California may have a reputation for persistent drought and water scarcity, but already this year the state’s freshwater reserves are worth celebrating.
With backing from two of the biggest tech entrepreneurs in American history, a new solar-powered solution to water scarcity has raised a massive amount of money.
Las Vegas water planners are prepping for a harrowing possibility: The disappearance of the Colorado River.
Lake Mead levels are low, which creates significant complications for water management in Arizona.
As pressure on water resources grows, there is at least one “water cop” trying to maintain order.
Water utilities around the country are inviting the public to think the unthinkable in a campaign kicking off October 10 known as “Imagine a Day Without Water”.
During the dry days of the California drought, one Silicon Valley city banned development because officials were unsure there would be enough water for projects.
As demand on water resources rises, will there be a mad rush to grab up the nation’s last untapped water resources?
A new report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) spells out water use trends in the U.S. It is the 14th in a series of reports on U.S. water use, published every five years.
Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico’s drinking water infrastructure last September.
When California Governor Jerry Brown signaled lifted emergency conservation measures last year, many environmentalists worried that water savings achieved during the drought would dry up.
Ratepayers are debating the merits of a proposal for a new desalination plant in Orange County, CA.
September of 2017 was the busiest month of hurricane activity on record, according to the Weather Channel.
In small Appalachian towns, finding enough money to maintain wastewater infrastructure is a big challenge.
Water industry managers are caught in a squeeze. On one hand, they need to capture institutional knowledge from long-term baby boomer employees before they retire. At the same time, they need to manage current operations optimally and attract and train next-generation replacements. Here is how advanced analytics solutions are making it easier to achieve all those goals while improving business outcomes.
Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded the largest hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico since monitoring began 32 years ago. Hypoxic waters, often referred to as dead zones, have dissolved oxygen concentrations of less than 2-3 ppm. They are caused by eutrophication or excess nutrients that promote algal growth in water bodies. As algae decompose, they consume oxygen creating dead zones.
The fallout from Flint, Michigan’s lead-contaminated drinking water has been far-flung and long-lasting.
Recent natural disasters and emergency events that impact utility operations run the gamut from windy, rainy, and frigid weather to wildfires, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Fortunately, an often-underutilized aspect of “smart water” technology extending far beyond automated meter reading and billing holds promise for community-wide resilience in the face of such disruptive events.
Olinda's water supply system comprised 8,205 pipes, as well as storage tanks, deep tubular wells, booster pumps, flow rate meters, and other components. Enorsul used WaterGEMS to create a hydraulic model of the system and run what-if scenarios to identify potential solutions and analyze the resulting hydraulic behavior. The project team compiled metering records, conducted field surveys, and collected documents, plans, and drawings to gain a better understanding of the system and network topology. Read the full case study to learn more.
“I know that (blank) is good for me; I just haven’t gotten around to doing it yet!” Most of us can fill in that blank with any number of tasks — modifying diets, exercising, or monitoring commercial and industrial (C&I) water meter accuracy at our largest utility accounts. If that last item is still on your “to-do” list, here are several good reasons why you should do it and how to make it happen soon.
Beyond the existential philosophy implications, the consequences of a pipeline leaking in a forest when no one is around highlight the desirability of leak detection systems in water distribution utilities as a whole. As the following experiences show, leak detection can have its entertaining side. On the other side of the coin, however, the consequences of not monitoring leaks can also trigger a tsunami of costs far beyond the expense of pipeline repair alone.
One of the nation’s largest four-service utility providers, Colorado Springs Utilities supplies energy and water to over 450,000 people. The state-certified laboratory of the Water Quality Assurance section processes over 14,000 samples and 80,000 analytes per year from eight watersheds, seven finished water treatment facilities, 38 finished water reservoirs, four post-chlorination stations, two wastewater treatment facilities, and over 2700 miles of pipeline.
In drinking water treatment’s ongoing battle between disinfection and disinfection byproducts (DBPs), most water utility customers are oblivious to the process. One thing they do notice, however, is when their water smells or tastes bad. Here are some insights that can help water treatment plant (WTP) operators deal with their internal concerns about DBPs and residual chlorine or ammonia levels, as well as their external concerns about customer perceptions of water quality.
You’ve seen the headlines, read the case studies, taken stock of your resilience plan (or lack thereof), and posed the question “What now?” Here are a dozen ways battery-powered wireless recorders and transmitters can support a new Resiliency Master Plan for your utility and your community — one that can provide cost-saving and even life-saving insights under extreme conditions.
