07.10.09
Friday’s Water News: Details Revealed on Massive Hampton Roads Water Main Break
Last Thursday, approximately 2 million gallons of water gushed from a pipe in the Hampton’s Road Bridge Tunnel’s fire hydrant supply system, filled underground ducts and eventually caused the complete closure of the westbound tunnel as water pooled in the travel lanes. Today it was revealed water flowed for more than eight hours before the break was identified and traffic was diverted.
Headlines
Officials in Powdersville, South Carolina have broken ground on a new one-million gallon water storage tank in anticipation of future growth. State lawmakers see the project as a tool for economic development in the area.
Residents of a southwest Philadelphia neighborhood woke up at 4:30 a.m. to find water gushing into their homes due to a water main break.
Stimulus Spotlight
The state of Florida will use $11.2 million provided by the EPA from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to repair underground petroleum tanks currently contaminating ground water.
Lansing, Michigan has received $10.5 billion from the economic stimulus to help with the city’s sewer modernization project, but it still needs to spend spend $25 million next year and $283 million over the next 11 as part of the project.
Sewer Rate News
Galion, Ohio
Sussex County, Deleware
Fort Wayne, Indiana
07.09.09
Thursday’s Water News: Seattle Main Break Releases 860,000 Gallons of Water
A water-pipe break on Harbor Island in Seattle Wednesday evening released 860,000 gallons of water, flooding railroad tracks and a freight-storage building.
Headlines
A $4 million sewer line project proposed for the Rattlesnake area of Missoula, Montana will go to the Missoula City Council next week. The sewer line would convert more than 300 residential properties from septic to a sewer main.
About 11,000 residents in Fredonia, New York are being advised to boil their water today because of a water main break there Wednesday night.
Stimulus Spotlight
Officials in Smyrna, Delaware have approved contracts funded by $3.7 million in federal stimulus dollars to upgrade the town’s drinking water system. In the first phase, George and Lynch Inc. will replace six valves in a 10-inch water main from a water tower. Then Sprig Construction will replace a two-inch water main in the town.
The city of Fort Wayne, Indiana has received a $1.5 million stimulus grant and a $3.5 million low-interest loan, which will be used to finance three sewer separation projects.
Sewer Rate News
Bethlehem, West Virginia
Corsicana, Texas
Des Plaines, Illinois
07.08.09
Wednesday’s Water News: Rainfall Causes Record Beach Closures in Massachusetts
The state of Massachusetts has had a record number of beach closures so far this season, mainly due to high bacteria levels caused by heavy rainfall. According to the state’s Department of Public Health there have been 188 closures of the state’s roughly 1,100 bathing beaches.
Headlines
Whitestown, New York contractor crews will be testing sewer lines this week for the engineering study for the Oneida County Sewer District’s overflow abatement project. The test locates leaks, faulty connections and broken pipelines in the system which will prevent overflows.
Some good news out of Orange County, California that for the sixth year in a row sewage spills have dropped. This is part of a continuing trend toward cleaner beaches the sewage spill rate has been at its lowest since 2000.
Stimulus Spotlight
The Texas Water Development Board has been awarded $160 million worth of stimulus funds to help finance the cost of replacing water infrastructures in the state. EPA officials say the funds will go to invest in several overdue water projects that are essential to protecting public heath and the environment.
Two Utah Indian tribes are getting pieces of the $90 million in stimulus money targeted at helping to upgrade water quality and create jobs for tribal communities nationwide.
Sewer Rate News
Hamilton, Iowa
Herber Springs, Arkansas
Kansas City, Missouri
New Albany, Indiana
07.06.09
Monday’s Water News: D.C. Sewage Plant in Need of Costly Upgrades
Plans for fixing Washington, D.C.’s Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant carries a hefty price tag. Nitrogen upgrades have to be fixed by 2015 under the new EPA permit, and the combined sewer overflow problem is on schedule to be fixed by 2025.
For the nitrogen work, the states of Maryland and Virginia will kick in money, as a large amount of the Blue Plains sewage comes from their residents, but the bigger bill–the $2.2 billion for the sewer overflows–has to be paid for solely by D.C. residents.
Headlines
Sewer workers are still trying to identify and temporarily fix a leak in Provincetown, Massachusetts’ wastewater collection system, following a July 4th weekend with nymerous overflow calls.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is calling the Michigan City Sanitary District’s sewer overflow reporting unsatisfactory after it was discovered there are no records of a number of overflows for a period of three years prior to a spill in May.
In Austin, Texas, water officials are urging swimmers to stay away from Bull Creek after thousands of gallons of sewage spilled into a tributary of the creek Saturday.
Stimulus Spotlight
Despite the slow pace of the stimulus spending in Arizona, in Tempe, new work on a stimulus-funded water-treatment system is expected to soon support 260 jobs.
Sewer Rate News
Norwood, Massachusetts
Sterling Heights, Michigan
07.01.09
Wednesday’s Water News: Sewer Tunnel Almost Complete in Lafayette, Indiana
After nearly a year of digging, the $18.5 million sewer tunnel under downtown Lafayette, Indiana is nearly complete. The tunnel is being drilled to hold up to 1.2 million gallons of combined sewage and stormwater which will help reduce the amount of raw sewage discharged into the Wabash River during storms.
The city has increased sewer rates a total of 33 percent since April 2006 to generate the $27 million needed to pay for the tunnel, lift station and related work. An additional $84 a year in sewage fees for the average Lafayette household.
Headlines
Water officials in Tampa, Florida are rerouting traffic in the Tampa Heights neighborhood following a break in a 24-inch water main. Residents might see brown or discolored water while repairs are in progress.
The Sanitary District in Muncie, Indiana will borrow $9 million in bonds to clean up sewage overflow in Jakes Creek in northwest Muncie and in the White River.
Stimulus Spotlight
The City of El Paso, Texas is on the verge of receiving a $12 million no interest loan from the economic stimulus package for five stormwater projects to improve flood water drainage and flow around the city.
Lansing, Michigan now can pursue $16 million in improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment plant and could be forgiven for up to $6 million of the proposed project costs. While it could mean a sewer rate increase, officials said any increase should be kept at a minimum because the economic stimulus bill presents an opportunity for nearly half of the debt to be forgiven.
Sewer Rate News
Atlanta, Georgia
Jefferson City, Missouri
Louisville, Kentucky
Maui, Hawaii
06.22.09
Monday’s Water News: Oversight Board Proposed for Jefferson County (Ala.) Sewer System
In Alabama, Jefferson County officials have proposed an oversight board for the sewer system in an effort to get support from state lawmakers and creditors to solve its lingering sewer debt crisis. The county said the proposal is likely the last hope of reaching a solution that involves concessions to creditors.
Headlines
Amtrak halted all train service between Baltimore and Washington on Saturday because of a major water main break north of BWI that covered the tracks with mud.
City officials in Wichita, Kansas took bottled water to residents and businesses in a neighborhood that was without water after a ruptured water main.
The Muncie (Ind.) Sanitary District plans to borrow $9 million to clean up sewage overflow in northwest Jakes Creek and along the White River.
Stimulus Spotlight
The construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in the city of Prairie Grove is one of seven Arkansas clean water projects on a short list to get federal stimulus funding.
Sewer Rate News
Mesquite, Nevada
Milton-Freewater, Washington
06.19.09
Friday’s Water News: Reduction in Sewer Overflows to Help Great Miami River
The Great Miami River’s water quality should get a significant improvement by 2014, when the city of Hamilton, Ohio is required by the state EPA to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.
Headlines
A $5.7 million project was delayed by a vote from the Englewood Water District of Florida after listening to intense opposition for one hour. The project was set to add roughly 500 new customers to its sewer network.
A water main break has closed a street in Wasilla, Alasaka for up to two weeks. A four foot geyser of water was created by a four foot crack running laterally down a ten inch steal pipe.
Stimulus Spotlight
In the city of Casa Grande, Arizona, the city council approved up to $2.8 million out of the $4 million in projects would be paid through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Sewer Rate News
Highland Park, Michigan
Brownsburg, Indiana
06.18.09
Thursday’s Water News: Same Main Breaks Again in Helena, Montana
Thousands of gallons of water gushed through the pavement of Ninth Avenue in Helena, Montana on Thursday afternoon after the same water pipe broke for the second time in nine days. Most water mains in the area of the break are more than 50 years old.
Headlines
City employees in Bradenton, Florida have closed the Palma Sola Causeway after about 1,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the water and ground area due to a force main break. Workers used lime to disinfect the area where the spill happened, however it will take several days to dilute the sewage in the water.
An overflow of sewage into the East Fork of the Whitewater River in Richmond, Indiana has been caused by recent rainfall. Residents have been advised to avoid all contact with the river water of this area for at least 72 hours.
The $14 million expansion project on the new Reedsport, Oregon wastewater treatment facility is right on track according to officials. The project came about after the Department of Environmental Quality requested that the plant be expanded.
Stimulus Spotlight
$123 million in water and environmental projects has been pledged by the USDA for South Dakota through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including $3.68 million for the Aurora Brule Rural Water System.
Sewer Rate News
Washington, DC
Melrose, Massachusetts
Eagle Lake, Florida
Tampa, Florida
06.16.09
Tuesday’s Water News: Dover (N.J.) Residents Without Water After Main Break
A water main break in Dover, New Jersey left about 500 residents in three towns with low pressure or no pressure today. The town administrator speculates it was wear that caused the eight-inch main to crack.
Headlines
In Fort Wayne (IN), a water main break caused a portion of a street to close causing city utility crews to work to repair the break.
Holbrook, Arizona has been given 30 daysto file approximately two years worth of missing reports related to wastewater treatment and disposal. The city was either late or failed to submit reports describing the quality of treated wastewater, mainly used for irrigation.
The Department of Health & Environmental Control in Columbia, South Carolina is investigating another case of sewage overflow in the city. Some of the overflow may have ended up in the Columbia Canal and the Congaree River which still hold warning signs for elevated bacteria levels found earlier this year.
Stimulus Spotlight
The federal government on Monday awarded $185 million in stimulus money to the state of Massachusetts for projects aimed toward improving drinking water and the treatment of wastewater. The money will create new opportunities and jobs but a figure cannot be given as to how many will be created.
Sewer Rate News
Melrose, Massachusetts
Tampa Bay, Florida
Marietta, Ohio
Morgantown, West Virginia
06.11.09
Thursday’s Water News: Tunnel Project to Capture Half of Indy’s Overflows
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has announced that federal officials approved a change to city sewer improvement plans that will more quickly capture billions of gallons of sewage now overflowing into the White River. A $257 million Deep Rock Tunnel Connector project will replace earlier plans to connect the city’s two wastewater treatment plants and will capture more than half of the city’s overflows.
Headlines
Heavy rain caused two sewage spills in Alamance County (N.C.) last week. The city of Graham reported a spill on Friday of approximately 9,000 gallons, while the town of Swepsonville also a reported a spill of 4,800 gallons.
The Richmond, Indiana Sanitary District expects to replace part of its aging sanitary sewer line for almost $1 million less than the original estimate.
Stimulus Spotlight
Several Southern Colorado water projects have a good shot at receiving federal stimulus money due to the recent ranking by state water quality regulators.
Water districts in the Kansas counties of Osage and Pottawatomie will receive a total of $5.4 million in federal stimulus funds to install and replace water lines and build new water storage tanks.
Sewer Rate News
Bandon, Oregon
Rochester, New Hampshire
San Luis Obispo, California
Willards, Maryland
