UNITED STATES
AWWA Water Science Publishes WQRF-Funded Sustainability Study
A research study funded by the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) to determine the effectiveness of point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) treatment has been published in AWWA Water Science, a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal of research on the science, engineering, and social aspects of water. The University of Massachusetts Amherst study demonstrates how community water systems can examine three factors to determine whether it’s better to upgrade their centralized treatment plant or provide POU/POE treatments to customers. The researchers, Kaycie Lane, Emily Kumpel, John Tobiason, and David Reckhow, examined environmental, economic, and public health impact smaller water systems should review in determining how best to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). These small drinking-water systems often suffer from repeated SDWA violations that necessitate upgrades to the existing centralized systems to achieve compliance.
Using IAPMO’s Water Demand Calculator for Energy, Carbon, and Water Savings
Using the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Water Demand Calculator as an alternative to sizing methods in traditional plumbing codes can result in energy, carbon, and water savings with no change to how residents use plumbing fixtures in their homes every day. IAPMO commissioned Arup to analyze and better understand the Water Demand Calculator’s potential for sustainability savings. Arup compared using the Water Demand Calculator with the Hunter’s curve method found standard in both the Uniform Plumbing Code and International Plumbing Code for sizing domestic hot-water systems in four residential use cases. The analysis included a single-family home and six-unit, 45-unit, and high-rise multifamily residences. Arup’s study found that when the Water Demand Calculator is used for domestic water design for residential buildings, there are resulting operational energy and embodied carbon savings in all four of the use cases, as well as water savings in the noncirculating units. The Water Demand Calculator is the first significant update for water pipe sizing in building since Hunter’s curve was developed more than 80 years ago. The Water Demand Calculator predicts peak water demand for single and multifamily dwellings and removes the need for assigning fixture units to plumbing fixtures and corresponding to Hunter’s probability curve. Instead, it directly calculates peak demand using algorithms based on the building size.
AWWA’s 2023 State of the Water Industry Reports Sector Optimism on the Rise Despite climate change-related challenges, threats to water supply, and other obstacles, water sector optimism and preparedness is on the rise, according to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) 2023 State of the Water Industry report, which is now available to download for free. The 2023 report provides insight into issues such as aging infrastructure, how utilities are addressing technology needs, what kinds of capital improvement projects are most prevalent, how utilities are financing projects, and more. Since 2004, AWWA has published the annual State of the Water Industry report based on survey results to help water utilities, service providers, regulators, and researchers identify and prepare for challenges, opportunities, and trends impacting the water community.
Eileen Snyder of Pace® Earns ASTM International President’s Leadership Award
Pace® Analytical Services regional technical coordinator Eileen Snyder has been awarded ASTM International’s 2023 President’s Leadership Award, recognizing her 40 years of leadership in helping to set the standards followed by environmental professionals across the globe. At Pace®, Snyder supports project chemists and remediation professionals with analytical methods selection and data reporting to meet regulatory and technical requirements and project data quality objectives. Snyder serves on working groups including the Society for Women Environmental Professionals, the Sediment Remediation Work Group Interstate Technical Regulatory Council, and the New Jersey Laboratory Advisory Committee, where she previously served as chair.
National Ground Water Association Publishes Guidance on Tracking Pollution Via Groundwater
The National Ground Water Association published a new white paper on tracking point source pollution that is conveyed through groundwater to surface water. The paper, “Evaluating Groundwater Conveyance of Point Source Pollution to a Navigable Water as Functionally Equivalent to Direct Discharge,” has been made free to the public to encourage a better understanding of the process in which contaminants may travel through groundwater. The idea for the paper originated after the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court opinion was released in County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. The case examined whether the Clean Water Act requires a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit when pollutants are conveyed from a point source to water that is protected by the federal government under the Clean Water Act.
Central Arkansas Water Employees Awarded AWWA’s Heroism Award
AWWA has awarded its Heroism Award to two Central Arkansas Water employees and its Innovation Award to the Regional Municipality of York. The Heroism Award recognizes an act of heroism performed by water utility professionals who put themselves in personal danger while doing so. Stephen Shirley, a Central Arkansas Water foreman, and Chris Duncan, a water distribution specialist II, helped two injured gunshot victims who were involved in a three-vehicle car accident at an intersection in front of their crew truck.
AWWA’s Innovation Award recognizes a member who has inspired or implemented an innovative idea, best practice, or solution to benefit the water sector. This year it was awarded to the Regional Municipality of York for developing a machine learning project for managing inflow and infiltration.
IAPMO’s Water Demand Calculator Version 2.2 Available for Download
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has announced that the Water Demand Calculator version 2.2 is now available for download. While the basic template of version 2.1 of the calculator remains intact, version 2.2 includes several new features, including an algorithm called the method of convolution to replace exhaustive enumeration. An updated user guide is also available for version 2.2.
