Business
ADS President to Retire This Year
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has announced that Joseph A. Chlapaty intends to retire as the company’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board by the end of 2017. As part of the company’s succession plan, its Board of Directors has created a search committee and has hired rec..
New Jersey American Water Invests $2.6 Million in System Improvements
New Jersey American Water is investing over $2.6 million in new water mains in its service areas in Atlantic and Cape May Counties. The approximate 13,650 feet of new pipe replaces water main that was installed as far back as the 1910s. The aging water lines will be replaced with ductile iron pipes...
Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association Names New President
The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association has selected Patrick J. Hogan as President, bringing national expertise in governmental affairs to an industry group whose members champion the safe delivery of water through reliable infrastructure systems. Hogan has served in senior positions for..
Henkels & McCoy Names New VP – Executive Sponsor
Henkels & McCoy, Inc. has promoted Elsaid Wahba to the position of Vice President – Executive Sponsor. In this capacity, Wahba will be responsible for managing the Pipeline Division Project Management Office, which handles executive project sponsorship and management, business and proposal developme..
Armtec to Invest Millions in Large Diameter HDPE Pipe
Armtec is investing millions of dollars in equipment to manufacture large diameter high density polyethylene storm sewer pipe for the public and private infrastructure markets across Canada. The equipment will produce flexible pipe with bell and gasket joints, and will be certified to the appropriat..
People In The News
Toro The Toro Company has named Rick Rodier vice president of Sitework Systems Business. Rodier has been with Toro since 1987 and has held a variety of operational, marketing and business management roles, most recently as general manager of Sitework. He was also named the 2017 chairperson for The ..
PMI to Focus on Safe Water, Infrastructure in 2017
Plumbing Manufacturers International is focusing its 2017 advocacy on a series of efforts intended to educate policymakers about potential threats to safe drinking water, and the need for a restored national water infrastructure. While communications between PMI and policymakers about these issues ..
ARCOS Unveils Technology to Help Utilities Track Crews in Real Time
At the 14th annual ARCOS Conference, ARCOS® LLC announced it is adding Location Services technology to its Software-as-a-Service solutions to map the real-time location of utility crews. With Location Services, utility managers can continuously track users of the ARCOS Mobile app and store their loc..
New Jersey American Water Invests $3.1 Million in New Water Mains
Beginning this month, New Jersey American Water will invest $3.1 million in new water mains in Morris and Somerset counties. The project, which will take place in Bernardsville, Chatham Township and Mendham, includes approximately 10,700 feet of new pipe that will replace water main that was instal..
Primoris Wins California Sewer Contract
Primoris Services Corporation has received a contract, valued at approximately $89 million, for the construction of a new sewer force main in Marina Del Rey from the City of Los Angeles. The contract was secured by Vadnais, part of the company’s West Construction Services segment. The scope of work..
California American Water Names New President
California and Hawaii American Water have named Richard Svindland their new president, effective March 1, 2017. Svindland replaces Robert MacLean, who has served as president of California American Water since 2009. MacLean will now become senior vice president of American Water’s Eastern Division, ..
Many Positives From Common Ground Alliance DIRT Report
The latest Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) report released in October 2016 by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) contained the good news that efforts to reduce accidental damage to the nation’s underground utility infrastructure and build awareness of the free 811 service are making significa..
Maine Utility Regulators to Consider $1.5B FairPoint Sale
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine utility regulators are ready to delve into details of the proposed $1.5 billion sale of FairPoint Communications, the country’s eighth-largest phone and internet company. Consolidated Communications, based in Illinois, announced in December it was buying FairPoint, assum..
Primoris Bags 3 Electric Transmission and Distribution Contracts
Primoris Services Corporation has received three new utilities and distribution contracts worth more than $74 million. The contracts were secured by the underground division of ARB, Inc., part of the company’s West Construction Services segment. The projects are located in Southern California and i..
West Virginia American Water Names New President
West Virginia American Water has named Brian Bruce its new president, effective March 1, 2017. Bruce replaces Jeffrey McIntyre, who has been named Senior Vice President of American Water’s Mid-Atlantic Division, encompassing Pennsylvania and West Virginia. McIntyre will also become President of Penn..
