Articles by: Contributing Author

Strategic and Legal Considerations By Tom Olson Anyone who performs below-grade construction recognizes that one of the most important stakeholders on a project is someone who is not a contracting party: utility companies. Without accurate information from utility companies, contractors experience extra costs, delay andRead More

By Phil Bowles Owners and managers responsible for handling and procuring their business insurance often feel a twinge when the terms accident, claim, or loss are uttered. Often these terms mean some singular event must be managed, and afterward, the firm continues its regular business.Read More

By Laura Sproule Across the world many, utilities are facing challenges of aging infrastructure in their drinking water distribution systems. To be able to continue to serve their communities and customers, utilities have been putting an increasing emphasis on effective asset management planning for sustainableRead More

By Fiona Straton Today’s data-centric world is complex. Data is growing exponentially and typically these data sets exist in isolation. With information such as geospatial data, time-series data, financial data, engineering data, and asset management data, all residing in different silos it is all butRead More

Optimizing Billing and Operations in a Large, Rural Service Area Augusta Water provides public water and sewer service to the residents of Augusta County, Va. The mostly rural service area includes 10 separate water systems spread out across the second largest county in the stateRead More

By Tim Kruse The City of Toronto Water Department, Ontario, Canada, (Toronto Water) serves nearly three million customers who rely on more than 1,800 employees to keep operations running at their peak. Toronto Water is responsible for drinking water supply and four water treatment plants,Read More

By Andrew Chastain-Howley Throughout the last few years, there have been great shifts in human interaction and in the considerations of our climate future. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has continued to evolve and expand into the utility market, and this has brought another solution moreRead More

By Constantine Antoniou Sodium hydroxide is used as an acidity control and metal remover by water utilities. Too much of the corrosive material can cause chemical burns and other uncomfortable side effects. In 2021, when a hacker accessed a Florida water utility’s computer system andRead More

By Wayne Hofmann An engineer, a contractor and a utility owner walked into a bar. They had just finished a long day reviewing plans at the construction site, and they were all feeling a little drained. They ordered their drinks and saddled up to theRead More

By John Ryan Rapidly rising interest rates were a primary cause of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. Its multiple consequences will almost certainly mark the start of an extended period of interest rate volatility. The Federal Reserve is steering a narrow course between taming inflation and inflictingRead More