Municipalities
Analysis: Laura Reminds of Louisiana’s Fragile Water Systems
The high water and flooding in Louisiana from Hurricane Laura last month brought into sharp relief the fragility of the state's water systems, three years after the state's drinking water infrastructure received nearly a failing grade.
Chicago Plans to Replace Lead Water Pipes
Chicago water management officials say they are working on a plan to replace the lead service pipes that connect more than 350,000 homes to the city’s cast-iron street mains, but it is not clear how the massive program will be funded.
North Carolina Utilities Told to Stop Disconnections Through August
Regulators in North Carolina have instructed the state's large, for-profit utility companies to continue delaying disconnections through the month of August.
EPA Announces $6 Billion in New Funding for Water Infrastructure Projects
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $6 billion in funding to support water infrastructure projects around the county.
Utility & Communications Construction Update
The spread of the coronavirus has upended almost every staple of U.S. life, and businesses have no sense of what the next two weeks, much less the next two months, could look like. With these themes as the backdrop, there are some takeaways we can share for planning the next six months, as we consider both oil and the spread of the coronavirus.
Researchers Test Wastewater to Track Spread of Coronavirus
Researchers have determined that wastewater testing can provide an effective way to measure the prevalence of Covid-19 and gain a better understanding of its spread in communities where other means of testing may under-report its presence.
23rd Annual Municipal Sewer/Water Infrastructure Forecast
It’s a presidential election year, and usually that spells trouble for public works funding programs. However, for the sewer, water and stormwater markets, that doesn’t seem to be the case in 2020. Cities expect spending to be stable, or even grow.
New Jersey Capital City Spending $150 Million to Replace Lead Pipes
All 37,000 of the lead water pipes in New Jersey’s capital city will be replaced over the next five years at an estimated cost of $150 million, Trenton officials said Thursday.
Austin Approves $78 Million Wastewater Upgrades
The Austin City Council this week approveda $78 million project to expand the capacity of its wastewater treatment facility to 10.4 million gallons per day (MGD) from 8.475.
Report: Drinking Water Contamination Rampant Across U.S.
The EPA doesn’t have a tap water contamination database and doesn’t provide any information on specific contaminant levels at water systems. But according to Environmental Working Group Senior Scientist David Andrews, they should.
New Mexico Communities get Funding for Water Projects
Nearly $34 million in federal funding is being funneled to New Mexico to help make improvements to water and wastewater systems.
Sewer Blockage Pushes Waste Into 300 New York City Homes
Experts suspect "fatbergs" were to blame for a blocked sewer main that flooded basements with brown filth over the weekend and left residents of a New York City neighborhood feeling sickened by the stench.
Stricter EPA Lead Rule Could Boost Water Pipe Replacement Demand
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced proposed updates to its lead rule for drinking water that could add demand for pipeline replacement projects throughout the United States.
Water Environment Federation Names MS4 Award Winners
Twenty-two high-performing municipalities and one university received recognition in the fifth annual National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards, which celebrate administrators of municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) that perform beyond regulatory requirements.
Plaquemines Parish Gets $4 million for Water Infrastructure
The federal government is giving one Louisiana parish a $4 million grant to help improve the water infrastructure.
Aqua Pennsylvania Acquires Delaware County Wastewater Assets
The municipal water authority for Delaware County, Pennsylvania, has agreed to sell its wastewater assets to a subsidiary of Aqua America for $276.5 million.
Water Utilities Recognized For Forward-Thinking Initiatives
The Utility of the Future Today program announced it has recognized the efforts of 43 U.S. water utilities this year for their efforts to transform their operations through innovation and technology.
U.S. Water, Wastewater Costs on Rise
U.S. municipal water and wastewater utility bills grew at an inflation-adjusted 3.6% over the last year to an household average $104 per month, according to a new index, which has raised concerns about both affordability and volatility across regions.
Municipal Advisory Board Publishes HDPE Pipebursting Guidelines
The Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) announced that it has approved and published new step-by-step instructions for the pipebursting installation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) PE 4710 pipe.
Diversified Infrastructure Providers Reshaping Private Water Landscape
The U.S. municipal water landscape is undergoing a transformation, as critical infrastructure services – water, gas, and electricity – converge under single investor-owned utility banners. This trend is highlighted by the growing roster of diversified infrastructure service providers owning water and wastewater utilities in the U.S., according to a new report from Bluefield Research.
Mississippi River Flooding Could Cost Over $2 Billion
Repairs and cleanup following the prolonged flooding along the Mississippi River will cost more than $2 billion, an advocacy group for river communities said Tuesday.
Louisville, KY Set to Build $200 Million Sewer Tunnel
In order to protect itself from waterway overflow, the City of Louisville is preparing to build a 20-foot wide underground sewer tunnel, to the tune of $200 million.
Chapin, S.C., Utility Department Wins Dire States Grant
CASE Construction Equipment awarded the 2019 Dire States Equipment Grant to Chapin, S.C. for its East Chapin Sewer Force Main Project. As the winner, Chapin will receive $25,000 in free equipment rental for the project, through local CASE dealer Hills Machinery.
EPA Provides $2.6 Billion in New Funding for Water Infrastructure
New funding will assist states in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 with improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Water Authority Surpasses Phosphorus Reduction Goals
A Detroit-based drinking water and wastewater treatment service provider says it has surpassed a federal and state regulators’ goal for cutting phosphorus levels.
EPA Announces New WIFIA Funding for Water Infrastructure Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making funding available to provide an estimated $6 billion in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans in 2019. “Through WIFIA, we are addressing several of President Trump’s top priorities, simultaneously: modernizing our nati..
EPA Announces $2.6 Billion in Availability for Water Improvement Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $2.6 billion in new funds to assist states, tribes and territories with improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across the country.
Stormwater Needs Survey Shows $7.5B Annual Funding Gap
A recent analysis of needs of the U.S. stormwater sector shows an estimated $7.5 billion annual funding gap and revealed top priorities and challenges across the country.
Flint Receives Part of $140 Million Loan for Water Improvements
The city of Flint received over $77 million in funding this week that was originally promised in 2017 after 12 residents died from drinking lead-tainted water five years ago.
Fort Wayne Announces $100 Million in Utility Infrastructure Investments
City officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Monday announced plans to invest $100 million in city neighborhoods for stormwater protection, sanitary sewer improvements, and water pipe upgrades.
- DeLa Express seeks FERC approval for Permian-to-Louisiana gas pipeline project
- OSHA penalizes Houston contractor over safety violations resulting in worker's death
- Fiber infrastructure has no known expiration date, Fiber Broadband Association research concludes
- Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project
- Damage prevention and safety: Turning awareness into action
- Ditch Witch 1030
- Michigan lawmakers introduce bills to create septic codes throughout the state
- Indiana American Water to gain 8,000 water customers with Silver Creek Water acquisition
- Arkansas governor allocates $42 million for water infrastructure projects
- Federal judge finds Flint, Mich, in contempt over lead water pipe crisis