Reassessing Water Security
Water & Wastes Digest
September 2005
By Jessica Moorman
Beyond the hype, how will security regulations and upgrades translate into an everyday routine for water utility personnel?
Ten Practices of Highly Effective Water Utilities
Water & Wastes Digest
December 2004
By Janice A Beecher
The concept of continuous improvement complements the idea of developing a water systems’ capabilities over time to ensure safe and reliable water service.
The Evolution of Drinking Water Regulations
Water & Wastes Digest
June 2004
By J. Alan Roberson, P.E.
The recent experience with lead in Washington, D.C. is one example of a lack of a complete understanding of the impact that one regulation may have on another.
Monitoring Drinking Water Regulation Updates
Water Quality Products
August 2002
Carlyn Meyer, Water Quality Association
The Water Quality Association (WQA) and the point-of-use/point-of-entry (POU/POE) industry as a whole face the usual list of federal and state regulatory challenges in 2002-2003.
PDF Version
Stormwater Retrofitting to Protect Drinking Water Reservoirs from the Impacts of Urban Runoff - Part 2
Water Engineering & Management
July 2002
James D. Benson, AICP, and Melissa Beristain
The Kensico Reservoir Stormwater Management Program is designed to reduce fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity delivered to the reservoir by controlling and treating stormwater. The first phases of the project, assessment of the watershed, site selection and the screening and design of stormwater control and treatment facilities, were completed in July 1998. Facility construction began in the spring of 1999 and completed early in 2001. DEP has committed to monitoring and evaluating facility performance and maintaining the facilities.
PDF Version
Electric Deregulation Provides Opportunity for Wastewater Treatment Facility Owners
Water Engineering & Management
June 2002
A recent federal court decision discusses the factors to be considered in determining civil penalties under the Clean Water Act for alleged National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit violations. United States v. Allegheny Ludlum Corporation, 187 F. Supp. 2d 426 (W.D. Pa. 2002). Although the case involved an industrial firm defendant, the court’s analysis may be instructive for utility wastewater systems.
PDF Version
Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 4
Water Engineering & Management
June 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this series provided a timeline for the development of a drinking water standard for arsenic. It also summarized the political and public reactions to the U.S. EPA decision to delay and withdraw the arsenic rule.
Part 2 dealt with human exposure and advances in knowledge concerning human health effects of exposure to arsenic.
Part 3 summarized early data on the occurrence of arsenic in U.S. waters.
PDF Version
Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 3
Water Engineering & Management
May 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
Only recently has a substantial amount of data become available on the concentrations of arsenic in United States drinking water supplies. Most of these data have been accumulated by the state regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring drinking waters. Since the arsenic standard has been 50 µg/L, some state agencies have recorded arsenic concentrations only in excess of that concentration. Others have been limited by the sensitivity of the analytical techniques and equipment used for the arsenic analysis. As a result, much of the available arsenic data are “below the limits of detection.
PDF Version
Chlorine Taste in the Customer’s Drinking Water?
Water Quality Products
March 2002
By Ron Grage, Chlorinators Incorporated
Chlorine produces bacteria-free water and eliminates algae and slime. It also removes hydrogen sulfide from ground water (wells and springs) and eliminates iron bacteria (cenothrix), which are associated with objectionable odor and taste.
Despite these important facts, some people still object to chlorine in their drinking water. Comments such as “I don’t like the way chlorine makes my water taste” are common.
Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 2
Water Engineering & Management
March 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
On-going health effects studies and research reports (2001) appear to support the argument for lowering the current EPA drinking water standard for arsenic. Studies conducted by EPA, the University of North Carolina and the University of British Columbia have indicated that methylated metabolites of trivalent arsenic are genotoxic. In other words, they damage DNA in human cells.
PDF Version
Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 1
Water Engineering & Management
February 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
The National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council (NAS-NRC) report was released on September 11, 2001. It concluded that the existing health effects data on arsenic essentially were sound. In addition, their review of three new epidemiological studies indicated that the health risks posed by arsenic in drinking water were greater than previously believed. As a result, in October, well before its self-imposed deadline, EPA rescinded its March implementation ban and endorsed the 10 µg/L arsenic MCL.
PDF Version
POU Options for Arsenic
Water Quality Products
November 2001
The topic of arsenic has received a lot of press coverage this year, ever since the Bush administration halted the EPA’s newly issued maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Since then, the MCL was reinstated back to 50 ppb and further discussions and studies have continued. This article will discuss some of these updates.
PDF Version
Testing Bottled Water
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Barbara L. Marteney and Kristin Safran, National Testing Laboratories
One of the most important (and sometimes the most complex) area of the bottled water business is compliance with federal, state and industry regulations. As the EPA continues to evaluate contaminants in drinking water for regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the FDA must review these regulations for their suitability for bottled water.
PDF Version
Water Tests Protect Customers from Guilty Parties
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Wendi Hope King, WQP Staff
Despite the regulations set for treatment plants, the general public will find itself focusing on the negative and seeking additional treatment from our industry. This spells opportunity for water treatment dealers to illustrate how their services can benefit the public.
PDF Version
The State of Regulations
Water Quality Products
August 2001
By Wendi Hope King
As the POU/POE water treatment industry progresses to new levels and meets new challenges, issues regarding regulations and standards continually arise. As the industry waits for the EPA and U.S. government to finalize regulations, the industry is forced to ride out the MCL changes, rule withdrawals and estimated costs that each proposal brings. Listed here is a review of regulation changes the industry has seen in the last year and a brief look at which ones to watch for in the future.
PDF Version
Keeping Your Company Afloat
Water Quality Products
August 2001
Wendi Hope King
Once again I have the opportunity to take a good look at companies in the industry and receive a clear picture of all of the changes and consolidation that have taken place throughout the past year.
PDF Version
Verification Testing: The First Step to Clean Water
Water Engineering & Management
April 2001
Gene C. Koontz, P.E., and Andrea L. Santa
Who is testing manufacturers’ purification systems and equipment? This article describes EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification Program.
Concrete Reclaim System Efficiently Recycles Slurry Water In California
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2001
Harbor Ready Mix has brought into operation a prototype concrete reclamation system that not only recycles the sand and gravel from returned concrete but also the cementious solids and water. The operational merits of the system are applicable to all batch plants that need a cost-effective method to recycle returned concrete without prohibitive investment in new infrastructure.
PDF Version
City of Hollywood Revises Industrial Pretreatment
Water Engineering & Management
July 2000
Frederick Bloetscher, P.E., Lisa Meday-Futo, Whitifeld R. Van Cott and Robert Fergan, P.E.
The City of Hollywood (Fla.) is located in southeast Broward County, with a land area of approximately 29 square miles. However, the City is a regional wastewater service provider to areas outside the City that are termed "Large Users."
|