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
05.14.09
Thursday’s Water News: EPW Passes SRF Authorization
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works today passed the Water Infrastructure Financing Act (S. 1005) which would authorize $20 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $14.7 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund over the next five years. The legislation also includes $1.8 billion included for sewer overflow control grants and $1.43 billion in grants for critical drinking water infrastructure projects.
A similar bill, H.R. 1262, passed the House in March but only authorizes funding for the Clean Water SRF and not the Drinking Water SRF. The legislation must now be voted on by the full Senate and pass before going to conference. The Clean Water SRF and Drinking Water SRF have not been reauthorized in 22 years and 13 years, respectively.
Headlines
In Kentucky, about 20,000 Louisville Water Company customers have been put under a boil-water advisory after a 60-inch main broke Wednesday morning.
In Pittsburgh, a break yesterday in a 8-inch water main caused an 18-inch sewer to collapse causing a 25 feet wide and 15 feet deep in the middle of the road.
Stimulus Spotlight
The town of Boones Mill, Virginia will receive $3.3 million in stimulus money from the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund which will fund a new filtration plant, electric water meters and replacement of waterlines.
Sewer Rate News
Agawam, Massachusetts
Joplin, Missouri
05.07.09
Thursday Headlines: Allegheny County Estimates $30 Million Each for Projects
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) has issued draft recommendations for sewage and storm water control and treatment facilities along the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River. Both projects would cost approximately $30 million each.
Headlines
A Washington, D.C. neighborhood was experiencing traffic delays after a 100-year-old twenty-inch feeder main broke sending water and mud gushing down the road soaking nearby basements.
In Alabama, the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) responded to a sanitary sewer overflow after approximately 2,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed as a result of a blockage caused by debris and a grease blockage.
Stimulus Spotlight
Kentucky utility districts in Boyd County and Greenup have been preliminarily approved to receive a combined total of nearly $2 million in federal stimulus funds to complete water and sewer projects.
Sewer Rate News
Fort Wayne, Indiana
West Branch, Michigan
05.06.09
Wednesday Headlines: Fort Wayne Rates May Double to Fund Sewer Projects
Under a funding proposal from Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Utilities Department, monthly sewer rates would nearly double in the next five years to construct the array of projects mandated to reduce combined-sewer overflows under the city’s consent decree with the EPA.
Headlines
Sewers are among the most popular projects among mayors for stimulus money. Of more than 18,000 projects on a wish-list compiled from more than 700 communities by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, more than 4,000 involved water or wastewater repairs or construction — second only to road projects.
Coquille, Oregon issued a notice Monday that 10,000 gallons of raw sewage mixed rainwater spilled into the Coquille River on Friday night and into Saturday after 0.45 inches of rain fell sending a surge of stormwater into the Coquille Waste Water Plant.
Stimulus Spotlight
In Kentucky, $4 million in federal stimulus money will help cover the cost of a $20.5 million project to increase the water supply to a fast-growing area in eastern Jefferson County. According to estimates, the project will create more than 160 construction jobs.
Work has started on a $30 million upgrade of Arlington, Washington’s wastewater treatment plant, the first project in Snohomish County to be paid for in part by federal stimulus money.
Sewer Rate News
Columbus, Indiana
Goodlettsville, Tennessee
Statesboro, Georgia
Warren, Ohio
04.29.09
Wedesnday Headlines: Another Major Water Main Break in the Baltimore Area
A water main break in Halethorpe, Maryland this morning forced six area schools to close, halted MARC and Amtrak train services up and down the Penn Line and affected the water supply in Baltimore and Howard counties.
Headlines
Steady rains and water-logged ground have caused sewage spills in three separate parts of Genesee County, Michigan dumping more than 6 million gallons of diluted sewage overflow into the Flint River.
The faucets are running again for people in Lake Monticello, Virginia after a water main break left homes without water Wednesday morning.
Stimulus Spotlight
Water and wastewater projects in New Mexico soon will be receiving $43.2 million in federal stimulus funds. The money is coming from the USDA’s Rural Development Water and Environmental Programs (WEP) to provide water and wastewater infrastructure funding for rural communities.
Both West Virginia and Virginia are also getting millions in federal stimulus money from the USDA’s WEP to help rural communities provide safe drinking water and improve wastewater treatment systems. West Virginia is receiving $65 million to help 20 communities and Virginia is receiving $11 million to help four communities.
Sewer Rate News
Avon Park, Florida
Mount Washington, Kentucky
Plymouth, Massachusetts
04.14.09
Tuesday Headlines: Suit Filed Against Benicia, Calif. for Sewer Overflows
A second lawsuit has been brought against the city of Benicia, California for sewer overflows. At issue in the case is a city sewer line that has backed up and overflowed into the plantiff’s side yard several times over the years.
Headlines
Portage Township, Michigan has received a grant from the USDA totaling 75 percent of the cost of the project to install a sewer line
Oregon environmental regulators have fined the city of Portland $16,000 for two failures in one of the city’s sewer lines last year.
Recent storms contributed in Baldwin County, Alabama to another sewer overflow after heavy rain swept through the area.
