Sewer Cleaning
Jacobs selected for $500 million Metro Vancouver wastewater treatment upgrade
Jacobs, in a joint venture with AECOM, has been chosen to design Metro Vancouver’s $500 million multi-year upgrade to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. This transformative program is set to improve water quality and expand the plant’s capacity to serve nearly one million people by 2051.
Bellaire, Texas, passes $70 million infrastructure bonds for water, drainage upgrades
Voters in Bellaire, Texas, gave their approval to two major infrastructure bond measures in the November 2024 election, signaling strong support for the city’s planned improvements to water, wastewater, and stormwater system.
50 tonnes of “fatbergs” retrieved from Richmond, B.C. sewers
Approximately 50 tonnes of hardened fat deposits, called “fatbergs,” were retrieved from sewers in Richmond after accumulating over the summer.
Best practice of injection grouting in municipal sewers
Injection grouting is often recognized as the "original" trenchless technology of our industry. The first mainline pipe joints were sealed in 1962 in Cottonwood Falls, KS, and we have never looked back!
Lynchburg, Va., to begin sewer pipe root control maintenance, aiming to prevent overflows
Lynchburg Water Resources and contractor Duke’s will begin chemically treating roughly 9,000 feet of sanitary sewer pipes across the city on Sept. 3 to manage root intrusion.
Brooklyn to receive 7 miles of porous pavement in $32.6 million stormwater project
The $32.6 million project aims to prevent 35 million gallons of stormwater from entering the combined sewer system annually, with construction expected to be completed by fall 2025.
Rainfall contributes to sewer overflows in Temple and Killeen, Texas
Heavy rainfall in Temple and Killeen, Texas, triggered sewer overflows, resulting in nearly 2 million gallons of overflow. Prompt cleanup efforts ensued, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges in the region.
Sandy, Ore., expands sewer capacity following EPA approval
Sandy, Oregon, has received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a significant increase in its wastewater system's capacity, marking a crucial milestone for the city's infrastructure development.
Pro-Vac strengthens Texas presence with Hydromax acquisition
(UI) — Pro-Vac, a leading provider of essential underground infrastructure services, announced that it has acquired Hydromax, a leading provider of hydro excavation services in South Texas.
Sewer maintenance: Myth-busting, best-practice training
Sewer maintenance is an ongoing challenge for cities and municipalities. Moreover, gaps in best-practice training can cost public works departments unnecessary time and expense in labor, water and energy costs when cleaning sewer lines.
EPA fines California's East Bay cities, utilities over sewage discharges
The EPA and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board have announced fines totaling $372,876 for sewage discharge violations in the East Bay. Penalties target EBMUD and six cities for failing to prevent untreated sewage from entering San Francisco Bay.
Pressurized pipe break causes major sewage spill, prompts road closure in North Portland
The suspected cause of the spill was a break in a pressurized pipe from a nearby pump station responsible for carrying sewage to the city’s main wastewater treatment plant.
Illinois EPA issues updated permit to Chicago for combined sewer overflows
The Illinois EPA has issued a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit to the city of Chicago that will bring additional oversight and monitoring of combined sewer overflows to Chicago area waterways.
Olds municipality makes strides in sewer, water system overhaul, targeting I&I challenges
Following an assessment last fall, which included a vapor test to identify inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues in the sewer system, significant progress has been achieved. Out of the 38 repairs identified during the test, 36 have been completed, primarily involving the replacement of manhole lids, inserts, and cleanout plugs at various locations.
Gainesville, Ga., halts sewer spill into Lake Lanier, addresses issue promptly
The Gainesville Department of Water Resources has successfully intervened to contain a sewage overflow into Lake Lanier
Innovative solution for managing I&I challenges in sanitary districts
(UI) — A major challenge sanitary districts everywhere face is recurring and growing inflow and infiltration (I&I), from substantial amounts of groundwater and stormwater entering the sewer during periods of heavy rain. This issue is of paramount importance, as heavy rainfall can cause the intrusion of large volumes of groundwater and stormwater into the sewer system, overwhelming pump stations and treatment plants, and even causing costly sewer overflows.
