<p>This column has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with how small sampling populations can be motivating even if they are not statistically significant. Before we get too far ahead, let me give you some background.</p><p>Recently I had the opportunity to participate as a speaker at CoBank's annual Energy and Water Executive Forum in Salt Lake City. CoBank is a rural-America cooperative bank that, among many other critical services, helps rural water and wastewater utilities with their financial solutions. Many of these utilities are AWWA members.</p><p>CoBank had heard about AWWA's Water 2050 program and invited me to share the forward-looking initiative with its members. As it turned out, I did not share the most surprising information—CoBank's rural water utility attendees did.</p><p>After describing the background, inclusive process, and goals of Water 2050, I presented six of the strategic recommendations. I asked attendees to categorize each one according to achievability and impact. Tables 1 and 2 display the results for two of the recommendations: (1) Establish full cost rates and affordable access to water and (2) Achieve economies of scale through consolidation of utilities. The great news is that in both cases, these Water 2050 recommendations were mostly viewed as having a positive future impact.</p><p>In Table 1, 60% of the respondents felt establishing full cost rates was both highly achievable and highly impactful. I have labeled this category “Transformative.” Another 26% of the respondents also felt this recommendation would have a high impact but that achievability would be low. That makes sense to me. The exciting part is that 86% of the respondents agreed that full cost rates would result in a high impact that is positive for the future, and most felt it was a highly achievable goal, while others (26%) felt achieving the positive impact would be an “epic” feat.</p><p>Table 2 shows similar results, with most respondents recognizing that consolidating utilities would have a positive future impact. However, among this group, the expectations of achievability were more evenly distributed than in Table 1, indicating that extra effort will be needed to succeed in these epic feats.</p><p>CoBank's Executive Forum was the first time I had done this—asking water professionals to evaluate the likelihood that a Water 2050 recommendation would have a positive impact and be achievable. Frankly, while I was pleased and motivated by these results, I was also a bit surprised that the scales tipped as much as they did in support of the recommendations.</p><p>For those of you who notice that I have provided the “<i>n</i>” (i.e., sample size) for Tables 1 and 2 and that in both cases the sample size was just over 40, you might be thinking that 40 is not enough to have statistical confidence in these results. You are probably right; however, the results, even with their limitations, indicate that Water 2050 is on the right path, and
{"title":"Is Just Over 40 Enough?","authors":"David B. LaFrance","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2361","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This column has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with how small sampling populations can be motivating even if they are not statistically significant. Before we get too far ahead, let me give you some background.</p><p>Recently I had the opportunity to participate as a speaker at CoBank's annual Energy and Water Executive Forum in Salt Lake City. CoBank is a rural-America cooperative bank that, among many other critical services, helps rural water and wastewater utilities with their financial solutions. Many of these utilities are AWWA members.</p><p>CoBank had heard about AWWA's Water 2050 program and invited me to share the forward-looking initiative with its members. As it turned out, I did not share the most surprising information—CoBank's rural water utility attendees did.</p><p>After describing the background, inclusive process, and goals of Water 2050, I presented six of the strategic recommendations. I asked attendees to categorize each one according to achievability and impact. Tables 1 and 2 display the results for two of the recommendations: (1) Establish full cost rates and affordable access to water and (2) Achieve economies of scale through consolidation of utilities. The great news is that in both cases, these Water 2050 recommendations were mostly viewed as having a positive future impact.</p><p>In Table 1, 60% of the respondents felt establishing full cost rates was both highly achievable and highly impactful. I have labeled this category “Transformative.” Another 26% of the respondents also felt this recommendation would have a high impact but that achievability would be low. That makes sense to me. The exciting part is that 86% of the respondents agreed that full cost rates would result in a high impact that is positive for the future, and most felt it was a highly achievable goal, while others (26%) felt achieving the positive impact would be an “epic” feat.</p><p>Table 2 shows similar results, with most respondents recognizing that consolidating utilities would have a positive future impact. However, among this group, the expectations of achievability were more evenly distributed than in Table 1, indicating that extra effort will be needed to succeed in these epic feats.</p><p>CoBank's Executive Forum was the first time I had done this—asking water professionals to evaluate the likelihood that a Water 2050 recommendation would have a positive impact and be achievable. Frankly, while I was pleased and motivated by these results, I was also a bit surprised that the scales tipped as much as they did in support of the recommendations.</p><p>For those of you who notice that I have provided the “<i>n</i>” (i.e., sample size) for Tables 1 and 2 and that in both cases the sample size was just over 40, you might be thinking that 40 is not enough to have statistical confidence in these results. You are probably right; however, the results, even with their limitations, indicate that Water 2050 is on the right path, and","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/awwa.2361","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Filippo Losi, Fabio Pavan, Paolo Torassa, Christian Zanni
{"title":"Optimizing Hexavalent Chromium Removal in Italy","authors":"Filippo Losi, Fabio Pavan, Paolo Torassa, Christian Zanni","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2355","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"60-65"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"People in the News","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2359","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"78"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 (amended in 1986, 1996, and 2018) shows the tension between purity and safety, cost and benefits, and balancing risks, down to today's policy debates.
Following the 1996 amendments, regulatory successes include arsenic, radionuclides, filter backwash recycling, total coliform, disinfectants and disinfection byproducts, and enhanced surface water treatment.
With recent drinking water standards, such as the 2024 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances rule, based on very low detection levels, the SDWA continues to generate intense public dialogue.
{"title":"The Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: Another Identity Crisis","authors":"G. Tracy Mehan III","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2352","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 (amended in 1986, 1996, and 2018) shows the tension between purity and safety, cost and benefits, and balancing risks, down to today's policy debates.</p>\u0000 <p>Following the 1996 amendments, regulatory successes include arsenic, radionuclides, filter backwash recycling, total coliform, disinfectants and disinfection byproducts, and enhanced surface water treatment.</p>\u0000 <p>With recent drinking water standards, such as the 2024 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances rule, based on very low detection levels, the SDWA continues to generate intense public dialogue.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"42-51"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Educational Opportunities","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2357","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John Consolvo, Hunter Adams, Ruth Marfil-Vega, Charles D. Hertz
While sample collection to monitor drinking water quality is a routine practice, water utilities must be prepared to address emergencies stemming from contamination.
Having a plan for collecting and analyzing water samples during emergency response or other unusual circumstances better ensures actionable results.
Guidance is available to help laboratories prepare to support a utility's emergency response.
{"title":"Laboratory Planning for Emergency Response to Water Contamination Investigations","authors":"John Consolvo, Hunter Adams, Ruth Marfil-Vega, Charles D. Hertz","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2350","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>While sample collection to monitor drinking water quality is a routine practice, water utilities must be prepared to address emergencies stemming from contamination.</p>\u0000 <p>Having a plan for collecting and analyzing water samples during emergency response or other unusual circumstances better ensures actionable results.</p>\u0000 <p>Guidance is available to help laboratories prepare to support a utility's emergency response.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"22-30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How FEMA's Reimbursement Program Works After Declared Disaster Incidents","authors":"Eric T. Hatcher","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2353","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"52-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p>The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to work toward proposing revisions for Microbial and Disinfection Byproduct (MDBP) rules next year. These potential rule revisions are focused on the Surface Water Treatment Rules and Stage 1 and Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rules, covering eight contaminant candidates: (1) chlorite, (2) <i>Cryptosporidium</i>, (3) haloacetic acids, (4) heterotrophic bacteria, (5) <i>Giardia lamblia</i>, (6) <i>Legionella</i>, (7) total trihalomethanes, and (8) viruses.</p><p>Since the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) became law in 1974, US drinking water supplies have made monumental advances in protecting the public from microbial risks. This is, in part, thanks to a suite of seven MDBP rules that since 1996 have driven how water systems manage and balance these risks.</p><p>EPA is developing a proposed rulemaking, with the goal of publishing a proposal in summer 2025 and finalizing those revisions by February 2028. EPA is expected to complete required engagements with organizations representing state/local officials and small water systems in accordance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, Executive Order 13132—Federalism, and the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, respectively. Following these consultations, EPA will send the proposed rulemaking revising these rules to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review before publication.</p><p>AWWA's Government Affairs Office has worked with EPA and expert volunteers throughout this process, including hosting a series of workshops on MDBPs this summer to inform AWWA recommendations on the proposed rulemaking. Two of these workshops brought together subject matter experts, water utilities, and state regulators to discuss available data and potential revisions supported by the data. The third workshop allowed attendees to discuss potential revisions, available data, and research needs.