Built to Last
Membrane Technology
March 2008
By Craig Granlund
RO elements stand the test of time at a North Dakota electric utility
PDF Version
A Review of RO
Membrane Technology
March 2008
By Linda Meyers
Instrumenting reverse osmosis (RO) systems for maximum efficiency and minimum maintenance
PDF Version
Sun & Sand
Water & Wastes Digest
March 2008
By Clare Pierson
Special filters reduce sand ingression that was causing increased labor and maintenance time
PDF Version
Providing a Strong Defense
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2008
Koch Membrane Systems
Department of Defense speeds deployment of tactical water purification systems with commercial off-the-shelf ultrafiltration membranes
Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic
Water & Wastes Digest
April 2007
By Ronald J Castle II & Julia Nemeth-Harn PE
Examining pretreatment of groundwater in small & rural systems
The Rising Tide of Brackish Water Desalination
Water & Wastes Digest
November 2006
By Erik Nottleson and Robin Puskas
UF system will enable North America’s first tidally influenced, brackish water desalination plant to handle wide TDS fluctuations with minimal maintenance
Superior Water Quality
Water & Wastes Digest
November 2006
Amy Osgood
Water & Wastes Digest asked David L. Brown, president of the American Membrane Technology Association and director of utilities for Jupiter, Fla., to discuss Jupiter’s pioneering and award-winning water utility, as well as the role membrane technology will play in addressing future water issues.
Ensuring Arsenic Compliance
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2006
Peter J. Keenan
Planning and evaluation help drinking water utilities comply with the EPA’s Arsenic Rule
Optimizing Pretreatment
Membrane Technology
March 2006
By Steve Siverns
ZeeWeed UF membranes offer lower life-cycle costs for seawater desalination
Supply from the Sea—Exploring Ocean Desalination
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2006
By Jeff Szytel, P.E.
Although barriers exist in large-scale implementation of ocean desalination, the development of projects is expected to continue well into the future
Just Another Day at the Beach
Water & Wastes Digest
May 2005
By Don Richard
Together, these systems were insufficient for near-term demand and they fell far short of the projected future needs for this fast-growing community.
The First Seven Years of Operation at an Ultrafiltration Plant
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2004
By James J. Vecchio and Antonia von Gottberg
Many membrane filtration plants for municipal applications have been installed over the last few years, but few plants have been in operation for seven years, and even fewer use the original membranes
New Desalination Method Reduces Energy Costs
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2004
By Denise Covelli
The Long Beach Seawater Desalination Research and Development Facility will be the nation’s largest, using dual-stage nanofiltration technology up to 30% more energy efficient than conventional methods
Answering the Challenge
Water & Wastes Digest
May 2004
By Eugene R. Reahl
San Diego uses EDR technology to produce low salinity irrigation water from reclaimed municipal wastewater
Finding a Sweet Result
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2003
David Pearson
A new membrane filtration system manufactured by PCI Membrane Systems, Inc. allowed National Raisin Co. of Fowler, Calif., to not only cut their wastewater costs, but they have also opened up a potentially lucrative source of income.
Talkin About Regeneration
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2003
Tim Gregorski
Studies show that membrane regeneration typically results in a 40% increase in permeate flow, a 38% decrease in differential pressure and a 3% increase in salt rejection. The Bakersfield membrane regeneration facility has the ability to process up to 60 membranes continuously for 24 hours a day, which allows the facility to produce better than average turn-around times.
Metals Plant Needs High-Purity Water
Water Quality Products
July 2003
Crown Solutions, Inc.
Dayton Progress Corp.'s focus has been on manufacturing metal punches, punch blanks and metal stamping tools. It also would take experienced water treatment professionals to ensure that the proper quality water was used in each process. That is why it relied on Crown Solutions, Inc. to manage the point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) water treatment for each of its manufacturing processes that required water.
Brominated Resins
Water Quality Products
July 2003
Ken Korslin, CWS-III, Pentair Water Treatment, Plymouth Products Division
In 1957 The Dow Chemical Corp. addressed the negatives of using bromine by creating a brominated ion exchange resin, which opened up the use of bromine in offshore water treatment applications.2 Today, polybromide resin is used in many offshore water treatment systems. The fact that bromine can be added to water that previously has been chlorinated makes polybromide resin a practical solution to accommodate the multiple sources of water in offshore applications.
