bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Special Report: Pathways to Higher Performance
Authors: Westerhoff Gary
Published: February 2018

Exploring new territory is always easier with the help of a guidebook. Today's water suppliers confront a thicket of changes and challenges that require them to traverse new terrain even as they continue to provide a secure and reliable supply of high‐quality water in sufficient quantities at affordable prices.
Engineers
Authors: Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr discusses the vocation of engineering, acknowledging some of its foibles as well as its attributes. He offers several examples of what the profession accomplishes in our society, how engineers are perceived by others, and how they have always relished turning challenges into solutions.
Risk Assessment of waterborne coxsackievirus
Authors: Mena Kristina D. , Gerba Charles P. , Haas Charles N. , Rose Joan B.
Published: February 2018

Virus contamination of the water environment through disposal of human wastewater remains a concern for the water industry. Coxsackieviruses are the most common nonpolio enteroviruses found in domestic wastewater and in contaminated surface water, groundwater, and drinking water. Although most infections result in mild febrile illness, coxsackieviruses are capable of causing a wide range of serious illnesses (including aseptic meningitis, myocarditis, and respiratory illness) and are associated with cases of insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. A risk assessment approach was used to evaluate the potential public health effects associated with contaminated drinking water and recreational waters. An exponential model developed from human dose–response studies was used to describe the infectivity of coxsackievirus type B and estimate daily and yearly risks of infection, morbidity, and mortality. Concentrations of coxsackievirus reported in the literature were used to examine potential exposure. Although risks of infection for coxsackievirus are lower than for rotavirus, levels detected during outbreaks resulted in risks of 10–1 annually for drinking water. Risks assuming an ingestion of 100 mL per swim were 10–2 for a 10‐day exposure to freshwater. The severity of the diseases associated with this type of virus and its widespread contamination emphasize the importance of maintaining reliable wastewater and drinking water treatment.
Providing Water Services to Other Public Agencies—Some Pros and Cons
Authors: Diloreto Greg
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how an Oregon water utility contracted with three smaller government agencies to operate and manage their water systems. The objectives for doing this included: achieving a higher level of service; greater access to water supply; access to a larger staff with greater specialization in all areas of water supply and who had been state‐certified at the highest levels; assistance in water quality compliance; assistance with serious infrastructure needs; and, allowing more time to focus on other services such as parks and police instead of water supply or additional water sources. The article suggests several areas of concern that should be clarified before signing a contract, and also discusses the benefits and challenges of contracting.
Implementing PBMS improvements to USEPA's Cryptosporidium and Giardia methods
Authors: Clancy Jennifer L. , Connell Kevin , McCuin Randi M.
Published: February 2018

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has developed a new approach for modifying analytical methods—the performance‐based measurement system (PBMS). Methods 1622 and 1623 are the first microbiological methods from USEPA to be based on PBMS. This approach to method validation and implementation allows the methods to be modified to improve performance, increase laboratory efficiency, or reduce costs, provided that the methods' quality control acceptance criteria are met. Although the PBMS approach to method flexibility is straightforward in principle, laboratories and manufacturers need to understand the requirements and process for USEPA evaluation and approval of modified methods before embarking on studies to demonstrate acceptable performance of a modified version of a method. This article describes the process for conducting modified method acceptability studies for USEPA methods 1622 and 1623 and gives examples of both successful and unsuccessful outcomes.
Occurrence of Viruses in US Groundwaters
Authors: Abbaszadegan Morteza , Lechevallier Mark , Gerba Charles
Published: February 2018

US groundwater may be subjected to fecal contamination from a variety of sources. This study sought to develop a preliminary assessment database on virus occurrence in groundwater systems at the national level. Information on physical and geological characteristics of groundwater wells, along with various microbial and physicochemical water quality parameters, was collected, and possible correlation with the presence of human viruses was investigated. Groundwater samples from 448 sites in 35 states were collected and assayed for microorganisms and chemical contaminants. Infective viruses, viral nucleic acid, bacteriophages, and bacteria were present in 4.8, 31.5, 20.7, and 15.1% of samples, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that one‐time sampling is not sufficient for proper risk characterization. No significant direct correlations existed between the presence of virus and microbial indicators. However, when only the sites with repeat sampling were examined for correlations between indicators and pathogens, it was observed that if a site tested positive for a microbial indicator, it also tested positive at some point in time for pathogens.
How USEPA is Looking at Regulating Groups
Authors: Roberson J. Alan
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) new drinking water strategy, focusing on the first of four elements proposed in the strategy – address contaminants as groups, rather than one at a time, in the hope that enhanced protection of public health can be achieved more cost‐effectively. In particular, the article focuses on three of the groups – nitrosamines, carcinogenic volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), and chlorinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) – that USEPA believes it has enough information on for a decision regarding regulatory action.
Robust ICSs Critical for Guarding Against Cyber Threats
Authors: Edwards Dave
Published: February 2018

