SOURCE WATER CONTAMINATION RESOURCES

• The Role Of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes In The Battle Against PFAS As the global concern over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination continues to escalate, innovative solutions are becoming increasingly pivotal in the pursuit of clean and safe water resources. The City of Rome Water and Sewer Division conducted a comprehensive pilot to identify a treatment process for removing PFAS from the water supply, including high recovery reverse osmosis technologies.
• UK Legionella Risk In RAAC-Affected Buildings

  One of the UK’s biggest news stories of 2023 centered on RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Used widely from the mid-1950s through to the early 1990s, the predicted lifespan of this type of concrete was 30 years, which is why the issue hit the headlines — and why water systems could be at risk.

• How PFAS Are Getting Into Miami's Biscayne Bay

  PFAS, the "forever chemicals" that have been raising health concerns across the country, are not just a problem in drinking water. As these chemicals leach out of failing septic systems and landfills and wash off airport runways and farm fields, they can end up in streams that ultimately discharge into ocean ecosystems where fish, dolphins, manatees, sharks, and other marine species live.

• What Is Seawater Intrusion? A Hydrogeologist Explains The Shifting Balance Between Fresh And Salt Water At The Coast Fresh water is essential for drinking, irrigation, and healthy ecosystems. When seawater moves inland, the salt it contains can wreak havoc on farmlands, ecosystems, lives, and livelihoods.
• The Do-Nothing Approach To Algal Blooms As a concept in engineering and environmental management, in parallel with solution-proposals, consideration is also given to the consequences of inaction and leaving a challenge unmet with solutions. The "do-nothing" approach to managing algal blooms, therefore, involves taking minimal or no action to actively control or mitigate the effects of algal blooms in natural bodies of water such as lakes and reservoirs. This approach essentially allows nature to take its course, without human intervention.
• Invasive Species Cause Billions Of Dollars In Damage Worldwide: 4 Essential Reads Invasive species — including plants, animals, and fish — cause heavy damage to crops, wildlife, and human health worldwide. Some prey on native species; other out-compete them for space and food or spread disease. A new UN report estimates the losses generated by invasives at more than $423 billion yearly and shows that these damages have at least quadrupled in every decade since 1970.
• How CERCLA Complicates The PFAS Problem

  As states and the federal government attempt to crack down on the proliferation of PFAS and their health consequences with a spate of new regulations, there is one significant upcoming ruling that will have tremendous impact for compliance and costs: the final rule on PFAS CERCLA designation.

• Michigan Pipeline Standoff Could Affect Water Protection And Indigenous Rights Across The U.S.

  Should states and Indigenous nations be able to influence energy projects they view as harmful or contrary to their laws and values? This question lies at the center of a heated debate over Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline, which carries oil and natural gas across Wisconsin and Michigan.

• Cyanobacteria’s Game Of Blooms: Fast Track Or Endurance Run? Just like humans have the freedom to make life choices, cyanobacteria also possess their own unique survival strategies. Groundbreaking research conducted by Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute unveils the fascinating world of cyanobacteria and how they employ phosphorus storage to thrive.
• Pollution Timebombs: Contaminated Wetlands Are Ticking Towards Ignition Wetlands across the globe have long served as natural repositories for humanity's toxic legacy, absorbing and retaining hundreds to thousands of years' worth of pollution. Now, however, a combination of human disruptions and ever increasing wildfires threaten to open these vaults, unleashing their long dormant toxic contents upon the world.