Water
Rio Police Investigate Utility, Workers for Smelly Water
Rio de Janeiro police are investigating workers at a state utility after foul-smelling tap water began flowing into dozens of neighborhoods in the Brazilian city last month, raising health concerns and sparking a run on bottled water.
Water Company Pleads Guilty to Hazardous Waste Violations
A California company that produces Crystal Geyser bottled water pleaded guilty to illegally storing and transporting hazardous waste and agreed to a $5 million fine, federal prosecutors said.
EPA Announces $2.2 Million Grant for Drinking Water Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $2.2 million grant for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to help identify sources of lead in drinking water in schools and child-care facilities.
Middlesex Water Company Investing $11.2 Million To Upgrade New Jersey Water Mains
Middlesex Water Company has announced plans to invest $11.2 million to improve drinking water infrastructure in New Jersey.
U.S. Indian Bureau Violates Water Repairs Order
Federal environmental regulators say the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs violated an order to repair a public water supply system serving about 1,300 people on the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana.
U.S. Supreme Court Will Not Hear Flint Water Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take a case stemming from the 2014 water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Two Cities Add HDPE for Reliable Water Infrastructure
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This is a dependable indicator in psychology, but two cities in Minnesota found this to be especially true when applied to pipe performance.
2020 Outlook and Utility & Communications Construction Update
The United States construction market is steady and growing slightly amidst the second-longest period of sustained economic expansion since 1964. Despite fears of an impending slowdown, FMI Research projects that construction put-in-place will increase year-over-year by slightly less than 1 percent in 2019 (down from 3 percent in 2018).
$234 Billion CAPEX Expected over Next 10 Years for Water/Wastewater Infrastructure
More than $234 billion of capital expenditures (CAPEX) are forecasted over the next decade to address aging municipal water and wastewater pipe network infrastructure. Precipitated by decades of underinvestment, municipal utilities are under increasing pressure to address deteriorating linear assets at a faster pace.
LAN Starts Construction of Conroe Treatment Plant
LEM Construction Co has begun construction of a $60 million wastewater treatment plant for the City of Conroe, the fast-growing seat of Montgomery County, located north of Houston.
New Mexico Communities get Funding for Water Projects
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is directing nearly $34 million in federal funding for improvements to water and wastewater systems in New Mexico, including projects at Laguna Pueblo and the cities of Lordsburg and Truth or Consequences.
USDA to Invest Over $630 Million in Water Improvement for Rural Communities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy has announced that the department is investing $635 million in 122 projects to improve water systems and wastewater handling services in rural communities in 42 states.
Smelly Rio de Janeiro Water Supply has Residents on Edge
There’s a creeping sense of alarm in Rio de Janeiro after more than a week of foul tasting and smelling tap water in dozens of neighborhoods. Officials say the water is safe, but rumors are flying, and residents are hoarding bottled water.
New Jersey Capital City Spending $150 Million to Replace Lead Pipes
All 37,000 of the lead water pipes in New Jersey’s capital city will be replaced over the next five years at an estimated cost of $150 million, Trenton officials said Thursday.
NJ American Water to Purchase Long Hill Township Sewer System
New Jersey American Water said it has signed an agreement to acquire the wastewater assets of the Township of Long Hill, N.J. for $12.7 million.
US: Barrel Company Used Hidden Drain to Pollute County Sewer
A Seattle barrel company indicted in a "long-running pollution conspiracy" is accused of using a hidden drain to pump caustic wastewater directly into the King County sewer system.
Judge Recommends Georgia Prevail in Water War with Florida
A federal judge is recommending that Georgia prevail in a longstanding legal battle with Florida over water consumption from rivers shared by the states, though the final decision rests with the U.S. Supreme Court.
Austin Approves $78 Million Wastewater Upgrades
The Austin City Council this week approveda $78 million project to expand the capacity of its wastewater treatment facility to 10.4 million gallons per day (MGD) from 8.475.
Report: Drinking Water Contamination Rampant Across U.S.
The EPA doesn’t have a tap water contamination database and doesn’t provide any information on specific contaminant levels at water systems. But according to Environmental Working Group Senior Scientist David Andrews, they should.
Orange County Launches Pilot to Remove PFAS From Groundwater
The Orange County Water District is launching a pilot program to test treatment options for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a family of manmade heat and water-resistant chemicals found in numerous everyday consumer products that have infiltrated groundwater supplies over several decades.
LAN Starts Construction of Conroe Treatment Plant
Construction has started on a $60 million wastewater treatment plant for Conroe, Texas—the fast-growing U.S. city—located north of Houston.
New Mexico Communities get Funding for Water Projects
Nearly $34 million in federal funding is being funneled to New Mexico to help make improvements to water and wastewater systems.
Sewer Blockage Pushes Waste Into 300 New York City Homes
Experts suspect "fatbergs" were to blame for a blocked sewer main that flooded basements with brown filth over the weekend and left residents of a New York City neighborhood feeling sickened by the stench.
USDA to Invest Over $630 Million in Water Improvement for Rural Communities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing over $630 million in water infrastructure improvements for rural communities across 42 states.
Proposed ASTM Standard Supports Water Main Pipe Rehabilitation
ASTM International’s committee on plastic piping systems (F17) is developing a proposed standard for replacing old and failing distribution water main pipes.
Quadex’s Stag Technologies Division Transitioning into Materials Development Group
As part of its long-term growth strategy, Quadex LLC, a division of the Vortex Companies, is renaming and positioning its Stag Technologies division as its Materials Development Group.
Plaquemines Parish Gets $4 million for Water Infrastructure
The federal government is giving one Louisiana parish a $4 million grant to help improve the water infrastructure.
Trump Administration Drops Obama-Era Water Protection Rule
The Trump administration revoked an Obama-era regulation that shielded many U.S. wetlands and streams from pollution but was opposed by developers and farmers who said it hurt economic development and infringed on property rights.
Lane Wins First Washington Contract with $255 Million Seattle Project
Lane Construction said it won its first contract in the state of Washington—construction of a water storage tunnel to reduce polluted overflows into Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal.
EPA Funds Completion of Rhode Island Tunnel Project
Rhode Island officials finally have an end in sight for a $1.5 billion system of tunnels to prevent tainted stormwater from entering Narragansett Bay, following federal funding approval to help complete the project
- 290-mile gas pipeline expansion proposed across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina
- $227 million Garnet Valley water project advances, set to create 73,000 jobs in Nevada
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish
- Construction underway for $1.4 billion, 60-mile water pipeline in Chicago
- HDD industry faces challenges as cities push back on fiber drilling disruptions
- Gehl and Mustang offer world’s largest skid loader
- Growing Pains and Gains
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish