Water

Tarrant Regional Water District Integrated Pipeline Project Earns Envision® Platinum Award

The Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL), a 150-mile long water transmission system being built by two North Texas water suppliers, has received the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s (ISI) Envision Platinum Award. The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and the City of Dallas we..

New Water Research Foundation Reports Showcase Utility Innovations in Water Conservation and Energy Recovery

The Water Research Foundation (WRF), a leading sponsor of research supporting the water community, has published two projects on innovative methods to pursue water conservation and energy recovery. The water conservation technology project (#4227) explored the use of “smart” irrigation controllers t..

LMK Technologies Executive Named To MSTT Board of Directors

Rick Gage, vice president of sales at LMK Technologies, has been named to the board of directors for the Midwest Society for Trenchless Technology (MSTT). The non-profit organization was established in 1998, as a regional chapter of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology, to promote tr..

Southern California Water District Finalizes Land Purchase

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Southern California’s largest water supplier has bought sprawling farmland that could be used to help build twin tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Sacramento Bee reports (http://bit.ly/2a3qYUm) the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ..

Innovative Design Leads To Trenchless Solutions

An “Impossible” Project Completed On-Budget, Ahead Of Schedule Many sewer line replacement and rehabilitation projects could be classified “routine” because they are relatively straightforward with few complications. Even so, no two projects are exactly alike, and most have challenges and issues t..

Study: Pipe-Corroding Well Water Prevalent in Half of States

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal study shows half of U.S. states have a high percentage of wells with water corrosive enough to leach lead from pipes. U.S. Geological Survey researchers said Wednesday their study was the largest yet of groundwater that supplies the 44 million Americans who use privat..

Oilfield Water Logistics Completes 30-Mile Red Hills Produced Water Pipeline in New Mexico

Oilfield Water Logistics, LLC has completed and opened the Red Hills Produced Water Transportation Pipeline in New Mexico. The 30-mile, 16” fiberglass pipeline is capable of carrying over 150,000 barrels of water per day across the Delaware Basin in Lea County. Chevron and other major operators in ..

Melfred Borzall adds new transmitter housing for mini drill rigs

New to Borzall’s housing line-up is a 2.5″ diameter housing that is compatible with Borzall’s new line of 3.5″ blades, as well as small OEM blades. Made for mini drills with up to 10,000 lb. thrust, this housing is smaller, shorter, and lighter to make those service bores quick and easy. Manufactur..

Michigan Infrastructure Commission Wants Public Input Through Website

LANSING, MICH. (AP) – A state commission responsible for identifying ways to update Michigan’s infrastructure has created a website to receive public input. The 21st Century Infrastructure Commission’s website is www.miinfrastructurecommission.com. It allows residents to participate in online discu..

SAK Construction Begins Multiple Baltimore/D.C. Projects

SAK Construction (SAK), a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling services contractor, is beginning work on $21.7 million of contracts won throughout the Baltimore, MD, and Washington DC regions. SAK is repairing the sewer and pipeline infrastructure in these metropolitan areas by utilizing s..

Michigan Board OKs More Money for Flint Water Crisis Probe

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan board has approved the state attorney general’s request for $3.4 million more to investigate Flint’s water crisis, an amount that would more than triple overall spending on the probe. The request was approved Tuesday by the State Administrative Board. Representative..

Stantec Acquires Firm Focused On Resources For Built Infrastructure

In the second quarter of 2016, Stantec announced the completion of its acquisition of MWH Global – a 6,800-person engineering, consulting and construction management firm focused on water and natural resources for built infrastructure and the environment. This acquisition expands Stantec’s position ..

DCA/AGA Workshop Dives Into New Issues, Workforce Development

The Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) and American Gas Association (AGA) recently held the Third Annual DCA/AGA workshop in Chicago. The workshop has grown in interest, attendance and in the range of issues addressed by a host of panels and speakers. These sessions discussed ways to improve..

While Water Rates Rise, Infrastructure Remains In Jeopardy

A survey published by Circle of Blue – an award-winning network of journalists and researchers, who report on water and worldwide resource issues – reported the price of municipal water in the United States is rising faster than any other city household expense. The network’s annual water rates tra..