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Research Racks Up Recognition Points for POU/POE
Water Quality Products
June 2003
Wendi Hope King
Some really important research going on right now, which is critical for the point-of-use/point-of-entry (POU/POE) industry in order for POU/POE treatment to become an accepted practice for small public water system compliance. It seems as though we are closer than ever to finding acceptance in this arena.
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Ozone Treatment for Residential Well Water
Water Quality Products
June 2003
Myrle Melligan, Triple O Systems, Inc.
Your customers not only are expecting to have enough water supplied from their water source, but they also demand that it is of superior quality. Ozone's technology coupled with such treatment as filters or softeners can fulfill this expectation. Ozone does not need to be complicated in order to treat small water systems.
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War Spurs Interest in Water Treatment
Water Quality Products
May 2003
Wendi Hope King
It was September 11 that originated the drive for the country to take a closer look at protecting its citizens. Our nation's drinking water has since risen to become a top priority for protection.
PDF Version
Zero Waste: A Look at the Future of Reverse Osmosis
Water Quality Products
March 2003
Josh Hanford, Watts Industries
Most reverse osmosis systems waste as much as 20 gallons just to produce one gallon of product water. The new technology called "ZeroWaste" eliminates this problem by returning the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis system back to the home's plumbing, resulting in 100 percent efficiency.
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Filtration Fundamentals
Water Quality Products
March 2003
Bill Kavey
Over the years, water quality has noticeably deteriorated worldwide. This decline in water quality stems from the extreme demand on very limited natural resources. Various principles of filtration are used in many applications to improve the general quality of the water that is being treated. Along with screen filters, coagulation/filtration, neutralizing filters, oxidizing filters, clairifying filters and carbon filters are other treatment methods that may be used.
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Arsenic Treatment Options for the Southwest
Water Quality Products
February 2003
Arizona Water Quality Association
While high concentrations of arsenic are found mostly in the Western region of the United States, parts of the Midwest and New England show levels of arsenic
that exceed the newly approved U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Individuals not willing to wait for their water system's compliance with the arsenic standard currently are looking for treatment systems to use in their homes. POU and even point-of-entry (POE) treatment systems are an attractive solution for these individuals. The process should begin with a basic understanding of arsenic contamination and the element's chemistry, a complete water quality analysis of the application-specific water and the knowledge of available technologies.
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Point-of-Use Reverse Osmosis
Water Quality Products
February 2003
Tony Pagliaro
As the residential point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis (RO) industry approaches its 35th anniversary, it is time for a reality check on the industry's progress to date as well as a look ahead to new technologies or improvements that the industry may introduce for POU RO systems in 2003.
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The New West
Water Quality Products
February 2003
Wendi Hope King
The "New West" has emerged full of concerns and new laws that make water treatment necessary and some that make it harder to sell. California is well-known for its progressive way of thinking. Although often its tactics may be questioned, many people anxiously wait to see what will be next. Will there be more bans? Stricter regulations? The state's legislation continually has been challenged by the Water Quality Association, NSF International, water treatment professionals nationwide and other organizations. With all of this in mind, let's take a look at some things that are happening in the Western region.
PDF Version
Have You Hugged Your RO Today?
Water Quality Products
January 2003
Carl Davidson
You have to be completely sold and very enthusiastic about your product in order to be able to sell. I thought you might be interested in how I was made more aware of just how wonderful it is to own an RO system.
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Reverse Osmosis - Anion-Filtration Water Plant Run by a Single Automation Platform with Fieldbus Communications
Water Engineering & Management
January 2003
Robert Oreskovich, John Contestable, Ken Flatt, Ian C. Watson, P.E., and John Rifleman
A new 3.0 mgd water treatment plant on North Carolina's Cape Hatteras is believed to be the first in the United States to apply Foundation fieldbus for device-level control communications. The plant, built by the Dare County Water Department near the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, has been operating without a problem since startup more than two years ago. Fieldbus has been widely applied in all process industries including electric power generation, an industry also cautious to adapt new technology.
