WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS
-
![environmental monitoring sedimentation, sludge filtration-GettyImages-2286130662]( "PFAS Funding Is Flowing — But Does The Water Sector Have Enough People To Deliver It?")
PFAS Funding Is Flowing — But Does The Water Sector Have Enough People To Deliver It?For several years, the PFAS conversation has centered on treatment options, testing, and funding. Those factors still matter, but they are no longer the primary constraint. Most utilities already understand the treatment routes available to them; the real challenge now is moving from technical possibility to operational performance, and that depends entirely on people.
-
![PFAS Label on hundred dollar bill-GettyImages-2193126716]( "The Cost Of Waiting: Utilities Face A Narrowing PFAS Compliance Window")
The Cost Of Waiting: Utilities Face A Narrowing PFAS Compliance WindowFor years, the water industry's PFAS conversation centered on monitoring, testing, and regulatory anticipation. Today, that phase is largely over.
-
![pfashazard_Getty-2204558906]( "D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOS")
D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOSThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently rejected industry challenges to the EPA's designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, leaving the agency's April 2024 rule fully intact. While the case centered on the EPA's authority to make the designation, its practical significance for water utilities is simpler: the liability concerns that have accompanied the rule since its adoption remain unresolved.
-
![LG-sonic-lake-pic]( "How Donner Summit PUD Cut Backwash Water Use By 45% With Ultrasonic Algae Control")
How Donner Summit PUD Cut Backwash Water Use By 45% With Ultrasonic Algae ControlRecurring algal blooms severely compromise water treatment efficiency, clogging filters and wasting finished water through frequent backwashing. Targeted ultrasonic suppression controls raw water algae growth at the source, significantly improving influent turbidity and lowering operational costs.
-
![pfas-testing-kit]( "SRP-Funded Technology Provides Affordable PFAS Testing For Homeowners")
SRP-Funded Technology Provides Affordable PFAS Testing For HomeownersWidespread chemical contamination leaves many small water systems without viable testing options.Discover how an innovative, plant-based extraction method delivers affordable, highly accurate screening to identify complex contaminants and protect public health.
-
![Nature, environmental-GettyImages-2172937599]( "The Enzyme Bottleneck: Why Conventional Lake Management Is Failing — And What The Science Says About Genuine Bio-Dredging")
The Enzyme Bottleneck: Why Conventional Lake Management Is Failing — And What The Science Says About Genuine Bio-Dredging For decades, the dominant framework for assessing and managing lake health has been built around surface water measurements: chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus, water clarity, and the composite Trophic State Index derived from them. These metrics are familiar, standardized, and widely accepted. They are also, according to a growing body of peer-reviewed literature, measuring the wrong part of the lake. -
![ozone off gas]( "Ozone Off-Gas: What It Reveals About System Efficiency, Safety, and Design")
Ozone Off-Gas: What It Reveals About System Efficiency, Safety, and DesignLearn how ozone off-gas impacts system efficiency, safety, and performance, and why monitoring and management are critical for optimized water treatment operations.
-
![A depleted reservoir in the Yorkshire countryside-GettyImages-2222868312]( "UK Reservoirs, Water Shortages, And Legionella Risks")
UK Reservoirs, Water Shortages, And Legionella Risks Is there a clear link between a less plentiful water supply and an increase in Legionella in our domestic water systems? -
![Green Algae-GettyImages-1929939980]( "The Devastating Legacy Of Algaecides: Why The Quick Fix Is Failing Our Lakes")
The Devastating Legacy Of Algaecides: Why The Quick Fix Is Failing Our Lakes As warmer months approach, water management professionals must confront the compounding consequences of biocidal algae treatments. -
![Cahaba River-GettyImages-2152826831]( "What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection?")
What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection? Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
What is water reuse?
Water reuse is the process of treating and reclaiming water from various sources for practical purposes, including groundwater recharge, industrial applications, wetland restoration, agricultural irrigation, public access area uses, as well as drinking water applications. By reusing water, communities can reduce dependence on traditional water supplies, avoid costly imported water from 3rd party providers, and improve resilience in water systems. Thanks to progress in water treatment technology, along with economic and regulatory incentives, water recycling has become a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet the growing demand for highly treated water and overcome supply shortages during droughts.
There are three primary types of water reuse: Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR), Direct Potable Reuse (DPR), and Non-Potable. In IPR reuse systems, advanced treated water is either injected into an environmental buffer (groundwater, river, or reservoir) before being extracted again for use, whereas DPR is directly blended into the drinking water treatment plant or distribution system. Non-potable water is not intended for human consumption and can be used for irrigation, industrial processes, laundry, or toilet flushing.
Advanced treatment technologies, such as membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection, ozonation, and advanced oxidation processes (AOP), play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and safety of reclaimed water.
Why reuse water?
As water scarcity continues to rise, water reuse is an essential strategy for creating a more sustainable future. The use of recycled water reduces the demand for freshwater sources, which are becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and other factors.
Here are some key benefits of water reuse:
- Safeguard quality and resilience: Reused water is purified well beyond drinking water standards, improving resilience and ensuring quality for both potable and even non-potable purposes.
- Uphold safety: Treatment processes like ozone and ultraviolet light can be used to disinfect or break down complex contaminants, ensuring water is pathogen-free and concentrations are below maximum contaminant levels (MCL).
- Ensure cost savings and efficiency: After treating a waste stream to discharge level, it may require less treatment to bring it to reuse standards, making reuse not only environmentally responsible but also cost-effective in many scenarios and locations.
- Conserve traditional water supplies: By reusing water, we can lessen our reliance on conventional water resources like rivers, lakes, and aquifers, thereby conserving them for future generations.
- Reduce carbon footprint: Water reclamation is often more efficient than treating a raw water resource, which can lessen environmental impact.
- Enable versatility and customization: Advanced treatment systems are tailored to meet specific needs for a variety of sectors, including industrial, urban, agricultural, and public access area uses.
How to reuse water
The major aim of every reuse project is to minimize human health risk associated with the use or consumption of reclaimed water. While the exact treatment requirements depend upon the source water quality and the reuse purpose, to be cost-effective, the treatment must be energy efficient and have a high-water yield.
An adequate treatment design plan depends on the application the water will be used in. In non-potable applications, normally filtration and disinfection will suffice, while potable reuse generally requires a combination of advanced treatment processes such as membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, disinfection, and/or advanced oxidation.
Xylem has brands and solutions to fit every stage of the water reuse process:
- beginning with the transport of raw sewage and wastewater with Xylem brands like Flygt
- to secondary treatment to remove most dissolved and suspended organic matter and nutrients with brands like Sanitaire and Envirex
- to tertiary stages that remove residual particulate matter, nutrients, TDS, and nematode eggs with brands like Leopold and Davco
- along with disinfection and advanced oxidation that inactivates pathogens, and breaks down trace constituents and emerging contaminants of concern with brands like Wedeco, ETS-UV, ATG UV Systems, Pacific Ozone, and Wallace & Tiernan
- and finally, digital solutions like YSI, OI Analytical, Xylem Vue that leverage remote monitoring, alerts, and data analytics for proactive and predictive maintenance
Based on practical knowledge from decades of combined brand experience, thousands of installations worldwide, and strengths in powerful R&D innovation, our team looks at the entire wastewater process at your plant. We will work with your consulting engineer and State regulators to integrate the right technologies to meet your intended targets. Modular design makes it easy to fit your requirements now and easily expand to meet your future needs.
Water reuse partnership
Though Xylem has teams of specialists, years of expertise, deep understanding of water regulations, and a broad solutions portfolio, we understand the complexities of water systems and the potential to partner with various water treatment experts. Xylem has partnered with hundreds of different firms around the globe to ensure the most efficient and viable water systems for communities and municipalities.
