Potable Water


Arsenic, Uranium and Other Trace Elements a Potential Concern in Private Drinking Wells

About 20 percent of untreated water samples from public, private, and monitoring wells across the nation contain concentrations of at least one trace element, such as arsenic, manganese and uranium, at levels of potential health concern, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Australia’s First Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Project Under Way

Output from the 10-megawatt AC project on 80 hectares of cleared land 50km southeast of Geraldton will contribute to offsetting the energy requirements of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant.

New Technology Could Simplify Removal of Arsenic from Drinking Water

With almost 100 million people in developing countries exposed to dangerously high levels of arsenic in their drinking water and unable to afford complex purification technology, scientists today described a simple, inexpensive method for removing arsenic based on chopped up pieces of ordinary plastic beverage bottles coated with a nutrient found in many foods and dietary supplements.

'Wikipedia' of Water and Wastewater to Debut Sept. 1

A national database on technologies to assess the conditions and rehabilitation of the underground pipes will be available to utilities and the general public, starting on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Israel's Sewage-Powered Fuel Cell is Attracting Investors

In building a fuel cell that uses bacteria to break down waste in water, Israel's water company Emefcy Ltd. has raised about $10 million from investors including GE, NRG Energy Inc. and ConocoPhillips.

EPA, USDA Create a Partnership to Improve Drinking Water Systems

The EPA and the USDA announced a national partnership to protect Americans’ health by improving rural drinking water and wastewater systems.

New Paper Evaluates The Future of Water Recycling

The authors point out in the paper that the biggest problem with DPR is community acceptance, despite the fact that factors such as population growth and climate change mean that existing water supplies must go further in the future.

In Midst of Severe Drought, Australians Ambivalent About Recycled Water

In response to a severe drought, the Australian government is pumping treated wastewater into the Gnangara Mound Aquifer. Some Australians, though, are not too thrilled about that.



‘SuperSand’ Has Five Times Filtering Capacity of Regular Sand

Scientists have developed a way to transform ordinary sand — a mainstay filter material used to purify drinking water throughout the world — into a "supersand" with five times the filtering capacity of regular sand.

setting the tunnel lining form

Going With the Flow

In response to community concerns, Kentucky’s Louisville Water Company thought up a gravity-fed riverbank filtration system that connects to a mile-and-a-half-long tunnel leading to a treatment plant.

Recycling Water in Space

During the last space shuttle flight, scheduled for July 8, 2011, astronauts will test a new method for recycling "used" water. Water is essential for life, and having access to water beyond Earth will be a major obstacle for future space explorers.

Lawsuit Seeks to Protect San Diego Drinking Water Supply

A proposed landfill near San Diego threatens a critical drinking water source, endangered species habitat and sacred Native American lands.

Researchers: Virtual Water Not a Solution to Water Inequality

Virtual water – the amount of water it takes to produce goods or a service – has been suggested as a possible solution to this growing problem by using virtual water values to inform international trade deals. But researchers say that the existing amount of virtual water is not large enough to overcome the existing inequalities.

N.J. American Water Pres.: All the Cheap Water Has Been Found

New Jersey’s demand for water challenges an already strained water supply, requiring new sources and those likely will be expensive, said John Bigelow, president of New Jersey American Water.

Trojan Launches Drinking Water System Validated for Full Virus Treatment

Trojan Technologies introduces the first-ever drinking water UV systems validated to fully comply with United States federal regulations for delivering 4-log inactivation of viruses, including the highly resistant adenovirus.

Water Meter

Leading the Way Without Lead

It was evident at AWWA's convention and expo that meter manufacturers have responded in a number of ways to a federal mandate that will ban lead from implements that handle drinking water beginning in 2014.

MIT: Development in Fog Harvesting Provides Water for the Poor

An engineer and aspiring entrepreneur at MIT is working on fog harvesting to attract water droplets and corral the runoff for poor villagers to collect clean water near their homes.

GE Releases Modular Version of its ABMet Wastewater Treatment System

GE has introduced a modular version of the company’s ABMet wastewater treatment system, which uses naturally occurring microbes to reduce the selenium and other metals that can escape from coal mines and power plants and enter U.S. freshwater supplies.

CEO: Signs that U.S. is Using Less Water Are Everywhere

Klaus Reichardt, CEO of Waterless Co., said his conclusion is based on a new book, "The Big Thirst," by Charles Fishman.

Athletes Scale Peaks, Swim Seas to Raise Funds for Clean Oceans, Water

Mitigating damage from environmental problems is a daunting task, especially considering the scope of the project. Despite the great size of the problems facing the environment, the sheer size of these issues can leave those in a position to do a little something about it feeling paralyzed. But for those used to taking on the Earth’s biggest challenges – literally oceans and mountains – pursuing relief after such disasters is all in a day’s work.

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