Water

Ohio Water Systems to Map Lead Pipe Locations by Spring

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio water systems are mapping where lead pipes are located at in the systems under a state law that requires a quicker notification process after lead is found at the tap. The law took effect in September and requires public water systems to alert residents within two days afte..

Instructor Hopes Students Can Help Solve Lead Pipe Issue

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee instructor hopes his students can help find a solution for Milwaukee’s lead water pipes. William Kort told WUWM-FM (http://bit.ly/2iWxiAX ) he put together a course on the topic after speaking to the Center for Water Policy. Approximately 70,000..

Water Line Break Triggers Landslide in Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — A water main break triggered a 50-foot slide that dumped tons of mud, trees, and rocks onto a roadway in West Seattle. KOMO-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2jH2mW6 ) that the slide came down at about 11 p.m. Thursday on California Avenue SW. No one was injured, but the debris damaged a bo..

Michigan to Oversee Building of Flint Water Pipeline Section

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The state of Michigan will oversee construction of a section of water pipeline that will connect Flint to the new Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline.The Flint Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2jsoam9 ) a memorandum of understanding was signed earlier this month by Flint Mayor Kare..

AG: Michigan Regulators Have ‘Lost Credibility’ on Flint Water Crisis

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has joined Flint residents in a lawsuit that seeks home delivery of bottled water if lead filters haven’t been properly installed. In a court filing Tuesday, Schuette urged a judge to keep a November injunction in place. Gov. Rick Snyder’s..

Vanessa Moreno Makes Unlikely Switch From Banking To Construction

Contractor Profile by Jeff Griffin Senior Editor Vanessa Moreno parks her car inside a blocked-off construction area adjacent to a Bellaire, TX, street and makes her way past a large, deep pit flanked by construction equipment. She wears her regular go-to-work attire: jeans, hard-toed safety boots..

Houston Public Works Director Unveils Sewer, Water Plans

Dale Rudick, director of Houston’s Public Works and Engineering Division, discussed the department, current projects and its upcoming, five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) at the Dec. 7 luncheon meeting of the Underground Construction Technology Association Gulf Coast Chapter. As director, Rudi..

John Deere and AGTEK Collaboration Increases Customer Support

As contractors increasingly use 3D digital models and GPS technology when grading a job site, John Deere is joining forces with AGTEK − a leading provider of takeoff and 3D modeling software for the civil construction industry − to increase efficiency and ease the takeoff and modeling process across..

WRF Releases Results From Direct Potable Reuse Study

The Water Research Foundation (WRF), a leading sponsor of potable reuse research, has released interim results from the ongoing study, “Blending Requirements for Water from Direct Potable Reuse Treatment Facilities” (#4536). The objective of this project is to provide guidance for the appropriate us..

Water Technology Program Names Inaugural Class

Pipeline H2O, a new water technology commercialization program managed by The Hamilton Mill, has announced its first class of companies. Supported by a coalition of regional cities, utilities, universities, and startup organizations throughout the Greater Cincinnati region, Pipeline H2O’s goal is to..

Michigan City Accelerates Removal of Lead Pipes

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — The city of Kalamazoo has been accelerating the removal of remaining lead water pipes in the community since Flint’s crisis with lead-tainted water emerged. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2jonq3V ) Kalamazoo started removing lead service lines in 1992 and this ..

Wisconsin Town Faces Scrutiny Over Plans to Pipe Water From Lake Michigan

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Waukesha officials are facing opposition for their plan to pipe in drinking water from Lake Michigan. The Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative, a group of U.S. and Canadian mayors, has asked the Great Lakes Compact Council representing surrounding states for a rehe..

Sewer Break That Caused Sinkhole May Cost Michigan $100 Million

FRASER, Mich. (AP) — The cost to fix a broken sewer line that caused a football field-sized sinkhole north of Detroit is estimated at more than $78 million, Macomb County’s new public works chief says. The project’s cost could rise above $100 million if more work is done to improve the rest of the ..

New Jersey American Water Invests $5.8 Million to Upgrade Infrastructure

Beginning this month, New Jersey American Water will invest over $5.8 million in new water mains in its service areas in Morris, Somerset and Union Counties. The approximate 20,800 feet of new pipe replaces water main that was installed as far back as the 1920s. The aging water lines will be replace..

