Blog

Watertech U

Newsletter

Drop Test Kits

Contact

CALL (414) 425-3339

Request a Site Survey

We’ve built a state-of-the-art training facility to bring customers, strategic partners, community business leaders, and students together for educational and collaborative workshops on water management.

Watertech U hosts training sessions on a wide range of topics to include water chemistry, mechanical system operation and maintenance and best practices in commercial and industrial water treatment. Watertech U partners with the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences and The Water Council to introduce technologies aimed at solving regional, national, and global water issues. We serve as southeastern Wisconsin’s go-to industry resource for informational updates on current events, regulations, and recommended improvements.

New events coming soon.

FEATURED RESOURCE

24/7 access to some of our most popular Watertech U training events.

Don't have an account? Sign up:

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

Forgot your password? Click here

Enter your email address. If an account exists with that address, an email detailing how to reset the password will be sent to it.

RESET PASSWORD

Create Account

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

Already have an account? Log in:

Knowledge Center

Filter

Welcome to the Knowledge Center.
To store favorites or access our entire library, create an account.

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

Articles

EndoTherm Webinar

Save up to 15% on energy costs. EndoTherm can be installed into ANY hydronic heating, process, and chilled loop system.

Water Quality and Your Business: Tips for Re-opening After Closure

Technical document with tips for reopening a building after closure.

Water Treatment Media Review

An article from Water Conditioning & Purification that highlights various filtration media, their performance properties and best applications.

CMS Mandates Water Management Programs

Tufts University School of Medicine found that more than 617,000 hospitalizations from 1991 to 2006 were related to three common opportunistic waterborne pathogens.

National Healthcare Safety Network Surveys

Download the annual surveys from the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network.

CMS Requires Water Management Plans

CMS says WMP's are necessary to be compliant.

CMS Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk

CMS Memo to State Survey Directors

CDC Toolkit for Legionella Water Management Plans

This toolkit is designed to help people understand which buildings and devices need a Legionella water management program to reduce the risk for Legionnaires’ disease.

Emulsion Polymers in Dairy Wastewater Pretreatment

3 Key factors to consider when feeding an emulsion polymer.

CDC VitalSigns 2017

Legionaires' Disease – A problem for health care facilities.

CWT Brochure

When you see CWT you have one of the industry’s best working for you.

AWT Code of Ethics

Certified Water Technologists Code of Ethics

AWT Environmental Statement

AWT Environmental Statement The Association of Water Technologies (AWT) is an association of over 500 U.S. and international water treatment companies that provide water treatment programs for many diverse institutional, commercial and industrial water users.

U.S. Utility Executives' Water Worries

An article from Forbes addressing the importance of water to utility industry executives.

BSRIA Building Energy Consumption Guide

A guide describing a process for assuring that building design intention matches actual energy consumption.

Water Hardness Map

Map of the U.S. identifying the hardness of water in milligrams per liter in specific locations.

Improve Efficiency for Gas-Fired Boilers

Guidelines to improve boiler performance allowing you to achieve more cost effective maintenance of a steam system.

5 Effective Heat Recovery Scenarios

Five examples of how a plate heat exchanger can provide benefits for process heating applications.

Legionella & Legionellosis Prevention

Legionella guide from the World Health Organization.

EPA Boiler Emission Rules

Environmental Protection Agency rules governing large and small boilers used at area source facilities.

Avoiding Fouled Exchangers

Causes and solutions to fouling in heat exchangers.

Optimize Heat Exchangers

Strategies to optimize heat exchanger efficiency.

Chemically Treat Water to Control Problems

Identifying problems that a good water management system can control.

Importance of Boiler Logs

Boiler logging will reduce accidents, downtime, and equipment loss.

Water Maintenance and Boiler Scaling

Scale in boiler water systems is a very common issue. Consult with water treatment specialists to treat and prevent it.

Suggested Daily Boiler Log Program

A list of instrument readings to be taken daily and recorded in your boiler log.

Energy Management Basics

Energy management basics that should be a part of your everyday checklist routine.

Installation of Safety Valves

Partial listing of sizing and installation highlights for steam pressure system safety valves.

Guide to 50% Energy Savings

Guide to achieving 50% energy savings toward a net-zero energy building.

Water Treatment in Closed Systems

A guide to understanding chemical water treatment in cooling and boiler water systems.

Understanding Boiler Conductivity

A brief guide to better understanding boiler water conductivity.

Cooling Equipment Fall Shutdown

Information for proper fall shutdown of cooling equipment.

Building Energy Reduction Measures

Decrease your energy costs by using these proven effective guidelines.

