WATER INDUSTRY FEATURES, INSIGHTS, AND ANALYSIS
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![LakeSuperior_Getty-1405284925]( "PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There")
PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get ThereNo matter where you live in the U.S., you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources.
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![tractor_sludge_Getty-2155530305]( "Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water")
Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water When people think about agricultural pollution, they often picture what is easy to see: fertilizer spreaders crossing fields or muddy runoff after a heavy storm. However, a much more significant threat is quietly and invisibly building in the ground. -
![EnvironmentPeople_004]( "Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience")
Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience As 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. -
![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.
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.
For remote sites of 35 to 200 people, the newterra PWT-12/50 offers optimal flexibility – adapting to changing camp populations quickly and easily. The base 40' unit is a fully self-contained potable water treatment plant with capacity for up to 50 people.
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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![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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![PFA Pipe Fittings]( "PFAS In Medical Devices: A Health Sector Responsibility To Lead")
Medical device makers must balance PFAS performance benefits with health risks, preparing for regulation by auditing materials, investing in alternatives, and leading industry-wide collaboration.
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![wet-well-mounted-pump-station-450x300]( "From Depths To New Heights: Revolutionizing Wastewater Pumping With Above-Ground Technology")
Read this article for an overview of key advantages, as well as examples of how communities have achieved cost savings by moving towards above-ground systems.
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![GettyImages-2173433148 pfas]( "AEC PFAS Removal System Reduces PFAS Contamination In New Jersey")
This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of a new technology for removing PFAS from well water to below the EPA’s detection limits.
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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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![sensor-450x300]( "9 Reasons Why Drinking Water Distribution System Monitoring Is Now Practical")
Drinking water professionals and engineers understand that maintaining safe and high-quality water throughout the distribution system is a critical responsibility. Chlorine, the backbone of disinfection, ensures safety, but its effectiveness can falter in the complex network of pipes, tanks, and dead ends.
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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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![Child drinking tap water-GettyImages-1492299775]( "Multi-Contaminant Removal With Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) In Drinking Water Filtration")
Learn why the U.S. EPA has recognized granular activated carbon (GAC) as a best available technology (BAT) for a wide range of substances within the same system.
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![wastewater-pumps]( "Pentair Partnered With One Illinois County And An Engineering Design Firm To Build A Cutting-Edge Wastewater Treatment Plant")
Discover how Pentair partnered with one Illinois County and an engineering design firm to build a cutting-edge wastewater treatment plant.
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![GettyImages-2193840525-dna-strand-viral-vector-gene-therapy]( "Key Regulatory Considerations For The Next Wave Of Gene Therapies")
The evolving field of viral vector production, driven by advances in gene and cell therapies, is facing increasing regulatory scrutiny and analytical demands.
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![GettyImages-1322173298 mtronPTI Oscillators Aerospace and Defense]( "X-Band Radar: Driving Defense Applications With Beamforming, GaN And GaAs Technology")
X-band radar advancements, powered by BFICs, GaN, and GaAs, are enhancing drone detection, surveillance, and defense applications. Qorvo’s innovations provide high-performance, cost-effective solutions for modern security challenges.
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![edgewipe]( "Selecting A New Sporicidal Disinfectant: What The Cleanroom Manager Needs To Know")
This guide helps cleanroom managers evaluate sporicides by efficacy, safety, and compatibility to ensure contamination control without compromising operational integrity.
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![GettyImages-157742535 molecule pfas]( "Custom Tank Designs That Actively Manage PFAS Mass Transfer Zone (MTZ) — And Why It Matters More Than Ever")
As utilities prepare for the pending 4-ppt PFAS drinking water MCL, many are discovering that legacy lead/lag designs—workhorses for decades when treating contaminants in the ppm and ppb range—simply are not optimized for the parts per trillion-level (ppt) precision PFAS demands.
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![GettyImages-1602744313 assay]( "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.
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![article-4-feature]( "Addressing Water Treatment Challenges Faced By Potable Water Utilities")
“Emerging Contaminants" can be broadly defined as any synthetic or naturally occurring chemical that is not commonly monitored in the environment. These substances have the potential to enter the environment and cause known or suspected adverse ecological and/or human health effects.
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![GettyImages-1389723406 protein]( "Comprehensive Workflow For The Quantification Of Peptides And Proteins")
Biologics are transforming medicine, with semaglutide leading the way. Discover how an automated LC-MS/MS workflow enables high-sensitivity quantification of peptides in plasma.
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![Humanized Data for AI_Getty-1155959249]( "How EDC Software Minimizes Bias In Clinical Trials")
Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems play a crucial role in mitigating bias through automated validation rules, structured workflows, and real-time monitoring.
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![city-of-stuart]( "Actuators On Aeration Blower Valves Improve Dissolved Oxygen And Increase Overall Process Stability")
Discover how installing Beck electric actuators on the aeration blower control valves has improved process stability and plant operations for a South Florida treatment plant.