Model NU-5710 is a CO2 incubator that utilizes heating elements that surround the growth chamber on five sides. An independent door heater helps maintain temperature uniformity and reduce condensation. This direct heat model offers optimal cell growth conditions by producing humidity levels up to 95% and precisely controlling CO2 gas and temperature levels while minimizing potential contamination.
DEA Schedule II-V
Ensuring that your clinical trial goes smoothly is our priority, particularly when controlled substances are involved. A large part of the complex support required for clinical trials using scheduled drugs is understanding and having the skill to navigate the regulations surrounding them.
Media Fill Inspection in the pharmaceutical industry has long been based on growth media culture methods. The general approach to media fill inspection is to incubate media filled vials for 14 days and then determine potential contamination with a visual inspection of the media sample. Over the last decade a number of Rapid Microbial Methods based on various analytical techniques have been implemented. These provide quicker, more sensitive, accurate, and reproducible test results when compared with conventional, growth-based methods. Recently, it has been demonstrated that laser-based headspace provides yet another alternative approach for detecting microbial contamination in sterile pharmaceutical product.
With a tremendous increase in the number of connected devices and mobile data demand predicted over the next decade, the wireless communications industry is exploring new technologies to accommodate 5G wireless data systems, including MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) technology and millimeter wave frequency bands. One of the more complex environments for these technologies are urban small cells, where the prevalence of multipath and non-line-of-sight conditions leads to many challenges, particularly at higher frequencies.
The Pentek Quartz™ family is based on the Xilinx Zynq® Ultascale+™ RFSoC FPGA. Quartz brings the performance and high-density integration of the RFSoC to a wide range of different application spaces with a uniquely flexible design path. Quartz is available in standard form factors like 3U VPX, or with the QuartzXM™ Carrier Design Kit, it can be deployed on application specific custom carriers. Designed to work with Pentek’s Navigator™ Design Suite tools, the combination of Quartz and Navigator offers users a streamlined path to IP development and deployment.
WCG’s end-to-end patient recruitment solution connects patients to clinical trials, enhances site resources and capabilities, and improves study data quality and endpoints. On average, we are helping our clients achieve a 33% acceleration in their enrollment timelines.
You might say that there’s a lot wrong with the water industry — problems including infrastructure, financing, and scarcity — but there’s also a lot going right. In this Q&A, Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Rick Warner is a source of insight and optimism.
“Water Champion” Paula Kehoe looks to do for the nation what she did for San Francisco — to greatly expand water reuse opportunities and implementation. In this Q&A, she discusses her new role as chair of a national commission for onsite non-potable reuse, the San Francisco model, and the best practices and obstacles for sustainable water operations.
The Global Cleantech 100 identifies nine innovative water/wastewater technologies set to make significant market impact in the next decade.
It’s a buzzword for the industry, but what does it really entail?
Are environmental interests and business interests mutually exclusive? Our divisive sociopolitical climate might make you think so — you’re either labeled ‘tree-hugging’ or ‘greedy’ — but it is not an either/or proposition, especially when it comes to water conservation.
Yes, America cleaned up at the Olympics this summer, but how does the U.S. fare on the world stage when it comes to water resiliency, efficiency, and quality?
A water technology expert tackles high-profile and important topics currently affecting municipalities, industry, and the community at large.
There are a lot of technology startups in the water space vying for attention, including a good bit in the New England area alone, but one Massachusetts company and its potentially "disruptive innovation" stands apart.
Survey data on U.S. consumers’ attitudes toward public drinking water confirms tough times now, but hints at better days ahead.
This year's Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE16), held by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) from June 19 to 22, was the first following the tragedy of Flint — a time when the drinking water industry is under intense scrutiny.
Mixing is something that is often taken for granted when designing systems for water and wastewater treatment. Perhaps “taken for granted” is too harsh a term. Let’s instead say that while designing a treatment unit operation or process, mixing as a phenomenon is automatically assumed to occur — an assumption that forms the basis for process controls, performance guarantees and measurement methods and locations.