Limit Water and Energy Use

Solutions for water use and energy reduction in order to increase your bottom line and protect the environment.

Ethanol Producer Water Conservation

Ideas to limit water use in ethanol production utilizing a "reduce, reuse, recycle" frame of mind.

Understanding the Water Footprint

Understanding our water footprint in order to better conserve water.

Reduce Costs with Step-down Filtration

Filtration using step-down particle retention can help reduce operating costs and achieve cleaner solutions.

Modern Chemistry and Industrial Water Treatment

Innovative chemistries, optimization of systems and water conservation as these topics relate to scale, corrosion and microbiological prevention.

Facilities Management - Benchmarking Systems

Benefits of online benchmarking systems for facilities management.

Why Know the Cost of Steam?

Knowing the cost of steam to improve your bottom line.

Energy Metrics for Buildings

Understanding energy metrics to limit energy use.

Saving Water in Dairy Operations

New ways to save water in dairy processing.

Facilities Energy Management

Energy reduction strategies for optimizing your bottom line.

5 Tips for Improving Safety Performance

Five helpful tips for integrating environment, health and safety into company culture.

Choosing a Chemical Feed Pump

Different selections of pumps for boiler water applications.

Zero Blowdown in Cooling Water Systems

Reduce your blowdown need to zero and cycle water without limit.

Boiler System Key Performance Indicators

Identifying key components of the boiler system and how water chemistry relates to Key Performance Indicators.

Piping Dead-Legs Warnings

Piping dead-legs, source of plant maintenance and safety incidents.

Starting a Boiler after Lay-Up

Necessary steps that need to be taken prior to starting boilers after a lay-up period.

Operating Cooling Towers in Freezing Weather

Ice control and different ice formations in various types of cooling towers.

Saving Water to Save Energy

Important connections and opportunities between water and energy.

Importance of Boiler Water Treatment

Water Quality Guidelines

Guidelines for maintaining optimal water quality in evaporation cooling equipment.

Cooling Tower Maintenance Check List

A checklist for monthly cooling tower maintenance.

Conversion Factors

Table of conversion factors.

Building-Associated Legionnaires Disease

10 ways that you can save time and money, prevent litigation and illness, and maybe even save a life as they relate to Legionella.

Minimizing Energy Costs with Free Cooling

Free cooling helps you reduce refrigeration energy consumption by using evaporative cooling equipment to produce chilled water in cool weather.

Boiler Logs Can Reduce Accidents

Explaining the different types of boiler logs, what these logs can tell you, and who is all responsible for these logs.

Primer on Polymer Handling

Benefits of using liquid polymers in water-treatment applications and accommodating their unique characteristics.

What to Consider When Selecting Green Cooling Towers

Criteria you should consider when evaluating your next cooling tower purchase.

Plants Often Miss Opportunities to More Fully use Hot Water

Tips from Chemical Processing to make fullest use of its hot water, and thus cutting energy consumption.

How To Destroy a Boiler Part 1

Part 1 - Describing some potentially catastrophic events that power and recovery boilers are prone to if not properly maintained.

How to Destroy a Boiler Part 2

Part 2 - Describing some potentially catastrophic events that power and recovery boilers are prone to if not properly maintained.

How to Destroy a Boiler Part 3

Part 3 - Describing some potentially catastrophic events that power and recovery boilers are prone to if not properly maintained.

Water Management Guide

General water management guide for facility managers.

Energy Savings in Large Office Buildings

Strategies for reducing energy savings in large office buildings by up to 50%.

Modern Cooling Tower Considerations: Sustainability & Efficiency

Sustainable and operational benefits of molded, HDPE cooling towers.

Preventing Boiler Scale

Maintenance requirements to prevent scale from occurring in your boiler.

Water Optimization in Chemical Plants

Optimization efforts taken by several chemical manufacturers to reduce their water footprint.

How to Improve Cooling Tower Efficiency

Understanding the key components of cooling towers and how to improve water efficiency.

Preventing Legionellosis Part 1

How to prevent/minimize Legionella in your water systems.

Blogs

Troubled by Weird Water Quality?

Learn what to do when you encounter unexpected results with your system's water quality.

Are you experiencing subcooling in your heat exchanger?

Learn about the negative effects of sub cooled condensate in your heat exchanger.

The Importance of Kinetic Leadership in the Workplace

Kinetic leaders can help their organization easily pivot and respond to challenges.

Preparing Yourself for Supply Chain Challenges in Water Treatment

Now is the time to work with your provider to come up with a contingency plan for supply chain challenges.

