Kurt C. Peterson, Publisher
Most people think all water looks blue but that’s not quite right. Of course, if you have enjoyed water recreation at or in the Pacific, what immediately stands out is just how blue the water can be. It’s the same with many vacation paradises. Then there is the Atlantic Ocean and its associated water bodies, many of which retain a grayish-green color tone. Between the two oceans is the wonderful coloration of the Gulf of Mexico. And all are contaminated with some form of plastic, petroleum or other human-generated garbage.
As sources of drinking water, it stands to reason that some form of treatment would be needed for the salt alone in our water bodies. Add the more recent flotilla of flotsam and jetsam and coastal areas are becoming more in need of water treatment systems. With emerging contaminants being heralded every day in nearly every news outlet, it’s become an imperative to healthy lifestyles to become aware of what’s in the water—it’s no longer a luxury in any part of the world
One of the most effective water treatment technologies is (and has been) the industry workhorse for more than half a century. Reverse osmosis is used for applications large and small, from residential systems to desalination plants, as well as the many industrial and municipal applications. In this issue, we’re taking a look at a niche market through the eyes of Technical Reviewer Gary Battenberg. In the northern latitudes of the US and also in Canada, the production of maple syrup is big business. And RO is a primary treatment. That’s even the choice of hobbyist producers, as you will learn in this informative article.
There are more than a few NSF standards that are used in certifying RO systems and some of it can be more than a little confusing. To untangle the requirements somewhat, NSF’s Rick Andrew, author of our monthly Water Matters column, delves into the differences between efficiency and recovery. There’s an awful lot that sounds the same but is actually very different, hence, the need for clarification.
Public Health Editor Kelly A. Reynolds, MSPH, PhD, turns her eye toward potable reuse, the applications of which are more mainstay each year. With critical water shortages becoming the norm and consumers realizing conservation and reuse are two vital options to retain and maintain good water sources, there must be clarification of how to balance what we have and what we need, using reuse as a viable alternative to reach our goals.
As summer events begin to compete with other interests, including conference season and vacations, we’d like to extend our usual ‘authoring’ opportunity to all of our wonderful readers. Without you, we wouldn’t have much to report or publish. Your continued support has made it possible for WC&P to celebrate more than a half century of providing the best industry information available to your companies. Help us stay at the forefront of providing valuable information by submitting articles imbued with your technical expertise. Educating such a large audience takes time and willingness, as well as a lot of smart people. And we have an awful lot of smart people in our industry!
Until we meet again, remember that nothing moves faster than time when you have little to spare. We’ll be there with you to help make every second count. In such a competitive and highly regulated sphere as water treatment, the margin of error has decreased substantially over the years. We hope to help ensure our industry partners are always the go-to people who will keep our water sources safe.