Water Online Highlights

1. Using Biological Competition To Suppress Algae Growth 2/2/2026

   Effective algae control shifts the focus from removal to nutrient management. By leveraging bioaugmentation to outcompete algae for nitrogen and phosphorus, facilities can stabilize pH levels and dissolved oxygen, ensuring long-term pond clarity and consistent wastewater treatment performance.

2. Water Industry Pioneer Dr. James L. Barnard Passes Away At 90 2/2/2026

   The global water sector is mourning the loss of Dr. James Laing Barnard, a pioneering environmental engineer whose work fundamentally reshaped modern wastewater treatment. Dr. Barnard, widely recognized as the father of biological nutrient removal (BNR), passed away peacefully on January 27, 2026, at his home in Leawood, Kansas. He was 90.

3. PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There 1/30/2026

   No matter where you live in the U.S., you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources.

4. Laying The Digital Foundation For Advanced Analytics In Wastewater Facilities 1/30/2026

   Advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI are increasingly common topics in wastewater management. Plant managers hear about predictive maintenance, automated optimization, and forecasting tools that can alert operators before a process upset occurs. Some facilities are already testing these ideas, while others want to but feel held back because their data isn’t ready.

5. U.S. Pipe Supplies Nearly 24 miles Of Pipe To Support Clean Water Efforts In Waukesha, WI 1/30/2026

   U.S. Pipe supplies 34 miles of 30-inch ductile iron pipe for Waukesha’s Lake Michigan water project, delivering reliable, high-pressure infrastructure for generations of residents.

6. Why Ductile Iron Pipe Is the Smart Choice for Tapping, Repairs, And Field Adaptability 1/30/2026

   Discover why ductile iron pipe outperforms plastic for tapping, repairs, and long-term adaptability—delivering superior safety, strength, and reliability for modern water infrastructure.

7. Billions Of Dollars In Play As Communities Tackle Aging Water Infrastructure 1/30/2026

   Public officials are moving to protect and upgrade the nation’s critical water infrastructure, and demand for experienced partners will be high for the next several years. Fortunately, public agencies have access to a broad mix of federal, state, private sector, and local funding sources.

8. Oilfield Pollution In West Texas: Engineering Lessons For Groundwater Protection And Advanced Oxidation 1/29/2026

   Legacy oilfield contamination requires advanced strategies to protect vital groundwater. Explore the technical challenges of subsurface remediation and how advanced oxidation processes provide a more effective pathway for destroying persistent hydrocarbons and restoring aquifer quality.

9. Verizon And Itron Work Together, Developing Future-Ready Water Solutions Using Cellular Technology 1/29/2026

   A cellular-based approach to AMI is helping utilities modernize faster, reduce complexity, and build future-ready networks that support reliable data access, flexibility, and long-term resilience.

10. Why Electromag Meters Are Transforming Residential Water Metering 1/29/2026

    Electromagnetic meters are changing residential metering by capturing every drop, improving low-flow accuracy, and delivering long-term reliability that supports revenue recovery and smarter utility operations.