Becker Named 2024 Darcy Distinguished Lecturer by National Ground Water Association and Groundwater Foundation
Matthew W. Becker has been selected as the 2024 Darcy Distinguished Lecturer by the National Ground Water Association and Groundwater Foundation. Becker is currently the Conrey Chair in hydrogeology and professor of Earth sciences at California State University, Long Beach, and has previously worked with NASA, Los Alamos National Labs, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the University at Buffalo. Becker, specializing in the research of fluid flow in complex surface environments, will be presenting two lectures throughout the year: “Fiber Optic Distributed Sensing as a Window on Subsurface Flow” and “How Groundwater Impacts the People and Ecosystems of the South Pacific Islands.”
Steve Aiken Earns Highest MWEA Honor
Duperon regional sales manager Steve Aiken has been named the recipient of the Michigan Water Environment Association (MWEA) Dan Wolz Clean Water Award for Environmental Excellence. As the highest MWEA honor, the award is reserved for individuals of admirable character who have demonstrated exemplary service to the MWEA and made distinctive contributions to the water environment field. Aiken has been with Duperon Corporation since 2010 and helps customers in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Wisconsin identify the best solutions to meet screening and processing needs. A prior president of MWEA and a longtime member of the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers, Aiken has also remained active with both local and national Water Environment Federation chapters.
EPA Awards More Than $50 Million to Assist Communities in Accessing Clean and Safe Drinking Water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $50.4 million in annual funding to communities most in need of access to clean and safe drinking water. The funding will support projects and activities in underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities to access and invest in water infrastructure and comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Grant funding can support a broad range of approaches, including household water testing and monitoring for unregulated drinking-water contaminants. Funds may also support efforts to build the technical, financial, and managerial abilities of a water system’s operations and staff. Infrastructure projects, including transmission, distribution, and storage, that support drinking-water quality improvements are also eligible for grant funding.
CANADA
CIPH Board Elected, Awards Given at Annual Conference
David Hammond, president and general manager of A.O. Smith Enterprises Ltd., was elected as the 76th chair of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH). The new 2023-2024 CIPH board now includes Sian Smith, Allen Taylor, Sean Kelly, David Hammond, Ralph Suppa, Matt Robinson, Andrew Dyck, Brent Cornelissen, Rita Woodley, Sebastien Laforge, François Deschênes, Julie Storey, Barbara O’Reilly, Paul Blaik, David Succurro, Garth Wallin, Norm Bajwa, Ryan Bristow, and Lisa Pratt.
Ralph Suppa and Dave Edison were awarded Honorary Life Membership Awards at the CIPH 90th Annual Business Conference. Dahl Valve Limited was selected by the CIPH Manufacturers’ Agent Council as the 2023 recipient of the Golden Leaf Award.
Sian Smith was recognized with CIPH’s Women of Distinction Award, and Sean Kelly and Michael Saragosa received Outstanding Service Awards. Lance MacNevin was awarded the Canadian Hydronics Council Award of Merit.
EUROPE
CERAFILTEC Celebrates Inauguration of Production, Science, and Technology Center
CERAFILTEC welcomed more than 200 guests from around the world to the inauguration of its Production, Science, and Technology Center in Saarbrücken, Germany. CERAFILTEC’s new location is Europe’s largest production facility, enabling an annual supply of ceramic flat membranes to treat 3,000,000 cubic meters per day of water and wastewater. Filtration modules for projects totaling 200,000 cubic meters per day capacity are already produced and stocked for immediate shipment. The facility also incorporates CERAFILTEC’s research and development, engineering operations, and administration.
Naomi Park Wins U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Naomi Park of Greenwich, Connecticut, has been named the national winner of the 2023 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Park’s research explored collecting Styrofoam debris in the ocean and then using that material as a filter to reduce ocean carbon levels. Park received a $10,000 prize and will travel to Stockholm to represent the United States at the international competition. The competition is open to projects focused on improving water quality, resource management, protection, and drinking-water and wastewater treatment.
Other students who received awards include runners-up Saranya Anantapantula, for research on using gypsum as a low-cost and natural control for algal blooms, and Jay Wankhede and Neel Bhattacharyya for their prototype water buoy, which is designed to predict harmful algal blooms. Garrett Ordoñez received the Xylem Inc. Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water Scholarship for research on Las Vegas residents and the psychology of choice related to publicly supported xeriscape lawn programs. Grace Leavitt received the James L. Condon Recognition for Environmental Stewardship for work in developing a bioplastic alternative to single-use plastics.