Contract for Water Pipeline Condition Assessment Extended
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has extended its contract with Echologics for pipeline condition assessment services for an additional one-year term. This is the second extension of the contract between WSSC and Echologics. Echologics, a Mueller Technologies company, has assessed more t..
Senate Confirms Scott Pruitt to Lead EPA
WASHINGTON (AP) — Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt on Friday won Senate confirmation to head the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency he repeatedly sued to rein in its reach during the Obama administration. The vote was 52-46 as Republican leaders used their party’s narrow Senate..
Sterling Construction Names New President
Sterling Construction Company Inc.’s Board of Directors has elected Joseph A. Cutillo as President, effective immediately. Cutillo had previously served as Sterling’s Executive Vice President Chief Business Development Officer. Cutillo has nearly 30 years of executive management experience and a de..
APCA Looks To Strong Future
The American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) closed out the year 2016 stronger than ever and with a high level of optimism for the energy policies of a new president and administration. “Over the past 12 to 18 months, APCA members were involved in building the majority of new natural gas in..
Utility Recognizes Innovative Employees
Through its annual Innovation Awards program, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation recently recognized 68 employees who implemented 41 improvement projects in 2016 that provided tangible benefits for Central Hudson and its customers. “Innovation is a core value at Central Hudson, and one our e..
Utility Saves 100 Million Gallons of Water in 2016
Maine Water announced that it pumped and treated 100 million fewer gallons of water in 2016 than it did the previous year, while still delivering the same amount of water to its customers. Judy Wallingford, president of Maine Water, said most water distribution systems across Maine and New En..
In Memoriam: Glen Barton, Winston Johnson
Glen Barton, former Caterpillar Inc. chairman and CEO, died Oct. 24, 2016, in Peoria, IL, at age 77 Barton retired in 2004 after nearly 43 years of Caterpillar service. Starting as a college graduate trainee and rising through the ranks in numerous marketing, general management and executive positi..
Forterra Acquires Royal Enterprises America
Forterra, Inc., a leading manufacturer of water infrastructure pipe and products in the United States and Eastern Canada, has acquired the business of Royal Enterprises America, a manufacturer of concrete drainage pipe, precast concrete products, stormwater treatment technologies and erosion control..
Corpus Christi Hires Water Director
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Corpus Christi has hired a new water director after supply issues including a chemical leak prompted a four-day water usage ban in December. City officials Monday announced the appointment of Clarence Wittwer as water director. Wittwer most recently served as deputy ass..
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Named Utility Customer Champion
Market Strategies International has named Oklahoma Gas & Electric a Utility Customer Champion in its recently announced Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™ study. OG&E achieved the Utility Customer Champion designation after receiving a score of 745 on the ECR index, a score that pu..
Utilities Move to Save Merger Amid Criticism
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri-based utility sought Monday to rescue its proposal to buy Kansas’ largest electric company amid strong criticism that their $12.2 billion deal is too rich and would create a larger but financially weakened firm with consumers on the hook for its problems. An attorney ..
Utility Improves Lead Testing
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is implementing a new streamlined process for handling lead test kit requests, which will improve the integration of lead test data gathered from the certified contract labs and enable PWSA to provide more accurate and timely feedback to customers. Eff..
New Jersey American Water Investing in New Main Installation Project
New Jersey American Water will invest approximately $800,000 to install new water mains along North Avenue from Forest Road to Morse Avenue in Fanwood. The project includes the installation of approximately 2,720 feet of new 12-inch ductile iron pipes to replace aging pipes, as well as 55 utility-ow..
Sewer District Awards $7.2 million for Infrastructure Improvements
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Trustees recently awarded $7.2 million to 12 communities as part of the agency’s newly-launched Member Community Infrastructure Program (MCIP). The MCIP assists communities with local infrastructure improvements — including new sewer infrastructure, repairs to..
New Jersey American Water Invests $1.8 Million for Main Replacement
Beginning this week, New Jersey American Water will be investing approximately $1.8 million in new water mains in its service area of Lakewood. The approximate 5,400 feet of new pipe replaces water main that was installed as far back as the 1920s. The aging 4-, 6- and 8-inch water lines will be repl..
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