07.02.09
Thursday’s Water News: Water Main Break Floods University in St. Louis
A water main break caused the flooding on the campus of Harris-Stowe University in St. Louis, including flooding in the school library. The campus was shut down after being enveloped in 4-5 feet of water.
Headlines
A colony of prehistoric creatures has taken over the concrete pipes below Raleigh North Carolina’s Cameron Village. Living in a 6-inch sewer main, the clusters of organisms feed through tentacles on whatever floats past.
The Town of Merryville, Louisiana is the recipient of a $1 million grant by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. Mayor Charles Hudson said the money will be used to upgrade the town’s aging sewer plant.
Three wastewater utility companies in Louisiana have been fined a total of $374,470 for federal environmental regulations. The companies are all owned by Jeff Pruett who faces 17 counts of federal charges for his companies.
Stimulus Spotlight
California will be getting $132 million in federal economic stimulus funds for water recycling projects. The money will be shared by 26 different projects including two in San Diego County.
The state of New York distributed $11 million in stimulus funding to go towards 17 projects and create an estimated 435 jobs. The projects will work to update the State’s aging infrastructure.
Sewer Rate News
Plainwell, Michigan
We’ll be back on Monday, July 6. Have a great 4th of July weekend.
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
06.10.09
Wednesday’s Water News: Charlotte Water Main Break Causes Sinkhole, Closes Road
Work crews in Charlotte, North Carolina are working to fix a sinkhole after a water pipe burst on Tuesday creating the hole. The sinkhole was discovered when a driver stopped at the intersection thought she had a flat tire only to realize her front tire was in the sinkhole. The road remains closed to traffic.
Headlines
A water main break in Evansville, Indiana shut down a road on the city’s west side, causing water to gush onto the street and disrupting services to several neighboring homes.
In Saginaw, Michigan, more than 9 million gallons of partially treated sewage was discharged to the Saginaw River last week from a combined sewer overflow.
A 12-inch water main break in a Staten Island neighborhood left 100 residents and 30 businesses without water this morning.
Stimulus Spotlight
Camden, New Jersey will receive $13.5 million from the economic stimulus package to repair its water and sewer system. The city’s public works director says Camden could use $50 million for water and sewer upgrades but there’s no money to repay traditional loans in order to complete that work.
The California water districts of Coachella Valley and Mission Springs have received word that $1.3 million will be available to them to fund drinking water projects.
Sewer Rate News
East Dundee, Illinois
Huntington, West Virginia
Newburgh, Indiana
06.08.09
Monday’s Water News: Water Main Break Disrupts Service to Half of City in Vermont
Public works crews in Barre, Vermont continue emergency repairs on a water main break that has left thousands without water. A dispatcher in the city’s emergency services center estimated more than half the city was without water.
Headlines
People in Georgetown, Minnesota were without water most of Monday after a water main break forced the town to shut off its water.
Concerns over raw sewage in the water closed the beach at Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Stimulus Spotlight
Several Illinois communities will receive over $10 million in total for water projects funded from the economic stimulus package.
In South Dakota, the Fall River Water Users District has received $612,000 in federal stimulus money toward completing its pipeline to the Buffalo Gap area that will provide water to over 70 customers in the water district.
Sewer Rate News
Elkton, Virginia
Orange County, North Carolina
Prescott Valley, Arizona
06.05.09
Friday’s Water News: Millbrae, Calif. to Replace Wastewater Treatment Plant
In California, the city of Millbrae and its over 50-year-old wastewater treatment plant will get a much needed makeover after the city inked a $34 million contract with the California Water Resources Control Board to use state revolving fund financing for the project.
Headlines
In Fort Myers Beach, Florida, a water main break closed down San Carlos Boulevard. The main break this morning flooded the road and forced water to be shut down in about 80 homes.
Raw sewage has flowed into Overton creek (TX) for the 3rd time in four years. On a piece of land more than 400 feet long by 75 feet wide raw sewage sits about eight inches deep.
Water is overflowing in High Point, North Carolina after a major break in a water main has closed the south and north bound lanes of state Highway 311.
Stimulus Spotlight
Rockford, Illinois will be using $7 million in federal economic stimulus funds to complete “some badly needed” water infrastructure projects
$130 million will be awarded to 22 communities throughout New York for the construction of water treatment plants and the installation of sewer system upgrades. The projects are estimated to create 1,300 jobs across the state in many areas that have been affected severely by the current recession.
Sewer Rate News
Ogden, Utah
Rockford, Michigan
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
05.27.09
Wednesday’s Water News: Norwich, Conn. Raising Rates to Finance Repairs
Norwich, Connecticut sewer users will receive a 40 percent hike in their sewer bills effective July 1 as the city embarks on a massive modernization effort on its wastewater treatment plant and other aging facilities.
Headlines
Friday is the earliest a boil order can be lifted for the city of Brazil, Indiana after a break in an 18-inch water line.
The village of Plover, Wisconsin is planning a $9.2 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant. The work is needed to help the plant handle a steady increase in users.
