WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS
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![EnvironmentPeople_004]( "Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience")
Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And ResilienceAs water systems become more circular and complex, understanding and managing the subsurface — the hidden half of the water cycle — is becoming a critical enabler of resilience. This article explores the key trends shaping this new reality, from tackling “forever chemicals” to the water strategies redefining heavy industry.
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![pregnantwater_Getty-2241371016]( "PFAS In Pregnant Women's Drinking Water Puts Their Babies At Higher Risk, Study Finds")
PFAS In Pregnant Women's Drinking Water Puts Their Babies At Higher Risk, Study FindsWhen 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.
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![PFAS Label on hundred dollar bill-GettyImages-2193126716]( "PFAS Settlements: Debunking The Myths And Revealing What's Really At Stake For Water Utilities")
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. -
![GettyImages-2218879973]( "When Chemistry Meets Water Innovation")
When Chemistry Meets Water InnovationNobel-winning molecular materials are poised to reinvent purification, desalination, and reuse.
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![1390145767-microplastics]( "Solving The World's Microplastics Problem: 4 Solutions Cities And States Are Trying After Global Treaty Talks Collapsed")
Solving The World's Microplastics Problem: 4 Solutions Cities And States Are Trying After Global Treaty Talks CollapsedMicroplastics 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.
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![Waterfall Water Over Dam-GettyImages-157674517]( "AEC System Proven Effective For Chloride Removal")
AEC System Proven Effective For Chloride RemovalIn 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.
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![0925-Clean-Flo]( "Common Misconceptions Are Keeping Lakes \"Sick\"")
Common Misconceptions Are Keeping Lakes "Sick"Long-held misconceptions about lake management fuel the intensity and recurrence of harmful algal blooms.
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![coloradomountains]( "Colorado's Subalpine Wetlands May Be Producing A Toxic Form Of Mercury — That's A Concern For Downstream Water Supplies")
Colorado's Subalpine Wetlands May Be Producing A Toxic Form Of Mercury — That's A Concern For Downstream Water SuppliesThe 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.
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![grandcanyonspoke_Getty-2229310104]( "Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo Megafire Shows The Growing Wildfire Threat To Water Systems")
Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo Megafire Shows The Growing Wildfire Threat To Water SystemsAs 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.
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![Legionella Bacteria-GettyImages-2209458892]( "What Are Legionella Log Books And Why Are They Important?")
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.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
EPRO™ LMF Series are engineered our from the ground up to provide maximum treatment efficiency in a compact, skidded package. This series of RO systems removes impurities, such as bacteria and dissolved solids, from source water, including brackish water. Available configurations deliver permeate flow rates of 21 to 60 GPM (30,000 to 86,400 GPD) to address the diverse requirements of light industrial applications and commercial users.
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.
VIEWS ON THE LATEST REGS
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![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.
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![Rusty-pipe-GettyImages-186881378]( "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). -
![GettyImages-1250844105-water-line-service]( "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.
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![Human Hand sign for small-GettyImages-168259334]( "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
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![SUS - iceberg]( "How Blast Freezing Affects The Quality Of Bottled Drug Substance: Test Results And Insights")
Uneven ice formation during bottle freezing creates a "Volcano Effect," pushing solutes into highly concentrated zones. This test-based study explains this risk to drug substance quality.
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![MBR]( "MBR vs. Conventional: Why Operator Experience Comes Down To Design, Not Membranes")
This article isn’t about the theoretical benefits of MBR technology. It’s about what actually impacts day-to-day MBR operation—and what makes an MBR plant feel intuitive, stable, and predictable… or frustratingly complex.
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![Scientists working in lab-GettyImages-542935478]( "Nitrosamines: Assessing The Risk To Pharma Products")
Nitrosamines are a serious risk in drug products, driven by the presence of secondary amines, conducive conditions, and nitrosating agents. Understanding these factors is key to risk mitigation and patient safety.
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![GettyImages-2158441715-titration-analysis-scientist-flask-analysis]( "Enhanced Flow Kit Performance With Leak And PUPSIT Testing")
Sterile drug filtration demands rigorous integrity testing to prevent contamination. Learn how PUPSIT and in situ leak testing strengthen compliance with EU GMP Annex 1 and ensure reliable manufacturing.
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![GettyImages-2174865889-scientists-laboratory-equipment-analysis]( "Quantification Of Semaglutide With A Reliable Analytical Method")
Explore a validated LC-MS/MS method for precise Semaglutide quantification in plasma, which features enhanced sensitivity, peak definition, and reproducibility using innovative technologies.
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![GettyImages-1097562996-pill-tablet-capsule-OSD-oral-solid]( "Patient-Centric Formulations In Pediatric Adherence")
Improving pediatric adherence requires age-appropriate formulations, taste-masking, and swallowability strategies. Regulatory, clinical, and technological insights help overcome barriers and support safer, more effective therapies for children across developmental stages.
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![getty-1417080439-water-droplet]( "Electrocoagulation Unlocked")
Despite electrocoagulation's demonstrated effectiveness, developing a reliable, low maintenance reactor with sufficient water processing volume has proven to be a significant engineering challenge.
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![GettyImages-1500981700 cell culture]( "A Strategic Overview Of Fc Engineering")
Explore how Fc engineering transforms antibodies into precise therapeutic tools by modulating immune effector functions and extending half-life to improve patient outcomes and overcome complex clinical challenges.
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![aria-article]( "Advanced Wastewater Treatment Solutions For Industry And Municipalities")
This resource will help you navigate the complexities of industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, understand the latest technology, and see how Aria Filtra® technology addresses the needs of modern wastewater management.
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![angela-rodriguez]( "Charting The Course: Q&A With Calgon Carbon's Technical Director, Dr. Angela Rodriguez")
Calgon Carbon’s Dr. Angela Rodriguez shares insights on PFAS treatment, regulatory readiness, sustainability, and how innovative carbon technologies help utilities balance compliance, cost control, and environmental goals.
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![GettyImages-2215842270 lab]( "Charged For Action: The Hidden Secrets Of AEX Oligonucleotide Analysis")
Understanding how to fine-tune pH and ionic strength allows for the detection of truncated sequences and single-nucleotide variants, turning complex purification challenges into reproducible data.
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![GettyImages-1463515619 home visit nurse]( "How Community-Based Research Models Expand Access")
As momentum continues to grow in neurology research, how can community-based research models help overcome recruitment and retention challenges in complex areas like Alzheimer's?
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![Laboratory Research GettyImages-1293773554]( "Improving API Solubility Using Spray Drying With Polyvinyl Alcohol")
Enhancing the solubility of poorly soluble APIs is vital for improving bioavailability. Discover how advanced formulation techniques like hot-melt extrusion and spray drying can overcome this challenge.
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![GettyImages-1257407256 research, sample]( "Cracking The Reproducibility Code: Sera Is A Key Component")
Struggling with reproducible cell culture results? Sera variability is a major culprit. Learn how to choose the right sera, test lots, and stock up to ensure consistency and boost reproducibility.
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![Blog 6 Cover]( "How EPA's Focus On Testing Strategies & Methodologies Are Critical For Improved Water Quality")
In alignment with the recent federal initiatives, Birchtech’s RSSCT Analysis Design Center provides a practical, cost-efficient solution for utilities to enhance PFAS detection.
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![mp-total-sensor]( "New Monochloramine Sensor Technology Measures Free Chlorine And Total Chlorine On The Same Sensor")
Traditional chloramine monitoring methods have drawbacks that complicate water treatment. A new sensor can measure multiple parameters, offering operators better process control.
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![ketos-shield]( "Greater Efficiency And Peace Of Mind With The KETOS SHIELD")
In this case study, explore how a municipality automated its water quality testing to ensure compliance in real time.
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![GettyImages-1443323134]( "How Digital Twins Help Water Utilities Optimize Network Performance")
Rising city populations, high consumption of resources, ageing infrastructure, climate change, complex Water Distribution Systems — these are but a few issues forcing those in city management to rethink their sustainability and efficiency efforts. Underlying each is the question of clean water management, and how water utilities can be empowered to make informed decisions in the face of the issues combined.
