Teacher, engineer and auto service manager among potential jurors in Flint water trial Feb. 15, 2022 Jury selection has begun in a federal court civil trial that pits four Flint children who claim they were damaged by drinking Flint water against two companies that advised the city during its water…
How A New Jersey Water Official Uncovered The Source Of 1,4-Dioxane In A Major National Supply
How A New Jersey Water Official Uncovered The Source Of 1,4-Dioxane In A Major National Supply February 1, 2022 Years ago, a dangerous drinking water contaminant was found in one of the country’s most significant source water supplies. And now it’s come to light that, were it not for a…
Water board slaps Morro Bay with multiple notices of violation
Water board slaps Morro Bay with multiple notices of violation January 31, 2022 The City of Morro Bay has received several notices of violations for failing to abide by pollutant discharge requirements at the city’s water reclamation facility construction site. Read more
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water Utilities across the geographies have started their journey to improved customer self-service capabilities. Now millions of people enjoy the digital convenience of managing their utility account, tracking usage, paying bills,…
Troubled east St. Tammany water system to get $23 million for new water towers, other upgrades
Troubled east St. Tammany water system to get $23 million for new water towers, other upgrades JAN 24, 2022 A St. Tammany Parish-owned water utility that has drawn a torrent of complaints from residents of Cross Gates and other neighborhoods it serves in the Slidell area will get nearly $23…
Billings, Montana’s Only Source-Water Body Hits A Record Low
Billings, Montana’s Only Source-Water Body Hits A Record Low January 12, 2022 The sole source of drinking water for one of Montana’s largest cities has dropped to a record low in another historic sign of ongoing drought that’s impacting much of the American West. Read more
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms January 17, 2022 By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water “The grid is not ready for the 21st century.” “Climate change will lead to frequent outages, and utilities are unprepared.” Headlines such as these have become commonplace. Nothing eye-opening about…
New west El Paso wastewater treatment facility now operating at full capacity
New west El Paso wastewater treatment facility now operating at full capacity January 10, 2022 Since August, sewage from two broken pipelines in west El Paso has caused foul odors to permeate around the area, frustrating locals who live there. West side residents have even seen sewage making its way…
Revised EPA Lead and Copper Rule Requires Cities To Complete Lead Service Line Inventories
Revised EPA Lead and Copper Rule Requires Cities To Complete Lead Service Line Inventories December 20, 2021 Now according to the EPA Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) revision (announced December 16, 2021), public water systems have more work to do. LCR requires cities to develop a lead service line inventory…
Canada and British Columbia invest in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure
Canada and British Columbia invest in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure December 21, 2021 Water and wastewater management systems are the backbone of municipalities and First Nations communities. Investments to improve water quality and system efficiency create good local jobs, address the economic challenges brought on by the pandemic and…
First water utility in North America to earn ISO 55001 accreditation
First water utility in North America to earn ISO 55001 accreditation DECEMBER 13, 2021 The Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department (PBCWUD) has achieved the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 55001 certification for its asset management system. Stantec guided PBCWUD towards becoming the only water utility in North America to receive this…
ABB Technology Helps Fulfill City of Baltimore’s Commitment For Safe, Reliable Wastewater And Water System
ABB Technology Helps Fulfill City of Baltimore’s Commitment For Safe, Reliable Wastewater And Water System December 1, 2021 ABB has secured a contract, valued at more than $10M, from the City of Baltimore, Maryland, to upgrade the automation, electrical and power management of its Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve…
Austin Water Saves Millions through State Funding for Water, Wastewater and Metering Infrastructure Overhaul
Austin Water Saves Millions through State Funding for Water, Wastewater and Metering Infrastructure Overhaul Nov. 30, 2021 Austin’s push to modernize and strengthen its water, wastewater and metering infrastructure received a bump, thanks to newly acquired below market interest rate loans from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Austin Water…
Demand for funding to fix decrepit Louisiana water systems exceeds available cash
Demand for funding to fix decrepit Louisiana water systems exceeds available cash NOVEMBER 23, 2021 With more than 500 applications submitted by Louisiana communities hoping to upgrade their failing water and sewer systems, lawmakers say there’s not enough money in the water sector program budget to fix everything. Read more
A low-income Michigan city has a drinking water crisis. Sound familiar?
