WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS
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![River water pollution, Ecological-GettyImages-1215336784]( "The AWWA Said $2.4 Trillion. It Missed The Compound Interest.")
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.
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![Water droplets, PFAS, Forever chemical water contamination-GettyImages-2173433890]( "Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies")
Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water AgenciesWater 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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![Oil spill clean up-GettyImages-1369921282]( "The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction")
The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent DestructionThe 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.
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![Water Drop with brain-GettyImages-481129858]( "When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk")
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. -
![PFAS regulatory requirement-GettyImages-2220893562]( "EPA Seeks Court‑Ordered Removal Of 4 PFAS Limits")
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. -
![Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA molecules-GettyImages-2179084012]( "Putting The National Toxicology Program's Fluoride Review In Context")
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. -
![regulation, compliance, risk management, guidelines-GettyImages-2253669656]( "Opinion: Why PFAS Policymakers Should Read Past The Abstract")
Opinion: Why PFAS Policymakers Should Read Past The Abstract When it comes to drinking water, sound public policy requires sound scientific research. Publication in a prestigious, peer-reviewed journal helps establish legitimacy for scientific claims in public discourse. But science is a social process, scientific standards of evidence vary across disciplines, and peer review does not guarantee validity. For readers who stop at the abstract, these distinctions can be easy to miss. -
![Eelgrass Bed in Notojima island, Japan-GettyImages-651462262]( "Planting The Seeds Of Inspiration: Eelgrass Restoration")
Planting The Seeds Of Inspiration: Eelgrass RestorationRestoring eelgrass beds is critical because they provide habitat for many kinds of marine life, improve water quality by filtering out pollution, and the plant’s root system stabilizes the sediment on the seafloor, protecting shorelines from erosion.
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![LakeSuperior_Getty-1405284925]( "PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There")
PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There No matter where you live in the U.S., you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources. -
![tractor_sludge_Getty-2155530305]( "Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water")
Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water When people think about agricultural pollution, they often picture what is easy to see: fertilizer spreaders crossing fields or muddy runoff after a heavy storm. However, a much more significant threat is quietly and invisibly building in the ground.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
Learn about filtering microplastics from industrial wastewater prior to discharge, and how this is one way to effectively reduce the volume of this waste material from entering our surface water.
The DE NORA TETRA™ Modular DeepBed Filter Plant from De Nora Water Technologies is designed as a competitive filtration plant for tertiary effluent from small to medium size sewage works. The Modular DeepBed Filter utilizes the technology of DeepBed filtration that has made the TETRA filter such a successful tertiary treatment process over many years in Europe and the United States.
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.
Air stripping technology effectively removes VOCs, THMs, and CO2 for improved adherence to water quality regulations.
VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS
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![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.
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![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
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![pfas-strategic-planning]( "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.
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![GettyImages-1087219526-scientist-computer-screen-compliance-sterilization]( "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.
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![GettyImages-1097562996-pill-tablet-capsule-OSD-oral-solid]( "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.
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![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.
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![GettyImages-1180581753-scientists-lab-monitoring-computer-laboratory]( "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.
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![GettyImages-1323053234_450_300]( "Engineered For Impact: The Carbon That Stands Out In PFAS Treatment")
Filtrasorb 400’s agglomerated pore structure and high volumetric capacity deliver unmatched PFAS removal, longer run times, and lower lifecycle costs—outperforming direct-activated carbons in real-world and lab testing.
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![GettyImages-675822224 cleanroom, lab]( "Double, Double, Experts Huddle, Cells And Bioprocess Bubble")
Biomanufacturing leaders unite to optimize exosome/EV production. Explore their combined upstream/downstream approach for optimized cell culture, purification, and quality control.
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![GettyImages-2191770336 brass valves]( "Taking The Lead On Ditching Lead")
AWWA C800, Underground Service Line Valves and Fittings, was built around the use of one brass alloy, C83600, also known as leaded red brass, favored for its manufacturability and low cost. Over the last two decades, the waterworks industry has transitioned to brass alloys that meet the definition of lead-free for most surfaces contacting potable water.
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![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.
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![GettyImages-2208925279 - exome, EV, extracellular vesicle, miRNA]( "Watch That Car-go! Acceleration Towards MSC-EV Characterization")
EV production must align with CMC and regulatory standards before it can reach its full potential. This study compares conditioned medium across scalable platforms to optimize EV manufacturing for the clinic.
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![GettyImages-490057994_450_300]( "A True PFAS Solution Is About More Than Removal")
Engineers and project managers must take a complete cradle-to-grave approach when considering which technologies to implement as well as which vendors to partner with for their PFAS solution.
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![Lab Software GettyImages-1180547354]( "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.
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![GettyImages-1493586956-assay-bottles-laboratory-scientist]( "Back To Basics: Understanding Testing For Process-Related Impurities")
Master the fundamentals of identifying and monitoring process-related impurities. Ensure biologic safety and regulatory success by optimizing your analytical strategy.
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![DSC04389_450_300]( "Advancing mRNA Vaccines and Therapeutics Through IVT Process Development")
An optimized in vitro transcription (IVT) platform enables scalable, high-yield, and cost-efficient mRNA therapeutic production by leveraging data-driven process optimization and enzyme innovation to overcome key manufacturing challenges.
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![csm_IMID_1_593671758c]( "Precision Medicine In IMIDs - The Path To Improved Healthcare Outcomes")
Precision medicine is opening new possibilities for IMIDs by moving beyond symptom‑based care. Find out how emerging multi‑omics tools are reshaping how these complex diseases are understood.
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![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.
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In this article, Transcend will highlight the importance of EPA PFAS drinking water standards as well as how they ensure safe and clean water systems. We also provide the opportunity to streamline wastewater design for utilities, engineering consultants, and equipment suppliers.
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![GettyImages-1437987503 washington DC]( "Engineering Resilience In Water Supply: How Ozone-Based Oxidation Supports DC Water's Pure Water DC Vision")
Securing urban water futures requires shifting toward resilient, multi-source supplies. Advanced oxidation provides a critical barrier against emerging contaminants, enhancing treatment efficiency and ensuring long-term reliability without chemical residuals. Explore the foundations of engineering a decentralized, drought-proof water supply.