Oxidizing Biocides and Disinfectants – Applications, Benefits and Best Practices

Biocides can be used for many applications including healthcare, food & beverage, industrial, and commercial. Choosing the proper disinfection technology is critical.

How Smart is Your Water System?

Advanced water treatment sensors can improve system performance.

Time for Boiler Layup / Cooling Tower Start-up

Seasonal maintenance helps maintain equipment and improve efficiency.

Cooling Tower Cleanings are Necessary for a Safe System

Cooling tower cleanings are essential for maintaining a safe and healthy cooling system.

Boiler Inspection Time – Where is the Water Treatment Representative?

Boiler inspection time is validation time. This is the best opportunity to see how your water treatment program is working.

Avoid Giving Your Coils the Deep Freeze This Winter!

Now is the time to ensure your system's HVAC coils are freeze protected and working properly. A frozen coil not only causes water damage, there is also the replacement cost and downtime for repairs when it is least convenient.

How can you create predictable results from your water treatment program?

If you want to achieve predictable results from your water treatment program, you need a 3-pronged approach.

Save Energy and Reduce Carbon Footprint With EndoTherm

EndoTherm is an additive that is proven to reduce energy usage in heating and cooling closed loop recirculating systems.

Are You Ready for Cooling Layup / Boiler Startup?

Being proactive and thorough in your approach to maintenance saves time and money in the long run.

Are your cooling towers driving you buggy?

How to manage bacterial growth in cooling towers.

Aquafilm-V: Impact at a Wood Processing Facility

Aquafilm-V delivers some dramatic results and improvements.

Supply Chain Challenges and the Ripple Effect on Water Treatment

Many businesses are experiencing delays, shortages and price increases in the wake of the pandemic.

PFAS/PFOS: What is the real impact of “Forever Chemicals”?

The regulations are coming. What are you going to do about PFAS / PFOS?

The City put Chlorine into the water and now you need to remove it, sound familiar?

If you are relying on a municipal water source a dechlorination process may be necessary prior to discharge.

FreedomPlus Pretreatment

Is Your Plant’s Pre-Treatment Equipment A Top Priority? For Watertech, it is!

Reducing Legionella Risk: How and When to Address Water Safety in Buildings With Reduced Use

Guidance and recommended actions for returning water systems to regular use.

Why Choose a Full-service Water Treatment Partner?

Watertech offers a complete range of flexible business solutions to manage our customers’ needs.

Have You Set Your 2021 Sustainability Goals?

Watertech offers products and solutions to help meet your sustainability efforts.

What is the cost of feeding soft vs hard water to an RO?

Use these calculations to help determine if it might be time to consider using an Anti-Scalant.

Shutdown Recommendations and Procedures for HVAC Cooling Towers

HVAC cooling tower shutdown and cleaning recommendations from Watertech, OSHA, CDC and CTI.

Reduce Legionella Risk: Steps to Safely Reopen Closed or Semi-open Buildings

Stagnant water in a plumbing system can drastically increase the risk of exposure to Legionella and other harmful water borne pathogens.

Watertech: Swipe right to build a great vendor relationship!

What is the Impact of an RO System on a Boiler Water Treatment Program?

Increase Condensate Return, Increase Savings

Improving condensate return can save on water, energy and chemicals.

The Impact of Stagnant Water on Industrial and Potable Water Systems

Why should water treatment automation be a top priority?

Maximize the Potential of Pretreatment

40 Years of Maximizing Water’s Potential

Happy 40th Anniversary Watertech!

Boiler Corrective Actions

How to manage your boiler system when results are out of range.

Give Thanks for Water

5 Deaerator Problems and Corrective Actions

5 Deaerator problems to watch for to help ensure high quality feed water.

Softeners and Dealkalizers – does the salt you use make a difference?

Learn how the salt you choose can have a significant impact on system performance.

Tired of treating your water? Add a protective film to your system!

Filming agents prevent scale and corrosion by forming a protective layer on all metal surfaces.

Sensor Care and Cleaning

Tips to keep sensors clean and working effectively to help avoid operational challenges that are costly to correct.

Working with Water – Careers in the Water Industry

The number one threat to business development is access to fresh water. This has prompted more to seek careers in the water industry.

Cooling Corrective Actions

How to manage your cooling system when results are out of range.

Water Treatment Equipment – Innovation and Advancements

Advancements and innovations in water treatment equipment and controllers make life easier, but more importantly, provide ways to achieve better and more accurate results.

