bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legality of SDWA and arsenic rule on trial
Authors: Scharfenaker Mark A.
Published: February 2018

After concluding in late 2001 that an exhaustive scientific review of the revised arsenic rule promulgated earlier that year by the outgoing Clinton Administration supported tightening the 60‐year‐old federal drinking water standard for arsenic from 50 to 10 ug/L, the Bush Administration is now trying to fend off a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the rule as well as of the 29‐year‐old Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) itself. In a January 21 brief filed with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, attorneys from both the Department of Justice and the US Environmental Protection Agency spelled out their case countering claims by Nebraska and several water systems that the SDWA in general, and the arsenic rule in particular, exceed the limits on federal powers over state activities established by Supreme Court interpretations of the Commerce Clause and the Tenth Amendment and violate the First Amendment's freedom of speech protection. This article summarizes the arguments challenging and supporting the legality of the arsenic rule and the SDWA, according to the constitutional provisions cited by Nebraska.
Comfort Food
Authors: Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr says that AWWA must be a place where water professionals come together to solve common problems, meet common needs, and accomplish common goals. He says that AWWA is in a unique position to accomplish this because of the intellectual capital within its membership, the energy contained in its volunteer structure, and its credibility as the authoritative resource for safe drinking water. He discusses four key roles that the association must fulfill in order to meet this goal.
California's Partial Submission of TMDLs Averts USEPA Action
Authors: Stiegler Mayo H.
Published: February 2018

Under the constructive submission doctrine, a state's failure over a long period of time to submit total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) that could be introduced into polluted waters may amount to the “constructive submission” by that state of no TMDLs. In such cases, this would trigger the nondiscretionary duty of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to establish TMDLs for the state.
Subpopulations Susceptible to Waterborne Diseases Are Surprisingly Diverse
Authors: Embrey Martha
Published: February 2018

Laws now require that susceptible populations be protected from drinking water that may be harmful to them. This article answers the question of who exactly makes up these susceptible groups that include: newborns and infants; children; pregnant women; the elderly; and, the immunocompromised.
Complexities of the new drinking water regulations—everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
Authors: Roberson J. Alan
Published: February 2018

In the 22 years between the original passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 and the most recent SDWA reauthorization in 1996, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) finalized only nine regulations. Between 1998 and 2004, USEPA is expected to finalize 10 new regulations in just six years, an unprecedented level of regulatory activity. In addition to regulating more contaminants, the new rules are expected to be more complex because of the combination of stipulated treatment techniques and maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that increase the number of potential violation codes. In addition, future MCL‐based regulations are likely to address difficult‐to‐treat contaminants such as perchlorate, chromium‐ VI, and methyl‐tertiary‐butyl‐ether. An analysis of existing USEPA compliance data indicates that as regulations become more complex the number of violations increases and compliance with the new regulations will challenge all utilities, particularly small systems. The article proposes several strategies for water providers as they attempt to address the complexities of these upcoming regulations.
Nontraditional approaches for providing potable water in small systems: Part 1
Authors: Cotruvo Joseph A. , Cotruvo Joseph A.
Published: February 2018

Combined central treatment and distribution are relatively recent phenomena, having only become standard in the last century or so. Given that <1% of treated water is actually ingested, the concept of treating all of the water in a system to optimal drinking water specifications is becoming more impractical, especially in the face of increasingly stringent regulations, high costs, water quality deterioration during distribution, and reduced access to high‐quality source water. The Safe Drinking Water Act has created special opportunities for small systems to use decentralized compliance through point‐of‐use (POU) and point‐of‐entry (POE) techniques to provide supplemental treatment for part of the delivered piped water. Two‐tier water systems that include the use of POU or POE devices or possibly even bottled water provide a feasible and cost‐effective means of delivering safe water to consumers. Community‐managed decentralized strategies also offer small systems the opportunity to achieve safer, higher‐quality drinking water than these communities might otherwise have had, more quickly and at reasonable costs. These alternative approaches create new logistic, management, compliance, monitoring, and regulatory oversight issues, but these are solvable. Most of the principles supporting decentralized solutions for small systems are also applicable to providing community‐managed “beverage‐quality” drinking water in much larger systems. For all water providers, decentralized and centralized treatment combinations represent a better use of diminishing water resources and limited finances.
Water Plan Blossoms From Citizen Input
Authors: Jensen Marcus , Rockey Robin
Published: February 2018

Due to rapid population growth, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) recognized the need for a widescale program of water system improvements. A citizen advisory committee was formed to participate in developing the capital plan and to ensure that citizens were full partners in planning the future of water supply in southern Nevada. Public input was gathered during the design phases of the program to help prepare the framework for valleywide improvements, expansions, and new facilities.
A Simple Tool Evaluates the Costs of Growth
Authors: Eckhoff David
Published: February 2018