This article provides information about resources and services made available by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help strengthen water/wastewater utilities security programs. The DHS National Cyber Security Division established the control systems security program (CSSP) to guide a cohesive effort between government and industry to improve the security posture of industrial control systems (ICSs), such as the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, within the nation's critical infrastructure. CSSP‐sponsored training opportunities are discussed, along with informational products, Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC), the ICS Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS‐CERT), and opportunities for community involvement through the ICS Joint Working Group (ICSJWG).
Using Gravity—A New Green Technology
Authors: Feltenberger Bruce
Published: February 2018

This article introduces the Feltenberger Pendulum, a gravity‐assisted power (GAP) machine that uses the force of gravity to help provide the power needed to operate various types of machinery and that can be applied to the generation of electricity, drilling of wells, and the desalinization/filtration of water. The first commercially available GAP machine is a hand‐operated water pump and filtration system that needs no fuel or electricity. This version of the GAP machine was designed to pump surface water by suctioning, and the pump can lift water approximately 25 feet from the water source to the pump. The pendulum pump has four settings that adjust the volume and/or pressure of the water being pumped. The optional Aquathin water filtration system supplied with the pump, known as AquaShield, contains a patented antimicrobial membrane that kills harmful bacteria and viruses in the water without the need for chemical dosing systems or ultraviolet radiation. Combined with the optional Aquathin filtration system, the Feltenberger GAP pump becomes a complete hand‐operated water treatment facility capable of producing 1,000 gallons of safe drinking water per hour.
Divers Go Deep for Denver Water Dam Upgrades
Authors: Baker Ann
Published: February 2018

This article describes how a team of divers lived inside a compression chamber for four weeks at a time and worked underwater to repair Denver (Colorado) Water's 105‐year‐old Cheesman Dam. Crews have begun work on a two‐year, $18.3‐million project to upgrade the dam's outlet works valve system, which was installed when the dam was built in 1905, and set up new underwater trash racks to prevent debris from clogging the valves. Crews are also installing new upstream control slide gates and a control building and are updating the dam's electrical systems. Four divers lived in a compression chamber attached to the working barge for 30‐day intervals, where they took turns working in pairs underwater (at depths up to 215 feet). One pair worked while the other pair slept, ate, and recovered for the next shift.
Public–private Partnerships Solve Groundwater Contamination Issues
Authors: Leung Kevin S.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses a project by the city of Hutchinson, Kansas, to treat its contaminated well water with reverse osmosis (RO). A pilot plant with full‐scale membranes was operated for several months while extensive data were collected. The plant blended the higher‐quality RO water with the city's existing noncontaminated well water before it entered the distribution mains. The result has been a higher‐quality, better‐tasting product that is superior for recruiting industrial users and environmentally friendly because it reduces potential chloride contamination of the nearby Arkansas River. With soft water, less sodium exchange water softener is required and thus chloride discharge is reduced.
Water Sustainability Risk Assessment, Part 1: Defining the Area of Influence and Sustainability Boundaries
Authors: Vigerstol Kari
Published: February 2018

This article discusses a sustainability assessment framework for evaluating the risk of a single facility within the watershed in which it operates. This framework provides the link between water footprint accounting and formulation of a response strategy to address a corporation's water‐related risks and effects. Five steps compose this framework. The first two steps, identifying the “area of influence” and determining the “sustainability boundaries” are described in this month's column; the remaining three steps will be discussed in the March 2011 issues along with a walk‐through of an example application.
A Call for Reliability Standards
Authors: Rubin Scott
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the need for a metric that can be used to set priorities and assess progress toward improving the reliability of service. The article discusses a study by Dandy and Engelhardt (2006) that suggests the reliability goal should be based on the number of annual customer interruptions, which they call the total expected number of customer interruptions. The article points out that water utilities should have a system in place to measure the reliability of service, quantify the expected improvement in that reliability from infrastructure expenditures, and measure the actual level of improvement achieved. Water utilities should have reliability goals, and those goals should be the end point of the utilities' asset management plans.
Recent Research Every Utility Manager Needs to Know About
Authors: Speight Vanessa , Via Steve
Published: February 2018

Many utility managers do not have the time or funding to attend national conferences. Therefore, this article provides a way to highlight research findings that are of value in the daily operations of a utility. Being well‐informed about the advances in the field increases the value that a utility manager brings to his or her job each day. Research continues to improve the ability of conventional treatment processes to remove organic matter and other contaminants, such as arsenic. Inorganic contaminants, including nitrate, perchlorate, and ammonia, are a growing concern for many utilities. Biological treatment processes are emerging as a treatment option for inorganic contaminants and advances are improving removals with membrane and ion exchange technologies. Distribution system research has led to benchmarks for operations, better understanding of lead release, and characterization of microbial populations within pipe systems. Water utilities are entering the world of social media and implementing information technology advances such as cloud computing. Finally, for small systems in both developed and developing countries, research has demonstrated the value of operator training and performance‐based approaches in preventing disease.
Optimizing operational reliability of the Cincinnati contamination warning system
Authors: Pickard Brian C. , Haas Adam J. , Allgeier Steven C.
Published: February 2018

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a contamination warning system (CWS) design with multiple, independent data streams to quickly detect unintentional or intentional contamination of drinking water distribution systems. During evaluation of the first full‐scale pilot CWS in Cincinnati, Ohio, one primary design objective ‐ optimizing operational reliability ‐ was measured through two performance metrics: availability and data completeness. This evaluation was conducted to identify potential fail points, implement procedures to reduce downtime, and minimize lost or inaccurate data. Through two years of data collection and system optimization, the Cincinnati pilot CWS demonstrated continuous detection capabilities, even when some components or sub‐components were nonfunctional. Subsequent distribution system modeling showed that the probability of experiencing a contamination incident while multiple components were nonfunctional was negligible. Overall, the optimized Cincinnati pilot CWS demonstrated robust operational reliability, with a high percentage of availability and data completeness.
Chloride‐to‐sulfate mass ratio: Practical studies in galvanic corrosion of lead solder
Authors: Nguyen Caroline K. , Stone Kendall R. , Edwards Marc A.
Published: February 2018

The effect of the chloride‐to‐sulfate mass ratio (CSMR) on lead leaching from 50:50 lead–tin solder galvanically coupled to copper in stagnant conditions was examined using bench‐scale testing and data from water utilities. The CSMR was significantly altered by coagulant changeover, blending of desalinated seawater, anion exchange, and NaCl brine leaks from onsite hypochlorite generators. Consistent with previous experiences, increasing the CSMR to the range of 0.1 to 1.0 produced dramatic increases in lead leaching from lead–tin solder galvanically coupled to copper. Before implementing any treatment changes that could increase the CSMR, utilities may want to use the protocol described in this article to ascertain the relative effect of the changes on lead corrosion.
Making WaterSense Work for You: How Dallas and USEPA Teamed Up for Fix‐a‐Leak Week 2010
Authors: Davis Carole
Published: February 2018

In March 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) WaterSense program selected the city of Dallas, Texas, Water Utilities (DWU) to spotlight its national Fix‐a‐Leak Week event. The program is intended to remind consumers to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. Dallas has assisted low‐income residents with plumbing repairs for decades through its Minor Plumbing Repair Program (MPRP), which is designed to fix leaking faucets, hose bibs, easily accessible pipe joints, and water heaters. The city's MPRP met and exceeded all of USEPA's contest criteria. Dallas' Fix‐a‐Leak Week was a resounding success on all fronts. The city reached and exceeded its goal of wiping out the MPRP waiting list in just one week, and saved more than 2 million gallons of water in an extremely short period of time.
Filling the AWWA Pipeline During the “Silver Tsunami”
Authors: Collins Heather
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the “Silver Tsunami“”, or the coming retirement exodus of the baby‐boomer generation of water professionals. It also mentions that some utility members are not renewing their AWWA memberships in this current economy. Fewer utility representatives are attending conferences, and utilities are also cutting back on their volunteer activities. The article makes suggestions on how to communicate the benefits of AWWA membership, and discusses opportunities for reaching out to high school and college students to inspire and encourage them to pursue a career in water.
Water Sustainability Risk Assessment, Part 2: Primary and Secondary Effects
Authors: Vigerstol Kari
Published: February 2018

In January's Eco Logic column, readers were introduced to the Water Sustainability Risk Assessment framework and provided with a description of the first steps of the process (defining the area of influence and determining the sustainability boundaries). In this month's column, the remaining steps of the framework and an example application for a corporate water user are presented.
And the Best Supporting Actor Is… Water
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance recommends six movies that help frame how water is portrayed in popular culture. In each one, water plays an important role in establishing the relationships, settings, and struggles that ensue.
Disasters Spur Innovation to Ensure Access to Safe Water
Authors: De Wit Jos S.
Published: February 2018