Flint, US Officials Say Water is Improving

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Flint officials, along with Michigan and federal officials, say the most recent test results show the level of lead in the city’s water is dropping. Officials also told a town hall meeting Wednesday that chlorine residuals have become “excellent” and that bacteria issues have be..

Study Shows Feasibility of Large-Scale Regional Recycling Water Program

A new study has confirmed the feasibility of a proposed large-scale project to treat and purify wastewater and distribute it to groundwater basins across the region through a collaboration between the Metropolitan Water District and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. The conclusion of ..

Most Evacuated Due to Detroit-Area Sinkhole Allowed Home

FRASER, Mich. (AP) — Most residents evacuated following last month’s collapse of a massive sewage line that caused a football field-sized sinkhole in suburban Detroit have been allowed home. Twenty-two houses were affected by the sinkhole in Fraser, including three that were condemned. Officials ha..

SoCalGas to Use Fiber Optic Technology to Monitor Pipelines in Real Time

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) will be one of the first natural gas utilities in the United States to incorporate innovative fiber-optic cable technology to detect impacts and leaks along its transmission and high-pressure pipeline system. The technology uses fiber-optic strands to tran..

New York Governor Unveils $2B Clean Water Infrastructure Act

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 to invest a record $2 billion in critical water infrastructure across the state. “Investing in water infrastructure is critical to fostering growth in our communities and our state,” Governor Cuomo said. “Thi..

New EPA Program Makes $1 Billion in Loans Available for Water Infrastructure Projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of up to $1 billion in credit assistance for water infrastructure projects under the new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. The WIFIA program will provide long-term, low-cost credit assistance in t..

Broken Sewer Line to Blame for Philadelphia Sinkhole

KENSINGTON (AP) — The Philadelphia Water Department is blaming a broken sewer line for the water main break that caused a large sinkhole to open and swallow two cars. It says over time, soil slowly eroded the aging system, causing a six-inch water line to shift and eventually break. That caused th..

Water Council Establishes ICE Institute Focused On Technology

The Water Council, headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, launched a groundbreaking commercialization initiative that will match manufacturers, utilities and the agricultural industry with promising water and water-related technology research and innovations for advancement into the marketplace. The ICE (..

Houston To Build Massive Northeast Transmission Waterline

The city of Houston is building the 16.5-mile Northeast Transmission Waterline as part of its Surface Water Transmission Program (SWTP) to meet the region’s projected 2040 water demand. Ultimately, the waterline will provide up to 96 million gallons per day (MGD) to the city and 269 MGD to local wat..

Michigan Governor OKs Faster Lead Notification Requirements After Flint Water Crisis

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — More than 15 months after Flint’s water emergency broke open, Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday signed into law the first policy change stemming from the man-made crisis. The new law requires utilities to more quickly warn customers if there is too much lead in their water. The..

Sewer Line Collapse Forces Michigan Governor to Declare State of Emergency

FRASER, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s governor has declared a state of emergency for a county north of Detroit following the collapse of a massive sewage line that — so far — has caused a football field-sized sinkhole. The disaster declaration was made Friday by Gov. Rick Snyder and makes state res..

Missouri PSC Sets Deadline for Proposed Water and Sewer System Sale

Lake Region Water & Sewer Co. and Camden County Public Water Supply District Number Four have filed a joint application with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking authorization for Camden County to acquire Lake Region’s existing water and sewer assets. Applications to intervene and partici..

Obama Administration Aids Giant California Water Project

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The outgoing Obama administration on Wednesday tried to nudge forward Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to build two giant north-south water tunnels for California. In an executive order, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell directed federal wildlife officials on Wednesday to release..

Company Increases Use of Drones to Inspect Electric Transmission Lines

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Westar Energy is increasing the use of drones for such things as inspecting equipment, navigating remote areas and managing some emergencies, as the utility tries to improve safety and efficiency while also saving money, company officials said. Westar and Kansas State University..

American Water and New Jersey Village Begin Water Partnership

The Township of South Orange Village and American Water, the nation’s largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, have formed a new partnership to deliver clean water to residents and businesses in South Orange, N.J. The long-term partnership consists of a 30-year water sales agre..

Pennsylvania American Water Acquires Scranton Wastewater System

Pennsylvania American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water, has completed the acquisition of the wastewater system assets of the Scranton Sewer Authority (SSA). The purchase price is approximately $195 million. The newly acquired system provides wastewater service to approximately 31,..