Technology is on pace to reach a milestone of 26 billion devices connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) by the end of 2019. In the water industry, IoT capabilities are enabling utilities to leverage meter reading data collected via secure private cellular networks to satisfy multiple purposes — increasing its value exponentially. In this Water Talk interview, Kristie Anderson from Badger Meter discusses how advances in smart solutions, smart water, and smart city technology are delivering real-world benefits that seemed like futuristic promises just a few short years ago.
More than a third of plastic is used once then thrown away. It may be broken and ground into progressively smaller bits by the elements, but it lasts virtually forever. In the U.S., more than 30 million tons of plastic is discarded every year. In the European Union, approximately 100,000 tons of discarded plastic ends up in the sea every year. More than 250,000 tons of plastic in 5 trillion pieces floats on the ocean’s surface, and straws are some of the most common single-use plastic items found floating.
Our environment is rife with testimonials to the law of unintended consequences. When it comes to water treatment, the compound 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) is the latest surprise making its way through the remediation lifecycle.
With the proliferation of sensors, data collection, and cloud storage, there is the potential for operational insight heretofore never available, and the opportunity will only expand as the technology evolves and the Internet of Things becomes, well, more of a thing. But data is only truly useful if it informs decision-making that results in positive impact — for an organization's bottom line, its personnel, its customers, or even the world at large (i.e., the environment).
San Jose Water Company (SJWC) provides drinking water for over a million people in the greater San Jose Metropolitan region and is a recognized leader in drinking water treatment and distribution system water quality management. With over 90 water storage facilities in service, planned maintenance and rehabilitation of capital assets is a key component of SJWC’s CIP program.
Water and wastewater utility operators work diligently to operate within strict guidelines, ensuring their facilities are producing the best drinking water and highest quality effluent possible. Despite all their efforts, however, it can be easy to fall outside of regulatory compliance without even being aware. The key to avoiding problems like these is to understand how silent noncompliance can happen and knowing when to raise a red flag.
A biotechnology plant was struggling with the management of the calibration of the more than 100 reference standards covered about 20 calibration service providers. Endress+Hauser took the responsibility to manage the whole calibration process of the reference standards resulting in a reduction of non-conformities achieved has led to better operational quality.
Kara Goldin dreamt up her beverage brand Hint in 2005 after growing frustrated with the lack of sugar-free soda alternatives in industry. In this video, Goldin shares the daily practices that allow her to be a stellar CEO, including one very calming morning practice.
This white paper explores how detectable additives are helping food processors detect and reject unwanted elements before the final product reaches consumers to preserve product safety and quality.
Food regulations are deepening and so is the authority regulators have in the marketplace. However, the right X-ray inspection system can help you achieve compliance and exceed retailer requirements.
Surprise objects in food, and the anger and fear they create, can turn into viral news faster than you can say “recall!” Here are five considerations when upgrading from metal detection to X-Ray inspection.
In recent years, hollow fiber membrane degassing modules have become an ideal option for CO2 removal when compared to harmful, costly chemicals and bulky deaerating towers.
It is no secret that a large portion of the drinking water infrastructure in the United States is near or past its intended design life. Our nation’s water infrastructure needs an overhaul, and the cost of doing so is climbing rapidly. The American Society of Civil Engineering’s 2017 Infrastructure Report Card graded the nation’s drinking water infrastructure a D. According to the American Water Works Association, an estimated $1 trillion is necessary to maintain and expand drinking water service to meet demands over the next 25 years.
Municipal wastewater operations require significant energy to operate, but the biogas produced solely through anerobic digestion of sludge isn’t typically enough to offset the electricity and heat load demand at plants. Advanced anaerobic digestion technology, however, can change the equation so wastewater treatment plants can get closer to energy neutrality and in some cases even generate an excess.
How a Leading Product Lifecycle Management Software Developer Transforms Pirates into Paying Customers.
There’s a lot to be said for the old adage, “Use the right tool for the job.” When it comes to flow meters for municipal or industrial water treatment plant (WTP) and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operations, however, the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming. That is where using a process of elimination to winnow out styles that don’t fit the performance criteria of an application can make it easier to compare the few remaining options. Here is a checklist of considerations to accelerate that process.
In water testing, readings that we believe to be reliable indicators are not always what they seem. Water that exhibits certain chemical or electrical characteristics at laboratory temperatures can provide entirely different readings in the field. Here is a quick review of what to look for in common water tests and why to consider automatic temperature compensation in the instruments used to collect them.
A potable water plant in Eastern Angelina County, Texas, serves over 2,000 rural customers.
