Regulatory
Honolulu Fined $100,000 for Sewer Spills in August 2015
HONOLULU (AP) — The city of Honolulu has been fined $100,000 for mistakes that triggered a number of sewage spills in August 2015. Heavy rains caused sewer overflows in Kailua and Kaneohe three times in August 2015. The damage forced the city to close Waikiki Beach for days. State health departmen..
Association Applauds Trump's Commitment To Water Infrastructure
The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association applauded President Trump’s commitment to water infrastructure development in his proposed budget that was released yesterday. “We’re pleased that during a time of significant belt-tightening across the federal government, President Trump continues..
America to Celebrate 2nd Annual National Gas Utility Workers' Day on March 18
America will celebrate its 2nd annual National Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18, 2017. This day of recognition is a time when communities give recognition to the employees who provide one of their most valuable assets—their natural gas utility. Gas Utility Workers’ Day occurs on March 18 becaus..
Michigan Governor Will Drop Lead Limit Below Federal Cap
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Thursday his administration will enact the country’s toughest lead limit for water in the wake of the lead contamination in Flint, following up on a proposal he first unveiled nearly a year ago. Snyder said he will gradually lower Michigan’s “act..
EPA Awards $100 Million to Michigan for Flint Water Infrastructure Upgrades
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $100 million grant to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to fund drinking water infrastructure upgrades in Flint, Mich. The funding, provided by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016, or WIIN, enables Fli..
Flint to Stay on Detroit Water Through Connector
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s Genesee County is planning to build a connector to the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline in order to start treating Lake Huron water and allow the city of Flint to continue receiving Detroit water. The county Water and Waste Services Advisory Board voted in support ..
Few Ohio Water Suppliers Miss Deadline for Lead Pipe Maps
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Ohio regulators say nearly all of the state’s public drinking water systems have turned in maps showing where they still have lead pipes. The state’s Environmental Protection Agency said last week that about half of the drinking water suppliers were in danger of missing a dead..
Wisconsin Communities to Get State Loans for Lead Pipes
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Three Wisconsin communities will receive more than $1 million in state subsidies to replace lead pipes. Gov. Scott Walker’s office announced Friday that the Department of Natural Resources has reached financial agreements with Racine, Clintonville and Florence through the agenc..
Kentucky Town Gets Grant to Fix Water Issues
OLIVE HILL, Ky. (AP) — The city of Olive Hill in northeastern Kentucky has been approved for a $243,000 grant to fix its aging water system that is losing about half its capacity. The grant is coming from the Appalachian Regional Commission. The city’s cast iron water line dates back to the 1960s...
Virginia Sewer Bill Sparks Intense Debate
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — One of Virginia’s wealthiest cities has an unpleasant problem: part of the sewer system in Alexandria gets overwhelmed during almost any type of wet weather, sending untreated waste into nearby waterways and on to the Potomac River scores of times each year. The Washington subu..
New ASCE Report Shows Water Systems Need Upgrades
The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) latest Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, issued every four years since 2001, recently gave the nation’s water systems a D grade, and wastewater systems a D+ grade, both of which are among the worst of the infrastructures studied in the report. ..
$60 Million OK'd to Upgrade Water and Wastewater Systems Across New York
The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors has approved nearly $60 million in grants and interest-free and low-cost loans to support vital drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across New York State. This funding will provide much-needed assistance for..
Detroit Lead Pipe Replacement Could Be Long and Costly
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit’s water chief said it could take decades and up to $500 million to remove underground water lines that could potentially threaten people’s health with lead. Water and Sewerage Department Director Gary Brown cited the figures this week at a national water conference held in Fl..
Pittsburgh Raises $1 Million to Address Lead Contamination
Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto announced that the city has partnered with Peoples Gas and the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority to invest $1 million to provide filters to every PWSA customer to reduce high lead levels in their drinking water. The city plans to offer the free filters to all homeow..
East Chicago Officials Say $56M is Needed for Lead Crisis
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — East Chicago officials estimate the city needs at least $56 million to deal with its ongoing lead contamination crisis. Mayor Anthony Copeland submitted an inventory on Friday to Gov. Eric Holcomb about the resources needed to address the contamination in the Calumet neigh..
50 Wisconsin Lawmakers Sign Bill to Remove Lead Lines
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Almost 50 legislators from both parties have signed onto a measure that would let utility companies raise rates to help customers replace dangerous lead service lines. Still, its sponsor, Republican Sen. Robert Cowles of Green Bay, warned supporters at the bill’s Senate committ..
Many Ohio Cities May Miss Deadline on Mapping Lead Pipes
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Many of Ohio’s public drinking water systems are in danger of missing a deadline requiring them to map out the locations of their lead pipes, the state’s Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday. Only about half the surveys from the nearly 1,900 public drinking water..
Flint's Water Line Replacement to Take Until at Least 2019
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The head of Flint’s water pipe replacement program says the city in Michigan hopes to finish the project in 2019. Retired National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael McDaniel coordinates the FAST Start initiative to replace lines that leached lead into homes and businesses. He made his co..
Iowa Considers Dismantling Water Utilities in Three Cities
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An overflow crowd jammed a legislative hearing to oppose a bill they argued would make it more difficult to ensure safe water. At Monday’s public hearing on a bill that would dismantle water utilities in Des Moines, West Des Moines and Urbandale, opponents criticized the pro..
PHMSA Makes Some Positive Changes in Final Safety Rule
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced in January a number of changes in the pipeline safety laws in a final rule covering some of the provisions in the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011. The key provisions dealt with the timefr..
Flint: More Corrosion Control Studies on Water Needed
FLINT, MI (AP) – Mayor Karen Weaver has told the Environmental Protection Agency that more corrosion control studies have to be done and Flint will need more than two years before the city can begin to supply its own water. The Flint Journal reports that the plan and a letter from Weaver were filed..
Mexican Sewer Spill Flares US Noses and Tempers
For more than two weeks, a stench of feces, ammonium and laundry detergent wafted through the air in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. Residents who contacted government offices got no answers. Finally, a U.S. official released a report that sparked a furious reaction: sewer..
EPA Tier 4 Mandates Driving Up Demand Of Non-Tier 4 Used Construction
According to a survey of Independent Equipment Dealers Association (IEDA) members, the EPA’s Tier 4 mandates are driving up the demand of non- Tier 4 used construction equipment, and this trend will continue for the next several years. For many equipment categories, used equipment availability is ..
Texas Town Gets $15 Million for Water Improvements
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved financial assistance in the amount of $15 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Granbury. The assistance will finance water system improvements and enable the city to save approximately $2.1 million. With this fundi..
York Water to Expedite Replacement of Lead Service Lines
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has approved a joint settlement with York Water Company for the immediate replacement of both company-owned and customer-owned lead service lines, with the total line replacement done at the same time and solely at the company’s cost. The Commission voted ..
Coalition Asks EPA to Act on Lead in East Chicago Water
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — A coalition of community and environmental groups and law clinics has petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to act immediately to protect East Chicago residents from lead in their drinking water. The petition Thursday from the NAACP, the Natural Resources Def..
Great Lakes Commission: Billions Needed for Water Upgrades
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A Great Lakes organization wants governments in the U.S. and Canada to fund massive infrastructure upgrades to provide safe drinking water and support waterborne freight transport. The Great Lakes Commission says drinking water crises in Toledo, Ohio, and Flint, Michigan, sh..
Pennsylvania Eyes New Fees to Add Drinking Water Inspectors
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration says it wants to impose new fees on public water utilities to pay for more inspectors and resolve a federal official’s warning it isn’t adequately enforcing safe drinking water standards. Wolf’s Department of Environmental Protection says it hop..
Corpus Christi Gets $51 Million for Water Improvements
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved more than 51 million in financial assistance from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Corpus Christi. The city will use the assistance to refinance water system improvements and could save approximately $8.2 million over the li..
California Water Leaders to Push for Infrastructure Investments
More than 130 local California water leaders will be in Washington, D.C. this week to meet with key members of California’s congressional delegation and highlight the critical role of water infrastructure as part of the Association of California Water Agencies’ annual DC Conference. ACWA members re..
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- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico
- Tunnel boring continues under Chesapeake Bay for $3.9 billion HRBT Expansion project
- Judge approves construction for key portion of $485 million pipeline in Larimer County, Colo.
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- New products: Latest industry developments
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- Ohio Supreme Court rules sewer line location isn’t a ‘defect’ in property dispute
- Faulconer Construction begins rock blasting for water pipeline project in Charlottesville, Va.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico