Business
Vermont Utility Regulators Give Final Nod to FairPoint Deal
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – Vermont utility regulators have given final approval to a deal that will allow the state’s largest landline telecommunications company to be acquired by an Illinois Company. The Vermont Public Service Board decision that was released Monday says the combined company that wi..
West Virginia American Water Begins Infrastructure Upgrades
West Virginia American Water today announced it is beginning work on the following water infrastructure improvement projects: An approximately $70,000 project to replace 500 feet of 1950s-era water line with new six-inch PVC line in South Hills. The project will take place along Bridg..
Pennsylvania American Water Names New Senior Supervisor
Pennsylvania American Water today announced that Jamie Yakes has been named to the position of senior supervisor of the company’s Yardley District, which provides water service to Yardley Borough, Lower Makefield Township and Falls Township. In his new position, Yakes is responsible for overs..
Pennsylvania American Water Names New Coatesville Operations Superintendent
Pennsylvania American Water today announced the appointment of Justin Brame to the position of operations superintendent of its Coatesville area water and wastewater systems. In his new role, Brame will oversee all aspects of the Coatesville operations, including distribution, collection, wat..
American Water Announces Recipients of 2017 James LaFrankie Scholarship Awards
American Water has announced the recipients of the 26th annual James V. LaFrankie Scholarship Awards. The awards were distributed nationwide to nine college-bound children of full-time American Water employees who demonstrate an interest in water-related industry occupational fields. Out of 66 comp..
Pennsylvania American Water Begins Two Water Main Upgrade Projects
Pennsylvania American Water has announced work is underway on the following construction projects: Upgrading more than 3,500 feet of water main in Clarks Summit and South Abington Township to improve reliability for customers, reduce service disruptions and increase water flows for firefighting. ..
Pennsylvania American Water Begins Water Line Expansion
Pennsylvania American Water has started construction to extend water lines in Butler County to provide public water service to the Summit Township Elementary School and approximately 100 residential customers. The elementary school was closed in January after reports of lead and E.coli contami..
INGAA Foundation Names New Executive Director
The INGAA Foundation has announced that industry veteran Jason M. Goldstein will formally assume the role of executive director, following Richard Hoffmann’s retirement, effective Aug. 31. Goldstein joined the INGAA Foundation in June to create a smooth transition. As executive director, Goldstein ..
$8.5 Million Investment in Water System Nears Completion
Illinois American Water has announced that its $8.5 million investment in the Metro East water distribution system is nearing completion. The project includes 2.6 miles of water main installation on Front Street in East St. Louis. In 2016, the company completed phase one of the project, which inclu..
Primoris Services Corporation Acquires Coastal Field Services
Primoris Services Corporation has acquired the assets of Coastal Field Services for $27.5 million paid in cash at closing. Based in Beaumont, Texas, Coastal Field Services provides pipeline construction and maintenance, pipe and vessel coating and insulation, and integrity support services for leadi..
Philadelphia Expanding, Improving Low-income Water Program
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Water Department is launching a new program next month to provide discounted service to low-income families. Philly.com (http://bit.ly/2sRCnQx ) says the city expects about 50,000 households to participate, about five times as many as the city’s current program ..
Avanti Creates New Online Video Series to Solve Sewer, Water Problems
After years of collaboration and development with multiple authorities, Avanti International today announced that Fundamentals of Municipal Grouting, a 16-module video series designed as an interactive learning experience for solving Infiltration and Inflow (I&I) issues in sanitary sewer and storm w..
First Reserve to Purchase EMS USA's Integrity Maintenance Platform
First Reserve has agreed to acquire the integrity maintenance platform of EMS USA, Inc. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Serving customers throughout the midstream and downstream value chain, EMS provides a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes integrity maintena..
How To Get The Most From Your PACP-Certified Software
By NASSCO Member Ronnie Flannery-Guy, Business Development, Aqua Data Software certified by NASSCO’s Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) is required to generate and import a standard database file that is fully compatible with PACP. Contractors and system owners across the country have..
Plastics Pipe Institute Shows Support for Trump's “Construction of American Pipelines” Memorandum
The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc., the major trade association representing all segments of the plastic pipe industry, today released a statement echoing comments made by several national associations representing the oil and gas pipeline industry in support of President Trump’s objective to increas..
