September 2, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: $25.8M Sewer Repair Project in Charleston, W.V. Moving Forward
A $25.8 million sewer rehabilitation project for Charleston, West Virginia got the needed funding to move forward yesterday after the state Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council voted unanimously to award a low-interest loan to the Charleston Sanitary Board for sewer line upgrades and replacements.
Headlines
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is investigating the release of more than 50,000 gallons of sewage into a creek in the city of Warrensburg. Such discharges have the potential to contaminate lakes and streams, causing serious water quality problems.
Work on an $8 million, 1 million-gallon water tank project at The Highlands, a dining, entertainment and shopping complex in Triadelphia, West Virginia, is expected to begin soon. Funding for the project includes a $6.4 million federal Economic Development Administration grant and a $1.6 million West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council loan.
Stimulus Spotlight
Plans are still under way in Independence, Missouri for the Little Blue Valley Sewer District’s $85.9 million in improvements. The district will use Build America bonds by the end of 2010 to finance the improvements. The bonds, part of the federal economic stimulus effort, aim to reduce the cost of borrowing for state and local government entities.
Flooding on U.S. Highway 101 in Seaside, Oregon is such an important issue that it took the top spot in a list of 65 projects that local officials want to see fixed. The list represents the projects that could be financed with federal stimulus funds or state grants.
Sewer Rate News
Altavista, Virginia
Granville, Ohio
Holbrook, Massachusetts
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
August 11, 2010
Wednesday’s Water News: Honolulu to Spend $3.5 Billion on Sewer System Improvements
Honolulu has reached a consent decree agreement with the EPA requiring it to make more than $3.5 billion in improvements to its sewage treatment system by 2020, and also pay a $1.6 million fine to be split between the federal government and the state to resolve violations of the federal Clean Water Act and Hawaii’s water pollution law.
Headlines
The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee’s sewer system has released 510 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Tennessee River over the past five years. Now a nonprofit group is threatening to sue the city to enforce environmental compliance.
In West Virginia, Wellsburg’s City Council is down to three members after five council members quit in a dispute over a proposed sewer rate hike. All five had opposed a plan to raise the city’s sewer rate by 30 percent.
Downpours over the past two nights have overwhelmed Des Moines sewers and sent millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. The city’s taxed sewer network has caused wastewater backups in basements throughout the city, with the heaviest concentrations on the south and east sides.
Stimulus spotlight
In Montana, improvements to Pondera County Canal and Reservoir’s infrastructure has boosted efficiency and improved the water quality of the lower Birch Creek watershed. The project was financed with $527,000 in federal stimulus money and a $366,000 local match to upgrade irrigation infrastructure originally dug by hand and mule in the 1800s.
The city of Cape Girardeau, Missouri received $144,540 from the economic stimulus for engineering reports on the city water and wastewater systems. The funding will enable the city to hire an engineer to study their water system and advise them on how to achieve or maintain compliance with drinking water rules and regulations.
Sewer Rate News
Berryville, Virginia
Granville, Ohio
Warrenton, Virginia
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
August 2, 2010
Monday’s Water News: Main Break Gushes 4 Million Gallons of Water in Bozeman, Montana
Residents in a Bozeman, Montana neighborhood watched in dismay from their muddied front lawns yesterday as cleanup crews, city workers and water-damage companies labored to repair a broken water main and clean up the mess left behind by 4 million gallons of water.
Headlines
Work crews in Troy, Ohio shut off part of the city’s water supply yesterday to repair a water main break. A boil advisory has been issued and will be in effect until Tuesday afternoon. The water main serves most of the western half of Troy.
A broken sewer line spewed nearly 15,000 gallons of untreated sewage in Arnold, Maryland on Sunday afternoon.
Starting next July, sewer rates for residents some residents in Richmond, California will go up 5 percent annually until July 2014. The rate increase will affect more than 16,000 single-family residential units and approximately 2,000 multifamily residential units and 2,000 commercial units. The increase in fees are needed to repair the system built in 1953.
Stimulus Spotlight
After more than a decade of planning, the construction work for $10.8 million upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant in Ferndale, California begins this week. The economic stimulus is financing 40 percent of the project with thanks to a $5 million federal loan with a 40-year repayment and a 2.375 percent fixed interest rate.
Sewer Rate News
Marco Island, Florida
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Princeton, New Jersey
Wellsburg, West Virginia
July 29, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: 2 Billion Gallons of Sewage pours into Milwaukee Lakes and Streams
A massive amount of sewage poured into lakes and streams in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after heavy rains hit the area. It is estimated that 2 billion gallons of sewage spilled during this time. This has been the fourth sewage overflow that the city has seen this year alone.