This article presents HydroPack™, an emergency hydration solution that was developed specifically for use during the critical first days after a natural disaster. The paper‐thin pouch, which transforms dirty water into a healthy, nutritious drink, was developed by Oregon‐based Hydration Technology Innovations (HTI) using cellulose acetate from the Tennessee‐based Eastman Chemical Company (ECC).
USEPA 2011 Infrastructure Investment Needs Survey
Authors: Job Charles
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) 2011 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey, which assesses the extent to which U.S. public water systems' infrastructure should be upgraded and replaced. The results of this survey serve as the basis for allotting each state's share of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which provides financing for water systems' infrastructure investments. The article also briefly discusses the first two surveys in 1995 and 1999, and the critiques of these two surveys were considered when the 2003 survey was designed to better capture the longer‐term investment needs. the 2007 survey continued the 2003 survey's achievement of better capturing the longer‐term infrastructure replacement and rehabilitation needs but in a much more consistent manner across water systems and states.
Reducing Capital Budgets Through Pipe Segment Replacement Planning and Acoustic Monitoring
Authors: Baird Gregory M.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how using the combination of advanced condition assessment technology and continuous acoustic monitoring provides a powerful pipe risk management strategy to accurately target future inspections and repair or replace individual pipe segments before failure to get the most use out of a pipe's remaining life.
I'm Not Oprah, But…
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance offers a list of recommended reading for water professionals with the intent of stirring their imaginations and encouraging the advancement of the water industry.
Practical Use of Private Equity as a Solution to Infrastructure Development
Authors: Lazerov Manuel H. , Fleming Hu
Published: February 2018

This article argues that reliance on private equity finance and development is the most practical means for driving future infrastructure investment, and discusses three reasons for using private equity.
Development of a Water Infrastructure Finance Innovations Authority
Authors: Curtis Tom
Published: February 2018

This article argues in favor of a water infrastructure bank to provide a source of low‐cost capital for water and wastewater infrastructure rehabilitation projects. The article reviews AWWA's plan for structuring the bank, and lists criteria for determining eligibility of community water systems for borrowing from the bank and for the kind of projects that would be considered eligible. Also discussed are the types of support the bank would offer and the sources of its capital.
Developing SOPs for the Investigation of Distribution System Contamination
Authors: Allgeier Steven C. , Cossins Faye , Fromme William R. , Haas Adam J.
Published: February 2018

This article uses examples and lessons learned from the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) contamination warning system (CWS) to show the importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for investigating indicators of possible distribution system contamination. This information is presented in the context of a series of questions addressed during development of procedures for the GCWW CWS.
Where Does Your Water Come from?
Authors: Herrin Misty , Richter Brian
Published: February 2018

This article discusses where the water we use comes from, and the results of a recent nationwide pole that asked consumers if they knew where their water came from. The article provides examples from across the U.S. of how people, who know the source of their water, are more likely to protect it. In Latin America, the “water fund” was developed to generate money for watershed conservation. The article discusses “virtual water,” which is included in our individual “water footprint,” and provides an analysis of the average U.S. citizen's total water footprint, including both direct and indirect water use. A website is provided that will calculate your own personal water footprint.
The Water Industry: A Closer Look at the Numbers
Authors: Maxwell Steve
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the changing size and general characteristics of the water market in terms of how to define or draw a boundary around the water business, the outlook and growth characteristics of the business, and how it is expanding or changing as time marches forward.
Solving Our Fundamental Problem
Authors: Eager William (“Bill”)
Published: February 2018

This article points out that the key to a successful water conservation program is teaching customers what it takes to produce the water that so easily flows from their tap. Educating customers about conservation could result in reduced consumption as well as reduced costs for water utilities and customers. The article provides several suggestions for utilities in educating their customers about wise water use.
Involving Stakeholders in the Development of a Global Water Certification Standard
Authors: Krchnak Karin M.
Published: February 2018

This article describes the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) as a group of organizations who have come together in a commitment to help launch a common global water stewardship standard that will define how water users and utilities can develop and manage water in a way that is socially beneficial, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. The focus of the program is on developing an International Water Stewardship Standard based on critical aspects of water stewardship, such as managing flow, water quality, habitats, and ensuring good governance. When operational, the AWS program will provide a powerful new voluntary incentive to improve the way water is managed around the world through a rigorous yet realistic water stewardship standard. To encourage stakeholder involvement in this global water stewardship standard, the AWS has developed an inclusive, open platform ‐ a multiyear global water roundtable that was launched in June 2010, and is now in the process of forming the governing body of the roundtable ‐ the International Standard Development Committee (ISDC).
Competency modeling and the water industry: A good fit
Authors: McTigue Nancy , Mansfield Richard
Published: February 2018

