Pipeline Construction
Voters Approve Portland Schools Water Contamination Bond, Reject Pipeline Ban
PORTLAND (AP) — Portland voters Tuesday approved the largest school bond in state history, which would raise taxes to address high levels of lead in drinking water at nearly every school and pay for modernizing schools. According to partial returns, 61 percent voted for the $790 million Portland Pu..
Energy Company Unhooks Gas Lines after Fatal Colorado Explosion
DENVER (AP) — The company that owns a gas well linked to a fatal home explosion in Colorado said Tuesday it will permanently disconnect other pipelines in the area like the one blamed in the explosion. Anadarko Petroleum, which owns the well, did not say how many pipelines would be disconnected. Bu..
New York Launches $3 Million Pilot Program to Help Cities Improve Sewer Systems Operations
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos and Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Sabrina M. Ty have selected 10 municipalities to participate in the Municipal Sewage System Asset Management Program, a new $3 million pilot program to help im..
Ohio EPA Releases Draft 2018 Drinking Water Assistance Program Management Plan
The Ohio EPA will hold two public hearings on Friday, June 16, 2017, to accept comments on the draft 2018 Program Management Plan for the agency’s Drinking Water Assistance Fund. The fund provides financial and technical assistance for a variety of projects that help improve or protect the quality o..
Xylem: Improving Infrastructure Can Make Cities More Resilient
Xylem Inc. has released a whitepaper outlining strategies to increase the resilience of cities around the world. According to the United Nations, 66 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, posing a distinct and urgent need to create more resilient urban centers, capable o..
Seattle Firefighter Sues After Injuries from Pipeline Explosion
SEATTLE (AP) — A Seattle firefighter is suing Puget Sound Energy and one of its contractors, saying he has lingering injuries after being knocked out by a natural-gas explosion that leveled two buildings last year. The Seattle Times reports (https://goo.gl/IAvBLJ ) that 50-year-old Jeff Markoff fil..
Aqua America to Spend $450 Million on Water Infrastructure in 2017
Aqua America today announced it plans to invest $450 million in 2017 to rebuild and replace water infrastructure. The company’s 2017 infrastructure investment plan includes replacing 150 miles of water mains across eight states, helping to save billions of gallons of water leaking from pipes and wa..
Oil Pipeline Opponents Going After The Money
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline has persuaded some banks to stop supporting projects that might harm the environment or tread on indigenous rights, but calling the divest movement a success might be a stretch. It doesn’t appear to be hurting the ability of energy ..
Sewer Construction Project Underway in California
The Napa Sanitation District has commenced work on the 2017 Collection System Rehabilitation Project, which consists of rehabilitating and replacing 5.7 miles of aging sewer pipelines. “Our goal is to repair or replace a minimum of 2 percent of the system each year,” Napa Mayor and District Board C..
Peoria Pilot Project Keeping Water out of Sewer System
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A pilot project has kept over 600,000 gallons of rainwater out of Peoria’s sewer system. The city’s two-block Adams Street project uses rain gardens, permeable pavers and other techniques to retain water. The (Peoria) Journal Star (http://bit.ly/2qzw83b ) reports it has diverted..
Artifacts Discovered During Indiana Sewer Construction
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Bee Slough has been getting a lot of attention lately due to the major sewer infrastructure project underway in the area. And now Cultural Resource Analyst, Inc. has identified an archaeological site there. Andrew Martin and Aaron Harth, archaeologists for Cultural Resource ..
Houston Set for $3B Water Supply Pipeline, Treatment Project
HOUSTON (AP) — Any Houstonian who’s ever stalled out in a rush-hour gully washer, swatted mosquitoes on a humid summer afternoon or hauled soggy carpet to the curb after a neighborhood flash flood will be forgiven for thinking the supply of water is one thing they needn’t worry about. The Houston C..
Portland, Oregon Voters Weigh Tax Hike for School Lead Fix
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Voters in Oregon’s largest city are poised to vote on the biggest school bond in state history after a scandal over high levels of lead in the water at almost every Portland school. The $790 million spending package that would raise taxes to address the crisis has generated in..
San Diego Moving Ahead with Sewage-to-Drinking Water Plan
SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego officials say within five years, the city will be recycling sewage into drinking water. The San Diego Union-Tribune (http://bit.ly/2pCV6tG ) says the mayor and others backed the plan known as Pure Water San Diego before the California Coastal Commission on Wednesday. The..
New York OKs $62M in Grants, Loans for Local Water Projects
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state is making $62 million available to help local governments upgrade their sewer systems and drinking water infrastructure. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the investments on Thursday. The money will go to eight different municipal governments in the form of grants..
Evergreen State College Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Releases Water Infrastructure Report
A group of 50 industry experts have come together from backgrounds in water supply, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure to develop a new report, A Northwest Vision for 2040 Water Infrastructure: Innovative Pathways, Smarter Spending, Better Outcomes. The report, released by the Evergreen State..
NTSB Joins Investigation into Fatal Gas Pipeline Explosion
FIRESTONE, Colo. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board has joined the investigation into a fatal Colorado house explosion blamed on unrefined natural gas flowing from a severed pipeline. The Longmont Times-Call reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2r2W8Rz) the agency got involved because pip..
Atlas Expands Pipeline Training Course Offerings
Atlas API Training has increased their suite of pipeline training programs to now consist of 84 courses focusing on petrochemical engineering, maintenance and inspection. The courses cover a wide range of subjects from drilling to refining. “Safety and proficiency are the hallmark of the Atlas bran..
Virginia City Selected for Sewer Inspection Pilot Program
Electro Scan Inc. has selected the City of Galax, Virginia for a complimentary pilot to find and measure sources of infiltration in their sanitary sewer system. The City of Galax was selected because of their unique project attributes, pipe locations and criticality, and financial need. The 2-day p..
Report: Puerto Rico Has Worst Drinking Water Violation Rate of Any U.S. Jurisdiction
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has the worst rate of drinking water violations of any U.S. jurisdiction, with dangerous contaminants ranging from lead to disinfectants to coliform bacteria, an environmental group said Wednesday. Nearly the entire island was supplied ..
Judge Approves Partial Settlement in Water Lawsuit
DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge has approved a partial settlement in a lawsuit over contaminated drinking water in north Alabama. The Decatur Daily (http://bit.ly/2q6ooEA ) reports that U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon has approved a $5 million payment by Daikin America to end its part of the ..
$31 Million Awarded for Texas Water, Wastewater Projects
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has awarded more than $31 million in financial assistance for water and wastewater system projects. The projects receiving funding include: $2,333,300 to Rolling Hills Water Service for the replacement of water lines. $15 million to the Crystal Clear Spe..
President Trump to Nominate Two New FERC Members
President Trump has announced he intends to nominate Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to fill existing FERC vacancies, for terms expiring June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2020, respectively. Chatterjee currently serves as energy policy advisor to United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell o..
Ohio EPA Fines Pipeline Builder
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s environmental regulators have issued a $430,000 fine against a company building a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Michigan. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says the fines stem from water and air pollution violations at a number of locations. State o..
Huge Sinkholes Are Now Appearing in the Wrong Places
FRASER, Mich. (AP) — Dora Linda Nishihara was driving in San Antonio one dark evening in early December when she suddenly disappeared from sight. Later, her car, with her body inside, was found at the bottom of a 12-foot-deep water-filled sinkhole that had swallowed the road ahead of her. Two days ..
Oklahoma Passes Law Against Pipeline Trespassing, Vandalism
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma has adopted a law that imposes steep fines or prison time against people convicted of trespassing at a critical infrastructure facility to impede operations. The Oklahoman reports that the measure went into effect Wednesday after being signed by Gov. Mary Fallin. Anyo..
North Rim Highway to Reopen; Pipeline Fixed
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — The highway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is scheduled to reopen May 15 following its annual winter closure. The Arizona Department of Transportation announced the scheduled reopening of State Route 67 as a Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman..
AWWA Encourages 'Getting to Know and Love' Tap Water During Drinking Water Week
The American Water Works Association and water professionals across North America are kicking off Drinking Water Week today with the theme “Your Water – To Know It Is To Love It.” AWWA and the water community will celebrate Drinking Water Week by recognizing the vital role water plays in daily live..
Flooding Wreaks Havoc in Idaho
GARDEN CITY, Idaho (AP) — Flood water continued to run onto more streets along the Boise River in Garden City, Idaho over the weekend. KTVB-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2pnYysV ) that with the river already above flood stage, an uprooted tree fell into the water on Friday. Since then, it moved s..
Arkansas Capitol to Close for Sewer Line Repairs
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Sewer line repairs at the Arkansas state Capitol will require the building to be closed for at least a weekend, and perhaps for several weeks. Officials in Secretary of State Mark Martin’s office told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2pVGmrm ) that the sewer lin..
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects