WATER INNOVATIONS CURRENT ISSUE

  • A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health.

  • Currently, water infrastructure is outdated and fragile, prone to breakages and leaks. Reactive approaches to water infrastructure are only implemented after an incident and are more expensive than simple maintenance fixes. Geotechnical Internet of Things (IoT) devices enable water and wastewater industry professionals to identify and address issues before they escalate into catastrophic events.

  • Water utilities were never designed to sit on the front line of geopolitics or organized cybercrime.

  • Aeration control strategies often remain conservative and static. Blowers operate continuously, oxygen levels are maintained near maximum, and airflow rates are rarely adjusted in response to real-time biological demand. The result is widespread over-aeration — a condition that does not improve treatment performance but significantly increases operating costs.

  • Water and wastewater utilities are under pressure. Aging infrastructure, rapid population growth, and a retiring workforce are just a few of the challenges they face. Where do utilities turn for solutions? While technology solutions and new tools take center stage, a critical piece is often overlooked: the people.

  • Traditional gravity sewers rely on large-diameter mains, deep trenches, and often multiple lift stations — elements that carry significant capital and restoration costs, particularly in rural or rugged terrain. To improve cost efficiency and sustainability, many municipalities are adopting decentralized collection systems such as Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) systems, Septic Tank Effluent Gravity (STEG) systems, and liquid-only sewers.

  • The growing demand for water across a variety of sectors combined with the increasingly understood complexity of emerging contaminants is creating a dynamic marketplace for filtration media. The goal of selecting the right filtration media is not to meet minimum standards but to achieve the right balance of performance, durability, and operational simplicity to ensure long-term compliance and cost-effective operation.

WASTEWATER

  • Sustainable Wastewater Solutions For Today's Challenges
    3/13/2026

    Traditional gravity sewers rely on large-diameter mains, deep trenches, and often multiple lift stations — elements that carry significant capital and restoration costs, particularly in rural or rugged terrain. To improve cost efficiency and sustainability, many municipalities are adopting decentralized collection systems such as Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) systems, Septic Tank Effluent Gravity (STEG) systems, and liquid-only sewers.

  • Rethinking Aeration: Demand-Based DO Control And Energy Optimization
    3/13/2026

    Aeration control strategies often remain conservative and static. Blowers operate continuously, oxygen levels are maintained near maximum, and airflow rates are rarely adjusted in response to real-time biological demand. The result is widespread over-aeration — a condition that does not improve treatment performance but significantly increases operating costs.

  • National Wastewater Surveillance System Funding Appears Secure For 2026
    2/23/2026

    The U.S. National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2020, appears to have averted a funding crisis when U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, into law on Feb. 3, 2026.

  • Liquid-Only Sewers: A New Approach To Decentralized Wastewater Collection
    1/14/2026
    Traditional sewer systems, while effective, often require significant capital investment, invasive implementation measures, and complex maintenance. As a result, innovative decentralized wastewater solutions are necessary to address the needs of communities or commercial areas in need of wastewater service. One such solution is the liquid-only sewer (LOS) system.

UTILITY MANAGEMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE

SOURCE WATER

DRINKING WATER

FUNDING AND REVENUE

MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL

REUSE

FROM THE EDITOR