In 2012, the Town of Francesville in Indiana contacted Air Diffusion Systems to provide a solution for several suspended solids violations and energy efficient treatment. Air Diffusion Systems was able to provide an unique solution to correct biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) problems using Kaeser Compressors’ CB Com-paK blowers. Additionally, the ammonia removal has also proven successful even though there is no limit yet.
A difficult water treatment scenario is playing out for lawmakers in California. Local consumers want their contaminated water cleaned up, but taxpayers don’t want to have to pay for it.
Texas is sizable enough to be a large country on its own, with an economy to match, and is also proudly unique. But when it comes to water issues, the Lone Star State shares a lot in common with the rest of America: overwhelmed and vulnerable infrastructure, threats to water quality and security, and competition for resources.
Above-and-beyond commitment from the personnel responsible for treating the nation’s wastewater might not be a surprise to those who work in the industry. But even by the highest standards, one man in Rhode Island has earned himself special accolade for his dedication to the craft.
Title 22 of California’s Water Recycling Criteria is among the strictest water treatment standards for water recycling and reuse in the United States. Fluence’s MABR demonstration plant was installed at the Codiga Resource Recovery Center (CR2C) in Stanford, California, in January 2018 for the purpose of third-party evaluation. The testing parameters included criteria to evaluate reliable enhanced nutrient removal in the form of Total Nitrogen, which is increasingly important across the United States and difficult and costly to achieve through conventional wastewater treatment.
What are some of the biggest global challenges, trends, and opportunities for the smart water sector in 2019? To answer these questions, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) interviewed four industry experts from Australia, North America, the UK, and India.
Oaxaca, a city in central Mexico, has more than enough wastewater treatment plants to serve its residents. But the problem is that most of them aren’t functioning.
Thanks to a manufacturing plant formerly operated in part by the U.S. Navy, a toxic plume is now approaching drinking water wells in Long Island. Fighting the problem will require a new water treatment facility costing millions of dollars.
The fallout from Flint, Michigan’s lead-contaminated drinking water has been far-flung and long-lasting.
As adoption of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) becomes more widespread, its appeal to cyber-attackers will undoubtedly increase, and addressing security vulnerabilities across layers — and by different stakeholders — must be taken into account from the outset.
In recent years, the wastewater treatment industry has made a concerted effort to become more energy efficient and engage in sustainable practices. Now, a new process gives wastewater operations another avenue to reuse their byproducts.
Often located on coastlines or near large water bodies, wastewater treatment plants are among the most susceptible institutions to storm surge and are increasingly threatened as sea levels rise. With the threat of these coastal hazards only set to increase, these facilities must add new provisions to protect themselves.
In mid-2016, shortly after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the health guidelines for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) to 70 ng/L (or ppt), the township of Horsham, Pennsylvania, together with Horsham Water and Sewer Authority (Authority), the Township’s public water supplier, set a goal of reducing these two contaminants to non-detect (ND) level in all drinking water supplied.
U.S. and Canada industrial sector withdrawals have declined 30 percent over the last three decades to 152 BGD. This trend, which is expected to continue, has been sparked by water-related technology improvements at facilities, company strategies to mitigate water supply risks, and outside pressure to better manage wastewater effluent through regulations and rising discharge costs.
Well-known New York waterways such as the Hudson River, Susquehanna River, and even Niagara Falls are taking on untreated sewage at an alarming rate, thanks to increasingly heavy rains and outdated infrastructure.
California should invest in modern water-use tracking systems and address privacy concerns as part of a larger data-focused initiative to get a better grip on its constrained water resources, according to a report that could have repercussions beyond the state.
Lead contamination in drinking water, caused by corroded service lines that introduce the constituent after water has been treated but before it reaches consumers, continues to plague cities around the country.
California may have a reputation for persistent drought and water scarcity, but already this year the state’s freshwater reserves are worth celebrating.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems offer power plant owners and operators a reliable and well-proven water treatment solution. However, designing and caring for an RO system requires a thorough understanding of a plant’s water supply and the technology’s capabilities. The final article of this three-part series will address RO system operation and maintenance best practices.
Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) continue to plague water systems around the country, forcing untreated wastewater into local waterbodies when sewer lines are overwhelmed with flow. In Baltimore, a new tool will help residents stay informed when SSOs occur.
Thanks to a high-throughput production facility in Oregon, the technology manufacturer Intel is the area’s largest water consumer by far. Now, the state will help it pay for a massive water treatment project that will help it recycle some of that water.
Using on-site sodium hypochlorite generation technology to make oxidant for water and wastewater treatment is cost-effective, safe, and environmentally responsible. But, as with any piece of equipment, choosing the right one and caring for it properly impacts both life cycle costs and effectiveness. We talked with David McWalters, Field Service Manager-Americas, De Nora, to learn more.
Phosphorus is an essential element for organisms and plants. In natural, uncontaminated waters, it occurs as organically bound phosphate, condensed phosphates or as orthophosphate — often referred to by its chemical formula PO4-P. The small quantity of phosphorus present in natural waters does not promote the growth of plants. However, a rise in the concentration of phosphorus results in the proliferation of algae, which leads to the eutrophication of the water body.
See how Xylem partnered with WateReuse Colorado and Invintions Winery to create wine using purified recycled water.
Access to clean drinking water may be a fundamental human right, but that doesn’t mean the occasional dispute over how to achieve this won’t appear. In Alabama, a spat involving two counties, a state environmental enforcer, and a private company has emerged over just that.
Non-revenue water (NRW) and, in particular, water loss through leakage has become an increasing priority focus for water utilities around the world. With failure rates of aging infrastructure increasing and growing water stress due to population growth and climate change, reducing the loss of essential water resources is paramount. Leak monitoring and detection systems from Trimble Water help water utilities proactively identify and reduce NRW and water loss, prevent service outages, and prioritize infrastructure repairs. Easy-to-use wireless and mobile leak detection solutions provide clear, accurate, real-time insights into the condition of the water network beyond the treatment plant. Paired with Trimble’s intuitive cloud-based GIS software, Trimble’s solutions make it simple for water professionals to visualize, manage, and analyze data from the field and use that knowledge to improve productivity and network performance.
The textile industry is a water consumption intensive industry. Water is utilized for cleaning the raw material, and for the different steps in the textile dyeing process. Due to the effects of water scarcity and stricter environmental regulations, the cost of fresh water utilization has increased worldwide.
As one of the most bizarre consequences from stormwater overflow you’ll ever see, cocaine residue in the River Thames has been making eels hyperactive.
“How can a coastal city that is flanked by an almost endless bank of water have water scarcity problems?”
For some water providers, carefree days of producing pure, fresh water from groundwater sources are long gone. Years of evolving chemical complexity, industrial operations, and short-sighted disposal methods have taken a toll on groundwater sources. The lowering of maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for contaminants such as chromium and the drilling of new wells into different geologic structures add to source water pressures. Fortunately, new technologies are helping water providers make the best of a challenging situation across a wide range of contaminants.
As the world’s population continues to increase at a fast pace, more food and water will be needed to sustain humanity. In the past 50 years, we have tripled our need for water and food, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down. As a result of these conditions, smart, innovative agricultural practices are needed now more than ever. Technology can, and already does, aid agriculture in innumerable ways. One prominent part of agriculture that can use technological innovation to increase efficiency and effectiveness is irrigation.
After two years under President Trump, the number of civil penalties issued by the U.S. EPA for polluters has dropped significantly.
All the effort and expense required to produce high-quality water can be for naught if the distribution system cannot maintain appropriate pressure to deliver it efficiently, at a reliable flow rate. Simply pumping more pressure into the system is not the answer. Learn how new pressure monitoring options make it easier to track pressure in every zone to deliver customer satisfaction at peak energy efficiency.
