PARSIPPANY, N.J. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, is pleased to announce one of its modular steel bridges was recently utilized in a successful project to replace sewage system structures under the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, Arizona. Acrow’s bridge provided a safe bypass route for relocated sewage pipes, enabling the efficient excavation, removal and replacement of the existing structures.

The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department’s Northwest Outfall Siphon is a dual-barrel sewer siphon that was known to produce high turbulence. This caused a release of corrosive gases, which had begun to produce an unpleasant hydrogen sulfide gas smell in the area. To reduce the turbulence and eliminate the resulting odors, the project team designed two new corrosion-resistant fiberglass-lined structures to replace the existing siphon but needed a solution to maintaining the flow of 15 million gallons per day of wastewater during the rehabilitation work.

While establishing a new route under the river with directional drilling was possible, a far less costly option was to direct the sewage over the river, so an aerial bridge was needed. Building a temporary bridge of traditional construction was also an option, but ultimately, a modular steel bridge from Acrow was selected for the project since it would be a faster, more economical alternative, with far less environmental impact.

Acrow’s bridge, rented to project contractor Hunter Contracting Co., was 270’ long and supported three HDPE pipes. The single-span bridge used two Acrow shoring towers as temporary piers during the cantilever launch of the bridge. The contractor designed, furnished and installed a timber deck.

Delivery of the bridging materials began on March 23, 2023, and the structure was launched a month later. After the installation of the deck and spanning of the pipes, the bypass system was put into service for the duration of the siphon replacement. Acrow’s bridge was de-launched and removed from the site by the end of July 2023.

“The versatility of Acrow’s rapidly installed modular steel components made them ideal for this project,” said Dan Schrager, Acrow’s Business Development Manager, Southwest Region. “In addition to vehicular and pedestrian applications, Acrow’s structures are frequently installed to carry relocated utilities during construction, or as permanent solutions for new installations or to replace aging infrastructure.”

Added Russ Parisi, Acrow’s Vice President, North America, “The strength and expertise of the Acrow engineering team provides government agencies and their contractors with highly customizable, high-quality solutions to keep critical projects on, or ahead of, schedule and within budget. Available for rent or purchase, Acrow’s rugged steel components are well suited for a wide range of permanent and temporary applications.”

About Acrow
Acrow has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 70 years with a wide range of modular steel bridging solutions for permanent, temporary, military and emergency use. Acrow’s extensive international presence includes leadership in the development and implementation of bridge infrastructure projects in over 150 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.acrow.com.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — The Bureau of Reclamation has announced it will provide $28.97 million in financial aid for 31 potential new water reuse and desalination projects to help create new water supply sources less vulnerable to drought and climate change. The funding will help prepare feasibility studies and undertake planning efforts such as preliminary project design and environmental compliance activities.

In a press release, Bureau of Reclamation Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo commented:

“These projects currently under development will supplement existing freshwater supplies in urban and agricultural areas in the Western United States.”

Funding for these planning and design activities is intended to assist in developing potential new construction projects that could be carried out under the Desalination Construction Program, the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program, and the Large-Scale Water Recycling Program.

This financial support is part of $1 billion in WaterSMART grants funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support collaborative efforts to plan and implement actions to increase water supply reliability, including investments to modernize infrastructure.

Of the 31 projects selected, Brown and Caldwell assisted clients in identifying funding mechanisms and developing successful grant applications for the following projects:

City of Boise Recycled Water Program – funding: $1M

The City of Boise, Idaho, will develop a feasibility study as well as other planning, preliminary design, and environmental compliance activities for the City of Boise Recycled Water Program.

Mesa Water District, Local Groundwater Supply Improvement Project – funding: $250,000

Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®), located in Costa Mesa, California, and the only water district in Orange County to provide 100% local water, will conduct a feasibility study for a potential new brackish groundwater desalination facility that would enhance water supply in the region.

Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose-Santa Clara Purified Water Program Feasibility Study – funding: $381,249

The Santa Clara Valley Water District, located near San Jose, California, will assess the feasibility of constructing a new advanced water purification facility in San Jose for potable reuse through groundwater recharge, raw water augmentation, and/or treated water augmentation.

Santa Clara Valley Water District, South County Water Reuse Program Feasibility Study – funding: $299,180

The Santa Clara Valley Water District will assess the feasibility of implementing several treatment and pipeline reuse projects that were identified in the South County Recycled Water Master Plan.

“Water recycling and diversifying local water supply portfolios is essential in stretching the Western United States’ limited supplies,” said Brown and Caldwell Senior Director of Strategic Funding Seema Chavan. “We congratulate the City of Boise, Mesa Water, and Santa Clara Valley Water District for their proactive steps in supplementing existing fresh water supplies and working toward securing a resilient water future for their communities.”

Further details on the selected projects and more information on the funding categories can be found on the Reclamation’s WaterSMART program webpage.

San Antonio, Texas –  Sundt Construction was recently awarded the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District (WCID) Dam 101 Project in Williamson County, TX. The $34 million project will be the largest undertaking since the original dams were built in the late 1950s and 1960s.

“The Upper Brushy Creek WCID is designed to substantially reduce flooding in the largest damage center in Williamson County,” said Sundt Project Director Kevin Graf. “We look forward to working with Upper Brushy Creek WCID and are confident that our expertise in flood control and dam construction will support the success of this project.”

The new dam will reduce flood risks for over 1,000 residents along the approximately 5 miles of Lake Creek as it winds from the dam through the Greater Round Rock West neighborhood, past the IH 35 frontage roads, and continues to Lake Creek Park. The project will also improve emergency access and response times in the area by reducing flood risk at multiple road crossings.

Sundt is building a 3,800-foot-long earth dam embankment with a maximum height of 40 feet including an underdrain system. The dam will have two outlet features. The principal spillway, located on Lake Creek, will include an ungated concrete intake structure, a concrete-encased steel conduit, and a concrete impact basin. The auxiliary spillway will be a concrete labyrinth weir crest discharging to a chute and stilling basin. The project will also require Sundt to build an earthen cofferdam and excavate 60,000 cubic yards of earth and rock.

In Texas, Sundt has offices in San Antonio, Dallas, and El Paso. The company is currently working on the San Pedro Creek Improvements, Broadway Street improvements, and Zona Cultural in downtown San Antonio. Sundt is also working on the $477 million 183 North Mobility project in Austin in a joint venture with Archer Western.

About Sundt

Sundt Construction, Inc. (www.sundt.com) is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors. The 133-year-old firm specializes in transportation, industrial, building, concrete, and renewable power work and is owned entirely by its approximately 2,000-plus employees. Sundt is distinguished by its diverse capabilities and experience, unique employee-ownership culture, and depth of self-perform expertise in nine major trades. Much of Sundt’s workforce is comprised of skilled craft professionals who, together with the company’s administrative employees, enable Sundt to fulfill its mission to be the most skilled builder in America. Sundt has 13 offices throughout California, Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Florida and is currently ranked the country’s 62nd largest construction company by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine.

“Calibre is passionate about building an elite small business with a focus on exploration and environmental stewardship,” said Gregory Murphy, president and owner of Calibre. “We have been longtime admirers of Scott and his work with S2O, particularly his focus on accessible water recreation and responsible waterway design and construction. Uniting with S2O gives us the ability to bring invigorating work to our staff and further our commitment to integrating rivers and waterways into communities.”
 
Scott Shipley, founder and president of S2O, said: “S2O has built a reputation for exceptional design and customer service in the whitewater space. Our rapid growth and demand put us in the unique position of wanting to grow quickly in a sustainable way. Uniting with Calibre gives us additional resources and capacity to serve more clients and bring whitewater to even more communities across the globe.”
 
Whitewater parks are becoming event and activity hubs and the focal points of their communities. These destination venues turn often under-utilized urban areas into true recreational amenities.

Shipley, a three-time slalom kayak Olympian, and S20 are responsible for designing the lion’s share of recirculating whitewater parks in the country and overseas, including the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC; Montgomery Whitewater in Montgomery, AL; and the Lee Valley Whitewater Centre in London.
 
Calibre Engineering, Inc. is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) driven to provide support, service, and exploration in civil, water resources, and structural engineering. Founded in 2000, their team has collaborated on prominent projects across the country in the private, public, and federal sectors. They are passionate about integrating rivers and nature into communities in a tangible way. With offices in Colorado, California, and North Carolina, the firm has supported more than $1.5 billion in development and infrastructure design and construction. Learn more at www.calibre-engineering.com. 
 
S2O Design & Engineering brings unique and innovative whitewater parks and swiftwater rescue facilities to life. Through engineering design and construction support, the S2O team enriches communities with adventure sports, outdoor activities, and endless opportunities for recreation. S2O is trusted around the globe as the leader in traditional in-stream whitewater parks, pumped whitewater parks, and river engineering.

The award recognizes and honors an individual who has made substantial and measurable engineering, scientific, and/or operations contributions to managing or treating industrial wastes to improve water quality. A renowned pioneer of industrial wastewater management, WEF created the award in 2007 to honor the late W. Wesley Eckenfelder Jr.

Eckenfelder was a prolific writer, influencing countless engineers through his many textbooks, hundreds of journal articles, and courses. One such engineer is Flippin, who achieved a master’s degree in environmental and water resource engineering and a bachelor’s in civil and environmental engineering from Vanderbilt University under the tutelage of Eckenfelder.

The impact Eckenfelder has had on Flippin is profound. After serving as a research assistant to Eckenfelder at Vanderbilt in 1983, Flippin has dedicated his career to enhancing the environment through the design, construction, and optimization of industrial water and wastewater treatment facilities. Since joining Brown and Caldwell in 1984, he has evaluated and developed process design and operating guidelines for hundreds of treatment facilities encompassing food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical and nutrition, refinery and renewable fuels, mining, and many more industries. His experience and technical acumen have been pivotal in helping industrial clients achieve water treatment cost savings while maintaining effluent and emissions compliance.

Project highlights include the Bush Brothers & Company’s (Bush’s® Best Baked Beans) award-winning Process Water Reclamation Facility. As technical lead, Flippin directed the process design of the 2.1 million gallons per day facility that treats production process water to be used for utility water makeup or irrigation of adjacent pasturelands on which cattle are raised by Bush Brothers & Company-owned agriculture.

Furthermore, Flippin has continued Eckenfelder’s legacy by mentoring aspiring engineers and lending his expertise to improve water quality through engineering and scientific advancements in treating industrial waters. He regularly leads educational workshops and authors thought leadership articles focused on bringing new information and pioneering solutions to market.

Brown and Caldwell CEO Rich D’Amato commented on the esteemed recognition:

“I am thrilled that WEF has awarded Houston’s decades of dedication and contributions to the field of industrial water treatment. Spanning four decades, he has continuously solved various highly technical, complex industrial water challenges to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients and communities. His selfless approach to innovation and mentoring has tremendously impacted the industry and our people. All at Brown and Caldwell are immensely proud of Houston for this well-earned accolade.”

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Flippin is a licensed professional engineer in 16 states and a board-certified environmental engineer.

Prepared by PPI’s Building & Construction Division, PPI TN-67 Chlorine Dioxide and Plastic Hot- And Cold- Water Plumbing Distribution Pipes focuses on the application of chlorine dioxide within buildings and its potential effects on plastic hot- and cold-water plumbing distribution pipe materials.

While chlorine dioxide is rarely used as a secondary (i.e., residual) water disinfectant in public potable water systems, in certain types of large facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, apartment buildings, and large office buildings, it is sometimes added to plumbing distribution systems to treat or control outbreaks of harmful bacteria such as Legionella which can occur in these systems. In such facilities, following outbreaks of Legionella or other pathogens in the plumbing distribution system, specialized chlorine dioxide generation devices can be added to inject ClO₂  in measured doses directly into the piping system before hot water is delivered throughout the building.

Starting in 2020, a team of experts from PPI member companies began a research project to investigate the potential effects of chlorine dioxide on pressure piping materials CPVC, PEX, PE-RT, PP-R, andPP-RCT.

“Currently, only limited North American industry data is publicly available to predict the impact that chlorine dioxide may have on specific plumbing distribution pipe materials,” explained Lance MacNevin, P. Eng., director of engineering for PPI’s Building & Construction Division. “PPI TN-67 addresses this topic based on data that has been collected through an extensive analysis of published research combined with the experience and expertise of PPI members.”

Chlorine dioxide is a dissolved gas and is highly volatile and efficient as an oxidizing agent for disinfection. It is used in different concentrations than free chlorine or chloramines and has a different mechanism of attack on the various materials and substances to which it is exposed.

MacNevin continued, “Based on the data that has been analyzed by our association regarding the effects of chlorine dioxide on piping materials in hot- and cold-water plumbing systems, it is apparent that this compound can be very aggressive to certain piping materials. PPI recommends caution when considering its use of as a chemical disinfectant to treat water for the control of Legionella or other pathogens.”

PPI recommends contacting each piping system supplier for guidance on the use of their pipe and fitting material(s) in circumstances where chlorine dioxide has been selected as the disinfection chemical.  

Access the full content of PPI TN-67 at https://plasticpipe.org/common/Uploaded%20files/1-PPI/General%20Literature/Technical%20Notes/PPI%20TN-67/PPI%20TN-67.pdf

Additional information and data about piping materials used for hot- and cold-water plumbing systems and other applications are available from the PPI Building & Construction Division at www.plasticpipe.org/buildingconstruction

“Victor and Louis bring a wealth of knowledge, strategic acumen, and technical expertise to our organization during an important time of company growth, and we are excited to have them on our executive team,” stated Mark Ralph, President and Chief Executive Officer of Axine Water Technologies. “Victor’s well-deserved promotion acknowledges his instrumental contributions to the development of our contaminant destruction platform. Louis’ addition to the team is key to our success in expanding our commercial market presence in North America. I eagerly anticipate working alongside both Louis and Victor as we continue to propel Axine’s growth and build upon our leadership position in the market.”

Dr. Leung brings over a decade of expertise in industrial applications as well as academic research and development in materials technology. He has specialized in the scaling and optimization of platforms for various sectors, including mineral processing, medical devices, and clean technology. Under Dr. Leung’s guidance, Axine has commercialized a proprietary electrochemical oxidation technology that achieves safe and efficient destruction of a broad range of dangerous contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In his expanded role with Axine, he will be responsible for the continued growth of Axine’s proprietary treatment platform, which destroys dangerous contaminants without leaving dangerous byproducts behind, as well as directing strategic investments in expanding the platform to address emerging contaminants. Dr. Leung holds a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from The University of British Columbia.

Mr. LeBrun joins Axine with over 25 years of experience in the design, commercialization, and sales of various wastewater and environmental process technologies. He has held leadership positions with several water technology companies, including AqualytX, LLC (which he founded), Hoganas Environment Solutions, X-Flow (Pentair), and Parkson Corporation. As Vice President of Sales, he will lead Axine’s commercialization expansion of its on-site destruction platform, with a particular focus on addressing complex contaminants, including “forever chemicals” like PFAS. A licensed Professional Engineer, Mr. LeBrun holds B.S. and M.S. degrees, as well as an MBA from Duke University.

About Axine Water Technologies

Axine Water Technologies is an innovative leader in industrial wastewater treatment, with on-site solutions that effectively eliminate toxic organic contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), through electrochemical oxidation. With a proven track record spanning over a decade and more than 100,000 hours of commercial runtime, Axine empowers industrial manufacturers to meet stringent discharge permit requirements, reduce off-site disposal costs, alleviate bottlenecks, and mitigate litigation risks. Discover more about Axine’s revolutionary technology at axinewater.com.

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and innovative engineering, has been awarded a new US$25 million 5-year single-award, task-order master services agreement with the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW). Under this contract, the firm will provide flood risk mapping, assessment, and planning services. A portion of the first task order will focus on implementation of the Stantec.io product Flood Predictor. 

Flood Predictor is a cloud-based, decision-support technology that uses machine learning to provide advanced insights and predictions on when and where flooding is likely to happen. The technology will allow DOW and community officials to make more accurate, timely decisions and inform the public of imminent flood risk and the best evacuation routes.

“It’s an honor to continue our work in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Mike Greene, Stantec principal and project manager, Water. “We have several critical tasks ahead to influence mitigation of flood risk and ensure Kentucky is well equipped to prevent the loss of life and property, and our efforts will support the state as it continues to build more resilient communities.”

Additional services under this agreement include assisting with DOW’s goal of two-dimensional (2D) modeling of all the watersheds in the state, which includes hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and mapping. These 2D models will allow DOW to provide the most up-to-date conditions assessment and better support data management and regulatory processes. Stantec has already begun 2D analyses for DOW and will be able to cover the state under the new master services agreement.

“The work we’re doing with Stantec is imperative, especially amid unpredictable weather events,” said Carey Johnson, director of DOW. “This agreement comes at an opportune time with the development of new technologies that can help us better understand the Commonwealth’s flood risk and prepare accordingly.” 

Much of the work under the agreement will support DOW’s role as a Cooperating Technical Partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Under the agreement, Stantec will also assist DOW in its new role as a LOMR (Letter of Map Revision) Review Partner, supporting state officials in reviewing floodplain updates.

The agreement builds on Stantec’s long-standing relationship with DOW, which dates back to 2005. The firm’s project team for DOW consists largely of staff based in Kentucky, who are closely connected to its communities statewide. Last year, when heavy flooding hit Eastern Kentucky, the Stantec team participated in relief and recovery efforts and supported fundraising for hard-hit areas, raising more than US$40,000 from local offices and beyond.

Stantec’s Water practice has extensive experience working with flood mitigation, wet weather flow, and resiliency efforts. The firm is currently supporting the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on a similar project to deliver vital floodplain mapping data to the public, supporting risk mitigation for communities statewide. Last year, Stantec worked with the Tennessee Economic and Community Development Department to integrate Flood Predictor, which gave department officials advanced insights on the areas at highest risk and impacted infrastructure during heavy storms. Stantec is currently supporting the Texas Water Development Board on a statewide floodplain modeling and mapping project to help the board better understand and evaluate regional flood risks to drive statewide efforts to create effective flood mitigation strategies.

Tippery received and subsequently accepted the invitation to participate in the challenge after being honored earlier this year with the 2023 Collections Award by the Wisconsin Section of the Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA), an organization within the Water Environment Federation. This esteemed award recognized his exceptional contributions to advancing collection system knowledge and improving water quality. 

Jerry Cramer, president of the Wisconsin Wastewater Operations Association, shared, “Chris is a valuable member on one of the two teams representing the Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA) at the 2023 Operation Challenge competition. The Operations Challenge is the ‘Wastewater Olympics’ for professionals in the wastewater industry.” 

Tippery is a member of the four-person “Pumpers” team, comprised of Kate Despinoy of Stanley Group (Chicago) and wastewater operators Casey Kleven (City of Janesville) and Kevin Stephens (City of Racine). Laboratory Supervisor Marc Zimmerman (City of Janesville) will serve as coach for the team. The “Pumpers” will compete against the other teams in five challenging events, including maintenance, collection systems, safety, process control, and laboratory. The “Pumpers” will compete against the other teams to achieve top scores in the five events, vying for various awards and prizes. 

Tippery has over 20 years of experience in water, wastewater, stormwater design, and construction services. Since joining raSmith’s municipal services division in 2019, he has provided project management and design services for upgrades to major municipal wastewater treatment plants and numerous water distribution and wastewater/stormwater collection system modifications and upgrades. Tippery is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Wisconsin and an Envision Sustainability Professional. 

About raSmith 

raSmith is a multi-disciplinary engineering consultant established in the city of Brookfield, Wisconsin, in 1978. Our services are focused on our public and private sector client needs in planning, design, and construction including site planning and design, structural engineering, municipal engineering, transportation and traffic, surveying, development management, ecology, landscape architecture, LiDAR (3D laser scanning), UAS (unmanned aircraft systems), construction services, and geographic information systems (GIS). We work on projects nationwide from our seven locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. The firm employs a staff of 220. For more information about raSmith, visit www.rasmith.com. 

Exploration Green, named in honor of the community’s local exploration legacy and its proximity to Johnson Space Center, transformed a former golf course into five massive detention ponds that can each hold 100 million gallons of stormwater (the equivalent of 750 Olympic-sized swimming pools.) In addition, Exploration Green will also serve as a nature park comprising 153 acres of natural habitat with wetlands and native grassland areas, 6 miles of hike-and-bike trails, two athletic fields and other amenities. 

“We understand the importance of flood control measures and are dedicated to implementing innovative solutions that will contribute to the long-term resilience and safety of the surrounding communities,” according to Kelly Shipley, P.E., Senior Associate LAN.

Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA), the local provider of water, sewage collection and treatment, and storm drainage services, is spearheading the project. Exploration Green Conservancy, Inc., a non-profit organization, is serving as CLCWA’s partner to develop and preserve the project’s green spaces. Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a national planning, engineering and program management firm, is the project’s design engineer.

“Exploration Green has performed as designed and has impressively improved flooding conditions for the surrounding Clear Lake community,” said Jennifer Morrow, CLCWA’s general manager.

Building the detention ponds has turned out to be immensely beneficial to the community. During Hurricane Harvey, although only 80 percent of the Phase 1 pond was excavated at the time of the hurricane, it helped detain 100 million gallons of water, protecting at least 150 homes from flooding. The project also protected the community during Tropical Storms Imelda and Beta. Ultimately, now that all five phases are completed, Exploration Green will protect up to 3,000 homes.

“Exploration Green has transformed Clear Lake from a flood-prone community into one of the most flood-resilient communities in Texas,” said Wayne Swafford, P.E., LAN’s president. “In addition, it is creating a healthy, sustainable neighborhood for its residents.” 

“These emergency funds will help restore vital transportation links in the Cherokee National Forest that were damaged by last month’s floods,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Transportation is an essential part of disaster recovery, and these funds will help clear debris and reconstruct pavement so that emergency vehicles can access the area, and residents can access their homes.” 

“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the U.S. Forest Service to make repairs and re-establish transportation services in Cherokee National Forest,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “This funding is an initial down payment toward the cost of repairs to help authorities get the work done as quickly as possible.”

In August 2023, the transportation systems on the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee were affected by heavy rains and flooding. Many of the forest roads that are open to the public have been damaged and are impassable by standard passenger vehicles. The damage is so extensive that emergency vehicles and utility crews cannot make their way into the forest to make essential repairs. Furthermore, private homeowners on the Cherokee National Forest cannot access their property and are having difficulty evacuating the area.

FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These “quick release” Emergency Relief funds are an initial resource installment to help restore essential transportation. Additional funds needed to repair damages in Cherokee National Forest will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations. 

The FHWA Emergency Relief program complements the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and provisions by encouraging agencies to identify and implement measures to incorporate resilience in the design, restoration, and repair of damaged infrastructure, so that it can better withstand future damage from climate change and future weather events.  

More information about FHWA’s Emergency Relief program can be found online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/erelief.cfm. 

Pure Cycle is a vertically integrated water and wastewater resource development company. As a vertically integrated company, they also own and manage a full ecosystem of facilities needed to withdraw, store, treat, deliver and collect water and wastewater. Their goal is to provide sustainable, high-quality water to their customers and make prudent use of reclaimed water for outdoor irrigation and industrial demands.

Sky Ranch Water Reclamation Facility is their latest $10 million, state-of-the-art water reclamation facility completed in 2020, serving Sky Ranch, a master-planned community providing residential, commercial, retail, and light industrial lots along Denver’s booming I-70 corridor. The facility uses the latest green technology which includes dispensing highly treated reclaimed water for irrigation and other uses, active odor control technology; and green roofing will cover 90% of the main plant. Green energy is a constant theme, including within the maintenance department.

The battery powered M1 Model Microcrane® is being used for maintaining Aerzen blowers, pulling pumps out of basins and preforming various lifting jobs throughout the plant. The compact, flexible mini crane requires no fuel, emits zero fumes and has low sound levels.

“The tightness of the working areas make it difficult to get people in place safely for manual lifts. The Microcrane® allows us to accomplish maintenance tasks with ease and with only one person!” said Mike Dean of Pure Cycle Water.

Since 2008, Microcranes, Inc. has been focused on offering American Made quality mini cranes at an affordable price. The M1 Model can be transported on truck beds, trailers, through 36-inch doorways, inside elevators, up stairwells combined with stair climbing solutions, and can be hoisted by larger cranes up onto rooftops using hoist rings. The ISO 9001 certified M1 Global is rated at 2,000 lbs. (905kg) (no operator license required) and has a hook height of 20’-3” (6.1m). It is only 30 in. (762mm) wide and weighs 1,800 lbs. (816kg). To learn more about the Microcrane® visit: https://www.microcranes.com

“The City of Norfolk is a valued partner, and we are proud to be a part of the mutual vision for a sustainable future for their citizens and the region,” said Keith Weakley, PE, DBIA, Volkert senior vice president, Mid-Atlantic region.

In collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) the Norfolk Resilience Partners will support the City’s implementation of the CSRM program, which includes comprehensive flood risk reduction solutions to increase resiliency for major storm events impacting the City. Norfolk was identified as highly vulnerable to flooding by the USACE, based on having one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise among the Atlantic coastal communities.

“As a Norfolk native and homeowner, I am fully invested in the future of Norfolk and committed to our shared goal of building resilience together,” said Volkert’s Christine Fuller, PE, deputy program manager for the project. “I have enjoyed a 15-year working relationship with the City of Norfolk with a focus on program management, interagency coordination, and civil/structural engineering. I know the people and processes that are integral to this program and am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its successful implementation.”

Norfolk Resilience Partners’ main mission is to strengthen and prioritize Norfolk’s infrastructure to adapt to climate changes and protect against coastal storm risk for years to come, while maintaining the City’s livable coastal character. This includes a system of floodwalls with levees, surge barriers, nature-based features, tide gates, pump stations, and non-structural elements such as home elevations, basement fills, and floodproofing. The project will be divided into five implementation phases: four phases associated with four watershed areas (Downtown, Pretty Lake, Lafayette River, Broad Creek) and the fifth phase to provide non-structural solutions across the City. 

“We’re excited to be one of the world’s leaders in coastal and urban resiliency solutions that are going to be delivered through this very important CSRM program,” said Matthew Simons, Norfolk Deputy Resilience Officer. “As a team, the City, USACE, and Norfolk Resilience Partners, we are ready to implement and deliver flood management solutions to enhance the life, safety, and longevity of our community, residents, and City.”

“Volkert has had its roots in the cities of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts for nearly a century. We have always been dedicated to the resilience of these communities because they are our homes, and we are excited to be a part of delivering these improvements for the City of Norfolk,” said Thomas A. Hand, PE, Volkert Chairman and CEO.

To learn more about the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Program, please visit: www.resilientnorfolk.com

About Volkert: Volkert is an award-winning professional services firm committed to expanding, enhancing, and protecting the built and natural environments. Planning, design, and engineering are at the heart of Volkert’s practice. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top 100 engineering firms, Volkert is proud to serve its valued clients with innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to existing and emerging challenges in the transportation, nature-based and green infrastructure, energy, and program management sectors.

Located near the southern border of Missouri, Table Rock Lake was created in 1958 when the eponymous dam was constructed across the White River to control flooding and generate hydroelectric power.  Designed and built by the US Army Corps of Engineers over a four year period starting in 1954, Table Rock Dam–so named for an overhanging rock formation one mile downstream–created a 43,100-acre lake with a shoreline that stretches roughly 800 miles through the surrounding Ozark hills.  Long before the White River’s waters filled the shores of Table Rock Lake, however, it cut a defined path through the Ozarks–beginning in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and snaking into Missouri before flowing southeast into the Arkansas River and eventually the Mississippi.  Before any stagecoaches, trains, or roads appeared in the Ozark Hills, the White River served as the region’s only means of transportation.  The region’s first settlers made their way through the region’s hills and valleys on flat-bottomed boats.  These early settlers cut out homesteads for themselves along the White River where it breathed life into the first American settlements in the Ozarks.

As the 19th century progressed, these small homesteads grew into settlements along the river.  Barges and flat-bottomed boats moved goods and people up and down the river, supporting several modest settlements that would grow into cities.  Eventually, these boats were replaced by smaller steamboats, which further increased the region’s ability to support a growing population as the flow of trade and passengers moved up and down the White River.  Several of these towns and cities further enhanced this transportation system by dredging the river to support even more steamboat traffic.  Eventually, the flow of goods and people was shifted to growing railroad networks, and, at the start of the 20th century, the importance of the White River as a source of transportation activity had been greatly reduced.

By the turn of the century, the once-small towns and settlements that had been carved out along the river’s plains had grown into thriving economic centers for the region.  And, whereas the river once carried the promise of economic prosperity, its flow had come to threaten these growing towns with devastating seasonal floods.  Construction of the dam was authorized by Congress in the Flood Control Act of 1941, but the project’s start was delayed by both World War II and the Korean War as well as the construction of nearby Bull Shoals Dam.  Work eventually began on Table Rock Dam in 1954 when the Little Rock District of the Corps of Engineers arrived in October.  The plan was to create a combination concrete gravity dam and earthen embankment.  The concrete section of the dam would be a little over 1,600-feet long, requiring 1.23 million cubic yards of concrete.  Still more, the earthen portion of the dam would be over 4,800-feet long and contain 3.32 million cubic yards of fill.  Table Rock Dam would also feature a 531-foot long spillway with ten crest gates for the control of overflow water.  

Completed at a total cost of around $65 million, Table Rock Dam formed one of dozens of man-made lakes that began to dot the Ozarks.  Whereas the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks had once been a region devoid of large lakes, the construction of dams like Table Rock over the course of the 20th century transformed the region physically and economically.  By the latter half of the 20th century, Table Rock Lake was but one of several large bodies of water that leapt into existence in the region.  The result was a massive boost to the resort and tourism industries as the region suddenly had thousands of acres of lakeshore that previously didn’t exist.  On Table Rock Lake, the US Army Corps of Engineers built 14 campgrounds and opened it up to the building of commercial marinas.  The massive influx of tourism supported the growth of the town of Branson, which now hosts upwards of 5 million visitors per year.

In the relatively short period of time that American towns and cities have existed in the Ozark region, there has been a tremendous shift in the relationship between these communities and the rivers that cut the first paths through it.  As society’s needs shifted, so too did this relationship.  What didn’t change, however, is the ability for these rivers to provide a means and reason for people to enter the region.  Where once this function operated as a result of transportation, it has now shifted to being the destination–opening the Ozarks to another generation of awestruck explorers.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.  

Seattle aquarium is one of the city’s premier attractions, bringing in more than 850,000 visitors per year. During the transformation of Seattle’s central waterfront, planners decided to build a new 50,000-square-foot ocean pavilion exhibit space for the aquarium that would feature sharks, rays, and other animals. The roof of the pavilion would transform into a public plaza that overlooks the Seattle oceanfront, complete with walkways and greenery.

To accommodate construction, the city of Seattle temporarily shifted the roadway near the aquarium, placing it in close proximity to the construction site. That meant formwork closest to the roadway spanned over two lanes of traffic. With an active highway below the construction site, safety for workers became paramount.

To manage these challenging circumstances and meet the unique design and performance requirements for the addition, the project team turned to the expertise of PERI USA for custom scaffolding, formwork, and shoring systems.

“With the challenge of the location of this project, it was necessary that parts of our systems would have to span over the roadway”, said Barry Humphreys, sales engineer at PERI. “PERI UP scaffolding extended over the highway parallel to the side and allowed us to meet restrictions that required a narrow width while being cost effective.”

A Roadmap for Innovation and Safety 

For the core of the building, planners selected 21,000 square feet of VARIOWall Formwork as the primary vertical wall formwork supporting the main tank wall. The girder wall formwork components allow the crew to adapt to the flexibility for any project specifications. The VST Civil Heavy Duty shoring system became an important component in certain areas of the building to support heavy transfer of central loads. The heavy shoring tower can be easily raised and lowered when loaded with the design of the head spindle and mobile hydraulics.  Heavy duty shoring towers and wide-span lattice girders can be systematically assembled with bolted connections and pre-assembled tower segments.

VARIOKIT is compatible with the PERI UP scaffolding system, allowing access points, and working platforms to be installed quickly and safely. PERI UP (3,400 square feet) supported the roadway protection and allowed for a wide range of ledgers and decks with different lengths to change direction during installation. PERI UP can be quickly and safely mounted with a gravity lock and self-locking decks. By inserting the wedge head into the rosette, the wedge drops by the force of gravity, quickly locking, Installation adaptability allowed the product to suit the project-specific layout of the building, delivering maximum performance.

“PERI UP allows us to achieve a taller height and form while keeping flexibility in our design,” Humphreys added. “At those heights, ensuring safer installation of products allows us to be more efficient with shoring at those heights.”

5,400 square feet of MULTIFLEX was used on the horizontal slab of the tank, providing the ideal solution, freedom of position, and spacing for lower rising points that supported the complicated ground plan. Providing additional flexibility on high load bearing for large spans, MULTIFLEX fits into complicated ground plans, as well as forming operations in confined spaces.

Lastly, SKYDECK, a panel slab formwork system, allowed the project team to eliminate utilizing any plywood. Eliminating the use of plywood keeps construction costs low while supplying a safe, efficient shoring system. SKYDECK is available on the market with no system component weighing more than 35 pounds in combination with systematic assembly and integral, rentable plywood.

Making Waves

Construction on the Seattle Aquarium began In July 2022. The expansion is scheduled to be completed in December 2023.

Designer and Supplier of Form Solution: Janicki Industries

Contractor: Turner Construction

Location: Seattle, WA

Products

    PERI UP

    SKYDECK

    MULTIFLEX

    VARIOKIT

Customer’s Benefits

Allows shortest assembly and cycle times with minimum formwork sets

Maximum adaptability to suit project-specific geometries

Lightweight, easy to handle components

Benefits of Decentralized Systems 

Decentralized wastewater treatment systems allow for a customized solution based on the specific needs and characteristics of the local area. From reduced infrastructure costs to managed aquifer recharge (MAR), decentralized systems offer a resilient and reliable approach to wastewater treatment, minimizing potential environmental impacts while offering flexibility and scalability. They can be easily upgraded or modified to incorporate new technologies or adapted to evolving regulatory requirements. 

This adaptability is particularly beneficial in areas or communities where future wastewater treatment needs may be evolving. Allowing for incremental expansions based on population growth and changing wastewater characteristics, decentralized systems not only offer numerous environmental benefits, but also economic benefits as well offering opportunities for service providers, inspectors, installers, and designers, as noted by the US EPA. These benefits make it an attractive option for addressing wastewater treatment challenges in various contexts. 

Decentralized (onsite) systems serve us well, with 25 percent of the population and 30 percent of new construction in the United States utilizing this technology. Decentralized systems do an excellent job of treating effluent onsite, keeping water local to its original source, all while recharging the local water supply. Traditional onsite wastewater systems are tried and true; they are the workhorses that protect public health. In some cases, however, there are sites that require an extra level of treatment due to tight soils, high water tables, or close proximity to water or environmentally sensitive areas. In such cases, strict effluent concentration limits are often required and decentralized wastewater treatment, combined with advanced treatment technologies, offers a viable solution. This article explores the benefits of incorporating advanced treatment technologies in wastewater system design to overcome difficult site conditions, ensuring effective treatment, and meeting regulatory requirements.  