Competency modeling, defined as analyzing a job to identify the skills and personal characteristics that drive superior performance in that job, offers a way to improve people management and development. Given its successful implementation in other industries, use of these models could prove to be beneficial in attracting, training, and retaining personnel the water industry will need over the next decade. For a competency model to be of value, it must be applied in some program that involves the management of people. A program for applying the competencies to professional development could include actions such as identifying a job or set of related jobs for which a competency model would be helpful, adapting or developing a competency model, developing a competency assessment form based on the competency model, and creating a professional development plan that focuses on one or two of the competencies. Competency models have great potential in securing the workforce that will be needed in the water industry. However, there are obstacles to overcome in implementing competencies and the implementers must be willing to invest some time into the project. The potential benefit of competency modeling, however, is great enough to justify its use in the water industry.
Is syndromic surveillance of OTC drug sales effective in detecting outbreaks of waterborne GI disease?
Authors: Kirian Michelle L. , Weintraub June M.
Published: February 2018

Reports following waterborne disease outbreaks such as the 1996 cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, suggested that sales of over‐the‐counter (OTC) drugs could provide an early indication of waterborne disease. As a result, many health departments implemented syndromic surveillance of OTC drug sales. The authors evaluated the ability of OTC diarrheal remedy sales to predict gastrointestinal (GI) disease. No significant correlations were identified between weekly sales and case counts, outbreak counts, or number of outbreak‐associated cases. Signals generated by the medication sales model did not coincide with outbreak weeks more reliably than signals chosen randomly. Although not tested with large outbreaks, this work does not support the use of syndromic surveillance for GI disease with OTC remedy sales. Given study results and the lack of compelling evidence in the literature of an association between drug sales and diarrheal illness, water agencies and health authorities may want to focus on other potential monitoring activities for early indication of waterborne disease.
Polishing effluent from a perchlorate‐reducing anaerobic biological contactor
Authors: Dugan Nicholas R. , Williams Daniel J. , Meyer Maria , Schneider Ross R. , Speth Thomas F. , Kelty Keith C. , Metz Deborah H.
Published: February 2018

The US Environmental Protection Agency undertook a three‐and‐a‐half‐year pilot‐scale anaerobic biological perchlorate treatment study that included two examinations (of 311 and 340 days each) of anaerobic effluent‐polishing temperatures ranging from 1.5 to 30°C (from 35 to 86°F). The aim of the study was to raise the anaerobic contactor effluent water quality to drinking water standards. Polishing restored dissolved oxygen to saturation levels and lowered carryover acetate electron donor to below the detection limit in warm weather, sulfide to below the detection limit in all temperatures, ammonia during warm weather, effluent turbidity in all temperatures, and disinfection by‐product formation potentials in all temperatures.
Are We Looking Under the Right Lamp Post?
Authors: Roberson J. Alan
Published: February 2018

This article builds on the previous column in the July issue (“”When Will Enough Be Enough?“”) that discusses the challenges in identifying the appropriate new contaminants to regulate (Roberson, 2011). The Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) and the Regulatory Determination (RD) have turned out to be more challenging than may have been envisioned in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996 (PL 104‐ 208). The article discusses three questions that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) administrator must consider for potentially regulating a contaminant, and the regulatory issues these questions raise from three different perspectives. The article points out that a more collaborative and transparent process is needed to identify likely prospects for regulation and what the numerical standard and/or treatment technique should be, which would be a departure from the current USEPA‐centric regulatory development process.
Nothing Should Trump a Clean Water Future
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance discusses the water industry's concerns with ongoing hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking or fracking) operations by the gas industry that it may create cracks that allow natural gas to contaminate well water, and disposal of flowback and produced water from fracking may lead to contamination of surface water. LaFrance provides examples of research from several different sources that indicates fracking is a risk to groundwater, and he states that the danger of continuing with fracking operations while the public waits for additional noncontroversial and conclusive science is simply that once source water is contaminated, it is too late.
Texas WARN Boot Camps
Authors: Howe Mike , Avery Cliff
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the Texas Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (TXWARN), and specifically, a series of “bootcamps” developed to bring together members for training on emergency procedures, including the operation of the TXWARN system. These boot camps are offered in the highest‐risk areas to help utilities of all sizes prepare for the unexpected. Basic knowledge about generators is offered to water/wastewater operators, such as how to determine their minimum operational power needs, how to prepare to accept a generator when delivered, and most important, how to connect the generator to operate the most essential utility system operations. The article discusses the development of legislation in Texas requiring public drinking water systems in Harris County to develop emergency preparedness plans, with an option for membership and active participation in a utility‐to‐utility mutual‐aid network recognized by a state agency such as TXWARN.
Comparison of treatment process sustainability at water plants in the Sacramento region
Authors: Kerri Kenneth D. , Campeon Camille , Espinasse Fabien , Ohlinger Kurt N.
Published: February 2018

With greenhouse gas (GHG) a suspected contributor to climate change and poor air quality, drinking water utilities are becoming more concerned about reducing GHG emissions. This study compares the total emissions of equivalent carbon, i.e., carbon footprint, for different processes used at 11 facilities in the Sacramento, California, region. Conventional treatment, microfiltration, pressure filtration, slow sand filtration, and ballasted flocculation were considered in terms of the environmental effects of construction, staff transportation, chemical consumption, energy consumption, and sludge production. Results indicated that the carbon footprints of the processes used at urban facilities are quite similar. For rural plants, the carbon footprints differed, with slow sand filtration producing a larger carbon footprint than the other processes studied. The procedures described here should help water providers better evaluate the emission consequences of the treatment processes they choose.
AWWA Scholarships are a Game‐changing Gift
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance discusses the benefits of scholarships and the connection between a scholarship recipient and the scholarship's sponsor. LaFrance discusses the 2012 AWWA scholarship program, its funding partners, growth of the program over time, and presents two people, Amy Gao and Dr. James Malley, who have received AWWA scholarships and the benefits that have come with them.
State of the Industry Report 2011 : Economic stagnation dampens industry outlook
Authors: Murphy Maripat
Published: February 2018

For the nearly 2,100 water professionals who responded to the eighth annual State of the Industry (SOTI) survey, the economy was the storm cloud darkening virtually every aspect of the water industry. U.S. respondents' perception of industry soundness reached record lows, whereas their Canadian counterparts, enjoying a relatively stable economy, regarded their water industry in a brighter light. As in the past two years, the top issue cited by SOTI respondents was business factors ‐ specifically infrastructure financing, the imbalance between rates and costs, lack of funding options, and costs of regulatory compliance. With inadequate funding available for rehabilitating and replacing aging pipes and mains, many survey participants worried about the likelihood of infrastructure failure. In addition to reporting on the 2011 survey results, the article describes AWWA's efforts to address infrastructure and regulatory concerns and refers readers to an online appendix with a more complete listing of association actions in the top five issue areas identified by the SOTI study.
Securing Water's Future: How Investing in Young Professionals Has Paid Off
Authors: Jacobsmeyer Brian
Published: February 2018

This article highlights two young professionals (YPs) in the water industry, and discusses how student chapters of AWWA have flourished in past years, and how YP participation in AWWA sections and committees has kept pace. Networking through AWWA has benefited many careers in the water industry, along with all the other benefits offered by AWWA to YPs.
Understanding How Nanoparticles Behave in Natural and Engineered Waters
Authors: Lau Boris L.T.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the behaviors of natural nanoparticles (NPs), which may provide valuable clues to the fate of engineered NPs after their environmental release. The same unique physicochemical properties that enable the beneficial use of NPs in water treatment and other novel applications also make their unintentional interactions difficult to anticipate. The behavior of natural and engineered NPs, many of which serve as an avenue for rapid and long‐range transport of contaminants in the environment, is an important topic for the safety of drinking water.
International Water Leaders' Summit Identifies Key Water Pressures
Authors: McCarthy Dan
Published: February 2018

This article discusses a high‐level “Water Pressures” workshop at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2011, organized in partnership with Black & Veatch and SIWW as part of the Water Leaders Summit. It featured approximately 110 global leaders from more than 20 countries. Twelve internationally renowned chairpersons led delegates through conversations focused on three types of pressures the water sector is facing today: policy pressures, innovation pressures, and public pressures. Titled “Water Pressures ‐ How to Adapt and Lead in a Changing Urban Environment,” the workshop yielded nearly a dozen hours of valuable insights into best‐practice solutions that leaders from developed and developing countries have identified to address these pressures.
Security and Asset Management—A Daily Double to Eliminate Jeopardy
Authors: McLaughlin John W.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how the practice of good asset management coupled with strategic utility security measures can provide substantial protections and savings for water utilities. Too few utilities understand the similarities and common benefits of both asset management and security. In order for both of these to work together to promote success, the focus needs to be on risk or vulnerability assessment and management relative to a utility's assets, especially the critical ones. The article discusses the fundamentals of asset management and security, elements common to both, prioritization for determining critical assets, determining failure modes, and prevention, mitigation, response, or rehabilitation/replacement.
Compact, Eco‐friendly Desalination System Offers Options for Special Applications
Authors: Liberman Boris , Brusilovsky Miriam
Published: February 2018

