In the 1990s, Los Angeles faced a choice—keep discharging treated water into the harbor or find a smarter way to use it. Instead of extending its outfall pipe, LA Sanitation joined forces with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which had been injecting potable water into the Dominguez…
Los Angeles is turning recycled water into real-world resilience—protecting aquifers from seawater intrusion, powering industry, gaining public support, and building a next-generation supply that reduces dependence on imported sources. At Terminal Island, Dean Taylor explains how this pioneering facility evolved from discharging into the harbor to producing advanced treated water…
Permits for wastewater plants only move in one direction — tighter and tougher. Each time a facility discharges into a river, lake, or ocean, it must meet stricter limits on nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen to protect ecosystems downstream. That means utilities can’t just monitor anymore — they must remove.…
Inside every wastewater plant, there’s a living workforce — microscopic organisms that break down pollutants and keep our water clean. But sudden changes in what flows in can threaten that delicate biology. That’s why modern utilities use real-time online testing to detect issues like pH shifts, suspended solids, and heavy…
Every storm — or dry spell — changes what flows into our water treatment plants. From rainstorms that pick up pollutants to droughts and conservation efforts that make it more concentrated, utilities are facing influent chemistry that’s in constant flux. These shifts challenge plants built decades ago to handle a…
#WaterQuality #WaterTechnology #watermanagement #SmartWater Utilities across the country are facing shifting water quality challenges — from changing influent chemistry to tightening discharge limits. This demands smarter monitoring and faster response. In this episode, Carlos Williams of Hach shares how utilities are adapting to this evolving landscape through advanced analysis and…
Traditionally, it could take months for sewer inspection footage to be reviewed and analyzed—leaving cities to make decisions based on outdated information. Now, AI and cloud processing are giving utilities a current, living view of their underground systems. By rapidly analyzing inspection videos and comparing new data to past results,…
Across the country, water utilities face a growing workforce crisis — not just from retirements, but from invisibility. Few people truly understand what happens behind the scenes to deliver safe, reliable water every day. And often, even those already working in the sector don’t recognize the value of their own…
Artificial intelligence is taking on one of the dirtiest jobs in infrastructure—sewer inspections. By using computer vision and cloud-based analysis, new technology can automatically detect and classify defects in underground pipes, turning hours of manual work into faster, more reliable insights. Eric Sullivan of SewerAI explains how this shift is…
#ai #watertechnology #smartinfrastructure #wastewater Artificial intelligence is transforming how cities understand and manage their underground water infrastructure. In this episode, Eric Sullivan of SewerAI explains how computer vision and the cloud are revolutionizing the inspection and maintenance of wastewater systems. Technology automatically detects and classifies defects in sewer pipes using…
The future of water reuse won’t just be built in treatment plants — it will be built by people. Joone Kim-Lopez of Moulton Niguel Water District says the next wave of innovation depends on a workforce that’s technically skilled, creative, and passionate. From mastering advanced treatment systems to earning new…
At the Orange County Water District, research drives reliability in recycling. Megan Plumlee explains how her team focuses on two core challenges of potable reuse — perfecting the treatment technologies that purify water and advancing the monitoring systems that guarantee its quality. By partnering with startups, universities, and engineering firms,…
The critical intersection of artificial intelligence and water management was in focus at WEFTEC 2025 with the launch of the Water-AI Nexus Center of Excellence, a new collaboration bringing together leaders from technology, research, and utilities. Its overarching focus is on two priorities: 💧 Water for AI — ensuring AI…
When wastewater solids contain PFAS, land application can release these chemicals back into the environment — potentially reaching soil, wildlife, and even drinking water. Peter Grevatt of The Water Research Foundation says the challenge now is to step back and ask bigger questions: if not land application, then where should…
When it comes to water reuse, Orange County doesn’t just lead—it teaches. Mehul Patel of the Orange County Water District says transparency has been key to their global impact. From opening data and operating details to guiding new projects, OCWD freely shares the lessons learned from the world’s largest advanced…
Sometimes the most powerful innovations start with a simple idea—and a splash of color. In the 1980s, engineers at the Irvine Ranch Water District needed a way to distinguish recycled water from drinking water. Blue, green, and red were already taken—so they picked purple. That choice, sparked partly by a…
Orange County shows how water recycling moves from idea to impact—linking history, science, and workforce to make reuse mainstream. At Irvine Ranch Water District, Paul Cook explains how a simple visual breakthrough—the now-iconic purple pipe—was created in the 1980s to clearly mark recycled water and build public trust, a standard…
Along the banks of the Rio Grande in Laredo, Texas, a 40-acre stretch of land tells a story of resilience — and renewal. Once overrun by invasive plants and scarred by destructive borderland management practices, this riparian zone is now being restored through science and community action. Martin Castro, Watershed…
PFAS destruction may soon get a major energy-saving upgrade — using the same technology that heats your lunch. Researchers supported by The Water Research Foundation have discovered that microwaves can regenerate activated carbon and destroy PFAS at a fraction of the energy needed for incineration. The team is now exploring…
Annabelle Rayson’s journey into water science began on the shores of Lake Huron and has grown into an award-winning pursuit of global impact. A student at Harvard University and winner of the 2022 Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Annabelle shares how her childhood curiosity about the Great Lakes evolved into groundbreaking…
SUEZ is opening its playbook of 160 years of water engineering and operational expertise — not to compete, but to collaborate. Abigail Antolovich of SUEZ explains how the company is licensing its process technologies to local partners and integrators, allowing them to combine global innovation with regional know-how. As part…
It looks like someone spilled green paint across Baltimore’s Inner Harbor — but this eerie glow isn’t pollution. It’s a pistachio tide, caused by sulfur-loving bacteria rising from the harbor’s depths as warm days and cold nights flip the water column. When sunlight hits the surface, ultraviolet light reacts with…
For more than a decade, SUEZ has helped over 100 U.S. utilities use digital technology to design smarter water networks and operate treatment plants more efficiently. Now, the company is going a step further—bringing its proven treatment technologies, intellectual property, and global expertise directly to North America. Joshua Cantone of…
SUEZ is aiming to ignite innovation in North America by bringing its 160 years of global water expertise and thousands of patented treatment technologies to utilities across the continent. In this conversation from WEFTEC, Joshua Cantone and Abigail Antolovich of SUEZ share how the company is focused on empowering utilities…