EPA Announces $263 Million WIFIA Loan to Boise, Idaho to Modernize Wastewater Infrastructure and help recharge the Boise River water supply December 19, 2022 Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $263 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the City of Boise, Idaho, to…
North Miami to receive $2.3M for septic to sewer conversions
North Miami to receive $2.3M for septic to sewer conversions Dec. 13, 2022 The City of North Miami announced that it is receiving a $2.3 million state grant from the state for its septic to sewer conversion project. The state’s multi-million-dollar allocation will come from the Biscayne Bay Grant Program…
Thornton has plenty of water – it’s just in the wrong place. And that’s a very Colorado story.
Thornton has plenty of water – it’s just in the wrong place. And that’s a very Colorado story. Dec 4, 2022 Thornton needs water. Developers are scrapping homebuilding projects out of fears that the city can’t guarantee them a water tap in the next few years. Thornton has water. It’s…
California Cities Brace for Water Cuts and a Fourth Year of Drought
California Cities Brace for Water Cuts and a Fourth Year of Drought 11/28/22 Federal water authorities warned California cities and industrial water users to prepare for water cuts in 2023 as the state enters what is likely to be a fourth consecutive year of drought. The potential cuts will affect…
Hundreds of Arizona Households Set to Be Without Water by End of Year
Hundreds of Arizona Households Set to Be Without Water by End of Year 11/22/22 More than 500 households in the rural Arizona desert are set to be without running water starting January, 1 2023, as first reported by NBC News. The homes, located in Rio Verde Foothills—an affluent, unincorporated community…
As California’s wells dry up, residents rely on bottled water to survive
As California’s wells dry up, residents rely on bottled water to survive November 14, 2022 Wells are running dry in California at a record pace. Amid a hotter, drier climate and the third consecutive year of severe drought, the state has already tallied a record 1,351 dry wells this year…
As Drought Worsens, Colorado Turns To Major Direct Potable Reuse Expansion
As Drought Worsens, Colorado Turns To Major Direct Potable Reuse Expansion November 1, 2022 The national battle against source water scarcity has pushed water systems around the country to innovate and invest at rapid rates. California is volunteering to make record cuts to its Colorado River consumption, Texas is pursuing…
EPA determines water in Jackson, Mississippi, is safe to drink two months after treatment plant failure
EPA determines water in Jackson, Mississippi, is safe to drink two months after treatment plant failure October 31, 2022 The Environmental Protection Agency has determined water from both treatment plants in Jackson, Mississippi, is safe to drink, an agency spokesperson said in a statement. The announcement comes just over two…
Jackson Wastewater Hauler Pleads Guilty To Clean Water Act Violation
Jackson Wastewater Hauler Pleads Guilty To Clean Water Act Violation October 18, 2022 An employee of Partridge-Sibley Industrial Services, Inc., a wastewater hauling business based in Jackson, Mississippi, pled guilty today for his part in illegally discharging industrial waste into the Jackson sewer system, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca…
Scientists Say PFAS Contamination Should Be Presumed At Over 57,000 U.S. Sites
Scientists Say PFAS Contamination Should Be Presumed At Over 57,000 U.S. Sites October 12, 2022 Tens of thousands of locations across the United States may be contaminated by PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), according to a study published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. According to the research team,…
Despite Drought, U.S. EPA May Block Trailblazing Texas Desalination Plant
Despite Drought, U.S. EPA May Block Trailblazing Texas Desalination Plant October 6, 2022 As water scarcity and consumer demand grow across much of the country, one of the driest states is pursuing an ambitious drinking water project, while still unsure if it will receive the federal green light. “Texas regulators…
Unsafe Lead Contamination Found In Chicago Drinking Water
Unsafe Lead Contamination Found In Chicago Drinking Water September 28, 2022 Recent tests for thousands of consumers in Chicago found that 5% of them were being served with drinking water that contained exceedingly high levels of lead contamination. “One in 20 tap water tests performed for thousands of Chicago residents…
Las Vegas Bets On A Range Of Conservation Measures In Face Of Megadrought
Las Vegas Bets On A Range Of Conservation Measures In Face Of Megadrought September 21, 2022 Banking on its continued position as an oasis among the desert, Las Vegas is placing its bets on ambitious water conservation measures as regional drought conditions and consumption demand grow. According to recent coverage…
Investing In New Water Filtration Membranes Is Worth It
Investing In New Water Filtration Membranes Is Worth It September 12, 2022 High-performing water filtration systems — necessary for reducing water scarcity — can also reduce cost and energy consumption, a new Northwestern University-led analysis finds. In the new study, researchers performed a high-level analysis of membrane filtration systems to…
EPA watchdog to probe Jackson water crisis
EPA watchdog to probe Jackson water crisis 09/13/22 The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General on Tuesday announced a probe into the recent water emergency in Jackson, Miss., that left tens of thousands of residents in the state capital without access to safe drinking water. Read more
Toxic arsenic levels make tap water unsafe for thousands in New York City
Toxic arsenic levels make tap water unsafe for thousands in New York City 6 Sep 2022 Dangerous levels of arsenic were found in a New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex, leaving thousands of affected residents without safe tap water. The crisis plays out as people in the predominantly…
Mississippi’s largest city in water crisis as treatment plant fails
Mississippi’s largest city in water crisis as treatment plant fails August 30, 2022 The governor of Mississippi urged residents of Jackson, the state’s capital and largest city, not to drink the water there — if they still had access to it — warning that running water would soon be unavailable…
WateReuse Congratulates Recipients Of Historic Investment In Water Recycling
WateReuse Congratulates Recipients Of Historic Investment In Water Recycling August 19, 2022 The WateReuse Association celebrates the allocation of $310 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for the planning, design, and construction of water reuse projects across the country. This funding is the first of…
White House To Circumvent Congress, Impose Stricter Cybersecurity Requirements On Water Systems
White House To Circumvent Congress, Impose Stricter Cybersecurity Requirements On Water Systems August 10, 2022 As cyber-attacks have become more advanced, it’s been made clear that drinking water and wastewater systems across the U.S. are increasingly under threat. In recent months, hackers have attempted to access treatment facilities to poison…
Major upgrades on tap for New Hampshire wastewater facility
Major upgrades on tap for New Hampshire wastewater facility Aug. 8, 2022 After years of attempts to mitigate pollution in the Sugar River, major upgrades are coming to the wastewater facility in Newport, New Hampshire. The Granite State’s congressional delegation says more than $6 million will be used to overhaul…
New Biden administration initiative looks to fix water infrastructure problems in poor, rural areas
New Biden administration initiative looks to fix water infrastructure problems in poor, rural areas August 2, 2022 The Biden administration on Tuesday launched an initiative that it hopes will help resolve wastewater issues in 11 poor, rural communities where inadequate disposal is a health risk to residents. Read more
Smart Meters To Be Installed For Toledo’s Water Customers
Smart Meters To Be Installed For Toledo’s Water Customers July 14, 2022 City of Toledo Department of Public Utilities water customers should soon have fewer headaches over their water bills. The department will replace 116,000 analog water meters with smart meters across residences and businesses beginning in July. Read more
World’s First Project To Pipe Desalinated Water Into Natural Lake Set To Start Operations
World’s First Project To Pipe Desalinated Water Into Natural Lake Set To Start Operations July 13, 2022 As source water grows scarcer in stressed regions around the world, a new project in the Middle East is trailblazing what could become a central technology for drinking water systems in the Western…
New EPA guidelines on PFAS “forever chemicals” put Frisco far over drinking water limits
New EPA guidelines on PFAS “forever chemicals” put Frisco far over drinking water limits Jul 12, 2022 Drinking water in Frisco is tainted with dangerous levels of the PFAS “forever chemicals” from suspected firefighting foam runoff into nearby creeks, according to new EPA guidance that radically lowered safety levels and…
Baltimore’s ‘Catastrophic Failures’ at Wastewater Treatment Have Triggered a State Takeover, a Federal Lawsuit and Citizen Outrage
Baltimore’s ‘Catastrophic Failures’ at Wastewater Treatment Have Triggered a State Takeover, a Federal Lawsuit and Citizen Outrage July 3, 2022 Untreated human sewage spews from the city’s two wastewater treatment facilities into rivers and tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, where 2025 pollution targets have been jeopardized. Read more
Where does your water come from? A look at Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe supplies
Where does your water come from? A look at Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe supplies Jun 27, 2022 Up to 70% of water usage for municipal users in Arizona is used outside for plants, grass, and swimming pools, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Read more
Global Water Utilities Forecasted To Spend US$387.5B On Digital Solutions This Decade
Global Water Utilities Forecasted To Spend US$387.5B On Digital Solutions This Decade June 14, 2022 Globally, water and wastewater utility sector expenditure on digital solutions is forecasted to grow 8.8% annually, from US$25.9B in 2021 to US$55.2B in 2030. According to a new report from Bluefield Research, The Digital Water…
Zone 7’s Patterson Pass plant shifts to ozonation water treatment process
Zone 7’s Patterson Pass plant shifts to ozonation water treatment process Jun 14, 2022 Residents in the Tri-Valley region will start to see and taste a difference in their tap water thanks to upgrades made to the Patterson Pass Water Treatment Plant in Livermore. Read more
Heavy Arlington rain leads to 102K gallons of wastewater overflow, city says
Heavy Arlington rain leads to 102K gallons of wastewater overflow, city says June 7, 2022 Heavy rain in Arlington over the weekend led to 102,000 gallons of wastewater overflowing into Rush Creek in South Arlington, according to Arlington Water Utilities. The utility service said the discharge of wastewater did not…
With Federal Water Resources Act Set For Vote, D.C. Legislator Advocates For New Drinking Water Source
With Federal Water Resources Act Set For Vote, D.C. Legislator Advocates For New Drinking Water Source May 25, 2022 One of the largest drinking water systems in the country may soon make a major resiliency upgrade, as Washington, D.C. considers adding a second source waterbody to its roster. Read more
WateReuse Celebrates Recycled Water Funding In STREAM Act
WateReuse Celebrates Recycled Water Funding In STREAM Act May 19, 2022 This Infrastructure Week, the WateReuse Association celebrates the introduction of S.4231, the Support to Rehydrate the Environment, Agriculture and Municipalities (STREAM) Act, which authorizes $300M for water reuse projects through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI-WIIN Water Reuse Grants…
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack: Lessons for Technologists
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack: Lessons for Technologists May 23, 2022 While technologists have always understood the damage that ransomware could do to an organization’s infrastructure and data, the May 2021 attack that targeted Colonial Pipeline IT infrastructure changed the game for good. Read more
Consolidated Water Announces Agreement to Construct Wastewater Treatment Plant in Arizona
Consolidated Water Announces Agreement to Construct Wastewater Treatment Plant in Arizona May 17, 2022 Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., a leading developer and operator of advanced water supply and treatment plants, announced today that its subsidiary PERC Water Corporation has entered into an agreement to construct and commission a four million…
White House Says $110 Billion in Infrastructure Funds Released in First 6 Months
White House Says $110 Billion in Infrastructure Funds Released in First 6 Months May 16, 2022 The White House on Monday said it has released $110 billion in funding from the $1 trillion infrastructure package that seeks to fix crumbling roads, expand broadband internet and improve the electrical grid. Read…
BPUB customers to see higher bills as program ends
BPUB customers to see higher bills as program ends May 8, 2022 After getting the go-ahead from the Brownsville City Commission on May 3, the Brownsville Public Utility Board announced on May 4 that it will be updating its electric, water and wastewater rates. Read more
Infrastructure funding to include pipeline repairs in Utah
Infrastructure funding to include pipeline repairs in Utah May 10, 2022 The Department of the Interior announced Monday that it will invest $240.4 million for infrastructure repairs for the 2022 fiscal year, including pipeline repairs in Utah. This investment is a part of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and…
Arkansas files lawsuit against EPA
Arkansas files lawsuit against EPA May 2, 2022 Environmental regulators in Arkansas filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, asking a federal court to grant relief from what they describe as “unlawful federal overreach.” The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment alleges in its complaint that EPA’s objections…
After State Regulators Take Control Of One Baltimore Wastewater Plant, Problems Uncovered At Another
After State Regulators Take Control Of One Baltimore Wastewater Plant, Problems Uncovered At Another April 20, 2022 Just as authorities made a dramatic move to wrangle one wastewater treatment plant in a major U.S. city, it appears its neighboring facility is now under scrutiny as well. “Environmental groups are calling…
New Report: $9.6B Available For Water Infrastructure Remains Uncommitted
New Report: $9.6B Available For Water Infrastructure Remains Uncommitted April 6, 2022 States collectively have not committed $9.6B in available funding to invest in water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, according to a new report from the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Water Policy Program at Duke University’s Nicholas…
Biden Seeking $407 Million For Everglades Project Central To Drinking Water Supplies
Biden Seeking $407 Million For Everglades Project Central To Drinking Water Supplies April 7, 2022 A record-breaking funding proposal from the Biden Administration is underscoring just how critical local ecosystems are becoming in the fight to ensure clean and plentiful drinking water around the country. Read more
EPA upholds Trump-era decision not to regulate known drinking water contaminant
EPA upholds Trump-era decision not to regulate known drinking water contaminant April 5, 2022 The Environmental Protection Agency says it will uphold a Trump-era environmental policy not to regulate a drinking water contaminant that has been linked to brain damage in infants. The agency says the Trump administration’s decision in…
States must target water infrastructure funds to urban, rural areas with real need: lawmakers
States must target water infrastructure funds to urban, rural areas with real need: lawmakers 03/29/22 States must ensure that federal funds allocated toward improving drinking water end up in communities with concrete needs for such upgrades, providing equal consideration for both urban and rural populations, lawmakers agreed on Tuesday. Read…
Pingree Grove gets $3.5 million to build second water treatment plant
Pingree Grove gets $3.5 million to build second water treatment plant 3/15/2022 The village of Pingree Grove will receive $3.5 million in federal funding for construction of a second water treatment facility. Read more
President Biden And USDA Invest More Than $166.5M In Infrastructure To Protect American Communities
President Biden And USDA Invest More Than $166.5M In Infrastructure To Protect American Communities March 3, 2022 President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $166.5M in 108 infrastructure projects as part of implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,…
Florida Infrastructure: Critical strategies the Sunshine State can implement to manage the state’s anticipated growth
Florida Infrastructure: Critical strategies the Sunshine State can implement to manage the state’s anticipated growth 3/1/2022 The pandemic has been accompanied by an influx into Florida of people from California, Illinois, New York and other states. Tops on the list of motivations for the moves: Taxes, quality of life, business-friendly…
2022 Trends: What Water Utilities Are Prioritizing in the Year Ahead
2022 Trends: What Water Utilities Are Prioritizing in the Year Ahead FEBRUARY 21, 2022 While 2020 was challenging due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 presented its own obstacles as the lingering pandemic forced communities and utilities to navigate a new normal. Looking ahead, water utilities are seeking…
Teacher, engineer and auto service manager among potential jurors in Flint water trial
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,…