To address environmental and energy concerns, IDE Technologies, a company based in Kadima, Israel, has developed a number of innovative technologies and has now incorporated them into the new IDE PROGREEN™, a self‐contained reverse osmosis (RO) system for water desalination. IDE PROGREEN reduces the operational costs of a typical RO treatment plant by optimizing the energy consumption and eliminating the use and handling of chemicals. It is delivered in a customizable, self‐maintained platform, thus eliminating the need for additional infrastructures that are typically required for water treatment plants and the associated financial investment. The units can be designed to process from 500 to 5,000 m3/d of salt water and 500 to 10,000 m3/d of brackish water. Systems can also be custom‐designed for different feed water parameters.
Restoring Santa Monica's MTBE‐contaminated groundwater supply
Authors: Shorney‐Darby Holly , Titus Hala , Cardenas Myriam , Borboa Gil
Published: February 2018

The city of Santa Monica, California, faced several challenges with its water supply. After detecting methyl‐tertiary butyl ether in some of the wells, the city began researching treatment options and worked with the state regulatory agency to design a water plant with adequate treatment barriers. Even though MTBE was an unregulated contaminant when detected in 1996, the well field was classified as “extremely impaired” by the California Department of Public Health. As a result, a progressive design‐build method of design and construction was used to expedite the schedule and maintain flexibility throughout the project. As the city began to develop a project procurement plan, restrictions on importing water to southern California were being considered or implemented. It therefore became urgent for the city to quickly restore its sustainable groundwater supply. The integrated approach the city selected for design and construction of the water treatment infrastructure offered flexibility in implementing a technical solution in a complex regulatory setting and provided a competitive price and an aggressive schedule. Information in this article may help guide other utilities through planning, design, and construction for water treatment facilities with high‐profile contaminants. The use of progressive design‐build, which is becoming more popular with utilities in the United States, was also beneficial, and may help other utilities decide whether to use such a model on future projects.
Enhancing Public Awareness of Drinking Water Quality
Authors: Eisenberg Mindy
Published: February 2018

This article discusses ongoing efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to increase public awareness of drinking water quality. The USEPA's Drinking Water Strategy calls for increased data‐sharing between states and the USEPA, which will enable the public to learn more about water quality and the performance of its water systems. Similarly, the USEPA's retrospective review of the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) rule will identify opportunities to reduce the burden on community water systems and to provide greater awareness of water quality for every person served by these systems. In both initiatives, water utilities play a significant role as USEPA strives to ensure that the essential information such as monitoring data is effectively communicated to the public.
Lessons Learned from WARN Tabletop Exercises
Authors: Whitler John , Stormont Caitlin
Published: February 2018

This article discusses Water and Wastewater Agency Response Networks (WARNs), which allow utilities to share resources with one another during an incident response through the use of mutual aid and assistance agreements. The article focuses on the need to exercise how these agreements are used, which can be done by tabletop exercises in the absence of an actual incident. Tabletop exercises (TTXs) allow WARNs to practice and exercise the operational plan or other procedures so that requesting and responding utilities have a better understanding of how to implement their WARN agreement during an actual incident. The advantages are discussed, along with the objectives of TTXs, documenting and identifying the follow‐up actions from an exercise, and WARN resources that are offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Key lessons from the exercises are summarized.
Theoretical modeling and experimental validation of leakage in drinking water networks
Authors: Bennis Saad , Farès Ryma , Guemouria Noura , Dubois Michäel
Published: February 2018

This article presents a new theoretical model formulation that links the reduction of leakage rate to the reduction of pressure in a network. The proposed model offers the advantage of taking into account both the geometry of leaks and the rigidity of pipeline material. An experimental installation was used to analyze the parameters of the theoretical model in a controlled system in which the geometry of the leak and the material of the pipeline could be modified. This study identified the parameters involved in the theoretical model; it revealed that leakage‐rate reduction depends not only on pressure reduction, but also on pipe material, leak dimension, and initial pressure in the network. For the same percentage of pressure reduction, therefore, leak‐rate reduction was found to be greater in flexible pipes that had an elevated working pressure.
Synergistic effect of strontium, bioactive glass and nano‐hydroxyapatite promotes bone regeneration of critical‐sized radial bone defects
Authors: Oryan Ahmad , Baghaban Eslaminejad Mohamadreza , Kamali Amir , Hosseini Samaneh , Sayahpour Forough Azam , Baharvand Hossein
Published: February 2018

