In the latest episode of AMS Talks, Abigail Cantor, P.E., Chemical Engineer at Process Research Solutions LLC. discusses a collaboration project with Madison Water Utility to evaluate real-time monitoring of lead and copper in drinking water. This project is particularly timely given the recent EPA proposal to update regulations for reducing lead and copper exposure through drinking water. The proposed regulation will rely more heavily on using lead and copper monitoring and testing apparatuses that have historically lacked real-time data on water corrosivity, crucial for managing fluctuating lead and copper levels in water. Cantor outlines an innovative testing apparatus approach that mimics residential plumbing and incorporates automated online AMS MetalGuard™  lead and copper monitors to provide more frequent and real-time analysis. Utilities looking to adopt a cutting-edge monitoring and testing approach for lead and copper in drinking water systems will not want to miss this interview.

The fully automated SafeGuard™ H2O technology produces a non-toxic stannous reagent onsite and on demand using an in-situ electrolytic generator and a certified precursor. As a cost-effective and efficient solution for municipal and industrial users, SafeGuard™ H2O removes Cr(VI), Fe, H2S, Hg, Pb, and Se from water and wastewater. It also acts as an antibiofilm, antimicrobial reagent for produced water, and as a corrosion inhibitor in distribution networks and cooling systems.

Aigües de Barcelona has systematically addressed the complexities of managing DBPs in its extensive distribution network by adopting AMS’ DaaS technology to monitor its water quality, provide process control and ensure regulatory compliance analysis. The introduction of THM-100™, an online trihalomethane (THM) and THM Formation Potential (THM-FP) analyzer with > 98.5% data availability and uptime, and subsequent process optimizations have led to significant achievements. THM levels at the treatment plants saw an 86% decrease, with a parallel 53% reduction throughout the distribution network. These improvements have also translated into a substantial economic benefit, saving the utility an estimated 30,000€ monthly in operational costs, minimizing energy costs and reducing carbon emissions.

The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) regulation will rely more heavily on using lead and copper testing and monitoring apparatuses. These apparatuses have issues around sampling constraints and lack real-time data on water corrosivity to anticipate the risk of lead/copper corrosion before it happens in homes/schools/daycares. This is where the benefit of real-time lead and copper monitoring in drinking water systems can significantly contribute to a water system’s compliance with the proposed lead and copper action levels outlined in the LCRI. The automatic, unattended online MetalGuard™ analyzer from AMS provides high-frequency, timely, and accurate predictive data to stakeholders on their exposure to lead or copper contamination risks.

To help manage disinfection by-products (DBPs), the City of Santa Cruz Water Department (SCWD) used an online trihalomethane (THM) analyzer to obtain real-time and reliable data on THM and THM Formation Potential (THM-FP) levels within the Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant and distribution network. The THM-100 online THM analyzer aided the SCWD in daily operations and management of feasibility studies to reduce distribution system THM levels.

In this episode of AMS Talks, Industry Consultant Nadia Abboud speaks with AMS Senior Product Manager Vladimir Dozortsev, Ph.D., about the evolution of the SafeGuard™ H2O technology into new markets and applications by expanding into the on-site generation of a strong iron-based oxidizing reagent. The reagent can be used to treat a range of contaminants across municipal and industrial applications, including food and beverage, mining, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor. SafeGuard™ H2O provides sustainable, cost-effective and reliable water and wastewater treatment for facilities seeking environmentally friendly solutions that also reduce their reliance on bulk chemicals.

For over a decade, the Brunswick & Topsham Water District (BTWD) in Maine has used the AMS THM-100™ online THM analyzer to help manage trihalomethane (THM) concerns. Over the years, the online THM analyzer has been proven a valuable tool for the utility, enabling it to understand its treatment processes better and optimize operations. In this episode of AMS Talks, Craig Douglas, P.E., General Manager at BTWD, discusses the district’s unconventional THM management journey and how the real-time data from the THM-100™ analyzer opened the utility staff’s eyes to the impact of the operational decisions they were making.

In this episode of AMS Talks, Industry Consultant Nadia Abboud speaks with Rick Bacon, CEO of Aqua Metrology Systems (AMS), about the significance and impact of the company’s recent achievements and award recognitions. First, AMS was selected by Sacyr iChallenges for its open innovation programs as one of the three companies appointed as Sacyr’s global partner for online water quality monitoring. In addition, it was recently announced that AMS was chosen as the North & Northwest Breakthrough Winner of The Spectator Economic Innovator of the Year Award in partnership with Investec.

With increasing concerns about the quality of bulk reagents such as bulk ferric chemicals that are widely used in the water treatment industry, utilities are seeking alternative, more carbon neutral, and environmentally friendly treatment methods. AMS’ SafeGuard™ H2O technology is a sustainable alternative that responds to that need. SafeGuard™ H2O has numerous advantages over traditional coagulation processes that depend on bulk ferric chloride. The system’s on-site generation of a ferrous/ferric reagent requires a smaller footprint, and it offers greater reliability to utilities looking to reduce GHG emissions. SafeGuard™ H2O also has a 30 – 50% lifetime cost advantage, considering the cost of purchasing bulk chemicals, manual process supervision, and waste disposal. SafeGuard™ H2O is poised to replace the use of hazardous bulk reagents since it does not compromise the quality of drinking water, harm the environment and it can be produced using renewable energy sources and stored for later use when these are unavailable.