The 10 most read stories of 2024
It has been a fascinating year for everyone involved in water, from increased regulation to PFAS destruction, and from renewable energy powered desalination new ceramic membrane technology, and so much more. You can catch up with the most read stories across our online platform in 2024 with our Top 10 countdown, below:
10) Day Zero: Will Mexico City run out of water?
Mexico City, home to over nine million people, with more than 22 million living in its metropolitan area, was close to running out of water this year thanks to a combination of low rainfall, high temperatures and ageing infrastructure. It is also sinking:
9) What lies beneath: Harnessing the potential of heat from sewage
Sewage heat recovery is gaining momentum as a reliable and renewable energy solution. We delved into this innovative world to understand why water companies are beginning to invest in this forward-thinking approach:
8) Dutch government's plan to save drinking water includes greywater recycling
The Dutch government set out plans to conserve drinking water. We unpicked the key points from The National Plan of Action to Save Drinking Water which tasked households, businesses and developers with conserving and reusing water:
7) Desalination deemed essential in Spain as drought grips tighter
We spoke to Domingo Zarzo, president of Spanish desalination and water reuse association, about his country's plans to invest €200 million into "unconventional waters" to tackle one of the worst droughts to hit the nation:
6) Portable graphene sensor offers on-site PFAS detection
It was another bumper year for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) stories, with increased regulation and a tech-led race to detect and destroy the forever chemicals. One such solution, was a portable graphene sensor developed in France that can detect traces below the European Union threshold, allowing for rapid on-site testing and identification:
5) Largest solar-powered RO plant to be supplied by Veolia
The need to secure supplies of clean drinking water resulted in a number of large desalination projects being commissioned, including the Hassyan seawater desalination plant in Dubai, which its commissioners claim will be the second largest reverse osmosis plant in the world and the largest powered solely by solar energy. Once operational it will provide drinking water to two million people:
4) PFAS: all-in-one remove and destroy solutions
Another PFAS entry in our Top 10 most read stories. We looked at two companies operating catch and destroy solutuions. US-based Gradiant uses micro-foam fractionation and a destruction engine in its all-in-solution, while in Belgium, Waterlau agreed to use Oxyle's solution which destroys and mineralizes all PFAS:
3) Essential Guide: Energy from Wastewater
Wastewater, typically perceived as a challenge, possesses substantial potential as a renewable energy source. In this guide we explored the benefits and value of wastewater beyond its traditional perception as waste:
2) China's South-North Water Diversion Project: Navigating progress and challenges
Over six decades in the making, China's ambitious South-North Water Transfer Project is a colossal attempt to address the stark contrast in water resources between southern and northern China. We looked at how the enormous infrastructure project has been progressing, from its origins to the challenges it faces in realising its full potential:
1) Viewpoint: Ceramic membrane adoption to accelerate
As Europe edges closer to regulating the production of PVDF membranes - key contributors to PFAS pollution - the water industry finds itself at a critical crossroads. In our most read article of 2024, Julius Gloeckner, chief growth officer at CERAFILTEC, explains why implementing a ban on PVDF membranes will help the membrane market transition to a more sustainable and PFAS-free future:
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