Articles by Pete Antoniewicz

  1. New Toolkit Arrives Just In Time For HAB Season 6/10/2021

    With harmful algal blooms (HABs) being forecast to increase, in part due to the effects of climate change, more water systems can expect to face problematic cyanotoxin conditions more frequently and for more days per year. In its efforts to mitigate the negative effects of such increases, the U.S. EPA has enhanced its information resources for water utilities by issuing a new Cyanotoxins Preparedness and Response Toolkit (CPRT).

  2. New Methods Extend Options For NPDES Compliance Testing 6/10/2021

    The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), introduced as part of the 1972 Clean Water Act, has continued to evolve as new challenges and new technologies emerge. Its latest update, due to go into effect on July 19, 2021, expands the analytical test methods available to governing bodies, industries, and municipalities for compliance reporting under the NPDES permit program. Here is what that entails.

  3. Is Your Source Water In Danger? Invest In An Ounce Of Prevention 4/22/2021

    Despite all of life’s adages about the value of preparation (an ounce of prevention…, a stich in time…, failing to plan…), it’s easy for long-range, source-water-security planning to be deferred because ‘there’s just not enough time or funding to do it right now.’ With the stakes of compromised water quality being so high, however, here are some helpful insights and incentives on why and how to start planning sooner rather than later.

  4. Help For Small Water Systems Might Be Closer Than You Thought 2/24/2021

    Due to limits in personnel or resources, small community water systems often have a tough time funding and implementing needed upgrades. A recent webinar on Leveraging Regional Development Organizations to Support Small Water Systems, hosted by the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), shows how collaboration can make a difference by integrating water-system concerns into a broader approach to overall community concerns.

  5. GAO Report Promotes New Way To Advance LSL Remediation 1/25/2021

    In a report released just days before the U.S. EPA issued its final revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) provided insights that water utilities can use to achieve better protections for water customers in neighborhoods at higher risk of lead exposure. Here is a peek into its four recommendations, which the GAO anticipated updating in response to the EPA final LCR revisions.

  6. Better Drinking Water Quality Starts Upstream 1/12/2021

    While every potable water treatment process requires a balance of chemistry and biology to deliver safe, clean drinking water, added concerns from upstream stormwater or agricultural runoff only make the job that much more difficult. How can we do a better job of safeguarding water treatment plant (WTP) operations while protecting the health of water utility customers against threats of upstream nonpoint source (NPS) pollution?

  7. Start 2021 With A Splash: Mark Your Calendar With These Opportunities! 12/29/2020

    While a lot of water-industry education has to do with biology, chemistry, and physics; pumps and piping; or instrumentation and information networks, there is also a broader need to educate consumers on the value of water and their role in protecting it in an ever-changing world. Here are some essential resources and events to help address a broad range of internal and external awareness and education needs in 2021.

  8. Brainstorming New Ideas For Improved Stormwater Infrastructure 12/16/2020

    Planning how to address environment-impacting, water-infrastructure challenges — reducing stormwater runoff pollution, reducing sewer overflows, and protecting rivers and streams that serve as drinking water supplies for downstream towns — can be an intimidating task. A recent report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center cites many examples that can serve as beacons for municipalities large and small.

  9. Are Your Customers Turning Up Their Noses At Your Drinking Water? 12/11/2020

    There have been a number of surveys on water-utility customer satisfaction over the past few decades and, unfortunately, the news tends to be less encouraging than it should be. Is it safe to chalk up those responses to personal tastes or preferences, or is it time to do something about turning them around before it’s too late? Here are some resources to consider.

  10. Giving Thanks For Water Advocates' Big-Picture Thinking 11/30/2020

    Confronted by everyday operating challenges, many decision-makers at drinking water and wastewater organizations do not always have all the time they would like to develop big-picture strategies and tactics for current and long-term concerns. Fortunately, multiple dedicated water-advocacy organizations do. Here are seven areas where water strategists, decision-makers, and other leaders can benefit from those valuable insights.