This article discusses a municipal infrastructure planning and cost model (MIPCOM), a simple model based on an easy‐to‐use computer spreadsheet that allows planners to estimate what it will cost for a municipality to provide service to a new development and to estimate the municipal infrastructure quantities associated with alternative community development scenarios. MIPCOM was developed by the state of Utah's quality growth efficiency tools (QGET) committee specifically for use at the planning stage.
Getting a charge out of water
Authors: Parmelee Mary A.
Published: February 2018

This article reports on research for an electrical alternative to chemical disinfection as disinfection byproducts of chlorine come under increasing scrutiny by European Community health agencies. The research involves a pulsed electric arc discharge in water where high‐voltage arcing between submerged electrodes created countless free radicals that can cause chain reactions in the water to destroy pathogens, other contaminants, and polluting molecules. The system is based on a cylindrical vessel in which an electric arc is passed between two rod‐type electrodes at high voltage.
Development of a diagnostic index to guide Maintenance
Authors: Silinis Petras G. , Franks Stewart W.
Published: February 2018

As water distribution infrastructure ages, utility managers must weigh the benefits and costs of pipe repairs against those of replacement. Although models have been proposed to help managers make these decisions, they have not been able to incorporate the environmental and geographic factors that influence infrastructure condition. This article introduces a diagnostic tool that uses system data and pipe break records to help managers identify regions across the network that contain aggressive environments and that may be most prone to failure. The aggressivity index (AI) is an indicator based on historical network performance. Spatial disaggregation is used to assess variability within the network; observed break data are used to infer variable aggressivity across the domain. The AI enables current and potential influences of aggressive environments to be factored in without the need to explicitly identify and measure physical properties that may influence degradation of cast‐iron pipe networks. Development of an effective pipe replacement schedule is impossible without insight into the current and future state of deterioration. For systems with a low rate of pipe failure, network monitoring or quantification of influential factors may be almost as expensive as pipe replacement. The AI provides an alternative to costly monitoring‐based approaches to main replacement and enables utility managers to compile an efficient replacement schedule that targets pipes in specific areas.
Effect of chlorine on corrosion in Drinking Water Systems
Authors: Cantor Abigail F. , Park Jae K. , Vaiyavatjamai Prasit
Published: February 2018

The federal Ground Water Rule may require some water utilities that do not use disinfection to begin doing so. A common method of disinfection is to add chlorine to the water. A study was performed to investigate the corrosive effects of chlorine in drinking water systems out of concern for staying in compliance with the corrosion control stipulations of the Lead and Copper Rule. Comparative corrosivity experiments using pipe loops were performed at two test sites. In this study, iron appears to be the most affected by free chlorine addition, followed by copper, followed by lead, which may or may not experience increased corrosion. Elevating the pH of the water at one site (originally at a pH of 7.8, 140 mg/L as calcium carbonate [CaCO3] total alkalinity, 6 mg/L dissolved oxygen) was beneficial in counteracting the corrosive effect of chlorinated water on iron. However, in this case, the elevation of pH was not beneficial in controlling corrosion of lead or copper. Adding orthophosphate decreased corrosion of lead and iron in contact with chlorinated water at the other site (original pH of 7.4, 290 mg/L as CaCO3 total alkalinity, 11 mg/L dissolved oxygen). However, copper corrosion appeared to reach an increased level in the long term.
Demonstrating Cryptosporidium Removal using spore monitoring at lime‐softening plants
Authors: Cornwell David A. , MaCphee Michael J. , Brown Richard A. , Via Steve H.
Published: February 2018

This study investigated the removal of Bacillus subtilis and other aerobic spore‐forming bacteria at four lime‐softening plants in the United States. Removal of aerobic spores has been shown through a compilation of literature to be a conservative indicator of Cryptosporidium removal during clarification and filtration. Results reported in this research demonstrated that lime softening involving two clarification stages and one filtration stage achieved 3.5‐ to 4.0‐log removal of aerobic spores during routine monitoring spanning periods of a year or more. More than half of the filtered water samples at two facilities were below detection limits, meaning that the actual log spore removal at these facilities may have been even higher than reported. Two facilities with presedimentation basins prior to lime softening were able to demonstrate an additional 0.5‐ to 1.0‐log spore removal. Given the conservatism of spore removal, it is anticipated that these plants can achieve at least the same amount of Cryptosporidium removal.
Potential for pathogen intrusion during pressure transients
Authors: Karim Mohammad R. , Abbaszadegan Morteza , Lechevallier Mark
Published: February 2018

