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
06.23.09
Tuesday’s Water News: Senate Appropriations Subcommitte Approves Infrastructure Funding
The Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously approved legislation this morning that would cut environmental agencies’ spending by $200 million from what the House appropriations approved. The measure includes $3.6 for water and waster infrastructure.
Headlines
Beaches that have been closed in Greenwich, Connecticut due to heavy rainfall and sewage overflows have now been reopened. Byram Beach still remains closed to swimmers, however, because the rainfall in the shallow cove caused more concern.
A plugged valve caused an estimated 10,000 gallons of sewage to spill into a creek in Grass Valley, California. Valley officials are investigating why an alarm system didn’t sound when it happened. Signs have been posted warning people of the bacteria within the creek and contact with the water should be avoided.
Stimulus Spotlight
The Utah Water Quality Board meets Wednesday to consider requests involving the Ogdan River Restoration Project and 12 other similar projects around the state. The Ogdan River could be restored to a natural wider river channel that could accommodate higher flows, and reduce urban encroachment for $7.25 million. Ogden officials are hoping up to $4 million will come from federal stimulus money.
Sewer Rate News
Detroit, Michigan
Monroe, Pennsylvania
Spokane County, Washington
06.15.09
Monday’s Water News: Water Main Break Floods Bronx Streets
A water main break transformed four blocks of the Bronx, New York into a swimming pool early Sunday morning, flooding streets, cars and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
Headlines
Last week’s heavy rains caused sewage spills in several Dallas-area cities. The largest spill by far was in Fort Worth, where 1.1 million gallons spilled.
A water main break caused water to spill into a home in West Valley, Utah over the weekend causing muddy water to gush up through a crack in the sidewalk and pour into the home.
Several business, an apartment building and a hotel in San Diego were without water Saturday when a nearby 16-inch water main broke. Twelve hours after the problem was first reported, the hotel’s manager said they still did not have water.
Stimulus Spotlight
The Dayton, Ohio area is getting additional stimulus dollars to improve drinking water quality and fund water pollution control projects. Ohio EPA has added three Montgomery County projects to its revised fundable list for economic stimulus projects.
Sewer Rate News
Grand Ledge, Michigan
Riverdale, Utah
Stillwater, Oklahoma
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
05.26.09
Tuesday’s Water News: Momentum Grows to Stop Sewer Overflows into Saginaw River
In Michigan, momentum is growing to stop sewage overflows into the Saginaw River although many cities are operating within their federal discharge permits.
Headlines
The Indiana Department of Environmental Managementhas issued a construction permit to the city of Muncie for improvements to a local life station.
County Health officials say rain pushed more than 30,000 gallonsof raw sewage into the streets of Bayou la Batre, Louisiana over the Memorial Day weekend.
On Friday, a water main break in Sandy, Utah sent water and rocks flying through the air.
Stimulus Spotlight
Water and sewer projects in Vermont will tap into $40 million in federal stimulus funding this year for needed system upgrades. The money, awarded as low-interest loans, will jump-start about 80 shovel-ready projects statewide.
Sewer Rate News
Long Beach, California
Marion, Ohio
Mason, West Virginia
Santa Clarita, California
04.28.09
Tuesday Headlines: Massive Water Main Break in Downtown Baltimore
All city buildings in downtown Baltimore and the federal and circuit courts were closed Tuesday after a massive water main break. Public Works officials had been planning repairs in the area, but the break occurred before those repairs could start. Mayor Sheila Dixon says the line that broke is about 100-years-old.
Headlines
In Indiana, the city of Richmond has issued a combined sewer overflow alert and residents are advised to avoid all contact with the East Fork and Whitewater Rivers for at least 72 hours.
Sewer Overflows persist in Milwaukee after more than 4 inches of rain fell on the area. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District is blending partially treated sewage with fully treated wastewater and in an attempt to prevent basement backups in the area served by the district and to prevent overflows of separate sanitary sewers to urban streams.
Lake Ozark, Missouri has been sentenced by a U.S. District Court in a case involving a sewage spill that occurred in the fall of 2007. As a result of the spill the city was sentenced to a $50,000 fine and five years probation.
Stimulus Spotlight
The Salt Lake City area will see improvements to its drinking water systems after receiving millions in stimulus funds to meet new pressure and capacity standards, as well as to provide safer drinking water.
Sewer Rate News
Holts Summit, Missouri
Worcester, Massachusetts
02.23.09
Monday Headlines: Outdated Infrastructure Causing Sewer Rates to Rise
The Associated Press ran a story this weekend on how sewer rates in Ohio and across the United States are climbing to help cover multimillion-dollar renovations of outdated infrastructure. Below is a quote from the story that accurately captures the sentiment in communities across the country.
“The feds aren’t helping,” said Rick Tilton, spokesman for the sewer district that serves Columbus. “It’s all on the rate payers.”
Columbus residents have seen double-digit rate increases in the past few years. Cincinnati has raised its rates by 12 percent and anticipates the same increase next year.
Headlines
James City County, Virginia has requested funds from the recently passed economic stimulus package to fund three shovel-ready water projects totaling $18.4 million.
Ironton, Ohio will pursue private funding for the design of the first phase of the city’s combined sewer overflow project. The storm sewer separation is required under a consent order issued last month by the EPA.
In Alabama, health officials are cautioning against swimming in or eating seafood from Mobile Bay after a sewage overflow Saturday morning.
A water main break in North Salt Lake, Utah caused a huge sinkhole on a residential street Monday. The break crated a sinkhole more than 6 feet deep and 20 feet wide.
Sewer Rate News
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Lynn, Massachusetts
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Saginaw, Michigan
02.13.09
Friday Headlines: Congress Passes Stimulus, Awaits President’s Signature
Today, the House passed the economic stimulus conference report that contains billions of dollars in investment for water and wastewater infrastructure by a vote of 264-183. The Senate is expected to pass the conference report late this evening. Once passed, President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law.
Headlines
In Burlington, Vermont, combined sewer overflows are believed to be the cause of a variety of man-made chemicals that have been found in the streams and waterways that discharge into Lake Champlain.
WTVF-TV in Nashville reports on the decay of the city’s sewer system. Mayor Karl Dean has proposed a sewer rate increase to pay for infrastructure upgrades needed to comply with federal mandates.
People in Ogden, Utah have quite a mess to clean up after an 18-inch water main broke last night as the water turned to ice which coated the trees and buildings. At one point water shot as high as 50 feet into the air.
A water main break in Bay Park, California has caused the closure of a school for a fifth time. The frequent water main breaks are frustrating school officials which last closed school in December because the same water main broke.
Sewer Rate News
Amherst, Massachusetts
Southington, Connecticut
12.08.08
Monday Headlines: Water Main Break Causes Hazard on Ohio Turnpike
A 12-inch water main break in Elyria, Ohio on Saturday, gushed icy cold water onto the Ohio Turnpike turning at least one lane into a slippery hazard. These are common problems in this part of the country.
“This happens all the time in the wintertime,” said Assistant Safety Service Director Jim Hutchson. “As everyone knows, the lines are old. So you are going to have more breaks. This kind of weather causes stress on them. They are all outdated, not big enough.”
Headlines
Brian Phelps pens an op-ed for The Tennessean on the need for Nashville to address its overburdened sewer system. Last year, the city signed a consent decree with the EPA, agreeing to a nine-year plan to reduce pollution flowing into the Cumberland River.
A break in an 8-inch water main has left a section of Shelton, Connecticut without water today.
Sarasota County Utilities is on the scene of a 12-inch water main break that has occurred this morning. Officials estimate that water service will be interrupted for at least three hours while repairs are made, causing significant traffic disruption along the road where the break took place.
In Rome, Georgia, low temperatures near 20 degrees caused a water main to break early this morning and ice over the roadway.
Sewer Rate News
Ceres, California
Grandview, Washington
Logan, Utah
Salem, Oregon
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