Advanced Wastewater Treatment Solves Greater Issues  

Advanced treatment technologies for small scale residential and commercial systems are now available that can treat wastewater to levels previously only achievable by large scale wastewater treatment plants. Incorporating advanced treatment technology into a decentralized wastewater treatment system enables the benefits of decentralized systems to be realized where large scale treatment plants would previously have been the design of choice.  

Well-known technologies include combined treatment and dispersal, extended aeration, and fixed film systems. These treatment processes utilize naturally occurring microbial communities, which consume the organics and reduce the strength of the waste. Passive advanced treatment technologies, such as combined treatment and dispersal, remove up to 99 percent of wastewater impurities (BOD/TSS) without using any electricity or replacement media. Highly purified wastewater is then released to the soil, recharging the groundwater, preventing soil and groundwater contamination.  

Active advanced treatment systems provide high-quality effluent and are effective in reducing BOD, TSS, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus. Depending on the specified technology, the treated water can be captured for reuse for non-potable purposes such as irrigation or industrial processes. This reduces freshwater demand and offers this highly treated wastewater a second use prior to returning it to the ground water. Reuse may require additional levels of treatment such as disinfection. 

Passive and active advanced treatment technologies present unique benefits, offering system designers the ability to provide site-specific solutions that tailor the system design to address the specific needs of the area. Passive treatment systems allow a system designer to offer a highly treated effluent solution in remote or off-grid areas where centralized systems may not be available or are too costly for connection.  

Tight Soils 

Tight soils, such as clay or compacted soils, hinder wastewater infiltration and limit treatment efficiency. Passive treatment technologies provide effective solutions for treating wastewater in these challenging soil conditions. One such technology is the use of alternative media in soil absorption systems. By replacing the native soil or adding a highly permeable media, such as coarse, clean specified sand, the infiltration rate can be significantly improved. The sand media treats the wastewater thereby removing the organics and allowing clean water to infiltrate to the soil below. Tighter soils can more readily accept the treated effluent because there is no organic buildup. Another option is the implementation of active treatment, which provides enhanced treatment to also reduce the organic load to the soil. 

High Water Tables 

Shallow ground water presents challenges for wastewater treatment systems, as they can interfere with the treatment process and compromise system integrity. In decentralized treatment, technologies such as raised bed systems, mounded systems, and pressure distribution systems provide flexibility. These systems are designed to elevate the wastewater treatment area above the water table, providing proper separation distances that prevent contamination and ensure effective treatment before it reaches the groundwater. Other innovative solutions include constructed wetlands which can be implemented to naturally treat the effluent. 

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

In areas with strict environmental regulations or sensitive water bodies, advanced wastewater treatment may be necessary to meet the required discharge standards. Installing advanced treatment systems can ensure compliance with applicable regulations. Enhanced nutrient removal is required to achieve these discharge standards to protect water bodies or when a NPDES permit is required. Advanced treatment technologies can remove a high percentage of nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. Additional treatment options, such as disinfection with UV light or chlorine, can effectively reduce or inactivate bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. This reduces the potential for waterborne diseases thereby protecting public health. It also ensures that the discharged wastewater meets higher water quality standards, minimizing potential harm to aquatic ecosystems and the surrounding environment. 

Groundwater Shortages and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)

By recharging treated wastewater directly into the ground, decentralized systems replenish aquifers, helping to restore groundwater levels. This promotes the long-term sustainability of water resources and mitigates the impacts of over-extraction of groundwater resources. It reduces stress on lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, preserving these sources for other essential purposes and environmental habitat. This decentralized approach allows communities to take control and manage their own water resources, reducing reliance on centralized water supply networks. 

Long-Term Sustainability and Operations and Maintenance (O&M)  

Advanced wastewater treatment systems often incorporate features that provide ease of maintenance. Remote monitoring and sensors have been introduced for effective management.  All treatment systems, passive or active, require some level of operations and maintenance. These O&M frameworks are one of the most critical parts of the wastewater management infrastructure, providing reliability and confidence to the public.   

Projects in Action

Berkshire East, MA Wastewater Treatment System Provides Highly Treated Effluent and Low Maintenance

The 9,900 GPD Advanced Enviro-Septic (AES) system at Berkshire East, a four-season mountain resort in Charlemont, Massachusetts  includes 6,000 linear feet of AES pipe, divided into two-5,000 GPD module beds. The total combined sand bed area for the system is 9,486 sq. ft., with a soil loading rate of 1.2 GPD/sq. ft. The AES system is installed in a stepped configuration to slope the system and reduce the amount of fill required for the project. 

The smaller footprint required for the AES system and the ability to install the system with the existing topography made the AES system an attractive option.  Reduced fill contributed to an overall reduction in construction costs. Another benefit is the low maintenance of the system and its ability to accommodate the future growth of the resort.  

Strict Effluent Requirements Achieved with Extended Aeration Wastewater Treatment System at Lauloa Maalaea Resort in Maui, Hawaii

With stringent effluent quality requirements and limited space on site at the Lauloa Maalaea Resort in Hawaii, the engineer specified an Extended Aeration package wastewater treatment plant. To meet the new regulatory requirements and the design flow of 21,000 GPD the extended aeration process selected for this system utilizes aeration followed by clarification and disinfection. 

The flow equalization chamber receives the incoming wastewater, then duplex pumps discharge the wastewater into the aeration chamber. Duplex positive displacement blowers and an air distribution manifold system supply the air needs to the system including air diffusers, airlift pumps, and a scum skimmer. The hopper-style clarifier has baffling to prevent short circuiting and to provide the maximum uniform solids settling area. The settled sludge returns from the clarifier floor sludge well to the aeration chamber by the positive sludge return system. Immediately following the clarifier is a plug flow chlorine contact chamber. The influent characteristics were typical domestic waste loadings, with effluent requirements of less than 20 mg/L BOD/TSS. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, combined with advanced treatment technologies can provide a practical and efficient solution for overcoming difficult site conditions. By addressing challenges such as high-water tables, tight soils, and strict effluent concentration limits, these systems ensure effective treatment, protect water resources, and meet regulatory requirements. Incorporating advanced treatment technologies offers environmental and economic benefits, making decentralized wastewater treatment an attractive option for areas with challenging site conditions. Moving forward, continued research and innovation in decentralized wastewater treatment technologies will further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of these systems, ensuring sustainable water management practices for present and future generations as well as the availability of clean water. 

Ashley Donnelly, Technical Training and Sales Development Manager

adonnelly@infiltratorwater.com

Ashley has a passion for building relationships within the onsite wastewater treatment industry through training and technical education. Ashley entered the industry over 20 years ago and works to preserve the environment through sound wastewater treatment solutions. In her position at Infiltrator Water Technologies (IWT), she manages the Inside Sales Team and is responsible for maintaining and building customer relationships. This involves assisting engineers, contractors and regulators with technical and design information, training, installation, and operation and maintenance.

The City of Toronto has selected Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, to provide engineering services for Phase 5 of the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program (BFPP). This multiyear program, which began in 2006, helps reduce the risk of flooding through improvements to the sewer system and overland drainage routes, which can face increased pressure with heavy rainfalls.

For the latest phase of the BFPP, Stantec will design and implement storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and storage sewer projects to help protect the basements of residents’ homes from major flood impacts. These sewer resiliency solutions will also mitigate the risk of surface flooding within the city. The firm previously provided expertise for Phase 3 of the program.

“Stantec’s team brings two decades of successful partnership on this program for the City of Toronto,” said Denise Costa, program manager for Stantec. “Our past experience supporting the City means we are already familiar with the program’s requirements. We appreciate the opportunity to do meaningful work that improves the lives of Toronto residents—helping keep their basements safe during storms.”

Stantec has over 65 years of experience designing and implementing storm and sanitary sewer system improvements across North America. The firm understands the challenges of designing infrastructure within highly urbanized areas, such as our work on the Orleans Watermain Link in Ottawa, the Nose Creek Sanitary Trunk Sewer Upgrade in Calgary, and the South Surrey Interceptor Johnston Road Section in Vancouver.

Learn more about Stantec’s Conveyance work.

These projects will restore critical bayou capacity to reduce flood risk, remove siltation and repair damage caused by Hurricane Harvey to re-establish channel conveyance capacity to pre-Harvey conditions.

LAN will complete engineering services for survey, environmental, geotechnical, sediment removal design, permitting and all support services for over 75 miles of channel in the Little Cypress, Cypress Creek, and Greens Bayou watersheds. The team will navigate the specific challenges associated with sediment removal, such as federal funding compliance, environmental permitting, provisions for material disposal, utility conflicts, construction access, and traffic control—having designed and overseen these measures on numerous HCFCD projects in the past.

Matt Manges, PE, CFM, ENV SP, LAN Vice President and Stormwater Practice Leader, says, “We’re eager to partner with the District on these critical projects. Our team is prepared to leverage our expertise and resources to effectively address the challenges.”

LAN has previously worked on various projects for the District, including Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery projects, channel and detention basin repairs, and Tropical Storm Imelda channel repairs. Manges continues, “We understand the importance of flood control measures and are dedicated to implementing innovative solutions that will contribute to the long-term resilience and safety of the surrounding communities.”

The District is a leading authority dedicated to reducing the risk of flooding and protecting the residents and infrastructure of Harris County, Texas. As a proactive and responsive organization, the District implements comprehensive flood management strategies, including infrastructure projects, maintenance, and monitoring, to mitigate the impact of flooding events. With a commitment to community safety and environmental stewardship, the District works collaboratively with public and private partners to foster resilience and enhance the quality of life for all residents in Harris County.

STV will provide a full suite of planning and design services for Kyle’s WWTP, including the development of a nutrient management strategy and the installation of vital equipment that will double the plant’s flow capacity while meeting strict water quality permit limits.  

Located approximately 20 miles south of Austin, Kyle is set to become the most populous city in Hays County within the next 10 years. Since 2000, the city’s population has grown more than 800%, from 5,000 residents to more than 50,000 in 2022, according to the city’s census data. When the city’s existing wastewater treatment plant was reaching capacity, Kyle embarked on a major expansion project in 2020 that increased average daily plant capacity from 3.0 MGD to 4.5 MGD. STV provided value engineering and TCEQ permit renewal support. In Phase 2, the firm will lead the necessary improvements to increase flows that can be treated and discharged to 9.0 MGD, doubling the plant’s capacity. 

“Kyle is a fast-growing city and this project’s swift completion is key to maintaining the city’s service to their community,” said Lindsay Webb, P.E., project manager at STV. “Through our longstanding relationship with the City of Kyle, STV’s local knowledge and technical expertise is addressing this region’s crucial needs for water and wastewater infrastructure, while helping the community anticipate additional infrastructure expansion needs to create the most efficient plant.” 

Since 2017, STV has provided the City of Kyle with design services for roadways and traffic signals, wastewater interceptors and lift station improvements, as well as survey services for the city. The plant expansion is the largest collaboration to-date between the city and STV. 

STV has extensive experience with water and wastewater infrastructure in Texas and across the U.S. In Austin, STV served as lead designer for the rehabilitation and improvement of the South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of the city’s two major municipal treatment facilities. In Dallas, STV converted the Central Regional Wastewater System’s grit removal basins to higher-capacity vortex basins. In San Antonio, STV provided a full suite of design and construction management services for the Vista Ridge Regional Supply Project (VRRSP), the largest public-private partnership (P3) water project in North America at the time of its completion. As a result, VRRSP supplies 20 percent more water for the San Antonio region, providing water security and meeting the needs of the rapidly growing community.  

The project team brings together experts from across WSP’s global footprint and includes Deltares, a not-for-profit Dutch and U.S.-based water and subsurface knowledge institute. The project aims to answer several questions, including how utilities can expand or upgrade their infrastructure to adapt to future risks and challenges to their operations.  

“We are honored to lead this WRF project team that is developing guidance for the water sector to help water utilities around the world navigate many uncertainties that have emerged in recent years and are further complicated by climate change and other stressors,” said Maya Buchanan, PhD, principal investigator for WSP on this study and newly elected director of the board for the American Society of Adaptation Professionals—the leading association for climate change professionals. “Water resource managers recognize the importance of adaptive planning for multiple scenarios in the face of highly uncertain futures, which has led to the development of several academic frameworks. For some utilities, these frameworks have been incredibly useful. But others have faced significant challenges implementing and communicating them — we aim to help address this gap.”

WSP will conduct a series of validation steps to better understand the barriers these utilities face on the ground, as well as any opportunities for them to use some methods of scenario and adaptive planning to think through how they can better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to unexpected events.

The project also aims to address other challenges, like helping water utilities inform long-term plans and investment decisions, and address critical questions, such as: How can water infrastructure be expanded and upgraded to meet future needs and adapt to uncertain future risks, like changes in climate, supply and demand, regulations, economics and aging infrastructure?  

This project will have three phases:

• Explore: Phase 1 will gather data and information from water utility partners and technical experts in applied scenario and adaptive planning to identify key trends, leading practices and approaches and case studies for adaptive and scenario planning;
• Design: Phase 2 will design a Water Utility Scenario and Adaptive Planning Framework and testing it with a set of international water utilities (in the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand) to evaluate effectiveness and applicability; and
• Guide: Phase 3 will develop supplemental guidance for water utilities to use and share these approaches with their internal and external stakeholders.  

“Another critical aspect of this project is that we’re working directly with several utilities to identify and share the lessons that they’ve learned from their own experiences,” Buchanan said. “That information will be categorized by the size and context of each utility, so that we can eventually share it more broadly as a resource, which can hopefully get other utilities further along in their planning processes, regardless of their starting point. Our aim is to distill guidance that is useful for water utilities (and more broadly for other service utilities and owners of large infrastructure), particularly for those in underserved and resource-constrained communities.” 

Partners involved with WRF are looking forward to this next stage of their involvement with the foundation.

“Adaptive and scenario planning is enabling our organization to plan for multiple future stressors and respond to changing water system conditions as they happen,” said Kavita Heyn, a representative for the Portland Water Bureau and the Water Utility Climate Alliance. “The adaptive planning paradigm and the guidance that will result from WRF 5184 will help water utilities become more nimble, flexible and adaptive, and will support resilient and reliable water supply investments in the water sector.”

“American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) is excited to participate in the WRF 5184 study on scenario planning,” added John Phillips, a representative of ASAP. “Scenario planning is an excellent tool for communities to plan for vitally important needs, such as water supply, in an uncertain future and fosters the ability to put adaptive behaviors into practice.”

The funder of this project, WRF, is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages and publishes research on the technology, operation and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse and stormwater systems — all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public. 

About WSP USA  

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering, environment and professional services firms. Recognized on Fast Company’s Brands that Matter List for 2022 as a top Community-Minded Business, WSP USA brings together engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals who are dedicated to collaborate in the best interests of serving local communities. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,500 employees in 300 offices across the U.S., WSP partners with its clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com 

Having spent most of her career at an internationally recognized water district, Scott-Roberts has 20 years of managing capital improvement projects, encompassing the planning, design, and construction of water treatment facilities, including pipelines, pump stations, recharge basins, and injection wells. A career highlight includes managing the final expansion of the 130 million gallons per day Groundwater Replenishment System, the world’s largest water purification system for indirect potable reuse.

In her new role, Scott-Roberts will leverage her experience to assist clients in successfully delivering several multi-year recycled water programs, including playing a key role on the landmark Pure Water Southern California program, one of the largest water reuse programs in the world.

Brown and Caldwell Senior Vice President Dan Bunce commented on the appointment:

“I am thrilled to welcome Sandy to our team. Her experience and technical insight will further bolster Brown and Caldwell’s reputation as a leader in delivering water reuse solutions to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients and communities.”

Scott-Roberts is a licensed professional engineer with a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering and a bachelor’s in environmental engineering.

The round was co-led by Inven Capital, a leading European climate tech fund, and global software investor Insight Partners, which also led WINT’s B round. The round was joined by Taronga Ventures, one of the world’s leading real asset technology investors, and other prop-tech and construction-tech investors, providing WINT strategic access to new markets. 

“As a climate tech investor, we were greatly impressed by WINT’s vision to bring sustainability and risk mitigation into water management, coupled with its ability to rapidly rise to market leadership in this fast-growing space,” said Michal Mravec, Investment Director at Inven Capital. “Their exponential growth, focus on customer value, cutting-edge technology, and ability to deliver globally are a uniquely powerful combination. We’re excited about the prospect of working with this exceptional team to help drive WINT’s continued growth while making our world a better place.” 

The successful C round supports WINT’s global market expansion and technological innovation. The investment reflects the urgent need for WINT’s solutions across the globe as contractors, owners, tenants, and insurers seek solutions for mitigating the damage and cost of water leaks. The investment also reflects the increasing impact of global water stress and the urgency for water management solutions that prevent water waste and its associated carbon emissions. 

“We’re excited to close this round at a time when water scarcity and climate change are becoming some of humanity’s greatest challenges, while the costs of water leak damage in buildings are reaching unacceptable levels for insurers, owners, developers and contractors,” said Alon Geva, CEO of WINT. “We’re thrilled by the opportunity to partner with Inven and with other world-leading realestate and climate tech investors, and we are confident that their support and industry depth will help us solve these massive challenges for the world’s built environment.” 

WINT equips contractors, developers, owners and facility management teams with cutting-edge solutions to manage water throughout the lifecycle of a building, from construction to operations. WINT’s AI-based solutions help companies eliminate water waste and its associated carbon emissions and prevent water damage on construction sites and in commercial and residential buildings. 

For more information about WINT, visit https://wint.ai. 

Founded by Southern Nevada Water Authority and hosted American Water Works Association (AWWA), WSI tackles the complex issues faced by water utilities and technology providers, such as drought, climate variability, evolving regulations and public trust. It brings together water utility professionals, irrigation experts, efficient fixture manufacturers and many others with an interest in creating a sustainable water future.

“The knowledge-sharing at WaterSmart Innovations is critical in finding the right path to a sustainable water future,” said Barb Martin, AWWA director of engineering and technical services. “WSI provides a platform for both the water efficiency technology creators and the practitioners who will apply these innovations to address unprecedented water resources challenges. The WSI conference serves as a catalyst for driving sustainable practices and fostering collaboration among water professionals worldwide.”

Participants at WSI will have the unique opportunity to engage with leading experts and industry professionals who will share their insights and knowledge on various topics, including:

• New Technologies: Discover cutting-edge technologies that enhance water efficiency and conservation efforts.
• New Strategies and Programs: Explore innovative approaches to water sustainability and conservation.
• Customer Engagement: Learn about exciting ways to engage customers in water-saving initiatives.
• Water Resources Management: Explore new strategies for managing and preserving water resources.

The conference, hosted at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa, features a comprehensive lineup of professional sessions, covering a broad range of subjects, from advancing the adoption of efficient products to expanding the use of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and exploring alternate water supplies. Stakeholder engagement and community involvement will also be key discussion points during the event.

The conference’s exhibit hall will showcase innovative water products, services and strategies, providing valuable insights for water conservation efforts.

“The WaterSmart Innovations sessions are great,” said Patrick Watson, conservation services administrator, Southern Nevada Water Authority. “However, the discussion between sessions is where great ideas form.”

Registration for the 2023 WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition is now open. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.awwa.org/Events-Education/WaterSmart-Innovations. 

As a country with more than its fair share of rainfall, flood risk assessment has traditionally been a key part of the planning process, but the sheer scale of the UK’s surface water problem has only really come to light in the last decade or so.

When the summer of 2007 saw England and Wales suffer 414mm of rainfall – more than in any period since records began in 1766 – more than 55,000 properties were damaged by flooding. When these figures were analysed, the findings showed that two-thirds were understood to be flooded by surface runoff overloading drainage systems. This was backed up by the government including it on its national risk register in 2016, and subsequently by the Environment Agency, with its chief executive Sir James Bevan stating that more than three million properties in England are at risk of surface water flooding.

While it took a historically wet period for this to be identified as an issue that is as, if not more, threatening than fluvial flooding, dealing with the drainage of surface water is a long-standing problem that needs creative approaches to solve.

This is where sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) come in. Prompted by the 2007 floods, the SuDS Manual was first published to provide guidance on planning, design, construction and maintenance of sustainable urban drainage systems.

SuDS are generally accepted to be the most efficient way to implement successful surface water drainage, minimising run-off in an environmentally friendly way by mimicking natural water systems such as ponds, wetlands, swales and basins. While engineers often disagree about the approach to a lot of different challenges, almost all would agree that integrating SuDS at the earliest opportunity of a scheme is crucial to its success.

CHALLENGING THE APPROACH

Despite the obvious benefits of SuDS, it has been a long journey to inform and educate on their virtues, especially as the enforcement of legislation supporting their use – especially in England – hasn’t been especially forthcoming. Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 provides a framework for the widespread adoption of SuDS and gives local authorities the role of sustainable drainage approval body (SAB), with responsibility for checking compliance and approving their use.

Despite this, there has been a real reticence in England to push beyond a planning-led approach – where the use of SuDS is recommended but not enforced – to a more legislative one. Previous efforts to implement Schedule 3 met particularly strong resistance from the National Housing Federation.

However, this has not been the case in Wales, where the devolved government has taken strong action in commencing the enforcement of Schedule 3. Since 2019, all new developments in Wales of more than one dwelling, or with a construction area of 100 square metres or more, must include sustainable drainage systems for surface water, and these must be designed and built in accordance with statutory standards.

The success of this approach – along with the findings of David Jenkins’ report into responsibilities around surface water and drainage – have prompted Westminster to belatedly reconsider its approach to Schedule 3, leading to the decision earlier this year to implement it across England – essentially making it the default for almost all new developments. This process is being led by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in consultation with the Association of SuDS Authorities, with an initial consultation set to take place this year ahead of implementation in 2024.

RIGHTING THE WRONGS

There is a feeling across the flood risk assessment community that this decision is a case of “better late than never”, but there is still a long way to go. If you look at a 2012 Defra consultation, the results show that while government policy actively encouraged developers to build SuDS, only an estimated 40% of new developments were drained by them.  

New plans appear to outline that SABs will check that detailed design of SuDS comply with the principles agreed at the planning stage, and if they are approved for adoption inspections will be carried out by SABs at key stages of construction – such as backfilling of underground attenuation tanks.

Developers I have spoken to recently have voiced concerns that where there is ambiguity there is going to be further delays to an already slow approvals process, which favours nobody but at present is merely speculation. Though uncertainty over who is responsible for maintenance and the fees that will be charged for the application process to get SAB approval will also create a sense of unease in the build-up to legislative change.

Furthermore, from a local authority perspective, recruitment will be required to help process applications and carry out inspections, but not knowing the application fee makes it difficult to budget. Currently, most local authorities only have the resources to respond to surface water drainage proposals for major planning applications, but Schedule 3 will require them to respond to all proposals above a 100m2 threshold – so there is clarity needed as far as in advance possible to make the transition smoother.

Time will tell, but the implementation of Schedule 3 in England could well be the catalyst that pushes SuDS up the list of key masterplanning components. Getting everybody on board with a new statutory standard, which is expected to include a couple of amendments from the current non-statutory standard, begins with education, and developers need to be advised by engineers who have their ears to the ground and are able to lean on their experiences in Wales to prepare for what is expected to come in England. While national standards are expected to be the basis for design, requirements for adoption are expected to follow local procedures so knowledge will be the key.

The project has also created a safe passage for the endangered European eel, enabling them to travel up and over the weir. The development will not only benefit the European eel but also improve the passage for other fish species, such as salmon, trout, and grayling, allowing them to navigate the structure more safely.

The winter months posed unique challenges for the in-channel works, as water levels, weather conditions, and temperatures dictated the pace of the project. However, through continuous monitoring and long-range forecasting, Land & Water successfully mitigated these challenges, ensuring the project’s progress and maintaining efficiency in its scheduling.

Tom Cartmel, Contracts Manager, at Land & Water, said: “We are extremely pleased to have worked on this project alongside the Environment Agency’s Wessex Hydrometry and Telemetry team within the South West as part of our ongoing frameworks contract.

“Although challenges due to weather, ground conditions, and water levels did arise the Land & Water team tackled these with due regard to safety ensuring that quality assurance was met at each key stage of the build.”

Now that the project has been completed, the weir will significantly enhance low-flow measurements, providing crucial data during times of drought. Moreover, the upgraded remote monitoring infrastructure will ensure the river can be effectively and safely monitored during high flows and flood events, effectively future-proofing the site. The project will also have a lasting positive effect on the biodiversity of the River Tone, as it will benefit numerous fish species, creating a more sustainable ecosystem for all.

Land & Water’s dedication to delivering high-quality civil engineering solutions and safeguarding the environment at places where land and water meet has been demonstrated throughout this project.

“This is one of the inherent attributes of HDPE pipe,” stated Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., F. ASCE, co-chair, HDPE Municipal Advisory Board, and senior director of engineering for the Plastics Pipe Institute’s (PPI) Municipal & Industrial Division.  “As well as being corrosion proof, it is flexible and ductile to go through a special die on the job site that makes it possible to be pulled inside a host pipe even when the pipe is not round.  In this case, the ovality would have no affect during installation and the HDPE pipe would form a tight compression fit within the old ductile iron pipe.”  PPI is the major North American association representing the plastic pipe industry.

More than 8,700 feet of 36-inch ductile iron sewer force main was replaced with HDPE     PE 4710, DR 21 pipe using Murphy’s CompressionFit method, patent pending.  The new pipe has a 100-psi operating and a 200-psi surge pressure rating, and is rated as a Class 6 solution in accordance with ASTM F3508.  The sewer force main traversed under three city parks, along Covell Lake, through major commercial districts and under state highway SD 115.  It was made and provided by WL Plastics (Fort Worth, TX), a member company of PPI.

Opened in 1985, the Sioux Falls system treats some 18 million gallons of wastewater daily.  There are 900 miles of pipe in the system that conveys the wastewater to the city’s treatment plant.  There is a $215 million expansion plan underway that will increase the facility’s capacity by 50 percent when completed in 2025. 

“One of the questions we were asked was ‘Can a 36-inch ductile iron sewer force main with severe ovality be replaced with HDPE pipe using CompressionFit?’”, said HDPE pipe industry expert and consultant Harvey Svetlik, P.E.  “The answer was an unequitable ‘yes’.  Matter of fact, some other recent projects saw 54-inch diameter pipe with a three-inch wall thickness installed using the CompressionFit method.  One of the principal things that this technology does is that it preserves the flow rate of the existing host pipeline and seals over holes and leaks, so you have a dual-wall composite pipeline.  And the thicker HDPE pipe provides structural integrity.”

Svetlik has more than 40 years of experience in the plastic pipe industry, specializing in polyethylene pipes and fittings.  He is the inventor of the MJ Adapter, also known as the Harvey Adapter.  An active member of PPI for 30 years, he is the author of numerous PPI technical notes, developer of ASTM/AWWA standards, and an inventor who holds 16 patents.

One of the most recent ASTM standards authored by Svetlik is ASTM F3508 for the installation of compressed fit shape memory polymer pipe.  “ASTM F3508 codifies the specification of the material to use and deals with the shape memory characteristics of the material such as high-density polyethylene. 

“With the CompressionFit technology, instead of elongating a rubber band and letting it recover as is done with Swagelining, they basically do a lot more of radial compression.  Instead of stretching it and thinning the wall, they downsize it and radially thicken the wall, such that when it goes into place it enlarges in diameter, and the radial wall thickness stands as it expands out, like rolling out pie dough.”

The developer of CompressionFit is Murphy Pipeline Contractors (Jacksonville, FL).  “Most cities cannot afford to relocate and replace a 16-inch diameter or larger pipeline within their vast utility network,” said Todd Grafenauer, education director for Murphy.  “The result of the CompressionFit HDPE pipe lining technology is that a new HDPE pipe will be ‘compressive fit’ inside the existing host pipe.  This lining offers remarkable value over other construction methods such as an increased flow rate over sliplining, we do an average pull distance of 2,000 feet with more than a 90 percent reduction in excavation and there’s no new easement documentation needed.  Plus, we simply follow the existing pipe path using GIS maps.”  Murphy is a member company of PPI and also part of the association’s Municipal Advisory Board (MAB).

Governed by ASTM F3508, the CompressionFit HDPE pipe lining technology specifies an HDPE pipe with an outside diameter larger in size than the inside of the host pipe to be renewed.  After the HDPE is butt fused to correspond to the pull distance, the pipe is pulled through a reduction die immediately before entering the host pipe.  This reduces the HDPE pipe temporarily below the inside diameter of the host pipe allowing it to be inserted.

While the towing load keeps the HDPE under tension during the pull, the pipe remains in its reduced size.  The HDPE remains fully elastic throughout the reduction and installation process. After installation, the pulling load is removed.  The HDPE pipe expands until it is halted by the inside diameter of the host pipe.  The effectively natural ‘tight’ or ‘compression fit’ is accepted as exchanging an existing failing pipeline with a composite pipe in its place.

“One of the things about the ASTM F3508,” Svetlik explained, “is that it can be utilized not only for municipalities for gravity flow, but even more ideally for pressure pipes for water pipeline replacement, or force main replacement.”

More information can be found at www.plasticpipe.org/municpalindustrial

The Dawdon MWTS protects a vital underground source of drinking water that is supplied to around 30,000 people in the region. The MWTS is situated 1km south of Dawdon in County Durham and treats mine water that has built up since pumping stopped due to the closing of local collieries, each year it treats over 2,000 million litres of mine water.

To ensure full protection of the public, marine maintenance was undertaken to sustain the flow of the mine water.The overall project was managed by Principal Contractor Southbay Civil Engineering on behalf of The Coal Authority. Red7Marine’s 250t deck capacity Haven Seariser 1 jack-up barge supported the operations, acting as a dive platform for the maintenance activities to be performed from.

A close collaborative working relationship between all members of the project team was crucial for the delivery in these specialist works. This project involved a significant amount of planning, which was led by Southbay as main contractor. Pre-planning was required due to challenging tidal environment and associated logistics in terms of accessing the outfall structures, in particular crew transfer and delivery of materials.

Due to the high saline content of the mine water, Dawdon MWTS uses two Short Sea Outfall pipes (SSO) to take treated water from Dawdon to disperse it safely into the North Sea. Red7Marine’s barge, the Haven Seariser 1, was previously working on the Isle of Skye in Uig and was mobilised to site via a tug. A team of specialist divers, from Southbay Civil Engineering, entered the North Sea from the jack-up barge to carry out the investigations and repairs. The barge was situated just off Nose’s Point near the location of the SSO.

Kristen Branford, Managing Director, Red7Marine: “Thanks to Southbay Civil Engineering and The Coal Authority for allowing us to support your team with this important project. This maintenance will play a crucial role in protecting the local public and the environment.

The success in delivering this project was significantly credited to the close working collaboration of the teams and we look forward to continuing work together in the future.”

Pete Bingham of The Coal Authority said: “Together with our partners, we are committed to protecting the public and the environment from the effects of the UK’s mining legacy, which has deep roots in the northeast of England and these routine works are clear and visible evidence of this commitment.”

Decentralized systems have come of age, and they offer many benefits:

• Serve over 25 percent of the US population and 30 percent of new construction
• A good solution for water scarcity: extract, treat and recharge water locally, completing the water cycle in a small footprint
• Can be passive resulting in minimal energy consumption and carbon footprint
• Can remain operational during and after natural disasters such as floods or hurricanes

The basic decentralized system consisting of a septic tank and a drainfield has performed extraordinarily well. However, in areas of environmental concern, such as estuaries, wetlands, proximity to lakes and other bodies of water, high water tables, or poor soils, decentralized systems historically struggled to provide a solution. Now, with advances in technology and design innovation, decentralized wastewater treatment systems can offer the same public health and environmental protection as centralized treatment systems. Treatment technologies that were once only available for large scale treatment systems are now available at the single-family size level. The benefits are now documented in US Environmental Protection Agency published fact sheets on decentralized systems. Further, decentralized systems, once known for only passive systems have expanded to include “Active” (Advanced) treatment options. 

The Decentralized Active Wastewater Treatment Model

Decentralized wastewater treatment involves the treatment of wastewater closer to the source, reducing the need for extensive and costly centralized sewer systems. This decentralized approach provides several advantages over traditional centralized systems. First, it offers greater flexibility and adaptability to meet the specific needs of different regions and communities. Small-scale treatment facilities can be designed and implemented based on local conditions, allowing for customized solutions. Additionally, decentralized systems minimize the risk of widespread contamination in case of failures or disasters, as the treatment is distributed across
multiple sites.

Active wastewater treatment in decentralized applications refers to the utilization of advanced treatment technologies to treat wastewater at smaller-scale, localized facilities. This approach is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to provide efficient and sustainable wastewater management solutions for various settings, such as rural areas, small communities, industrial sites, and commercial developments.

One of the key components of Active wastewater treatment in decentralized applications is the utilization of innovative treatment technologies. These technologies are designed to achieve higher levels of treatment efficiency, remove contaminants of emerging concern, and minimize environmental impacts. Some of the Active treatment processes commonly employed include biological/organic reduction, nutrient removal, and resource
recovery techniques.

Reducing Organics with Extended Aeration

There are many treatment methods to reduce organics, one of the most common is extended aeration. The treatment processes take advantage of naturally occurring microbial communities to consume organics. Active treatment systems offer high-quality effluent and are effective in reducing BOD and TSS. The treated water can then be reused for non-potable purposes like irrigation or industrial processes.

Nutrient Removal

Nutrient removal is also crucial in environmentally sensitive areas. Excessive nutrient discharge, particularly of nitrogen and phosphorus, can lead to eutrophication in receiving water bodies, causing harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion. Active  treatment technologies, such as biological nitrogen removal processes (e.g., nitrification and denitrification) and enhanced biological phosphorus removal, help achieve stringent nutrient removal targets. These processes use specialized bacteria to convert and remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater, mitigating environmental impacts.

Managed Aquifer Recharge

The ability to recharge groundwater and replenish aquifers is a noted environmental benefit of decentralized wastewater treatment systems according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This growing trend is being recognized as Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).

With centralized treatment systems, water is extracted from a source, treated to potable standards, then pumped via a pipe distribution network. Once this water is consumed by a facility or homeowner, it is then classified as wastewater and ultimately discharged following centralized treatment to a river or ocean. Disposal of the treated wastewater commonly occurs in local waterways, where it mixes with the existing water flows and is not captured for reuse.

The extensive advancements in Active decentralized technology, has enhanced the capability of decentralized wastewater treatment systems to treat large volumes of water for commercial/cluster facilities to provide MAR. Today, there are decentralized systems with Active Treatment that have discharges more than 1 MGD (3,785 m3/d).

Active Decentralized System Operations and Maintenance

Furthermore, Active decentralized wastewater treatment facilities have embraced the concept of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and the once Achilles-heel of the industry has been solved. Many codes require maintenance contracts and private industry is rushing to fill the void as it is seen as an opportunity to expand business. O&M can also be employed through public or semi-public entities such as new or existing utility districts. Other advancements to allow ease of O&M has been the integration of smart technologies and automation. Remote monitoring and control systems enable real-time data collection, analysis, and adjustment of treatment processes. This allows for efficient operation, predictive maintenance, and optimization of the treatment performance, enhancing overall system reliability and performance.

Case Study: Active Decentralized Treatment Provides Fast Response in Paradise, California

The 2018 “Camp Fire” devastated the community of Paradise, California, killing 85 people, destroying 11,000 homes, and displacing nearly 50,000 people. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needed to quickly stabilize the situation and support rehabilitation of the community. This required a 1500-person workforce housing camp, which included 400 temporary housing units, laundromat, and food preparation and dining facilities.

An emergency response was necessary with accelerated deadlines and extreme site limitations that included no sanitary sewer service and shallow bedrock. An Active wastewater treatment system was designed and installed to meet a design flow of 100,000 gallons-per-day. The sand filter specifying Advanced Enviro-Septic (AES) receives gravity-flow influent to four, 40,000-gallon septic tanks configured in series. The effluent is then split into four treatment trains to facilitate isolation during maintenance. Four lined AES beds provide passive, secondary treatment. Treated effluent is collected and gravity-distributed to the UV disinfection units, each followed by a pump tank. These pumps distribute purified effluent to two evapotranspiration ponds, which allow for possible reuse.

The low maintenance, high flow, decentralized wastewater treatment system allowed for full occupancy of the FEMA work housing camp quickly. This provided needed resources close to the devastated community.

Conclusion

Active wastewater treatment in decentralized applications offers a sustainable and efficient solution for wastewater management. By utilizing Active treatment technologies, such as advanced treatment, nutrient removal, and resource recovery techniques, decentralized facilities can achieve higher treatment efficiency, remove emerging contaminants, provide managed aquifer recharge, and minimize environmental impacts. The integration of smart technologies and decentralized energy generation further enhances the performance and sustainability of these systems. As communities and industries continue to seek cost-effective and environmentally friendly wastewater management solutions, advanced, active decentralized treatment approaches will play a crucial role in meeting these evolving needs.

Dennis F. Hallahan, P.E.,  is the Technical Director of Infiltrator Water Technologies. Dennis has over 30 years of experience with the design, construction of decentralized wastewater treatment systems. He has authored numerous articles for on-site industry magazines and regularly gives presentations nationally on the science and fundamentals of on-site wastewater treatment systems. Dennis also serves on various national industry association wastewater committees. 

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) trolley routes 101 and 102, sometimes called the Media-Sharon Hill line, are light rail lines serving portions of Delaware County. The Suburban Transit Division of SEPTA operates the lines, and for years they were faced with a massive challenge: a large dip in the road between stations led to constant flooding of the 102 line, which frequently resulted in a necessary closure of the trolley line, with passengers moved to buses to complete their journey. 

The constant flooding, caused by stormwater runoff throughout the valley area, was more than an inconvenience: it became a transportation hazard. 

Project contractor The Walsh Group, incorporated in 1949 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, offers customers services from 20 regional offices across the country, to include Pennsylvania. One of the largest and most-respected general contracting groups in the US., the Walsh Group also handles construction management and design/build work in the building, civil, and transportation sectors. 

With years of experience using precast solutions for stormwater management, Walsh was brought in to research the problem and find a solution. 

In an area fraught with constant flooding, it was clear a strong stormwater management plan would be needed to move the project forward. The stormwater would need to be pumped out of the area quickly before flooding could occur, and the solution installation would need to be timed carefully between not only the rain, but to least affect riders of the SEPTA 102 line. 

Thanks to H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress, the SEPTA 102 line project, along with multiple other projects in the area, fell under the necessary parameters to obtain Federal funding for a stormwater management solution. 

Project Challenges

The challenges faced from the start were daunting: the stormwater management solution would need to be installed at night and over a weekend to minimize impact to the riding public, and the local trolley line would need to be put out of service in order for construction to occur. 

Coordinating all necessary integral players – from the construction team to the power company – took exceptional detailed work and no mistakes could be made. 

Stormwater Management Solution

The solution researched and chosen by The Walsh Group was to install a three-sided precast chamber that would allow gathering stormwater to be filtered into a pumphouse. A channel would bring water into the pumphouse from three directions, to include being funneled uphill and downhill from the chamber to the pumphouse. From the pumphouse, the stormwater would be evacuated into a chamber safely away from the trolley tracks. This action would relieve the previously flooded area and no longer affect the SEPTA line 102 from running on schedule. 

Several of the existing challenges remained in place throughout the construction process: on multiple occasions, a crew was in place ready to begin work following a scheduled short-term SEPTA line shutdown, only to discover with hours notice that the planned line outage had been delayed. Additionally, the crane necessary for lifting and installing the precast channel would need to be positioned next to a high-voltage power line, which resulted in the local power company being brought into the project to de-energize the line when needed. 

Over the course of two weekend SEPTA line 102 shutdowns, the three-sided channel installation was completed successfully in the spring of 2023. 

Following years and multiple construction projects together, The Walsh Group selected Oldcastle Infrastructure to provide the stormwater management solutions to the SEPTA 102 line flooding project. The companies worked closely together to ensure all challenges were met and the project was completed successfully. 

Products from Oldcastle Infrastructure chosen for this stormwater management project went above and beyond a typical box culvert project to include a three-sided precast channel and additional products used at multiple elevations to follow the contour of the valley. Perpendicular to the precast channel was a four-sided box that was installed in a pumphouse. The pumphouse structure was constructed on-site by Walsh as opposed to the culverts being constructed off-site and delivered to the location. 

A vital element of the selection of precast (vs. cast-in-place) concrete is the variables – especially the weather – are removed, as precast is typically poured in a controlled environment. 

One final important step during and after the stormwater solution installation was the placement and tensioning of multiple poly-strand steel cables throughout the floor of the structure to unify the channels and maintain elevation during any future acts of nature. 

Results

As a result of the infrastructure stormwater management solution installed next to the SEPTA 102 line, the trolley is now able to run as it should, delivering riders where they need to be on time. All elements of the construction are doing their jobs, and the line no longer floods following heavy rains. 

The result of this, according to Dycian, is that about a quarter of all water that goes into buildings is wasted.  There are a number of reasons for this consistently high percentage of water that goes to waste, such that Dycian refers to it as “death by a thousand cuts.”  Whether it’s a running toilet or a leak in a water irrigation pipe, there are a massive number of unmonitored water leaks throughout the United States.  As a result, unmonitored water leaks have a cascading effect of damage, where one bad appliance or pipe can cause a much larger problem.  Dycian points out that water leaks and breaks result in tens of billions of dollars in damage each year worldwide, making it the top problem for construction insurance and third for property insurance.

According to Dycian, the main challenge standing in the way of a more sustainable future of water resource management is the lack of monitoring.  This challenge has not gone unnoticed, and more and more companies are moving to install water management systems in their buildings.  Dycian believes that, over the next decade, the installation of water management systems will be standard, particularly for large, high water-use buildings.  Dycian also points to the current trend on retrofitting, which is another outcome of the AEC industry recognizing challenges with water resource management.  Structures like the Empire State Building, which was completed nearly a century ago, are adapting to the modern era by installing water management systems like WINT.  Dycian says the push to install water management systems in new and old buildings is the increasing cost of insurance premiums and water itself.  New buildings are particularly susceptible to damage from water system leaks and breaks.  During this stage, when new systems are being installed and problems are still being worked out, a leak or break that aligns with a period without labor–such as a weekend–could result in catastrophic damage.  To accommodate for this risk, more and more companies are turning to solutions like WINT.

The ability to manage water resources more efficiently is crucial for creating a more sustainable AEC industry for the future.  Water waste represents a significant obstacle in the way of that more sustainable future.  Dycian says that the process of getting water to a building and through a shower or tap is in itself an environmentally-intensive process.  Chemicals are needed to treat the water at both ends, and a tremendous amount of energy is needed to facilitate and maintain its movement throughout systems.  Additionally, processes like sewage treatment emit a significant amount of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.  Overall, the process of pumping, treating, and moving water has a large carbon footprint.  Thus, to minimize the impact of these processes on the environment, Dycian believes that managing water more efficiently is a major component of a more sustainable future.

This consciousness of water as a finite resource extends beyond usage in taps and showers, but also focuses on water-intensive systems like the cooling towers that run air conditioning.  Beyond the massive amount of water needed to run systems like cooling towers, a small malfunction or leak can result in that water flowing directly into the sewage system.  Dycian uses the example of WINT’s work on the Empire State Building to illustrate the significance of monitoring such systems.  After deploying WINT’s technology at the Empire State Building, a cooling tower malfunction was quickly identified.  Identifying this malfunction resulted in saving the building $100,000 per year.

As the AEC industry strives to build a more sustainable future, the management of water as a resource will continue to grow in importance.  As projects and systems become larger and more complex, the need to protect these projects and investments grows in tandem.  Wasted water on construction projects and already-existing structures represents not only a toll of a resource that is growing in scarcity but also an increase in the carbon footprint of the systems that allow us to use it.  Technologies like WINT Water Intelligence will be critical as the AEC industry adapts to the increasing need for more sustainable processes.

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have constructed a fully autonomous boat that can carry out bathymetric surveys — surveys of the depth and terrain of bodies of water like oceans, rivers and lakes. The team hopes the robotic boat can help simplify the survey process, which usually takes a crew of individuals to complete, as well as assist with reconnaissance missions.

The boat and its capabilities are described in the May issue of the journal Sensors. 

“There are lots of reasons scientists carry out bathymetric surveys,” said Laura Alvarez, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “If you want to work in water-related studies, you need to know the shape and landscape of bodies of water. For example, you might want to map a reservoir to learn about water supply for electrical demand, or a river to learn about river evolution or flow patterns.”

Alvarez, an assistant professor in UTEP’s Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, specializes in unmanned systems for earth science. She started developing the boat several years ago but needed help tweaking and perfecting the system.

That’s when she recruited science and electrical engineering master’s student Fernando Sotelo ‘22.

“The first time we tested the boat was at the swimming pool at UTEP — just to make sure it could float,” laughed Fernando Sotelo, study co-author and now UTEP alumnus.

Over the course of a year, Sotelo refined the aluminum watercraft, a 3-foot-by-3-foot circular craft that rests on a thick black inner tube, testing it in various environments like New Mexico’s Grindstone and Elephant Butte lakes. 

His goals included extending the boat’s hours of operation and reliability; and making it fully autonomous and responsive to potential environmental issues like wind speed and temperature flux. Now, a failsafe can detect when batteries are low or wind gusts are too high and triggers a return-to-base function.

The rudderless watercraft operates with four thrusters, allowing it to travel up to 5 feet per second and easily rotate 360-degrees. A solar panel and lithium battery allow the boat to last up to four hours at sea — covering an area up to 472,400 square feet.

All the while a multibeam echosounder — a sonar system — emits sound waves from the bottom of the boat. Water depth can be calculated by the time it takes for the sound wave to water to hit the seafloor and return to the sonar system. The sound itself that returns to the device can help detect the type of material on the seafloor.

To show proof of concept, the team successfully created 2D and 3D maps of portions of Ascarate Lake in El Paso, Texas and Grindstone Lake in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

“My goal was to make the boat state-of-the-art and I think I did that. Of course, there’s always room to improve,” said Sotelo, who worked on the boat for his master’s thesis. “But the system works and for now, I hope it can make it easier for scientists like Dr. Alvarez to conduct their research.”

Alvarez will put the boat to use for the first time this summer to study the Rio Grande River’s flow and depth.

She adds that the instructions to replicate the boat are online in their latest Sensors publication.

“The reason we wrote the paper was so that anyone can reproduce it by themselves,” Alvarez said. “It serves as an effective guideline to get them started.”

With a 20-year background in the water and wastewater industry, Chavan is uniquely skilled in partnering with public utilities to identify, strategize, and secure federal, state, and local low-interest loan and grant opportunities. She has helped obtain $800 million in funding from the EPA, Bureau of Reclamation, FEMA, USDA, Clean Water/Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and various state programs for numerous multimillion-dollar capital improvement programs. Her expertise includes the development of grant strategies, directing applications, coordinating with funding agency staff, supporting advocacy, managing program compliance requirements, and assisting agencies with reporting and disbursement requests.

In her new role, Chavan will lead Brown and Caldwell’s funding and finance group, leveraging her experience as a professional engineer and deep knowledge of complex environmental projects to help clients secure financial aid for public water infrastructure projects. She will review projects to identify funding mechanisms, advise on project scoping to maximize funding opportunities, and work directly with clients to select and apply for economic assistance. Furthermore, she will provide counsel on how federal, state, and local funding could increase clients’ financial capabilities.

“I am thrilled to welcome Seema to Brown and Caldwell. Her expertise will play a key role in helping water and wastewater agencies understand and position for outside project funding while reducing the financial burden on their customers,” said Chief Growth Officer Geoff Grant.

Based in San Jose, California, Chavan holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

The Heroism Award recognizes an act of heroism performed by a water utility professional who puts themself in personal danger while doing so. Stephen Shirley, a Central Arkansas Water (CAW) foreman, and Chris Duncan, a water distribution specialist II, helped two injured gunshot victims who were involved in a three-vehicle car accident at an intersection in front of their crew truck. 

Once the two CAW employees determined the scene was safe and they needed to provide life-saving measures until emergency responders arrived, they approached one vehicle and applied a tourniquet to a victim who was bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to the leg. They also helped a woman in another vehicle who was bleeding and in shock.

AWWA’s Innovation Award recognizes a member who has inspired or implemented an innovative idea, best practice, or solution to benefit the water sector. This year it was awarded to the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) for developing a machine learning project for managing inflow and infiltration.

York Region designed a machine learning model as part of its Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Strategy. Inflow and infiltration occur when water, groundwater and stormwater enter the wastewater system through pipe misconnections and deteriorated infrastructure. This takes up sewer system capacity and may backup into the environment.

The model uses machine learning to process raw data into actionable information to help make proactive and better-informed decisions to manage infrastructure. Real-time and historical data are integrated to create a priority map that informs future operations and maintenance work. It can predict the way the system would respond to hypothetical precipitation events.

To date, the model has achieved over 90% confidence in the analysis based on pilots completed from 2018 through 2022. The York Region has also realized a 78% reduction in analysis time when compared to the two weeks it took to do the analysis manually. This amounts to approximately $40,000 in labor costs per analysis of all nine of the municipalities that make up the York Region.

The tool helps ensure money is spent with the greatest impact, and the savings of staff time and resources allows the York Region to focus more on additional planning and finding efficiencies elsewhere in its system.

Both awards will be presented during AWWA’s Annual Conference & Exposition.

Roy Moore joined Infiltrator in 1987 and served as Chief Executive Officer from 2005 until the company was acquired by ADS in 2019 and continued his leadership role at Infiltrator until his retirement. During his tenure with the company, Roy led multiple functions, including manufacturing, sales, marketing, engineering, research and development, and government affairs. Prior to his time at Infiltrator, Roy led the manufacturing operations of a major building products supplier and has specialized in the molding of plastic products since 1979.

Craig Taylor joined Infiltrator in February 2020 as Vice President of Finance. Before joining Infiltrator, he served in a variety of roles with Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. from 2003 until 2019, most recently as Vice President of Finance. From 2017 to 2019 he managed the financial performance of a $3 billion Hand Tool and Storage division, providing strategic insights, partnering with product development to drive the company’s growth targets and oversight of global manufacturing. From 2003 to 2017, Craig held various finance positions including Chief Financial Officer – Global Shared Services and Chief Financial Officer – Stanley Security North America & Emerging Markets. Additionally, he worked on several acquisitions and integrations including Newell Tools and Craftsman. Prior to joining Stanley Black and Decker, Inc. he worked at United Technologies from 1998 to 2003. Craig holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Bryant University and an MBA from University of Massachusetts – Isenberg School of Management.

“I am grateful to Roy for his valued leadership and the many contributions he has made to support the success and growth of Infiltrator,” said Taylor. “Roy was with Infiltrator for over 35 years, and his leadership and vision helped us grow into the product, manufacturing and technology leader in onsite septic wastewater we are today. His extensive knowledge of all facets of the business and operations, as well as his deep industry expertise, will be missed. On behalf of everyone at Infiltrator, I wish Roy the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Water treated through these best available technology treatment systems, as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will ensure Santee Cooper is meeting the EPA’s Effluent Limitations Guideline (ELGs). Addressing wastewater is increasingly important for municipalities and utilities as the EPA evolves its guidance.

“This project will play a vital role in treating wastewater at these facilities and make certain that what goes back into the local environment is in compliance with the EPA’s regulations,” said Jim Stone, Stantec project manager. “This effort is an extremely positive development for the community and the surrounding ecosystems.”

This award expands on a previous contract with Santee Cooper. In 2021, Stantec began work on one power generation facility and was recently awarded a second site to install similar technology, doubling Stantec’s scope of work. The Stantec project team will provide process, mechanical, electrical, controls, civil, and structural engineering; design; 3D modeling; and drafting to develop a holistic approach to install the wastewater treatment technology. 

EPA’s rules on ELGs are national wastewater discharge standards that apply to industrial and commercial facilities. They are a part of the Clean Water Act established in 1972 to regulate the discharge of pollutants into the environment.

The Stantec team has deep expertise in industrial water projects and is well versed in designing practical, cost-effective approaches for project delivery success.

The current process to gather data for new underwater construction or the inspection of existing assets such as bridges, docks, and levees consists of manual surveying from divers or survey sensors mounted to a boat. With the new, safer, and more efficient Bathydrone system, a drone drags a small vessel on the water’s surface, eliminating the need for manual surveying. The vessel is equipped with a COTS sonar unit mounted on its bottom. The sonar unit has down-scan, side-scan, and chirp capabilities and logs data onboard the console, which is located inside the hull. Data can then be retrieved post-mission from the console and plotted in various ways. 

“We are excited to be working on this groundbreaking technology with the team at the University of Florida,” said Balaji Sreenivasan, CEO and founder of Aurigo Software. “The Bathydrone system will vastly expand the possibilities for underwater endeavors while providing a cheaper, safer, and more eco-friendly alternative for our customers.” 

Not only is data collected more easily, but the technology can also be operated remotely and autonomously using AI navigation software to overcome obstacles in or under the water, creating a faster and cheaper solution. The system will also integrate with Aurigo’s Masterworks Cloud Platform to properly store and categorize project data and route any inspections or other results for approval or further action.

Additional Bathydrone differentiators include:

• Fully battery-operated and better for the environment—no fuel or loud noise
• Lightweight and easily transportable
• Does not require a dock or boat ramp to get in the water
• Able to be deployed in a wide variety of water systems, including shallow water and rivers with strong currents 
• Able to survey a large area on a single charge

“This project supports our department’s mission to conduct state-of-the-art research to advance science and technology,” said Peter Ijfu, University of Florida’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Excellence Term Professor and Associate Chair of Faculty Affairs. “This pioneering approach to underwater surveying and mapping has multiple real-world applications that are not currently commercially available.”

Aurigo will work closely with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s staff and students to bring this leading-edge solution to the infrastructure market in the next 12 to 18 months.

The AWT demonstration facility is part of PWD’s Pure Water Antelope Valley (Pure Water AV) indirect potable reuse program, which will produce approximately 5 million gallons per day (MGD) of potable water using tertiary effluent from the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts’ Palmdale Water Reclamation Plant. Stantec is providing program management services for Pure Water AV.   

“Incorporating Capture6’s technology into indirect and direct potable reuse facilities could be a win-win solution for our inland clients, including PWD, and Capture6,” said Zakir Hirani, vice president and Water Reuse sector leader for Stantec. “The partnership is a powerful one, addressing the critical need to cost-effectively dispose brine while recovering additional water for reuse and removing carbon that supports climate resiliency. We are thrilled we could facilitate this synergy between PWD and Capture6.”

The full-scale AWT facility for Pure Water AV is expected to produce approximately 700,000 gallons of brine per day from reverse osmosis (RO). As an inland potable reuse facility with no access to ocean outfall, disposal of RO brine could cost PWD millions of dollars per year. Capture6’s technology uses a chemical produced from the RO brine to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce clean water and chemicals, which can both be reused.  

“With Capture6’s technology, there is zero discharge of brine,” said Scott Rogers, engineering manager for PWD. “Not only is this a sustainable solution, but it will ultimately save ratepayers money and help meet PWD’s recycled water goals.”

The cost for additional water recovery and carbon removal by Capture6’s technology can be partially offset by federal incentives for carbon removal and funding from private corporations for their carbon footprint reduction. The treatment process used by Capture6 could eliminate the need for brine disposal and produce byproduct chemicals that can be reused at the AWT facilities or sold to industrial users.

“We are enthusiastic about this partnership with PWD and Stantec as we work together to increase water production and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” said Dr. Ethan Cohen-Cole, CEO and founder of Capture6.

The demonstration facility will be used to assess the technical feasibility and economic viability of Capture6’s technology in potable reuse application before it is considered for the full-scale project. Upon successful implementation, the technology could eliminate PWD’s need for about 2 miles of pipeline and 72 acres of evaporative ponds to dispose brine.

Stantec has worked on numerous potable reuse projects, many of which are inland and face enormous brine disposal costs. Knowledge gained from the demonstration facility will help Stantec develop cost-effective brine management solutions for municipal and industrial clients.

The collection of islands that now make up the state of Hawaii have been inhabited by humans for the better part of the last two millennia. The first to arrive did so in wooden canoes that carried themselves, plants for cultivation, and livestock. These first inhabitants found few edible plants that were native to the islands, and began to cultivate the plants they brought with them. To support this cultivation, inhabitants began to construct irrigation ditches that carried water from the numerous freshwater streams to areas growing crops such as taro, bananas, breadfruit, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, and yams.

The islands’ streams played a particularly important role in their population growth. The fresh, cool water would flow through the irrigation ditches and provide nourishment to the growing crops before flowing back into the stream. These ditches would eventually be enhanced by the construction of dams, which would often be torn down and moved as the need arose. Over time, they cultivated the soil of mountain slopes and valley bottoms—supporting these projects with stone walls to stop erosion. These irrigation systems became part of a much larger network of water infrastructure that supported a burgeoning population.

In addition to having an unparalleled understanding of boat building and crop irrigation, Polynesian inhabitants of the islands also developed a strong tradition of aquaculture. Beginning around 1200 CE, Hawaiians started using lava rocks and packed earth to construct fish ponds that vastly increased the amount of food the islands could produce. Starting from the shoreline, fishponds were ringed by low walls of porous lava rock which allowed water to flow through without enough space for the fish to escape. The locations of these fishponds made them extremely fertile places to create thriving fish farms. These fishponds again benefitted from the cool freshwater streams. Located near the mouths of these streams, Hawaiian fishponds of this time were constructed to benefit from inland irrigation as the nutrient-rich water that resulted flooded the fishponds, supporting a massive number of fish. In the five centuries between the development of aquaculture and the first European contact, native Hawaiians constructed over 350 of these fishponds that produced over 2 million pounds of fish annually.

The nutrient-rich fresh water that provided sustenance for the enclosed fish was part of a much larger network of water-based infrastructure that supported sustained population growth throughout the time prior to European contact. Surrounded by saltwater, the native Hawaiians placed a strict emphasis on the management and maintenance of their freshwater resources. Shallow wells, springs, and streams provided the islands’ inhabitants with fresh drinking water. By creating a system that incorporated upland agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, and gardening, these early Hawaiians shifted to a society that focused more on the land than on the sea. The ability to tap into rich terrestrial and marine resources meant that, long before European contact, Hawaiians had established a sophisticated system of land-use agreements that facilitated the open trade of goods not only within the individual islands but rather between the islands. Thanks to their ability to navigate the seas effectively, trade thrived between the Hawaiian islands, and a thriving economy emerged. This resulted in residents having access to a wide variety of goods and resources, supporting further development and growth.

From this effective utilization of resources, Hawaiians began to specialize in various crafts and trades, which varied depending on the resources on the individual islands. The island of O’ahu, for example, specialized in producing a bark fabric known as kapa. This intricately designed fabric was created by beating tree bark until it became soft and dye-stamping it to create geometric patterns. Similarly, the island of Maui grew to specialize as the primary manufacturer of canoes.

Although surrounded by the vastness of the Pacific Ocean’s salty waters, the Hawaiian islands had developed a system that could not only support a significant human population but rather a thriving and diverse culture and specialized economy. This was done by effectively managing water resources with a flexible and cooperative approach, which allowed populations to shift and efficiently manage the flow of water and resources throughout needed areas.

Jon Kramer joined OHM advisors 30 years ago in 1993. Although he had a background in environmental engineering, Kramer joined the firm as a part of their municipal engineering practice, which he describes as a “collection of road, water, and sewer” work. Since joining OHM as an intern, Kramer has risen through the ranks, becoming CEO of the firm two years ago. In his three decades with the firm, Kramer has seen OHM Advisors grow from an 80-person firm with one office to its current state with 650 employees working out of 18 offices. One of the key factors behind OHM’s growth is their belief and dedication to the idea that diversity drives innovation. Kramer points out that this comes to fruition through their continued efforts to ensure that diversity and inclusion are “intrinsic to the fabric of the company.” 

This approach hinges on the fact that, when DEI is reflected throughout an organization, they benefit from a variety of insights and are better prepared to meet the needs of the populations they serve. For OHM, this includes efforts to address the talent gap by encouraging careers in STEM through things like mentorship and internship programs as well as outreach to various schools. Further, OHM demonstrates this commitment through investments in their annual diversity scholarship program. Kramer has also demonstrated this commitment by signing the CEO Action for Diversity Pledge. 

Kramer points out that this level of commitment has been difficult in some management areas, but the results have far exceeded any difficulties. OHM’s commitment has “empowered [their] employees to be the best versions of themselves.” In turn, Kramer says that this has ultimately led to OHM providing the best solutions for their clients and communities while having employees who value their work. When it comes to discussing climate change resilience and sustainability, Kramer believes that these topics are inherently tied into their commitment to people and communities and describes OHM as the “community advancement firm.” OHM Advisors’ mission of Advancing Communities is a summation of their role of working hand-in-hand with clients to create innovative solutions for building sustainable communities. 

On a project basis, this means making their clients’ challenges into their challenges, and delivering solutions that clients and communities may not know they need. Kramer notes that this requires treating each community individually, which means there are “no cookie cutter solutions” for the challenges they face. This community-forward approach has had a substantial effect on a number of communities in which OHM has completed work. One example of such a community can be found in Newark, Ohio. Stemming from an EPA mandate to separate the sewer systems from stormwater runoff systems, the initial revitalization project began as a $30 million sewer separation project, totaling nearly 10 city blocks. However, the project ran into challenges, as the streets around the downtown square would need to be demolished. 

Demolition of the streets around the square would have potentially affected the historic Licking County Courthouse, which was built in 1878 and designed by architect Henry E. Myer of Cleveland in the Second Empire style. This American vernacular centerpiece eventually became the focus of revitalization efforts and recently completed a $9.2 million Phase I restoration. With forward-thinking leadership, the City of Newark recognized the opportunity to turn a traditional infrastructure project into a placemaking and economic development strategy. They turned to OHM Advisors to lead an extensive community planning initiative to examine how the project could evolve. After a series of stakeholder and public meetings, a community vision emerged that called for a more pedestrian-friendly downtown, focusing on streetscaping, wayfinding, and enhancing the existing transportation network. 

With the goal of improving the image and brand of the city’s downtown while simultaneously improving the transportation network, the resulting solution included expansive sidewalks, sustainable infrastructure, straightforward two-way traffic patterns, and easy-to-navigate mini roundabouts at the four corners of the courthouse. Since the project was completed in 2017, these improvements have calmed traffic and significantly improved pedestrian access to the downtown economic area, which has in turn led to gains in population, jobs, downtown living, and economic generating activities. This community-led project in Newark is a tangible result of OHM’s community-forward way of doing business. 

Elsewhere in Ohio, OHM is currently engaged in a project that contains multiple communities within its scope. The Cuyahoga River, which has a long and complex history with industry and its resulting pollution, is now cleaner than it has been in decades thanks to dedicated efforts to improve the river’s condition for future generations. The Cuyahoga’s cleaner waters are resulting in an increased demand for recreational, entertainment, and residential development along the river. Understanding the river’s history with development, the Vision for the Valley (VFTV) plan was created with the goal of finding healthy, equitable, and environmentally-conscious ways to continue to promote this regional economic development. 

Launched in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River Fire, the VFTV is a joint project between the City of Cleveland Planning Commission, Cleveland Metroparks, the Port of Cleveland, Flats Forward, and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). These groups and agencies recognized the need for a unified vision to guide growth and decision-making and brought OHM Advisors on as the lead consultant to develop a comprehensive, innovative study that reimagines the Cuyahoga River Valley. Kramer notes that, while crucially important to the future, VFTV is “no small, nor easy, effort.” The Cuyahoga River is a federal shipping channel and a state-designated water trail, meaning commercial shipping and recreational water activities exist together in one river. Furthermore, compared to other commercially-active rivers, the Cuyahoga is narrow, which makes navigation and safety important concerns in developing a plan for its future. 

To develop this plan, the project team again engaged in extensive and purposeful community and stakeholder outreach, which allowed for the plan to be founded on equity and inclusion while also guiding decisions based on protecting the health and safety of the waterway, modernizing its surrounding infrastructure, and building awareness of the river. Since inception, this plan helps the river work for everyone while fostering a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable future. The resulting plan has also been the impetus for remarkable economic development and regional growth since its adoption. 

With this community-forward approach, Jon Kramer and OHM Advisors have become a pertinent example of the impact the AEC industry has on the health and well-being of communities. Whether the scope of the project is a historical downtown in a rural county seat, or a national historic river that impacts hundreds of communities and millions of people, the mindset by which firms approach projects has cascading effects for the people living in those spaces. OHM’s approach to advancing communities is unique in that it begins with building a thriving community internally that can in turn positively impact the communities in which they live and work. Their work provides an example of what community-forward thinking can change for the AEC industry. 

The earth’s weather patterns have turned chaotically unpredictable and even dangerous due to climate change and are contributing to a greater risk of increased flooding. As rainfalls intensify, stormwater runoff has become more severe and has caused flooding resulting in significant damage to structures and substantial impacts to daily commerce. 

In recent years, hurricane season in the United States has produced more intense hurricanes, bringing more significant rainfall and higher storm surges to coastal areas. In September 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa, Florida. The Category 4 hurricane slammed the area with 155 mph winds, and 10-15 feet of storm surge, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As the storm moved across the state, heavy rains and powerful wind caused catastrophic flooding in its wake. After the storm crossed over Florida and was over open water, it regained strength and made a second landfall in South Carolina. It was the first hurricane South Carolina experienced in six years, resulting in heavy rain, high winds, and flooding along the coastline. 

A total of 149 deaths were reported due to the hurricane, and insured losses range from $50 billion to $65 billion. 

Future weather pattern predictions have indicated more intense rain events are expected. According to NOAA’s Atlas ’14 rainfall analysis, rainfall intensities have increased within established recurrence intervals, and increases are expected to continue as global temperatures rise. An example of more intense rainfall occurred in April 2023 where more than 26 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This storm was a record rainfall for Florida that shut down the city and closed the airport, causing in excess of 800 flights to be cancelled. 

It is critical the design approach to infrastructure in flood prone urban areas be considerate of potentially catastrophic rain events to minimize damages due to flooding. Many current stormwater systems are based on outdated design criteria that are incapable of handling future expected greater rainfall intensities and the resulting extreme flood events. Alternative strategies, such as low impact development (LID) may be a key element of an effective solution. 

Urban Flooding Issues 

As development occurs, areas that once were able to infiltrate stormwater become increasingly impervious. The new development increases the volume and speed of stormwater runoff over the predevelopment conditions during a similar rain or flood event. When combined with the effects of climate change, the impact is compounded and points to a future with an even greater increase in urban flooding. 

Furthermore, existing drainage facilities such as storm sewers, creeks, rivers, and bayous located in urban areas can only manage the lower intensities that have guided the design of stormwater systems in the past. The more intense the rainfall, the higher the peak runoff and the greater the volume of runoff. As the amount of impervious cover increases, so does the pace at which runoff can accumulate and travel. June 2023 csengineermag.com 25 

In the past, the expansion and paving of drainage facilities, such as the Los Angeles River and paved sections of bayous in Houston, were the norm. This method of stormwater management sends the water downstream much faster, which helps with urban flooding in the areas immediately adjacent and upstream. 

“This is simply passing the problem downstream to create an even bigger problem,” says Edwin Friedrichs, senior advisor and managing principal in Walter P Moore’s Infrastructure Group. “Too much water sent downstream at one time adds to flooding in the downstream areas and can also create backwater flooding that eventually reaches the areas upstream if the rain event is severe.” 

Aging public drainage systems also create an increasing burden to the public on the cost of maintenance and repair, further reducing drainage capacity when the systems are not regularly maintained in a fully operational manner. 

Low Impact Development 

In most urban areas, the increase in imperviousness and runoff is offset by designing detention ponds to accommodate the excess stormwater runoff due to development. This requires a storm sewer system to send water downstream to the detention pond—typically the detention pond is nearby—where it is slowly filtered and released at a prescribed predevelopment rate. 

The core philosophy of LID is conscious site planning. This means maintaining the natural environment’s ecological systems throughout the construction process and for the lifetime of a development. 

Alternatively, LID can provide a similar effect of reducing peak runoff flows and volumes. Through a distributed network of LID features, detention volume can be provided while slowing down and, in some cases, infiltrating runoff into the soil, reducing the land area and storage volume needed for the downstream detention system. These LID systems also improve stormwater quality by providing vegetated filter and filtration zones that clean the water removing floatables, pollutants, and nutrients from the stormwater runoff. 

Aspects of LID include minimizing land disturbances, conserving natural features, reducing impervious cover, and incorporating distributed natural drainage systems to attenuate runoff. LID projects have increased recently because of the lack of space for engineered structural drainage controls in highly developed, dense urban areas, and to offset the negative impact of development in combined sewer service areas. 

LID is an effective approach to managing stormwater runoff, combining green and gray infrastructure to reduce peak runoff and urban flooding. Municipalities are incentivizing LID design through expedited permitting, tax breaks, and alternative favorable stormwater development requirements, making it innovative, cost-effective, and faster to build. 

Low Impact Development Applications 

LID can be used in street and roadway applications to capture, treat, attenuate, and convey stormwater runoff. This approach can reduce the cost of storm sewer systems, detention facilities, and treatment devices, while providing aesthetic benefits. 

The Bagby Street Reconstruction Project in Houston is an example of LID utilizing bioretention for stormwater treatment, detention, attenuation, and conveyance. The project includes rain gardens that provide a buffer to traffic and thereby enhance pedestrian safety and add to the community’s visual appeal. 

“The installation of rain gardens along Bagby Street treats and captures 33 percent of the stormwater that falls within the right-of-way,” says Marlon Marshall, director, engineering, and construction at Midtown Houston. “Before being discharged into local bayous, stormwater along Bagby Street is now collected in rain gardens, which use native plants, trees, and mulch to filter pollutants that have accumulated on surfaces between rains.” 

According to Marshall, Bagby Street’s LID elements have been valuable flood mitigation assets during Houston’s heavy rains and hurricanes. 

“The green stormwater infrastructure has performed effectively to prevent flooding during major weather events including Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Midtown Redevelopment Authority has been able to successfully leverage low impact development resources to attract development and positively impact the quality of life in Midtown,” Marshall says. 

Additionally, it is the first Greenroads certified project in Texas, highlighting the potential for sustainable and efficient infrastructure design.

Another example of how LID adds value involves master planned developments which offer a greater opportunity for large-scale reuse of stormwater by incorporating LID features. The LID systems can treat the runoff, capture the excess water, and then use the captured water to reduce the potable water needed for irrigation and other potential non-potable water uses such cooling tower makeup water. This approach is essential to minimize the environmental impact of the project. 

City Place, formerly Springwoods Village, in the Houston area employs natural streams, vegetated drainage swales, bioswales, sedimentation basins, and wet ponds to treat stormwater runoff. The treated stormwater is then made available as a non-potable water utility for non-potable demands such as cooling towers and irrigation. By incorporating LID into the overall design and infrastructure systems, master planned communities can create sustainable and efficient non-potable water supply systems that benefit both the environment and community. Captured and reused stormwater can help to alleviate flooding downstream by diverting excess runoff to reduce the demand for potable water treatment and distribution, and to improve the quality of the water released into the downstream systems. 

Finally, LID can be applied to small-scale development projects in innovative ways as well, despite limited space available to accommodate the features. Midtown Park in Houston is an example of this approach, using linear rain gardens to capture, detain, and treat stormwater runoff. 

At Midtown Park, an underground tank captures additional runoff, which is then reused for park irrigation. A bioswale provides overflow capacity for further detention and treatment of runoff on-site. The use of LID reduces the need for above ground detention, allowing the space to be repurposed for a revenue-generating parking facility. Reimagining the surface detention area as a LID park feature adds to the enjoyment of the space. 

“LID was integral in Midtown’s ability to address the dilemma of being ‘under-parked,’” Marshall says. “In the case of Midtown Park, ‘under-parked’ had a dual meaning in that the neighborhood did not have enough park space nor enough parking to meet the demands of its residents and visitors.” 

The “under-parked” dilemma presented an opportunity to include creative LID elements in the Midtown Park design to provide site detention as a park feature while allowing for the development of a 400-space underground parking facility. 

According to Marshall, Midtown Park’s signature LID feature is the “bayou” which serves as the site detention system for the project. The “bayou” is a constructed water channel which mimics the natural bayous, swamps, bottomland hardwood forests, and wetlands of Houston. The site’s LID rainwater collection system stores water from the exposed portion of the top of the underground parking garage and other impervious surfaces in the park in a 70,000-gallon subsurface cistern to be reused on-site for irrigating plant material. 

“Working together with bioswales and rain gardens, the LID features at Midtown Park have proven to enhance economic and environmental resiliency by protecting against flooding while improving water quality,” Marshall says. “During extreme rainfall events, like Hurricane Harvey, the ‘bayou’ has detained stormwater to prevent local flooding and property damage.” 

The successful integration of highly complex green stormwater infrastructure systems has helped to offset operational costs and led Midtown Park to become Houston’s first SITES-certified project, a rating system designed to protect ecosystems. 

LID can also expand to a larger scale with the re-greening and expansion of drainage facilities. This includes the Harris County (Texas) Flood Control District’s Brays Bayou project, which has transformed flood damage reduction projects into multi-use parks and landscapes. 

Additionally, the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration, which involved restoring 11 miles along the river and includes the reintroduction of ecological and physical processes, such as a more natural hydrologic and hydraulic regime that reconnects the river to historic floodplains and tributaries, reduced flow velocities, increased infiltration, improved natural sediment processes, and improved water quality. 

Much of the initial attention from infrastructure funding was focused on broadband and electric vehicle deployment. But now, other funding sources are getting lots of attention and bridge repair and replacement is occurring throughout the country. 

The bipartisan infrastructure bill provided $5 billion per year until 2026 just for bridges. That funding is encouraging state and local officials to reimagine how they deliver bridge projects. 

In 2021, it was reported that U.S. bridges had accrued a $125 billion backlog of critical maintenance needs. That was because 42 percent of them had been in service for more than 50 years. The same report found that it could possibly take 50 years to complete the backlog of critical bridge maintenance projects that would be required. That sobering news most likely encouraged elected officials to prioritize expediency related to repairing or replacing bridges in America. 

State transportation departments are now promoting design/build approaches to rehabilitating and replacing bridges because of delivery speed. This past summer, the state transportation departments for Ohio and Kentucky agreed to partner on the $2.8 billion design/build improvement of an interstate bridge between the two states. Earlier in 2022, the state of Missouri established a firm precedent for design/ build delivery of historic bridge projects. The Missouri Department of Transportation requested proposals for the design/build of its $243 million Chester Bridge project and a contract to a design/build team could be awarded as early as March 2023. 

A $75 million bridge project in Washington’s Clark County will call for a design/build team to replace the East Fork Lewis River bridge. Proposals will be requested in March of 2023. Despite being categorized as structurally deficient, the steel truss bridge services 38,000 vehicles—including nearly 7,000 large commercial freight vehicles—daily. The bridge was constructed in 1936 and mounting maintenance costs and disruptions to service have heightened the need to replace the structure. 

Historic bridge projects are being reimagined not only because of available funding but also because of incredible new technological developments. Accelerated Bridge Construction is changing how state transportation departments plan, design, and construct bridges without interrupting traffic. 

In Cape Cod, Massachusetts, an accelerated bridge is projected to cost more than $1 billion. Construction is forecasted for 2026.The Cape Cod peninsula juts into the Atlantic Ocean and its connectivity to mainland Massachusetts depends almost entirely on two bridges that were built in 1935. Those bridges—the Sagamore and the Bourne—are no longer capable of meeting modern transportation demands. The project will include prefabricating and building components off-site as the existing bridge is removed. 

A $400 million project in New York, slated to launch in 2023, will replace a bridge that has served as a lynchpin for rail travel along what has been one of the country’s most heavily used transportation corridors for over a century. The environmental review period has ended and the final design work for replacing the Livingston Avenue Bridge will proceed. Currently, the bridge’s deterioration has caused trains to cross in single-file and at speeds no greater than 15 miles per hour. 

A $1.8 billion bridge project has been announced for Connecticut. The plan is to select a contracting partner in 2023 for work on the Connecticut River Bridge. Within Connecticut, almost all passenger rail and freight services inevitably converge on the Connecticut River Bridge. The 115-year-old structure represents a critical juncture along Amtrak’s widely used Northeast Corridor as it supports freight trains and forms a foundational segment of passenger rail service. The proposed replacement will entail a two-track movable bridge structure with electrification and resilience components that include new tracks, improved signaling, sustainable power supplies, enhanced communication systems and other security features. 

The Federal Lands Highway Program has become yet another source of funding for bridges. As an example of this program, an allocation of $25 million has been announced to repair and preserve Gardner River High Bridge, located in the Wyoming-based portion of Yellowstone National Park. This bridge was built in 1939 and federal funding will be available for a project launch in late 2023 or early 2024. Another $13.1 million allocation will support a project to replace the Sun River Bridge in Montana’s Lewis and Clark County. The project will focus on a 105-year-old, 225 foot long, single lane, structurally deficient bridge that has historically provided access to numerous state and federal public lands. 

These projects are just a small sampling of the type of upcoming opportunities that will be available in 2023 and 2024. A lack of funding has held public officials back from addressing critical infrastructure needs in past years, but that obstacle has been removed. Not only is funding available, new technology and construction methods are being embraced because of the speed and sustainability that they offer. America is moving quickly now to enhance its infrastructure, and bridge repair is at the top of the priority list. 

Now is the time for interested contractors to approach public owners to ask for more detailed information about projects of interest. Planning documents, design outlines and cost projections are available for the asking. The public at large and especially the citizens who travel across the bridges are the primary benefactors, but many regions will also benefit from job creation and economic vitality. America’s global competitiveness will be enhanced, and taxpayers will benefit because the country’s infrastructure assets will be upgraded and preserved for another century if this type of work continues. 

It’s the 1940s in Maywood, New Jersey. A new residential community has sprouted up and the homeowners want to beautify their front lawns, so they go to a nearby property to gather some fresh topsoil. Little did they know that they’re helping to plant the seeds for one of the largest and most high-profile environmental cleanup projects in the nation. 

The soil they gathered was from the grounds of Maywood Chemical Works, a company that disposed of radioactive waste onto their property, as well as on a nearby wetland that’s the headwaters for the Lodi Brook. This waterway carried contamination downstream and spread it onto its floodplains where these new residential communities were being built during the construction boom following World War II. 

Decades ago, these residents and the company were unaware of what they were starting, but today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, is resolving it. 

The agency, in cooperation with partners, is cleaning up the community to make it safe for residents, while at the same time keeping their own workers safe. They’ve been so successful that they achieved 1 million manhours without a lost time accident. This is a significant milestone for the Army Corps and not often achieved in the industry, and something especially important on environmental cleanup projects. The team reached this success by carrying out safety best practices that will be shared here. 

FUSRAP Maywood Superfund Site 

This project is being addressed by the Army Corps under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), that’s responsible for cleaning up radioactive waste generated during the early years of the nation’s atomic energy program. 

The Army Corps’ New York District is the lead agency implementing the cleanup effort at the Maywood site and has four other active sites in the greater New York City area that it leads. 

Dan Kennedy, project manager, Environmental, Interagency & International Services Branch, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said, “The FUSRAP has some of the most technically challenging remedial projects in the nation and doing it safely is the most important factor during any remedial action.” 

The Maywood FUSRAP Site is located in a highly developed area of northeastern New Jersey, just 12 miles west of New York City. 

The property where wastes were disposed of covers 153-acres across the Boroughs of Maywood and Lodi and the Township of Rochelle Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. 

In the early 20th century, Maywood Chemical Works sat on 63 acres of this land. For over 50 years, the company processed monazite sand to extract thorium and other rare earth minerals used in industrial products, including mantles for gas lanterns, as well as processed lithium ores for use of lithium in commercial products. 

The chemical and radioactive thorium waste that resulted from this production was stored, treated, or disposed of on the site into pits, piles, and man-made lagoons. 

During flooding events this waste ran into the Lodi Brook and was carried downstream into other waterways, contaminating sediment and soils over a large area near the brook. Fortunately, the groundwater was not contaminated. 

Spread from the Lodi Brook was the primary way the contamination spread in the community, but some residents also used soil from the site as fill on their properties, which added to the contamination. This spread the contamination throughout acres of land and into 92 residential, governmental, and commercial properties. 

Since this waste contained radioactive thorium, a potential human carcinogen—this posed a threat to human health and the environment. The Army Corps is addressing the radioactive portions of the contamination under FUSRAP in collaboration with the EPA Region II, the New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection, Contractor, Cabrera Services, Inc., and with stakeholders such as the Stepan Company, a current owner of a portion of the site that is responsible for removing the non-radioactive material from, in, and around its property. 

Radioactive material and soil are being remediated and potential groundwater contamination is being treated. All residential contaminated remediation has been completed. 

In addition, on the former Maywood Chemical Works site, the Army Corps safely removed radioactive soil, contaminated buildings, and metal drums that contained remnants of harmful solvents and degreasers. 

Presently, the Army Corps is removing contaminated soil from underneath highways and roads that include hard-to-reach areas around utilities, including beneath the streets in the Borough of Lodi. 

To date, over 830,130 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris has been safely removed from the site. “This is equivalent to more than 11,000 railcars that we used to transport the material to landfills designed to safely contain these materials,” said John Canby, project engineer, New York District. He added, “Additionally, 135 million gallons of groundwater has been treated, which is equivalent to five oil supertankers.” 

The project is expected to be completed in three years and includes the restoration of the wetland that is the headwaters of the Lodi Brook that carried much of the contamination downstream and throughout the region. 

Throughout the project’s progress, public safety measures have been in place for the community. These measures include continuous air monitoring, disposing of contaminated material to approved off-site locations, decontaminating the trucks that are transporting waste material off the properties, dust suppression measures, and traffic controls. In addition, regular community meetings are held to keep the public informed about the progress of the project and to address their concerns. 

Worker Safety Best Practices 

Not only is the health of the community important, but also the safety of the project’s workers, especially when it comes to FUSRAP projects. Michael Johnson, team leader, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said, “Safety is very important for all construction projects and especially for FUSRAP projects because these projects introduce the workers to potential exposures to contaminants above and beyond your typical construction project hazards.” 

Because of this, the team has implemented a series of worker safety best practices for its workers. The team has been so successful in doing this that they achieved 1 million manhours without a lost time accident. “This type of achievement is rare. This is the only project that I have worked on in the Army Corps that has achieved this milestone,” says Johnson who has worked on this project for 15 years. Following are some of the key worker safety best practices the team is performing that make this project a leader in worker safety. 

A.M. Safety Counseling 

Every morning, the workers take part in a short Daily Tailgate Meeting. According to Johnson, this 30-minute meeting sets the day for the team. During the meeting, they discuss several things including the project’s safety analyses that can include discussing the steps needed to get through the potential hazards of a specific job. They also discuss a safety topic of the day that can include near misses or accidents that happened in the construction industry recently. Following this they hold a Q & A session and then the workers get up and take to the floor for some stretching exercises before heading out to the job site. 

Worker Empowerment 

Workers are encouraged to have open dialogue to reduce workplace accidents. Johnson said, “For example, the workers have Stop Work Authority which means anyone on the job has the authority to stop the project if they observe unsafe conditions or behavior.” 

Safety Incentive Award Program 

Each month, workers receive safety incentive awards for proactively taking steps to ensure safety on the project. According to Johnson, this program is a way to ensure inclusion for the project’s safety commitment. The program is designed to have targeted goals that empower personnel to have “skin in the game” and encourages workers to proactively take ownership of the project safety culture by meeting those safety-oriented goals. In addition, each quarter, workers are selected by their peers as the “Quarterly Safety Performer” recognizing exemplary safety performance and achievement. 

According to Bill Lorenz, vice president of Cabrera Services, Inc., a contractor who plays an integral part in the project’s safety measures says, “We are recognizing and rewarding our employees, not only for noticing and taking actions to eliminate hazards from the job site, but also for making positive observations that illustrate a commitment to safety for everyone on the project.” Cabrera Services, Inc. is headquartered in East Hartford Connecticut. 

Out of sight, but not out of mind 

Johnson said that hazardous waste projects and this one in particular has a unique danger—radiological hazards that are not visible to the naked eye. 

According to Kennedy, another hazard of radioactive materials is that they emit ionizing radiation, which means that a person can be exposed to radiation without even coming into contact with the material. Because of this, specific precautions are being taken to protect workers through how the project is designed and through the use of personal protective equipment. 

The project site is designed to minimize safety hazards. This includes making sure there is ventilation in all work areas and misting water on the soils during excavation to suppress dust and contaminants from becoming airborne. 

In addition, zones are set up on the site to limit worker’s exposure and reduce or eliminate potential cross contamination. The Exclusion Zone is where the workers are performing the remediation work and dealing with the contaminated material, the Contamination Reduction Zone supports the workers in the Exclusion Zone, and the Support Zone supports the Reduction Zone workers and it’s where workers prepare themselves to enter the Exclusion Zone. 

To further limit worker exposure, workers wear personal protective equipment to protect their skin including wearing an outer layer of protective disposable clothing, hard hats, safety glasses and shields, and steel-toe safety boots. 

And at the end of the day, before workers leave the site, their hands, feet, and clothing are monitored using radioactive detection instruments to ensure that radioactive materials are not adhered to a person before they leave the work site. 

Although contaminated soils were accidentally placed onto Maywood, New Jersey’s residential properties, it is no accident that the Army Corps workers who are cleaning up the community have done so without harming the residents or themselves in the process. This can be directly attributed to the safety best practices the workers perform every day that other project managers and engineers can learn from. 

Lorenz added, “Our team’s ability to achieve 1 million manhours without a lost time accident while working on a FUSRAP project is remarkable. There is constantly some sort of high-risk, high-hazard type of activity occurring. We developed, emphasized, and implemented our approach to safety from the start and have routinely engaged employees so that they know they have direct involvement in the program, and its success. With these employees, we’ve been able to create, and sustain a safety culture where our people actively care for one another, and everyone is looking out for each other, to make sure we all go home at the end of the day, safely.” 

Ongoing water shortages in the Colorado River basin and elsewhere in the Western U.S. underscore a widespread reality: water resources management in the West has reached a critical juncture, and profound change is on the horizon. 

We’ve seen expansive growth in the West over the past century, and it’s evident that much of the water infrastructure developed will not meet future needs, particularly if practices from the past are followed. 

The world today is dramatically different from the era when major water supply projects in the West were envisioned and constructed. Our climate is changing, demand for water is growing, facilities are aging, and societal expectations of water resource management are evolving. Implementing changes and financing large capital investments to address these needs will challenge established institutional frameworks. Adapting water infrastructure, management practices, and project financing to meet the needs of tomorrow will not be possible by doing more of the same. 

We need transformative thinking. 

The Effects of Climate Change 

The changing climate amplifies the variability that has long defined water supply in the West. While large water projects were designed based on hydrologic conditions that reflected historical variability known at the time, the frequency and intensity of the extremes has increased, and the trend is projected to continue. 

Most large reservoirs were designed to provide multiple benefits—such as water supply, flood protection, and hydropower generation. Flood reservation pools sized to manage rainfall inflow during winter months gradually decreased during spring months as snowmelt inflow coincided with large agricultural demand patterns. Changes in precipitation patterns due to a warming climate produces less snowpack, which serves as the largest reservoir in the West, and causes earlier runoff that can require flood releases. As a result, inflow exceeds storage capacity and less water is available. 

To provide more real-time management information and balance flood risk with increased water conservation storage, Forecast- Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) strategies are being developed. However, longer and more intense droughts accelerate the depletion of stored surface water supplies, increasing reliance on unsustainable groundwater pumping or water transfers, which are costly during times of extreme water shortage. 

Less Supply, More Demand 

Population growth and overallocation has increased water demands on many projects to levels that meet or exceed sustainable levels. In addition, for some projects, regulatory and legal actions require changes in project operations or water use that result in less available supply than expected when projects were constructed, adding to the growing gap between supply and demand. Many Western water managers attempt to balance water supply availability and demand management through a portfolio strategy that includes surface and groundwater supplies, reuse and treatment of impaired water sources (including desalination), water banking and acquisitions, and conservation requirements. But the rapid pace of change in demand and water availability often exceeds the pace of adaptation. 

In some areas of the Western U.S., groundwater pumping to narrow this gap has caused land subsidence that reduces the conveyance capacity of large canal systems to move water when it is most available, or caused other undesirable effects. 

For example, in the California Central Valley, implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) will require significant reductions in groundwater pumping to address adverse effects in eight severely overdrafted groundwater basins. SGMA requires compliance by 2040, meaning additional overdraft is expected to continue while actions to reduce groundwater use are pursued. Recent studies by the Public Policy Institute of California reveal that overdraft far exceeds available local supplies, and extensive land fallowing is likely. 

Addressing Aging Infrastructure 

The imbalance between supply and demand is occurring at a time when many facilities are aging, which has created a unique opportunity. 

Most large water supply projects in the Western U.S. were developed between the 1930s and 1980s, and many need extraordinary maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, or replacement. Simply rebuilding or replacing old infrastructure as originally designed may not be the best approach. Corrective actions to aging facilities that restore or preserve originally authorized benefits should anticipate and design for climate change effects, supply, and demand. Any action taken should also address the need for modernization to offer improved forecasting capabilities, meet environmental protection objectives, coordinate with other water projects, and integrate with renewable power systems. 

Recently, the Bureau of Reclamation was authorized $3.2 billion for extraordinary maintenance in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides a downpayment on corrective actions to Reclamation-owned facilities. This fund is almost fully reimbursable, and far more is needed for both federal and non-federal projects, creating a significant funding and financing challenge for water users throughout the West. 

Solutions for Western water will also test existing institutional frameworks. Long-term solutions to water supply shortages in some areas may involve funding projects in one area to benefit users in another location. For example, constructing seawater desalination projects in coastal areas could allow for the use of surface water at inland locations through exchange and operations agreements. The development of such a project could require changes in water rights or contracts, long-term financing plans, and operating commitments to assure water supply and quality is provided over many decades, as expected. 

Transforming water management infrastructure, policies, and financing will be a significant endeavor and will require deep understanding and agreement among a diverse set of participants. Decisions on water management are decisions on the allocation of this precious resource. Over the past few decades, decision-making regarding water resources has become more complex in recognition of human, environmental, social, and economic implications. While many agencies actively engage diverse viewpoints in decision-making, more work is needed to build coalitions. 

Over the next several years, we will see many important decisions made regarding Western water management that will shape the remainder of this century. Our ability to address the past and prepare for the future will depend on the extent that we are willing to transform our infrastructure, institutions, and financing of water projects. 

Bill Swanson, PE, is Stantec’s Practice Leader for Water Resources Planning Management.

The inundation of California with rain and snow over the last several months has brought multiple stormwater realities and concerns to the surface. In addition to damaging floods, the threat of future challenges remains as winter’s snow begins to melt. Combined with the recent drought, California finds itself in a real water management quandary. 

While California has emerged as the poster child for what needs to happen next in the stormwater industry, they are by no means an anomaly. As the climate continues to change, states, cities, and towns across the U.S. will be faced with water challenges. The solution? Education, proper product selection, and planning. 

Challenge Overview 

In 1972, the Clean Water Act, a national regulation, instructed that stormwater must be treated. California then created its own regulations—as did many states—that are implemented today by state water boards dictating how stormwater is to be treated to be sure any pollution is disposed of properly. This helps with the limiting of erosion, flood mitigation, and much more. 

Let’s take a closer observation at what happened—and is still happening—in California. When looking at the immense amounts of rain that have fallen in 2023 in California—30.04 inches as of April 9 representing 148 percent of average, according to California Water Watch—the root of the problem is that the sheer volume of water has overwhelmed existing infrastructure. The built environment—typically urban, very developed areas—is not equipped to handle this volume of water, and the natural water cycle is being disrupted by the amount of impervious surfaces in urban environments. This means water can’t infiltrate the ground as it once did, overwhelming current management infrastructure and increasing flood risk. 

This water is bringing with it more sediment, which creates pollution and safety hazards. The current infrastructure in place cannot handle the amount of water it’s receiving which is causing severe safety impacts—flooding and more—to the population. 

“While the situation can seem overwhelming, there are ways that exist to manage these situations, to target flood-risk areas quickly” said Laraine Sanfilippo, commercial operations director for Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH company. “What we’re learning on a very real-time basis is that stormwater must be captured and infiltrated on-site as much as possible. In a nutshell: what was once ‘how fast can we get the water to the ocean’ is now ‘has fast can we capture it.’” 

When it comes to the big and infrequent rainstorms experienced by Californians, it’s all about capturing as much water as possible when the opportunities arise. Just out of a long drought, it’s safe to assume that the next couple of years could be dry for California. Storms and atmospheric rivers provide the perfect opportunity to capture stormwater and save it for years down the road. But are these opportunities being maximized? 

Statewide snowpack levels, as of April 9, are at 238 percent of average. Snowpacks are one of the world’s largest water detention systems and a big part of the California water system as the snow melts and feeds reservoirs and rivers. But with snowpacks at shockingly high levels, the concern is valid that a rapid warm-up in the spring could result in even more flooding. 

“At the heart of the issue is the connection between our natural environment and the built environment,” said Tyler Metcalf, general manager of Torrent Resources, part of Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH company. “Episodic droughts historically have caused aboveground resources to be visually depleted; now, with recent rains, our reservoirs, rivers, and streams are full of water, giving the perception on the surface that we are no longer experiencing the effects of prior drought and water supply is at capacity—but that’s not the case. In reality, we have overdrawn groundwater for years and we must replenish our depleted aquifers to ensure one of our world’s most valuable resources, water, is available for future generations.” 

The historic practice of Flood-MAR (flood-managed aquifer recharge) is one method to lessen the impact on the built environment by flooding agricultural land to help alleviate flooding downstream and keep water where it lands for more effective infiltration. Given that agricultural lands are the biggest users of water coming out of aquifers, this makes sense. But forethought is necessary: variances must be obtained in order to flood agricultural lands; by the time the rains arrive, it’s too late to submit a request. Studies are in process throughout the U.S. to evaluate the effectiveness of this method compared to newer technologies that can more effectively infiltrate stormwater and recharge underground aquifers for future widespread use. Results of these studies are expected in the coming months. 

At the end of the day, California—and especially Los Angeles—have made significant infrastructure moves and are ahead of the curve when it comes to stormwater management. But what more can be done to better prepare for and capture the water from the growing number of large storms the state and the country are experiencing? 

Total Stormwater Solutions 

Multiple infrastructure solutions exist, from aquifer recharge and catchment to treatment and the aforementioned Flood-MAR. Which ones are successful depends on investments and planning. 

Sanfilippo recognizes there are multiple options on the market for stormwater treatment and management, infiltration, and detention. “To truly solve the challenge, we need to start planning at individual development sites to ensure the stormwater is treated before it hits the reservoirs.” 

Metcalf agrees: “We cannot hold onto every single drop of water; we need to be smart. We need to understand how our natural environment would have originally infiltrated stormwater and use this to guide the infrastructure path.” 

Deep infiltration is one solution for urban built environments with the goal of capturing and treating water on-site. “The goal is to recharge underground aquifers without affecting the natural flow of water from where it fell to where it’s going to be stored,” continued Metcalf. “We believe the most sustainable strategy is to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater at the source without moving water off-site, but this can be a challenge without proper infrastructure, especially as larger storms seem to be occurring more frequently.” 

Another solid option: catchment processes designed to capture and filter out trash that would otherwise wind up in the oceans or reservoirs. 

For the encroaching snowpack, Metcalf has a solution: “Rethinking infrastructure to utilize natural resources more sustainably will help maintain water supply well into the future.” 

The Flood-MAR option, while appealing on the surface, calls for a bit of a geographical reality check. Talking about thousands of acres of land is one thing, but what about solutions for smaller pieces of land? Metcalf explains: “While states are celebrating farmers flooding their land to help recharge groundwater aquifers and build up future resources, there’s already technology—manufactured solutions—that can do this more efficiently and more sustainably in densely populated areas. This is where options like deep infiltration should be considered and utilized. Products such as StormCapture® and MaxWell® offer the ideal technology and sustainability for taking stormwater management into the next phase nationwide.” 

“This ongoing problem has taken decades to evolve to where we are,” said Sanfilippo. “One single solution doesn’t exist—it’s the suite of solutions that’s needed, the branching out into new technologies to handle and manage newly evolving water challenges.” 

The Future of Stormwater Solutions 

“Nationalizing regulations is important,” said Sanfilippo. “Right now, the EPA has broad national regulations, but each state manages their own water to be sure it’s free of pollutants. There are no national regulations that apply to stormwater to ensure a consistent amount of pollutant removal or flood mitigation.” 

In process are ASTM standards for stormwater treatment devices, which, when created, would allow the entire country to be on the same stormwater regulation page, resulting in change on a greater scale. But be prepared: before that happens, we’ll most likely see the same problems we’re seeing in California arise in growing built environment communities with no existing regulations. 

Metcalf believes collaboration is a key element of success: “In some places, pressure is being put on cities to solve the problem, but they don’t have the space to do it. The key: partnerships and collaboration between cities and states.” 

On the product side of the solutions equation, proper maintenance of systems is necessary. 

On-site infiltration is a leading answer, according to Sanfilippo. “It’s not just stormwater—it’s all water. We view all water as one holistic resource, and stormwater is a significant part of that. The best thing we can do is efficiently and safely put stormwater back into the ground the way it was before we were here.” 

Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the University Lakes are nearly 100 years old. These six man-made lakes were hand dredged by Civilian Conservation Corps workers to a depth of three feet. Changing the Tupelo swamp into a lake system required a large number of workers, but, upon completion, the University Lakes soon became an iconic recreation amenity for the City of Baton Rouge. Because of the area’s attractiveness, neighborhoods began to spring up around University Lakes. However, as development around the lakes increased, the amount of stormwater runoff into the system increased. Over its near century of existence, the lake system has had numerous issues with water quality. Decreased water quality had also resulted in additional complications with eutrophication. These challenges forced the residents of Baton Rouge to start thinking about the future of University Lakes, and a master plan was developed in 2016. This plan explored additional dredging on the lake system and how that dredge could be utilized as an additional recreational amenity. 

The result was a plan to dredge the entire lake system to a minimum of six feet in depth, doubling the current average depth. This additional dredge material would be utilized around the lakes’ edges to create a “living edge” to capture clean water before it goes back into the lakes, stabilize the lake edges, and provide new recreational amenities. In 2021, Sasaki was hired to lead the design from concept all the way to implementation. For the University Lakes project, Sasaki is leading the landscape design as well as being the master designer and lead for the upland civil work on the project. Sasaki is also partnering with Stantec, who is the flood risk reduction designer. 

According to Zach Chrisco, the University Lakes project is fascinating from a civil engineering perspective. Chrisco, a principal and civil engineer at Sasaki, notes the importance of the project in improving water quality for not only the six lakes, but for downstream receiving waters as well. Much of the region’s water flows through or drains into the lakes, and the improvement of the lake system will bring significant benefits to the region. Another significant consideration in the project is flood reduction, and the creation of the lakeside amenities is one way by which it seeks to protect neighborhoods from flooding. To achieve this goal, Chrisco emphasizes the importance of coordination within the teams. This allows them to consider critical water elevations and how the bodies of water can be connected hydraulically. 

For Sasaki’s team, this meant understanding both the minimum depth of water needed to restore the lake system and the volume and amount of material created. The team began exploring placements for the planned programming and amenities, which was influenced by areas where large outfalls exist. Understanding where the excess dredge will be placed meant that the team could accurately develop flood risk reduction solutions. Anna Cawrse, Landscape Architect and Principal at Sasaki, notes that this is an ongoing “back and forth” process between the teams on the project. As new areas are dredged there is a constant evolution of the engineering understanding as different methods are deployed to dredge the lake. The end result is that the plan allows the system to get ahead of flood events by creating additional storage in the lakes and using the additional material to “improve water quality and the lakes.” 

The University Lakes project represents a creative and sustainable approach to the problems the lake system has faced in the past. This is a departure from similar, traditional dredging projects in that the excess material is being used as a part of an innovative strategy to improve water quality and reduce flood risk. The project is also innovative from a landscape architecture perspective. Cawrse notes that because dredge material takes at least 90 days to settle, their strategy for creating the new landscape is “successional.” This means that, even though the team is unable to place any amenities or walkways until the land is settled, they are working to establish the landscape as quickly as possible. In this plan, by the time the land is settled and ready for paths and amenities, the area will already have a “beautiful southern Louisiana landscape,” says Cawrse. 

The University Lakes project is unique in its scale, and this scale is only intensified by its location in an urban, heavily developed area. While other dredging projects have utilized dredge material for reuse, it doesn’t often happen at this scale. Cawrse notes that the University Lakes project—because of its ability to balance the project with community and recreational space—is a good model for similar projects moving forward. Indeed, the ability to move thousands of cubic yards of dredge material sustainably within an area that includes numerous neighborhoods and the state university is indicative of the innovative approaches taken by Sasaki and all the teams that are involved in the University Lakes project. 

The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project (MDERP) is currently organized as a public-private partnership under the leadership of the Ventura County Public Works Agency. This collaboration has resulted in countless hours of community outreach and coordination with diverse public-private partnerships including state, local, and federal agencies as well as stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, private funders, and dedicated members of the community. Described as a gateway project toward the removal of the Matilija Dam, the replacement of the Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge over the Ventura River represents a crucial step in improving the long-term environmental health of the river’s watershed. The bridge’s replacement is another step toward the realization of the removal of the Matilija Dam. Design funding for the replacement project came from the California State Coastal Conservancy with construction funding coming from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A major outcome of the Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge Replacement project is progress in restoring fish habitat, biodiversity, and coastal wetland ecosystems as a part of the larger watershed-scale ecosystem restoration effort. 

One of the biggest environmental challenges that came as a result of the previous bridge structure was its restriction of the Ventura River. Changes to the landscape during the construction of the old bridge narrowed the river, which significantly impacted biological resources and water quality. The old structure was 210 feet long with its replacement being 350 feet long. This widened the Ventura River by 80 feet, which had the effect of restoring the natural channel and morphology with improved water and sediment flows, which will in turn enhance fish passage and instream habitat for steelhead and other native fish. This will also reduce periodic channel maintenance and facilitate the natural ecosystem and geomorphic processes. 

Designing a new bridge that not only facilitated the flow of more water now but also with the future removal of the Matilija Dam, proved to be a major challenge for the teams working on the project. During the design process, the team eventually produced a single column foundation design that pushed the limits on the width of the bridge cross-section. Furthermore, to prepare the structure for increased flows with the removal of the dam, the design required a higher structure. Ultimately, the design team developed a design that was higher and longer and was only supported by two columns in the full 350-foot length of the bridge. The new Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge was designed with one lane of vehicle traffic each direction with a four-foot wide shoulder for bicycle and equestrian traffic. It also includes a six-foot wide sidewalk on one side for pedestrians. 

The project’s superstructure was completed, and falsework was removed, in December of 2021. The following week, six inches of rain fell and the project was hit with a flow of water that overcame the river diversion. Water flowed under all three spans of the bridge and against the newly constructed columns. However, in a moment of perfect timing, the bridge had just been post-tensioned, and the structure escaped with no damage. 

The construction of the new bridge also saw challenges stemming from its structural design. To accommodate for the three bridge spans supported by two single column piers, the bridge is set on a skew and is oblong in shape where the cross-sectional area increases as it flares to be integral with the superstructure. This is because the single column creates a large cantilever of the superstructure at the pier location, especially with the skew. This design increases the load demands on the columns, and, to help mitigate this load demand increase, the bridge’s columns were designed to have a flared top section that was made integral with the superstructure. This design caused some delays in construction as the contractor wasn’t able to utilize existing forms that may have been used on other construction projects. This meant the contractor had to build custom one-time use forms for the flared columns. However, these delays outweighed the alternative, double-column configuration, as it would increase the potential for debris build-up during major storm events after the dam is removed. 

Despite challenges to the design and construction processes, construction on the replacement bridge began in March 2021 and was completed the next year in October 2022 with a final cost of $12 million. This project represents an important first step in restoring and improving the region’s ecological health. By returning waterways to more natural pathways, there will be a significant increase in fish habitat, biodiversity, and the native coastal wetland ecosystem. In addition to its ecological benefits, the new bridge adds pedestrian and bicycle access and addresses the previous bridge’s seismic compliance concerns while also upgrading infrastructure for improved water and climate resilience. In recognition of the new Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge’s innovation and impact, it was named the Structural Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association. 

Gateway to Ecological Restoration 

Project Manager: Christopher Solis, PE 

Design Engineer: Consor North America, Inc. (previously Quincy Engineering Inc.) 

Prime Contractor: Security Paving Company, Inc. 

Construction Management & Inspection: Filippin Engineering 

Environmental Monitoring: Rincon Consultants, Inc. 

Civil engineers are responsible for designing resilient urban infrastructure that can withstand the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, and changing climate patterns. To achieve this, they must pay special attention to stormwater management, which plays a crucial role in preventing flooding, controlling erosion, and maintaining water quality. A vital component of stormwater management is the construction of stormwater channels. The construction of these channels is an essential aspect of promoting the sustainability and resilience of the urban environment by helping communities withstand flooding and facilitating faster recovery from the impacts of severe weather events. 

Geocells provide a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional channel lining methods and provide some unique advantages. In this article, we will discuss the results of hydraulic tests conducted at Colorado State University to evaluate performance parameters for the use of GEOWEB® Geocells in stormwater channel design and construction. 

Overview of Channel Lining Options Using GEOWEB® Geocells 

The GEOWEB® Channel Protection System incorporates an advanced geosynthetic technology known as geocells, which can be used to facilitate a range of channel lining options for stormwater channel construction. The system integrates high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cells that are interconnected to form a flexible, three-dimensional matrix that is compatible with a variety of infill options. When used in conjunction with permeable infill options such as engineered fill or aggregate, the system allows stormwater to infiltrate the ground, recharge groundwater supplies, and reduce the risk of flooding. When used in conjunction with impermeable infill such as concrete, the system can be designed to resist very high shear forces for protection against scour and undercutting. 

Hydraulic Performance Testing of the GEOWEB® Channel Protection System at CSU 

To evaluate stability threshold conditions and quantify hydraulic forces and infill loss, the GEOWEB Channel Protection System was subjected to a series of hydraulic performance tests at the Hydraulics Laboratory located at the Engineering Research Center (ERC) at Colorado State University (CSU). The hydraulic performance program incorporated a variety of infill materials and geosynthetic products to simulate three different types of channel lining options as summarized in Table 1, and results for each of the major channel lining types are discussed in the sections that follow. 

Vegetated Channel Protection: Hydraulic Test Results for GEOWEB Infilled with Common Soil 

After the completion of multiple tests, no instability was observed for the vegetated channel tests, and the system showed no measurable soil loss. Outstanding performance was confirmed for shear stresses of up to 15.9 pounds per square foot (psf) and at average flow velocities of up to 26.5 feet per second (ft/sec). Moreover, at the conclusion of the tests, an extracted soil sample showed vegetative root penetration to a depth of 1.5 inches, with larger roots interacting with the cell wall perforations. Researchers further concluded that as future growth occurs, root interaction can be expected to increase, further improving system stability as the vegetative cover matures over time. 

Aggregate Channel Lining: Hydraulic Test Results for GEOWEB Infilled with Coarse Gravel, Small Cobbles 

Using data collected from 90 tests, the GEOWEB Channel Protection System with aggregate infill was evaluated on its performance as compared to rip-rap. Results showed that the required rock size for aggregate fill was at least 30 percent smaller than rip-rap as sized by Abt and Johnson (1991) and at least 50 percent smaller than sizes recommended by the Army Corps of Engineers (1994). The ability to reduce rock size highlights the potential to use GEOWEB Channel Protection System as a value engineering alternative to rip rap, especially in areas where larger rock is not locally available. 

Geocell-Reinforced Hard Armor for Channels: Hydraulic Test Results for GEOWEB Infilled with Concrete 

For the tests including concrete infill, it was confirmed that the established performance threshold had not been exceeded, even for the highest flows capable of being delivered to the CSU test flume. It was determined that a system comprised of GEOWEB 30V3 geocells infilled with 3000-psi concrete exhibited the capability to withstand sustained flow velocities of 35.7 ft/sec and shear stresses of 20.9 psf. Stability at severe hydraulic conditions indicates that GEOWEB with concrete can reasonably be expected to perform well in most engineering applications where shear stresses are generally much lower than the maximum level observed in the test simulations. 

A Customizable Solution for Channel Protection 

The GEOWEB Channel Protection System provides a cost-effective and sustainable solution for the construction of stormwater channels that can be customized to meet a wide range of hydraulic conditions to meet your project-specific needs. The GEOWEB Channel Protection System allows for permeable infill options such as vegetation or aggregate, promoting effective stormwater management and infiltration, while reducing the risk of flooding, or concrete infill, as a hard armor option to protect against scour and extreme flow events. 

With its flexible design and permeable infill options, the GEOWEB System is an innovative solution that can help communities establish resilient urban infrastructure that can withstand the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, and changing climate patterns. 

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“The water sector has an important role in the global effort to reduce GHG emissions,” said Patrick Decker, President and CEO at Xylem. “Our sector is energy intensive. However, smart application of technology makes it possible to manage water far more efficiently and affordably. Increasingly, utilities are finding ways to deploy technology to become more resilient and reduce emissions, while also addressing many of their operational concerns.”

The implementation of new and innovative products and solutions can help utilities advance their decarbonization strategies. As highlighted in its recently launched 2022 Sustainability Report, Xylem’s cutting-edge technologies have enabled customers to reduce their CO2e footprint by more than 2.8 million metric tons since 2019. Around the world, leading water and wastewater utilities are focusing on such solutions to drive GHG reduction plans.

In Europe, for example, 31% of respondents plan on installing more energy-efficient technologies. Others are leveraging digital solutions, with 29% looking into advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and leak detection solutions, and 24% turning to treatment system optimization technologies. Similarly in North America, 35% of respondents plan on implementing plant or asset optimization technologies to advance their decarbonization goals.

With 37% of North American respondents citing resilience to extreme storms and floods as a major concern, advanced digital solutions are also helping water managers improve operational and environmental outcomes at an affordable cost. Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA), U.S., for example, saved $145 million by deploying a smart sewer system that reduced polluted water flowing into its rivers during storm events – ultimately solving a longstanding problem without spending on new infrastructure.

“To bridge resource gaps and serve our communities as efficiently as possible, we need to work smarter,” Oluwole A. (OJ) McFoy, BSA General Manager, said. “We have shown this technology is effective and can help ensure that Buffalo is more efficient and prepared for the changing climate and the more intense storms coming our way.”

Many utilities ranked process emissions – such as methane and nitrous oxide – close to last in their priorities for action, despite their significant impact, showing that a better understanding of this issue and technological innovation are needed to tackle total water-sector emissions.

The decarbonization strategies being deployed by these forward-thinking utilities are captured in Xylem’s recent paper, Net Zero – The Race We All Win.

The expanded tertiary treatment facility is now the second largest treatment plant of its kind in the nation, and the expansion project was among the largest public works projects in the Sacramento region’s history. Regional San treats an average of 135 million gallons of wastewater each day from 1.6 million people throughout Sacramento County and West Sacramento.

“Our upgraded treatment process now removes 99 percent of ammonia and 89 percent of nitrogen from the wastewater,” said Regional San General Manager Christoph Dobson. “The result is cleaner water for discharge to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and a drought-resistant, recycled water source for our Harvest Water project, one of the largest ag water recycling projects in California’s history.”

Regional San will hold a media event marking the completion of the project on Friday, May 19, at the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant near Elk Grove.

About the EchoWater Project

The EchoWater Project began in 2010 when the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board issued new treatment requirements in Regional San’s wastewater discharge permit. The Board took that action to improve water quality and help alleviate ecological problems in the Delta. To ensure effectiveness and cost efficiency, Regional San tested many possible treatment strategies to achieve the new permit requirements. A specific strategy was selected, engineering designs were completed, and construction began. The massive upgrade consisted of 22 individual projects that together used 41,350 tons of steel and more than 225,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The centerpiece of the upgrade was the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) Project—the heart of the new treatment process. BNR is a sprawling complex, roughly equivalent in size to 18 football fields, and is responsible for removing 99 percent of ammonia and 89 percent of nitrogen, addressing concerns about possible impacts downstream.

On Schedule, Under Budget

Making the project even more monumental, it came in on schedule and under budget. The original estimate projected costs to be as much as $2.1 billion. Regional San’s commitment to the success of the project and being fiscally responsible helped keep the final cost to about $1.7 billion—drastically reducing the impact to customers’ rates. The project also received nearly $1.6 billion in low-interest financing from the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which saved ratepayers more than a half-billion dollars in interest costs.

As with all major construction projects, punch list items will wrap up in the coming months.

Founded in 2003 by Karen A. Friese, PE, KFA is a respected and trusted civil engineering consulting firm providing water/wastewater, drainage, transportation, aviation, and municipal services to a diverse range of public sector clients in large and small communities throughout Texas. The company is headquartered in Austin, with additional offices in Houston, Round Rock, and San Antonio.

“We are excited to welcome our new colleagues from KFA,” said Lochner’s Board Chairman and CEO Terry Ruhl. “As Lochner expands its business in one of the nation’s fastest growing states, the partnership with KFA enables us to establish and grow water and drainage services as a core component of our infrastructure platform; enhance our highway, bridge, aviation and transit and rail service offering; and diversify our client base to include municipal-oriented organizations in Texas, and beyond.”

“KFA was built and is sustained by amazing people,” said Friese. “In Lochner, we found a partner who shares our ideals and values around integrity, authenticity, personal and professional growth, teamwork and collaboration, the customer and employee experience, technical excellence, and the positive impacts public infrastructure projects have on growing communities.”

The firm will operate as K Friese + Associates, A Lochner Company, with Karen Friese joining Lochner’s Board of Directors.

Morrissey Goodale advised KFA on the transaction.

Kanungo’s keynote, as part of the event’s Opening General Session, will focus on the theme of Creating the Future, Together, and will integrate concepts from AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative to explore how organizations can become more adaptable, experimental, and collaborative in navigating the future – and, ultimately, creating the sustainable and resilient future that Water 2050 envisions.

Author of the book “The Bold Ones,” Kanungo is a disruption strategist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and the Canadian Broadcasting Channel (CBC). He has also been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the “100 Most Innovative Leaders” and Avenue Magazine as one of its “Top 40 under 40.” Forbes called him the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen.”

The Water Industry Luncheon on June 13 will feature an address from Wickenheiser. Considered one of the best female hockey players in the world and a first-ballot entrant to the Hockey Hall of Fame, she helped her teams win seven world championships and earn five Olympic medals in six appearances. She is currently the assistant general manager of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. She is also a community leader, medical doctor, businesswoman and best-selling author of the book “Over the Boards: Lessons from the Ice in 2021.”

Wickenheiser has earned many accolades throughout her career, including being named to Sports Illustrated’s “Top 25 Toughest Athletes in the World” and twice named to their “Power 50 in Sports” list. She is also one of QMI Agency’s “Top 10 Greatest Female Athletes in the History of Sports,” a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” and an inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame. In 2014, Wickenheiser was awarded Canada’s highest honor when she was appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of her athletic achievements and contributions to the growth of women’s hockey.

The event is sponsored by Woodard and Curran, Black & Veatch, CDM Smith and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

To learn more about the conference agenda and to register, visit the ACE23 webpage.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, now in its 67th year, is the largest occupational health and safety awards program in the UK, with nearly 2,000 entries from around the world every year. The program recognises organisations that demonstrate continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, and assesses their health and safety management systems, including leadership and workforce involvement.

Land & Water is dedicated to nurturing the growth of its workforce through focusing on health and wellbeing. The firm has appointed a Health and Wellbeing Director, has 18 Mental Health First Aiders and has facilitated the creation of a central wellbeing intranet which provides access to a variety of wellbeing resources. On top of this, the company continues to follow the highest standards of health and safety at all of its sites.

James Maclean, CEO of Land & Water, said, “We’re delighted to receive the RoSPA Gold Award for the 4th consecutive year, as it endorses our commitment to the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of our staff and our supply chain. Every Land & Water employee is to thank for this achievement and we would like to commend our workforce for always acting with care”.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, commented on the significance of good safety performance and the importance of recognising and rewarding it. She said, “We are thrilled that Land & Water has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.” The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK and is sponsored by Croner-i. It receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry. Land & Water’s continued dedication toward health, safety and wellbeing attests to the company’s excellence in every aspect of business especially within the civil engineering industry.

Named Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Pressure Tube, 1/2 Inch Through 3 Inch for Water Service, it is the ANSI-approved standard for PEX tubing intended to deliver potable water into homes and buildings.  PPI is the non-profit North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry. 

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contains $15 billion for lead service line replacement (LSLR), and PEX is the ideal piping material for that work,” stated Lance MacNevin, P. Eng., director of engineering for PPI’s Building & Construction Division. “This AWWA standard, originally published in 2006, is for PEX tubing used primarily in potable water service line in the construction of underground water systems, and applies to reclaimed water and wastewater. PEX tubing certified to AWWA C904-22 can help installers meet the rapidly growing need to replace lead pipes, as well as other metallic service lines. PEX is also ideal for new construction and is widely used for this purpose.  

“PEX is a strong, tough, reliable material with exceptional resistance to chlorine and chloramines,” he continued. “PEX tubing has been used for water service lines in North America for more than 25 years, providing safe delivery of potable water and protecting the health of building occupants.  AWWA C904-22 is the controlling industry standard specification for this application that should be followed by system designers and installers.”

Updates to the standard include rearranged content for clarity, the addition of four types of approved PEX fitting systems, new definitions for design factor, potable water, reclaimed water, and wastewater, clarification of the requirements for a manufacturer’s quality-control program, plus Appendix A on “Design and Installation of PEX” has been updated and is intended to give guidance to both designers and installers.  The revised standard is available directly from AWWA at: https://engage.awwa.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Store/Product-Details/productId/158879601             Additional information and data about the use and installation of PEX is available from the PPI Building & Construction Division at www.plasticpipe.org/buildingconstruction.

Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Highlights:

• As of April 28, 2023, the Company has an aggregate Sales Pipeline¹ and Sales Order Backlog² of $16.16M. This represents a 46% growth from the previous disclosure on November 29^th, 2022 and is an indication of the accelerating momentum behind Wastewater Energy Transfer (“WET”) projects.
  
• Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2022 (“Q4 2022”) is $0.81M compared to $0.98M from the three months ended December 31, 2021 (“Q4 2021”) while Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 (“YE 2022”) is $1.94M compared to $2.7M (“YE 2021”) for the year ended December 31, 2021. It is anticipated that the volatility of Revenue will smooth out as the Company’s Sales Pipeline matures and as the Company diversifies its Revenue generating opportunities.
  
• Gross margin for Q4 2022 and YE 2022 was 23.5% and 28.9%, respectively. This compared with Gross margin of 26.2% and 36.8% for Q4 2021 and YE 2021, respectively. The decline in Gross margin was due to one-time inventory write offs and true ups of costs which created margin pressure in the quarter. Furthermore, the Company earned lower margin on a higher percentage of Revenue where the Company acted as a general contractor managing the installation of a SHARC WET system. SHARC Energy foresees Gross margins will improve in 2023 to YE 2021 levels.
  
• The Company reported an Adjusted EBITDA³ loss of $0.77M and $2.62M and a Loss of $1.27M and $4.82M for Q4 2022 and YE 2022, respectively. The Company continues to strategically balance its investment into Sales Pipeline growth, which would include increasing head count in Sales and Operations and marketing activities, while taking into consideration working capital commitments in the near term.                                                     

Hanspaul Pannu, CFO of SHARC Energy, said, “As we continue to pioneer the growth of the Wastewater Energy Transfer industry, our focus on a sales distribution model has driven significant market awareness and penetration across North America. Our strategic efforts are reflected in the remarkable 46% growth in our sales pipeline and sales order backlog since November 2022, reaching $16.16M. This demonstrates the accelerating momentum behind our WET projects and the increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions.”

Pannu added, “We remain committed to our objective of building a strong sales pipeline. We have strategically balanced spending and working capital, acknowledging the initial volatility in our revenue from 2021 to 2022. As our sales pipeline matures and we diversify our revenue-generating opportunities, we anticipate the volatility to smooth out.”

He continued, “With our strategic partnerships, such as with Subterra Renewables and Salas O’Brien, and emerging policy, such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and the Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit announced in the 2023 Federal Budget in Canada, and our strong representative network, our sales pipeline has been augmented for incremental growth. As a result of these factors and where our current sales pipeline sits, we expect 2023 to be the largest revenue year in the company’s history and we remain confident we have created the pathway to profitability in the years to come.”

Pannu concluded, “Since going public in 2015, SHARC Energy has invested less than $35 million to create an industry and our products remain the premier scalable solutions for the Wastewater Energy Transfer market. We are proud of our progress and look forward to accelerating our growth in the coming years.

YE 2022 Highlights and Subsequent Events

• False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (“NEU”) Expansion. During Q4 2023, the Company commenced work on the supply and maintenance agreement with the City of Vancouver for the provision and maintenance of five SHARC systems for the False Creek NEU Expansion. This project is expected to increase the capacity of the current 3.2MW WET system to 9.8MW, making it the largest operating WET project in North America upon completion, with an additional carbon emission reduction of an estimated 4,400 tonnes per year. The project is expected to be completed in Q2/Q3 2023.
• Snowmass Base Village, Colorado installs PIRANHA. A PIRANHA T15 WET system will be installed in Aura’s 21 slope-side residences, powered 100% by renewable energy resources within the residential building. Aura’s team is led by East West Partners, a developer of high-end mountain resort communities, and supported by SHARC Energy’s Colorado distributor, LONG Building Technologies. It is anticipated this unit will ship in Q2 2023.
• PIRANHAs in Canada’s Capital. HTS Ontario, a representative of SHARC Energy products, has been selected to supply two PIRANHA T15 WET systems to be installed in Ottawa. This deal is a key milestone as it marks the beginning of HTS’s growing SHARC Energy pipeline turning over and it validates the Company’s strategy to support and leverage its representative network to help grow awareness and sales for its products in key markets. These units shipped in Q1 2023.

• Partnership with Salas O’Brien. The Company has entered into an agreement with Salas O’Brien, an employee-owned engineering firm with 55 offices, 1,600+ team members and more than 360 registered professionals. Together, the companies intend to establish and cultivate a collaborative and strategic relationship that will support the market with turnkey solutions tailored to carbon reduction and energy efficiency goals. SHARC Energy anticipates that this relationship will help accelerate the growth of the WET industry and accordingly, generate accretive pipeline growth of SHARC Energy WET products.
• Partnership with Subterra Renewables. The Company and Subterra Capital Partners Inc. (“Subterra Renewables”), a leading full-service geothermal drilling provider with a proprietary Energy-as-a-Service (“EaaS”) model known as Aura, announced on April 27, 2023, a strategic partnership to revolutionize the renewable thermal energy transfer landscape across North America. By combining SHARC Energy’s innovative WET technology with Subterra’s geothermal exchange systems, the partnership aims to bring unparalleled solutions to the market, capturing a greater share for both companies.
• First Bite of the Big Apple. SHARC Energy is supporting Egg Geo, LLC, a global leader in geothermal, in the first proposed combined WET and geothermal system in the world. This innovative and groundbreaking system will utilize thermal energy transfer from the ground and wastewater to provide 100 percent of the heating, hot water and cooling load for 316 affordable housing units in two – 20 story multi-family towers. This one-of-a-kind project will be located in the Bronx, New York.
• New York State Leverages SHARC. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent announcement that construction has begun for the transformative $1.2 billion redevelopment of the former 27-acre Brooklyn Developmental Center property in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood. The initial $373 million phase will create 576 affordable homes, a new 15,000-square-foot outpatient medical clinic, and 7,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. The initial phase of the development is comprised of two buildings with the current design having one featuring a SHARC WET System and the other a PIRANHA WET System.

• Sustainable Living Innovations (“SLI”). SHARC Energy’s PIRANHA and PIRANHA HC T5, T10 and T15 WET Systems have been selected by SLI for six new projects in design or under construction. The Company has received a purchase order from California-Columbia Hydronics Corporation (“CHC“) for the first of six projects, which is a PIRANHA T5 HC for SLI’s new project in Seattle at 8601 Aurora Avenue. This was shipped in Q4 2022. The remaining five projects currently in the design phase are anticipated to use a mix of 7 PIRANHA and PIRANHA HC T10 and T15’s for the various project’s heating and cooling needs and have expected shipment dates in 2024.
• Seattle SHARC WET System. SHARC Energy has received a purchase order from CHC for a SHARC WET system that will be installed in the heart of Seattle, a few minutes from the Space Needle, marking the first SHARC WET system showcasing the power of wastewater in the heart of the Pacific Northwest USA. The system shipped in Q4 2023.
• National Western Center. The National Western Center in Denver, Colorado, is pioneering the largest-scale wastewater district-energy innovation operating in North America to date. The National Western Center will rely on two SHARC wastewater recovery systems placed in the heart of its 3.8-megawatt (MW) district energy system, creating a low-carbon campus that is sustainable and regenerative. The first phase of development is expected to recover the thermal energy from 3,000 gallons of wastewater every minute, preventing 2,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually from being emitted into the atmosphere. The project was commissioned in Q1 2022.
• lelǝḿ. A Vancouver, B.C. 1,200 residential unit master-planned development’s heating and cooling needs will be met by utilizing a SHARC Energy low-carbon wastewater energy exchange system as part of a centralized energy facility. The system installation and commissioning completed in Q1 2022.

Wastewater Energy Transfer Industry Supporting Policy

The outlook for the Wastewater Energy Transfer industry is experiencing signs of scale-up due to new supportive regulations and funding in several key markets across North America.

Both the United States, under the Inflation Reduction Act, and Canadian government, under the Federal budget, have created investment tax credits allowing for a 30% tax credit on the capital cost of a number of renewable energy technologies including Wastewater Energy Transfer systems.

Also, the Washington State Building code will be the 1^st state building code in the US that requires all new residential buildings over 3 stories and all commercial buildings are proposed to require all electric space heating and a minimum of 50% electric hot water heating. The code takes effect on July 1, 2023.

Furthermore, the King County Wastewater Heat Recovery Pilot Project program being pioneered by the King County Wastewater Treatment Division is a first-of-its-kind initiative in North America that allows for private parties to utilize the thermal energy in publicly-owned wastewater infrastructure for 3 years free of Wastewater Energy Transfer (“WET”) Fees in exchange for the operational data of the WET systems used for heating and cooling buildings. Currently, SHARC Energy is listed on 1 of a possible 3 projects with 2 project spaces remaining available. After the launch of this pilot program, both the City of Toronto and the State of New York implemented similar but varying programmes of their own.

The City of Toronto has launched the Wastewater Energy Transfer (“WET”) Program. WET projects involve a connection to City wastewater (sewer) infrastructure for the noncontact exchange of renewable thermal energy to displace fossil fuel use in buildings, which is Toronto’s largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Enabling WET projects is therefore a key part of implementing the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy. Toronto’s sanitary trunk sewer network is estimated to have the capacity to potentially support well over twenty WET projects. Once in operation, these projects would reduce approximately 200,000 tonnes of GHG emissions annually while unlocking value for the City through the sale of thermal energy.

On July 5, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed three bills including legislation A.10493/S.9422, which allows utilities to own, operate, and manage thermal energy networks, as well as supply distributed thermal energy, with Public Service Commission (PSC) oversight. Heating and cooling networks – also referred to as community thermal or district energy systems – are a resilient, energy efficient, and clean solution that can also help New York State meet its ambitious climate goals. By leveraging multiple sources of existing waste heat (such as water, wastewater, and geothermal, among others) and connecting a diverse set of building types on a shared loop, thermal energy networks can provide significant operating and energy cost savings when compared to more traditional heating and cooling methods, while also reducing demand on the electric grid. 

This legislation will promote the development of thermal energy networks throughout the State, providing benefits by reducing fossil fuel usage for heating and cooling through community-scale infrastructure solutions, along with employment opportunities for existing utility workers and new workers. The enabling legislation will build on the progress of, and complement, NYSERDA’s active community thermal program, which to-date has funded feasibility studies, detailed design studies, and other advanced project construction incentives to more than three dozen sites across the state. 

Finally, New York City has voted to pass Local Law 154 that will prevent building developers from installing fuel-burning systems in new buildings and most gut renovations starting in 2024, forcing them to instead design buildings with all electric heating, hot water and cooking appliances. This will, starting in 2024, affect small buildings (buildings of 7 stories or less) and starting in 2027, buildings of 7 stories or more.

These policies along with the growing number of cities across North America implementing natural gas bans are conducive to the continued adoption and market share of SHARC Energy WET products.

For complete financial information for the year ended December 31, 2022, please see the Audited Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Created and organized by PPI’s Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., F. ASCE, co-chair, Municipal Advisory Board and senior director of engineering, Municipal and Industrial Division of PPI, who gathered a team of experts.  “This group can objectively advise municipalities on issues related to HDPE piping systems,” he said.  “It is also the goal of MAB to improve the standards, design and installation of HDPE systems.  The members lend their expertise to performing joint research on HDPE systems to resolve or clarify issues, and also to better understand and address the needs of the municipalities primarily throughout North America and Europe.”

Recently, MAB issued technical document MAB-9, MAB-9, Design of HDPE Water Mains for the Lateral Spread Seismic Hazard, updated MAB-01, the MAB Generic Electrofusion Procedure for Field Joining of 12 Inch and Smaller Polyethylene (PE) Pipe, and conducted several of its seminars that train utility operators on the proper fusion and electrofusion methods for HDPE water piping systems. 

“This is the only class in the country that is 100 percent focused on HDPE water systems,” said Rubeiz.  “And the MAB website – www.plasticpipe.org/MABpubs – is the prime website within PPI that contains the full library of MAB documents, articles, papers and software.”

“The formation of the MAB within PPI was a game-changer as far as identifying the resources needed by municipalities considering use of HDPE piping systems,” stated David M. Fink, president of PPI.  “MAB supports the utilities and PPI in the development of installation guidelines, calculators, and education for advancing the proper use of HDPE piping systems.  These tools have further advanced the opportunities for the correct design, installation, and operation of HDPE piping systems.

“Under the leadership of Luis Aguiar, MAB co-chair and co-founder, Senior Associate with Hazen & Sawyer’s Miami-Fort Lauderdale area office and previously the Assistant Director Water Operations at Miami-Dade Water & Sewer, the MAB has grown to include municipalities members and contributors from across the U.S., Canada and Europe.  In addition, the group has representation from municipalities, college professors, contractors and engineering firms that bring together years of experience and expertise in potable water and wastewater piping infrastructure systems.”

“The 15^th year is known as the Crystal Anniversary,” Rubeiz said, “symbolizing clarity and durability.  MAB is now widely known for bringing clarity in helping engineers design long life, leak-free systems, plus we are a very durable group as evidenced by our longevity of 15 years that will continue for many more years.”

Additional information plus free technical documents can be found at www.plasticpipe.org/MunicipalAdvisoryBoard.

After being dormant for long periods, bearings associated with these projects have to cope with a deluge of water containing debris from the floods.

These conditions led one Indian company that does maintenance of hydro-electric dams and, specifically, the sluice gates and other structures associated with the dam walls, to approach Vesconite Bearings for a solution for the trunnion bearings on one of its project’s tainter gates. These gates are used to release or stop water on hydro-electric dams.

The main problem that the maintenance company had experienced prior to using

Vesconite Hilube trunnion bearings was that monsoon-related debris and silt were getting stuck in the bearings and damaging them.

Vesconite Hilube bearings were then installed in June 2022, immediately preceding the anticipated monsoon rains.

Since it is a harder material than many of the competing brands, it is good at handling abrasives. This is because it does not provide a yielding surface for abrasive material to indent in and, because the harder material is unyielding, silt particles will generally flush through.

In addition, because Vesconite Hilube bearing material does not swell even in submerged conditions, tighter tolerances and clearances are possible. This translates into a smaller gap for debris, including small sticks and bark, to get stuck in and damage the bearing.

Vesconite Bearings renewable energy application developer Petrus Fourie notes that he recommended clearances in line with Vesconite Bearings’ online “Design a Bearing” calculator and believes that Vesconite Bearings’ smaller recommended tolerances and clearances assisted in the success of the trunnion bearings.

The client informed that the dam gates were operating well in the middle of the monsoon season, and again confirmed in March 2023, following the monsoon season, that the bearings were working well.

Other than the wear-resistant properties of Vesconite Hilube, Fourie notes that Indian hydro-electric projects are also a unique environment in which to test a material’s creep resistance ⎻ its likelihood of deforming under load.

In this respect, the Vesconite Hilube trunnion bearings also performed well.

Indian dams sit closed for almost 9 months of the year during the dry season when it is imperative for them to hold back the water in the dam.

During this time, bearings are exposed to a high load that can result in creep and there is a tendency for the bearing to deform and become oval on the inside.

This results in the gate being unable to open since the shaft cannot turn since the irregularly-shaped bearings cause jams.

While this is unlikely to be a problem in Europe, where dams open and close all the time due to the on-going rainfall, this is a problem in countries like India with a lengthy dry season and particularly where other creep-prone plastic bearings are in place, or bronze, which is soft and prone to creep and can experience galvanic corrosion resulting in seizures. 

However, Vesconite Hilube trunnion bearings demonstrated their ability to keep their shape and the gates of the hydro project were able to open and close since the bearing hole remained round and could rotate around the shaft.

“If they can work in India, it’s pretty safe to say that the bearings are fairly creep resistant because of the way Indian companies operate their dams,” Fourie enthuses.

The Indian maintenance client seems similarly enthusiastic and has sent through additional enquiries.

The firm, which carries out work at the dock and on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal each year as part of an ongoing framework with the Canal & River Trust, will be carrying out backhoe dredging to remove approximately 5,000m3 of silt in order to improve navigation for vessels in the dock. The silt will then be spread onto local agricultural land as part of Land & Water’s environmental commitment as it prioritises enhancing local havens for wildlife and increasing biodiversity.

Lucy Lee, Contracts Manager at Land & Water, says: “The lack of rainfall and increasing temperatures in the UK has led to a lot of sediment building up across a range of docks and canals, including at Gloucester Dock.

“Up until April, the Land & Water team will be using its specialist equipment to increase the depth of the waterway in areas that require improvement in order to restore the navigation channel through the docks and free boats trapped by silt.

“We are proud to be continuing our work with the Canal & River Trust to improve the UK’s network of waterways and to maintain Gloucester Dock and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.”

Land & Water has held a framework contract with the Canal & River Trust for over 20 years and has been working at Gloucester Dock to carry out a range of services including water injection dredging in the east channel of the River Severn in Gloucester and debris clearance on Worcester Bridge.

The Water 2050 Governance Think Tank Report is the fourth in a series of five think tank reports associated with the initiative. Water 2050 seeks to envision the future of water and chart a course for long-term sustainability.

The 27 participants in the Water 2050 Governance Think Tank, which took place Feb. 27-Mar. 1, 2023, at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington, D.C., included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility community, regulatory agencies, international development agencies, manufacturing and consulting firms, advocates, academics, and CEOs. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into four broad categories:

• Implement a “One Water” governance approach 
• Optimize utility governance and business models 
• Develop governance that promotes innovation and sustainability 
• Advance collaboration to drive (governance) innovation 

The fifth and final think tank, focusing on social/demographics, is scheduled for late April in Birmingham, Alabama. High-level recommendations are reported after each think tank and are a key component in the broader Water 2050 effort. Outcomes will be presented at AWWA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE23) in Toronto June 11-14 to support the water community in realizing the Water 2050 vision.

To engage in AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative or to learn more, visit the Water 2050 webpage. To access the Water 2050 Governance Think Tank report, visit this webpage.

Water damage continues to be a source of significant risk in buildings and on job sites. As insurers face rising payouts for water damage claims, deductibles have climbed sharply, resulting in a severe impact on profitability for contractors and developers. The new partnership provides financial relief of up to $250,000 through an industry-first warranty program leveraging HSB’s extensive data-based insurance solutions and WINT’s advanced AI-based leak-mitigation technology.

The innovative HSB warranty program is available for contractors and developers who use WINT to protect job sites from water damage. In the event the WINT system fails to prevent water leak damage, HSB will reimburse the cost of resulting water damage up to $250,000.00, therefore significantly reducing exposure to high deductibles that are very common in the market.

“Our customers – both GCs and developers, have been expressing concerns about the cost of water damage deductibles and the impact it may have on their business,” said Yaron Dycian, chief product and strategy officer for WINT. “We’re proud that Munich Re and HSB have recognized the effectiveness of our water-management technology and were greatly impressed by their expertise in building IoT-based insurance solutions. It’s exciting to partner with such a market leader to solve such a major challenge for our customers.”

HSB, a member of Munich Re’s Risk Solutions family, is a leading global engineering and technical risk insurer providing reinsurance and specialty insurance, inspection services and engineering consulting.

Kilnoski will serve as program manager for the firm’s work as part of the Advancing Resilience in Communities Joint Venture (ARC JV) supporting FEMA’s efforts to reduce flood risk for the East Coast and Great Lakes regions through the National Flood Insurance Program.

The ARC JV, led by Michael Baker International, is under a five-year, $300 million maximum value contract to provide technical expertise across FEMA’s Zone 1, including generating/evaluating flood hazard and risk information, along with mitigation, planning, flood mapping and modeling activities.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a major component of that work for developing maps, databases and report materials that are major deliverable components of FEMA’s flood risk assessment process.

In his GIS work on FEMA flood risk projects in multiple states, Kilnoski has led development of innovative tools and consistently delivered high-quality final map products. He also has assisted with community outreach to help homeowners understand the impact of changes in floodplain designations.

“Jim’s experience expands our ability to support FEMA at a national level while remaining focused on our local communities that are applying federal funds to protect against severe flood damages,” said Ed Dickson, Freese and Nichols Stormwater Group Manager in North Carolina.

Kilnoski received his Bachelor of Science in Geography from New Mexico State University.

These estimates were based on actual dam rehabilitation costs for non-federal dam repairs over the past ten years and estimated costs for known upcoming projects. It included nationwide cost data for more than 500 projects, including dam removals. Project costs ran from $10,000 for small projects to more than $500 million for large complex projects.

Two years ago, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act was passed and provided once-in-a-generation funding for dam rehabilitation; however, ASDSO’s report illustrates the urgent need for ongoing investment. The Act, which provided more than $4 billion towards dam rehabilitation, is only a step towards adequately addressing the nation’s backlog of dam rehabilitation projects.

“To ensure the safety of our nation’s dams, we must maintain high funding levels to address the thousands of dams needing rehabilitation,” said ASDSO’s task force member Sharon Tapia. “We cannot return to previous funding levels, typically less than one percent annually of the investment made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.”

Rehabilitation becomes necessary as dams age, technical standards and techniques improve, and downstream populations and land use change. However, the cost of rehabilitation can be high, and the costs are rising significantly. This is due to a combination of factors, including escalated costs for construction materials and labor and the increased breadth of current engineering studies and analyses.

Additionally, the overall number of dams needing rehabilitation has increased due to the identification of deficiencies outpacing the completion of rehabilitation projects. Funding and permitting constraints contribute significantly to the slower rate of completion.

To view the full ASDSO report, The Cost of Rehabilitating Dams in the U.S.: A Methodology and Estimate, visit DamSafety.org/RehabEstimate.

ASDSO is a national, non-profit association dedicated to building a future where all dams are safe. ASDSO works to improve the condition and safety of dams and lower the risk of dam failures through education, support for state dam safety programs, and fostering a unified dam safety community.

The project is part of a federal effort to address the ongoing water crisis that has plagued the city for years. Jackson has one of the oldest water systems in the nation, which has led to an unreliable water supply. Boil-water notices have become a common occurrence and residents regularly report low water pressure.

“Access to safe, reliable, and clean water is something we expect but often take for granted. Our team understands how important this work is for the community and the weight of the task at hand,” said Pat Brown, senior program manager for Stantec. “With our global resources and our local presence in Jackson, we are committed to engineering solutions that will restore the system and provide consistent delivery to residents for decades to come.”

The project tasks assigned to Stantec include hydraulic modeling, program management, and design and construction management to help JXN Water fix existing issues in the city’s system while modernizing it for future operations.

As part of the project, Stantec’s Geospatial team is spearheading efforts to create a geographic information system (GIS) map for JXN Water from nearly 10,000 existing map sheets. Digitizing these maps will pave the way for more data-driven solutions in the future.

“Using GIS in Jackson is going to lay a solid foundation for its water system now and in the future,” said Tim Rink, principal and Geospatial discipline leader at Stantec. “It’s an honor to support JXN Water in creating this solution, especially on a very quick timeline.”

In addition, Stantec’s Water team is providing services to help JXN Water implement an asset management system, which will help manage the distribution system more effectively. The project also calls on Stantec’s Water team to engineer and source solutions for identified large-diameter waterline breaks, which will prevent the loss of millions of gallons of treated water a day.

“Stantec has jumped into action to help us address the city’s most pressing water issues,” said Ted Henifin, manager of JXN Water. “Our top priority right now is stabilizing Jackson’s water system for its residents, and the team has delivered sound expertise at every turn. I am confident that having Stantec as a partner will help us build a safer, better, more equitable water system in Jackson.”

Work on the project is officially underway with focus on immediate needs. Overall work to the system is an ongoing effort that is expected to continue for several years.

Digital tools and transformation are an increasingly important component in protecting water resources and planning successful, resilient projects. Learn more about Stantec’s digital solutions for water and geospatial efforts.

Tippery and Koltz will represent Wisconsin wastewater interests in advocating for more funding on behalf of Wisconsin local units of government. They will communicate a variety of wastewater concerns and challenges expressed by Wisconsin local government, including some related to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) passed on November 15, 2021, authorizing more funding for local infrastructure projects.

The mission of CSWEA, which represents Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, is to offer multiple opportunities for the exchange of water quality knowledge and experiences among its members and the public and to foster a greater awareness of water quality achievements and challenges.

WWOA provides education, innovation, collaboration, promotion, and connection within the water industry. One of WWOA’s primary goals is to protect Wisconsin’s water quality through effective and efficient operation of wastewater treatment facilities by trained professionals.

Water Week provides professionals with the opportunity to learn more from key federal officials about the implementation of the historical policy achievements secured by the water sector over the past two years, and significant actions on EPA’s regulatory agenda that will directly impact the water sector.

To learn more about Water Week 2023, visit https://www.waterweek.us/#about-water-week.

Those who register early will save up to $200. Additionally, AWWA is offering a special registration rate for its utility members of six employee registrations for the price of five. This discount applies to full-conference registration rates for utilities, field operators and small utilities.  

Another offer available through April 21 is a free Exhibits-only registration pass for operators and other member utility employees with access to more than 450 exhibitors, the Innovation Hub, the AWWA Pavilion, exciting competitions, and more. A full listing of ACE23 registrations is available. 

This year’s theme “ACE23: The Future of Water is 2050,” aligns with AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative seeking to establish a long-term vision for the future of water. This collaborative exploration is charting a course for a successful and sustainable water sector. 

The professional program features 21 tracks with sessions addressing asset management, innovation and technology, managing lead in distribution systems and water quality challenges. An accompanying virtual track will include the opening general session, fireside address and more than 30 conference sessions.

Exhibit hall networking sessions include a Career Center Job & Education Fair, young professionals and student events, and competitions such as the People’s Choice and “Best of the Best” Taste Tests, Pipe Tapping, Meter Madness and Hydrant Hysteria. 

ACE23 also offers tours of various water facilities in and near Toronto, including F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant, John Street Pumping Station and Enwave Deep Lake Water Cooling Plant, High Level Pumping Station, R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant and Arthur P. Kennedy Water Treatment Plant. 

To learn more about the conference agenda and to register, visit the ACE23 webpage. 

In the latest of HDR’s Experts Talk series, Wagner explains the technique, how to determine whether it’s a good fit for a port and where it’s been used.

This technique uses the natural current of a waterway to move sediment away from a channel. It fulfills the Corps’ new directive outlined in the January 2023 “Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Command Philosophy Notice,” which shares an intention to increase its use of beneficial use of dredge material.

“This is a great technique that has the potential to solve problems for ports in an environmentally friendly way,” Wagner said. “I am passionate about sharing it, and I hope that this move from the Corps will spur greater use of injection dredging in the U.S.”

Read the whole interview on water injection dredging.

HDR’s Experts Talk interview series shines a light on various aspects of transportation infrastructure design and delivery. Each subject matter expert offers unique expertise and insights about new and ongoing trends, emerging technologies and the human side of infrastructure.

IRVINE, Calif., March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Shimmick Construction Company (“Shimmick” or “Company”), a market leader in heavy civil infrastructure, today announced it expects to be awarded a major project in the Chattanooga area, building on the Company’s strategic portfolio of projects in the region.

“This cutting-edge project comes at a critical time when flooding has become an ever-increasing threat”

Shimmick recently submitted a promising bid to support the fourth phase of construction for the Wet Weather Storage Facility in Chattanooga. The project would provide inline stormwater storage capacity to protect the city and surrounding communities from stormwater overflows during peak storm events, ensuring the area is equipped to manage sewage that could otherwise pose a threat to the local water supply if left untreated.

“This cutting-edge project comes at a critical time when flooding has become an ever-increasing threat in states across the country,” said Steve Richards, Chief Executive Officer of Shimmick. “Shimmick is continually investing in strategic growth through waterway supply chain efficiencies, with water resource facilities and services as a signature aspect of our business. We are thrilled that the city is expected to accept our promising bid for this important project.”

The Wet Weather Storage Facility would consist of a 10-million-gallon wastewater storage tank, 30 million gallon per day pump station, odor control system, diversion structure, retaining wall and more. If awarded, the $58 million project is expected to create more than 75 jobs during construction in the community, advance Chattanooga’s goals for environmental protection and help ensure flood safety in the region. Shimmick’s proposed approach to constructing the facility seeks to minimize construction-related disruption to the local community, environment and wildlife, including a nearby trail system.

The project would join Shimmick’s list of other projects in the Southeast region. The Company’s $240 million Chickamauga Lock Replacement project, located just two miles away, is expected to improve infrastructure on the Tennessee River and has created more than 475 local jobs during construction.

“Our vast experience and commitment to delivering high-quality work makes us the ideal partner for the Wet Weather Storage Facility Phase 4 project,” said Mitch Goldsteen, Executive Chairman of Shimmick Construction. “Shimmick has established a foothold in the Chattanooga area and intends to continue pursuing work that fits the Company’s strategic profile, including the upcoming Wet Weather Storage Phase 6 – Hixson Pump Station #1 project.”

Shimmick has more than two decades of experience in water management. In 2022, Engineering News Record ranked Shimmick a top contractor in the following relevant categories.

• 1^st in Dams and Reservoirs
• 3^rd in Water Supply
• 8^th in Water Treatment and Desalination Plants

City officials are expected to officially award Shimmick the Wet Weather Storage Facility Phase 4 project following the Company’s impending bid on a separate phase of the project known as the “Wet Weather Storage Phase 6 – Hixson Pump Station #1” project.

Last spring, Dr. Todd Bridges and his colleagues were visiting a part of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge in California, a remote region that encompasses 45,000 acres of rivers, woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands.

Over the years, the refuge has experienced flooding many times. Bridges, who heads the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Engineering With Nature initiative, was there to see how the refuge and associated restoration was working as a nature-based solution for flood risk reduction.

He was pleased with the results that included the restoration of 7,000 acres of floodplain habitat through a combination of conventional, natural, and nature-based engineering features. Conventional features including levees and pump stations and natural features including the planting of 600,000 native trees.

While touring the project, Bridges came across a group of men who traveled several hours to visit the refuge for the first time. He asked them what they thought, and one man said, “It looks prehistoric and heavenly. We’re visiting what we’re losing … it’s painful too.”

Bridges understood. He’s spent much of his career researching how conventional and nature-based engineering features can be used together in projects to provide storm risk reduction, maintain wildlife habitats, provide recreational space, and most importantly to maintain the natural resources cherished by so many.

He said, “People need nature. Concrete can’t satisfy all of the needs people have. Projects that include natural engineering features also provide social benefits.”

Bridge’s research is helping to make the Army Corps an international leader in the use of natural and nature-based engineering features.  Many are benefitting, including the Army Corps’ New York District that has experienced extensive coastal flooding and is increasing the use of these features in its projects.

Natural and nature-based engineering features are landscape features used in combination with conventional engineering features. Natural features occur naturally in the landscape and Nature-based features are engineered, constructed, or restored to mimic natural conditions.

Examples of these features include beaches and dunes; vegetated environments, such as maritime forests, salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, fluvial flood plains, and seagrass beds; coral and oyster reefs; and barrier islands.

“By combining something natural and nature-based with something conventional, we make the system better overall. This is nature supporting engineering and engineering supporting nature,” said Bridges. 

He said for example, when a concrete flood wall is designed to include an expansive reef and marsh in front of it, the wall provides flood protection benefits during storms while the reef and marsh system reduce the power of waves, can grow with sea level rise, captures carbon, improves water quality, and provides recreational opportunity. The combination is better than either of them separate.

The Army Corps has been working with natural and nature-based features for years, but recently there’s increased interest due to climate change.

On Earth Day in April 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14072: Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies, which directs to take multiple actions designed to tackle the climate crisis, make our nation more resilient to extreme weather, and strengthen local economies, including focusing considerable attention and federal effort on nature-based solutions.

As a result, Bridges and other Army Corps staff worked with the White House to develop a report on how the federal government can accelerate the use of nature-based solutions. In addition, the Army Corps with collaborators recently released a set of guidelines for how to use natural and nature-based features.  The award-winning guide called, “International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management” involved 5 years of collaboration with scientists and engineers from around the world and is one of the first guidelines of its kind.

These guidelines are now being used by engineers inside and outside the Army Corps including those with the Army Corp’s New York District. Following are two of its projects that include natural and nature-based engineering features – The Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, New York, Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, and the Hudson Raritan Estuary New York and New Jersey Ecosystem Restoration Project.

Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, New York, Coastal Storm Risk Management Project 

This project is taking place along the south shore of Long Island, New York. Long Island extends out east into the Atlantic Ocean from New York City. Along the south shore of the island there are barrier island chains from Coney Island to Shinnecock Inlet. A barrier island is a long narrow island that lies parallel and close to the mainland, protecting the mainland from erosion and storms.

The project encompasses an 83-mile subset of the barrier islands of the south shore of Long Island – from Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point and extends inland two miles. In between Long Island’s mainland and these barrier islands are the Great South Bay, Moriches Bay and Shinnecock Bay. Over the years, the south shore of Long Island has become very populated. Today, there are approximately 150,000 residents within the project area. The region also receives a large influx of seasonal beachgoers and visitors annually.

The south shore is also very developed. Within the project area, there are 46,000 buildings that include 42,600 homes and 3,000 businesses, and critical infrastructures including 60 schools, 2 hospitals, and 21 firehouses and police stations.

In the past century, especially in the last 20 years, Long Island’s developed coast has experienced storm damages. Elevated tides and waves from these storms caused extensive flooding and sand erosion, leaving communities and shore life vulnerable. 

In 1992, a Nor’easter breached a barrier island in several locations. Water from the ocean side of the island washed over and into the bay side, splitting the island, creating a breach or gap.  The breach quickly turned into a full-blown major inlet that swallowed up 160 homes.

Most recently was Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Storm surge from Sandy eroded forty percent of the beach sediment from some areas and created three breaches in the barrier islands, leaving the area vulnerable to significant damages.

This project is a collaboration between numerous agencies and communities that will manage the risks and attendant loss of life from tidal flooding, waves, and erosion, in part by restoring the natural coastal processes while minimizing environmental impacts for the barrier islands and back bay communities on Long Island’s south shore.

The project utilizes conventional, natural, and nature-based features that include the restoration of barrier islands, beaches, and dunes.

Restoration of Barrier Islands

According to the International Guidelines, barrier islands are a critical element in the multiple lines of defense when it comes to coastal flooding. They provide multiple benefits including reducing coastal erosion and flooding from wind-driven waves and extreme water levels, on the nearby habitats and shorelines.  In addition, they provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species and migratory birds, as well as provide access to recreational opportunities and navigation.

As part of this project, the eroded barrier island chains from Fire Island Inlet to Shinnecock Inlet and the shorefront area east of Shinnecock Bay to Montauk Point will be built back up using dredged sand.

According to Peter Weppler, Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “Building these barrier islands up will also help to restore the natural cross barrier island transport of sand. This sand will naturally flow to areas where it’s needed, augmenting the resiliency, and enhancing the overall barrier island’s natural system coastal processes.”

Maintaining barrier islands is so critical that the Army Corps established a range of breach response plans that will close barrier island breaches immediately after storms for the next 30 years. 

Restoration of Beaches & Dunes

According to the International Guidelines, beaches and dunes are valuable to flood risk reduction because they dissipate wave energy, can trap sediments, and have the potential to grow with rising sea levels. In addition, they provide habitat for diverse species.

Dunes are areas of the beach where sand is elevated several feet to act as a buffer between the waves, wind, storm water levels and the structures landward on the beach.

Over the years, much of Long Island’s south shore has eroded, removing the natural beachfront and dunes that provide coastal protection to the communities from storm surge.

The beaches and dunes will be restored with sand dredged from several federal channels including Fire Island Inlet and shoals and Moriches and Shinnecock Inlets and shoals and from offshore sand borrow areas. The sand will be placed in a way to mimic natural features and native vegetation will be planted to create nesting and foraging habits for endangered wildlife, including the piping plover, least turn, black skimmers, yellow oystercatchers, and sea beach amaranth.

A sand-replenished beach with dunes can prevent elevated ocean waters, caused by storms, from inundating coastal communities. According to Anthony Ciorra, project manager, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “Post-Hurricane Sandy analysis showed that beaches that had previously received sand placement and dune construction sustained less damages and saved an estimated $1.3 Billion in avoided damages on New York and New Jersey shorelines.”

Aram Terchunian, coastal geologist & president of First Coastal Consulting Corporation saw this first-hand on the south shore of Long Island.  He said, “Superstorm Sandy is the event that really proved the importance of beaches and dunes as effective natural features.  Sandy was a violent storm that broke three inlets through Long Island’s barrier beach system. At West Hampton Dunes, it was a nonevent.  The beaches and dunes withstood the storm fury with only a small incursion over the dune near a vehicle overpass, which was rectified within hours!  The Village of West Hampton Dunes was up and running within 24 hours of Sandy’s visit.” Terchunian has worked with the Army Corps for decades as a representative of several south shore villages and towns on the east end of Long Island.

Storms, like Sandy, may occur more frequently in the future due to relative sea level change. The project is monitoring relative sea level change and adjusting the project when necessary, so that it will continue to perform as planned. This may mean over time increasing the volume of sand that is placed on beaches and increasing the height of dunes to account for observed increases in relative sea level change.

Joseph Vietri, Director of Coastal Storm Risk Management National Center of Expertise, North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who happens to live on one of the barrier islands said, “It’s predicted that future low, intermediate, and high rates of Army Corps relative sea level change projections could increase anywhere between approximately one to six feet over the next 100 years, resulting in more frequent and severe storm damages.”

According to Bridges, natural and nature-based features may actually be more capable of adapting to changing environmental conditions than conventional features.  He said, “For example, if you have a levee and marsh as part of a project.  The hard levee will not move in response sea level rise, but the marsh can migrate on its own if we haven’t put something in its way.”

Hudson Raritan Estuary New York and New Jersey Ecosystem Restoration Project 

The Hudson Raritan Estuary is located within the boundaries of the Port District of New York and New Jersey and is situated within a 25-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

An estuary is a partially enclosed, coastal water body where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with salt water from the ocean. Estuaries can include a variety of habitats including salt marshes, mangrove or maritime forests, mud flats, tidal streams, rocky intertidal shores, reefs, and barrier beaches. The Hudson Raritan Estuary is a complex ecological system located within a highly urbanized region of 20 million people that includes the New York Harbor, rivers, wetlands, coastlines, and open waters. 

Over the years, industrialization has degraded the estuary and hardened the coastlines resulting in the tremendous loss of habitat. The estuary has lost more than 85% of its tidal wetlands, 99% of its freshwater wetlands, and 100% of its oyster reefs.

Restoring the estuary is important because the ecosystem provides habitat for birds, fish, shellfish, and other wildlife, maintains water quality by filtering out contaminated sediments, provides recreational opportunities, boosts the region’s economy, and acts as a buffer from flooding for coastal communities during destructive and powerful storms.

One study done by Lloyd’s of London showed marshes play a critical role in reducing damage to infrastructure from coastal storms. The study showed that during Hurricane Sandy marshes prevented $625 million in direct flood damages across twelve states. In New Jersey, coastal marshes reduced property damages by more than 20 percent.

Lisa Baron, project manager, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said, “The plan for the Hudson Estuary Program is to restore a mosaic of 621 acres of habitat at 20 individual project sites. These projects will restore estuarine and freshwater wetlands, shorelines, fish passage, oyster reefs, shallow water habitat, coastal forests and marsh islands while providing maximum ecological and societal benefits to the region.”

Work is starting up on several of these restoration sites. Natural and nature-based features being used include salt marshes and oyster reefs.

Restoration of Salt Marshes

According to the International Guidelines, coastal wetlands and intertidal areas can reduce flood and erosion risks in coastal environments because they can dampen wave, surge, and current energy, trap sediments, and, in the correct settings, be self-sustaining under rising sea levels and other pressures. They provide additional benefits including fish production, filtration of pollutants from upland runoff, water quality mediation, recreation, and carbon sequestration.

Within the Hudson Raritan Estuary is Jamaica Bay. The bay is located in portions of the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City and is part of the Jamaica Bay Park and Wildlife Refuge, the country’s first national urban park and one of the Gateway National Recreation Areas that is visited by millions of people each year.

The bay covers 26 square miles and opens to the Atlantic Ocean. The land surrounding the bay is heavily developed and includes John F. Kennedy International Airport, the Belt Parkway, and several landfills.

Inside the bay there is a marsh island complex. In the last century, these once-vibrant islands have been rapidly disappearing resulting in extensive habitat loss. Eight five percent of the wetlands have been lost in the region.

This loss is primarily due to human development that’s included the filling in of marshes and open water areas, hardening of shorelines, sewer overflows, and landfill leachate or water containing contaminants seeping from landfills.

The disappearing marshes pose a threat to wildlife and coastal communities. It’s been estimated that the marsh islands if left alone would vanish completely by 2025. Fortunately, due to work the Army Corps has performed over the years, this won’t happen.  The Army Corps, along with partnering agencies, has restored approximately 160-acres of marsh islands in Jamaica Bay through a number of successful restoration projects.

According to Baron, “Restoring these marsh islands provides significant benefits to the region.  The restored marsh islands keep the sediment within the Jamaica Bay system; wetland vegetation stabilizes the island; the islands reduce waves and erosion of surrounding shorelines and adjacent islands; the wetlands improve water quality within the bay; and the marsh islands that we construct will continue to build the ecological resilience of the bay to respond to increasing sea level rise.”

In fact, according to a report released by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, the Army Corps restoration of a Jamaica Bay marsh island in 2011 likely mitigated storm surge during Hurricane Sandy the following year and helped to protect the community.  The Cross Bay Bridge – which is near this island – was not damaged due to Sandy and was only temporarily closed.  In contrast, bridges east of this structure suffered substantial damage and were closed until the following year. Stakeholders attribute the bridge’s survival to the nearby restored marsh island.

The Army Corps in collaboration with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection plans to restore five additional marsh islands as part of the Hudson Raritan Estuary Restoration Program and is currently advancing one of these marsh islands that sits in the heart of the bay– Stony Creek Marsh Island.

Sixty-two acres of the island will be restored. To perform this work, approximately 150,000 cubic yards of sand will be beneficially used from the dredging of the Jamaica Bay Federal Navigation Channel or nearby Ambrose Channel and placed on the island. The material will be graded and contoured to appropriate elevations suitable for a marsh and then planted with native vegetation.

When completed, the island will have 26 acres of low marsh, 22.5 acres of high marsh, 3.5 acres of scrub-shrub wetland, 8.7 acres of shallow marine habitat, and 1.4 acres of tidal channels or narrow inlets.

This will create a healthy marsh island within one of the most biodiverse regions in the Northeastern United States. Jamaica Bay provides critical spawning and nursery habitat for more than 80 migratory and estuarine fish species, as well as terrapins and four species of endangered or threated turtles.

In addition, 300 bird species – or 20 percent of the Nation’s birds – call the bay their home and visit it every year as a stopover point along the Atlantic Flyway migration route to their breeding grounds.  They include many species of sparrows, warblers, thrashers, crows, herons, and urban birds. Many of the species are listed as threatened and endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, including the threatened piping plover and red knot.

Restoration of Oyster Reefs                                                                                                                

According to the International Guidelines, coral and shellfish reefs can act as the first line of defense against flooding, storm damage, and erosion in coastal areas.  Reefs do this by buffering wave energy. Reefs also provide additional benefits, including fisheries production, habitat and biodiversity, recreation, and tourism and revenue.

Unfortunately, in the Hudson Raritan Estuary, oyster populations are practically extinct. Up until the late 1800s, the bottom of the estuary was blanketed with oysters. The eastern oyster populated 200,000 acres of the estuary and today it’s considered ecologically extinct, primarily caused by water pollution, dredging, poor land management, and overharvesting. 

The Army Corps in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the NY/NJ Baykeeper is aiming to bring the oyster back with the Oyster Restoration at Naval Weapons Station Earle Project in New Jersey.

The Naval Weapons Station Earle is a secluded Naval location on the coast of New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. The plan is to expand a .25-acre oyster reef constructed by the NY/NJ Baykeeper to create a 10-acre oyster reef habitat under the station’s 2.9-mile pier that is close to the land and away from naval ship activity.

Stacey MacEwan, project manager, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Natural Resource Restoration said, “Oysters bring a range of benefits to the estuary.  Oysters improve water quality through filtration processes, but the reef itself provides a vertical structure that supports a diverse community of fish and invertebrate species, and the reef structure can also help to protect the shoreline from erosion.  This type of project can provide large-scale benefits in a relatively small footprint.”

Meredith Comi, coastal restoration program director with the NY/NJ Baykeeper agreed, “Knowing that protecting our shorelines is leading to an increase in species diversity is very cool and is even more of a reason to use natural and nature-based features in resilience projects.”

Bridges may have felt a pang of sadness when the tourist he encountered in the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge expressed that the survival of our natural resources is fleeting.  But there is also hope that many of these natural resources will continue to thrive for future generations, especially with the increased use of natural and nature-based engineering features. Terchunian is optimistic, “Natural features provide multiple benefits, including flood and erosion protection, habitat creation, open space, and recreation.  These benefits accrue to multiple segments of society from naturalists to property owners and the average citizen.  Building natural beaches and dunes will ensure that there is room on the beach for everyone.”

Dr. JoAnne Castagna is a public affairs specialist and writer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.  She can be reached at joanne.castagna@usace.army.mil.

For Californians, discussions about water are frequent.  And, when it comes to water, California’s vastness gives a depth and complexity to the challenges that come with not only providing water to its citizens, but also protecting them from it.  Recent events have made the latter a pressing issue for AEC professionals.  Earlier this year, California saw unprecedented storms, culminating in a three-week succession of severe storms known as atmospheric rivers.  Atmospheric rivers are flowing columns of condensed water vapor that flow from tropic waters and release massive amounts of rain and snow as they flow over land.  These events have spurred a renewed conversation about the way various agencies monitor the effects of such weather events and mitigate damages from flooding.  

To protect from the damages brought on by excessive precipitation in California, different areas require specific solutions.  For example, there is a substantial amount of building on hillside slopes in the San Francisco Bay Area, and substantial rain can threaten communities and vital infrastructure. ENGEO’s Mark Gilbert points out that these rains have a tendency to cause shallow earth movements as the ground becomes more saturated.  Once the soil breaks free and starts flowing, it can accelerate rapidly, causing damage to property and threatening life.  Other places in the state face a substantial threat of flooding as rainwaters feed rivers flowing down from mountains.  To protect lives and property, the state of California has invested heavily in measures to manage the flow of water and prevent/monitor landslide activity.

ENGEO has a number of projects throughout the state, and has helped build the infrastructure that protects it from this unprecedented weather.  In this, ENGEO has worked with over two dozen entities to provide flood mitigation.  ENGEO also currently manages 14 geological hazard abatement zones within the state, which has made them very busy recently according to Gilbert.  In managing these zones, ENGEO is responsible for observing and managing any landslide activity.  The recent amount of precipitation has resulted in significant hazards to places like the San Francisco Bay area, in which many communities and infrastructure points are built on steep hillside slopes.  This includes public requests to address emergency slope stability caused by recent rain events from: the Oakland Zoo, the City of Oakland, San Carlos County, San Mateo County, the City of Danville, and the City of Hercules.  

In the Central Valley, ENGEO has worked with state and local agencies to build state-of-the-art levees for the last 20 years.  During this time, ENGEO has been involved with a number of significant projects including a 2.6-mile long levee for the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority.  ENGEO is also currently working with a team of engineers on the Natomas Interior Levees.  ENGEO’s work is part of a larger effort throughout several agencies at the state and local levels to prepare and create systems that can handle intense precipitation and weather events.

Recent storms have tested the capacities of these systems.  Atmospheric rivers are not an uncommon phenomenon in California, but the recent frequency has led to widespread flooding and challenged the state’s infrastructure. Gilbert says that these sort of storms result in a lot of careful monitoring for levee maintaining agencies, reclamation districts, and flood control agencies.  The result of this careful monitoring, according to Gilbert, is a series of proactive steps.  Local agencies have set up on-call agreements with local pump and generator rental companies should the water level rise threaten current systems.  If, for example, a critical pump station loses power, these sort of agreements allow agencies to rapidly respond to developing challenges.   By monitoring water levels and deploying these assets, levee and flood control agencies have been able to mitigate damage from recent flooding. 

While monitoring and preemptive planning helped mitigate serious damages from recent flooding, Gilbert believes that there is more work to be done when it comes to preparing for the future.  Many flood control projects that are under construction or have recently been announced focus on expensive permanent infrastructure.  While this is a good solution when it comes to planning for bigger, more rare events, Gilbert believes that the focus needs to be shifted towards developing flexible and rapidly deployed protective measures.  By developing these measures, agencies can reduce project costs while also responding to flood events in a more dynamic way.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.  

As Alpine’s dedicated water services vertical, Axia will focus on partnering with established water businesses across the country to support and scale their offerings while preserving their independence and culture. Axia will sit within AlpineX, Alpine’s market-leading business services platform, and Amanda Neilson will serve as Axia’s CEO.

The water services industry provides access to a critical, non-discretionary resource for agricultural organizations, municipalities, industrial operators and private homes across the United States. While a necessity, running a water service company can be challenging – from navigating different hydrological and climate conditions, to repairing infrastructure, to adapting to ever-changing regional and national regulations. In addition to operational complexities, the water services industry suffers from significant underinvestment in technology and job training for the next generation. Axia has the industry knowledge and resources to maneuver these challenges and take these great businesses to the next level. By partnering with Axia, companies will have access to additional capital for organic and inorganic growth, technology and infrastructure investments (e.g., new crews and rigs), better asset utilization, world-class recruiting and sales and marketing efforts.

For over 45 years, Madera Pumps has provided full-service pump and well services in the Central Valley of California. Founded in 1977, Madera’s services include pump testing, data analysis, capacity and well yield, video surveying, well rehabilitation and repair. Madera’s unique focus on well rehabilitation differentiates and benefits the business, especially since the 2014 passage of California’s Sustainability Ground Water Act (SGMA) which limits the drilling of new wells. The business is led by co-partners, Matt Angell and Trisha Tolbert.

“We are excited to launch Axia through our partnership with the Madera team, who have built an outstanding water services company, which has benefited thousands of customers for decades across the Central Valley,” said Amanda Neilson, CEO of Axia Water. “Axia brings the benefits of a large company to entrepreneurial water services businesses, while Madera and well-established companies like it will continue to operate independently. Together, we have a unique opportunity to transform the water services sector, attract new talent and harness growth opportunities for this essential environmental service.”

“We are thrilled to enter our next stage of growth through our partnership with Amanda and the Axia team. Axia and Madera share the same mission of guaranteeing reliable access to water for growers, farmers, cities and local residents,” said Matt Angell and Trisha Tolbert, co-partners at Madera Pumps. “As a local one-stop service provider for all pump and well needs, we are excited and confident about this partnership and the future of Madera, its team, and our community.”

In addition to the partnership with Madera, Axia is actively seeking additional partnerships with strong regional water service companies. Axia is particularly interested in partnering with companies providing access to and service of groundwater resources to agricultural customers, municipalities, industrial operators and private homes across the United States. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. Madera Pumps will continue to operate independently under its existing brand.

The Armory was originally designed by William Carbys Zimmerman as a military drill hall, athletic facility and assembly hall. Constructed in 1912-14, the building was once the largest free-span, no-center-support-system structure in the world. In 1927, a multi-story addition designed by Charles A. Platt was built around the building adding classroom and office space. Its facade matches the Georgian Revival style found in nearby university buildings such as the Main Library and Huff Hall. Today, the Armory is an anchor point for the university’s south campus and used for track and field meets and other events.

Western contracted with project general contractor Grunloh Construction of Effingham, IL to tuckpoint the Armory’s east elevation as well as portions of its north and south elevations. The scope of work also included the demolition and rebuilding of an existing parapet wall using block masonry, salvaged stone and fabricated stone that closely matched existing stone. The severity of deterioration on the upper areas of some masonry walls required a change in scope to completely rebuild additional parapet locations. Due to irregular dimensions of the parapet wall, additional demolition and rebuild work had to be completed in order to maintain the structural integrity of the masonry walls.

Western’s craftsmen also replaced damaged brick on the façade discovered during tuckpointing with salvaged brick from the parapet demolition and installed custom-blend brick in other locations where salvaged brick could not be used.

Approximately six tuckpointing mockup locations were completed in order to match the existing facade as closely as possible and maintain the historic nature of the building. In order to match the existing mortar, additional sand was added per the petrographic testing results and the mortar was brushed with special care while still damp to expose additional aggregate.

The restoration team also included White & Borgognoni Architects of Carbondale, IL and Rubinos & Mesia Engineers of Chicago, IL. The project was completed within a year and on budget.

Click Here for more information about Western’s masonry restoration services.

The course examines how pipe used for water, drain/waste/vent, and fire-suppression systems impact the health, safety, and sustainability of buildings. It is based on issues and recommendations from the Plumbing Specification Guide that Safe Piping Matters recently published. The course is approved for continuing education from the American Institute of Architects, including health, safety, welfare (HSW) credits.

At the end of the course, participants will achieve several learning objectives, being able to:

• Assess strengths and weaknesses of common materials used for drinking water and wastewater systems, including cast iron, (C)PVC, copper, HDPE, PEX, & steel, in contrast with failed piping materials such as lead and polybutylene plastic.
• Describe sustainability issues and relative product lifecycles of piping materials starting from production, through use, and after demolition.
• Give examples of fire risks and firestopping considerations that impact the health and safety of occupants and first responders.
• Understand how material characteristics relate to other important health and safety factors such as leaching, permeation, and water age.

“Our first few sessions of this course have proven very successful. We are encouraged by the positive feedback and good discussion with building professionals,” said Paul Hagar, Executive Director of Safe Piping Matters. “We believe this course can help improve the safety and sustainability of pipe systems that run throughout homes and businesses,” he added.  

Safe Piping Matters offers the course at no cost to participants. Interested parties can visit the SafePipingMatters.org website to schedule a session.

The collective commitment will be announced later today at an event organized by water technology company Xylem (NYSE: XYL) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, convened during the UN 2023 Water Conference. The pledges will be included in the Water Action Agenda, a collection of all water-related commitments to accelerate progress on UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 targeting Water and Sanitation.

Executives from Xylem, Veolia, XPV, Hydraloop International, and Hansgrohe will be joined by several nonprofit organizations, to pledge their commitment to invest in innovative water solutions. The funds will be directed toward water-related research and development, start-up companies commercializing innovative approaches to water management, and the deployment of new water technologies. The organizations will also commit to ongoing engagement with development agencies, governments, and other stakeholders to facilitate more cross-sector action to solve water challenges.

“Most of humanity’s challenges today stem from our reliance on water, whether for human life or, on a larger scale, economic well-being and prosperity of society,” said Henk Ovink, Water Envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “We all need it, but in some places there is too much and in other places there isn’t enough. As significant water investors and users, the private sector has a pivotal role to play. The organizations pledging their commitment today are at the forefront of bringing new innovations to water use, treatment, and recycling. This type of collective action is essential to tackling major water challenges, and to creating a sustainable planet for future generations.” 

The commitment from the private and philanthropic sectors to invest in water solutions supports the UN 2023 Water Conference’s call for clear pledges and actions, across all sectors, industries, and interests to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“For those who can simply turn on a tap, water may not seem like a problem,” said Patrick Decker, CEO of Xylem. “But the UN 2023 Water Conference is a timely reminder that water challenges are intensifying around the world. The organizations making commitments today recognize these are challenges we can and must solve. Many of the essential technologies already exist, but as climate change progresses, we need more innovative solutions and accelerated implementation to increase the resilience and water-security of communities everywhere.”

The inclusion of the private sector in the UN 2023 Water Conference, the first event of its kind since 1977, has been welcomed as essential in developing an impactful Water Action Agenda. The conference brings together stakeholders from across governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, academic institutions, and the scientific community to advance transformative ideas that can solve global water challenges.

Organizations contributing to the pledge include Acciona, Autodesk, BlueTech, Burnt Island Ventures, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Evoqua, Grundfos, Hansgrohe, Hydraloop, Idexx, UGSI Solutions, Veolia, Water Foundry Ventures, Wavin, Westly Group, XPV and Xylem.

The event – Private Sector Investment Commitment to Water Innovation – will convene technology innovators, investors, government, civil society, and development agencies to consider the role of innovation in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Organized by Xylem and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York, the event will be hosted in partnership with Bluetech Research, Burnt Island Ventures, Evoqua, the International Water Association, Mercy Corps, UNICEF, the Water Foundry, Veolia, the WateReuse Association, and the Water Research Foundation.

Arup, a global sustainable development consultancy, developed the snapshot to prompt cities to ask: how spongy am I? The authors of the survey are calling on leaders to move beyond concrete interventions and instead look to nature for solutions to climate-related challenges, such as managing heavy rainfall.

Authors have studied sample areas of approximately 150km² in ten diverse global cities with Toronto joining Auckland, London, Montreal, Mumbai, Nairobi, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney – to assess how well their existing natural infrastructure helps them absorb rainfall.

This analysis comes as the IPCC predicts that water-related risks will increase with every degree of global warming, with around 700 million people currently living in regions where maximum daily rainfall has increased.

Toronto ranked third in the sponginess snapshots, just ahead of Montreal and tied with New York City, Singapore, and Mumbai. Over one quarter (29%) of the land analyzed in Toronto is covered in trees. The city’s sponginess rating is also based on the soil’s classification and run off potential.

Toronto’s sand and clay soil mix is comparable to New York City, though Toronto’s ability to absorb runoff is slightly lower. Both North American cities have the same level of green and blue spaces in their downtown core (39%), but with different concentrations and characteristics. In comparison, Mumbai and Singapore have a much higher blue-green cover of 45%, while both also have much less permeable soil than Toronto or New York. As a result, all four Snapshot cities have a sponginess rating of 30%, based on different land cover compositions.

By comparison, London and Shanghai align much more with the “concrete jungle” stereotype, with a higher percentage of hard surface in their urban centres: 69% and 67% respectively. This places them as the two least “spongy” of the cities surveyed.

In Toronto, the study area includes approximately 150km² of the city including the high-density downtown core, a mix of medium- and low-density housing, and major urban parks. The Snapshot shows Toronto’s ravines function as a network of urban green infrastructure which mitigates flooding risks. The city’s interconnected ravine system, one of the largest ravine networks in the world, links with natural watercourses to receive, filter, and transport stormwater from urban landscapes to Lake Ontario. Toronto has already begun expanding blue-green infrastructure across the city, particularly along the lakeshore to the south. Arup has been involved in the design of many of these projects, including the Queens Quay revitalization, Corktown Common, Aitken Place Park, and Love Park (now under construction). These projects, along with the City of Toronto’s newly published Green Infrastructure Standards, led by Arup and landscape architect DTAH, are establishing green infrastructure as a City priority.

To create the calculations, Arup’s team used an advanced digital tool, Terrain, which applies machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to accurately quantify the amount of green infrastructure (e.g. grass, trees) and blue (e.g. ponds, lakes), versus the amount of grey (e.g. buildings and hard surfaces). The survey was based on detailed satellite imagery covering a snapshot of approximately 150 square kilometres of each city’s main urban centre. Authors supplemented this analysis with insight on soil types and vegetation, enabling them to estimate how much rainwater would be absorbed in a defined heavy rainfall event.

Arup Global Sponge Cities Snapshot: Full results

A collaboration with global water technology leader Xylem (NYSE: XYL), the project recently won an IWA (International Water Association) award for transforming Buffalo’s sewer network by automatically redirecting excess rainwater to underused parts of its system to prevent overflows. The technology allowed BSA to use its existing network and solve a longstanding problem without spending on new infrastructure.

“Buffalo’s waterways have come a long way in recent years, with people fishing, strolling along their banks, and enjoying all sorts of festivities,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “I want to thank Oluwole A. (OJ) McFoy, BSA General Manager, for collaborating with Xylem to incorporate smarter technology into Buffalo’s existing infrastructure network and ensuring that we are sustainable in what we do.”

Aging water infrastructure, the impacts of climate change, and tight budgets to pay for upgrades mean utilities must be innovative to solve critical challenges.

“This project is about giving Buffalo a new way to manage its existing system. They already have these big assets and pieces of infrastructure. The idea is to give them a little tweak so that they run slightly differently during wet weather and avoid combined sewer discharges into the waterways,” said Rich Loeffler, Senior Practice and Solutions Architect at Xylem.

Using Xylem’s Wastewater Network Optimization System to address high volumes of combined sewer overflows (CSOs), BSA harnessed the power of machine learning, hydraulic modeling, and data and analytics to optimize its network.

“Whether it’s people, dollars, or opportunities, we realize that there are gaps in resources. We seek to bridge those gaps by being smarter and working harder to ensure that we are sustainable in what we do and that we are resilient in that effort,” said Oluwole A. (OJ) McFoy, BSA General Manager.

A Bridge to the Future

BSA used Xylem’s optimization solution to create a real-time decision support system that can visualize, predict, and control flows, regardless of the weather. Similar to a traffic app, the smart sewer system uses data from sensors across the network to pinpoint buildups. When one part of the network is under pressure, the city can redirect flow to underutilized parts of the system.

“We have shown this technology is effective and want to ensure that Buffalo remains prepared for the changing climate and the more intense storms coming our way,” added McFoy.

Having successfully embedded the Real Time Control Smart Sewer technology at several sites, BSA has now committed to incorporating it into future projects across the city of Buffalo for a variety of applications. The technology will ultimately reduce the size and number of costly new infrastructure projects by maximizing usage within the overall system.

In a city with extremely localized weather patterns, this network of sensors will allow the individual sites to communicate and create capacity where it is needed most.

“The technology is unique because it treats the entire collection system as one cohesive, globally coordinated unit. If you only see rain in one part of the city, you may want to maximize or move flows in that portion of the city differently than somewhere where it is not raining,” added Loeffler.

The benefits of the project go beyond costs. BSA is now a greener operation with a solution that limited the need for carbon-intensive infrastructure and advanced the city’s environmental, economic, and water equity objectives.

“It’s important to understand how it’s all connected and that we’re all doing our part to make sure that we have this resource for many generations to come,” said Kristina Macro, Xylem Project Manager.

Meet the people involved in this innovative project by watching this video: How Buffalo, New York, is saving millions through smart sewers

The IECA awards of excellence program acknowledges outstanding achievements in the erosion and sediment control and stormwater industries and is a staple event at the conference.  

IECA recognized a new category at this year’s event with the contractor of the year. The award recognizes a company that demonstrates excellence in industry compliance for execution on a single or multiple projects. The first winner of this award is K4 Environmental. The company was recognized for their compliant construction project – Memorial Park Land Bridge in Houston, TX. The group managed different stakeholders, advocated for the use of best management practices to create an environmentally friendly solution. 

Young professionals under 40 are recognized for their stormwater and erosion and/or sediment control projects, programs, or academics that show excellence in natural resource conservation and environmental protection. This year’s winners Billur Kazaz, Ph.D. and Stefano Rignanese, M.Sc. This is the fourth year Rignanese has been selected for this award and he will be instrumental in organizing a Europe chapter this year. Kazaz is an active contributor to the Environmental Connection Magazine and a frequent presenter at regional and annual conferences. 

The sustained partner award recognizes distinguished support to IECA and outstanding contributions to improve the erosion and sediment control industry for multiple years. This year’s winner is IECA University Partner Auburn Stormwater Research Facility. The facility was established in 2009 and is dedicated to producing innovative and practical solutions for stormwater management. Through interdisciplinary research, product evaluation, and hands-on training, the facility remains at the forefront of stormwater research. 

The IECA outstanding professional award recognizes an IECA member that demonstrates excellence in their work in the industry and is viewed by his/her IECA peers as an industry leader through significant engagement with IECA. This year’s winner is Peter Armstrong. Armstrong has been in the erosion and sediment control industry for almost four decades. He is a longtime member of IECA and is most recognized for developing the “Maroon Manual,” erosion and sediment control guidelines for the Queensland District of Australia. 

Winners of the sustained contributor award have demonstrated leadership by example through long-term contribution to the erosion and sediment control industry via education, government involvement, research, establishment of standards or policies or the development of technology. This year’s winner is Adam Dibble, CPESC, CESSWI. Dibble has been involved with IECA since he joined the erosion and sediment control industry 13 years ago. He has been a member of the Great Lakes chapter from the beginning, has been on the chapter board for five years and currently serves as VP of the chapter. He served on the global board of directors for many years, most recently as past president. Most significantly, Dibble led the reunification of Region One and Two. 

The environmental excellence award is IECA’s premier award. It recognizes an outstanding stormwater and erosion and/or sediment control project, program or operation that demonstrates excellence in natural resource conservation and environmental protection. Recipients have shown an elevated level of environmental benefit by clearly identifying the objectives, methods used, results obtained and details of the benefits to the environment. The winner is Kilométro 21 Vía Gigante-Garzón Recuperación De La Banca Usando Megabolsas, Huila, Columbia. On July 17, 2019, a landslide occurred on kilometer 21 of the Garzón Neiva Road in Hula, Columbia. The landslide created a partial loss of the road bank which closed the road. To reopen the area, a provisional road was created in the adjacent hillside by excavating the slope to create space for the traffic. The materials from the road bank were used to fill and add Megabags to reinforce the existing slopes. The road was opened within 14 days of the project beginning to allow traffic to use part of the road. The project also allowed the area to be restored to the condition it was in before the landslide and was fortified for future landslides. 

“The winners of this year’s awards reflect the diversity and global presence of IECA,” stated IECA chief executive officer, Samantha Roe, IOM. “We’re able to recognize exception efforts of our members on a global scale to help showcase their work and projects around the world.” 

Through a new ‘Water Heroes’ website, football fans are invited to engage with educational resources and to add their name to a statement emphasizing the need for governing bodies to honor their commitments to treating wastewater. The ‘Water Heroes’ site offers opportunities to win match tickets and other prizes by signing up as water advocates.

To support the campaign, Manchester City Football Club and Xylem have launched a short film featuring Club Manager Pep Guardiola. The film depicts the realities of a world drowning in untreated wastewater and aims to create urgency amongst football fans to take action. The initiative advances Xylem and Manchester City Football Club’s ambition to create a global movement of one billion water citizens committed to solving the world’s water issues.

“Manchester City’s partnership with Xylem is about maximizing the power of our collective voice to raise awareness on critical water issues,” said Pep Guardiola. “Our world is more polluted than ever, and untreated wastewater continues to impact the health of millions of people. We’re asking fans to come together and demand action before it’s too late. The time has come to take the waste out of water.”

The UN Water Conference brings together stakeholders from Governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and the scientific community to advance progress on global water issues. As the first such conference in 50 years, young football fans have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to join the conversation.

“As demand for clean water rises, we must do everything we can to protect this vital resource,” said Patrick Decker, President and CEO of Xylem. “The UN 2023 Water Conference provides a global platform to put wastewater pollution on government agendas and advance progress at scale. Together with Manchester City Football Club, we’re urging young fans to become water stewards by demanding action on wastewater pollution – our future, and the health of our planet, depends on it.”

To further amplify awareness, Xylem and Manchester City Football Club are collaborating with Global Citizen – a movement that empowers millions of people around the world to take action on critical issues. Launching on World Water Day, March 22, the collaboration features players from Manchester City’s Women’s Team alongside young water leaders from around the world, highlighting the impact untreated wastewater has on communities everywhere.

To lend your voice to this important issue, pledge your support at: waterheroes.xylem.com

Metropolitan’s mission is to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the 19 million people in Southern California in the face of climate change and extended drought.

In response to drought action planning by Metropolitan in collaboration with its 26 member agencies, the study will identify and evaluate potential conveyance options to move primarily Colorado River water and regional storage supplies from the eastern portion of Metropolitan’s service area to the western portion.

The western portion of the service area includes member agencies that depend heavily on the California State Water Project (SWP), a multi-purpose water storage and delivery system that extends more than 705 miles. SWP-dependent member agencies in the west include the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, the Calleguas Water District, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, served primarily by Metropolitan’s Jensen Water Treatment Plant.

Presently, there is inadequate pipeline connectivity and operational flexibility between imported water supplies and storage options and a lack of water resource diversity for Metropolitan to satisfy the needs of all member agencies equitably, especially during a severe shortage of SWP supplies.

As the largest single contractor of the SWP and a major supporter of Southern California water conservation and recycling programs, Metropolitan seeks feasible alternatives to convey Colorado River Aqueduct supplies or Diamond Valley Lake storage from the  eastern portion of its service area or purified water from Pure Water Southern California to SWP-dependent area agencies in the western portion of its service area.

The study will identify new conveyance options and the potential use of existing pipelines, including required pumping stations. With drought conditions heightened by climate change in mind, the study will consider new additions and modifications to Metropolitan’s infrastructure system to address varying supply scenarios.

“This important study aligns with Metropolitan’s commitment to providing reliable water supplies to the entire region,” said Brown and Caldwell Vice President Steve Hirai.

The first major expansion since the plant was built in the 1980s, it is expected to increase the facility’s capacity by 50 percent—from 21 to 30 million gallons per day—and enhance operational efficiencies to meet growing demand throughout the community and region. The expansion will also position the facility for future regulatory requirements.

“Sioux Falls and the surrounding region are experiencing tremendous population growth, which means critical infrastructure like the Sioux Falls Regional Water Reclamation Plant needs to grow with it,” said Mark Perry, Wastewater Superintendent for the City of Sioux Falls. “The plant rehabilitation and expansion project is a monumental undertaking. It requires hundreds of team members, both from the City of Sioux Falls and our partners at McCarthy, working together with our local labor force to ensure the plant continues serving our community today and for future generations.”

• Improvements for the facility located at 4500 N. Sycamore Ave. in Sioux Falls include the following:
• Construction of a new three-story “headworks” building, where wastewater initially enters the treatment process.
• Installation of new generators at the existing plant, which will also undergo an extensive electrical system upgrade.
• Installation of three additional aeration basins where wastewater is treated by microbes, as well as four “final clarifiers,” which are large circular pools where solids separate from treated water..
• Expansion of an area of the plant where water is treated with chlorine, including the addition of more storage tanks.

The project is utilizing a collaborative project delivery approach known as Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR). The CMAR method is used by state, local and private entities to ensure firm pricing and alignment of scope and budget throughout the project, as well as to allow for earlier bid packages for procurement to help mitigate ongoing supply chain and cost escalation risks. 

Site preparation began in fall 2021 and notice to proceed for the main project was effective as of July 5, 2022. In addition to moving 27,000 cubic yards of dirt to prepare for construction, work has included placing the first 5,000 cubic yards of the 16,000 cubic yards of concrete projected, installing the first two miles of the planned eight miles of underground piping, and operating two tower cranes onsite. Additional site preparation has included the installation of temporary electrical power lines for the blower building, lime feed silos, and other work. 

Expected to be completed by 2025, the project received funding through loans from the State Revolving Fund, a state-level program that provides low-interest loans to water, wastewater, and sewer projects. 

In addition to McCarthy, project partners include Carollo Engineers, Inc., an environmental engineering firm specializing in the planning, design and construction management of water and wastewater facilities for municipal and public sector clients, and Henry Carlson Construction of Sioux Falls, providing pre-construction and construction services.

This year marks an important change for the WIFIA program. Its loans are available on a rolling basis and will be disbursed year-round. Recipients of the funding will also benefit from coverage under the AAA Treasury credit rating. This additional incentive provides long-term, low-cost loans for eligible water projects. The loans are scoped for projects above $20 million, and they allow for flexible repayment plans. In some cases, the loans can extend up to 35 years after project completion. 

Federal funding for stormwater projects also continues to stream in from the $65 billion sum authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This funding includes rules that emphasize certain kinds of projects—especially those relating to vital wastewater initiatives and stormwater infrastructure.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides even more funding for stormwater infrastructure. FEMA grants from last year continue to accelerate landmark stormwater management projects across the country. Cities, counties, and other local entities are lining up for an even greater outpour of funding during this year’s grant cycle. 

This is especially true for projects in the Houston region of Texas, which has experienced devastating storm-surge flooding events in recent years. To address a sequence of stormwater infrastructure needs, city leaders, and county officials will partner on 24 upcoming projects to mitigate the effects of storm-surge flooding. The interlocal agreement, which was approved in late November, stipulates that the city and Harris County Flood District will evenly split the overall cost of the projects. 

One project will construct three stormwater basins to mitigate flooding events and protect residents near Brays Bayou and its network of tributaries. The city recently purchased three parcels of land, and design work will begin very soon on the sequence of $39.5 million in interlocal stormwater projects. 

Another flood-proofing project in the Houston area carries an estimated cost of $96.7 million. This project will be located along Keegans Bayou and Ruffino Hills and requires a land-purchase agreement with the city of West University Place. The effort will include a channel improvement that directs stormwater to a detention facility, thereby mitigating the flooding risks for numerous neighborhoods.

A $26 million project for stormwater Improvements in the Spruce Wash area of Flagstaff, Arizona, is almost ready for the design stage. A bond proposition approved in November unlocked funding for a series of stormwater infrastructure improvements. The project will target an area that was charred by a devastating wildfire. As a result of the damaged landscape, the area has become prone to storm-surge flooding. Site surveying work began in December to lay the groundwork for detailed engineering and design stages. 

Officials in Alexandria, Virginia, have authorized site planning and initial design work for a $50 million initiative related to a storm sewer system and stormwater conveyance projects. The effort will be designed to improve and mitigate flood risks for the Del Ray neighborhood which experienced recurring devastation because of inadequate stormwater infrastructure.  Additionally, design will include ways to further mitigate risks by increasing storm sewer system capacity so water can be safely retained. Other components of the project will include green infrastructure and bioretention elements to capture stormwater run-off and surface pollutants. 

City leaders in Springfield, Missouri, are waiting for completion of design work on a stormwater infrastructure project to mitigate flooding near Jordan Creek. The $26 million effort will include construction of five water retention basins to naturally collect stormwater runoff. A neglected creek will likely become part of the plan. Design for the first phase includes creating a channel along the infilled Jordan Creek that will be landscaped with vegetated banks, native foliage and other assets to aid with water retention during flooding events. Eventually, the city also plans to create a greenspace around the renewed Jordan Creek, which will further expand water retention capacity and allow for development in the area.

In Ohio, a $14 million project will reconfigure a 60-acre park in the city of Shaker Heights. The plan includes numerous green stormwater infrastructure features. This effort became possible after a 170-year-old dam was removed from the site. Preliminary plans for the park include components of stream hydrology since the flow of water from a stream running through the site could impact the park’s stormwater retention design. 

Similar projects are in the design phase throughout America. Funding for water projects in 2023 is readily available. The country’s water infrastructure has moved into high-priority status and there is little reason for public officials not to move quickly to launch critical water-related projects that will improve resources, protect citizens, and prevent future destruction related to weather events.

Colby Manwaring has made a career out of creating and delivering water infrastructure software.  Starting his career as a software developer at a small startup company, Manwaring progressed through product management, sales and marketing, technical training, and continuing education.  Eventually, this progression saw Manwaring move into roles that required leadership, strategic business planning, and execution.  However, although Manwaring has been in many different positions within the industry, his focus has always been on developing software that helps water infrastructure experts plan, design, simulate, operate, or maintain their projects.  Manwaring is drawn to the challenges that come along with water infrastructure solutions.  He notes that, from the perspective of infrastructure, there is constant pressure on the water supply, and that events like natural disasters further exacerbate this pressure.

Manwaring currently serves as the VP of Innovyze for Autodesk.  Before being acquired by Autodesk two years ago, Innovyze has a history that goes back nearly four decades.  According to Manwaring, who served as CEO for Innovyze, the company was an “aggregation of several specialist software companies…pulled together over a couple of decades to deliver an end-to-end solution for water infrastructure software.”  When Manwaring joined Innovyze, the company was focused on expanding their usability and adaptability to respond to more modern water problems.  According to Manwaring, water infrastructure software was largely focused on designing and building new systems.  In a natural progression, water infrastructure software has now had the challenge of further adapting to maintain these systems,  Manwaring also points out that maintenance is just one part of these modern challenges as water infrastructure experts need to utilize various add-ons to their already existing water models.

Around five or six years ago, Manwaring and his team at Innovyze began to notice a gap in the processes that define water infrastructure software.  While there had been significant progress made from a modeling and processes perspective, there were gaps in communication between the engineers, designers, operators, and maintainers.  Manwaring and his team at Innovyze set about bridging these gaps with a software solution that would facilitate communication from the designer through the lifecycle of a project to the end-users.  This represented a paradigm shift in water infrastructure software with technologies having to change from project design to continuous lifecycle analytics.  This way of deploying water infrastructure software is beneficial in that it reduces errors as a project moves through its lifecycle–helping designers and operators.  It also provides tools for the decision-makers at water utilities.  With a better understanding of how their system operates, its design, and its maintenance, these decision-makers have access to information that will help them better shape their decisions for the future.

Around two years ago, Autodesk acquired Innovyze, which further expanded the software they had been developing.  Manwaring, who now serves as VP of Innovyze for Autodesk, notes that this move allowed them to “connect together water infrastructure and intelligence with the design-build aspect of infrastructure…particularly in construction services.”  Now under the banner of Autodesk, Innovyze recently announced the release of its Info360 product, which is part of the Info360 Cloud Platform.  This platform is unique in that it creates and powers digital twins using data created from planning and construction operations, centralizing all the information about a particular piece of water infrastructure.  This centralization of information helps utilities such as water treatment plants monitor their operations and optimize them for the future.  The Info 360 Platform is a cloud-based operational analytics platform that provides data analysis and workflows to monitor the performance and compliance of a water treatment plant, and, ultimately, recommend and generate operational parameters that will improve aspects of the treatment plant.

As the AEC industry looks for ways to reduce energy consumption and move towards a greener future, water infrastructure is a good place to start.  According to Manwaring, the largest cost for water utilities is electricity, which can be greatly reduced by optimizing the use of the electrical equipment.  Furthermore, Manwaring points out that this centralization of information provides a tremendous advantage when submitting environmental paperwork to the EPA.  By providing the software framework to support it, Manwaring and his team at Autodesk are pushing the AEC industry towards a future in which real time data provides important planning and forecasting for the future.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.  

“From devastating storms and floods to droughts and pollutants, local communities and economies everywhere are feeling the impacts of escalating water challenges,” said Patrick Decker, President and Chief Executive Officer at Xylem. “By engaging students and fostering innovation, we have the power to turn the tide on the global water crisis. Our Student Innovation Challenge is an opportunity to bring together the brightest young minds from around the world and tap into their shared passion for innovation to help us shape a brighter future.”

Under the initiative, which is part of Xylem’s global youth program Xylem Ignite, students and their teams can win cash prizes for their project while receiving support from leading water sector experts. Students compete in either high school or university categories, with $5,000 awarded to the top project in each.

The 2023 challenges are focused on: The Water Impact of Green Hydrogen Production, Awareness to Action, Waterways Pollution Prevention Using Data Science, and Water-Energy-Emissions Nexus in Buildings. The deadline for project submissions is April 22, and the winners will be announced later this summer.

Last year, more than 800 high school and university students from more than 50 countries participated. Team SWiFT from Santa Clara, California, was awarded the 2022 grand prize in the high school category for their project to improve the life span of hand-powered water pumps which are commonly used to access water in rural communities.

Team AquaFlo from Canada won the 2022 grand prize in the university category for their design of two technical solutions to notify users when a water hand pump is out of service. Their concepts included a mobile app and an automated message service system.

“The students that have come through the Xylem Global Student Innovation Challenge are some of the best and brightest,” said Austin Alexander, Vice President, Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. “Their ideas have the potential to transform the impact of water on our society. We’re privileged to be able to nurture and encourage their talent so that future generations can benefit from their innovative thinking and ideas.”

To learn more and to register for Xylem’s Global Student Innovation Challenge visit innovationchallenge.xylem.com.

In his new duties, Quinnell is responsible for leading the management and design for treated, raw, waste and stormwater pump station projects. Quinnell will lead a team of professionals and technicians from project conception through construction and participate in business development and proposals.

Jeremy Nakashima, PE, LAN Vice President, says, “Michael’s strong background in managing large raw water supply utilities will add to our expertise. He has significant experience working on pump station designs for municipal and water authorities, so he can work effectively with clients on their operational needs. His vast knowledge will help us as we expand our water and wastewater practice in the Midwest region.”

Quinnell is a noted engineer with experience in managing water supply facilities, ground storage tanks, large diameter pipelines and stormwater pump stations. Previously, Quinnell worked as the general manager of a large municipal water supply corporation, managing the operation and maintenance of the entire water supply system. Quinnell has also worked in the automotive industry where he led the design of Electrical Power Steering Systems used in a variety of vehicles.

A licensed Professional Engineer, Quinnell has a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan Technological University and a master’s degree in the management of technology from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Having joined the firm 15 years ago, Bergdolt has led numerous highly technical projects from conceptual planning through construction and startup. Projects have included wastewater facility expansions and upgrades, water quality improvements, sustainable water supplies, and sewer system rehabilitation.

As Western Canada leader, Bergdolt will augment the firm’s 60-year history of planning and engineering services for the Lower Mainland’s water and environment sector. In addition to developing Vancouver’s original sewerage plan in 1953, the Rawn Report, projects by the firm include upgrades to the world’s largest trickling filter solids contact wastewater facility and supporting the development of Vancouver’s Healthy Waters Plan.

He will be responsible for operations management, driving new client growth, and expanding the firm’s regional presence to meet market and customer needs. In alignment with Brown and Caldwell’s commitment to First Nations opportunities, he will advocate First Nation engagement on projects within British Columbia and Western Canada to provide contracting and economic development opportunities.  

Furthermore, Bergdolt will oversee the hiring and advancement of top talent and strengthen Brown and Caldwell’s reputation as the place to work on the most complex environmental engineering projects.

“Dave’s leadership, experience, and client-centric focus will be key to the continued growth of our Canada business,” said Brown and Caldwell Senior Vice President Steve Anderson. “His deep knowledge will be an asset to our clients and people as we work together to positively impact our communities.”

“The addition of a small diameter UV curing technology rounds out our product line-up and provides a system specifically designed for laterals and interior building piping systems,” said Mike Vellano, CEO of Vortex Companies. “We have partnered with S1E, whose core customers include residential and commercial plumbers, to be our distribution and sales partner.”

“We’re extremely excited to add MICROcure to our catalog of pipe repair solutions,” stated Ron Smith, President of S1E. “There is a huge need for this non-invasive pipe renewal technology, and we’re excited to present it to our customers looking to grow their business.”  

MICROcure is specifically engineered to reline sewer mains, laterals, and interior plumbing systems ranging from 3” to 10” in diameter and works with both inversion and CIPP methods. Designed for portability, MICROcure is built on a two-wheel carriage and weighs only 176 pounds.  The system comes with two light sources for optimum curing: a 2×400-watt unit that easily navigates multiple bends up to 90 degrees for 3” to 6” pipe, and an 8×100-watt unit that accommodates 6” to 10” pipes. Vortex and S1E’s training support resources will be valuable to help educate the North American market about MICROcure’s advantages for small-diameter trenchless rehabilitation, supporting domestic adoption of the technology.

“MICROcure’s application versatility, and compact size make it a sensible addition to a plumbing contractor’s services,” added Smith. “It will potentially create a new income stream for plumbers wanting to invest in a trenchless and non-invasive solution for repairing or renewing in-building piping systems as well as structures’ lateral and sewer lines.”

Learn more about MICROcure’s capabilities by visiting ims-robotics.com/microcure.

More than 15,600 employees participated in Xylem’s corporate social responsibility program, Xylem Watermark, in 2022, supporting a range of initiatives such as educating the next generation about critical water challenges, expanding access to safe water and sanitation, and supporting communities in crisis.

“Xylem Watermark is fundamental to our mission to solve the world’s biggest water challenges,” said Austin Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. “Our employees and partners showed remarkable commitment to solving short- and long-term water challenges in 2022, with 160 offices having 100% employee participation. We are proud of our teams and partners, who have already begun 2023 by volunteering in response to community needs, everywhere, including support for relief efforts and provision of fresh water to earthquake-affected regions of Turkey.”

“In 2022, our partnership with Xylem delivered clean water and sanitation to more than 2 million people affected by poverty or disaster,” said Rose Hogan, Interim Technical Unit Vice President at Americares. “Through the continued commitment of the Xylem team, we’ve provided water, sanitation, and hygiene education in India and Bangladesh, including infrastructure improvements and critical repairs in 27 health centers and six schools. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together in 2022.”

Employee’s volunteer efforts also contribute to Xylem’s 2025 Sustainability Goals, which include: providing access to clean water and sanitation for at least 20 million people; providing water and WASH (Water and Sanitation Hygiene) education for 15 million people; and giving 1% of profits and 1% of employee time to water-related causes and education.

In 2022, Xylem Watermark projects included:

• To support relief efforts in Ukraine, Xylem employees raised funds, hosted refugee families, collected supplies, donated equipment, and deployed emergency water treatment systems that serve 128,000 people.
• Xylem’s Humanitarian Disaster Response Team provided emergency water treatment systems in Ukraine, South Africa, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
• Employees raised water scarcity awareness and reduced water pollution through the global “Take Steps to Solve Water” campaign, featuring Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. 
• Partnering with NGO organizations including Americares, Engineers Without Borders, and Planet Water Foundation, Xylem Watermark supported the expansion of safe water and sanitation access to schools, hospitals, and communities, reaching 2.4 million people.
• Xylem Ignite continued to inspire future water leaders, with more than 1,200 students participating in the second annual Global Student Innovation Challenge and the Re-New Our World Challenge in the Middle East.

“Xylem Innovation Labs is an evolution of our collaborative approach to innovation,” said David Flinton, Chief Innovation, Technology, and Product Management Officer at Xylem. “Partnering with emerging tech companies allows us to tap into the diversity and power of global water innovators and work together to fast-track real-world solutions and business models to help our customers and communities solve their toughest water challenges.”

Launched in 2022, the Xylem Innovation Labs commercial accelerator program takes new technologies to market to tackle global water issues such as scarcity, accessibility, and affordability, while reducing the carbon emissions of water systems. The first iteration of the program supported 15 companies across eight countries, with a focus on solutions that address water quality, wastewater treatment and asset management.

These startups are already making waves in the water industry. New solutions range from augmented reality headsets connecting field-service teams in remote locations to expediting wastewater treatment plant designs for utilities using artificial intelligence, as well as atmospheric water generation systems that supply water for industrial sites and commercial buildings.

“In only the second year of the program, Xylem Innovation Labs has already established itself as a key partner for the best water entrepreneurs as they launch their initial pilots and scale their businesses,” said Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner and Founder of early-stage water investor, Burnt Island Ventures. “It has been genuinely exciting to watch Xylem, a global water sector leader, dedicate resources to support startups as they jointly commercialize water innovations.”

Xylem Innovation Labs was created to enable Xylem to leverage the power of partnerships by working with universities, startups, technology companies, venture capital firms, non-profits, and other innovators to expedite bringing new breakthrough technologies to market.

This collaborative approach addresses a significant pain point of technology adoption in the water industry, moving from pilot to commercial scale. Through mentorship, interactive workshops, and commercial pilots, the program aims to support these emerging companies to refine, optimize, and scale their solutions.

“Xylem is committed to driving innovation in the water industry,” said Sivan Zamir, Vice President at Xylem Innovation Labs. “Our accelerator program supports that mission by bringing together phenomenal innovators from across the water sector, leveraging Xylem’s size and reach to fast-track technologies that can make a meaningful difference for communities around the world.”

“This is the first document of its kind that provides the rationale, data and formulas for determining the proper wall thickness for a fused, highly ductile, flexible HDPE water main in a seismically sensitive area, subjected to an induced lateral spread,” stated Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., F. ASCE, co-chair, Municipal Advisory Board and senior director of engineering, Municipal and Industrial Division of PPI. 

MAB serves as an independent, non-commercial adviser to the Municipal & Industrial Division of PPI, the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry.

The MAB-9 Task Group was made up of industry experts who volunteered their time.  It was headed by Michael O’Rourke, Ph.D., P.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE, professor emeritus civil engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY).

“Experience suggests that high-density polyethylene pipe does very well in earthquakes,” O’Rourke said, “but engineers like to have ways to calculate and substantiate their design. Listening to what somebody else says that, ‘Oh yes, the pipe is great’,  but they still are faced with the question of ‘what wall thickness do I need?’  ‘I have this particular diameter pipe and it’s going to be buried this far underneath the ground so what wall thickness do I need for some expected seismic event?’  The goal is to have HDPE pipe that will be able to withstand the expected earthquake loads on this inherently ductile material.  With that in mind, MAB thought it would be useful to develop a document that provides designers with some relationships, tables, formulas, et cetera, that they can use to figure out how thick the wall would need to be for an expected lateral spread.  And that’s the purpose of the MAB-9.

“HDPE is known as a continuous pipe, which means the pipe segments, which are 40 feet to 50 feet long, are fused together,” he continued.  “The ductile iron or cast iron pipe has joints every 15 or 20 feet, and the damage from a seismic event frequently occurs at those joints.  Continuous pipe, whether it’s welded steel or high-density polyethylene, usually does better than segmented pipe in earthquakes.  HDPE has the added advantage over steel (and all other materials) in that it is highly ductile, flexible and corrosion resistant and so it can move with the earth as opposed to trying to resist the deformations that the earth is imposing on it.”

Rubeiz elaborated, “MAB-9 is essential for many reasons.  Proper wall thickness is very important, especially with earthquakes, and ground movement.  Plus, there continues to be a dire need to replace the aging infrastructure, especially pipes that are older and brittle that many seismic events will cause them to crack.  HDPE pipe and the information contained in MAB-9 will help in those replacement programs to provide a proper and resilient  water main system.

“We would also like to thank the other MAB members and supporting engineers who provided their time and expertise to the project – Robert Diamond, P.E., City of Palo Alto, CA; Casey Haynes, P.E., City Utilities, Springfield, MO; Bill Heubach, P.E., M. ASCE, Seattle Public Utilities, WA; Harvey Svetlik, P.E., GPPC, TX; and Gerry Groen, P.Eng., Infra Pipe Solutions, ON.”

MAB-9, Design of HDPE Water Mains for the Lateral Spread Seismic Hazard can be found at:  https://www.plasticpipe.org/common/Uploaded%20files/1-PPI/MAB%20Publications/MAB-09/MAB-9%20Final%201-17-2023.pdf

To support this expansion, Xylem (NYSE:XYL), a leading global water technology company, has been selected by the City of Toronto to supply customized equipment for a new integrated pumping station (IPS) – a critical component that ensures reliable and safe transport of wastewater. The project will replace two existing pumping stations, one operating since 1911 and the other since the early 1970s, both adjacent to the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The plant’s new IPS will include 14 Flygt A-C series dry pit pumps. These pumps, designed for low maintenance and operational costs, will reduce Toronto’s energy consumption rate and ensure reliable station operation.

“As Toronto continues to grow, we are proud to support such a large and complex project,” said Matthew Pine, Chief Operating Officer, Xylem. “Xylem’s highly efficient solutions, expertise and local presence will help ensure safe, reliable and sustainable wastewater treatment for generations to come.”

Once operational, this IPS will move raw sewage from the underground sewer system into the treatment plant. In addition, the IPS will add Wet Weather Flow pumping capability to pump collected CSOs from the new Don River and Central Waterfront tunnel system, to a new high-rate treatment facility.

Xylem’s Pewaukee, Wisconsin facility will design, build and test the customized equipment. Life cycle services will be provided by Xylem’s three Service Centers near Toronto in Etobicoke, Ottawa and Sudbury. Certified and factory-trained technicians will provide the necessary expertise for installation, training, monitoring/diagnostic and maintenance.

The project is currently in its design stage; construction is expected to start in 2025 and take ten years to complete.

The event formed part of Xylem Water Heroes Academy, a unique collaboration between Xylem and Manchester City’s global foundation, empowering young leaders in 10 cities around the world to solve local water challenges using the power of football. The two new towers contain water filtration systems which will help provide for the daily drinking needs of 1,800 people, reduce the burden of collecting water, and counter water-borne diseases, keeping children healthier and in school. Before the towers’ arrival, collecting water required a lot of time. Across the world, women and children spend 200 million hours daily carrying water¹. Dehia’s people are not exceptions.

Yet today, young people in the community can reinvest the time saved into their education and local activities such as football training provided by Play Soccer Ghana as part of the Water Heroes Academy programme. During the week, young leaders delivered a football and water education festival for 100 local children at the Football for Hope Centre, supported by Manchester City community coaches and Joleon Lescott. Local kids also enjoyed reading events that debuted Splash, the children’s book character helping kids learn about water security, to the region. Created in Africa by Xylem’s social investment division, Xylem Watermark, Splash brings the message of water’s importance and protection to people across the continent through fun and colourful adventures. Since January 2020, Xylem Water Heroes Academy has supported 75 young leaders in Cape Coast to develop innovative football-based sessions to educate more than 4,000 young people on the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene.

Helping Ghanaians Build Their Futures

Football helps bring communities together and is a powerful vehicle to uplift the health of young people and drive social change.

Joleon Lescott, Manchester City legend, said: “I was honoured to join this visit to Cape Coast in Ghana alongside our partner, Xylem, and our amazing fan volunteers. To see first-hand the impact young leaders are making in their communities through the power of football, and to be able to contribute to the building of the water towers, was an incredible experience.”

The new tower will make a lasting difference to the lives of Cape Coast’s people, says Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager, Xylem Africa:

“We take a lot of inspiration from the positive attitudes and activities of Cape Coast’s people. They work hard to create their futures and also play hard through their passion for football. This tower supports their goals and dreams. At Xylem, we are thrilled to work with Manchester City Football Club and Play Soccer Ghana, and thank our global NGO partner Planet Water for their role in this collaboration. Together, we support people to look after water and make it available for everyone.”

Country Director of Play Soccer Ghana, Franklin Asuo said: “We at Play Soccer Ghana are happy that thousands of people in Cape Coast, particularly school children, will have access to clean water through these towers. We appreciate the commitment of our partners Manchester City, Xylem and Planet Water. There are a lot of talents in Cape Coast. This initiative is an immense contribution to developing such human capital, and to realise more and more children pursuing their passion to the fullest, including football”.

Young Leader Emmanuella added: “I grew up in Dehia and every morning walked for 30 minutes and then queued to fetch clean water before school. This project is helping to change lives. Now children have easier access to clean water as well as vital knowledge on sanitation and hygiene. Having the chance to meet Joleon Lescott and the Manchester City coaches has been very special and given me more inspiration to keep making a positive difference.”

Antonio de la Torre explores the advances in pumps that have supported the optimization of desalination plants.

The changing climate, rising populations, economic growth and increased urbanization are all contributing to water scarcity across much of the world. In recent decades, many regions have turned to seawater desalination to provide their populations with sufficient fresh water for agricultural, domestic and industrial purposes.

Previous innovation

Surging demand has been the catalyst for continual innovation in the desalination industry, and there is no better example than the changes in the design and technology of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants since the beginning of the 21st Century.

In 2001, a 50’000 m³ per day SWRO plant was considered quite large. While there were a few larger facilities in operation around the world, most were significantly smaller. An SWRO train with a capacity of 15’000 m³ per day was considered huge and Pelton turbines were the dominant energy recovery technology.

At the time, a high-pressure RO pump delivering 600 m³ per hour with an efficiency of 83% was a considerable technical achievement.

An efficiency revolution

20 years on, the specific power consumption of SWRO plants has been reduced from 6 kWh per m³ to less than 3 kWh per m³. Improvements in membrane performance and the use of new energy recovery devices have been crucial in that doubling of energy efficiency, but advances in pump technology have also played an important role.

As one of the world’s leading pump specialists, Sulzer has been involved in the RO sector for many decades. Constantly pushing the boundaries of pump design and providing reliable, high-performance equipment to major projects worldwide.

The use of wear parts made of polymeric materials with good tribological properties, for example, have enabled efficiency improvements of 2% to 3%. Advanced materials have also paved the way for the introduction of product-lubricated bearings that require no oil or grease. That saves operators the expense and complexity of forced oil lubrication systems, reduces the risk of product contamination and enables state-of-the-art efficiency without compromising reliability.

Improvements in hydraulic performance have been achieved by replacing axial split casing pumps with ring section designs. Initially, this approach was only applied to smaller RO trains, but these pumps are now available with capacities of up to 1’000 m³ per hour for larger trains.

Hydraulic improvements came also in low pressure applications, where traditionally single stage, double suction pumps were traditionally used. Today, even at higher capacities, users are now choosing cost-effective end suction overhung pump designs with higher efficiencies and extremely good suction performance in a highly reliable way.

Pump control technology has improved dramatically too, thanks to the availability of reliable and cost-effective variable speed drives. These give users the flexibility to run pumps over a wider range of operating conditions, minimizing the need to regulate flows via valve throttling. They also allow pumps to operate closer to their best efficiency point, avoiding unnecessary impeller trims that can have a negative impact on overall efficiency. While the first variable speed drives used in the industry were affordable only for low voltage drivers for low pressure pumps, the availability of medium voltage drives has extended the benefits of this approach to high-pressure pumps.

Economies of scale

Perhaps the most important driver of improved pump efficiency in RO plants leading to substantially reduced specific consumption has been scale, since the efficiency of a centrifugal pump increases with its capacity. The first opportunity to capture scale advantages came with the introduction of larger RO trains, which increased from a maximum of 15’000 m³ per day in 2001, to 25’000 or even 30’000 m³ per day.

The next opportunity came from a change in system architecture. The creation of the Pressure Center concept allowed the introduction of very large pumps that supply multiple RO trains through a manifold system. Plants using this design were first introduced in the mid-2000s and it has since become the standard approach for large SWRO facilities.

Sulzer has been supplying high pressure pumps for such Pressure Center concepts from the beginning. Utilizing a two-stage solution, the high-pressure pumps used in those first Pressure Center facilities had a high-pressure flow of around 2’500 m³ per hour and achieved efficiencies of around 88%. Today, Sulzer is delivering high-pressure pumps for the largest plants with capacities in the range of 3’500 to 4’000m³ per hour and efficiencies above 90%.

While efficiency improvements on the high-pressure pump are getting close to the physical limits, potential improvements are coming from other pumps services in a SWRO plant. This performance is being matched by the company’s latest low-pressure end suction pumps, used in other continuous services like the intermediate, the low-pressure booster or the second pass pumps, which can also achieve efficiency ratings of more than 90%.

The desalination sector is continually advancing, with incremental improvements in scale, efficiency and reliability. Each new project aims to reach the limits of performance, and every year the sector finds ways to push those limits just a little further. As a leading player in the pump industry and a longstanding partner to the sector, Sulzer is proud to play its own part in that ongoing improvement process. Ultimately, everyone has one common goal: delivering more affordable fresh water to the people that need it most. 

Resilient and sustainable, Smart Ponds allow seaports to protect the environment from untreated stormwater and shield against extreme weather events, while also ensuring that nearly 100 percent of a port’s available land can be dedicated to meeting expansion demands for cargo calling on ports.

“Seaports are the gateway for America’s economy, and resilient, green infrastructure that protects America’s ports is essential,” said Jeff Littlejohn, P.E., Co-Founder of National Stormwater Trust (NST). “Port Tampa Bay is leading by example, and embracing the future of stormwater management with two Smart Ponds that are improving water quality, while also providing flood protection.”

Installed at the beginning of January, the second Smart Pond is located near Port Tampa Bay on State Road 676. It joins Port Tampa Bay’s first Smart Pond, installed near the entrance of Port Tampa Bay on South 22^nd Street last June. The first Smart Pond quickly demonstrated its value, successfully capturing more than 175,000 cubic feet of stormwater during Hurricane Ian, reducing flooding in neighborhoods and businesses surrounding Port Tampa Bay and preventing this untreated runoff from flowing into Tampa Bay.

The inaugural Smart Pond at Port Tampa Bay was recently awarded an Environmental Stewardship Award from the Florida Recycling Partnership for its protection of untreated stormwater from flowing into Tampa Bay during Hurricane Ian.

Here’s how NST’s Smart Ponds work: They leverage a real-time weather forecasting and automated control system from OptiRTC to lower water levels before a storm arrives. While the sun is still shining, a Smart Pond can drain itself to increase its flood storage capacity. A Smart Pond is also in constant communication with professional stormwater managers and can even be remotely controlled. These innovations result in dramatic improvements to water quality treatment and flood protection performance.

NST Smart Ponds have been installed at Florida Department of Transportation Ponds as part of a multi-year program to improve stormwater management across Florida. NST has also installed Smart Ponds for the award-winning Babcock Ranch, and are in development at JAXPORT, Port Canaveral and The Villages, among other locations.

Dena Prastos’ love and appreciation for the natural world is deep-rooted, having been born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska.  As an undergraduate, Prastos studied architecture before earning a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.  Looking to gain a more practical understanding of how processes work together in the field, Prastos started her career with a self-perform contractor before working on high-end projects in the design-engineering world.  Afterwards, she moved to an architectural firm to become a licensed architect.  During her career, Dena has gained experience leading projects around the world conducting heavy civil construction, marine engineering, and waterfront infrastructure.

This experience made Prastos think differently about the AEC industry, particularly the way in which waterfront and waterfront-adjacent projects are designed and completed.  She was drawn to not only the unique technical challenges that come with building around water, but also saw opportunity on the regulatory side.  Waterfront projects, particularly in large cities such as New York, often include multiple levels of regulatory oversight from the local, state, and federal agencies having jurisdiction. From Prastos’ perspective, being the waterfront expert in these large coordination efforts was a beneficial position. In this climate, Prastos found a niche and carved out her position as the world’s first Waterfront Architect.  

The term “Waterfront Architect” came to Prastos while she was being interviewed for a position at an engineering firm nearly a decade ago.  The person interviewing her–who is now her partner, Shea Thorvaldsen –suggested the term after reviewing Prastos’ experience.  She was initially hesitant about the idea, but soon began to realize the term and framing fit with her experience and aspirations.  Unlike other disciplines in the AEC industry like engineering, architects haven’t categorized themselves into distinct specializations.  However, in an increasingly specialized world, Prastos saw an opportunity for growth and expansion, and embraced the concept of being a Waterfront Architect.   With her background in architecture and engineering combined with experience working on high profile design-build waterfront projects, Prastos found herself in a uniquely advantageous position.  This background gave Prastos the capacity to advocate for whoever wasn’t a part of the process–whether it be designers or architects, engineers, contractors, owners, stakeholders, or end users.

Seeking to capitalize on her passions at the intersection of architecture, engineering, construction, and nature, Prastos founded and launched Indigo River in 2018.  In technical terms, Indigo River is a Waterfront Solutions company, a certified Women Owned Business (“WBE”), but their own self description–as a “transdisciplinary tribe…focused on planning in both space and time, to create adaptive solutions that yield positive impacts now and into the future”–speaks to a more nuanced approach to affecting change in both the AEC industry and the built environment.  Expanding on their traditional waterfront services, growing areas of focus include climate adaptation, offshore wind development, and floating energy storage. Five years after Indigo River was founded, it has 15 team members from a wide swath of disciplines including traditionally trained architects, landscape architects, naval architects, urban planners, climate adaptation specialists, as well as civil, geotechnical, structural, marine, and coastal engineers.  What unites this group and makes them a tribe, according to Prastos, is an intrinsic desire to enhance the waterfront, its infrastructure, and recreational access while not doing any further harm to the environment or ecosystem.  Prastos believes that these uniting principles have created a strong culture that encourages these different disciplines to work together.

This unique combination of complementary disciplines has created a culture that is very much rooted in Prastos’ own unique journey.  For Prastos’ using the word “tribe” to describe Indigo River is apt because they are comprised of individuals drawn together by a common purpose–improving the waterfront.  Be it offshore wind, fishing, swimming, or boating, the team at Indigo River are all drawn to the water personally as well as professionally, which creates a unique atmosphere where different perspectives can exist for a meaningful exercise of their common goals.  This means approaching their projects from this holistic dedication to improving the waterfront, and the result has been resounding client, agency, and end user satisfaction.  Indigo River is committed to diversity and participation in all facets of the AEC industry, especially on the waterfront. Prastos sees Indigo River’s momentum as an opportunity to shape a network of M/W/DBEs that lead to joint ventures and partnerships to respond to waterfront design, construction and contracting opportunities.  One such example is the joint venture, TMI Waterfront Solutions, which launched in 2020, to establish the first GWO Certified Maritime and Offshore Wind Training School in New York City, with a particular focus on mentoring and training diverse populations.

For Prastos, establishing and nurturing good relationships with clients and teaming partners is a major component of building a better future in terms of sustainability and equity.  By leading clients to opportunities that provide a return on investment, firms can first establish trust.  In turn, this opens up the discussion to other professional service offerings.  Prastos believes that, by thinking creatively and developing this trust, firms can engage clients on a level of not only the bottom line, but more importantly about how the project can protect and improve the public’s health, safety, and welfare now and into the future.  These sorts of discussions put projects in the context of the larger picture and produce deliverables that reduce the bottom line as much as possible while still serving the larger needs of the public.

Indigo River’s unique approach to building an AEC firm is paying off with tangible results, leading to satisfied clients.  By building a team from a diverse set of disciplines around a common set of goals, Indigo River is providing more job satisfaction for their team members and improving relationships with clients and regulatory agencies.  As Prastos and her team continue to grow, their continued success is a testament to their commitment to making the built environment a better place.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.  

Published today by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the Water 2050 Technology Think Tank Report is the second in a series of five think tank reports associated with the initiative. Water 2050 seeks to envision the future of water and chart a course for sustainability.

The 26 participants in the Water 2050 Technology Think Tank, which took place Dec. 5-7, 2022, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility, manufacturing and consulting community, innovation incubators, Silicon Valley thought leaders, privacy and cybersecurity experts, regulators and academics, CEOs and an agriculture research hydrologist. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into four broad categories:

• Accelerate innovation
• Transform water services through next-generation technology
• Apply technology as the “Great Water Equalizer”
• Achieve a secure cyber future

“It is our responsibility as water professionals and technology innovators to chart a course for a successful and sustainable future,” said Chi Ho Sham, AWWA immediate past president and a member of the Water 2050 Leadership Team. “By collaborating with influential thinkers from within and beyond the traditional water community, we will be better positioned to harness transformational new technologies and approaches, and at the same time, mitigate unintended consequences.”

Three other think tanks will be held over the next six months to visualize the future of water through the additional drivers of economics, governance and social/demographics. High-level recommendations will be reported after each think tank, and after all five are completed, the reports will be combined with additional Water 2050 inputs into a final report. Outcomes will be presented at AWWA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE23) in Toronto to support the water community in realizing the Water 2050 vision.

The next Water 2050 Think Tank, focusing on economics, is Jan. 23-25 in New York City. To engage in AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative or to learn more, visit the Water 2050 webpage. To access the Water 2050 Technology Think Tank report, visit this webpage.

Critical to water security, forested watersheds provide 75 percent of the world’s accessible freshwater (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations 2021) and supply drinking water for more than two-thirds of North American consumers (EPA 2019). The frequency and severity of forest fires have been increasing globally with warming temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns due to climate change. Wildfires can cause costly, long-term water treatment issues that push water treatment processes beyond their design and operational response capabilities.

Such issues include filtration effectiveness, disinfection efficacy, the elevation of disinfection by-product formation, and increased bioavailable phosphorus leading to problematic cyanobacterial/algal blooms.

Led by a principal research team of Lynn Stephens (Brown and Caldwell), Dr. Mac Gifford and Yone Akagi (Portland Water Bureau), and Dr. Monica Emelko (University of Waterloo), Water Research Foundation (WRF) project #5168 is funded by the foundation’s Emerging Opportunities Program and the Portland Water Bureau (PWB).

PWB is designing a new greenfield 135 million gallons per day water filtration facility. This study will inform how to prioritize treatment changes due to wildfires and other events. Additional in-kind partners include Metro Vancouver, Medford Water Commission, and the City of Grants Pass.

The team will assess the ash characteristics of several past Northwest fires, including large amounts of ash collected by PWB from the 2020 Riverside Fire, which spread to over 138,000 acres. Ash collected by Seattle Public Utilities and Metro Vancouver from the 2022 Bolt Creek Fire and Minnekhada Fire, respectively, will also be analyzed.

This project has already been a successful collaboration between utilities to collect such large amounts of ash in an active fire zone. The team will use the large amounts of ash to conduct bench- and pilot-scale treatment experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatment strategies. Moreover, specialized analytical monitoring to fully characterize organics and nutrient changes throughout the treatment process will be utilized.

“It is becoming more common for wildfires to impact drinking water supplies. This study will equip utilities with guidance on how to best enhance treatment resilience to climate change-exacerbated landscape disturbances, including but not limited to wildland fire,” said Stephens.

A key outcome of the study will be the prioritization of readily available adaptations to the water treatment process to respond to wildfire impacts and still meet regulatory, public health, and production requirements. The project is anticipated to take 15 months. Upon completion, a project report will be published and findings presented to the industry via a WRF webcast.

“Being as proactive as we can is the absolute right course of action when it comes to providing safe drinking water to our customers,” said Greg Veliz, Executive Director of the FKAA. “This work that will begin in Islamorada, will continue for the next two to three decades and be a legacy project that will inspire water utilities across the globe to replicate.”

In late February 2023, work will begin on Islamorada to replace approximately four miles of the original transmission main that’s 60 years old. The old 30-inch ductile water main will be replaced with a new cathodically protected 36-inch steel pipe. Additionally, the mains at the Teatable Relief and Whale Harbor bridge crossings will be installed underwater to isolate them from high winds and storm surges.

“We’re starting with Islamorada because we’re seeing the effects of aggressive soils and subterranean tidal flows that submerge and expose the pipeline to corrosive conditions,” said Mr. Veliz. “After we complete our work in Islamorada, we plan to begin replacing a portion of the Key West transmission line, then Plantation Key, and go from there until the entire 130-mile system is upgraded with new steel pipes.”  

The Islamorada Transmission Line Replacement Project will cost approximately $42 million, with $35 million being provided by state and federal grants, and the remaining $7 million being funded through a low interest loan. The FKAA plans to apply for additional grants to help fund future upgrades to the 130-mile system.

For more information about the FKAA and the innovative work they are doing, visit https://www.fkaa.com.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in the UK, Syrinix specializes in high-frequency pressure monitoring and leak detection within water distribution and collection networks. Its remote network monitoring equipment and cloud-based software platform deliver data, customized alerts and insights that empower customers with real-time asset monitoring to reduce water loss and improve asset life.

Kenneth C. Bockhorst, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Badger Meter, stated, “We are pleased to add the hardware-enabled software capabilities of Syrinix into our smart water solutions portfolio. Leveraging our industry-leading ORION^® Cellular endpoints and BEACON^® software, we continue to expand our comprehensive digital solutions to operationalize real-time data into actionable insights that improve efficiency, resiliency and sustainability. I look forward to working alongside the talented Syrinix team to further our aim to preserve the world’s most precious resource.”

“Tubli Sewage Treatment Plant Phase 4 will be the one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Giordano Buizza, De Nora Water Technologies Southwest Europe regional sales director. “We are grateful for our partners in the region who continue to trust our team with historic projects that have the potential to make a positive impact on water treatment operations around the globe. De Nora understands scarcity challenges and believes strongly in the promising role of reuse. We are honored to continue advancing the field.” 

One of the most powerful oxidants with a fast reaction time, Capital Controls ozone generators are quickly accelerating as a preferred treatment in wastewater reuse. The system in Tubli will generate 150 kilograms of ozone per hour to destroy and oxidize residual organic contaminants in wastewater streams to render them harmless. The high-quality effluent will then be reused for irrigation and agricultural beautification purposes throughout the Bahrain service area. De Nora technology was selected amongst a group of tier one ozone manufacturers for exhibiting continuous excellence in technical support and cost-effective maintenance requirements. 

Buizza adds, “Every product line at De Nora is developed to cater to the needs faced by utilities. A universal concern is operating expenses, and that’s where our ozone technology offered the greatest benefit. Once the project is complete, we will continue working very closely with our business partner, WTE Wassertechnik GmbH over the course of the next decade to keep operating expenses low while continuing to meet environmental goals.” 

The ozone installation is part of a larger project led by WTE Wassertechnik GmbH, a leading supplier of municipal and industrial water management serving more than 20 million people in 18 countries. 

What: Torrent Resources celebrated 50 years in business in 2022. The company was founded in 1972 in Phoenix, Ariz., by Bill McGuckin as McGuckin Drilling, and began as a provider of conventional drilling solutions.

Five decades of innovation and growth have resulted in the company holding a majority of market share in multiple states across the U.S. West.

Torrent Resources offers two keystone products: the MaxWell IV Drywell System and the MaxWell Plus Drywell System. Both are state-of-the-art solutions offering deep stormwater infiltration – up to 120’ – and groundwater recharge.

When: Torrent Resources celebrated their 50^th anniversary in November 2022.

Quote: “Both MaxWell products were developed and enhanced to ensure that the world’s most valuable resource is available for generations to come,” said Tyler Metcalf, area general manager, Torrent Resources. “With Torrent now a part of CRH, we embrace the company’s legacy of integrity, innovation, and always remaining nimble and responsive, and look forward to growing together as we continue to provide premier stormwater management solutions.”

For more information or to speak with someone at Torrent Resources about the future of stormwater solutions and/or the MaxWell products, please reach out to the media contact.

Complete information on Torrent Resources may be found at www.torrentresources.com.

The LCRR requires utilities nationwide to compile a location-based inventory of service line materials by October 2024. As many water systems lack digital records or capabilities to track and submit inventories, this provision introduces significant time and resource burdens. To remedy this, 120Water’s PWS Portal provides systems of all sizes an intuitive, standardized tool to normalize, validate, and manage service line data before it is uploaded to the State Dashboard for ongoing compliance management. The submissions are automatically validated upon CSV/Excel import, at which point the state will have the opportunity to publish the approved service line inventories to the Public Transparency Dashboard.

“As a rule, we believe good data leads to good program management, and given the complexities and comprehensive nature of LCRR, a piecemeal approach to compliance is simply not possible,” said Megan Glover, co-founder and CEO of 120Water. “A project of this magnitude requires holistic, long-term solutions, which we make it our mission to provide. 120Water is committed to developing and sharing innovative tools with water professionals, and we are thrilled to be the state of Indiana’s partner in this endeavor.”

Evaluated through an open request for proposal (RFP) with the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), 120Water was chosen as the state partner based on its experience running water quality programs and building service line inventories for utilities of all sizes, its focus on continued innovation, and the current depth and breadth of collaboration with Indiana-based water systems and associations. Scope of work begins immediately, and water utilities will receive preliminary guidance in early 2023. 

120Water combines a technology-based approach with firsthand experience to form a practical understanding of workflow requirements and an appreciation for the nuances of data management. The updated PWS Portal was debuted in September 2022 at the National Rural Water Association’s (NRWA) WaterPro Conference, is commercially available and licensed in over 41 states, and is currently in use by nearly 500 public water system customers.

The energy transition is upon us. And it has governments around the world turning to solar and wind power to help meet aggressive renewable energy targets. However, grid operators face challenges when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. That’s just the intermittent nature of some of these renewable energy sources. If we want to take advantage of all that energy, we need the capacity to store it. 

Energy storage helps to quickly bring large amounts of power online to fill the gaps during times when wind or solar generation isn’t possible. Generally, when we think about energy storage we think about batteries. But when we talk about hydroelectric projects, energy storage can come in the form of pumped storage. 

In the US, pumped storage accounts for 95 percent of the energy storage capacity. And we will need to see more of these projects come online as we continue to navigate the energy transition. The good news? We are seeing pumped storage projects in development. However, there are several barriers to progress in the industry that we will need to overcome. 

Let’s look at what pumped storage is, how it can help us, the barriers to adoption, and some examples of projects across the US, particularly in the west where pumped storage projects are desperately needed to meet rising energy demands.

Pumped storage in a nutshell

Pumped storage has the capability to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir in periods where there is excess electricity on the grid or when energy prices are low. The water can then be released back through the reversible turbines as needed to meet energy demand. Essentially, it is a utility-scale “water battery” with virtually immediate response time.

How does pumped storage work? Well, pumped storage projects have two reservoirs close together with a significant elevation difference. These reservoirs are connected by pipelines that pass through a powerhouse. The powerhouse contains reversible pump turbines that can generate electricity while in turbine mode and store energy while in pump mode. This ability to store energy for times of high demand works great for days when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. The ability to use excess energy that would otherwise be lost due to lack of battery storage capacity makes pumped storage even more impactful. 

Pumped storage projects will grow increasingly more popular as the US weens itself off fossil fuels. Why? Because they have the unique ability to provide energy reserves and grid reliability. An estimated 36 gigawatts (GW) of new pumped storage capacity could be added to the US grid. Both operators and consumers see pumped storage as a proven and sustainable solution to our energy storage needs.

Challenges for pumped storage projects

Pumped storage projects can be complex to say the least. Challenges for new pumped storage plants include size, capital cost, reliance on specific geographies like mountains, and prolonged development timelines. In recent years, developers and experts are revisiting these challenges with a new enthusiasm exploring potential sites outside of the typical geography and involving new technologies.

But the biggest barrier for pumped storage projects? Regulatory roadblocks. The current regulatory framework and energy market structure in the US require a long-term commitment and vision for these projects to be built. This causes a lengthy permitting process and leads to projects not going ahead. In fact, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued only a small handful of pumped storage facility licenses in recent years. Policy changes are needed to support the timely development of additional grid-scale energy storage. 

The Seminoe Pumped Storage Project

Recently, our team was selected by rPlus Hydro to conduct a detailed feasibility study for the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project. The project is located on the Seminoe Reservoir, approximately 30 miles outside Rawlins, Wyoming.

The proposed ~900-megawatt (MW) project will help to address energy storage needs in the western US. It is needed as more renewable energy is integrated onto the grid. The project will be the ideal “water battery” for Wyoming wind energy, which is abundant. This will allow a more efficient use of new transmission infrastructure responsible for delivering that wind power to the market.

Our teams will identify and analyze the alternative intake and outlet structure types. We will also identify the location and type of upper reservoir to complete the pumped storage scheme above Seminoe Reservoir. After that, we will plan and perform a geotechnical investigation that will support the feasibility design of the underground facilities, identify pump-generating equipment, identify routing for a transmission line that will lead to nearby grid interconnection, evaluate project constructability, and provide an opinion on probable construction cost.

The Seminoe Pumped Storage Project is just one example of the work my Company has been working on in the US. In fact, Stantec has developed a global footprint in pumped storage through 57 years of experience working with clients to provide 16,000 MW in pumped storage capacity at new and existing hydroelectric pumped storage plants.

In the US, the three most recent pumped storage projects include the 40-MW Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Plant in California, the 1,035-MW Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Plant in Georgia, and the 1,800-MW Gregory County Pumped Storage Project in South Dakota. Furthermore, we are the engineer of record for the 3,000-MW Bath County Pumped Storage Plant in Virginia—the largest pumped storage project in the world.

Heading forward with pumped storage

As energy consumers, we might take for granted that at every instant, grid operators are balancing the supply of electricity with the demand.  

The significant expansion of solar and wind energy pose even greater challenges for these grid operators, who can’t control when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. A very sudden change in supply—like the drop of solar power at sunset—means other generation sources must quickly make up the difference.

While it’s difficult for some types of generators to respond quickly enough to keep the grid reliable, pumped storage excels at rapidly bringing large amounts of generation online to fill the gap. That’s why I’m excited to see future developments in the industry. If we hope to successfully combat climate change, pumped storage will need to play a big part. 

Vik Iso-Ahola is Vice President, Power & Dams.

*This article was originally published in October 2022

The original island of the pelicans in the San Francisco Bay, Yerba Buena Island sits between San Francisco and Oakland, California. The first lighthouse was built on the island in 1875. During this time, locals used the island to raise goats–for which the island was renamed for a time–and the military soon found use for the space, establishing a naval training station in 1900. A few decades later in 1936, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin dredging the bay to build a new, 400-acre island on the shoals of Yerba Buena, which had previously represented a shipping danger. 

Named for the gold that potentially lies in the mud dredged up from the bay’s floor, Treasure island was originally constructed for two purposes: to host the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition and serve as a future second airport for San Francisco’s growing population.  Several permanent structures were erected on the new island including “Building 1”–a 1938 Art Moderne building–and the terminal building meant to house and showcase new Pan American Airways Clippers. 

After the Golden Gate International Exposition ended, plans to use the development as a new airport fell out of favor and the Navy began using it as a major training station for World War II all the way through the Cold War. In 1997, the naval station on Treasure Island was closed, and the hangar buildings were converted for other uses such as sound stages for television and movies. Since this time, Treasure Island and its neighbor Yerba Buena have maintained a population around 2,000 residents. In addition, Treasure Island is home to several restaurants, schools, arts and athletics organizations, and a Job Corps campus.

Now, both Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands are poised to return to a similar level of prestige that came with the Golden Gate International Exposition.  The Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island Development Project has plans to create a new San Francisco neighborhood with homes offered at below-market rates, extensive parks and open space, public art, hotels, restaurants, and other elements that would make the development an ideal destination for both San Francisco residents and tourists alike. To manage this development, the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) began the planning stages of the project around 2011.

From a geotechnical perspective, building a new development on top of an island that was dredged from the bay’s floor over half a century ago was a tricky endeavor. To lead the geotechnical work on the development project, ENGEO started studying the island in 2003. ENGEO, one of the most comprehensive geoscience firms in the world, is serving as the Geotechnical Engineer of Record. As such, they have been working in a number of areas throughout the different phases of the project, doing everything from conducting the design-level geotechnical study to designing and overseeing a massive ground-improvement program, to designing new building foundations to providing construction-phase quality control, to setting up a Caltrans-certified materials testing lab on the island.

The plan for the development on Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island was to develop approximately 200 acres on Treasure Island and over 85 acres on Yerba Buena Island. Development will include a new ferry terminal, 8,000 residential units, and over 100 acres of parks and open space. However, to begin any sort of large-scale development on the island, engineers had to quantify how the land would perform from loading related to new buildings and earthquakes. In 2014, 2015, and 2016 ENGEO conducted full-scale field tests and design-level geotechnical studies to support the first phase of development. Uri Eliahu, ENGEO’s President and CEO, notes that these first geotechnical studies were critical to understanding how the island would perform over time. Eliahu points out that, while the entire island has experienced some degree of settling, it is by no means uniform in distribution. The average settlement across the island since it was constructed is between 6- and 6.5-feet, but, on the north end of the island, the settlement is closer to 10-feet. This is contrasted by the south end of the island, closer to Yerba Buena, that experienced only about 3-feet of settlement.  

This contrast in settlement is due to the varying materials at different locations. Closer to Yerba Buena, Treasure Island rests on not only the sand pumped up from the bay, but also natural shoals that provide an additional source of stability. At other locations on the island, the soil rests on highly compressible natural bay mud, which, according to Eliahu, makes building on the island a much more involved technical process. Under earthquake conditions, the sandy soil could liquefy, and, when significant loads are placed on top of the mud, it has a tendency to compress significantly. The real challenge of this process comes when remediation is. According to Eliahu, the remediation techniques for these two processes are the complete opposite of one another. 

Eliahu is not shy about pointing out the enormous challenge that forms the crux of the Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island Development Project– being that it is located on a manmade body of land that sits upon up to 100 feet of compressible soil and 50 feet liquefiable material, surrounded by water, nestled between the two largest faults on the continent. To both compensate for the compressible nature of the bay mud and the vulnerability of the sand to seismic activity, engineers had to take advantage of both static loading and dynamic energy. Static loading was essential to consolidating for the bay mud. This remediation tech- nique involved pre-compressing a location with a large static load to “squeeze all the water out from the mud,” says Eliahu. The key to this process is ensuring the temporary pre-fill is heavier than the foundation of the new building. In doing so, the building will impose less weight than the soil was previously under, preventing additional settling. For the areas of the island built on sandy soil, the key remediation technique was to densify the material by using dynamic energy. 

Treasure Island’s location meant that the compaction of this liquefiable material was paramount to safely building on the site. In 2015, ENGEO selected a site on the island to conduct a full-scale testing program for using dynamic energy to densify the material. Part of this testing involved using a 51-ton motor unit to densify material through vibro-compaction and replacement. Although this technology has a long record of success in Japan, it had never been used in the United States. This massive piece of machinery is outfitted with four probes shaped like H-piles. The arms are powered by two motors turning in the opposite direction, rapidly vibrating the arms up and down as they are lowered into the ground. As the machinery moves up and down, it displaces material, which the process was completed, the team then followed up by using a different, smaller tamping machine to densify the top layer of material. 

The result of this testing phase was clear: this technique was very effective at densifying the first 23-feet of material, but had almost no effect on materials below that, particularly the older, natural materials. Eliahu and his team conducted another round of testing to determine if another technique would need to be used to densify this deeper material or if it had some form of natural resistance. To get a better understanding of this deeper material, ENGEO carefully sampled the island soils and used many techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, cyclic shear testing, and geologic mapping. This refined analysis showed that the natural shoal material had a very complex composition that formed a “natural fabric” which made the underlying material resistant to movement. 

The setting of this new development means that it also has to con- tend with rising sea levels from climate change. Varying levels of settlement across the island mean that ENGEO’s team had to take an adaptive management strategy approach. Rather than building a wall of levees around the island, Eliahu and his team are taking a more innovative approach to combating sea level rise–monitoring the rising of the sea and applying that information to their settlement data. This allows them to come up with adaptable solutions that can be applied to specific areas of need on the island. The initial construction places the development area of the project about 3.5-feet above the 100-year sea level, which Eliahu believes, based on current sea level rise projections, makes the new development safe until at least the end of the century.  

As the Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island Development Project continues moving forward, each step is being supported by advanced geotechnical engineering work from ENGEO. As a part of its adaptive management strategy for the project, Eliahu points out their ability to not only plan and perform complex geotechnical work and testing, but also to monitor the data it generates in real time. This provides the team at ENGEO both a better base of knowledge to work from and flexibility to adapt to changes in near real time. With recent milestones such as the completion of the ferry terminal and its opening for daily service, ENGEO’s attention to detail is coming to fruition and will continue to benefit the project beyond its ultimate completion. 

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.  

*This article was originally published in June 2022