Wastewater and Stormwater infrastructure in the 2017 ASCE report Card received a D+. This is up from the 2013 report card grade of D. This is in part due to the fact there has been some innovation with the treatment plants to ensure protection against flooding and cross contamination and new more efficient and modern techniques being used to preserve water and reuse waste. However, to keep … [Read more...]
New Investment Center Initiative to Aid Water Systems and Development in Western USA
The U.S. Department of the Interior launched a new center in December 2015 to encourage water infrastructure investment in the dry West of the United States. The Natural Resource Investment Center (NRIC) has been set up in the hopes that new infrastructure will be developed and invested in as well as increased conservation of existing water. Ecosystem Marketplace reports: "It is not yet … [Read more...]
Infrastructure Asset Management Planning Thoughts on EPA-Funded Water Infrastructure Projects of Connecticut
On 1 December 2015, EPA announced it had awarded Connecticut $26 million to help finance water improvement projects. These funds are intended for the upgrading of sewage plants and drinking water systems, as well as dealing with aging infrastructure through the state. The EPA reports: "This funding will pay for projects that improve water quality and protect drinking water across … [Read more...]
USDA Provides $314 Million in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in Rural Communities
On 2 November 2015, the USDA Secretary announced that they will be awarding $314 Million to upgrade and repair water and wastewater systems across the US - mostly in rural communities. The money is being divided between two grant programs: the Waste and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program (which is receiving $299 Million) and the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) program, … [Read more...]
Infrastructure Asset Management Solution to US Septic System Challenge
Nearly one-fifth of households in the USA are attached to septic tanks. These systems are generally fine when they are properly maintained but problems have become more frequent within these small waste management systems. Raw sewage leaks from septic tanks are causing health risks and ecological damage nationwide. Many research experts believe that this could be avoided by … [Read more...]
Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Nationwide Attention in the USA
Des Moines, Iowa, and many other municipalities across the US are joined in realizing that they need to fix their drinking water infrastructure, and fix it soon. The problem is money. There isn't enough to fund all the necessary repairs to aging systems. As a result, many Americans can expect to see the price of water rising, which is necessary to fund new or updated infrastructure but … [Read more...]
How Infrastructure Asset Management Can Help Tackle Sewage Problems in the USA
Municipal water treatment plants deal with the raw sewage of roughly 80 percent of America's households. Almost all of these facilities treat the waste and release the treated waste into a nearby body of water. However, often, if the plant is handling more than its capacity, untreated waste is also leaked into lakes, rivers, and oceans. According to the EPA, an estimated 23,000-75,000 … [Read more...]
Richwood, West Virginia Starts Exciting New Water Expansion
Hinkle Mountain and Little Laurel Road, Nicholas County, near Richwood, West Virginia are infamously known for being the only unwatered spots in the county. According to Mayor Robert Johnson, there has been hope for decades that Richwood would finally be able to upgrade and use its wastewater treatment plant and to supply the hundred or so residents whose wells are getting so dirty they can't … [Read more...]
Del Puerto, California May Buy Urban Wastewater As Drought Solution
Farmers in California are struggling to keep their crops irrigated and have turned to a new solution: buying urban wastewater. The Del Puerto Water District in the Central Valley is headed by Anne Hansen, who has definitely jumped on the urban wastewater solution bandwagon. Buying water on the open market has become too costly and Hansen believes a more reliable supply is needed to support the … [Read more...]
Medford, Oregon Comes Up With Creative Solution for Cooling Treated Wastewater
Medford, Oregon, like many other cities, grappled with the problem of treating sewage without harming fish due to the warm water released into the Rogue River by their wastewater treatment plant. The EPA has rules and regulations about water temperature, but in the past they were difficult or expensive to adhere to. Medford came up with a marginally cheap fix to the problem: planting … [Read more...]
White House Water Conservation Initiative – A Future Demand Case
In Washington D.C. The White House has launched an ambitious effort to convince the private sector that water conservation is a priority investment for the coming year. USA Today reports: "Water is a huge challenge in this country, and I think we all know that, "Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said at a meeting at the White House. "It’s important we have all hands on deck. Jewell … [Read more...]
Flint Michigan – Is it Too Late to Start an Asset Management Program?
This post is the continuation of Heather's article "Flint Michigan – Would a Robust Asset Management Program Have Prevented the Disaster?" In reading this blog post please review our Flint, Michigan - Introduction to Infrastructure Asset Management Analysis blog post, which provides background information for this post. Implications of engaging into asset management A … [Read more...]
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