Critical‐sized bone defects constitute a major health issue in orthopedics and usually cause mal‐unions due to an inadequate number of migrated progenitor cells into the defect site or their incomplete differentiation into osteogenic precursor cells. The current study aimed to develop an optimized osteoinductive and angiogenic scaffold by incorporation of strontium (Sr) and bioglass (BG) into gelatin/nano‐hydroxyapatite (G/nHAp) seeded with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to enhance bone regeneration. The scaffolds were fabricated by a freeze‐drying technique and characterized in terms of morphology, structure, porosity and degradation rate. The effect of fabricated scaffolds on cell viability, attachment and differentiation into osteoblastic lineages was evaluated under in vitro condition. Micro computed tomography scan, histological and histomorphometric analysis were performed after implantation of scaffolds into the radial bone defects in rat. RT‐PCR analysis showed that G/nHAp/BG/Sr scaffold significantly increased the expression level of osteogenic and angiogenic markers in comparison to other groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, the defects treated with the BMSCs‐seeded scaffolds showed superior bone formation and mechanical properties compared to the cell‐free scaffolds 4 and 12 weeks post‐implantation. Finally, the BMSCs‐seeded G/nHAp/BG/Sr scaffold showed the greatest bone regenerative capacity which was more similar to autograft. It is concluded that combination of Sr, BG, and nHAp can synergistically enhance the bone regeneration process. In addition, our results demonstrated that the BMSCs have the potential to considerably increase the bone regeneration ability of osteoinductive scaffolds. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 107B: 50–64, 2019.
Effect of treatment with direct acting antivirals on body mass index and hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Shousha Hend I. , Abdelaziz Rasha A. , Azab Sherief M. , Khairy Marwa , Afifi Shahira A. , Mehrez Mai I. , Eshra Mohamed A. , Abdelrahim Ayman Y.
Published: February 2018

Direct Acting Agents (DAAs) have high cure rate but still lack the knowledge of their effect on hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP), evaluated with transient elastography, could help in assessment of steatosis grades. We aim to evaluate the effect of DAAs on BMI and steatosis in CHC using CAP. This cohort study included 155 CHC Egyptian patients divided into three groups according to the DAAs regimens. All patients were subjected to pre‐treatment and 3‐months post‐treatment evaluation including BMI, laboratory workup and liver stiffness measurement with simultaneous CAP determination using the (FibroScan®) M probe. Patients mean age was 45.78 ± 11.6 years, 60.6% were females, mean BMI 26.63 ± 2.75 and 18.1% were cirrhotic. Baseline assessment revealed no steatosis in 43.9%, 32.9% had mild‐moderate steatosis and 23.2% had severe steatosis. The overall sustained virological response 12 was 93.6%. Follow‐up revealed stationary steatosis in 56.7% of patients and regression in 21.3%. Mean pre‐treatment CAP were significantly lower in responders 244.9 ± 62.4 dB/m versus non‐responders; 300 ±28.4 dB/m (P = 0.04). ROC curve delineated 273 dB/m as best cutoff for detection of responders with an AUC of 0.801, sensitivity 68.2%, and specificity 100%. BMI significantly increased after treatment (P = 0.004) particularly in patients with worsened steatosis (P = 0.001). Steatosis significantly correlated with BMI (r = 0.3, P value = < 0.001). DAAs causes a significant change in steatosis grade in a subset of treated patients. Pretreatment CAP was significantly lower in responders. BMI significantly increases following treatment particularly in patients with worsened steatosis.
Mitoprotective therapy preserves chondrocyte viability and prevents cartilage degeneration in an ex vivo model of posttraumatic osteoarthritis
Authors: Delco Michelle L. , Bonnevie Edward D. , Szeto Hazel S. , Bonassar Lawrence J. , Fortier Lisa A.
Published: February 2018

No disease‐modifying osteoarthritis (OA) drugs are available to prevent posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Mitochondria (MT) mediate the pathogenesis of many degenerative diseases, and recent evidence indicates that MT dysfunction is a peracute (within minutes to hours) response of cartilage to mechanical injury. The goal of this study was to investigate cardiolipin‐targeted mitoprotection as a new strategy to prevent chondrocyte death and cartilage degeneration after injury. Cartilage was harvested from bovine knee joints and subjected to a single, rapid impact injury (24.0 ±1.4 MPa, 53.8 ± 5.3 GPa/s). Explants were then treated with a mitoprotective peptide, SS‐31 (1µM), immediately post‐impact, or at 1, 6, or 12 h after injury, and then cultured for up to 7 days. Chondrocyte viability and apoptosis were quantified in situ using confocal microscopy. Cell membrane damage (lactate dehydrogenase activity) and cartilage matrix degradation (glycosaminoglycan loss) were quantified in cartilage‐conditioned media. SS‐31 treatment at all time points after impact resulted in chondrocyte viability similar to that of un‐injured controls. This effect was sustained for up to a week in culture. Further, SS‐31 prevented impact‐induced chondrocyte apoptosis, cell membrane damage, and cartilage matrix degeneration. Clinical Significance: This study is the first investigation of cardiolipin‐targeted mitoprotective therapy in cartilage. These results suggest that even when treatment is delayed by up to 12 h after injury, mitoprotection may be a useful strategy in the prevention of PTOA. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2147–2156, 2018.