$90 Million Contract Awarded for Construction of Stormwater Conveyance System
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati has awarded Kokosing Industrial Inc. an $89.9 million construction contract for the Lick Run Greenway Project, a 1.5-mile stormwater conveyance system designed to keep hundreds of millions of gallons of combined sewer overflow out of the Mill Cre..
Ten Underground Mechanics Complete PECO's Comprehensive Training Program
PECO today announced that ten new underground apprentice mechanics celebrated their completion of a rigorous 15-week training program – joining the front lines to ensure safe and reliable service for PECO’s 1.6 million electric customers. More than 600 people applied for this year’s program, which d..
West Virginia American Water Seeks Infrastructure Rate Hike
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia American Water Co. has asked state regulators to endorse infrastructure improvements that would boost the average residential customer’s bill by $1.04 per month. The company’s application was filed Thursday with the Public Service Commission. The company says..
Technology Helps Utility Reduce Methane Emissions from Pipeline
Southern California Gas Co. recently used innovative gas capture technology to empty natural gas from a permanently abandoned pipeline in Santa Clarita, Calif. The special process enables gas to be saved for later use while eliminating noise and emissions that occur in the traditional venting metho..
PG&E Senior VP and Chief Nuclear Officer to Retire
Edward D. Halpin, Senior Vice President, Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and a 35-year veteran of the energy industry, has announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2017. “Ed has done an outstanding job leading our nuclear and power generation operat..
Utility Earns National Safety Award
For the second straight year, Florida Public Utilities Company, a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, has received a Safety Achievement Award from the American Gas Association for excellence in employee safety. The selection was based on criteria that included professional and person..
Frontier Communications Makes Leadership Change
Frontier Communications Corporation today announced that John Maduri, a telecommunications expert with 30 years in the industry, has been named to the position of Executive Vice President, Consumer Sales, Marketing & Product. Maduri will join the company on July 24 and succeed Cecilia McKenney, who ..
Aqua America Receives Approval to Acquire Pennsylvania Wastewater System
Aqua America, Inc. today announced its largest subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania, received approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to purchase the wastewater assets of New Garden Township, serving approximately 2,100 customer connections in southeast Pennsylvania’s Chester County. Aqua..
Southwest Research Institute Patents New Pipeline Inspection Technology
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has patented a new technology to inspect coatings of pipelines installed through horizontal directional drilling. The technology can identify both the extent and the configuration of any damage to the coating that occurs during HDD installation,” said Dr. Pav..
Michigan Health Chief Charged in Flint Water Crisis Probe
Five people, including the head of Michigan’s health department, were charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter in an investigation of Flint’s lead-contaminated water, all blamed in the death of an 85-year-old man who had Legionnaires’ disease. Nick Lyon is the highest-ranking member of Repub..
Gas Pipeline Project Expected to Cause Traffic Delays in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – A utility company will be realigning a six-mile stretch of natural gas pipeline along New Mexico State Road 68, causing traffic delays in the height of the Rio Grande tourist season. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported (http://bit.ly/2s5GBmo ) Wednesday New Mexico Gas Co. plans ..
Eversource Starts Pipeline Construction Project in Connecticut
Eversource Energy has started construction on a multi-phase project that will improve the reliability of the company’s natural gas distribution lines in Connecticut The company will invest $14 million in 2017 on the first phase of a 17-mile-long project that, once completed, will connect existing g..
New Mexico Utility Executive Elected to Lead Industry Group
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A national association that represents investor-owned electric companies has elected its first woman to serve as chairman of the board. The Edison Electric Institute announced the election of Pat Vincent-Collawn on Tuesday during its annual convention in Boston. Vincent-Col..
Patriot Environmental Services Appoints New CEO
Patriot Environmental Services has appointed Brian Johnson as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2017. Johnson has over two decades of experience in leading strategic growth plans and tactical process improvements for multi-state/multi-unit service companies in a number of operationally int..
Companies Partner to Expand Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Renewal Services
Vortex Infrastructure today announced a strategic alliance with Stag Technologies, a manufacturer of epoxies, urethanes and other 100% solid specialty coatings for the municipal and industrial water and wastewater industry. “Incorporating Stag’s proven coatings with our infrastructure renewal syste..
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Trump calls for Keystone XL pipeline revival, but developer has moved on
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds