Latest news, insights, and discussion on US and global drinking water regulations.

WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS

PFAS In Pregnant Women's Drinking Water Puts Their Babies At Higher Risk, Study Finds
When pregnant women drink water that comes from wells downstream of sites contaminated with PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” the risks to their babies’ health substantially increase, a new study found. These risks include the chance of low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality.
PFAS Settlements: Debunking The Myths And Revealing What's Really At Stake For Water Utilities Misinformation and confusion could prevent some utilities from benefitting from the aqueous film-forming foam multidistrict litigation (AFFF MDL) settlements. Here are five common myths about the AFFF MDL PFAS settlements and how public water systems can make the most of this unprecedented funding opportunity.
When Chemistry Meets Water Innovation
Nobel-winning molecular materials are poised to reinvent purification, desalination, and reuse.
Solving The World's Microplastics Problem: 4 Solutions Cities And States Are Trying After Global Treaty Talks Collapsed
Microplastics seem to be everywhere — in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Countries have tried for the past few years to write a global plastics treaty that might reduce human exposure, but the latest negotiations collapsed in August 2025. While U.S. and global solutions seem far off, policies to limit harm from microplastics are gaining traction at the state and local levels.
AEC System Proven Effective For Chloride Removal
In two bench-scale tests, a new technology effectively removed up to 99% of chlorides and 97% of total dissolved solids in a single pass. This solution offers a commercially viable alternative to traditional treatment methods.
Common Misconceptions Are Keeping Lakes "Sick"
Long-held misconceptions about lake management fuel the intensity and recurrence of harmful algal blooms.
Colorado's Subalpine Wetlands May Be Producing A Toxic Form Of Mercury — That's A Concern For Downstream Water Supplies
The wetlands found across the Rocky Mountains of Colorado just below tree line are crucial for regulating the supply of clean water from the highlands to metropolitan regions downslope, including Denver. However, new research shows the wetlands also harbor a health risk.
Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo Megafire Shows The Growing Wildfire Threat To Water Systems
As wildfire crews battled the Dragon Bravo Fire on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim in July 2025, the air turned toxic. A chlorine gas leak had erupted from the park’s water treatment facility as the building burned, forcing firefighters to pull back. The water treatment facility is part of a system that draws water from a fragile spring. The fire also damaged some of the area’s water pipes and equipment.
What Are Legionella Log Books And Why Are They Important? Implementing and managing a Legionella control regime can sometimes seem daunting and complex. Invariably, a lot of resources, time, and effort are needed to achieve the required standard and provide assurance to senior management and auditors that controls are effective and those that are not are being managed and rectified appropriately.
How ABB's Flow And Digital Technologies Help Bawat With Smarter Ballast Water Compliance
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets strict global standards for ballast water management to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms. For companies like Bawat, a Danish innovator in ballast water management, being able to verify ballast water flow measurements quickly, accurately, and from anywhere in the world is essential.

DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS

A New Way Of Designing With Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Process design in water treatment is historically confined to proprietary or user-defined spreadsheets on a unit operation basis, with users manually adding results from each unit process upstream into the next operation.

Why Should We Care About NSF/ANSI 61 Certification?

According to National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), it's a set of standards relating to water treatment and establishes criteria for the control of equipment that comes in contact with either potable water or products that support the production of water.

Pile Cloth Media Filtration Removes 97% Of Microplastics From Wastewater

Learn about filtering microplastics from industrial wastewater prior to discharge, and how this is one way to effectively reduce the volume of this waste material from entering our surface water.

Aria FAST Mobile Water Treatment

Aria FAST mobile water units deliver the water you need, when and where you need it. Our mobile systems are easily installed and produce highquality water in as little as four hours after utility connections are complete.

NeoTech D322™

The NeoTech D322™ is specially designed to disinfect water and is an essential component in advanced oxidation processes.

Ozone Destruction System

NeoTech Aqua Solutions’ line of 254 nm wavelength low-pressure lamps effectively destroys residual ozone and a member of our technical staff will professionally size your UV system.

VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS

HAAs In The EU: Monitoring For Haloacetic Acids Under The Drinking Water Directive

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.
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.
Clearing LCRI Hurdles

Assessing what lies ahead in the 10-year race to go lead-free, otherwise known as the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).
Making Sense Of GRR For LCRR: How Galvanized Service Lines Factor Into Inventory Requirements

Many water systems are still tackling the challenge of identifying and compliantly managing galvanized and galvanized-requiring-replacement (GRR) service lines.
A Tiny Bit Of PFAS

In the most recent edition of Water Innovations, there is not a single article focused on PFAS. That wouldn't be exceptional if not for the fact that discussion around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances has so thoroughly dominated the water space lately. And yet, I penned this as an intro to the edition — just "a tiny bit of PFAS" content — because a small portion of PFAS is of the utmost importance in terms of treatment, policy, and cost.

