11.20.08
Thursday Headlines: Editorial Addresses Infrastructure in Economic Stimulus
An editorial in today’s Arizona Daily Star addresses the need for an economic stimulus package that includes investment in infrastructure. Although the editorial focuses on the need to put people back to work by addressing the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, it does specifically address the dire state of America’s wastewater systems.
Consider, for instance, the nationwide problem of sewage overflows. Many older cities have combined sewer-stormwater systems that overflow during big storms, dumping untreated waste into rivers and drinking-water reservoirs.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at least $202 billion is needed to prevent sewer overflows at some 16,000 wastewater treatment plants across the country. While Congress can’t invest that kind of money immediately, it could make a down payment on a health threat that grows bigger every year.
10.30.08
Thursday Headlines: Capitol Hill Looks at Infrastructure Investment, Stimulus
Contractors, economists, CEOs, elected officials and heads of local and state government agencies all testified before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure yesterday on the need for billions of dollars in infrastructure investment as part of any proposed economic stimulus legislation.
The hearing titled, “Investing in Infrastructure: The Road to Recovery,” included several witnesses who spoke about how increased investment in water infrastructure could help the economy recover faster. Infrastructure investment as part of an economic stimulus package has been proposed to help create jobs, spur investment in local communities and address deferred maintenance on water infrastructure projects.
Lisa Lambert of Reuters does a good job in describing the legislative context for an economic stimulus bill that could include funding for needed infrastructure investment.
U.S. state leaders, trade groups and economists descended on the House of Representatives on Wednesday to help work out a second economic stimulus bill that one influential Congressional member said would be introduced on November 17.
Representative Jim Oberstar, the Minnesota Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told a hearing on jump-starting the stalled economy that Congressional staff would be meeting throughout the month and a stimulus bill would be introduced when Congress reconvenes next month.
10.21.08
Tuesday Headlines: Climate Change May Cause Heavier Rainfalls, More Overflows
A Washington Post story tackles the issue of climate change and how it may lead to significant increases in waterborne diseases around the world. The story suggests the nation’s water infrastructure may not be up to the challenge as heavier rainfalls may trigger sewage overflows, contaminating drinking water and endangering beachgoers.
The story also includes a national map (found here) illustrating the pervasiveness of waterborn diseases.
Headlines
In Brooklyn, New York, the stench of raw sewage in the Gowanus Canal may get worse before it gets any better. To repair the flushing tunnel the city must turn it off for two years as part of a $300-million cleanup. To compensate for the soon-to-be deactivated flushing tunnel, the city will attempt to reduce the amount of untreated waste that lingers in the canal when heavy rains overflow the aging sewers.
Ensuring the water keeps coming in and the sewage keeps flowing out is going to cost residents in the Buffalo suburb of Tonawanda $3 million over the next few years. Councilman Joe Emminger acknowledged the high cost, but said investing early will benefit the town, especially since there appears to be little to no relief coming from state or federal levels.
Sewer Rate News
Grand Haven, Michigan
Oldham County, Kentucky
Rolla, Missouri
Rome, Georgia
10.20.08
Monday Headlines: New Technology to Help Chico, Calif. Monitor Sewer System
New sewer monitoring technology will allow Chico, California to keep a better eye on its sewer system and plan ahead to avoid future problems. The meters will monitor the amount of water going through the sewer system, without having to pay someone to monitor the sewers during winter rainstorms.
Headlines
In New York, boaters and other Hudson River enthusiasts will need to take a break from the watertoday because Westchester County is planning to release 2 million to 3 million gallons of treated sewage through a Yonkers pump station in order to make a repair to the waste system.
A sinkhole slowed traffic on U.S. 1 in Woodbridge, Virgnia on Saturday. A split water main caused the hole to form around 8 a.m., leaving a gas station in the area without water. Traffic was reduced to only two lanes - one southbound and one northbound.
Broken water mains in Watchung, New Jersey forced affected residents to boil their water on Saturday.
Government officials and financial experts are warning that a freeze in the market for municipal bonds could cause major delays nationwide in government projects as basic as replacing water pipes.
Sewer Rate News
Brockton, Massachusetts
Clearlake Oaks, California
Crescent City, California
Libertyville, Illinois
Ocheyedan, Iowa
09.30.08
Tuesday Headlines: New Documentary Tells Story of Water Infrastructure
A new documentary by Penn State Public Broadcasting focused on the need to reinvest in our Nation’s water infrastructure will begin airing this week on many local PBS stations. Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, is a 90-minute documentary that tells the story of our largely out of sight, out of mind water, wastewater and stormwater systems.
Below is a four-minute trailer of the documentary, click here to check your local listings and see when the documentary will be shown in your area.