Boiler Blow Down Prevents Scale and Corrosion

When boiler water turns to steam solids are left behind. Bottom blowdown and surface blowdown are two methods to reduce solids and help maintain your system.

Side Stream Filtration

Side stream filtration is an important but often overlooked component of an effective cooling water treatment program.

New Year’s Resolutions for Industrial Water Treatment

January is a great time to reassess business strategies and include some water treatment resolutions that could improve the health of your company.

Water-Energy Nexus – Save water. Save energy.

Water and energy are very much interrelated and dependent upon one another, this co-dependency is called the Water-Energy Nexus.

Pulse~Pure® – A Chemical-Free Water Treatment Solution

Are you considering a chemical-free, cooling water treatment solution? It is important to fully understand your system design and the unique characteristics of your application when making a decision.

CannedWater4Kids – Drinking Water with a Purpose

Canned Water for Kids (cW4K) is a great local charity that is making a global impact to help ensure all children have access to clean, safe drinking water.

How to Make the Right Call When Ordering Glycol?

Ordering and receiving a glycol delivery should be a fairly straightforward and easy process; however, it takes some insight and planning to avoid complications.

Chloride Reduction Can Reduce Operating Costs & Minimize Impact on the Environment

Making changes in how you use salt in your facility can help protect our fresh water resources, and potentially reduce your operating costs.

The Hard Facts: Water Softener Tune-ups Help Maximize Water Quality and Reduce Cost!

Softeners are a critical component to the water treatment system. They help remove minerals to reduce scale and build-up in piping and heat transfer equipment.

Do You Know "Sloppy Sludge" from Shinola?

Sloppy sludge is a challenge in wastewater treatment. It pays to be informed on treatment equipment and how chemicals can impact this process.

What are Top Reasons an Organization Should Prioritize Safety?

Having a team that has been trained in proper safety procedures and practices ensures not only their own safety, but also the safety of customers.

The Impact of Switching to Lake Michigan Water on Waukesha’s Commercial & Industrial Users

The water characteristics of Waukesha’s existing water supply and Lake Michigan water are quite different and will require users to consider how they manage their boiler and cooling water water treatment..

How to Install and Maintain Boiler Conductivity Electrodes

Learning how to properly install and maintain your boiler conductivity electrode will help improve the performance of your boiler.

12 Days of Service

A holiday blog highlighting 12 days of service in the water industry. Happy 2017. Thank you for your partnership.

Have You Hugged Your Boiler Today?

How you maintain and operate your steam boiler has a direct effect on the amount of energy, water and chemicals it uses.

When Good Boilers Go Bad. Common Problems that Shorten the Life of Your Boiler!

This article outlines a few common problems that can damage or destroy a boiler. Providing proper water treatment and regular maintenance can help prolong equipment life.

Better Water Management - An Opportunity to Improve Sustainability and Reduce Cost

Industrial facilities use large amounts of fresh water. By reducing water usage, facilities also achieve reduced energy cost, chemical cost savings, and other benefits.

Improving Patient Safety Through Stronger Water Management

While it is important to be compliant with the latest laws and regulations, the focal point of any effective Water Management Plan should put patient safety first.

Choosing The Right Sanitizer Can Help You Master Food & Beverage Biological Wastewater Treatment

Sanitizers are required in food and beverage facilities. Choosing the right sanitizer can impact wastewater treatment.

Is Your Vendor a Supplier or a Partner?

When a vendor relationship is built on trust, good communication, and a sincere investment in your business, it will drive meaningful value and a sustained competitive advantage.

What to Consider When Selecting the Right Biocide

Choosing the right biocide saves money, by reducing downtime and maintenance costs, and increasing production efficiency.

Cooling System Preseason Checklist

The time invested in preparation for cooling system start-up can pay big dividends later in the season.

How to Make Cooling System Start-up a Breeze This Year

Proper preparation in the preseason is critical to ensure system efficiency, sustainability, and dependability.

6 Benefits of Employee Training & Development

An effective employee training strategy can help employees be more productive, confident and boost moral.

Healthy Microbes Are Key to “Superstar” Wastewater Management

Bioaugmentation can be a game-changer for wastewater management, breaking down organic matter and cleaning up waste streams.

Feedwater Tank vs. Deaerator: How to Choose

A comparison of feedwater tanks and deaerators for storing and treating boiler feedwater.

How Your Water Guy Can Help You With Your Digester

Waste-to-energy initiatives can greatly benefit communities by mitigating various environmental concerns like pathogen control, odor control, and groundwater contamination.

Tapping into water savings? Your first step is a site audit.

A site audit can identify ways to reduce water, chemical, and energy usage.

