Over the past few decades there has been an increased awareness of the importance of water quality. Many municipalities and industrial facilities have upgraded or installed new technologies to meet the demand for clean water. Advances in water quality science show that further improvements are needed to ensure a plentiful water supply and to protect the natural environment.
- By W. Wesley Eckenfelder, William Ney Hansard
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
n the July/August edition of Water & Wasterwater Products, the first appearance of this column, I referred to my first "real" job: a 1974 internship in the office of the U.S. Senator from Wisconsin who died recently at the age of 89.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "When the well's dry, we know the worth of water." With that in mind, paper companies recognize it is not a question of whether they should treat and recycle their spent water -- the question is "How?" Some paper companies are not only finding environmentally friendly ways to take care of spent water, they are going a step further by putting the sludge from their wastewater treatment plants to beneficial use by converting it to glass aggregate, steam, and electricity. In fact, paper companies are leading the charge in using practices that reduce the consumption of resources and related emissions for themselves and their customers.
This article originally appeared in the 12/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
While reminiscent of the many ranches that once occupied this region, the slowly turning windmill and large cisterns on the Roy Lee Walker Elementary School campus in McKinney, Texas, are not intended for decoration. They're examples of the many sustainable practices the school district has incorporated to protect the environment and teach environmental awareness through hands-on learning.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
Water shortages have become a problem in America due to an ever-increasing population and a dwindling water supply. Areas where water is being restricted are the west coast states, the southwestern states, and even states in New England.
- By Peter S. Cartwright, PE, George R. Alther
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
Stormwater takes on a new dimension during times of drought and amid concern for climate change, especially in the desert Southwest of the United States where our rivers are mostly dry beds of sand and gravel. Stormwater Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) communities seeking appropriate best management practices (BMPs) to address sediment load -- the principal nonpoint source pollutant in the arid Southwest -- may find base flow conditions exhibiting no water and a high potential for in-channel scour and sediment loading.
- By Kristine Uhlman, CGWP, RG, Dr. D. Phillip Guertin
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.