EPA’s Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) aims to increase the United States’ capabilities to prepare for and respond to environmental disasters involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear substances (CBRN). As part of this effort, EPA researchers develop scientific data, methods, and tools that can be used by various stakeholders, including laboratories and on-scene coordinators, to increase the effectiveness of response.
Nutrients in the environment from excess nitrogen and phosphorous can result in negative impacts on water quality. EPA is improving nutrient management by incentivizing the development of low-cost technology solutions, such as nutrient sensors, in collaboration with USGS, USDA, NIST, NOAA, and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
To make informed decisions about how to limit exposure to cyanotoxins, utilities need information to select and implement a comprehensive and technically sound management approach. The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has been actively involved in developing effective innovative solutions to help utilities address this challenge and protect public health.
August and September are peak months for harmful blooms of algae in western Lake Erie. This year’s outbreak covered more than 620 square miles by mid-August. These blooms, which can kill fish and pets and threaten public health, are driven mainly by agricultural pollution and increasingly warm waters due to climate change.
More public and private resources than ever are being directed to protecting and preserving aquatic ecosystems and watersheds. Whether mandated for land development, farming, or in response to the growing severity and number of natural disasters, scientists from Drexel University found evidence that decades of watershed restoration and mitigation projects have taken place, but their impact is mostly perceived.
Denver Water and engineering partners resolve major water quality challenge in crucial South Platte River exchange reservoirs.
University of Miami professors who study water treatment and civil engineering say that water contamination issues point to human error.
Recently, Denver Water’s board approved its proposed “Lead Reduction Program Plan” to fully replace the estimated 75,000 lead service lines (LSLs) in their system within 15 years. The plan is an innovative solution that will remove the primary source of lead within Denver Water’s system, while avoiding the use of orthophosphate that can further exacerbate nutrient pollution problems in rivers, streams, and oceans.
Wildfire is a natural part of many ecosystems, but recently these fires have become more severe, burning more acres and causing destruction in the western parts of the United States. Recently, U.S. EPA researchers have begun to look at the impact of these fires on our water supply, the natural resource we depend on for drinking, irrigation, fishing, and recreation.
Harmful algal blooms are a significant concern for many communities across the U.S. These blooms occur when cyanobacteria grow out of control in fresh and marine waters, often because of excess phosphorus and nitrogen from stormwater runoff and other sources such as fertilizers entering the water.
Actiflo™ is a compact process that operates with microsand (Actisand™) as a seed for floc formation. Actisand™ provides surface area that enhances flocculation and also acts as a ballast or weight to aid a rapid settlement
Aquatech can supply ANY technology that is available in the world today to tackle desalination issues
Based on proven electrodialysis reversal (EDR) technology, the END® system transforms two key components of traditional EDR to deliver maximum recovery with minimum energy consumption in numerous brackish water treatment applications.
The pressures of supplying a growing global population mean that the world’s water supplies need to be managed more closely than ever.
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.
A significant number of utilities operating in smaller regions where resources are strained, and where the daily business of water treatment can be exceedingly expensive, have turned to privately owned companies to manage their drinking water and wastewater operations. The downside is that this arrangement also tends to bring heavy scrutiny from a public that expects the provider to put service above the bottom line. Fortunately, targeted investments in solutions can address the issue.
A growing number of wastewater treatment plants are banking on biogas from their sludge as a supplemental power source. Unfortunately, biogas is notoriously difficult to quantify. Ultrasonic flow meters specifically designed for biogas applications can provide a solution that addresses many of the issues created by traditional technology.
The Canadian crop sabotage crisis first arose when an undisclosed number of needles were found in potatoes. Fortunately, manufacturers can use x-ray technology to inspect whole potatoes for contaminants such as golf balls, rocks, stones and needles at the beginning of the production line before further processing to guarantee safety and quality.
The X3735 x-ray system is a high detection sensitivity solution, with an integrated conveyor designed to inspect tall, rigid packaged products in a wide range of applications.
If you have a problem contaminant that cannot easily be removed with processes like microfiltration, granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis, then the UV advanced oxidation process (UV AOP) might just be the ideal solution.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are two wastewater constituents that, together, pose one of the most high-profile threats for consumers and the environment. An abundance of these elements is what ultimately leads to the formation of toxic algae in surface waters, an environmental issue that regularly gains mainstream headlines and, in some cases, poses an acute health risk to consumers.
Rising temperatures and precipitation combined with increasing nutrient runoff from human activity are elevating challenges in water treatment efforts. In some cases, that means increased threats to drinking water quality. In others, it means increasingly stringent nutrient discharge levels. Either way, taking the nutrient monitoring battle out to the field can help in waging a better fight at the treatment plant.
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.
World Water Day (Thursday, March 22nd this year) does a great job of focusing our attention on water issues. And especially with storms on the East Coast and drought in the West, not to mention the looming possibility that officials will have to shut off the taps in Cape Town sometime this summer, a lot of the messaging around water is pretty much like being smothered in a wet blanket.
Innovation is vital in the water industry and continually moving ahead is a must — even if the company you're trying to surpass is your own. By listening to a wide range of customers and distribution chain partners, Mazzei Injector Company upgraded its revolutionary Pipeline Flash Reactor (PFR) and introduced it to the marketplace with great impact.
Water utilities around the country are trying to get a handle on their PFAS problem. While the presence of legacy PFAS is well known, lesser understood replacements such as short-chain PFAS are emerging as a major issue. The short-chain compounds are particularly important because they can be more difficult to remove. In this Water Talk interview, Adam Redding, technical director for drinking water solutions for Calgon Carbon, discusses the science and economics behind effective solutions for treating water for short-chain PFAS and other contaminants.
The gas detection camera technique has a wide range of potential uses in the petrochemical industry, all of which have positive benefits for the owner of the plant. It is an accepted Alternate Work Practice in the Method 21 leak detection procedure and has clear time and cost benefits over the conventional VOC meter or sniffer method. Although limited to a certain extent by environmental conditions, the camera has proven many times that it can identify leaks at some distance thereby reducing the cost of surveys by removing the requirement to provide access to every potential leak path.
With a growing effort to ‘go digital’ in the global water industry, distribution and wastewater managers risk data inundation. But data sources from SCADA systems, pressure loggers, and stand-alone sensors can unlock valuable insights for more efficient operations and maintenance. Learn how to structure your system to avoid data flooding.
District Sales Engineer Andy Singer has spent enough time troubleshooting problems in the field that not much surprises him anymore. When it comes to dry barrel fire hydrants, though, he still gets a chuckle out of some of his more outrageous experiences. Here is his educational and entertaining take on the care and maintenance of fire hydrants, and ways to maximize a utility’s return on what potentially can be a 50+-year infrastructure investment.
The cost of water delivered to customers is as much about the energy needed to move it as the chemicals required to treat it. Balancing water chemistry, infrastructure costs, and energy consumption is key to optimizing the overall cost of operation. Experience shows that some astute water suppliers are closer to achieving their ideal outcomes than most people realize. Here are some insights into how that works.
When you think about areas of the world where people have limited access to clean water, I’m guessing hot, sunny, arid climates come to mind. In an interesting twist, a couple of innovations are using those exact conditions to create potable water.
Potable reuse of wastewater has gone by many different names, some of them unflattering, like “toilet to tap.” Despite the clear benefits of water reuse, this so-called “ick factor” has slowed the adoption of technology that can transform wastewater into drinking water.
Going through the motions of water sample testing for regulatory reporting requirements is only half the battle. It is also important that water operators use appropriately qualified reference materials and procedures to ensure the accuracy and reliability of their results. Here are some insights into reference-material evaluation that can generate the highest confidence in water testing results.
In the field of cell and gene therapy, there are two main types of viral vectors: adeno associated virus (AAV) and Lentivirus (LV). The manufacture of these vectors is dependent on the regulatory requirements dictated by its end use. This blog outlines the challenges for optimization of scaled-up LV manufacturing processes and new technologies being used to solve these challenges.
