Drinking Water Features

  1. What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection? 4/28/2026
    Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework.
  2. The Hidden Legionella Risk In Closed-Loop Systems 4/27/2026
    For a long time, it’s been assumed that closed-loop water systems — those commonly found in building heating systems, air-conditioning units, and cooling systems — are at a low risk for Legionella. However, there are many reasons why closed-loop systems can actually inadvertently promote the risk of Legionella.
  3. Common AMI Implementation Mistakes And How To Avoid Them 4/23/2026

    The journey from manual water-meter reads to a fully integrated digital ecosystem is long and complex. To help utilities along, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) released the global Smart Metering Playbook, which includes both implementation best practices and common pitfalls. Here are five common advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout mistakes from the Playbook, along with examples of how to overcome them.

  4. Drinking Water Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Linked To An Increased Risk Of Childhood Asthma 4/13/2026

    While most of us are routinely exposed to low levels of PFAS, some communities are exposed to far higher levels from nearby pollution sources. A new study shows that in one of these at-risk communities, children were more likely to develop asthma if their mothers were exposed to very high PFAS levels during pregnancy.

  5. The Pragmatic Shift In Source Water Protection: Moving From Symptom Management To Root-Cause Accountability 4/9/2026
    A shift in how we approach source water protection is long overdue. Currently, we are trapped in a cycle of escalating costs, forced to treat symptoms like algae and invasive weeds expediently with chemicals while the underlying risk in the reservoir compounds. True risk management requires breaking this cycle.
  6. The AWWA Said $2.4 Trillion. It Missed The Compound Interest. 4/1/2026
    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.
  7. Winter's Alarmingly Low Snowpack Offers A Glimpse Of The Changing Rhythm Of Water In The Western U.S. 4/1/2026
    The April 1 snowpack measurement has long been the single most important number in western water management, considered a strong proxy for how much water the mountains are holding in reserve. But in 2026, that savings account has been woefully deficient.
  8. Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, And How They Could Resume With The Possibility Of Agreement 3/26/2026
    The five most common sources of conflict between people are values, data, relationships, interests, and structure. The current Colorado River negotiations include all five.
  9. Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies 3/24/2026
    Water 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?
  10. The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction 3/24/2026

    The 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.