Proper operation of water treatment processes depends on accurate flow measurements. Also, flow data is often required by regulatory agencies.
Mass market access to the internet through a combination of hardwired, Wi-Fi, or cellular communications channels has conditioned many people to think that “a network is a network is a network.” When it comes to water utilities, however, the nature of the application environments and requirements dictate a closer look at how to satisfy the specific requirements most efficiently. Here are 14 checkpoints to consider before selecting a new network option or revamping an old one.
Energy is a huge portion of a wastewater treatment plant’s operating costs, with aeration blowers a significant user. System splitting with an adaptive master controller reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.
In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), repair vs. replace considerations are an ongoing dilemma. How much money is it sensible to spend repairing an older piece of equipment vs. upgrading to the best overall replacement option for current operating conditions? Even if the underlying hope is for a quick and easy repair, the answers are not always cut-and-dried. Before making the default decision to repair, evaluate key points that can pay dividends both immediately and over the long run.
With backing from two of the biggest tech entrepreneurs in American history, a new solar-powered solution to water scarcity has raised a massive amount of money.
EPA suggests consumers have water tested and use certified in-home filtration to remove or reduce levels of these toxic chemicals.
Today, at an event in Philadelphia, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced EPA’s Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Action Plan.
WaterSmart Software, the self-service and customer engagement platform leader for the water utility industry, recently announced the introduction of an innovative new service offering known as Integration-as-a-Service (IaaS).
The International Water Association (IWA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have launched jointly the digital AquaRating Community of Practice for water professionals at a water utilities workshop in Quito, Ecuador.
Cimbria Capital announced recently the appointment of Dr. Steve Gluck as a new Operating Partner. Dr. Gluck joins Cimbria Capital with the purpose of expanding the firm’s technical due diligence capacities and assessment for innovative water and wastewater technology.
The rapidly growing desalination industry produces water for drinking and for agriculture in the world’s arid coastal regions. But it leaves behind as a waste product a lot of highly concentrated brine, which is usually disposed of by dumping it back into the sea, a process that requires costly pumping systems and that must be managed carefully to prevent damage to marine ecosystems.
Recently, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA) introduced the Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act of 2019 (HR 1162), which aims to significantly increase the federal investment in major water recycling and reuse projects in 17 Western states.
American Water Works Company, Inc., the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, announced recently it was named as one of the 100 Most Sustainable Companies by Barron’s Magazine.
Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. (“Ostara”) announced recently that the company has been awarded a grant from the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for a research project that will address both non-point and point source phosphorus pollution in the Lake Erie watershed.
Fluence Corporation Limited is pleased to announce that independent test results gathered from its Stanford, California demonstration plant have been published and validate compliance of Fluence’s MABR technology with California’s Title 22 water recycling legislation.
RUDN chemists have developed a hybrid nanocatalyst for quick removal of stable organic dyes from wastewater. This catalyst does not require additional aggressive solvents. The results of the study were published in Inorganic Chemistry.
The WateReuse Association applauds Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman’s announcement that Reclamation is awarding $35.3M to six authorized Title XVI water reclamation and reuse projects in California.
Water Online invites you to attend the upcoming SWAN 9th Annual Conference, May 15-16, at the Hyatt Regency Miami. This smart water event will feature over 30 global utility speakers covering operational resilience, cybersecurity, AI for wastewater, digital transformation, workforce changes, and more. View the agenda and register at https://www.swan-2019.com/
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Mueller Water Products has a long history of trust and leadership in the American flow control industry spanning more than a Century. Today, more than 150 years after its founding, it remains the only full-line supplier of flow control products used in distribution systems for municipal potable water and natural gas.
Learn more.
Sun Chemical Advanced Materials delivers SEPAREL® hollow fiber membrane modules for liquid degassing, a proprietary technology from the DIC Corporation. SEPAREL modules are optimized for the degasification of various liquids, including water, inkjet ink, and a range of corrosive chemicals. Learn more.
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