Watertech an Exhibitor at the 2016 WHEA Technical Exhibition

Watertech is an exhibitor at the 2016 WHEA Technical Exhibit in Green Bay

The Cost (Savings) of Automation

Automation allows facility managers and water system operators to be more efficient.

Why It Pays to Promote Your Sustainability Successes

Driving down the cost of water through initiatives that reduce and recycle water is good for business and good for the environment.

Lombardi Walk/Run To Tackle Cancer

Vince Lombardi Walk/Run to Tackle Cancer - Milwaukee

Drive Down Water Costs Immediately With These Simple Steps

Between the price volatility of water, a growing concern for freshwater supply, and the necessity of water use in production processes, maintenance, and human consumption, it can be difficult for business owners and facility managers to manage water use in a way that is both good for business and good for the environment.

Cooling Tower Operation and Maintenance is the Key for Improved Energy Efficiency

Are you showing your cooling tower the TLC it needs to be running at its peak performance efficiently?

Boiler Shutdown

If proper care is not taken during the shutdown stage, these solids can settle out in drums and tubes and dry to a hard, tightly held deposit that could require chemical or severe mechanical cleaning.

Continuous Blowdown Method of Boiler Layup

The CDP or Continuous Blowdown method of boiler layup consists of piping continuous surface blowdown from the operating boiler to the bottom of the stand-by boiler.

Maintaining Cycles of Concentration

Your water treatment specialist can help you determine what the maximum number of cycles is for your system.

Measuring and Controlling Dissolved Solids

Your water treatment company can help you set surface blowdown conductivity control limits that maintain the dissolved solids in a safe, economical range.

June 28th Symposium and Open House

On June 28th Watertech of America celebrated our first annual Symposium and Open House!

How to Meet New Phosphorus Limits with Wastewater Management

Don’t be dissuaded by new regulations designed to reduce phosphorus in the Great Lakes Region watershed. Take a holistic wastewater management approach to meet discharge limits and keep you in regulatory compliance.

Steps to Bottom Blowing a Boiler

Preferred method of performing the bottom blowdown.

Adjusting your Feedwater Temperature

Increasing your feedwater temperature to above 180 degrees F will help reduce your chemical usage of oxygen scavenger, increase your efficiency and reduce thermal stress.

Cycles of Concentration in a Cooling Water System

Water treatment programs should maximize the frequency at which its water is cycled to prevent scaling.

Efficient Summer Cooling Tower Operation

Hopefully you have been busy getting your cooling water systems ready for the demand of the coming months

Cycling Up Water in a Recirculating Cooling Tower System

As the water evaporates in a cooling tower system, it leaves behind all of the dissolved solids that were present in the fresh makeup water used to replenish system losses

Feedwater Temperature

What is a target temperature for your feedwater?

Choosing the Best Oxygen Scavenger for Your Boiler System

It is well known that one of the greatest threats to the integrity of a steam system is corrosion due to the effects of dissolved oxygen.

OSHA Compliance with Global Harmonization System (GHS)

OSHA aligning their Hazard Communication System (HCS) with the UN's Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

WATERTECH Youtube Channels

Watertech's Media!

Who Are Water Professionals

There are many people in the community that spend good parts of their day managing water.

Starting Up a Boiler After Summer Layup

Before you fire up your boiler, there are some steps one should take to insure the boiler is functioning properly and efficiently.

Guidelines for Detecting Microorganisms in Cooling Water Systems

Shedding some light on the causes behind cooling water contamination

Microorganisms in Cooling Water Systems

Plant operators focus their attention on controlling scale and corrosion, but often neglect monitoring for microorganism growth and the accumulation of silt and other foulants.

Polymer Flocculants in Detail

This blog, we will go deeper into discussion about each type of flocculants.

Polymer Flocculants

Polymer flocculants, what are they? and what are they used for?

Legionnaire's Disease in the News

July 23, 2013: Our community is currently experiencing a larger than normal rate of legionella infections, including 29 suspect and confirmed cases in Milwaukee County, 19 of which are in the city of Milwaukee.

Membrane Filter Tests

Running these membrane filter tests can keep your system running more efficiently

Identifying Problem Condensate Areas Using Membrane Filters

Boiler plant operators are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of their steam condensate systems.

Membrane Filter Procedure

Sampling for iron in condensate systems using the membrane filter procedure

Boiler Oxygen Corrosion

The damage caused by oxygen can be extensive and quite costly

Controlling Oxygen Corrosion

Mechanical deaeration and chemical deaeration are the methods for controlling this corrosion