Drinking Water Features

  1. A Digital Journey Through ACE24 6/28/2024
    With more than 10,500 attendees at ACE24, AWWA's Annual Conference and Exposition is getting back on track to (almost) pre-COVID levels. And if you were away for a while, you were struck by the amount of digital technologies on the show floor.
  2. Replacing Lead Water Pipes With Cheaper Plastic Carries Hidden Costs, Say UW-Milwaukee Researchers 6/26/2024
    The EPA estimates that 9.2 million service lines that deliver drinking water to U.S. homes and businesses are made of lead, and is now proposing to require their removal within 10 years. The agency has been silent, however, regarding what should replace lead. We see concerns with a popular replacement material: plastic.
  3. Unlocking The Potential Of Corporate Funding To Address Water Challenges — Part 1: Understanding Corporate Water Stewardship 6/21/2024

    This three-part series explores how corporations are voluntarily investing in projects that address water risk while demonstrating responsible leadership. Funding from corporate water stewardship (CWS) programs earmarked to address local water challenges has the potential to catalyze innovation in water management. Hence, CWS has important implications for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), utilities, and municipalities who can leverage these funds to drive meaningful positive impacts for the benefit of communities and our environment.

  4. Sargassum Is Choking The Caribbean's White Sand Beaches, Fueling An Economic And Public Health Crisis 6/5/2024

    Sargassum events have been occurring more frequently and are lasting longer, and the amount of algae is increasing. The situation has gotten so bad that NOAA created a weekly sargassum inundation risk index in collaboration with the University of South Florida. They have predicted that 2024 will be another terrible year for the Caribbean.

  5. Fresh Water And Key Conditions For Life Appeared On Earth Half A Billion Years Earlier Than We Thought 6/4/2024

    The oldest life on Earth left in our fragmented rock record is 3.5 billion years old, with some chemical data showing it may even be as old as 3.8 billion years. Scientists have hypothesized life might be even older, but we have no records of that being the case. Our new study published in Nature Geoscience provides the first evidence of fresh water and dry land on Earth by 4 billion years ago. Knowing when the cradle of life — water and land — first appeared on Earth ultimately provides clues as to how we came to be.

  6. Old Lead-Infested Water Pipelines Are Being Replaced At A Rapid Pace Throughout America 5/23/2024
    The EPA recently announced that $3 billion funding is available to replace old water distribution pipelines to ensure safe public drinking water throughout the U.S. Even before federal funding became available and mandates were issued, many cities took the initiative to address aging pipeline issues and the dangers associated with lead contamination.
  7. Thirsty In Paradise: Water Crises Are A Growing Problem Across The Caribbean Islands 5/14/2024
    In the popular imagination, the Caribbean is paradise, an exotic place to escape to. But behind the images of balmy beaches and lush hotel grounds lies a crisis, the likes of which its residents have never experienced.
  8. 6 Steps To Improving Energy Efficiency In Water And Wastewater Operations 5/7/2024
    Water and wastewater utilities account for nearly 4% of the world's energy consumption. With emissions targets looming and pressures building around water tariffs that frequently fall short of covering costs, there's an urgent need to reduce energy usage. This means tackling inefficient processes, such as mechanical flow control and the use of oversized equipment.
  9. From Scarcity To Stewardship To Sustainability 5/2/2024
    Every drop of water counts, but when we talk about our collective conservation efforts for the greater good, it's natural to think about high-volume users. Those users are generally on the industrial side of things — agriculture, of course; the energy industry, with its intractable relationship to water; and also the food and beverage industry. Thankfully, there are leaders in these spaces who not only understand the need for sustainable water management — they pioneer it.
  10. Awaiting The Final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements: What Happens Next? 5/2/2024
    From "Revisions" to "Improvements," the EPA is making further changes to the Lead and Copper Rule to keep drinking water systems working toward the ultimate goal.