Our industry moves fast. New equipment hits the market, crews adapt to changing regulations and infrastructure demands, and municipalities continue searching for smarter ways to maintain treatment plants and sewer/water systems. To help readers stay caught up, we’re rounding up some of the most-read stories from May on Treatment Plant Operator.
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5. Building a Solid Team at Your Plant Starts Before Training
When performance slips, the knee-jerk reaction is often to mandate more training, but formal classes cannot fix a workplace foundation built on unclear expectations or inadequate tools. Read this article to find out the six leadership steps you should implement to build a high-performing team.
4. Chemists Develop Solar-Powered Crystal Lattice That Captures Water From Air
Chemists at the University of Iowa have developed a 3D lattice capable of pulling water directly from the air using only freely available sunlight. Read the full story to discover how this intelligent water harvesting technology physically rearranges its molecular architecture under ultraviolet light to trap ambient moisture.
3. EPA Proposes Partial Rollback of PFAS Drinking Water Regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced a proposed partial rollback of Biden-era regulations targeting PFAS in public drinking water. Explore the debate surrounding this move, as water utility associations welcome the extended compliance deadlines for critical infrastructure planning.
2. Main Break Triggers State of Emergency in Michigan
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently declared a state of emergency after a 42-inch Great Lakes Water Authority transmission line ruptured in Oakland County. The catastrophic break caused widespread drops in water pressure and disrupted service to several municipalities, resulting in boil water advisories.
1. WWTP Operator in Georgia Charged With Falsifying Water Safety Reports
The operator of a privately managed wastewater treatment plant in Fort Gaines, Georgia, faces federal criminal charges for allegedly polluting the Chattahoochee River and fabricating water safety reports. Following a mid-April grand jury indictment, the operator is accused of violating the Clean Water Act by altering documents to conceal the discharge of raw sewage.