More than a mile of sewer line will be replaced under a bid approved by officials in Bowling Green, Kentucky on Monday.
Sewer Rate News
Mayville, Wisconsin
Quincy, Illinois
Riviera Beach, California
Sackets Harbor, New York
04.01.09
Wednesday Headlines: Washington State Receives Requests for Stimulus Dollars
In the state of Washington, dozens of cities and towns have applied for a share of the $111 million in federal stimulus money coming to the state for water quality projects. So far, the state has received 119 requests for loans and grants to meet requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
Headlines
Independence, Missouri has reached an agreement with the EPA and will pay a $255,000 fine to the Justice Department and spend $455,000 on a supplemental environmental project. The city entered into a consent decree with the EPA after numerous violations of the Clean Water Act–including 430 sanitary sewer overflows since 2000.
South Dakota Department of Water and Natural Resources adopted emergency rules Friday in order to start taking applications for nearly $39 million of federal stimulus aid for state water projects.
The Ohio EPA will help the village of McComb with an interest-free loan of $1.3 million to finance construction to eliminate overflows in the sewer system. The interest-free loan will save McComb an estimated $942,000 in interest payments over the next 20 years.
On Monday in Kansas City, an eight-inch water main break under Interstate 29/35 just has prompted Missouri DOT officials to close the left northbound lane. Water started bubbling up through the pavement Monday evening. The emergency closure created significant traffic backups in the city.
Sewer Rate News
Livingston, California
Lodi, California
Mount Washington, Kentucky
03.17.09
Tuesday Headlines: World Bank Cites Lack of Water Infrastructure Investment in Economic Stimulus
Today at the World Water Forum in Istanbul, the director of energy, transport and water at the World Bank, said that there was not enough money for water investment in the stimulus packages of the United States and other countries fighting the economic downturn. The United Nation estimates the total cost of replacing aging water and wastewater infrastructure in industrial countries could be as high as $200 billion per year.
Headlines
Discontent with the water service it receives from Cleveland, Ohio, the cities of North Olmsted and Westlake are thinking of buying their water from a Lorain County source. North Olmsted has requested $36 million in federal stimulus money to build the system.
In Queens, New York, the borough’s failing sewer system may receive some much needed upgrades courtesy of the recently passed economic stimulus bill. Queens has experienced major sewer overflow problems the last two summers.
Lanes were blocked on two roads northeast of downtown Atlanta near I-85 early this morning after a pair of water main breaks.
A major water main break in Lexington, Kentucky on Monday afternoon, caused part of a road to buckle closing both inbound and outbound lanes. The road can only be repaired after the break is fixed before traffic can be reopened.
Sewer Rate News
Burlingame, California
Macomb, Illinois
Paulding, Ohio
Richmond, Indiana
02.25.09
Wednesday Headlines: 890,000 Gallon Sewage Spill in Bay Area
It happens a lot this time of year in the Bay Area. A sewage spill in Richmond, California released 890,000 gallons of raw sewage mixed with rain water into the East Bay. Warning signs have been posted along the shoreline asking people and animals to stay out of the water.
Headlines
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear was in Louisville today to outline the state’s plan for spending an estimated $3 billion in stimulus funding from the federal government. The plan includes about $71 million for water and sewer line projects.
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm visited two local communities Tuesday to highlight drinking water projects that could be funded by the federal economic stimulus program. The state is expecting $168 million for sewer repairs and $67 for drinking water infrastructure.
The city of Binghamton, New York is asking for $300,000 in federal appropriations to continue a project separating sewage lines from storm water drains.
About a foot of water flooded a residential intersection in Chicago after a water main break late Tuesday. Water came up in two different locations in the intersection and there were about 12 inches of water flooding the area.
Sewer Rate News
North Hudson, Wisconsin
Westminster, Maryland
01.13.09
Tuesday Headlines: Small Kentucky City Has Plans for Investment from Stimulus
The city of Henderson, Kentucky has proposed list of projects totaling more than $50 million to be funded from a proposed economic recovery bill by Congress–the projects include $9.6 million for separation of combined sewers and $8.65 million for a sewer interceptor project.
Headlines
A water main break caused water to flood several yards and homes early Tuesday morning in North Reading, Massachusetts. Power and gas were shut off, and some of the residents were evacuated from the affected homes.
As crews neared completion of repairs to a water main break at an intersection in Bridgeport, Connecticut, another breka popped up in the same location. There are multiple road closures in the area and an elementary school had to dismiss students early because it had no water.
Cold weather and old pipes are believed to be the cause of a water main break late Friday that halted or interrupted service over the weekend for some homes and businesses n Madison, Wisconsin.
Lets hope this doesn’t happen on Inauguration Day next week. A morning rush-hour water main break in downtown Washington, D.C. forced the closure of several streets yesterday, snarling traffic through the day. It was pointed out by the D.C. Sewer and Water Authority that many mains fail this time of year, when temperatures swing between cold and moderate.
Sewer Rate News
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Long Beach Township, New Jersey
Oakwood, Illinois
Washington, D.C.
