Energy Secretary Rick Perry is trying to prop up coal and nuclear companies under the guise of enhanced “resiliency.” The Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposal does not define resiliency, nor does it even make clear what resiliency means in the context of the electric grid.
Very large contracting opportunities are being announced weekly in regions with U.S. seaports. Literally billions of dollars will be spent in the near future on all types of public projects related to ports. The American Association of Port Authorities estimates ports and private-sector partners will spend $154.8 billion over the next five years on seaport infrastructure repair, expansion, and upgrades.
When it comes to the history and DNA of a city, new buildings have nothing on century-old ones. Yet the reverse can be said in regard to water and energy efficiency. Older buildings reflect the culture and history of a community, but typically are highly inefficient.
By Deborah Kiers
In a recent Water Online editorial, Kevin Westerling shared a Q&A with Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Rick Warner. Central to the conversation were the topics of innovation, collaboration, and leadership within the context of the challenges faced by the U.S. water industry. Among these issues: rebuilding and replacing aging infrastructure, advancing clean water initiatives, and making progress with water reuse.
After a fantastic career and 32 years with American Water, October 6 will be my last day at work. So, this blog will serve as my last (regular) Dr. Water entry. I couldn’t be retiring on a better note! Through the years this company, the water industry, and the communities we serve have afforded me tremendous opportunities to advance my own career pursuits in the science of water as well as to apply my skills to help impact the future of water and the environment.
The president’s proposed $1 trillion national infrastructure plan has become something of an anomaly. Once a highly touted campaign promise, the long-awaited plan has been void of any specifics and last spring was reduced to a set of ambiguous “principles.” However, both pre-campaign and post-inauguration, Trump’s proposal relied heavily on capital investment by the private sector.
For several days after floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey inundated the City of Beaumont, TX, the city’s 120,000 residents lost water service when several main water intake pumps fell victim to the flood. Beaumont and other cities in the path of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, from Texas to Florida to the Carolinas, are experiencing similar fates with sewage treatment plants, flood control systems, and other water-related facilities. When the water recedes and damages are assessed, water facilities that were already strained (many more than 50 years old) will require replacement or extensive repairs
Just about a year ago I posted a blog that addressed a disturbing trend — thieves impersonating water and other utility workers to gain access to individuals’ homes and credit card information. Discouragingly, this type of criminal activity seems to be growing and “scammers” are getting more sophisticated in their methods for victimizing unsuspecting utility customers. However, there has also been a very encouraging development over the past year as well, that being the formation and growth of Utilities United against Scams (UUAS).
Estimates of what it will cost to address the destruction wreaked by Hurricane Harvey are projected to be somewhere in the range of $160 billion, with work that will be required in Texas accounting for most of that total. That’s more than the total cost of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined. Texas is now officially the new "hot spot" for government contracting of almost every imaginable type.
You might say that there’s a lot wrong with the water industry — problems including infrastructure, financing, and scarcity — but there’s also a lot going right. In this Q&A, Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Rick Warner is a source of insight and optimism.
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