08.20.08
Wednesday Headlines: Honolulu Found Liable for 297 violations in Sewage Spills
A federal judge has found the city of Honolulu, Hawaii liable for 297 violations of the federal Clean Water Act for discharging millions of gallons of sewage into streets, streams, homes and waterways over nine years. The judge’s order comes 10 months after ruling the city violated a federal wastewater discharge permit 4,013 times by failing to meet construction schedules for two key projects.
Headlines
In Newport Bay, California, a portion of Newport Bay was closed Tuesday afternoon after a sewage spill near Bayshore beach. The spill was caused by a sewer line that backed up from a rehabilitation hospital.
What was that story yesterday about Syracuse, New York having old water infrastructure? This morning, a water main break outside Crouse Hospital in Syracuse has flooded lower levels of the building and forced at least 12 surgeries to be postponed.
Water service was restored Tuesday afternoon to several residences and businesses in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania after a more than 17-hour interruption. The borough issued a boil advisory Tuesday morning “until further notice” as a result of the water main break.
Repairs have been made to a water main break in Kingston, Rhode Island after a cast iron 8-inch main that dated to 1884 cracked, closing down a one-block area.
Sewer Rate News
Lehigh Acres, Florida
Lewisville, Texas
Victoria, Texas
West Mahanoy Township, Pennsylvania
08.19.08
Tuesday Headlines: Ky. City Receives Earmark to Fix Water Infrastructure
Work to expand Lexington, Kentucky’s most troublesome sanitary sewer pump station will begin in Spring 2009. The $18 million project will be partially funded by a $1.18 million federal budget earmark. Explaining the purpose for the earmark, Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.) said, providing the proper infrastructure “is what government’s about and what government has to do to serve their people.”
Headlines
In Topeka, Kansas, a small amount of sewage that got into Wanamaker Creek on Monday prompted the city to issue stream advisory for the creek that flows to the Kansas River.
Monday morning’s sudden deluge caused the city of Portland, Oregon’s sewer system to overflow into the Willamette River.
In California, Placer County work crews had to repair a broken pipeline that spilled about 2,000 gallons of sewage into the Auburn Ravine. Residents are being urged to stay out of Auburn Ravine.
Here’s an interesting story about the state of Syracuse, New York’s water infrastructure, most of which was laid underground in the 1800s.
Sewer Rate News
Great Bend, Kansas
Helena, Montana
08.18.08
Monday Headlines: Gov, New Group Tackle New York’s Water Infrastructure
New York Governor David Patterson has announced the the formation of an environmental and government collaborative to help tackle a looming water infrastructure crisis facing New York State. The new initiative is focused on pressuring the federal government to help fix the water and sewer systems it helped build decades ago.
Headlines
The small community in Woodloch, Texas is facing the unenviable task of repairing its crumbling infrastructure without raising tax or water rates. Faced with cracking water mains, pipes made of asbestos concrete and a rusting storage tank, the town is in no position to lower rates, officials say.
A water main break in Boiling Springs, South Carolina shut down large portions of a road and flooded a nearby church last night.
In Lafayette, Indiana, Riehle Plaza will be closed for about two months beginning today as contractors prepare for construction of an underground combined sewer overflow system.
Sewer Rate News
Arlington, Texas
Lawrence, Kansas
Mill Valley, California
Vernon, Connecticut
08.14.08
Thursday Headlines: Is Pipe Break to Blame for E. coli in Water Supply?
A water boiling advisory has been issued in two more Massachusetts towns after E. coli bacteria was found in the public water supply. Tests show that the contamination is not from the towns’ water source, but that it entered the system some other way, possibly through a water main break.
Headlines
A break in a water main has prompted the city of San Marcos, Texas to issue a boil water notice. A statement from the city of 35,000 says the boil water notice is in effect until at least midday Friday as testing continues.
If you live on Campbell Boulevard in Amherst, New York you are probably sick of water main breaks. Records show the Erie County Water Authority has come out and made repairs 80 times on the Boulevard in recent years.
In West Palm Beach, Florida, a proposed settlement with the Palm Beach County Health Department and the state Department of Environmental Protection calls for the city to pay the agencies about $445,000 after problems at a water treatment plant led to a fecal bacteria outbreak last year. That settlement includes about $386,000 in penalties.
In Sacramento, a state water quality control board has lodged millions of dollars in fines against two municipal treatment plants in Colusa County for violating wastewater discharge limits.
Sewer Rate News
Lynn Haven, Florida
Maple Heights, Ohio
McFarland, California
Newark, Ohio
08.13.08
Wednesday Headlines: Sewage Spill Closes Shoreline in Long Beach
A sewage spill in Long Beach, California has forced authorities to close a nearly four-mile stretch of shoreline, and the area is expected to remain closed indefinitely. Close to 20,000 gallons of sewage flowed into the Los Angeles River via Compton Creek on Tuesday afternoon, caused by a broken sewer line near Watts.
Headlines
A broken water main ripped open a massive sinkhole on a residential street in Wilder, Vermont Saturday night. Neighborhood residents were without water as the highway department worked through the night to fill the hole and fix the street.
In Virginia Beach, a water main break sent thousands of gallons of gushing water high enough to knock out a transformer on a power pole on Monday. The break occurred in front of Claudette Ellis’ home damaging her roof, ceiling and carpets.
A blocked line at the wastewater treatment facility in Plainview, Texas caused 300,000 gallons of wastewater to overflow into the aeration basin at the facility. The city’s quick response as well as the facility not being in a populated area are being given credit for keeping this incident from becoming a public health hazard.
Sewer Rate News
Amherst, Virginia
Marana, Arizona
Fillmore, California
08.12.08
Tuesday Headlines: Year-Long Water Main Break Irks Flint, Mich. Residents
In Michigan, a year-long water main break has angered residents on Flint’s north side. The water main has been leaking for more than a year forcing cars to dodge barriers. The city is working on a plan to repair it but will cost at least $60,000.
Headlines
Residents in Lynchburg, Virginia will have to adjust to traffic delays the next few weeks because of a massive citywide combined sewer overflow project.
A water main break early this morning in Chester County, Pennsylvania gave motorists on Route 202 a major headache during this morning’s rush hour.
Several Billings, Montana streets filled with water Monday morning after a water main burst downtown. The broken water main was 70 years old and had signs of corrosion.
In Kermit, Texas, a new state mandated $4.5 Million water treatment plant is doubling the monthly water bill but the city says the plant is unnecessary.
Sewer Rate News
Chesterton, Indiana
Westminster, Maryland
08.11.08
Monday Headlines: Heavy Rains Cause Sewer Backup in Albany
Heavy rain in Albany, New York flooded homes and streets with a combination of storm water and sewage on Thursday. Albany, like many older cities, suffers from sewer overflows due to the age of its infrastructure. Here’s a direct quote from the story:
Albany, like many older cities, has a sewer system — dating, in some places, to the Civil War — that combines storm water and sewage, hurtling it beneath the city to a treatment plant and the Hudson River.
Headlines
In today’s Buffalo News, environmental consultant Daniel Bentivogli pens an op-ed on the need for increased investment in water infrastructure. In March, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a report citing $36.2 billion of water infrastructure investment is needed over the next 20 years.
In California, a blocked sewer pipe in Sausalito sent sewage spilling into San Francisco Bay on Sunday, the third major spill this year. The spill was caused by a blockage in a pipe at a pump station. In January, two spills dumped 5 million gallons of sewage into Richardson Bay. The winter spills were the result of strong rainstorms overcoming the sewer system.
The construction of a desalination plant and water treatment center in Swansea, Massachusetts is months ahead of schedule, and those residents who have long complained about colored drinking water may see relief as early as January.
Sewer Rate News
Belleview, Florida
Mount Olive, North Carolina
Palestine, Texas
08.08.08
Friday Headlines: Water Main Break Affects Traffic in Wheeling, W.V.
The break of a 20-inch water main in Wheeling, West Virginia will disrupt traffic for this weekend’s Heritage Music BluesFest. City employees said it’s too early to determine when the break will be fixed.
Headlines
A couple is asking the town of Ashland, Massachusetts to pay to prevent sewage from backing up into their home after “big, brown, solid sludge” bubbled up a sink drain and all over their basement floor.
A water main break in Bowling Green, Kentucky reduced traffic on U.S. 31W from four lanes to two.
In Massachusetts, recent heavy rains and an aging drainage pipe created a sinkhole in front of a West Boylston home. The drainage pipe eroded into a semicircle 14 feet beneath the home. It is estimated that it will cost $60,000 to replace the pipe and repair the yard, which is the obligation of the town.
Sewer Rate News
Macomb, Illinois
Sulphur Springs, Texas
08.07.08
Thursday Headlines: Water Main Break Floods a Staten Island Development
In Staten Island, a massive water main break last night flooded streets and caused thousands of dollars in damage, leaving homeowners trying to pick up the pieces. Garages were awash with water and living spaces destroyed after a 12-inch pipe ruptured and sent torrents of water coursing into Aspen Knolls Estates development for more than three hours.
Headlines
Plans for Elkins, West Virginia’s $26 million water treatment plant and distribution system upgrade are on hold until funding is secured. The money will most likely come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Service.
Two schools in Tonopah, Arizona were closed a day after classes started because of a water main break.
Nearly half of Furman University’s Campus is without water after the rupture of a 30-inch water line.
In Massachusetts, residents in the towns of Hingham, Hull, and Cohasset have joined forces and hired a consultant to help them fight a pending 21 percent water rate increase.
Sewer Rate News
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Allegan, Michigan
New Albany, Indiana
08.06.08
Wednesday Headlines: Lanes Closed on Dan Ryan Exp. Following Sewer Backup
In Chicago, a backed up sewer caused flooding and the closure of lanes on the Dan Ryan Expressway, prompting some motorists to seek refuge by standing on top of their vehicles. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and caused state police to close all southbound lanes, and one northbound lane of the Ryan. (picture courtesy of WLS-TV)
Headlines
The city of Peoria, Illinois will host open houses today and Thursday to explain options to reduce sewer overflow. Depending on which plan is followed, it could cost the city as much as $262 million.
Here is a follow-up to a story from last week. In Columbia, South Carolina, tests were made public yesterday that showed contamination from last week’s sewage spill into the lower Saluda River initially was up to 230 times the limit considered safe.
A water main break this morning in Hoboken, New Jersey caused a street to collapse leaving a twelve-foot wide crater in the middle of a road. Click on the link to see pictures of the damage.
Sewer Rate News
Alpha, Illinois
Fayetteville, Georgia
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Sequim, Washington
