pilots: Strategic Planning To Reduce Risk And Optimize Costs

Learn why piloting PFAS treatment is essential to reduce risk, optimize costs, and ensure compliance—plus the seven key steps to design a pilot that delivers reliable, real-world results.
Scaling Water Reuse: New State Regulatory Guides And What They Mean For Treatment Design

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.
When Is An Exosome Not An Exosome?

What separates genuine exosomes from microvesicles, apoptotic bodies, or lipoproteins? Explore the markers, assays, and biogenesis pathways that define these particles beyond popular terminology.
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.
Elevating Downstream Process Development With Real-Time Data Monitoring

Learn how real-time monitoring with PAT enhances process control, shortens development timelines, and supports the shift toward continuous manufacturing in biopharmaceutical production.
A 5-Step Guide To Achieving Your Biosimilar Milestones On Time

As the biologic patent cliff looms, biosimilar developers must strategically plot their approach to development and manufacturing to secure a corner of their market and reach their target patients.
Tips For Better eCOA Experiences From Medable's Patient Caregiver Network

Hear from patients and caregivers across various therapeutic areas as they offer tips on improving the clinical trial experience.

Custom Tank Designs That Actively Manage PFAS Mass Transfer Zone (MTZ)

As utilities prepare for the pending 4-ppt PFAS drinking water MCL, many are discovering that legacy lead/lag designs — workhorses for decades when treating contaminants in the ppm and ppb range — simply are not optimized for the parts per trillion-level (ppt) precision PFAS demands.
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.
Converging Challenges, Unified Solutions: How Three Overlapping Trends Are Shaping Public Water

With the right help, coping with workforce upheaval, the digital transition, and asset management can be an opportunity.
Identifying Contaminants Of Concern

In this article, we outline the sources, occurrence, known health issues, and mitigation options for specific contaminants.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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