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

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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.
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.
Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience As water systems become more circular and complex, understanding and managing the subsurface — the hidden half of the water cycle — is becoming a critical enabler of resilience. This article explores the key trends shaping this new reality, from tackling “forever chemicals” to the water strategies redefining heavy industry.
PFAS In Pregnant Women's Drinking Water Puts Their Babies At Higher Risk, Study Finds
When pregnant women drink water that comes from wells downstream of sites contaminated with PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” the risks to their babies’ health substantially increase, a new study found. These risks include the chance of low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality.
PFAS Settlements: Debunking The Myths And Revealing What's Really At Stake For Water Utilities Misinformation and confusion could prevent some utilities from benefitting from the aqueous film-forming foam multidistrict litigation (AFFF MDL) settlements. Here are five common myths about the AFFF MDL PFAS settlements and how public water systems can make the most of this unprecedented funding opportunity.
When Chemistry Meets Water Innovation
Nobel-winning molecular materials are poised to reinvent purification, desalination, and reuse.
Solving The World's Microplastics Problem: 4 Solutions Cities And States Are Trying After Global Treaty Talks Collapsed
Microplastics seem to be everywhere — in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Countries have tried for the past few years to write a global plastics treaty that might reduce human exposure, but the latest negotiations collapsed in August 2025. While U.S. and global solutions seem far off, policies to limit harm from microplastics are gaining traction at the state and local levels.
AEC System Proven Effective For Chloride Removal
In two bench-scale tests, a new technology effectively removed up to 99% of chlorides and 97% of total dissolved solids in a single pass. This solution offers a commercially viable alternative to traditional treatment methods.
Common Misconceptions Are Keeping Lakes "Sick"
Long-held misconceptions about lake management fuel the intensity and recurrence of harmful algal blooms.
Colorado's Subalpine Wetlands May Be Producing A Toxic Form Of Mercury — That's A Concern For Downstream Water Supplies
The wetlands found across the Rocky Mountains of Colorado just below tree line are crucial for regulating the supply of clean water from the highlands to metropolitan regions downslope, including Denver. However, new research shows the wetlands also harbor a health risk.

DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS

OPUS® II Technology - a New Innovation for High Recovery of Water for Reuse

OPUS® II is a proprietary process for high recovery of complex wastewater streams. This new innovation uses CeraMem® ceramic membranes as pretreatment for reverse osmosis to reduce the system footprint. OPUS II can be delivered in modular, containerized units to minimize installation costs.

Like the original OPUS technology, OPUS II effectively removes silica, organics, hardness, boron, strontium and particulates. It generates high quality effluent at a high recovery rate, providing clean water for discharge, recycle or reuse.

Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator

The Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator's (AEC) modular design provides a small footprint and low energy consumption, and it can be skidded, trailer-mounted, or custom configured to fit into existing spaces.

Potable Water Treatment Large Train System: PWT 500

For large camps with populations expected to exceed 2,000 people, newterra’s modular PWT-500 Potable Water Treatment Large Train System employs 40' containers dedicated to a specific, complimentary treatment process (e.g. greensand filtration, nanofiltration, etc.)

PFAS HPLC Column

The new Ascentis® Express PFAS HPLC column, with its Fused-Core technology and a particle size of 2.7 μm, delivers fast and high-resolution separations with excellent selectivity, peak shape, and necessary retention to perform in EPA methods 537.1, 533 and 8327.

Aqua ElectrOzone Ozone Generation System

Ozone treatment for water and wastewater has been utilized successfully for several decades and continues to be a viable disinfection solution for both municipal and industrial plants, worldwide.

