REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION RESOURCES

• Better Drinking Water Quality Starts Upstream

  While every potable water treatment process requires a balance of chemistry and biology to deliver safe, clean drinking water, added concerns from upstream stormwater or agricultural runoff only make the job that much more difficult. How can we do a better job of safeguarding water treatment plant (WTP) operations while protecting the health of water utility customers against threats of upstream nonpoint source (NPS) pollution?

• Giving Thanks For Water Advocates’ Big-Picture Thinking

  Confronted by everyday operating challenges, many decision-makers at drinking water and wastewater organizations do not always have all the time they would like to develop big-picture strategies and tactics for current and long-term concerns. Fortunately, multiple dedicated water-advocacy organizations do. Here are seven areas where water strategists, decision-makers, and other leaders can benefit from those valuable insights.

• An Open Letter To Water Professionals Around The U.S. Elections

  2020 has turned out to be quite the year, and that is especially true in Washington, D.C. With an upcoming election that may not be resolved for weeks after polls close, things are only going to get more dramatic before it’s all over.

• WWEMA Joins Other Water Leaders To Create Joint Funding And Policy Paper

  The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA) recently joined with other national water associations to develop a joint paper titled Sustainable Solutions for America’s Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: Urgent Funding and Policy Considerations.

• Florida Legislation Pushes For Better Wastewater Asset Management

  On July 1, 2020, two new laws took effect in Florida on Environmental Accountability (SB 1450/HB 1091) and more broadly Environmental Resource Management (SB 712/HB 1343).  I will let you read the 50 pages of the Environmental Accountability bill or the 100+ pages of the Environmental Resource Management bill, but it easily gets boiled down to good ol’ fashioned asset management. 

• Cost-Effective Sludge Thickening Processor Using MEMBRAY™ Membrane Bioreactor

  The Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) operates two wastewater treatment facilities in Valley Center, which is located in the northern part of San Diego County, California. Both WRF's incorporated an in-house membrane thickener (MBT) design and selected Toray's MEMBRAY™ Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) modules for the process. VCMWD's objectives were to conserve water and meet the Regional Water Quality Control Board's effluent standards (Title 22), so the reclaimed water can be used for irrigation and other reuse applications. The MEMBRAY™ MBR modules helped the local utility achieve these goals.

• Taiwan Mandates Water Reclamation For Economic Sustainability

  As a leading global supplier of semiconductors and other related IT components, access to a consistent supply of clean water is essential in Taiwan for sustaining a growing economy. However, in 2015, the country experienced one of the worst droughts in its history. Combined with frequently occurring typhoons that hamper the availability of clean water, this sparked the government to implement countermeasures immediately. Read the full case study to learn more.

• Weather Or Not: AMI That Stays Connected

  As emerging weather patterns that cause significant damage and disruption across populated areas have become more common and show no signs of slowing down, many water utilities are improving resiliency in order to properly serve their communities and meet newer regulatory requirements.

• 50+ Links To Assist Small, Stressed Water Utilities

  While any drinking water or wastewater treatment operation can be challenged by demands from changing seasonal conditions or regulatory requirements, those pressures can quickly compound for personnel forced to wear multiple hats at small- to medium-sized utilities. Here are scores of links to helpful resources for such operators for the municipalities and consulting engineers who work with them.

• Preparing To Tackle The Hydra Of LCR Revisions

  As a journalist serving the water industry — but not yet a seasoned technical veteran — I attended a recent Lead In Drinking Water Forum sponsored by AWWA NJ to learn about the challenges of complying with the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). What I heard impressed upon me the technical, administrative, and logistical challenges of delivering safe, lead-free drinking water all the way to user taps. Here are my takeaways.