September 1, 2010
Wednesday’s Water News: Boil Water Advisory Issued for Georgia Community
In Warner Robins, Georgia yesterday, two restaurants, two convenience stores, an elementary school, a small day care center and about 50 residences were without water after an 8-inch water main ruptured.
Headlines
The City of Columbia, South Carolina issued a boil water advisory yesterday after a water main break. The advisory was issued for several apartment complexes which house hundreds of students who attend the University of South Carolina.
About 48,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into a residential lagoon in Redwood City, California last week, nearly 10 times more than city officials initially estimated. The city estimate was revised after crews discovered a pipe had broken underground, sending far more sewage into the water than originally thought.
All three pumps at the a pump station in Cohoes, New York have failed, resulting in 27,100 gallons of raw sewage discharging into the Salt Kill, a tributary of the Hudson River. The cause was a string of rags found in the system.
Stimulus Spotlight
In Massachusetts, permanent financing for a new water plant that will serve Chatham and New Berlin should be secured next month. Plans are to pay for the project through Build America Bonds, a federal stimulus program that will reimburse the commission for 35 percent of its interest expenses. The bonds will be paid off over 30 years.
Sewer Rate News
Colleyville, Texas
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Gulfport, Mississippi
San Marcos, Texas
August 19, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Massive Water Main Break Disrupts Service to Half of Waco, Texas
A massive break in a 48-inch water main has left Waco, Texas scrambling to save its water supply. Officials are asking residents to stop watering lawns and stop washing cars in order to save precious water. The massive pipe is critical to providing water service to half of the city’s residents.
Headlines
Work will be completed soon on a $6.5 million sewer project in Noblesville, Indiana. Prior to this project, the existing sewer was a combined sanitary and storm sewer that was constructed of brick over 100 years ago. Over the past year, crews installed large-diameter storm sewers and backup sewers.
A large water main break in Center Point, Alabama this morning damaged a busy road, and caused other property damage. Water also was spraying into the air, and damaged the road and blew out a window in a car.
Stimulus Spotlight
In Montana, though the entire project is years away from completion, the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Regional Water System’s first customers can drink the water pouring out of their faucets. Once a treatment plant is built at Lake Elwell and a waterline is installed, the project will deliver clean water to a territory the size of Delaware. Last summer, $20 million in federal stimulus money more than doubled the funding the project has received since it was authorized in 2002.
The drafting of an application seeking federal stimulus funds for Strasburg, Virginia’s planned $25 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant has come to a standstill as an environmental review document has become outdated during the process.
Sewer Rate News
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bradenton, Florida
Jackson, Mississippi
The blog is taking its summer vacation. We’ll return with all new material on Monday, August 30.
August 10, 2010
Tuesday’s Water News: Water Service Restored to 10,000 Homes in Suburban Baltimore
Water service was restored this morning for up to 10,0000 homes and businesses after a water main break in Essex, Maryland. The 12-inch main which broke is 80 years old and has had multiple breaks over the past year.
Headlines
Chattanooga (Tenn.) and the Moccasin Bend Sewage Treatment Plant are facing state sanctions for the spill Thursday and Friday of more than 100,000 gallons of raw sewage that swamped a marina and killed 3,600 fish.
Monday environmental, business, and civic leaders urged Congress to fund solutions for the sewage crisis in the Great Lakes region. Every year billions of gallons of untreated sewage is dumped into the Great Lakes.
Stimulus Spotlight
The Ohio Water Development Authority plans to sell $423 million in Build America Bonds tomorrow in the agency’s largest offering of the taxable debt. Proceeds from this week’s sale will reimburse the authority for about $148 million already loaned for environmental infrastructure in the state and fund further lending. Build America Bonds were created as part of the economic stimulus.
Many government agencies are close to wrapping up their federal stimulus initiatives, but a large number of communities are still waiting in line for funding or struggling to pay for costly water and sewer projects, according to United States Department of Agriculture officials.
Sewer Rate News
DeSoto County, Mississippi
Hamilton, New Jersey
Oswego, New York
Polk City, Florida
August 3, 2010
Tuesday’s Water News: EPA Fines Five Pennslvania Sewage Plants
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued five separate fines for violations by Pennsylvania sewage treatment facilities across the state. The fines have reportedly been issued because these plants are failing to test water issued by industrial plants.
Headlines
The citizens of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin are furious with the town council after recent sewage backups soaked 700 homes. Residents claim the flooding happened because of the town’s poor sewage system, as these floods are a regular occurrence.
An electrical malfunction caused raw sewage to pour into West Fork Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The problem was spotted after dead fish began floating on the river’s surface.
Heavy rains in Duluth, Minnesota caused a 49,000 gallon mixture of sewage and rainwater to flow into Lake Superior.
Stimulus Spotlight
Thanks to the stimulus package, a combination of federal grants and low interest loans amounting to $668,000 dollars is going to help the town of Haledon, New Jersey reline 10,000 feet of sewage pipes.
Sewer Rate News
East Moline, Illinois
Mount Airy, North Carolina
North Ridgeville, Ohio
Poplarville, Mississippi
July 8, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Water Main Break Causes Geyser in Rockville, Maryland
A broken water main shot water dozens of feet into the air on Wednesday in Rockville, Maryland. The 24-inch water main broke at about 3:30 p.m. but the water stopped flowing at about 10 p.m. Water restrictions are in effect for the area until Saturday.
Headlines
The city council of Rhinelander, Wisconsin met with lawyers to determine their next step if they are sued over recent sewage overflows. The spills occurred in about 60 homes after heavy rains and it is still unclear as to how many residents are considering legal action.
The overtaxed sewage system in Edgartown, Massachusetts overflowed into several locations recently. Heavy use caused the nearby wastewater treatment plant to shut down. The sewage leaked into nearby homes and even the local social club, the Boathouse.
Residents of Minot, North Dakota are considering suing the City of Minot over recent sewage overflows. Heavy rains caused the wastewater system to back up and pour raw sewage into people’s homes. The citizens blame the city for not updating an aging wastewater system.
Stimulus Spotlight
$21.3 million dollars of sewer upgrades are underway in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Funding for the project includes $14.8 million in low interest loans and a $3 million dollar grant, both of which have been provided by the stimulus package.
Thanks to the stimulus package many sewer lines in Oregon City, Oregon are being replaced. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA is providing $900,000 for the $2 million project.
Sewer Rate News
Irving, Texas
Jackson, Mississippi
Rainier, Washington
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
June 7, 2010
Monday’s Water News: Massive Water Main Break, Sinkhole in Gainesville
In Florida, a busted Gainesville Regional Utilities pipe three blocks from the University of Florida campus sent torrents of water rushing down a street, dropped water pressure to neighborhoods and restaurants, and caused a sizeable section of road to cave in Saturday night.
Headlines
Officials in Jackson, Mississippi may not see a requested $10 million in federal funding to help with the city’s crumbling water infrastructure until next year or 2012.
Agents from state and federal agencies have raided the Michigan City (Ind.) Sanitary District looking for evidence of environmental crimes. The investigation involves several years of unreported sewer overflows and the firing of the whistleblower who tipped off the government.
Stimulus Spotlight
In California, the Moulton Niguel Water District is receiving help from the economic stimulus to bring recycled water to local parks and golf courses. The city’s water pipeline system is also being extended as part of the project. The project will be financed through 30-year Build America stimulus bonds. which were included as part of the economic stimulus.
The National Park Service has provided $5.35 million in federal stimulus funding for a new wastewater treatment plant at Denali National Park and Preserve in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Sewer Rate News
China Grove, North Carolina
Las Galinas, California
Lee County, Florida
Springfield, Massachusetts
April 30, 2010
Friday’s Water News: Cedar Falls (Iowa) Needs Sewer System Fix
Cedar Falls, Iowa needs to fix its sewer system or face the possibility of state and federal regulators halting future development in the city. Cedar Falls has a long-standing problem with too much storm water getting into its sewer system, causing overflows of wastewater at a lift station and sometimes overloading the main wastewater treatment plant, leading to dumping raw sewage into the river.
Headlines
120 thousand gallons of waters filled a street in Bonita Springs, Florida after a massive water main break. Collier County Utilities says an aeration valve broke because due to age.
Elevated levels of uranium in domestic wells have forced residents of the Yerington Paiute Tribe Campbell Ranch Reservation in Nevada to drink bottled water since 2004. But the tribe has received a grant from USDA to build a water treatment facility and the extension of water lines on the reservation.
Stimulus Spotlight
Construction has begun to install a sewer system at Hide-A-Way Lake in Picayune, Mississippi. The total project will cost $5.9 million. The Utility Authority will be taking out a loan of about $800, 000 for the SRF and the remaining balance is being funded with economic stimulus funding.
