05.18.26 -- POLL: Are Americans Ready To Move On From The Public vs. Private Utility Debate?

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.

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), enacted in 1974, is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. Under the SDWA, the EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards.

Recently, cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins have become a high-profile drinking water quality concern. The combination of weather conditions, agricultural phosphate runoff, and other factors has produced water conditions that have favored the formation of cyanobacteria in surface water supplies.

When Kent County Water Authority faced the urgent replacement of a 94-year-old hydrant tied to a 1931 cast-iron main, they were determined to maintain fire protection and avoid customer disruption.

Pump clogs cause sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and backed-up lift stations that damage the environment. They also put the public health at risk and lead to regulatory fines for the utility.

Although there is more than one method of sanitizing water in aquatics facilities, chemical treatment is still a preferred choice for keeping water in commercial swimming pools, water parks, and water features clean and safe.

While grinders have a reputation for being an install-and-forget technology, they can still be optimized and maintained for peak performance.

The sprawling Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Facility is the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world, with a capacity to treat an average of 370 million gallons of sewage a day. Some $4 billion in recently completed projects and work now in progress are making the plant more efficient and taking its green operations to new levels.

The municipal wastewater treatment plant in Port Washington, Wisconsin, is located on the picturesque shore of Lake Michigan, so it’s essential that their plant performs as designed.

As utilities face rising demand for clean drinking water and aging infrastructure, smart water technologies are stepping up to deliver meaningful improvements.

Advanced pipeline assessment technologies help utilities detect defects, locate leaks, and prioritize repairs — enabling smarter capital planning, reduced failures, and more resilient water infrastructure management.

Island utilities face unique resource constraints and infrastructure risks. Implementing digital twins provides the real-time visibility needed to reduce water loss, simulate emergency scenarios, and optimize system performance to ensure long-term operational resilience.