RO Comes Standard

KCCI reports that Iowa homebuilder Hubbell Homes is making reverse osmosis standard in new townhomes, condos, and single-family homes built beginning September 1 in central Iowa. Bright Water Kinetico of Des Moines will supply the systems, and Hubbell says the typical $3,000 cost will not be passed on to buyers. The decision comes amid concern about drinking water: Central Iowa Water Works had operated its nitrate-removal facility for a record 193 days as of the report, while high river nitrate levels and lawn-watering demand contributed to two water restrictions. For water treaters, the builder relationship is just as notable as the equipment. Drinking-water treatment will be in place before these households move in, but buyers still need a replacement schedule, a maintenance contact, and a clear account of which claims the installed system can support. After all, standard equipment still needs service.

Earth.org reports that states and local governments are responding to PFAS contamination while proposed changes to federal drinking-water rules remain unresolved. EPA has proposed rescinding the 2024 limits for three PFAS and a related mixture measure. It has separately proposed allowing water systems to request until 2031 to meet the PFOA and PFOS limits. Neither proposal is final, and the PFOA and PFOS standards remain in place. In Tucson, Arizona, local agencies expanded sampling, shut down affected wells, and invested in treatment, although state law limited Arizona’s ability to set stricter drinking-water standards. Maine took another route, ending the application of PFAS-contaminated sludge to farmland and establishing a $60 million fund for affected farms. The authors caution that uneven state and local action still leaves some communities waiting for comparable protections, particularly where local resources are limited.

The latest WQA Podcast adds operational detail behind its Q3 Manufacturer Confidence Survey. The overall score was 55.6 out of 100, down slightly from 56.4 earlier this year. More than half of respondents reported seeing or expecting increased demand for point-of-use and point-of-entry products, though panelists cautioned that higher costs could slow purchases. Hiring, on the other hand, might be the more immediate constraint. Sean Caughron of the Chester Paul Company said dealer customers are recruiting installers and struggling to complete jobs they have already sold, let alone add branches. Sam Karge of A. O. Smith described similar competition for technicians and engineers among manufacturers. Caughron said the survey draws a roughly 20% response rate from manufacturing leaders, making it a snapshot rather than a forecast for every business.

BobVila.com reviewer Glenda Taylor installed the Waterdrop X16 to see how a tankless reverse osmosis system compared with the slower, tank-style units she had used before. Waterdrop rates the X16 at 1,600 gallons per day, but Taylor’s test was simpler: she filled a two-gallon jug and then a large pot without noticing a drop in flow. She also connected it to a refrigerator ice maker without the pressure trouble she had encountered with conventional RO. The three filters twist out independently, and the faucet shows when each needs attention. Its measured-dispensing feature matched the amounts she checked with measuring cups. Installation included an automatic 35-minute flush. The review lists Waterdrop’s NSF/ANSI 42, 58, and 372 certifications, but doesn’t independently test contaminant reduction or verify the company’s stated 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio.