Welcome to the Water Quality Association podcast. Eric Yeggy, MWS, WQA’s Technical Affairs Director, joins the podcast for one of our most popular annual episodes: top contaminant concerns and technical priorities for the year ahead.
Eric begins with a recap of WQA technical affairs work in advocacy and education, standards engagement, and member-facing research tools. He explains why overlapping or poorly validated standards create confusion for regulators and inspectors, can drive duplicate testing, and may increase costs that ultimately reach end users.
He then reviews last year’s contaminant predictions—lead and PFAS remaining in the spotlight, ongoing arsenic concerns, and growing attention on disinfection byproducts, including new research into unregulated compounds. Looking ahead to 2026, Eric addresses the question many members are asking: whether EPA will drop proposed drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS, and why he believes that is unlikely. He also highlights key issues to watch in Lead and Copper Rule implementation (including how “disturbance” is interpreted) and flags lithium as an emerging topic worth monitoring.
The episode closes with actionable steps for members: education programs, technical support requests, webinars, and WQA Convention (April, Miami Beach -- https://wqa.org/convention).
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Welcome to the Water Quality Association podcast. Eric Yeggy, MWS, WQA’s Technical Affairs Director, joins the podcast for one of our most popular annual episodes: top contaminant concerns and technical priorities for the year ahead.
Eric begins with a recap of WQA technical affairs work in advocacy and education, standards engagement, and member-facing research tools. He explains why overlapping or poorly validated standards create confusion for regulators and inspectors, can drive duplicate testing, and may increase costs that ultimately reach end users.
He then reviews last year’s contaminant predictions—lead and PFAS remaining in the spotlight, ongoing arsenic concerns, and growing attention on disinfection byproducts, including new research into unregulated compounds. Looking ahead to 2026, Eric addresses the question many members are asking: whether EPA will drop proposed drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS, and why he believes that is unlikely. He also highlights key issues to watch in Lead and Copper Rule implementation (including how “disturbance” is interpreted) and flags lithium as an emerging topic worth monitoring.
The episode closes with actionable steps for members: education programs, technical support requests, webinars, and WQA Convention (April, Miami Beach -- https://wqa.org/convention).
#408 - Cautious Optimism: Inside the WQA Manufacturer Confidence Report
The WQA Podcast
21 minutes 11 seconds
4 months ago
#408 - Cautious Optimism: Inside the WQA Manufacturer Confidence Report
💡 Where does the water treatment industry stand today? In this episode, we break down the WQA Manufacturer Confidence Report — revealing key trends, surprising insights, and the biggest challenge every manufacturer must prepare for.
The latest survey reflects cautious optimism among water treatment manufacturers. We discuss what it really means, how capital expenditure trends reveal a strong push toward innovation and efficiency, and what may be the single greatest challenge facing manufacturers today.
👉 Be sure to follow along for more insights at the upcoming Mid-Year Leadership Conference, where fresh data and perspectives will be shared. Learn more at https://wqa.org/mylc.
The WQA Podcast
Welcome to the Water Quality Association podcast. Eric Yeggy, MWS, WQA’s Technical Affairs Director, joins the podcast for one of our most popular annual episodes: top contaminant concerns and technical priorities for the year ahead.
Eric begins with a recap of WQA technical affairs work in advocacy and education, standards engagement, and member-facing research tools. He explains why overlapping or poorly validated standards create confusion for regulators and inspectors, can drive duplicate testing, and may increase costs that ultimately reach end users.
He then reviews last year’s contaminant predictions—lead and PFAS remaining in the spotlight, ongoing arsenic concerns, and growing attention on disinfection byproducts, including new research into unregulated compounds. Looking ahead to 2026, Eric addresses the question many members are asking: whether EPA will drop proposed drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS, and why he believes that is unlikely. He also highlights key issues to watch in Lead and Copper Rule implementation (including how “disturbance” is interpreted) and flags lithium as an emerging topic worth monitoring.
The episode closes with actionable steps for members: education programs, technical support requests, webinars, and WQA Convention (April, Miami Beach -- https://wqa.org/convention).