A low-income Michigan city has a drinking water crisis. Sound familiar? NOV 15, 2021 Abandoned by industry. Impoverished after white flight. Saddled with crumbling infrastructure, struggling schools and little, if any, money to fix the problems. For decades this low-income, majority Black community — less than two hours from Chicago…
Wisconsin may get more than $800M to upgrade water systems under the $1T infrastructure bill
Wisconsin may get more than $800M to upgrade water systems under the $1T infrastructure bill November 9, 2021 Wisconsin’s aging water and wastewater systems may be able to speed up improvements with more than $800 million the state is set to receive through the $1 trillion infrastructure bill recently passed by the…
Jackson, Mississippi Sued Over Lead Contamination Of Drinking Water
Jackson, Mississippi Sued Over Lead Contamination Of Drinking Water October 27, 2021 Attorneys representing hundreds of residents of Jackson, Mississippi have filed a federal lawsuit against the city and state over concerns that officials allowed them to consume lead-tainted drinking water for years without taking appropriate action. Read more
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure November 1, 2021 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a congressional committee leader agree that officials must take precautionary steps to identify “systemically important critical infrastructure” to reduce risks of pervasive supply chain cyberattacks. Read more
Several local communities to receive millions of dollars to fund water infrastructure improvements
Several local communities to receive millions of dollars to fund water infrastructure improvements October 26, 2021 The State of Ohio will distribute millions of dollars in grants to several local communities as part of an effort to improve the water infrastructure across the entire state. Read more
Federal agencies warn of ransomware targeting water, wastewater treatment plants
Federal agencies warn of ransomware targeting water, wastewater treatment plants Oct 16, 2021 The attacks highlight an ongoing threat to vulnerable and underfunded infrastructure systems in the U.S., which have been targeted with increasing frequency in recent years by criminal and nation-state actors. Read more
State tells city residents not to drink tap water after three years of dangerous lead contamination
State tells city residents not to drink tap water after three years of dangerous lead contamination Oct. 12, 2021 Health officials in Michigan are advising residents in the city of Benton Harbor to rely on bottled water instead of tap water in response to elevated levels of lead in the…
Xylem, Dragos Partner to Bring Cybersecurity Leadership to Water Utilities
Xylem, Dragos Partner to Bring Cybersecurity Leadership to Water Utilities October 04, 2021 Leading global water technology company, Xylem Inc., and Dragos, Inc., the global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments, today announced they have partnered to bring best-in-class industrial cybersecurity to critical infrastructure in…
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure Sept. 28, 2021 With President Joe Biden’s broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety…
Utilities face greatest threat as climate risks intensify
Utilities face greatest threat as climate risks intensify 20 Sep, 2021 Climate change is pushing power, gas and water companies to the frontlines of an intensifying battle against natural disasters that is set to increasingly hit the profits of businesses around the world. Utilities face the highest combined physical risk…
Knox Board of Works Approves Wastewater Equipment Update
Knox Board of Works Approves Wastewater Equipment Update September 13, 2021 The Knox Wastewater Department is updating its equipment. The board of works recently agreed to let Superintendent Jason Clemons buy a new self-priming, trailer-mounted bypass pump for just over $25,000, the lowest of the three quotes he received. Read…
Water companies face chemical supply disruption
Water companies face chemical supply disruption September 7, 2021 The Environment Agency has told water firms they can temporarily reduce the amount of chemicals used for the treatment of waste water. Read more
California moves slowly on water projects amid drought
California moves slowly on water projects amid drought August 30, 2021 In 2014, in the middle of a severe drought that would test California’s complex water storage system like never before, voters told the state to borrow $7.5 billion and use part of it to build projects to stockpile more…
What does it mean when a community runs out of water? Many in California are finding out
What does it mean when a community runs out of water? Many in California are finding out Aug. 13, 2021 From Klamath to Redding, Mendocino to Sonoma, dozens of communities across California are facing dire water shortages. n May, the State Water Resources Control Board compiled a list of the 81…
Ameresco Partners with City of Bellmead for Comprehensive Smart Metering Infrastructure Improvement Project
Ameresco Partners with City of Bellmead for Comprehensive Smart Metering Infrastructure Improvement Project August 09, 2021 Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC), a leading cleantech integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, today announced its partnership with the City of Bellmead, Texas for a comprehensive smart metering infrastructure improvement project. Read more
Drought: 2 West Marin water utilities consider rationing
Drought: 2 West Marin water utilities consider rationing August 2, 2021 Thousands of West Marin residents could soon be placed under mandatory water rationing rules enforceable through service shutoffs and fines as large as $500. The Stinson Beach County Water District will consider an ordinance on Aug. 21 that would…
Municipalities launch protests against York City wastewater treatment system sale
Municipalities launch protests against York City wastewater treatment system sale July 27, 2021 Five municipalities have filed protests against the sale of York’s wastewater treatment system, alleging the deal is inherently flawed and will increase rates. The five townships, which form the York Area Regional Sewer Authority, join another protest filed by…
Biden infrastructure deal could create 500,000 manufacturing jobs, business group finds
Biden infrastructure deal could create 500,000 manufacturing jobs, business group finds JULY 27, 2021 A bipartisan infrastructure deal being negotiated in the U.S. Senate could create roughly half a million new manufacturing jobs by 2024, the end of President Biden’s first term, an analysis conducted on behalf of the trade group Association…
Thanks To New Meters, Wasted Water Will Be A Thing Of The Past At USC