Headlines
The effects of time, hydrogen sulfide gas, fats, oils and grease have cost residents in Collierville, Tennessee $248,000 to repair two miles of sewer pipe.
A no-contact advisory was issued yesterday for Wolf Lake in Egelston Township, Michigan, after raw sewage leaked from a nearby transmission line. The break in a 16-inch line resulted in sewage seeping into the wetlands west of the lake.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a boil advisory for the City of Cresco last week after officials reported a water line rupture. Several area businesses and schools were forced to close for a day and city residents were advised not to drink water straight from the tap.
In New Jersey, Hanover Township officials are threatening to issue a stop work order or file a lawsuit to halt work on the solar panel project at the Morristown wastewater treatment facility unless township inspectors are given access to the project.
Sewer Rate News
Galveston, Texas
Tiffin, Ohio
09.15.08
Monday Headlines: Overflows Cause Cty. to Warn Against Contact with River
In Michigan, the Genesee County Health Department is warning against any contact with the Flint and Shiawassee rivers after a weekend of rain caused large-scale sewage overflows across the county. The city of Flushing discharged more than 400,000 gallons of untreated sewage into the Flint River Sunday, and the cities of Flint, Fenton and Grand Blanc also reported overflows into the rivers.
Headlines
Steps are being taken in Canton, Illinois to ensure problems don’t occur at its wastewater treatment facility, as well as to improve the infrastructure of the facility for the future.
Officials in Tampa, Florida say approximately 200,000 gallons of untreated sewage spilled into Sweetwater Creek on Friday after a 20-inch sewage pipeline ruptured.
A water main break at the Utah State Capitol complex in Salt Lake City early this morning caused flooding that shut down the government’s offices for the entire day. A short time after midnight, a 50-year-old water main underneath the concrete ruptured and sent water to many areas — including some indoor, where employees spend their work days.
According to an ongoing Associated Press investigation, U.S. hospitals and long-term care facilities are annually flushing millions of pounds of unused pharmaceuticals down the drain, pumping contaminants into America’s drinking water.
Sewer Rate News
Deltona, Florida
Ogunquit, Maine
09.05.08
Friday Headlines: State Bailout is Latest Plan in a County’s Sewer Debt Crisis
A bailout plan by Alabama Governor Bob Riley to help Jefferson County avoid bankruptcy would limit annual rate hikes for customers to 2.85 percent. Since 1996, county sewer customers have seen their bills increase 329 percent. The plan calls for paying the banks everything they are owed but at lower interest rates. If the banks don’t agree to the proposal, the county will likely file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
Jefferson County has $3.2 billion in sewer debt it can’t fully pay. If the county opts for bankruptcy, it would be the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, easily surpassing the previous high of $1.6 billion set by Orange County, California in 1994.
Headlines
Leaders in Brownsburg, Indiana still lack answers for sewer problems that have plagued about 400 homeowners north of the town for more than five years. The town received a $3 million construction bid in June to extend sewers into the neighborhoods and is now working on a rate study to give those homeowners options on how to pay for the project.
The Common Council of Appleton, Wisconsin on Wednesday voted 14-2 to accept a consultant’s study recommending $11 million in improvements at the city’s water treatment plant. The study also includes a memo from the state Department of Natural Resources suggesting an additional $3 million in improvements to meet current and future environmental regulations.
Yesterday Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) co-hosted with Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson (R) a transportation and infrastructure discussion with about 40 local leaders in Boise. “What is underground is in worse shape than the bridges,” said Blumenauer. “72,000 miles of the nation’s water and sewer pipes are over 80 years of age, dating back to (President Calvin) Coolidge.”
Sewer Rate News
McCook, Nebraska
Netarts, Oregon
08.01.08
Friday Headlines: Fmr. Director Admits He Failed to Report Sewage Spill
In Missouri, a spill that poured thousands of gallons of raw sewage into Lake of the Ozarks was not reported by the man in charge of doing so. The former Public Works Director for the city of Lake Ozark has admitted to failing to report a sewage spill of 10,000-15,000 gallons to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Headlines
Two water main breaks blocked roads on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio this morning. The breaks were caused by aging pipes.
Arlington, Virginia residents are being told to avoid water near a bicycle trail after sewage spilled into an adjacent stream.
The New York Times picks up on the “Today Show” story from earlier in the week. Perhaps the most relevant point mentioned in the article, storm water is the largest cause of beach closures and advisories in the United States.
Smoke testing of Peru, Illinois’ sanitary sewer system has showed significant breaks, enough to begin accounting for high water flows in sewage pipes instead of storm water pipes after heavy rains.
Sewer Rate News
Globe, Arizona
Newberry, Florida
