March 2026 Vol. 81 No. 3
Newsline
Newsline: Sewer failures, pipeline projects and infrastructure investment drive national updates
244 million-gallon Potomac sewage spill exposes aging U.S. sewer infrastructure
The collapse of a major sewer pipeline near Washington, D.C., released an estimated 244 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Potomac River, drawing attention to the growing risks posed by aging wastewater infrastructure across the United States.
The rupture, which occurred in January, involved a large interceptor pipe roughly the width of a vehicle. The spill sent bacteria-laden wastewater drifting downriver for weeks and prompted emergency declarations and federal assistance. Officials say the event underscores the scale of the country’s deteriorating underground water and sewer systems.
While the Potomac incident drew national attention due to its size, similar but smaller sewer overflows occur regularly across the country. Tens of thousands of incidents each year release untreated wastewater into rivers, streets and sometimes residential basements, posing health risks and environmental contamination concerns.
In cities such as Baltimore, aging sewer infrastructure has repeatedly led to backups and overflows. According to AP News, parts of the city’s wastewater network are more than a century old, allowing stormwater infiltration, pipe failures and blockages that contribute to frequent sewage spills and basement flooding during heavy rainfall.
Nationally, regulators estimate the cost to repair and modernize aging wastewater systems will reach hundreds of billions of dollars over the next two decades. As reported by AP News, many utilities struggle to finance the required upgrades, leaving communities vulnerable to further infrastructure failures and environmental damage.
Experts say the combination of deteriorating pipelines, population growth and heavier rainfall tied to climate change is likely to increase pressure on sewer systems in many cities. Without significant investment, infrastructure failures like the Potomac spill could become more common in the years ahead.
New Orleans mayor demands action after water main break floods streets
A major water main break in Uptown New Orleans flooded streets and homes and triggered a boil water advisory, prompting Mayor Helena Moreno to demand faster action from the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) to address recurring failures in the city’s aging underground water infrastructure.
The break occurred along Panola Street, where crews worked to repair the damaged pipe after water inundated nearby homes and vehicles, NOLA.com reported. The pressure drop caused by the rupture led officials to issue a precautionary boil water advisory affecting much of the east bank of the city. The incident follows several recent water main breaks in the area, including another failure on Claiborne Avenue.
Moreno said the repeated incidents highlight the need for a more proactive approach to infrastructure monitoring and repair. She directed the S&WB to conduct acoustic testing and other diagnostic assessments to identify potential weaknesses in major water lines across the Uptown area before additional failures occur.
The mayor also asked city officials to explore short-term solutions, such as pipelining or other rehabilitation techniques, to help stabilize the system while longer-term replacement projects move forward. According to NOLA.com, the latest break has intensified scrutiny of the city’s aging underground infrastructure and renewed calls for stronger oversight and planning to prevent future disruptions.
Judge finalizes $345-million judgment against Greenpeace in Dakota Access Pipeline case
A North Dakota judge has finalized a $345 million judgment against Greenpeace in litigation brought by Energy Transfer related to protests during construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), The Guardian reported.
The ruling follows a jury verdict issued earlier this year that initially awarded approximately $667 million in damages to Energy Transfer. Judge James Gion reduced that amount by nearly half in an October decision, and the revised $345 million judgment has now been formally entered. The jury found Greenpeace liable on claims that included defamation, trespassing and conspiracy tied to protest activity during pipeline construction.
Energy Transfer, the Texas-based operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline, said the decision marks a step toward holding the environmental group accountable for actions it alleges disrupted construction and harmed the company. Greenpeace said it intends to seek a new trial and, if necessary, appeal the ruling to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
The Dakota Access Pipeline, completed in 2017, transports a significant portion of crude oil produced in North Dakota’s Bakken region. The project drew widespread protests during construction, particularly near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, and has remained the subject of ongoing legal and regulatory challenges since entering service, according to The Guardian.
Storm sewer breach blamed for Omaha sinkhole that swallowed vehicles
A dramatic roadway collapse in Omaha that swallowed two vehicles has triggered a dispute between city officials and the local utility over what caused the sinkhole, according to reporting from Nebraska Public Media.
The incident occurred Feb. 24 at the intersection of 67th and Pacific streets when the pavement suddenly gave way beneath a pickup truck and SUV waiting at a stoplight. Both drivers were pulled from the hole by nearby bystanders and no injuries were reported. Crews spent roughly a week and a half repairing the roadway before reopening the intersection to traffic.
City officials and the Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD) agree that erosion beneath the pavement created the void, but they disagree about the source of the water that carried the soil away. Both sides acknowledge that a breached storm sewer pipe allowed the eroded material to wash into the drainage system, weakening the roadway above it.
MUD officials say their investigation found no evidence that a water main break triggered the collapse. According to Nebraska Public Media, the utility maintains that the only damage observed on nearby water infrastructure occurred after the roadway failed.
City engineers, however, argue that an underground water source likely contributed to the erosion that formed the void beneath the street. As reported by Nebraska Public Media, officials say soil erosion combined with a damaged storm sewer created a pathway that allowed material to be carried away until the pavement above could no longer support the weight of traffic.
FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion
FiberLight has announced a $350 million investment to build approximately 1,400 route miles of high-capacity fiber network infrastructure across West Texas, expanding connectivity in a region emerging as a hub for AI and data center development.
The expansion builds on a previously announced $150 million initiative in the region, bringing the company’s total investment in West Texas fiber infrastructure to nearly $500 million over the past year.
The project will include construction of a third diverse fiber route into Abilene and add approximately 1.2 million additional fiber miles. Once complete, FiberLight’s total Texas fiber footprint will reach nearly 4.8 million fiber miles.
