Sustainability


Water & Wastewater News Roundtable 2007

Despite the roar from the municipal water and wastewater industry about the lack of funds for infrastructure, Water & Wastewater News’ roundtable participants seemed to agree that the money is “out there,” it is just a matter of finding the right source.

This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Toilet Talk

Conservation unquestionably is one of the hottest topics in the water and wastewater treatment industry. We're always trying to figure out better ways to conserve, purify, or use water most effectively.

This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Lighting the Future

An analysis of the lighting industry shows a significant shift from the use of incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs use more fossil fuel energy, cost more and are less effective than fluorescent bulbs, which produce more lumens.

This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Renewable Refuse

More than 7.6 billion tons of industrial solid waste are generated annually in the United States. That’s the equivalent of more than 8,500 Golden Gate Bridges, more than 2,000 Empire State Buildings, or 1,200 Hoover Dams.

This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Pesticide Terminator

As urban centers grow in size, substantial areas of agricultural and industrial land are being converted to residential use. One of the issues frequently encountered when such a change in land use is implemented is the presence of elevated concentrations of chlorinated pesticides and herbicides historically used in agricultural crop production.

This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Energy-Saving Tips for Refrigerators

This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Survey Shows Most Firms Lack Formal Strategies to Deliver on Sustainability Commitments

This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.



The New Alchemy

Chemical Process changes brown grease glut into energy resource

This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

No Foul, No Harm

While cationic and anionic resins typically last a long time in industrial wastewater and groundwater applications, they frequently become fouled by any of several compounds. The fouling eventually will destroy the resins' capacity to adsorb metals or other materials.

This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.

Heavy Metal Combo

Arsenic, selenium, and mercury occur widely in nature, though at low levels, and are associated with sulfide ores, elemental sulfur, and in crude oil and coal deposits. These metals are used in the manufacture of numerous industrial products, such as semiconductors, fuel cells, photographic processes, agricultural products, preservatives and pharmaceuticals, to name just a few.

This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

ESA Rules: Plain English Version (Part 1)

The following is the first of a two-part series that analyzes new Phase 1 ESA requirements and their impact on consultants and their clients. The second part is scheduled to be published in the November/December 2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

What's Driving Reuse

Benjamin Franklin is frequently quoted as having said: "We will never know the true value of water until the well runs dry." Although conservation was the first attempt at preserving and maintaining limited fresh water supplies, the idea of "reclaim, recycle, and reuse" was the next push for managing them.

This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

Probing for Better Data

Switching from a membrane-type dissolved oxygen (DO) probe to new, breakthrough luminescent technology has brought tighter control to the conventional aeration system serving the Holland Area Wastewater Treatment Plant. Plus, a four-month trial demonstrated that the new luminescent DO (LDO) probe performs well monitoring high-DO effluent from the facility's pure oxygen system. Until now, it had been difficult for the plant to find a reliable online measurement instrument for this environment.

This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

Oxidants on the Job

The need for removal and destruction of contaminants of concern (COC), like petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated organics, in soil and groundwater has led to the development of a wide range of technologies for both in ground (in-situ) and above ground (ex-situ) treatment of these contaminants.

This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

The New Iron-fisted Approach to Mercury

The California Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC) began enforcing Universal Waste management rules for all waste generators effective Feb. 9, 2006. All businesses and households are now required to properly dispose of batteries and mercury-containing lamps and devices at a certified recycling facility.

This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

There and Back Again

A serious problem faces our society as the demand for clean water begins to exceed the available supply. Treating and reusing wastewater is becoming an acceptable solution to this problem.

This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

Exorcising Groundwater Contaminants

Groundwater and soil contamination are among the most time-consuming and costly environmental remediation challenges facing our communities today. Solvents, metals, organic compounds, and other chemicals remain in the soil and seep into groundwater long after the facilities that used or created the contaminants have stopped operating.

This article originally appeared in the 01/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

Under Surveillance

The Wastewater Operations Division of Charlotte County Utilities in Charlotte County, Fla., operates in a unique underground construction setting. The county is in the process of substantially expanding its utility infrastructure to serve thousands of platted residential lots and accommodate the demands of rapid population growth.

This article originally appeared in the 01/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.

Reuse, Reclaim, Recycle

Water reuse has gone from being a positive environmental alternative to a growing necessity. Reusing wastewater saves money and the environment, but it can be expensive to pipe treated water through miles of distribution lines from a centralized reclamation facility to where it is needed.

This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.