MORE WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES

Development Of A High Sensitivity SPE-LC-MS/MS Assay

Achieve ultra-sensitive glucagon quantification with ionKey/MS, μElution SPE, and advanced MS fragmentation to deliver low LOD, reduced sample loss, and enhanced confidence in results.
Taking The Lead On Ditching Lead

AWWA C800, Underground Service Line Valves and Fittings, was built around the use of one brass alloy, C83600, also known as leaded red brass, favored for its manufacturability and low cost. Over the last two decades, the waterworks industry has transitioned to brass alloys that meet the definition of lead-free for most surfaces contacting potable water.
Selecting A Platform Filter For High Concentration mAbs

Read more about how Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies evaluated a prime filter with challenging simulant solutions and how the experimental data confirmed superior performance, which demonstrated twice the throughput.
Constant vs. Proportional Diffusivity In RSSCT: Choosing The Right Model For GAC Performance Testing

When designing adsorption systems for PFAS removal, utilities and engineers increasingly rely on RSSCTs (Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests) to compare the performance of granular activated carbon (GAC) or other sorbents. One often overlooked yet critical assumption in RSSCT modeling is the choice between constant diffusivity and proportional diffusivity. Though both approaches are valid, selecting the right model can significantly impact how well bench-scale results translate to full-scale systems.
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.
Ion Exchange Resin Versus Granular Activated Carbon For Drinking Water Treatment

A cost-effective option for PFAS removal and MCL compliance is the addition of an ion exchange resin (IEX) treatment as a “bolt-on” to an existing DWTP.
System Performance Depends On Cleanliness

The Lee Company highlights contamination risks in fluidic systems, offering guidance on detection, prevention, safety screens, and ROB number comparisons to ensure long-term performance and reliability.
Quantitative Determination Of Amorphous And Crystalline Drug In Polymer Microspheres

Biodegradable polymer microspheres control drug release through crystalline and amorphous properties, analyzed using DSC, MDSC, and TGA to determine composition and stability for precise delivery.
Let's Get SMART On Adverse Events

One of the biggest risks for medical products and companies is the failure to report adverse events. But what leads to underreporting? Here are five core reasons behind most adverse event underreporting.
Statistically Validating No Lead Or Low Lead For Service Line Inventory Compliance

Each state’s guidance on the use of statistical analysis (and predictive modeling) varies. Explore the specifics about your state’s guidance to use statistical analysis for no-lead validation and material classification.
The Role Of Ozone In Municipal Water Treatment

Discover why ozone, a powerful oxidant and sanitizer, has become a leading solution for addressing water quality challenges.
Advantages Of Using Ozone And Biologically Active Filtration For Potable Reuse

Understanding how ozonation and biologically active filtration (O3-BAF) systems work and their benefits in reuse can help water authorities meet cost, treatment, and sustainability goals.
Innovation In Filtration

Filtration removes contaminants to ensure safety and is essential in various applications, from lab-scale tasks to GMP production. Explore how its simplicity and reliability make it indispensable.
Bayesian Study Designs In Early-Phase Oncology Trials

In response to insufficient traditional dose-escalation methods, regulatory initiatives like the FDA’s Project Optimus advocate for identifying optimal biological doses rather than relying solely on maximum tolerated doses (MTD).

Decoding LCRI: Exploring How Technology Can Help With Compliance

The use of lead pipes was banned in the 1980s, yet over 9.2 million American households still connect to water through lead pipes and lead service lines. These decades-old lead pipes pose an ever-present risk to the health and wellbeing of Americans.
Spotlight On Reclaimed Water Regulations: California

Technological advancements play a crucial role in shaping reclaimed water regulations, as new methods for treating and reusing wastewater emerge.
8 Ways MBR Assists Your Utility In Emergency Response

Discover how you can protect treatment compliance and accelerate disaster recovery. Modular MBR systems offer under high flow stress, produce, and can be to restore service after a catastrophic event.
LC-UV-Based Synthetic Peptide Impurity Tracking And Reporting

Explore a UPLC-UV method using Empower 3 Software to assess synthetic peptide purity. Learn how integrated tools streamline impurity tracking, data reporting, and compliance in peptide analysis workflows.

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