Pressure transients in drinking water pipelines (i.e., surges) may cause hydraulic pressure gradients, resulting in the potential for intrusion of pathogens present in the external environment into the distribution system. The objectives of this study were to determine the occurrence of indicator microorganisms and pathogens in the vicinity of potable water pipelines and assess the potential for intrusion attributable to transient distribution system pressure changes. As part of an earlier study (Kirmeyer et al, 2001), soil and water samples were collected at sites immediately exterior to drinking water pipelines at eight locations in six states. Samples were then tested for occurrence of total and fecal coliforms, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus subtilis, coliphage, and enteric viruses. Indicator microorganisms and enteric viruses were detected in more than 50% of the samples examined. Monitoring of pressure transients at a large distribution system indicated that pressure transients occurred frequently, although negative pressures were detected on only one occasion. The results of this study suggest that during negative‐ or low‐pressure events, microorganisms may enter the treated drinking water through pipeline leaks.
Health risks and parasitical quality of water
Authors: Gofti‐Laroche Leila , Demanse David , Joret Jean‐Claude , Zmirou Denis
Published: February 2018

This article assesses the risks of acute digestive conditions (ADC) in relation to protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium conveyed through drinking water within a French general population. It is a part of the Epidemiology and Microbial Risk Assessment study, which combined a daily epidemiological followup among a panel of volunteers whose water was supplied by vulnerable public water systems. These systems were monitored with a microbiological surveillance of the tap water. Parasitical quality of the water was assessed using cartridge and immunofluorescence assays. The relationship between incidence of ADC and waterborne protozoa was modeled using logistic regression and generalized estimating equations analysis. During the study period, 712 cases of ADC occurred. Thirty‐six tap water samples were collected for parasitical quality analysis. of these, 11 tested positive for at least one protozoan, among which 10 complied with bacterial criteria. The final model included concentrations of Giardia cysts and several confounding factors; unfortunately, Cryptosporidium data were too sparse for analysis. Biostatistical modeling showed that Giardia detection was associated with an increased risk of ADC: relative risk (RR) = 1.19 (95% confidence interval = [0.96–1.48]) for 10 to 20 cysts/100 L, and RR = 1.24 [1.06–1.45] for more than 20 cysts/100 L, compared with absence of detectable cysts. These results suggest the role of Giardia in the endemic level of waterborne infectious diseases and raise the question of protozoa surveillance in drinking water, while traditional bacterial surveillance indicators have been shown to be poor predictors of their presence.
Cryptosporidium and microsphere removal during late in‐cycle filtration
Authors: Emelko Monica B. , Huck Peter M. , Douglas Ian P.
Published: February 2018

Pilot‐scale studies were performed to evaluate Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst removal by a dual‐media filter during optimized, end‐of‐run, and breakthrough operating conditions. Oocyst‐sized polystyrene microspheres were also evaluated as surrogates for C. parvum removal by filtration. At optimal conditions, the pilot‐scale filter consistently achieved ~5‐log removal of C. parvum and microspheres. During end‐of‐run operation when filter effluent turbidity levels were <0.1 ntu, median oocyst removals deteriorated to ~3 log. During early (0.1–0.3 ntu) and late (>0.3 ntu) breakthrough, filtration oocyst removals deteriorated to ~2.1 and ~1.4 log, respectively. Microsphere removals by filtration were similar to oocyst removals during both stable and challenged operating periods, suggesting that microspheres are useful surrogates for investigating C. parvum removal.
Polyurethane foam filter/PAC Adsorber
Authors: Biswas Neepa , Arbuckle William Brian , Hajra Malay Ghose
Published: February 2018

Stage 1 of the Disinfection/Disinfection‐Byproducts Rule and the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule require better removal of turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC) from drinking water. Activated carbon adsorption is one method that can be used to remove natural organic matter (NOM) from drinking water in order to reduce the production of disinfection byproducts, but using granular activated carbon (GAC) is expensive. This article proposes using a polyester polyurethane foam filter (whose high porosity enables significantly higher filtration rates than those of conventional granular media filters) at a velocity similar to that of fuzzy filters. The filter could be used as a prefilter when clarification does not provide the desired level of turbidity removal, and because of its low head loss, it may fit within an existing treatment plant's hydraulic profile. In addition, the filter could be loaded with powdered activated carbon (PAC) and used as an adsorber. Because PAC is considerably less expensive than GAC, this process could reduce the cost of the adsorption process if the PAC usage approximates that of GAC. The proposed filter/adsorber exhibits a low head loss and requires a shorter contact time than a conventional fixed‐bed GAC adsorber; it should therefore also reduce energy costs and space requirements. To demonstrate the concept, the filter is used to remove turbidity with three different foams at varying degrees of compression with the filter's clean‐bed head loss also monitored. The filter/adsorber concept is tested using PAC to remove NOM (as measured using ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254), demonstrating that a fixed‐bed break‐through curve results.
Communicating water‐related health risks: Lessons Learned and Emerging Issues
Authors: Parkin Rebecca T. , Embrey Martha A. , Hunter Paul R.
Published: February 2018