Federal, local officials secure $450 million dredging deal to clean up Milwaukee waterways
Federal, state and local officials have agreed to spend about $450 million to dredge contaminated sediment from Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan harbor and area rivers.
Extended reprieve for New Orleans water systems as saltwater intrusion slows
Authorities said that saltwater inching up the Mississippi River is progressing more slowly than projected, meaning water systems in the greater New Orleans area that draw drinking water from the river have additional weeks to prepare.
Let your fluid cleaning system be the hero
(UI) — The role of drilling fluid on an HDD jobsite is a big one. It acts as a conveyor for removing solids from the bore hole, lubricates downhole tooling, cools electronics and stabilizes the hole. Keeping it clean and usable is an important job, and an essential one for contractors to stay profitable.
Leaking milk into city's sewer system forces closure of 110-year-old creamery
(UI) — Hastings Creamery, a longstanding dairy institution that has served Minnesota and Wisconsin for over a century, has closed its doors due to an incident involving the release of substantial amounts of milk and cream into the city's wastewater plant.
Tech Tips: Force main rehabilitation
(UI) — Force mains, also called rising mains in the United Kingdom, are low pressure pipelines that lift the sewage from one location to another by pumping the sewage under positive pressure.
Pennsylvania utility to upgrade section of sewer line in Turbotville with PVC pipe
(UI) — PA American Water has announced a project to replace a problematic sewer main spanning 450 feet in Turbotville, Pennsylvania, which will commence this Friday.
Rehab technology: 10 expert tips to ensure safe sewer cleaning
(UI) — Municipalities must safely clean and maintain many miles of sewer line annually to eliminate blockages and prevent sanitary sewer overflows, which are regulated by the EPA. However, the use of high-pressure equipment in underground sewers can be dangerous, unless operators are well-trained and fully understand the hazards.
DOJ probe finds Alabama ignored sewer issues in impoverished communities
The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday said an environmental justice probe found Alabama engaged in a pattern of inaction and neglect regarding the risks of raw sewage for residents in an impoverished Alabama county and announced a settlement agreement with the state.
Limiting SSOs with superior sewer maintenance tools, techniques
(UI) — Most municipalities are fully aware that preventing sewer overflows is a national enforcement priority for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), yet many struggle to stay compliant. Too often, when municipalities are short-staffed and must maintain miles of sewer line, they end up simply responding to emergencies.
Pearland city officials approve plan to rehabilitate 20,000 feet of sewer pipes
(UI) — A sanitary sewer restoration contract for $2.88 million from Texas Pride Utilities was unanimously approved last month by the Pearland City Council for the Barry Rose and Old Town Site neighborhoods.
Aries Industries expands central US market reach with new multi-location dealer
(UI) — Aries Industries, the industry leader in state-of-the-art equipment for inspection and maintenance of underground infrastructure, has strengthened its central U.S. market reach with the addition of a multi-location dealer serving four states.
Vac-Con releases new non-CDL Titan sewer cleaning truck
(UI) — Vac-Con has introduced its non-CDL Titan three-yard combination sewer cleaning truck, which weighs under 26,000 GVWR with full freshwater tanks and features three-yards of usable capacity in the debris body.
Ohio agrees to spend $85 million in effort to reduce sewage discharge into Lake Erie, Rocky River
(UC) — The city of Lakewood, Ohio, has agreed to perform work that will significantly reduce discharges of untreated sewage from its sewer system into Lake Erie and the Rocky River. Lakewood will spend about $85 million to improve its sewer system and will pay a civil penalty of $100,000, split evenly between the United States and Ohio.
Partly treated sewage found running into Blackstone River
Environmental officials are urging residents to avoid a stretch of the Blackstone River after finding that sewage was leaking into the river from a wastewater treatment plant on Sunday.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- The EPA announces $6.2 billion in funding for Iowa and Kansas water infrastructure