Water Asset Management

Louisville Water advances digital transformation with KloudGin asset management platform

As part of Louisville Water’s digital transformation initiative, KloudGin’s platform helped Louisville Water automate cross-control processes from legacy systems to a cloud-native, mobile application.

Brown and Caldwell, AECOM chosen for landmark Pure Water Southern California program

(UI) — A joint venture of AECOM and Brown and Caldwell (AECOM-BC Team) has been chosen to provide program and project management support and engineering design services for the Pure Water Southern California program, one of the largest water reuse programs in the world.

Michigan receives low grades for drinking water, stormwater, wastewater infrastructure

The state faces potential problems with drinking water systems that are more than 50 years old and some approaching 100 years old, yet less than 1% of pipes are being replaced annually.

City installs new storm sewers and water mains in Dongan Hills, Staten Island

(UI) — The $4.17 million capital project replaced water mains and sewers and rebuilt streets and sidewalks spanning over nine blocks in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, near Ocean Breeze Park.

Wavin invests in Aquacycl high strength wastewater treatment technology

(UI) — Orbia's building and infrastructure business Wavin, a water technology leader, has awarded $50,000 in non-dilutive capital to Aquacycl, an energy-neutral wastewater treatment technology company.

Tech Tips: Locating underground assets

(UI) — As municipalities and other agencies embrace the concept of asset management for their underground infrastructure, locating and identifying those assets become more important. In the past, the options for locating and identifying underground assets were a challenge.

Middlesex Water Company invests $11.1 million in New Jersey water infrastructure upgrades

Under this annual initiative known as RENEW, Middlesex intends to replace 26,000 linear feet of water main. Concurrently, Middlesex will be implementing its “Knocking Out Lead” program to remove any lead or galvanized steel service lines it encounters.

Biden administration outlines two plans to conserve Colorado River water in Western states

One option would be more beneficial to California and some tribes along the river that have high-priority rights to the river’s water. The second option is likely to be more favorable to Nevada and Arizona, who share the river’s Lower Basin with California and say it’s time for an approach that more fairly spreads the pain of cuts.

Native American tribe, US government strike deal to save Colorado River water

The $233 million pact with the Gila River Indian Community, announced in Phoenix, was hailed as an example of the kind of cooperation needed to rescue a river crucial to a massive agricultural industry and essential to more than 40 million people in seven Western U.S. states and Mexico.

PURIS enhances potable water rehabilitation leadership, acquires D&D Water & Sewer

(UI) — PURIS, a provider of trenchless infrastructure renewal solutions, has announced the acquisition of the assets of D&D Water & Sewer Inc. Headquartered in Canton, Mich., D&D provides the region with specialized underground infrastructure installation and repair solutions.

Ethiopia, the Netherlands endorse digital twin water management initiative

The Ethiopian SDG6 Water Management initiative aims to reduce non-revenue water, increase water quality, and improve access to water by leveraging digital technology. The solution will measure, report, and verify the outcomes of water management using digital twins in a fully digital and transparent manner.

ACWA applauds California governor’s Executive Order easing drought restrictions

“ACWA also appreciates the governor’s continued emphasis on streamlining the regulatory approval process for critical water infrastructure projects and his commitment to making groundwater recharge a priority," said Executive Director Dave Eggerton.

United Nations: 46% of the world population lacks access to basic water sanitation

The biggest source of pollution is untreated wastewater. “Globally, 80% of wastewater is released to the environment without any treatment, and in many developing countries, it’s pretty much 99%.”

EPA awards another $2.4 billion to states for water infrastructure projects

he EPA has awarded over an additional $2 billion to various states from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for clean water projects, according to Engineering News-Record.

Maricopa County rejects city plan to restore community’s water

Supervisor Tom Galvin called the plan to bring the water supply back for Rio Verde Foothills “bureaucracy at its worst."

North Carolina to spend $463 million on local water infrastructure improvement projects

According to the governor’s office, the state is able to increase its water infrastructure investments, thanks to sources such as the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

USG becomes independent company to provide water asset management and rehabilitation services

USG’s offerings include maintenance services for water storage tanks, pipe networks, and concrete structures in water and wastewater plants.

Olea Edge Analytics launches AI technology to improve water utility services in California

Olea’s Meter Health Analytics (MHA) solution uses AI technology to provide previously unattainable insights into the performance of commercial and industrial water meters, which can have an outsized impact on both water loss and utility revenue.

Texas partners with water utility solutions provider to transform water management

The City of Sugar Land will place Olea’s Meter Health Analytics (MHA) solution on 25 large commercial meters in its systems, looking for signs of water loss, inaccurate readings and malfunctioning components.

Train derailment prompts water utility to take precautions

A West Virginia water utility is enhancing its water treatment process as a precaution following the derailment of a train hauling chemicals that later sent up a toxic plume in Ohio.

Jacksonville, Florida partners with artificial intelligence company to improve stormwater fee assessment

Jacksonville, Florida, will use various state-of-the-art technologies to create a high-resolution map of over 350,000 parcels in Duvale County. These technologies include artificial intelligence, ariel imagery, and geographic information systems. The goal of the project is to streamline private property assessments to determine landowner responsibilities according to the IAC program.

Unclear whether post-Sandy repairs will be enough for the next big storm

After Superstorm Sandy struck the northeast U.S. in 2012, an unprecedented effort began to fortify the densely populated coastline against the next big storm. Then, last year, the region learned that even all those precautions might not be enough in an age of more powerful storms.

Mississippi water investigations said to test Biden racial equity pledge

Federal investigations into public spending on the failing water system in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city are a test of President Joe Biden’s commitment to racial equity, one of his congressional allies told hundreds of people at a town hall meeting hosted by the NAACP.

US Justice Department sues Idaho city over water pollution

The federal government is suing a small Idaho town near Grand Teton National Park for dumping toxic waste from its sewage treatment plant into a stream that feeds several scenic rivers in the region.

EPA civil rights case targets Mississippi over Jackson water

The federal government is investigating whether Mississippi state agencies discriminated against the state’s majority-Black capital city by refusing to fund improvements for its failing water system.

Colorado OKs reusing wastewater for drinking, creating new supply

Colorado’s water quality agency gave unanimous preliminary approval to regulate direct potable reuse — the process of treating sewage and sending it directly to taps without first being dispersed in a larger water body.

Worker admits dumping raw industrial waste into Jackson water system

An employee of a Mississippi wastewater hauling company pleaded guilty in federal court for his part in illegally discharging industrial waste into the capital city’s sewer system.

Vermont town employee quietly lowered fluoride in water for years

Residents of a small community in Vermont were blindsided by news that one official in their water department quietly lowered fluoride levels years ago, giving rise to worries about their children’s dental health and highlighting the enduring misinformation around water fluoridation.

27 municipalities selected to participate in NY clean water infrastructure program

(UC) — Governor Kathy Hochul has selected 27 municipalities to participate in a program in New York that will help develop asset management programs to evaluate, monitor, protect, and responsibly plan upgrades for wastewater infrastructure facilities.

Aging infrastructure led to E. coli in Baltimore water

Aging infrastructure contributed to an E. coli contamination of the city of Baltimore’s water system in early September, officials said last week.