PDF Version
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 2
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Sherry Odom
Consumers unwilling to drink arsenic contaminated water are demanding a more rapid implementation. Publicly owned utilities, however, will be held hostage from implementing a more rapid solution due to government approval cycles, annual budgets, required biding processes and slow implementation schedules. As a result, in-home treatment systems, which immediately can be installed, are a very popular treatment option for individual homeowners. Other advantages such as low implementation/operating costs and improved flexibility make the POU/POE approach option appealing.
Arsenic Overview Series - Part 7
WaterInfoCenter
January-December 2003
Wes McGowan
These terms are pulled from "All About Water: An Illustrated Dictionary of Water Terminology" by Wes McGowan
Desalination in America
Water Quality Products
November 2002
John B. Tonner, Water Consultants International
On average there are 50 to 75 significant desalination projects per year in the United States with an average capacity of approximately 1 million gallons per day. The majority of these projects utilize membrane processes such as nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO).
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Mississippi Town Installs Nation's First RO/Ozone System
Water & Wastes Digest
November 2002
The City of Pascagoula, Mississippi turned to Osmonics of Minnetonka, Minn., to provide a viable solution for the removal of undesired characteristics from their water supply, ensuring compliance with existing and 2001 EPA regulations. Osmonics' process of combining low energy RO in tandem with ozone generation and contacting equipment proved to be the optimal solution to Pascagoula's water deficiencies.
The Critical Step
Water Quality Products
July 2002
Carl Davidson
I am always shocked to see how few salespeople use a value justification. In my view, this is a critical step in the selling process. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages this technique gives you and then we will look at the actual script for a justification.
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Ultraviolet Dechlorination Technology
Water Quality Products
July 2002
Aquionics
At the Procter & Gamble manufacturing plant in Greensboro, N.C., an Aquionics ultraviolet (UV) dechlorination unit was installed before two banks of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Trials that ran soon after the UV system’s installation showed a dramatic reduction in the RO membrane wash frequency—down from an average of eight cleanings per month to only two per month.
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Back to the Basics, Part 2
Water Quality Products
June 2002
Jeff Roseman, CWS-1, Aqua Ion Plus+ Technologies
How does everyone achieve effluent water that meets their needs and demands? Each situation is different, but a simplistic explanation of various technologies will be discussed in this article. Each of the following categories has had much written about them, but this article will be an overview of several methods in order to help you educate the general public so they can make an intelligent decision, purchase something of value and continually seek professional consultation.
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Arsenic in Drinking Water - Part 4
Water Engineering & Management
June 2002
John T. O’Connor, EngD, P.E.
Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this series provided a timeline for the development of a drinking water standard for arsenic. It also summarized the political and public reactions to the U.S. EPA decision to delay and withdraw the arsenic rule.
Part 2 dealt with human exposure and advances in knowledge concerning human health effects of exposure to arsenic.
Part 3 summarized early data on the occurrence of arsenic in U.S. waters.
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Membranes: Fouling & Cleaning
Water Quality Products
May 2002
Bjarne Nicolaisen
Membrane technology offers the possibility of managing total water resources. The spiral wound membrane element configuration is the most widely used due to its high packing density and relatively low price. This article will describe some technological advances in the area of innovative new membranes and application concepts for spiral wound membrane elements.
PDF Version
Electronic Scale Treatment
Water Quality Products
April 2002
Jeffrey M. Conway, ClearWater Enviro Technologies, Inc.
A new technology has emerged that can solve scale problems without the need of salts, chemicals or maintenance.
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Using Advanced Adsorptive Media for Arsenic Treatment
Water Engineering & Management
April 2002
Greg Gilles and Jennifer Mathis
On November 26, 2001, the new arsenic standard was signed into law—lowering the acceptable level for the contaminant from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. Approximately 4,100 municipal water systems serving nearly 13 million people nationwide are affected by the law and are required to meet compliance by January 2006. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 97 percent of these systems are small systems serving fewer than 10,000 people each. The economic impact on these small systems is likely to be large. However, there currently are options available to small municipalities that may be more affordable than central treatment.
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POU Technology Demonstrates Effectiveness
Water Quality Products
March 2002
By Jennifer Mathis, Apyron Technologies, Inc.
In March 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrew a proposal for a lower maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic in drinking water that would bring the standard from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. At that time, the EPA commissioned three studies to examine the benefits, costs and health effects associated with a lower standard for arsenic.