Ophir, Colorado will be able to borrow up to $500,000 at a zero percent interest rate in economic stimulus funding to improve its water system.
Sewer Rate News
Blooming, Grove, New York
Glendale, Arizona
Herkimer, New York
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
April 8, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Port Huron (Mich.) Continues Work on Sewer Separation
Worked started this week on one of the final phases of Port Huron, Michigan’s $186 million sewer separation effort. Four areas in the city have not yet had their sewer separated. This monumental task which began in 1988, so far has cost $158 million and reduced storm water and sewage overflow rates by 93 percent.
Headlines
Lake Oswego, Oregon is planning to double the amount of drinking water treated at one of its treatment plants expanding its capacity from 16 million gallons a day to 32 million gallons, with potential to grow even more in the future..
The city of Concord, New Hampshire is replacing filters at a wastewater treatment plant biotower along with the sprinkler system that sends wastewater through the tower to be filtered.
Stimulus Spotlight
Wayne County, Ohio anticipates it will receive $365,000 in stimulus money and a $1.5 million loan for a recently following the recent construction of a new wastewater treatment plant.
A water recycling project in Antioch, California funded by economic stimulus, in addition to zero percent interest loans and state grant funds, is installing a 30,000 foot pipeline to provide recycled water to four city parks, street medians and a golf course.
Sewer Rate News
Houston, Texas
Mauston, Wisconsin
Olive Branch, Mississippi
Pleasanton, California
April 6, 2010
Tuesday’s Water News: Water Main Break in Orlando, Fla. Causes Giant Hole
A water main brake in Orlando, Florida on Orange Avenue has caused flooding in the street. The road has now opened up leaving a giant hole where you can see the original Orlando brick road.
Headlines
The Augusta, Kansas Public Building Commission considered a change order for the water service line to the new city hall under construction in Central Park. After discussion, the Council opted for a larger public service line to serve city hall and future development. The cost was reported to be $10,150 and will be paid from the city’s water fund.
The state of Michigan is ordering the City of Three Rivers to clean up its public water supply. The order requires Three Rivers to continuously disinfect its public water supply with existing equipment while permanent water treatment is designed, permitted and installed.
In Maryland the Howard County Council unanimously approved the extension of public water and sewer utilities to the northeast corner of historic Doughoregan Manor to preserve the rest of the estate.
Sewer Stimulus
Using millions of state and federal dollars, Gloucester, Massachusetts is overhauling its faulty water and sewer infrastructure. The city has been approved for $14.6 million in special low-interest loans, which are partially subsidized by the state’s revolving fund. Additionally, Gloucester will receive $2 million in loan forgiveness from the federal government’s stimulus package.
Yuma Elementary School in Tennessee stands to benefit greatly from a stimulus-funded sewer project the Scott County Public Service Authority hopes to begin. Construction on the $3.1 million sewer project’s first phase, which would bring service to Yuma Elementary and 100 nearby homes and businesses, will most likely begin this summer.
Sewer Rate News
Frankford, Delaware
Lee County, Florida
Olive Branch, Mississippi
North Canton, Ohio
April 1, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Sewer Overflow in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Residents are being asked to avoid the site of a sanitary sewer overflow in Cedar Falls, Iowa. City crews Tuesday discovered a plugged sanitary sewer line and wastewater was overflowing from a manhole into a drainage ditch. The sewer line was dug up, a broken pipe repaired and the area sprayed with a disinfectant.
Headlines
A boil water advisory has been issued for 138 Sarasota County Utilities customers and Park Isles Plaza businesses in The Inlets area of Nokomis, Florida. Repairs are being made to an 8-inch water main break.
The muddy Mississippi River becomes darkened with more than sludge in times of high water when sewage flows back into the river. Sewage in Illinois from Alton, Grafton and Chautauqua’s systems seems to be running back into the river during times of high water.
Stimulus Spotlight
Crews will install new water mains in Hinsdale, Illinois. This work reduces stormwater flows into Flagg Creek Water Reclamation District as part of an agreement with the village to begin separating the sanitary and storm water mains. The project costs $2.3 million, of which $1.62 million will be funded by federal stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Louisville, Kentucky has received over $4 million in economic stimulus funds for needed improvements to its drinking water system and expand service throughout the region.
Sewer Rate News
Allen County, Indiana
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Hugo, Minnesota
Patterson, California