Our goal is to thoroughly understand each project, determine the best methods, and customize optimal solutions that meet local regulations and requirements while delivering resiliency, quality, and cost savings.
Let us be your partner in making every drop count. Contact us today to discuss your project needs.
The DE NORA TETRA® ABF bioactive filter combines ozone generation with biologically active filtration for use in municipal water applications. The process targets micropollutant reduction and reduces disinfection byproducts in drinking water and potable reuse applications.
As PFAS and other emerging contaminants of concern are increasingly regulated, De Nora is developing new and effective methods for addressing CECs, innovating for the future.
VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS
-
![PFAS regulatory requirement-GettyImages-2220893562]( "EPA Seeks Court‑Ordered Removal Of 4 PFAS Limits")
The U.S. EPA is testing a new procedural strategy to remove four PFAS drinking‑water limits from ongoing litigation, asking the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to invalidate those limits on the grounds that the EPA itself committed a procedural misstep when issuing the 2024 PFAS rule. -
![Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA molecules-GettyImages-2179084012]( "Putting The National Toxicology Program's Fluoride Review In Context")
Despite renewed public concern over fluoride and cognition, the National Toxicology Program’s findings focus on high‑fluoride groundwater conditions — not the controlled levels used in U.S. drinking water systems. Understanding that distinction is critical for utilities navigating policy questions and community expectations. -
![running faucet-GettyImages-175426122]( "HAAs In The EU: Monitoring For Haloacetic Acids Under The Drinking Water Directive")
In this Q&A, Dr. Elke Süss of Metrohm addresses the urgent need for haloacetic acid testing in response to “one of the most significant updates to EU drinking water monitoring in recent years.” -
![questionmarks_Getty-1908249816]( "PFAS Unpacked: Experts Answer Questions On EPA Rules, Funding, Treatment, And More")
With the U.S. EPA's PFAS rules now in place, utilities are finding themselves with a growing number of questions regarding how to treat these chemicals, the potential costs, and much more. For answers, Water Online's chief editor, Kevin Westerling, hosted an Ask Me Anything session featuring Ken Sansone, Senior Partner at SL Environmental Law Group; Kyle Thompson, National PFAS Lead at Carollo Engineers; and Lauren Weinrich, Principal Scientist at American Water. -
![1124-Microbac_Technologies]( "Monitoring Know-How For PFAS Regulations")
A Q&A to explain and resolve issues confronting water suppliers as they endeavor to comply with the monitoring requirements of federal PFAS regulations.
MORE WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES
-
![GettyImages-1787595822-virus-viral-bacteria-cell]( "Lentiviral Vector Upstream Process")
Scalable lentiviral vector production is moving beyond adherent systems. Learn how streamlined workflows enable linear scale-up in stirred-tank bioreactors for cost-effective gene therapy manufacturing.
-
![GettyImages-1180581753-scientists-lab-monitoring-computer-laboratory]( "Elevating Downstream Process Development With Real-Time Data Monitoring")
Learn how real-time monitoring with PAT enhances process control, shortens development timelines, and supports the shift toward continuous manufacturing in biopharmaceutical production.
-
![LACSD-450x300]( "Fast Action Keeps Treatment Plant In Compliance")
Explore how rapid equipment replacement and peristaltic pump technology prevented regulatory violations at a major sanitation district. Learn how high-stakes infrastructure failures were resolved through strategic engineering support to ensure continuous delivery of safe water.
-
![martin-county]( "Martin County Saves Millions With leadCAST's Automated Workflows And Statistical Analysis To Tackle LCRR")
With the LCRR deadline fast approaching and over 59% of its service lines unverified, Martin County recognized the significant work ahead in preparing to meet the LCRR requirements. The county needed to establish a clear strategy for its compliance program, and to support this effort, it needed an engineering consulting partner with extensive expertise in LCRR.
-
![Cartridge-Filters-GettyImages-530438965]( "PPC Filters Positively Charged, Double Layered PES Membrane")
Boost sterile filtration performance with dual-layer membranes and charge-based capture for more effective contaminant removal and reliable results.
-
![Original condition of the deteriorated culvert]( "GeoTree - LOCTITE GeoSpray Minimizes Impact To Wildlife And Water Quality During A Creek Culvert Rehabilitation")
Trenchless geopolymer rehabilitation offers a sustainable solution for culvert repair in sensitive ecosystems. Its rapid-curing, low-toxicity properties allow for quick service reinstatement, preserving hydraulic capacity and protecting local water quality and aquatic life without the need for disruptive excavation.
-
![Sample Manager]( "Sample Manager: Modernizing Operations")
See how one utility moved off spreadsheets and onto a real system.
-
![Orlando CS]( "How Advanced Oxidation Is Tackling 1,4 Dioxane At Orlando Drum & Container")
Orlando Drum & Container eliminates hazardous 1,4 Dioxane from groundwater using Pinnacle Ozone Solutions’ Advanced Oxidation Process, restoring water quality sustainably and ensuring regulatory compliance.
-
![GettyImages-2153059351-gloved-hand-with-test-tube-testing-water]( "Track Microbial Contamination In Environmental Water")
Microbial testing of environmental water demands efficient, contamination‑resistant workflows. Discover a membrane filtration technique that offers rapid, reliable colony isolation.
-
![GettyImages-506999858-scientists-cell-culture-lab-development]( "Optimization And Scale-Up Of A Plasmid DNA Production Process")
Optimizing pDNA production in E. coli requires strategic media selection and scale-up planning. Explore a study that identifies ideal conditions for high-yield manufacturing.
-
![SDCWA 1]( "GeoTree - First Aqueduct Water Pipeline Rehabilitated With GeoSpray Geopolymer For SDCWA")
Critical water tunnels require efficient structural renewal to meet strict shutdown schedules. Certified geopolymer mortar provides a cost-effective, high-strength solution that eliminates groundwater infiltration and improves water quality while ensuring a 70-year service life for essential aqueduct systems.
-
![GettyImages-2194923210_450_300]( "Ozone Vs. UV-AOP: Choosing The Right Path For Advanced Water Treatment")
Ozone and UV-AOP each offer powerful contaminant removal for drinking water, wastewater, and reuse applications. Their unique strengths—and potential synergy—help utilities meet diverse treatment goals efficiently.
-
![Calcon Carbon]( "Protecting Communities With Calgon Carbon's AquaKnight™ Technology")
Calgon Carbon’s AquaKnight GC systems are designed from the top down to improve flow, adsorption, and media life.
-
![aria-filtra]( "Microfiltration Membranes Lead The Way In Water Filtration")
For water treatment professionals prioritizing precision and efficiency, hollow-fiber microfiltration membranes are revolutionizing the way industries and municipalities treat water.
-
![GettyImages-861256802 new jersey]( "Keeping Customers Informed: New Jersey American Water Streamlines Required Notices")
How one utility streamlined required notices instead of letting them pile up.
-
![GettyImages-1169656849 eCOA]( "Tips For Better eCOA Experiences From Medable's Patient Caregiver Network")
Hear from patients and caregivers across various therapeutic areas as they offer tips on improving the clinical trial experience.
-
![IX-resin]( "Why Has Ion Exchange Become The PFAS Treatment Of Choice?")
Regulated PFAS limits necessitate efficient, long-term treatment strategies. Ion exchange technology offers a high-capacity, small-footprint solution that outperforms traditional media. Learn how selective resins provide a cost-effective path to compliance and simplified utility operations.
-
![GettyImages-2178176312 uranium]( "Removal Of Naturally Occurring Uranium With Purolite™ A300E")
Discover how ion exchange technology effectively removes radioactive uranium isotopes from municipal wastewater. This case study explores the transition from pilot studies to full-scale remediation, highlighting the importance of technical support in meeting stringent local water quality standards.
