January 21, 2010
Thursday’s Water News: Mishawaka (Ind.) Motorists Detoured by Main Break
Drivers in Mishawaka, Indiana used parking lots as shortcuts to maneuver around an intersection closed by a water main break. Some residents salted the roadway yesterday to stop standing water in the intersection from freezing.
Headlines
In Tampa, Florida a major road was closed in both directions yesterday while crews worked to repair a water main break that caused a hole to open in the road.
A water main break at the Manchester School in Middletown, Ohio forced Middletown City Schools to postpone a scheduled training class on a new computer system for parents.
Stimulus Spotlight
The town of Deaver, Wyoming received a grant from the federal stimulus funds for around $1.1 million. The project, replacing the town’s entire collection system, was badly needed because the old system was built with old clay pipe, which was deteriorating.
In Kennebunkport, Maine a 10,000-foot long water pipe replacement project is slated for this year. The Maine Drinking Water Program received four times the amount of money from the EPA this year because of the stimulus funds released. The $2 million-plus project will begin around March 1.
Sewer Rate News
Davenport, Iowa
Berryville, Virginia
Phoenix, Arizona
Newark, Ohio
January 20, 2010
Wednesday’s Water News: Massive Water Main Break In Oklahoma
Water is back on for thousands of homes and businesses in Oklahoma City after a massive water main break. The 72-inch line broke on Tuesday afternoon and forced the cancellation of classes at Oklahoma City Community College on Tuesday night.
Headlines
A 12-inch water main break that flooded three lanes of the Baltimore Beltway’s Outer Loop affected traffic through the evening rush hour yesterday.
Eighteen communities in Kansas will share nearly seven million dollars, in water and sewer grants from the federal government’s Community Development Block Grant program.
Stimulus Spotlight
A $35.8 million loan from the economic stimulus will upgrade a sewage treatment plant in Austin, Texas and will add a methane-powered generator that could power 750 homes as well as double the facility’s capacity for turning Austin’s toilet waste into nutrient-rich soil known as Dillo Dirt.
It will be up to the owners of the 160 dwellings in Louisville, New York whether to accept a Rural Development financing package. If the offer is approved by district residents and finalized by USDA, the town would receive $3.77 million in grant funding and a low-interest loan for $1.28 million. The influx of federal stimulus money made the project much more affordable and attractive for residents.
Sewer Rate News
Aurora, Ohio
Casper, Wyoming
Chesterton, Indiana
Columbus, Ohio
November 17, 2009
Tuesday’s Water News: Water Main Break Floods Homes in Oregon Community
A broken water main in a Roseburg, Oregon neighborhood caused flooding and damaged some area homes. The force of the water was so strong, it caused the street to bubble up and crews had to take out that section of road and make repairs.
Headlines
Two major intersections in Warner Robbins, Georgia were closed this evening as crews tried to repair a massive water main break that flooded businesses and stopped traffic throughout the afternoon.
The rash of water main breaks that have flooded streets, homes and business and snarled traffic across Los Angeles over the last few months might have been triggered by minor increases in pressure because of an unusually full reservoir and fluctuations after a trunk line ruptured.
After 10 years of work, a $10 million budget, 26 miles of meandering pipeline, and one year of construction, the 450 people living in the town of Bear River, Wyoming will have clean water coming out of their faucets by Christmas time.
Stimulus Spotlight
In record time, the California Water Resources Control Board has completed awarding its full allotment of $270.5 million in federal stimulus funds for clean water projects that protect public health and the environment, and create jobs for Californians.
Over 96 percent of stimulus funds allocated for water quality projects in Minnesota are invested in projects that have already broken ground. The rate is the best in the nation whereas the national average is 48 percent.
Sewer Rate News
Amesbury, Massachusetts
Fort Scott, Kansas
Kenner, Louisiana
Spotsylvania, Virginia
November 5, 2009
Thursday’s Headlines: California Passes Legislation Overhauling Water System
California lawmakers passed legislation overhauling the state’s water system on Wednesday. It is the most comprehensive legislation to emerge from the state legislature since the 1960s, when the state’s system served a much smaller population of users. The bills include an $11.1 billion bond issue, which voters will be asked to approve next November. The rest of the roughly $40 billion in projects will be paid for by localities, largely through new user fees.
Headlines
Residents in a Boston neighborhood say the city failed them after a water main break two weeks ago devastated their homes. City officials, meanwhile, say they have done their best for residents in an extremely difficult situation.
A large water main break closed part of a busy road in Greece, New York and hindered traffic during today’s morning commute.
Stimulus Spotlight
In Madison Junction, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park is using some federal stimulus money to replace a 50-year old, failing, wastewater treatment plant at Madison Junction. the estimated cost of the project is $4.5 million.
Washington Governor Christine Gregoire and the state Department of Ecology today announced five new clean-water construction projects that are ready to receive a total of $11.4 million in economic stimulus funding
Sewer Rate News
Lake Oswego, New York
Monterey, California
Port Hueneme, California
July 20, 2009
Monday’s Water News: 70 Year Old Water Main Fails, Causes Boil Advisory and Road Closures
A water main break in Kalamazoo, Michigan closed streets and required a water boil advisory that is still in effect. City officials noted that the age of the pipe likely caused its failure.