Communicating water‐related risks can be complex. Successfully getting the word out depends on knowing diverse factors such as the literacy level of the group, specific concerns of the audience members, the best method of delivery, and audience perception about “experts.” Although several articles have addressed drinking water‐related health risk communication concerns, no comprehensive peer‐reviewed publication has critically examined the lessons learned about communicating these risks. In a two‐day workshop, researchers and practitioners from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom gathered to discuss lessons learned and emerging issues to develop recommendations for improving water‐related health risk communication. Workshop participants stressed that water utilities need to educate their staff on the importance of risk communication and that risk communication should be a board‐level responsibility receiving adequate resources. Utility managers could also look to the experience of other industries to learn from and build on the lessons they have learned.
Exposure and risk estimates for Arizona Drinking Water
Authors: Sofuoglu Sait C. , Lebowitz Michael D. , O'Rourke Mary Kay , Robertson Gary L. , Dellarco MiChael , Moschandreas Demetrios J.
Published: February 2018

As part of the National Human Exposure Assessment Survey, a multistage sampling was used to estimate and compare exposures and risks associated with drinking water for two groups ‐ the population of Arizona and that of border communities. There had been some concern that the border communities' exposures would be higher than those of other parts of the state because of their proximity to Mexico, where environmental quality may not be as high a priority as it is in the United States. The two study populations were further categorized by gender, age, ethnicity, education, income, and building structure type and year of construction. For these subgroups, the study estimated and compared risks for arsenic, 1,3‐butadiene, chloroform, chromium, 1,2‐dichloroethane, dichloromethane, lead, nickel, and toluene. For almost all of the sample subjects, residue concentrations were below the drinking water guideline values of both Arizona and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Of the metals studied, arsenic was the only one with a population carcinogenic risk above the acceptable level of 1.0E‐6. Contrary to expressed concerns, average daily exposures and associated risks were estimated to be smaller in the border communities than in the Arizona population. For utilities, one finding deserving further study was that risks from tap water were estimated to be greater than risks from nontap water. Further research may be warranted to uncover the causes for these elevated risks.
Wastewater Is Water Too
Authors: Maxwell Steve
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how water utilities are increasingly viewing wastewater as another potential source of drinking water and how the water and wastewater industries are very similar in the overall size of both industries, and how they both use the same technological approaches and systems. Both industries are faced with a critical need for infrastructure replacement and capital expenditure, and because both industries have the economic characteristics of natural monopolies, they demonstrate similar tendencies toward consolidation.
Muddy Waters
Authors: Hoffbuhr Jack W.
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr discusses the Clean Water Act and how the Act's primary objective, to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters, has not been met in the 31 years since the Act was passed. Specifically, Hoffbuhr focuses on two major issues: the Act does not mention the protection of drinking water as a national goal or policy and that source water protection needs to be considered as an integral part of the Act; and, the Act does not address nonpoint sources of pollution, which represent a major threat to drinking water systems and public health.
Effect of SUVA and enhanced coagulation on removal of TOX precursors
Authors: Archer Aaron D. , Singer Philip C.
Published: February 2018

This work examined the effect of raw water total organic carbon (TOC) concentration and alkalinity on the reduction of organic halide formation potential by enhanced coagulation. Enhanced coagulation is considered the best available technology for removal of disinfection by‐product (DBP) precursors. Enhanced coagulation is also mandated by the Stage 1 Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule, which prescribes specific TOC removal requirements for the control of unidentified halogenated DBPs of potential public health concern. In this research, 27 waters were obtained from different utilities across the United States; 3 waters were obtained for each element of the 3 × 3 enhanced coagulation matrix. Jar tests were performed on each water to determine the requisite alum dose for TOC removal in accordance with the enhanced coagulation guidance manual. Each water was then treated with the requisite alum dose for enhanced coagulation, and the resulting settled waters, along with each of the raw waters, were chlorinated under uniform formation conditions. The chlorinated waters were analyzed for total organic halides (TOX). The formation of TOX in the raw waters and the effectiveness of coagulation for the reduction of TOX formation potential were compared for each of the elements in the 3 × 3 enhanced coagulation matrix. Results demonstrated the ability of specific ultraviolet absorbance to reflect the reactivity of organics in water toward removal by coagulation and toward organic halide formation potential.
A National Assessment of Water Availability and Use
Authors:   The Nature Conservancy, Konrad Christopher
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of a national assessment of water availability and use. A national water assessment represents a unique opportunity to: develop consistent methods and indicators for assessing water availability and use; compile information on water resources comprehensively for the entire nation; address emerging issues for water resources; and, develop a framework for long‐range planning and a source of current information through regular, periodic updates. The article points out that a national assessment of water resources will depend on the coordination of many federal agencies working in collaboration with Native American tribes, state and local governments, public utilities, private water users, and others with an interest in the services provided by rivers, streams, lakes, aquifers, and estuaries. The article also discusses how, in the twenty‐first century, ecological needs and the integration of many different in‐stream and out‐of‐stream uses represent new issues in assessing water availability. Addressing these issues will require information not only on the basic physical hydrology of groundwater and surface water and current water use, but also on an understanding of how stream flow and groundwater function in ecosystems and how people benefit from functioning ecosystems. Moreover, this information is needed across entire river basins as water use becomes more intensive, widespread, and its effects are no longer just a local concern. The article offers an insert on the U.S. Department of the Interior's WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Program.
Leveraging Your GIS, Part 2: Optimize Capital Planning and Savings
Authors: Baird Gregory M.
Published: February 2018

Leveraging a geographic information system (GIS) to reduce operations and maintenance costs was addressed in Part 1 of this column in the October 2010 issue of the Journal AWWA. This month's column focuses on how to use a GIS to achieve capital savings through optimized decision processes. The article discusses how using a geographic information system (GIS) with full functionality will result in an overall reduction in capital project costs and operations and maintenance costs, and will become the foundation of a lower‐cost enterprise asset management (EAM) system.
Estrogenic activity of US drinking waters: A relative exposure comparison
Authors: Stanford Benjamin D. , Snyder Shane A. , Trenholm Rebecca A. , Holady Janie C. , Vanderford Brett J.
Published: February 2018

This study demonstrates a relative exposure to estrogenic activity and other trace contaminants in drinking water compared with food, beverage, and air exposure. Drinking water for nearly 28 million people in 17 US cities plus 40 food and beverage items was screened for 51 trace contaminants, including suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, phytoestrogens, and total in vitro estrogenic activity. Only three drinking water samples exhibited measurable estrogenic activity (0.19–0.77 ng/L as estradiol equivalents), whereas 34 of the 40 food and beverage items had measurable estrogenic activity (median estradiol equivalents, 0.55–4,200 ng/L). On an adult, per‐serving basis, food and beverage intake of estrogenic activity was 4–21,000 times greater than in municipal drinking water. Of the literature studies available, air exposure for six suspected EDCs analyzed in this study resulted in at least 30–36,000 times the exposure from drinking water.
Lead‐contaminated water from brass plumbing devices in new buildings
Authors: Elfland Carolyn , Scardina Paolo , Edwards Marc
Published: February 2018

Lead contamination of potable water in new buildings on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus was traced to corrosion of inline brass plumbing devices. Commissioning procedures to remove lead sediment and hasten brass passivation were developed. Forensic evaluation of a water fountain dispensing > 100 μg/L lead in flushed water after commissioning led to the discovery of ball valves containing brass with > 8% lead by weight on exterior surfaces and > 18% on surfaces contacting the water. Removing these ball valves resolved the lead problems, bench‐testing verified that the valves had a high lead‐leaching propensity, and subsequent surveying of ball valves in three buildings found 22% contained exterior surface lead > 8%. Significant lead‐leaching problems can occur when: (1) the water is at least moderately corrosive to brass, (2) brass with a high lead content is present, and (3) premise plumbing lines have relatively low water demand.
Can You Afford Not to Use Coaching as a Business Strategy?
Authors: Isbell Marcia
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the practice of hiring coaches to improve an individual's, or an organization's, performance and affect revenue. The article discusses tangible bottom‐line benefits of this practice, as well as a high return on investment when coaching is based on clearly stated expectations for personal outcomes and business effect. The article also discusses the different types of coaching that are available.
The Concept of Virtual Water: Understanding Our Real Water Use
Authors: Maxwell Steve
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the concept of “virtual water“”, which refers to the water required to produce the various goods and products that we consume – food, clothes, consumer goods, etc. Most people think of water conservation or efficiency in terms of direct water use, not in terms of indirect water use – water that is needed to produce everything else we buy and consume. The water that is embedded or “hidden” in all these commodities and products is increasingly being referred to as “virtual water.” This more accurate measure of our total water consumption is coming to be called our “water footprint” – identical in concept to the much more widely discussed carbon footprint.
Threats and Investment Options to Protect Our Drinking Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Cleland Catherine A.
Published: February 2018

