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A New Standard for Rescue Systems

October 1, 2007By Craig Firl

ANSI recognizes that every second counts in an emergency

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) defines a confined space as an area that has limited openings for entry and exit, has poor natural ventilation that can pose serious risks, and is not designed for continuous occupancy by workers.

Cosmic Avenger

October 1, 2007By Debbie Bolles

Remote satellite imagery research identifies potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms in reservoirs

Interpretation of satellite imagery holds promise as the method to pinpoint early development of potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms in water sources. The technology could help drinking water providers save money on treatment and avoid the pitfalls of dealing with this problem.

Measuring Water Quality Is Not an Easy Task

October 1, 2007By L. K. Williams

Optimistic timetable did not account for the magnitude of the endeavor

The job of cleaning up the nation’s waterways is a dirty one. And, apparently, one that is going to take much longer than Congress thought 35 years ago this month.

Navigating a Smart User Strategy

October 1, 2007By Uzair Shamsi, Ph.D., P.E., GISP

Improved packages make work easier at water industry jobs

Geographic information system (GIS) software represents less than 10 percent of the total GIS implementation cost in most cases, yet many people spend a lot of time selecting the best software for their GIS applications. This is actually a good thing, because the success of any GIS program largely depends on its users—who are not happy if they do not like their GIS software.

Science Reconsiders the Value of Land Application

October 1, 2007By Ellen Z. Harrison

New guide offers additional management practices to ensure farm productivity in the northeastern United States

The Guidelines for Application of Sewage Biosolids to Agricultural Lands in the Northeastern U. S.offers the best science available and seeks to protect the land resource base, emphasizing agricultural productivity in perpetuity. Scientists from Cornell, Rutgers, the University of Massachusetts, Penn State, and the University of New Hampshire developed the document, which is an updated version of a 1985 document, Criteria and Recommendations for Land Application of Sewage Sludge in the Northeast.

Are Wetlands Protected Under CWA?

August 1, 2007By Scott D. Deatherage

Regulators try to make sense of Supreme Court's response to wetlands cases

When the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the consolidated cases of Rapanos v. United States and Carabell v. United States in 2006, observers hoped the Court would supply much-needed clarification to the federal Clean Water Act’s (CWA) dominion over wetlands. Instead, the Court could not reach a consensus, and regulation and enforcement of the law has been mired in confusion ever since.

Communal Enterprise

August 1, 2007By Katie McCarthy

Israel’s kibbutzim effort is sending water technology throughout the world

Situated in one of the world’s most arid regions, Israel has been overcoming water shortages and desertification since its inception in 1948. Its diverse topography, which includes plains, mountains, deserts, and coastlines, makes for many water challenges. A small country at 8,019 square miles (about the size of New Jersey), Israel sustains a population of 6.35 million people.

Detection, Metering, and Audits

August 1, 2007By James E. Fisher

Metro Water Services uses three-pronged approach to recover non-revenue water

“A lot of people think non-revenue water reduction is all about the leakage, but it isn’t,” says Leanne Scott, senior project engineer at Metro Water Services (MWS) in Nashville, Tenn. “Meter accuracy at large plants also plays a very important role in the recovery of non-revenue water, as does testing of other large meters in the system."

Knowing the Business

August 1, 2007By L. K. Williams

Schneider Electric's expertise translates into a healthy bottom line

A little more than one year after launching its Water Wastewater Competency Center, Schneider Electric’s North American division’s orders are up more than 50 percent.

Nutrient Discharge Rules Make Reuse Attractive

August 1, 2007By Debbie Bolles

Reclaimed water projects shifting into super-hot growth category

Two cities that have been reusing water for more than five years are expanding their programs to serve additional customers and meet new nutrient discharge restrictions, exemplifying a national trend toward water reclamation.

Private Funding Is Finding Its Way to Water

August 1, 2007By L. K. Williams

While some finance and investment companies are trying to let municipalities know they have options outside of the government to fund water and wastewater projects, at least one governing body is hoping to get information on private financing.

The Science of Smell

August 1, 2007By Rakesh Govind, Ph.D.

Dilution-to-threshold values are the best basis for determining effective control

Olfaction, the science of smell, is one of the least understood of the five senses, which makes odor management a major challenge. Odor perception is subjective and varies widely among individuals. However, odor complaints are routinely received by regulators and government bodies around the United States and internationally.

War of the Waters

August 1, 2007By Debbie Bolles

Providers duke it out for honors of best-tasting water

A street sign welcoming visitors to Montpelier, Ohio, identifies the quaint village as the birthplace of polar explorer Paul Siple and home to the world’s best-tasting municipal drinking water. Best-tasting water? Huh? We’re not talking fine wine here, but run-of-the-mill treated municipal water.

Germ Warfare

July 1, 2007By John H. Reaves

San Diego Water Authority leads charge to establish TMDLs for bacteria-impacted waters

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, in one of its most ambitious programs to date, proposes to set up rules that will reduce bacteria in stormwater runoff that flows to the coastline.

History and Hot Buttons

July 1, 2007By L. K. Williams

Water museums spring up to teach serious issues

If anything has lasting interest or value that would be water. Perhaps that realization is why more cities are putting water on display at museums and making the most of the opportunity to educate young minds about the future.