Reverse Osmosis: RO Meter

This compact instrument has been designed specifically to demonstrate and test POU reverse osmosis or distillation systems. By measuring electrical conductivity, it will quickly determine the parts per million/Total Dissolved Solids (ppm/TDS) of any drinking water

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HAAs In The EU: Monitoring For Haloacetic Acids Under The Drinking Water Directive

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).
Making Sense Of GRR For LCRR: How Galvanized Service Lines Factor Into Inventory Requirements

Many water systems are still tackling the challenge of identifying and compliantly managing galvanized and galvanized-requiring-replacement (GRR) service lines.
A Tiny Bit Of PFAS

In the most recent edition of Water Innovations, there is not a single article focused on PFAS. That wouldn't be exceptional if not for the fact that discussion around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances has so thoroughly dominated the water space lately. And yet, I penned this as an intro to the edition — just "a tiny bit of PFAS" content — because a small portion of PFAS is of the utmost importance in terms of treatment, policy, and cost.

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MBR vs. Conventional: Why Operator Experience Comes Down To Design, Not Membranes

This article isn’t about the theoretical benefits of MBR technology. It’s about what actually impacts day-to-day MBR operation—and what makes an MBR plant feel intuitive, stable, and predictable… or frustratingly complex.
Navigating Next-Generation Quality Control Strategies For AAV Testing

AAV-based gene therapies, while promising, require rigorous quality control through advanced methodologies to ensure safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance.
Repairing A Suspended Pipe Within 30 Minutes With HYMAX Permanent Repair Sleeve

In the picturesque village of Arzacq-Arraziguet in southwestern France, a critical water pipeline repair showcased the efficiency of modern tools and techniques.
Ozone Vs. UV-AOP: Choosing The Right Path For Advanced Water Treatment

Ozone and UV-AOP each offer powerful contaminant removal for drinking water, wastewater, and reuse applications. Their unique strengths—and potential synergy—help utilities meet diverse treatment goals efficiently.
Recent Updates To The Declaration Of Helsinki Affecting Clinical Trials

The World Medical Association (WMA) has announced a significant, rare update to its cornerstone ethical document, the Declaration of Helsinki, which guides medical research involving human participants.
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.
How EPA's Focus On Testing Strategies & Methodologies Are Critical For Improved Water Quality

In alignment with the recent federal initiatives, Birchtech’s RSSCT Analysis Design Center provides a practical, cost-efficient solution for utilities to enhance PFAS detection.
UPLC-MS/MS Determination Of GLP-1 Analogue

Discover a robust, evaporation-free method for analyzing liraglutide in human plasma using LC-MS/MS to ensure high sensitivity, reproducibility, and improved analyte recovery.
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.
Selecting A Platform Filter For High Concentration mAbs

Read more about how Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies evaluated a prime filter with challenging simulant solutions and how the experimental data confirmed superior performance, which demonstrated twice the throughput.
Conflict Of Interest: Implications For Clinical Research Sites

Amid scrutiny of the financial conflicts of interest in biomedical research, new federal rules aim to improve transparency and preserve the integrity of publicly funded research.
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.
System Performance Depends On Cleanliness

The Lee Company highlights contamination risks in fluidic systems, offering guidance on detection, prevention, safety screens, and ROB number comparisons to ensure long-term performance and reliability.
Preparing Water Infrastructure For The Future

The current state of the water infrastructure in the U.S. is in need of critical attention. Aging and underfunded systems, increasing demand, and the impacts of climate change are putting immense pressure on the nation’s ability to deliver this essential resource.

How To Optimize CMC And Clinical Strategies For Injectable, Oral Peptide Drugs

Advances in peptide drug delivery have opened new opportunities for peptide drug products, with non-parenteral routes of administration — such as oral and nasal — now feasible.
Achieving Best Outcomes With TMF Document Processing

TMF document processing requires a delicate balancing act. Sponsors strive for accuracy and completeness, but timeliness is crucial. How can teams achieve all three? Here are some practical strategies.
Limitations Of Spectral Measurements

Standard spectrometers struggle with steep edges and high OD. IDEX’s Peregrine and KolaDeep™ systems offer superior spectral resolution and sensitivity for precise optical filter measurement.
Why Planning Is The Hero Of AMI Deployment

Thorough planning, accurate data, and strong communication are the keys to successful AMI deployments, preventing costly disruptions and ensuring technology delivers long-term operational and customer service value.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

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