Kurt C. Peterson, Publisher
It’s heating up quickly in several parts of the country, although recent heavy storms in the Sierra Nevada and Florida appear to have broken the backs of their respective droughts, at least for now. The dire consequences of drought in the food belt of California brought into question the wisdom of letting rainwater go to waste, leaving desal plants decommissioned and other possible drought-mitigation strategies to languish. All around the country, however, people and local governments are beginning to realize the methods of previous generations are again ready for prime time. But leaving out pans and pails to collect rainwater is no longer feasible because there are more pollutants in the air and water; rainwater running off rooftops is most likely contaminated with asphalt from shingles as well as organic matter. Because of these contaminants, rainwater can no longer be used from cloud to tap.
Peter Cartwright, PE, gives us an overview of rainwater harvesting and reuse systems, with a follow-up article expected soon on treatment options. He details the design of both residential and commercial reuse systems that are sure to catch the eye of those wishing to build redundancy into water sourcing. Rooftop catchment systems are already in place in several cities across the nation and more will probably be coming to a city near you. Be on the forefront of this to take an active part in design and treatment.
The go-to treatment option for most applications is reverse osmosis. A work-horse treatment for more than 50 years, the purity of water is essential in some applications, greatly desired in others. It’s removal capacity is dependent upon a well-designed system and there are standards to be met. Rick Andrew of NSF, International takes us through those requirements in his Water Matters column. It’s simply not as simple as it might look. In addition, Parker Hannifin’s Gary Battenberg reviews an often-overlooked issue with RO systems: tubing and connections. If they aren’t right, systems won’t work properly.
We know there are changes in thought processes among generations that can create misunderstandings, mostly resulting from unmet expectations. Millennials are thought to be disconnected in some ways, needing special handling to engage them in both life and employment environs, but no generation is without its expectations. We are reprinting an excellent article by John Blount of Pure & Gentle Soap about bringing Millennials to tap water. It’s an interesting perspective in how to get them to focus on the resources they have readily available. Public Health Editor Dr. Kelly A. Reynolds reports on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services directive that healthcare facilities must reduce legionellosis risks from tap water. This ongoing problem is getting worse and must be addressed now.
This is the busy season, for everyone. Conferences around the world demand attention and attendance, whenever possible. It benefits those who attend by raising their levels of awareness about new products and technologies, as well as being central hubs of educational opportunities. Try to make it to WQA’s annual convention, of course, but also give the regional WQA events consideration. You’ll gain the advantage of expertise offered freely by industry experts to enhance your own toolkit.