This article is a summary of conclusions derived from the 2006 analysis and report, “Reference Scenario – Systems Study of Priority Threat Contaminants in Water Venues,” published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was a cooperating partner. The report chose three realistic terrorism scenarios for a detailed, end‐to‐end assessment of threat, vulnerability, and consequences. A qualitative selection process for determining relevant priority water contaminants included the following elements: physical characteristics (e.g., taste, odor, color), route of exposure (e.g., oral, dermal), toxicity, stability in water, and the availability of medical treatment. In the end, three venues were chosen and analyzed with one contaminant of concern.
A framework for selecting POU/POE systems
Authors: Hamouda Mohamed A. , Anderson William B. , Huck Peter M.
Published: February 2018

Although the acceptance of point‐of‐use (POU) and point‐of entry (POE) systems is still being debated, it is generally acknowledged that the systems have a role to play in drinking water treatment. Certified systems being marketed today incorporate proven technologies that have been engineered to achieve defined contaminant removal targets. Although this is of paramount importance, there is value in assessing the sustainability of such treatment alternatives. This article investigates issues related to the implementation, management, and environmental effects of POU/POE systems and presents a framework for sustainability assessment of those systems. A set of sustainability criteria—technical, economic, environmental, and sociocultural—is defined. Quantitative and qualitative indicators are proposed to promote the practical use of these criteria for comparing and selecting among POU/POE systems. Survey results of experts' judgment on the effectiveness of the developed indicators are presented.
Laboratory‐simulated RBF particle removal processes
Authors: Hubbs Stephen A.
Published: February 2018

Riverbank filtration, and more recently seabed filtration, has attracted attention as being an effective, low‐energy treatment process for water. The process includes filtration of surface water through porous streambed media with a cross flow of water over the streambed, similar to the surface‐sweeping mechanism in membrane filtration. The importance of this cross‐flow mechanism on the particle removal processes at work in riverbank filtration has not been explored; therefore, this research was initiated to provide insight into this process. Results indicated that the presence of the tangential cross flow of water across a filter surface significantly affects filtrate quality. The unanticipated finding was the apparent concentration of larger particles near the filtration surface, evidence of which was observed in the experimental flume and supported in computer simulations of the process.
Expressway to the Future: GIS and Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Authors: Baird Gregory M.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses how geographic information system (GIS) enterprise asset management and advanced metering infrastructure are the expressways to the future for utilities to transform data into intelligence necessary to make informed operational and capital decisions. Utilities of the future will require technological investments in GIS‐centric asset management programs and advanced metering infrastructure. GIS as a transformation technology can be used as the unifying framework for applying geospatial information to a host of applications and integrated as a core component of the utility information technology (IT) structure.
Getting More Water Efficient in Commercial Kitchens
Authors: Tanner Stephanie , Cannon Holly
Published: February 2018

In July 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced a notice of intent to develop a WaterSense specification for prerinse spray valves. Before proceeding with a specification, USEPA wanted to ensure that meaningful efficiency and performance criteria could be established for these products, as it does for all products that earn the WaterSense label. This article discusses the USEPA‐sponsored field study that solicits input from utilities with commercial water conservation programs on the issues, if any, that commercial and institutional kitchens have encountered with high‐efficiency prerinse spray valves, as well as determining the importance of user satisfaction to purchasers of these products.
Navigating Service Level Expectations: Asset Management Planning
Authors: Baird Gregory M.
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the value of an asset management plan or infrastructure financial management plan. The article discusses the concept that sustainable management requires the integration of asset management and long‐term financial planning. This concept is captured through the development of a comprehensive asset management plan. The process of developing asset management or infrastructure financial management policies, strategies, and plans is discussed in the article and includes three major steps: service planning; asset management planning; and, financial planning.
Using carrier surface loading to design heterotrophic denitrification reactors
Authors: Tang Youneng , Ziv‐El Michal , Zhou Chen , Shin Jung Hun , Ahn Chang Hoon , Meyer Kerry , McQuarrie James , Candelaria Daniel , Swaim Paul , Scott Rick , Rittmann Bruce E.
Published: February 2018