FiberLight said the expansion is designed to support growing demand from hyperscale data centers, cloud providers and enterprise customers, while also improving connectivity options for regional carriers and rural communities.
Construction has already begun, with portions of the network expected to be completed within six months. The full project is anticipated to be finished in just under two years.
Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
A Missouri home was destroyed on March 3 after a contractor struck a natural gas line during utility work, leading to an explosion in the community of Imperial, south of St. Louis.
According to the Rock Community Fire Protection District, crews were initially dispatched around noon to investigate reports of a gas leak in the neighborhood. The damaged line allowed gas to accumulate inside a residence on White Haven Court, which exploded roughly 80 minutes later, KSDK News reported. Five of the six residents were inside the home at the time but managed to evacuate shortly before the blast.
The explosion destroyed the home and caused damage to two neighboring houses, while debris was scattered across the surrounding area. Fire crews spent several hours extinguishing flames and addressing hot spots following the incident, according to KSDK News.
Local reports indicate fiber internet installation work was underway nearby when the gas line was struck, though authorities have not yet confirmed which contractor was responsible. The incident remains under investigation.
Senate approves 40-mile Southern Nevada water pipeline beneath Sloan Canyon
Legislation authorizing a major water pipeline project in Southern Nevada has cleared the U.S. Senate and is now awaiting the president’s signature, according to Nevada Current.
The Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to grant the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) the necessary rights-of-way to construct and operate a new water pipeline beneath the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.
The proposed 40-mile pipeline would be designed to move up to 375 million gallons of water per day to Henderson and communities in the southern Las Vegas Valley. Supporters say the additional line is intended to strengthen system reliability and reduce the risk of service interruptions.
Currently, residents in Henderson and the southern valley depend on a single 27-mile pipeline. Officials argue that relying on one primary line creates vulnerability if the system requires maintenance or experiences an outage. The new pipeline would provide redundancy, ensuring water service can continue if one line must be taken offline.
As reported by Nevada Current, the legislation also expands the boundaries of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by more than 9,000 acres, increasing the protected land area by nearly 20 percent to approximately 58,000 acres.
Project costs are estimated to be between $2 billion and $2.5 billion. Funding would come from infrastructure and commodity charges paid by Southern Nevada Water Authority customers. Lawmakers said routing the pipeline beneath the conservation area was selected as the most practical option and avoids running the line through the City of Henderson, which would have added roughly $200 million in additional expense.
A companion measure previously passed the U.S. House. With Senate approval secured, the bill now heads to President Donald Trump for final consideration.
Some critics contend that the added water capacity could encourage further development and urban expansion in Southern Nevada, particularly alongside other public lands proposals under consideration.
DT Midstream advances Viking transmission expansion, interstate pipeline upgrades
DT Midstream has reached final investment decisions (FID) on two pipeline projects — an expansion of Viking Gas Transmission and the next phase of its interstate pipeline modernization program — as the company positions itself for continued natural gas infrastructure growth.
The FIDs come as DT Midstream reported record 2025 results and expanded its organic project backlog by approximately 50 percent to $3.4 billion over the next five years, with pipeline projects comprising 75 percent of that backlog.
David Slater, Executive Chairman and CEO, said the company’s growth strategy remains centered on pipeline expansion and modernization.
“As a result of our disciplined execution of a focused strategy, we achieved record results in 2025, with 17 percent year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA growth. It was a great team effort, and I want to thank each employee for their contribution,” Slater said. “We successfully completed the integration of our Midwest pipelines and completed key organic growth projects ahead of schedule and on budget. We are very well positioned to serve the increasing demand across our footprint and continue our track record of premium, high-quality natural gas pipeline growth.”
The approved Viking expansion will increase transportation capacity on the company’s system, while the interstate modernization program continues efforts to enhance safety, reliability and operational efficiency across its pipeline network.
DT Midstream reported full-year 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $1.138 billion, a 17 percent increase from 2024. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 7 percent to $0.88 per share.
“Our increased organic project backlog, and strong investment grade balance sheet give us high confidence in meeting our goals for this year and beyond,” said Jeff Jewell, executive vice president and CFO. “Our Adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2026 is $1.155 to $1.225 billion, representing 6 percent annual growth from our 2025 original guidance. Our 2027 Adjusted EBITDA early outlook range is $1.225 to $1.295 billion.”
With two new pipeline projects advancing and backlog expanding, DT Midstream said it remains focused on serving rising natural gas demand across the Southern, Northeastern and Midwestern U.S. and Canada.
Hope Gas plans $250 million West Virginia pipeline project, 600 construction jobs
Hope Gas plans to invest $250 million in a new natural gas pipeline project in West Virginia aimed at improving system reliability and expanding capacity for manufacturers and residential customers in Mason County.
The project, funded entirely with private capital, is expected to generate more than 600 construction jobs and support future industrial growth in the region.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey joined Hope Gas executives in Clarksburg to announce the investment, calling it part of a broader wave of private-sector development in the state.
“Companies like Hope Gas are choosing West Virginia because they see a state that is competitive, energy-dominant, and serious about growth,” said Governor Morrisey. “With today’s announcement, we have now secured more than $12 billion in private investment since October. That represents more than 9,000 projected private-sector jobs and we are just getting started.”
Hope Gas President and CEO Morgan O’Brien said the project will enhance long-term energy delivery and economic development.
State officials also highlighted the opening of the Edward M. Smith National Career and Life Skills Development Center, a 20,000-square-foot training facility focused on energy workforce development. The center includes pipeline infrastructure training components and hydrogen research partnerships with the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the University of Pittsburgh.
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