Stimulus Spotlight
The state of Florida is setting aside about $13 million in federal stimulus loans for building an estimated $15.5 million in drinking water and sewer projects in Vero Beach, Florida starting this fall.
In West Virginia, Huntington City Council must adopt a 23 percent sewer rate increase by early June or risk losing an opportunity for federal stimulus dollars. The city’s current rate does not meet the application requirements for federal stimulus funding that the state received for sewer projects earlier this year.
Sewer Rate News
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Morgantown, West Virginia
05.13.09
Wednesday’s Water News: Akron Proposes Plan to Fix Combined Sewers
Don Plusquellic, Mayor of Akron, Ohio, has proposed ”a phased approach” aimed at fixing the city’s combined sewer problem. Akron has 35 combined sewers that overflow and dump diluted raw sewage and storm water into the waterways. The city is one of 86 Ohio communities with combined sewer overflow problems and eliminating the problem will cost an estimated $6.3 billion.
Headlines
Officials in Ironton, Ohio have unveiled the timetable and requirements needed for the reconstruction of its heavily-dated combined sewer overflow system on the city’s north side.
A water main break in Muncie, Indiana on Tuesday afternoon backed up traffic and caused temporary water shutoffs to about 50 customers.
Stimulus Spotlight
North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue has recommended that Clay County be approved for $1.07 million from the Appalachian Regional Council in the first round of distributions from federal stimulus money. These funds would come from the state’s drinking water fund with half of the money in the form of a grant and the other half is a zero-interest 30-year loan.
The state of Wyoming Loan and Investment Board has awarded nearly $40 million in federal economic stimulus money for water projects around the state. The total includes $19 million for wastewater projects and $19.5 million for drinking water projects that will fund 43 projects around Wyoming.
Sewer Rate News
Payson, Illinois
Temple Terrace, Florida
05.12.09
Tuesday Headlines: Next BIG Sewer Project Scheduled in Portland, Ore.
Work is scheduled to begin next month on a massive sewer project in the Northwest Portland, Oregon industrial area as part of the city’s Big Pipe program.
Headlines
An eight-inch water-main break in Phoenix Tuesday afternoon has closed streets and left multiple homes with little or no water.
Service is expected to be restored Tuesday after a water main break in El Cajon, California. The burst 12-inch main spewed water causing the road and sidewalk to buckle.
Wisconsin state officials say municipal water construction projects will get a $143 million boost from federal stimulus funding. The application deadline is June 30, and priority is to go to projects ready to proceed to construction in 12 months or sooner.
Holly Springs, North Carolina will receive $81,600 in federal stimulus money for a solar-powered mixer to maintain water quality in one of the Town’s elevated storage tanks.
Sewer Rate News
Fruitland, Maryland
Hampshire, Illinois
Wheeling, West Virginia
04.27.09
Monday Headlines: East Boston Water Main Break Detours Traffic
A break in a 12-inch water main in East Boston near the entrance to the Sumner Tunnel forced a detour, created a sinkhole, left parts of nearby streets under 5 inches of water and forced the evacuation of two apartment buildings.
Headlines
In Florida, a water main break on Central Florida Parkway in Orange County diverted traffic to a local hospital. Firefighters say they responded to a report of a large water main break, which was causing flooding on the main road.
A $43 million project in North Palm Beach County, Florida is underway to meet stricter standards for drinking water. Upon completion, 80,000 customers will no longer have a yellow tint in their drinking water caused by the current lime-softening plant.
Water officials have nearly doubled the chlorine levels at a treatment plant in Bloomfield, Connecticut and plan marathon testing in response to last week’s outbreak of microorganisms in metro Hartford’s public water supply.
Stimulus Spotlight
It’s a new segment on Water News Update called “Stimulus Spotlight.” Today, three cities in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad are among the first in the state to receive federal stimulus funding for wastewater and stormwater projects. Each project will receive a loan for the project, half of which will go toward principal forgiveness (making it a direct subsidy) and the other as a zero percent interest loan.
Sewer Rate News
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Tivoli, New York
04.21.09
Tuesday Headlines: Rhode Island Town May Suspend Sewer Expansion
The Town Administrator of North Smithfield, Rhode Island has asked the Town Council to suspend a controversial town sewer expansion project for up to 60 days in response to criticism over the project’s cost. Some homeowners have voiced concerns about the long-term cost of the project, which is being financed by a $21-million sewer bond approved by voters in 2007.
Headlines
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch has announced that a total of 108 drinking water and wastewater projects will be partially funded by money from the economic stimulus.
The city of Lorain, Ohio will spend $3 million on the final phase of an Ohio EPA-mandated project to deal with the delivery and storage of sewage.
Works crews have finished cleaning up a 14,000- gallon sewage spill in Winterville, North Carolina after a small split in a sewer pipe sent raw sewage onto a pathway and into an adjacent canal.
The Bureau of Reclamation will spend $1 billion in federal stimulus money on water-infrastructure projects, including about $88 million in the state of Arizona.
Sewer Rate News
Jacksonville, Florida
Manteno, Illinois
Pontiac, Illinois
Star City, West Virginia