Headlines
An effective sewage system in San Marcos, Texas allows residents to recycle water, solving the city’s drought problem. According to city officials, the water “meets Type 1 designation which is approved for uses where public contact is likely.”
A water main break in Honesdale, Pennsylvania has resulted in a water boil advisory for residents while the Department of Environmental Protection tests water quality.
Stimulus Spotlight
Virginia is investing $1 billion in stimulus funds in highway and sewer projects. An additional $4.8 billion in stimlus funds is expected.
Federal stimulus funds will jumpstart a flood control project and bridge construction in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition, the city will invest $1.15 in water mains and sewers surrounding the work site.
Sewer Rate News
Jackson, Wyoming
Corsicana, Texas
Joliet, Illinois
July 7, 2009
Tuesday’s Water News: Main Break Stops Essential Water Use in South Austin (Tx.)
Residents of Austin, Texas were told to stop all essential water use, including outdoor watering, this morning as crews began repairing a 54-inch water main. The water line provides the city with 60% of the drinking water for residents and businesses south of the river and is one of the city’s main water arteries.
Headlines
A pipe burst in a building near Shepard Park Beach in New York caused 10,000 gallons of raw sewage to dump into the Adirondack Lake over the holiday weekend. The Lake George beach was forced to close on one of the busiest weekends for the area. Clean up of the beach is scheduled to begin Tuesday and the beach will be reopened as soon as possible.
The New Jersey Local Finance Board is considering a borough of Buena’s Municipal Utilities Authority project which is a federally financed project that will take 12-15 months to complete. The project has two impacts on the MUA. First, the new system will send treated wastewater into lagoons, where it will percolate into the ground. Wastewater presently is sent into a stream. Second, the authority’s capacity to treat wastewater will increase from 400,000 gallons to 600,000 gallons, enabling more service for residential and commercial uses. That also benefits neighboring Buena Vista Township, which has the right to use one-third of the increase in treatment capacity.
Stimulus Spotlight
Delaware state lawmakers and public officials accepted $19.2 million in federal money to clean up water. Governor Jack Markell said the money will allow the state to employ citizens in “green jobs.”
Sewer Rate News
Laramie, Wyoming
Mount Airy, North Carolina
Middlesex, Massachusetts
May 13, 2009
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
March 10, 2009
Tuesday Headlines: House to Consider SRF Bill This Week
The House of Representatives is expected to consider a bill this week that among other things would authorize $13.8 billion for the EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). In addition, the Water Quality Investment Act (H.R. 1262) would provide more than $3 billion for water pollution and sewage control and other EPA water projects, and require sewage treatment plants to set up alert systems to notify the public within 24 hours of sewer overflows.
Some House Republicans have opposed the bill because of language that would require contractors to pay union-scale wages for work financed by the SRF. An amendment stripping the requirement, known as the Davis-Bacon Act, is expected to be part of the floor debate in the House. An amendment to strip Davis-Bacon requirements from a SRF authorization bill two years ago was rejected, 140-280, with 50 Republicans voting against it.
January 8, 2009
Thursday Headlines: Md. Water Main Break Leads to Calls for More Oversight
The big water main break last month in Bethesda, Maryland has renewed calls from state legislators to improve oversight of the utility that serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, opposes the idea contending the bill would put county businesses at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring counties in Maryland.
Headlines
Untreated sewage flowed out of a sewer manhole in Pismo Beach, California, closed part of Shell Beach. Grease collecting in the sewer line is blamed for plugging the line and causing the sewage to overflow out of the manhole.
In California, East Bay Municipal Utility District crews, with help from the city of Berkeley and Caltrans, worked Wednesday to repair a sinkhole caused by a water-main break near California State Highway 13.
Several intersections in a Duluth, Minnesota neighborhood were blocked off Wednesday evening after a water main break. Some people had to scrape their cars of the ice formed on their cars parked along the street.
A busted water main closed the high school in Rhinelander, Wisconsin on Tuesday. The affected water main looked like it had been sheared right in half.
Sewer Rate News
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Dunkirk, Ohio
Merrimack, New Hampshire
Norwalk, Ohio
May 29, 2008
Thursday Headlines: Water Main Break Floods San Diego Suburb
Crews were expected to complete repairs Thursday afternoon to a ruptured water pipe that flooded parts of the La Jolla Shores neighborhood outside of San Diego. The San Diego Water Department spokesman said a ruptured 8-inch connector pipe caused the flooding.
Headlines
The Mayor of Olean, New York has asked the City Council to authorize borrowing $7.5 million to rebuild two troublesome sections of the city’s sewer system.
Near St. Louis, a $90 million construction project will mean fewer sewer backups in the Lemay sewer treatment area.
Carrolton, Ohio has been awarded a $500,000 grant and a $500,000 zero-interest loan by the Ohio Public Works Commission to be used to build a new wastewater treatment plant.
Emergency steps are being taken in Casper, Wyoming to protect the North Platte River, after a risk of equipment failure at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Sewer Rate News
Baltimore, Maryland
Marion, Illinois
Sturgis, South Dakota