Mitsubishi Electric and Sembcorp Industries to Testbed Ozone Backwashing Energy-Saving Membrane Bioreactor

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation will collaborate with Sembcorp Industries Ltd in late-stage testing of its Ozone Backwashing Energy-Saving Membrane Bioreactor (Eco-MBR), a new technology for low-energy wastewater treatment and water recycling. According to Mitsubishi Electric, initial tests have sh..

New York to Cooperate with Drinking Water Probe

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state will cooperate with a congressional committee request for information about the chemical PFOA in an upstate New York village’s drinking water. He said Cuomo hopes the end result is that Congress and the government act swiftly to i..

PG&E Tests Safety Drones For Infrastructure Inspections

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced its current testing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, to enhance the safety and reliability of its electric and gas services. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized PG&E’s use of drones to assist with electric and gas infra..

American Water Seeks Approval Of Plan in WV

West Virginia American Water filed an application with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) seeking approval of an Infrastructure Replacement Program (IRP). The purpose of an IRP is to address the national challenge of aging infrastructure by directing additional investment to areas ..

Pennsylvania American Water To Acquire New Cumberland Wastewater System

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, announced it reached an agreement to acquire the wastewater assets of the Borough of New Cumberland in Cumberland County, earlier this year. Pennsylvania American Water and the Borough will seek approval of the acquisition from the Pennsy..

Interceptor Condition Assessment Program Spurs Environmental, Economic Benefits

The Fort Worth (Texas) Water Department earned a 2016 Texas Environmental Excellence Award – the highest environmental honor in the state – in the category of Innovative Operations/Management for its Interceptor Condition Assessment Program (ICAP), This new technology allows for more effective inspe..

Making A Triumph Out Of Tragedy

by Robert Carpenter Editor-in-Chief For a surprisingly large number of contractors and manufacturers in the infrastructure markets, the first half of 2016 has seen a tepid advance, even with favorable economic winds at their backs. Must be an election year. There are exceptions. The horizontal dir..

Surging 28%, US Municipal Water Infrastructure Forecast Reaches $532 Billion

Capital expenditures (CAPEX) for U.S. municipal water & wastewater utilities – including spending on pipes, plants, and pumps – are expected to exceed $532 billion between 2016 and 2025, according to new forecasts from Bluefield Research. This new outlook, which draws heavily from planned utility bu..

Feds Say Everyone in Flint Can Drink Filtered Tap Water

DETROIT (AP) — Filtered tap water is safe for everyone in Flint, Michigan, the federal government said Thursday, lifting a recommendation that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 6 drink only bottled water to avoid lead exposure. The announcement was based on tests of filters that ha..

American Water Receives 22 National Awards for Excellence in Water Quality

American Water Works Company, Inc. has been awarded 22 Partnership for Safe Water awards. The awards, which recognize water treatment facilities that have achieved higher than required water quality standards, will be presented during the 2016 American Water Works Association Annual Conference in Ch..

Michigan Sues Companies That 'Botched,' Worsened Flint Water

FLINT, Michigan (AP) — Michigan’s attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint’s lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Veolia and Lockwood..

EIV Capital and Partners Commit $100 Million to H2O Midstream

H2O Midstream, LLC has secured an initial funding commitment of $100 million, with investments from EIV Capital and co-investments from several of EIV’s institutional partners, as the company pursues oil and gas opportunities related to water infrastructure throughout North America. “We see a treme..

TPH Partners Form Multi-Service Water Business

Houston-based TPH Partners formed EnWater Solutions by combining of its existing water business in the Permian with assets acquired from Abilene, TX-based Pelagic Water Systems. The new company’s services are applicable to high-volume saltwater disposal facilities, and permanent and temporary water ..

18th Annual HDD Survey: Diverse Markets Drive HDD Forward

To say that we are in confusing economic times would be an understatement, not only for the United States but the world in its entirety. The U.S. market confusions result primarily from a mix of political uncertainty, lackluster economic growth and performance, and the collapse of the oil and gas in..

Flint: Problems Persist For Poisoned City

by Chantel Green, Associate Editor More than eight months have passed since the drinking water source in Flint, MI, was switched back to the Great Lakes, after a detrimental extended use of the Flint River – a decision that poisoned city residents, brought criminal charges against city and state of..

Water Organizations, EPA Release Effective Utility Management Report

Eight heavy-hitters in the water and utility industries collaborated with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop the Effective Utility Management (EUM) Report entitled, Taking the Next Step: Findings of the EUM Review Steering Group, which was announced at the National Wa..