Production of High Purity Water From Seawater
Water Quality Products
March 2002
Contributed by Ted Prato, Erik Schoepke, Lance Etchison, Tom O’Brien, Brian Hernon and Kit Perry, I
The Diablo Canyon Power Plant at Avila Beach in California utilizes seawater for both cooling water and makeup water for steam generation. Ionics, Inc., Watertown, Mass., designed and built and now operates a complete water treatment system serving the high-purity water needs of this power plant. Over the past eight years, the seawater treatment section has demonstrated excellent long-term performance as a result of strong design, consistent maintenance and qualified operators.
Project Compares Brackish Water Desalination Technologies – Part 2
Water Engineering & Management
March 2002
Jim Passanisi, Janet Persechino and Todd K. Reynolds
Part one of this article appeared in the February issue and described how nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis reversal are being run side-by-side at the Brackish Water Demonstration Facility in California.
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Project Compares Brackish Water Desalination Technologies - Part 1
Water Engineering & Management
February 2002
Jim Passanisi, Janet Persechino and Todd K. Reynolds
In Port Hueneme, California, a state-of-the-art desalination facility uses three brackish water desalination technologies: reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF) and electrodialysis reversal (EDR), operated side-by-side to produce over three million gallons per day (mgd) of high quality drinking water. The Brackish Water Reclamation Demonstration Facility (BWRDF) is the cornerstone of the Port Hueneme Water Agency’s (PHWA) Water Quality Improvement Program. In addition to providing desalted water for local use, the BWRDF also serves as a full-scale research and demonstration facility.
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Officials Recognize POU Industry
Water Quality Products
February 2002
Wendi Hope King
After the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally announced the new maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for arsenic, an estimated 4,000 community water systems are now left to take measures to lower their arsenic levels, which were previously at 50 ppb.
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Plastic Pipes Handle Pressure from RO Plant
Water Quality Products
January 2002
Submitted by the Plastics Pipe Institute
The El Paso County Water Authority was in need of a cost-effective pipe for its reverse osmosis treatment project to supply clean water. A competitive price won the attention of a Texas engineering firm to high density polythylene (HDPE) pipe. HDPE?s performance won some loyalty.
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RO Maintenance
Water Quality Products
January 2002
Nevin Rudie
Understanding and reacting to the performance of a reverse osmosis (RO) system is necessary for continued successful operation. It is this interaction that allows us to quickly and correctly identify and correct issues that may arise.
PDF Version
Bioterrorism May Pose Threat to Water Supplies
Water Quality Products
December 2001
Wendi Hope King
If our water supplies actually do come under attack, the question remains: Is there any way for consumers to protect themselves? Unfortunately, it seems to be too early to tell, yet some companies are beginning to emerge with products that may be the answer.
PDF Version
Pure Water the Way It Was Meant to Be
Water Quality Products
November 2001
By Michael Pennington, Severn Trent Services
As the public becomes more health conscious and educated about water contamination, demand for bottled water continues to increase. In order to provide purified water, it is important to understand the reverse osmosis (RO) water purification process.
PDF Version
POU Options for Arsenic
Water Quality Products
November 2001
The topic of arsenic has received a lot of press coverage this year, ever since the Bush administration halted the EPA’s newly issued maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Since then, the MCL was reinstated back to 50 ppb and further discussions and studies have continued. This article will discuss some of these updates.
PDF Version
Water and Air UV Treatment
Water Quality Products
November 2001
By Bak Srikanth, Aquafine Corp., and David Witham, UltraViolet Devices, Inc.
UV is an accepted and rapidly growing technology for treating wastewater in the United States. In Europe, it commonly is used as a primary disinfectant in municipal drinking water systems. Other applications include food and beverage, pharmaceutical, semiconductor and power generation. This article will discuss three other commercially successful and growing applications.
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The State of Regulations
Water Quality Products
August 2001
By Wendi Hope King
As the POU/POE water treatment industry progresses to new levels and meets new challenges, issues regarding regulations and standards continually arise. As the industry waits for the EPA and U.S. government to finalize regulations, the industry is forced to ride out the MCL changes, rule withdrawals and estimated costs that each proposal brings. Listed here is a review of regulation changes the industry has seen in the last year and a brief look at which ones to watch for in the future.
PDF Version
Ultraviolet System Design
Water Quality Products
May 2001
Adam Donnellan
In the last issue, we reviewed ultraviolet (UV) disinfection as a suitable technology for treating biologically unsafe water supplies. In this article, we will focus on system design and understanding the many available options for residential and commercial applications.
PDF Version
Seawater Desalination With Reverse Osmosis
Water Quality Products
March 2001
Jorg Menningmann, Waterlink Pure Water Division
Desalination technology has brought fresh water and hence industrial and commercial development to areas of the world that otherwise might have remained unproductive. Not only has development been enhanced by this technology but, more importantly, the health and welfare of many people have been improved by the supply of sanitary fresh water supplies.
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Editorial: Home Buyer Awareness
Water Quality Products
January 2001
Wendi Hope King
I have started the new year on the right foot. I bought a house. I have spent many years day dreaming about my first home.
PDF Version
Nanofiltration Membranes
Water Quality Products
January 2001
Harold Nicoll
Nanofiltration is a liquid separation membrane technology positioned between reverse osmosis (RO) and ultrafiltration.
PDF Version
Membrane Filtration As an Alternative: Part 2
Water Engineering & Management
August 2000
Dr. Mohamed Lahlou
Part one of this article appeared in the July issue and discussed microfiltration and utrafiltration. This article discusses nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
Membrane Filtration as an Alternative: Part 1
Water Engineering & Management
July 2000
Dr. Mohamed Lahlou
Once considered a viable technology only for desalination, membrane processes are increasingly employed for removal of bacteria and other microorganisms, particulate material and natural organic material that can impart color, tastes and odors to the water.
The Challenge of Membrane Maintenance
Water Quality Products
February 2000
Peter Cartwright
The membrane processing technologies of microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are widely used to separate suspended and dissolved materials from water solutions in numerous industrial, medical and drinking water applications.
Desalination of Seawater and Brackish Water
Water Quality Products
January 2000
Wil Pergande and Barry Abolmaali
The increasingly broad range of requirements for water quality has motivated the water treatment industry to refine existing techniques, combine methods and explore new water purification technologies including desalination.
Justifying the Value of an RO
Water Quality Products
November 1999
Carl Davidson
There are solutions that work when a customer says "no" such as justifying the value and showing the customer he’ll be dollars ahead. What follows is a list of questions for the customer and then various scenerios that will refer you back to them.
RO Desalinators & PLCs Provide Fresh Water to Remote Areas
Water Quality Products
June 1999
Gregory Nadsady
Reverse osmosis plants increasingly are being installed in outlying and remote areas. By providing water they can sustain life and/or provide irrigation to previously remote areas without readily available fresh water sources.
UV Disinfection 101
Water Quality Products
May 1999
by Edwin L. Roberts
An overview of UV disinfection and its applications.
Manufacturing with Membranes
Water Quality Products
March 1999
Steve Morris
An overview of various filtration methods and their applications.
Membrane Filtration for Water and Wastewater
Water Quality Products
February 1999
Membrane filtration, widely used in chemical and biotechnology processes, is already established as a valuable means of filtering and cleaning wastewater and industrial process water.
Problem Solver: Reverse Osmosis Removes Hexavalent Chromium from Groundwater
Water Quality Products
August 1997
A rural chrome plating facility faced a critical waste removal problem. Over time, a significant quantity of toxic hexavalent chromium had leaked from their facility into the ground and contaminated nearby wells. A government regulatory agency threatened legal action if the facility was not able to reduce the hexavalent chromium concentration in the groundwater by 99.9 percent.
Microfiltration: How Does it Compare ?
Water Quality Products
August 1996
Thomas Muilenberg
Increased focus on technologies that meet tighter regulatory requirements and increased public pressure has motivated municipalities to take a serious look at microfiltration (MF) membranes as a viable treatment option. This article is intended to familiarize you with the basics of microfiltration and discuss how it compares to conventional alternatives
Rethinking ANSI/NSF Standard 58
Water Quality Products
August 1996
Nancy Culotta
The Joint Committee voted to remove the arsenic reduction claim from Standard 58 until a new test method is developed.
Membrane Applications in Water Plants
Water Engineering & Management
August 1995
Ian Lisk
Faced with upgrading aging facilities, a Florida water utility decided to incorporate reverse osmosis.
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