Headlines
A 14 feet deep, 25 feet long sinkhole has opened up along a St. Louis, Missouri neighborhood. Officials say the street collapsed over a brick sewer line dating back to the 1870′s. An investigation is now underway to see how to properly replace the system.
Heavy rains in Duluth, Minnesota cause sewage overflows in the city. Officials say that more than 5,000 gallons spewed out of the city’s overtaxed stormwater drains in several locations around the city.
A pump failure in Des Moines, Iowa led to sewage overflows amounting to 3,000 gallons. The wastewater flowed directly into the Des Moines River, officials say.
Stimulus Spotlight
Thanks to the stimulus package, the town of Patten, Maine is getting 120,000 dollars in federal grants to remove contaminated soil and old gasoline tanks from underneath the town. This will make the water much cleaner and safer to drink for Patten residents.
Sewer Rate News
Indianola, Iowa
Middleboro, Massachusetts
Wellsburg, West Virginia
Port Richey, Florida
July 23, 2010
Friday’s Water News: Old Sewage Pipes in Pittsburgh Hinder Development
In recent years, the gas industry has been booming in Pittsburgh. However, with the increasing development of infrastructure, it is becoming clear that the city’s 100 year old wastewater system cannot handle the new burdens of machinery and an increasing population. Sewage spills are on the rise as well as contamination in Pittsburgh’s water ways, officials say.
Headlines
A clogged pipe in Honolulu, Hawaii led to 3,250 gallons of sewage to spill into nearby Kalihi stream, which flows directly into Keehi Lagoon. The Hawaii Department of Health has been notified of the spill.
The city of Fort Worth, Texas, has been fined $7,550 dollars for accidentally spilling 72,000 gallons of sewage into Little Fossil Creek, killing hundreds of fish. This is the fourth wastewater accident in two years, officials say.
Public Works crews in Indianapolis worked to fix a water main early this morning after a break in the main caused flooding in one neighborhood. The break in the 40-year old main forced water to shoot in the air and flood an apartment complex parking lot.
Stimulus Spotlight
Thanks to the stimulus package, the town of Asbury Park, New Jersey is fixing it’s wastewater system. The project is going to cost $15 million dollars, which is being funded by low-interest stimulus loans.
Sewer Rate News
Charles Town, West Virginia
Longview, Texas
New Albany, Indiana
Santa Clarita, California
July 6, 2010
Tuesday’s Water News: Thompson’s Lake in Albany, New York Closed After Sewage Spill
Popular swimming spot Thompson’s Lake in Albany, New York has been closed until further notice due to a nearby sewage spill. The lake may be contaminated due to the nearby campground pump failure. This happened Sunday night, so tourists who came to the lake to vacation could not swim in the blistering heat on Monday and are expected to not be able to swim until the water is tested on Thursday.
Headlines
A sewage spill closes Little Corona Beach in Orange County, California. It seems that a sewer main break at nearby Newport Coast Drive poured 18,000 gallons of wastewater into Buck Gulch, which flows directly in to Little Corona. Officials are still investigating the cause of the problem.
Heavy rains cause wastewater overflows in Eddyville, Iowa. After a storm, citizens in the town are now dealing with sewage in their houses. The wastewater system could not handle the rain and has caused Eddyville officials to ask for help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ease the pressure on the sewage system.
Raw sewage continues to flow into the Ohio River from about 1,000 homes and businesses in Weirton, West Virginia. This has been an ongoing problem for fifty years, and officials are struggling to fix it. he main problem has been with funding. The city has allocated 130,000 dollars in loans to fix the leaks, but the cost of fixing the spills has been estimated to be between 2-4 million dollars.
Stimulus Spotlight
Thanks to the stimulus package, and specifically Build America Bonds, the sewage system in Lansing, Michigan is getting a complete overhaul. The town issued these low interest bonds totaling 20 million dollars to fix problems in sewage as well as mending roadways.
A combination of federal grants and low interest loans is helping the town of Dana, Indiana complete a 6.7 million dollar project for a new wastwater treatment plant, as well as new sewers and lift stations. The lack of a good sewer system has caused a decline in the town’s economy in recent years, and officials are sure that this will strengthen the town’s businesses.
Sewer Rate News
San Mateo, California
Porterdale, Georgia
American Fork, Utah
Garner, North Carolina
June 25, 2010
Friday’s Water News: Sewer Upgades for Florida Keys Need More Funding
Despite Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s (I) authorization this month of as much as $200 million for a long-term effort to provide upgraded sewer systems for the Florida Keys, the prospects are poor for funding in total the estimated $937-million project.
Headlines
John Hosch of Cartersville, Georgia is suing the state of West Virginia for not building proper wastewater facilities to live up to the Clean Water Act. Hosch ran into problems when he sold lots of a residential plan he was developing and was then denied a permit to build a sewage system. This denial was due to a lack of proper wastewater treatment facilities. The buyers of the lots sued him, so he, in turn, has sued the state.
Contaminants like e-coli are believed to be in Wilkinson Creek after sewage leaks in Bradley County, Tennessee. Officials are looking into the problem and will determine the cause and cost of fixing it.
After heavy rains, basements in Chicago, Illinois were flooded with raw sewage. The rains overran the septic system of the city, and residents are being forced to clean up the mess left behind.
Stimulus Spotlight
An upsurge in stimulus water projects will begin this summer. Last year, there were 129 projects provided by the stimulus, this year, that number skyrockets to 2,800. Considering state needs for waste and drinking water infrastructure are above $500 billion, the increase is a necessity for overwhelmed state and local budgets.
States and local governments are slashing spending on infrastructure projects so fast that even federal stimulus money hasn’t filled in the gap. Investment in infrastructure is on pace to drop almost 7% this year to $269 billion, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal data. That would be the first decline in state and local construction spending since the Census Bureau started tracking in 1993.
Sewer Rate News
Marion Township, Michigan
Rochester, New York
South Bend, Indiana
Taylorsville, North Carolina
Vigo County, Indiana
June 23, 2010
Wednesday’s Water News: Storms Lead to Water Main Breaks, Flooding on Indian Reservation
After nearly five inches of rainfall in the past few days, an Indian reservation in Great Falls, Montana is faced with severe flooding. Ten different water mains ruptured and broke from the massive quantity of rainwater, leaving widespread flooding and water damage and no drinking water for the tribe’s natives.
Headlines
Kentucky state Rep. Larry Clark is among a bipartisan group of state lawmakers pushing for a Louisville-area pilot program on regionalization of wastewater treatment
Officials in Carroll County, Maryland are asking citizens to watch what they flush after an accumulation of plastics, towels, rubber gloves, and grease backed up sewer lines and resulted in 70,000 gallons of spilled raw sewage. The sewage managed to flow into two separate streams during the overflow.
Sewer Rate News
Astoria, Oregon
Charleston, West Virginia
Fernley, Nevada
Issaquah, Washington
June 17, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Old Main Fails in Seattle Leaving Sinkhole
A break in a water main in a Seattle neighborhood left area residents and businesses without any water for a night, and a big, gaping sinkhole in the middle of a busy street. Seattle Public Utilities says a very old 16-inch pipe, the workhorse of the water system, cracked. The failed main is believed to be at least 90 years old.
Headlines
City officials in Kansas City, Missouri were put on notice by the state Department of Natural Resources after several violations of state law. These included failure to clean up a sewage spill, pollution into a local pond, and the spill itself.
A temporary fix for sewage overflows in Weirton, West Virginia has failed, causing costs estimated at $100,000. The attempt was made to stop the flow of raw wastewater into the Ohio River temporarily. Now officials are working on a long term solution, which is much more costly.
Raw sewage poured out onto a local street in Columbia, South Carolina. The spill was blamed on a grease and grime buildup over an extended period of time. No timeline was given as to when the mess would be cleaned up.
Stimulus Spotlight
Last month, Green Bay, Wisconsin issued an additional $15 million in Build America Bonds as part of the economic stimulus package to pay for more sewer improvements and a parking facility.
Sewer Rate News
Appomattox, Virginia
Bend, Oregon
Fall River, Massachusetts
Richmond, California
June 8, 2010
Tuesday’s Water News: Small Towns Vexed By Sewage Issues
Small towns are having serious issues when it comes to sewage, particularly in Mabton, Washington. Officials claim that many systems are 5, 10, or even 15 years out of date, leading to accidents. Sewer rate hikes are on the horizon for many of these towns, but that alone will not cover the cost. Many towns are applying for grants to ease the problem as well.
Headlines
An unknown amount of sewage spilled into the Cedar River in Seattle, Washington after two clogs in two days. After officials unclogged the pipe, buildup caused it to be clogged again the very next day. It is still unknown what the cause of the clogs were.
The citizens of Cheektowaga, New York are fed up with the crumbling wastewater infrastructure in their town. After heavy rains over the weekend, many of the citizen’s basements were flooded with sewage.
Stimulus Spotlight
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been put to good use in West Virginia, according to officials. $139 million, including 61 million from the ARRA, has been spent on 39 projects throughout the state to improve or build wastewater facilities.
Thanks to the economic stimulus Las Vegas is seeing construction on two large water infrastructure projects. Those projects are a $447 million dollar water intake system and a $257 million dollar wastewater treatment plant.
Sewer Rate News
Bay City, Michigan
Pilot Mountain, North Carlonia
Sioux City, Iowa
St. Albans, Vermont
