As technology improves, contaminants can be measured in ever-smaller quantities. Pollutants formerly undetected are now becoming emerging contaminants of concern. Water utility managers must stay abreast of potential new regulations and plan for ways to address these contaminants.
As fresh water supplies dwindle, the use of sea water becomes more attractive. New technologies are making reverse osmosis (RO) a more effective and cost-efficient method for desalination. Utilizing an effective pretreatment system to improve the quality of the feed water traveling through the RO membranes will aid in improving the performance of your membrane system.
With data comes decision-making power, but how each utility wields that power will be different. The Smart Utility approach tailors digital capabilities to arrive at specific and optimal outcomes.
A survey of water utilities conducted by Black & Veatch reveals to what degree and how rapidly (or not) data analytics are being implemented in the real world.
Per- and Polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that persist in the environment. These chemicals have been used for decades in consumer products to make them non-stick and water resistant. They are also found in firefighting foams and are applied in many industrial processes.
Water treatment professionals face many challenges while working to provide customers with safe drinking water. Disinfection is critical to protect public health, but harmful byproducts may form during the process. In addition, some disinfectants volatilize and lose effectiveness when exposed to sunlight. Keeping tanks covered may help to reduce these problems while providing additional benefits.
As per many authentic references, about 97 percent of the water in the world belongs to oceans and seas, whereas 3 percent is freshwater available as glaciers, ice caps, and waterbodies. While we strive to manage available lakes, rivers, and other inland water resources to meet present and future public needs, why not look to these saline water reservoirs as potential alternatives for sustainability?
When I attended the U.S. EPA-hosted PFAS Summit held at the Horsham, PA high school auditorium on July 25, 2018, the education I received from state and municipal leaders focusing on the local problem was more than just a professional briefing. It was ominously personal, due to the fact that the Water Online editorial office where I work and drink water every day is served by a utility sitting smack-dab in the middle of one of the most concentrated PFAS hotspots in the U.S.
EPA scientists are leading a multi-phase project to evaluate the ability of non-targeted analysis laboratory methods to consistently and correctly identify unknown chemicals in samples. EPA’s Non-Targeted Analysis Collaborative Trial (ENTACT) was formed in late 2015 and includes nearly 30 academic, government, and industry groups. Non-targeted analysis involves analyzing water, soil and other types of samples to identify unknown chemicals that may be present, without having a preconceived idea of what chemicals may be in the samples.
According to a recent survey by the Water Quality Association, 30 percent of residential water utility customers are concerned about the quality of the water coming out of their taps, which is likely one reason that American consumers spent upwards of $16 billion on bottled water last year. It’s also why the water purifier market continues to experience extreme growth and is expected to garner $45.3 billion by 2022 as companies in the space look to better cater to consumer demand.
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