Stormwater
Despite Higher Costs, Electric Utilities Increasingly Favor Undergrounding
The question invariably is asked after severe weather or other disasters knocks out electrical power and communications services: “Why don’t they put those overhead lines underground where they’re protected?” That question has been asked many times in many places over the past few years as heavy winter storms, tornadoes and hurricanes have affected much of the country, knocking out power, communications and other vital services.
Geopolymers: Promising Materials For Underground Applications
There was a time when engineers designed structures to last for eternity. Since the beginning of mankind, civilizations have desired to create an enduring legacy through their architecture. Engineers from ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece and Rome did not build their fabulous structures and monuments with the intention of having them repaired every 50 years.
Ongoing Rehab In Indianapolis
A major sewer rehabilitation program is under way in the city of Indianapolis addressing a backlog of structural repair and inflow and infiltration issues.
Industry Veteran Keith Hanks Retires
Keith Hanks, senior environmental engineer for the Wastewater Conveyance Engineering Division for the city of Los Angeles, CA, retired from the industry effective Sept. 21.
Corrugated HDPE pipe receives TDOT approval
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has approved the longitudinal installation of large diameter, corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for storm water drainage systems.
Miami-Dade agrees to upgrade its sewer system
Under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced recently, Miami-Dade County in Florida has agreed to invest in major upgrades to its wastewater treatment plants and wastewater collection and transmission systems in order to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.
EPA Survey Shows $384B Needed For Water Infrastructure By 2030
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released results of a survey showing that $384 billion in improvements are needed for the nation’s drinking water infrastructure through 2030 for systems to continue providing safe drinking water to 297 million Americans.
Water leaders call for reinvestment in water infrastructure
In April, nearly 200 water leaders from the private and public sector joined together in Washington, DC, as part of the Water Matters! Fly In, sponsored by the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation urging Congress to vote for legislation that addresses the nation’s water infrastructure and confronts mounting affordability concerns.
New Technology Leads To Successful Electric Transmission Project
Since the first building in Houston, TX, was air conditioned in 1923, media has often dubbed the city, “the air conditioning capital of the world.” With summer temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s no wonder that Houstonians are concerned about reliable electricity to keep the units running.
HDD Specs Developed For Ohio DOT
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is reviewing a draft of a proposed Standard Specification for Horizontal Directional Drilling which would ensure quality trenchless installations of underground pipelines and conduits.
Ice Pigging: New Water, Sewer Pigging Method Offers Unique Benefits
A new breed of pipeline “pig” has arrived in the United States. “Pigging” to clean pipelines is an accepted procedure used by utility pipeline owners. The process is relatively simple: a device (pig) is inserted into a pipe where pressure forces it through the pipe, scraping the inside sidewalls and carrying debris to an exit point out of the pipe. A variety of pig designs are available.
The Texas Water Development Board approves financial aid
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved financial assistance loans totaling $29,382,800 as follows:
The Development Of St. Petersburg’s Water Resources Department Succession Plan
Around 2005, many utilities across the country were aware of the statistical data indicating that as the baby boomer generation reached retirement, there would be a substantial number of employees with many years of experience and expertise departing the workforce.
Remote Inspection Equipment: Product Focus
Remote inspection equipment from CUES, Radiodetection, Aries Industries, Envirosight, Pearpoint, RapidView, Ratech Electronics, RedZone Robotics and R.S. Technical Services.
Five-year plan to replace Pittsburg, KS water lines
In June, a five-year water line replacement project for the city of Pittsburg, KS, was presented to city commissioners by John Bailey, public utilities director. The cost to replace the city’s 100-year old water lines and hydrants is expected to be at least $250,000 annually.
IPR, EcoCast Thwart Threat Of Sewer Collapse
The threat that a large, severely deteriorated Houston sewer line could cause the collapse of a road at the intersection of a major highway was averted by a timely trenchless rehabilitation project.
City Of Houston Approves Wastewater Rehab System
Southern Trenchless’ Manhole Mortar structural repair product system is now approved for use by the city of Houston’s Public Works and Engineering Department.
Houston gets loan approval for wastewater system upgrades
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved by resolution a loan in the amount of $48,750,000 from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Houston (Harris County) to finance the construction of wastewater system improvements.
Palo Alto Institutes Pro-Active Plan To Locate, Correct Crossbores
As crossbores continue to cause concern and controversy across the United States, the city of Palo Alto, CA, is taking a pro-active approach to find gas lines that have penetrated sewer laterals during installation by horizontal directional drilling (HDD), and to correct the problem before a costly and dangerous accident can occur.
Unique Solution To Manhole Installations In Busy Chicago Intersections
DiPaolo Construction, of Calumet City, IL, recently completed a $14 million underground utility project to install personnel access manhole structures over an existing combined storm/sanitary sewer line in the South Chicago community of Hegewisch.
Indy’s Water/Sewer Ownership Shift Proceeds Smoothly
It’s been more than six months since operation and ownership of water and sanitary sewer services in Indianapolis transferred from the city to a non-profit charitable trust, but most residential and commercial customers likely have experienced no difference in the day-to-day operation of these services.
Wichita gets grant for storm sewer project
EPA has awarded $123,000 to the city of Wichita, KS, for improvements to its storm sewer system. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2012.
U.S. Clean Water Act settlement in Chicago to reduce sewage overflows
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the state of Illinois announced a Clean Water Act (CWA) settlement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to resolve claims that untreated sewer discharges were released into Chicago area waterways during flood and wet weather events.
Fingers Crossed: 15th Annual Municipal Survey
After several years of the Great Recession, America’s underground infrastructure – already stretched thin before the economic crash – is rapidly approaching crisis levels, say city respondents to the 15th Annual Underground Construction Municipal Sewer & Water Survey. However, a majority of the survey participants believe that their city’s financial woes bottomed out in 2011 and anticipate the beginning of a slow turnaround late in 2012.
Surviving An Exceptional Funding Drought
As last summer’s drought conditions wore on, I learned that there is a condition even worse than “extreme.” There is an “exceptional” drought category, which essentially means “pending devastation if you don’t get rain fast.” The impact of this drought, when finally broken, will be felt for years.
Conference of Mayors touts local government efforts to spur broadband
The U.S. Conference of Mayors with other national associations has filed joint Reply Comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), stating that local wireless citing and right-of-way management and compensation practices are not delaying broadband deployment.
Design Approach, Inspection For Manhole Rehabilitation Technologies
The design of manhole coating and lining systems must take into consideration a number of conditions in the manhole, both as a whole and as individual components. When evaluating the nature of the coating or lining that will work best, a number of conditions should be defined.
Houston Approved For Wastewater Systems Upgrades
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved a $49.9 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Houston (Harris County) to finance wastewater system improvements.
St. Louis To Pay $4.7B For Sewer Upgrades
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) signed a consent decree on Aug. 5 with regulators and environmentalists to make extensive improvements to its sewer systems and treatment plants, at an estimated cost of $4.7 billion over 23 years.
Atlanta gets A1 rating on water/wastewater bonds
Moody's Investors Service, one of the world’s leading credit rating agencies, affirmed in July Atlanta, GA’s A1 rating on the city’s $3.2 billion water and wastewater revenue bonds.
- 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