Thanks To New Meters, Wasted Water Will Be A Thing Of The Past At USC July 15, 2021 To detect leaks and promote sustainability, the university is installing ultrasonic submeters on dozens of older buildings and cooling towers. The days of free-flowing water are coming to an end across the…
Water and wastewater infrastructure projects across Ohio awarded grants
Water and wastewater infrastructure projects across Ohio awarded grants July 12, 2021 Water and wastewater infrastructure programs across the state are getting $9 million in funding boosts from the state’s H2Ohio program. The state awarded the money based on economic need and project readiness, and acknowledged while awarding the money…
Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package Includes Major Water Provisions
Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package Includes Major Water Provisions June 30, 2021 The framework for an eight-year, $1.2 trillion infrastructure package agreed upon by President Joe Biden and bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate would pave the way for major investment into the country’s water systems. Read more
New York City Department Of Environmental Protection Partners With Arcadis To Drive City-Wide Resilience
New York City Department Of Environmental Protection Partners With Arcadis To Drive City-Wide Resilience June 21, 2021 Arcadis today announced its partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to launch a $53 million program designed to engage property owners across the city with resiliency measures that improve local and…
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act June 28, 2021 Bipartisan House lawmakers introduced legislation to increase cybersecurity literacy and security awareness among the American public amid a spike in cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure. Read more
$630 million project launches, to replace wastewater pipes under South Bay and Harbor Area
$630 million project launches, to replace wastewater pipes under South Bay and Harbor Area June 21, 2021 After more than a decade of planning, community meetings — and more planning — an ambitious $630 million effort to replace two aging underground wastewater pipes officially launched on Monday, June 21, as…
House advances bill with increased funding for clean water
House advances bill with increased funding for clean water JUNE 14, 2021 The U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee last week marked up and advanced H.R. 1915, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021. This legislation follows the Senate’s passage in May of its clean…
Small Colorado communities get money to improve wastewater systems
Small Colorado communities get money to improve wastewater systems Jun 7, 2021 Aging wastewater systems in 13 small communities will get planning, design and construction improvements with a $2 million grant program, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced on Monday. Read more
EPA Awards Over $17 Million To Benefit Small Water Systems
EPA Awards Over $17 Million To Benefit Small Water Systems May 12, 2021 Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $17 million in grant funding to help provide training and technical assistance to small drinking water and wastewater systems that often serve small communities and rural America. Read…
Florida To Close Dangerous Wastewater Reservoir
Florida To Close Dangerous Wastewater Reservoir By Peter Chawaga, April 21, 2021 In a reminder of just how dangerous and difficult it can be to manage wastewater, Floridians were forced to evacuate their homes earlier this month when a local reservoir began leaking and appeared close to bursting wide open. Now,…
The multibillion dollar question: What will it take to fix the South’s broken water systems?
The multibillion dollar question: What will it take to fix the South’s broken water systems? By Carly Berlin, April 15, 2021 The winter storm revealed the fragility of rural and urban water systems. President Biden’s new infrastructure plan could help improve them — but it’s only a start. Read more
With $1.6T Forecasted For Total Expenditures By End Of Decade, Water Utility Operations Face Significant Disruption
April 7, 2021 The day-to-day cost of operating and maintaining U.S. municipal water and wastewater infrastructure is taking on an oversized share of utilities’ total expenditures (TOTEX). Over the last fifty years, spending on operations has escalated from a 50% to a 66% share of total utility expenditures with few…
City water utility making progress on infrastructure projects
By Michelle Charles, Mar 18, 2021 Water infrastructure projects are moving along in Stillwater, according to a report from Water Utilities Director Bill Millis. Millis recently gave the Stillwater City Council a quarterly update on water and wastewater infrastructure projects that are nearing completion, are underway or are in the…
Tacoma sues over planned wastewater treatment requirements that could cost $1 billion
By Alexis Krell, The News Tribune, March 14, 2021 Tacoma has sued the state Department of Ecology over proposed requirements for wastewater treatment plants that discharge to Puget Sound, a new regulation the city said could cost up to $1 billion to implement. The lawsuit is over a draft permit…
Mueller awarded contract for AMI deployment in Calaveras County, CA
Mar 9th, 2021 Mueller Systems announced that Calaveras County Water District has selected Mueller Systems to deploy an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network covering 1,000 square miles with 13,000 AMI endpoints. The project will replace the majority of the District’s meters and add communication capabilities to all meters. Read more
Florida water hack shows infrastructure cyber weaknesses
Judy Greenwald, February 23, 2021 A thwarted attempt by an unknown hacker to put lye into a small Florida city’s water treatment facility highlights the need for infrastructure operators to keep software updated and follow other cyber security measures, experts say. Read more
Pennsylvania American Water Invested $400 Million Statewide in 2020
(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb 16, 2021 Pennsylvania American Water announced today its end-of-year investment total and system improvement recap for 2020. In just 12 months, the company invested $400 million to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure across the Commonwealth – delivering on its significant capital investment plan despite the COVID-19 public health emergency.…
Half of global wastewater treated, rates in developing countries still lagging
Feb 9th, 2021 A new study by scientists at Utrecht University and the United Nations University concludes that about half of global wastewater is treated, rather than the previous estimate of 20%. Despite this promising finding, the authors warn that treatment rates in developing countries are still very low. The…