</p><p>These discussions highlighted opportunities for EPA to enhance public health protection through rule revisions. There was broad support in the workshops for requiring certain water systems to conduct regular inspections of tanks for deficiencies that may threaten public health, establishing a minimum numeric secondary disinfectant residual level, and ensuring consecutive systems have the capacity to comply with water quality standards.</p><p>However, these discussions also emphasized the need for potential revisions to thoroughly consider the data (or lack thereof) to support potential revisions. Additionally, the discussions stressed the importance of considering both state regulator and utility staff capacity to implement the revised standards.</p><p>AWWA plans to continue working with EPA staff, state regulators, and expert volunteers, including representing water utilities as part of the consultations EPA is hosting with local officials and small water systems. These efforts will further support the rulemaking process
{"title":"Microbial and DBP Rule Revisions: Balancing Risks","authors":"Chris Moody","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2348","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to work toward proposing revisions for Microbial and Disinfection Byproduct (MDBP) rules next year. These potential rule revisions are focused on the Surface Water Treatment Rules and Stage 1 and Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rules, covering eight contaminant candidates: (1) chlorite, (2) <i>Cryptosporidium</i>, (3) haloacetic acids, (4) heterotrophic bacteria, (5) <i>Giardia lamblia</i>, (6) <i>Legionella</i>, (7) total trihalomethanes, and (8) viruses.</p><p>Since the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) became law in 1974, US drinking water supplies have made monumental advances in protecting the public from microbial risks. This is, in part, thanks to a suite of seven MDBP rules that since 1996 have driven how water systems manage and balance these risks.</p><p>EPA is developing a proposed rulemaking, with the goal of publishing a proposal in summer 2025 and finalizing those revisions by February 2028. EPA is expected to complete required engagements with organizations representing state/local officials and small water systems in accordance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, Executive Order 13132—Federalism, and the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, respectively. Following these consultations, EPA will send the proposed rulemaking revising these rules to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review before publication.</p><p>AWWA's Government Affairs Office has worked with EPA and expert volunteers throughout this process, including hosting a series of workshops on MDBPs this summer to inform AWWA recommendations on the proposed rulemaking. Two of these workshops brought together subject matter experts, water utilities, and state regulators to discuss available data and potential revisions supported by the data. The third workshop allowed attendees to discuss potential revisions, available data, and research needs.</p><p>These discussions highlighted opportunities for EPA to enhance public health protection through rule revisions. There was broad support in the workshops for requiring certain water systems to conduct regular inspections of tanks for deficiencies that may threaten public health, establishing a minimum numeric secondary disinfectant residual level, and ensuring consecutive systems have the capacity to comply with water quality standards.</p><p>However, these discussions also emphasized the need for potential revisions to thoroughly consider the data (or lack thereof) to support potential revisions. Additionally, the discussions stressed the importance of considering both state regulator and utility staff capacity to implement the revised standards.</p><p>AWWA plans to continue working with EPA staff, state regulators, and expert volunteers, including representing water utilities as part of the consultations EPA is hosting with local officials and small water systems. These efforts will further support the rulemaking process","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/awwa.2348","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Industry News","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2358","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2358","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"72-76"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Darren A. Lytle Honored With 2024 A.P. Black Research Award","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/awwa.2349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2349","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14785,"journal":{"name":"Journal ‐ American Water Works Association","volume":"116 9","pages":"10-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/awwa.2349","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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