This article tests the theory of using nitrate carrier surface loading (SL) as the primary design criterion for heterotrophic denitrification of drinking water. Two load‐increase tests (flow rate and nitrate concentration) with a pilot‐scale heterotrophic biofilm reactor identified that the maximum SL was approximately 6 g nitrogen/m2/d and was controlled by the effluent nitrite concentration. A comparison of SL values obtained from the literature also showed that the maximum SLs were similar for a wide range of heterotrophic denitrification processes. All of the SL values are consistent, even though the empty bed contact time and the nitrate volumetric loading varied widely. The experimental results confirm that the electron donor should be supplied at the stoichiometric requirement to achieve simultaneously low concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and organic carbon.
Copper pitting in chlorinated, high‐pH potable water
Authors: Sarver Emily , Dodson Kara , Scardina R. Paolo , Lattyak‐Slabaugh Rebecca , Edwards Marc , Nguyen Caroline
Published: February 2018

Copper pitting corrosion in potable water systems poses economic and environmental problems associated with pinhole leaks. In the laboratory it has proven difficult to reproduce the precise conditions that create pinholes; to date, aggressive water quality (i.e., chlorinated water of high pH and low alkalinity) is the only cause that has been replicated as it occurs in potable water systems. Pitting in this type of water is accelerated with higher chlorine, flow velocities, and durations and is inhibited by high levels of silica and phosphate. Although only results from forensic testing (e.g., pipe loops) can be interpreted with complete confidence, the numerous limitations of such testing might be overcome via complementary studies using sophisticated electrochemical methods once aggressive waters are identified. Under worst‐case conditions, pipe loops can reproducibly create pitting in relatively short times and on very short copper tubes.
The New Worst‐Case Scenario
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance describes the March 2011 combined earthquake/tsunami/nuclear power plant radiation leak disaster in Japan as the new worst‐case scenario, which demonstrates the importance of utilities planning emergency response programs. LaFrance had recently returned from meeting with the Japan Water Works Association (JWWA) in Japan in February, and heard via email the day of the disaster that his JWWA colleagues were trying to communicate with and support the Japanese water supply utilities that suffered damages. He describes two AWWA‐sponsored programs created to unite the water industry in protecting public health: the Water/ Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN), a voluntary mutual aid and assistance network of utilities that respond to emergencies in which other water/wastewater utilities have sustained damages; and, the ANSI/ ASME‐ITI/AWWA J100‐10 Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP#174) Standard for Risk and Resilience Management of Water and Wastewater Systems.
In California, Emergencies are One Thing We Do Well
Authors: Sturdivan Gary
Published: February 2018

This article discusses California's Shakeout and Golden Guardian 2008, the largest emergency response exercise ever undertaken in U.S. history. Participants included California's government agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and 5 million residents. The exercise was planned around the scenario of a 7.8‐magnitude earthquake occurring on a 200‐mile section of the southern San Andreas Fault, starting at the Salton Sea and migrating west to Lake Hughes, north of Los Angeles. The devastation in Southern California would be catastrophic, affecting millions of people. The damage inflicted on California's residents, infrastructure, and economy would forever change the face of California and the U.S. as a whole. The article discusses lessons learned from the exercise.
Malé Makes the Most of Limited Land and Lack of Freshwater
Authors: Venkatesh Govindarajan , Didi Mohamed Ahmed , Mujthaba Ahmed
Published: February 2018

Malé is the capital city of the Maldives, a group of about 1,200 islands—200 of which are inhabited—located off the southwest tip of India. The low‐lying islands (the elevation of the highest island is 8 feet above sea level) rely entirely on desalinated saltwater, and because of land area constraints, do not have a wastewater treatment facility. G. Venkatesh talks with Malé Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director Mohamed Ahmed Didi as interpreted through Ahmed Mujthaba (the utility's operations manager) to understand the water and sanitation system in this Indian Ocean city.
Use of barley straw to control nuisance freshwater algae
Authors: Islami Houman Rajabi , Filizadeh Yousef
Published: February 2018

This research investigated the effect of aerobically decomposing barley straw on the growth of seven problematic freshwater algae. Growth of Microcystis aeruginosa, Scenedesmus subspicatus, Anabaena flos‐aquae, Spirogyra sp., and Cladophora glomerata were inhibited by the barley straw extract. In contrast, barley straw liquor stimulated the growth of Hydrodictyon reticulatum and Oscillatoria tenius, although its effect on the latter was not significant when results were compared with controls. Field trials were conducted to assess the effect of barley straw on algal assemblage. Bioassays indicated an overall reduction of algal biomass in both treatments (400 and 800 kg/ha) compared with the controls as well as a shift in algal composition from cyanobacteria to diatoms. Results suggest that the use of barley straw is an effective method to control nuisance algae in freshwater systems.
Why are We Still Whispering About Disabilities?
Authors: Cavalcoli Mona
Published: February 2018

