Source Water Resources

  1. Extracting Water From Air: A Historical And Military Perspective 9/23/2025

    In the early 2000s, I was consulting for a military contractor on expanding their mobile water treatment system for military applications. As part of that work, I researched other water supply technologies used by the U.S. military, including atmospheric water generation (AWG) — the process of extracting potable water directly from the air.

  2. Solving The World's Microplastics Problem: 4 Solutions Cities And States Are Trying After Global Treaty Talks Collapsed 9/23/2025

    Microplastics seem to be everywhere — in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Countries have tried for the past few years to write a global plastics treaty that might reduce human exposure, but the latest negotiations collapsed in August 2025. While U.S. and global solutions seem far off, policies to limit harm from microplastics are gaining traction at the state and local levels.

  3. Ozone Vs. UV-AOP: Choosing The Right Path For Advanced Water Treatment 9/22/2025

    Ozone and UV-AOP each offer powerful contaminant removal for drinking water, wastewater, and reuse applications. Their unique strengths—and potential synergy—help utilities meet diverse treatment goals efficiently.

  4. What Water Utilities Need To Know About Climate Adaptation 9/18/2025
    No one knows more than water utilities how changing climate conditions are impacting the challenges and costs of delivering clean drinking water to communities they serve. In a recent episode of The Water Online Show, climate experts Jesse M. Keenan from Tulane University and Edgar Westerhof of Arcadis discussed the issue of resiliency for drinking water and wastewater systems.
  5. AEC System Proven Effective For Chloride Removal 9/16/2025

    In two bench-scale tests, a new technology effectively removed up to 99% of chlorides and 97% of total dissolved solids in a single pass. This solution offers a commercially viable alternative to traditional treatment methods.

  6. Droughts Don't Just Dry Up Water — They Drain Livelihoods And Weaken Local Economies 9/15/2025
    Droughts hit utilities and agriculture hardest. Shrinking water supplies wilt crops and strain water providers. But the impact extends far beyond them.
  7. Common Misconceptions Are Keeping Lakes "Sick" 9/5/2025

    Long-held misconceptions about lake management fuel the intensity and recurrence of harmful algal blooms.

  8. AI Has A Hidden Water Cost — Here's How To Calculate Yours 9/3/2025
    Artificial intelligence systems are thirsty, consuming as much as 500 milliliters of water — a single-serving water bottle — for each short conversation a user has with the GPT-3 version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT system. They use roughly the same amount of water to draft a 100-word email message.
  9. Megadroughts Are Here To Stay, And U.S. Water Utilities Need To Adapt 9/2/2025
    Researchers warn that California and other states affected by megadroughts — periods of drought lasting 20+ years — will have to accept this as the new normal. That means rethinking the water cycle and finding new, more sustainable water sources.
  10. Colorado's Subalpine Wetlands May Be Producing A Toxic Form Of Mercury — That's A Concern For Downstream Water Supplies 8/25/2025

    The wetlands found across the Rocky Mountains of Colorado just below tree line are crucial for regulating the supply of clean water from the highlands to metropolitan regions downslope, including Denver. However, new research shows the wetlands also harbor a health risk.