This article discusses physical and mental disabilities in the workforce. The advantages that people with disabilities bring to the workforce are discussed, along with resources offered by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) for both employees and employers. The article also discusses the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE), a newly formed collaborative of leading disability and business organizations that launched What Can YOU Do? ‐ a national effort designed to promote hiring, retraining, and promoting people with disabilities and to dispel negative stereotypes about disability and employment. The article includes an essay remembering a colleague of the author's, John Reid, and his struggle with disabilities related to multiple sclerosis.
Reducing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution and Protecting Drinking Water Sources
Authors: Bergman Ron
Published: February 2018

Due to an increase in nitrogen and phosphorus (N/P) pollution of U.S. waters, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has reinvigorated its focus on efforts to reduce the amount of N/P entering U.S. waters. The article discusses public health effects of N/P pollution, along with the far‐reaching scope and economic effects of nutrient pollution in drinking water. The article discusses a guidance publication, “Recommended Elements of a State Nutrients Framework,” recently published by the USEPA, that provides an approach for ongoing collaboration between USEPA and the states in a joint effort to reduce N/P pollution. The article also discusses ongoing USEPA activities related to nutrient pollution reduction.
Gain a Strategic Advantage
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In his column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance discusses two keys to creating a strategic advantage in today's job market ‐ how to prepare and where to look for job opportunities. LaFrance offers 10 tips that may be helpful to those seeking specific career opportunities, especially in the water community. Five tips are provided in this column, the other five can be found by clicking on the Career Center icon on the righthand side of AWWA's home page at www.awwa.org. LaFrance offers the AWWA Career Center as the best place to get information about water industry jobs ‐ it's the smart place to post hiring opportunities for employers because it gets more than a million views a year, and employers can search the resumes of approximately 1,000 water professionals who have posted them on the Career Center site.
Utility rates and the political environment
Authors: Mantz Bryan A. , Ori Robert J.
Published: February 2018

For publicly‐owned water and wastewater systems, there is never a right time to request an increase in utility rates. This situation is especially true in today's environment because of the lingering downturn in the economy and amplified political pressure to minimize or limit rate increases. However, the need to raise rates is becoming more critical because of the increasing scarcity of new water resources, more stringent regulations for utility services, and the greater need for capital reinvestment for renewals and replacements. Utility managers should realize that the ability to adjust rates has become more dependent on a multifaceted process as opposed to simply presenting the utility's rate case at a public meeting. This article presents approaches and strategies that have been successfully used by utility management teams to present the need for rate increases for the long‐term benefit of the utility stakeholders.
USEPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities Initiative
Authors: Ampleman Matt , Baranowski Curt , Posner Amy , Whitler John
Published: February 2018

This article discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative that was established to provide the water sector with the practical tools, training, and technical assistance needed to prepare for climate change by promoting a clear explanation of climate science and adaptation options. The article discusses decision‐support tools for water sector utilities developed by USEPA's CRWU initiative, including the Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), a risk assessment tool for water utilities; a CRWU Toolbox that provides a clearinghouse for articles, funding opportunities, research activities, and other informational resources; and, an Adaptation Strategies Guide that outlines climate change impacts and adaptation options for different regions of the country. The overarching goal of these and other resources is to assist water sector utilities in initiating climate change adaptation while continuing to meet their environmental, social, and financial obligations.
The New Normal: Trends to Watch
Authors: Maxwell Steve
Published: February 2018

This article presents 14 trends to watch in the water and wastewater industry.
Optimizing alert occurrence in the Cincinnati contamination warning system
Authors: Allgeier Steven C. , Haas Adam J. , Pickard Brian C.
Published: February 2018

A system designed for rapid detection of contamination in drinking water distribution systems is a novel concept, and there are no benchmarks against which to evaluate the performance of a contamination warning system (CWS). In Cincinnati, Ohio, during evaluation of the first full‐scale CWS, a primary design objective was to minimize invalid alerts without compromising the system's ability to detect true deviations from acceptable water quality conditions. This objective was important to user acceptance of the system because excessive invalid alerts can undermine user confidence and burden staff members with inconsequential investigations. During the final six months of the two‐year evaluation period, a steady‐state rate of approximately one alert per day requiring investigation was achieved. This alert rate was acceptable to the utility, and nearly all alerts were investigated by appropriate personnel. The primary conclusion drawn from the data presented is that a CWS can be optimized to achieve a reasonable and manageable rate of invalid alerts. Furthermore, the investigation of these invalid alerts required only a modest level of effort (approximately seven hours of staff time per month).