Articles by: Contributing Author

By Paul Gagliardo Water utilities are constantly looking for new technologies and tools to ensure potable water is produced and delivered in a cost effective and safe manner. Due to aging linear underground assets, transmission and distribution pipelines, utilities must invest a significant amount of moneyRead More

By Andy McCartney Editor’s Note: This is the second article in a two-part series on cash reserves for water utilities. As mentioned in the first article on operating reserves, cash reserves are required to meet the operational, maintenance and capital needs of the utility whileRead More

By Gordon Henrich As I was moderating a session at a trenchless rehab seminar it became obvious that most research and development in our industry is being done on new pipe and manholes ordered directly from a manufacturer. If our focus is rehabilitation, why aren’t weRead More

At a time when the focus should be on innovation and best value, the argument rages on over materials and price. These arguments are evidence that the role of procurement in the municipal water sector is misunderstood, undervalued or worse, both. By Jim Baehr AtRead More

By Michael Brown & Jason Peters Facing a dire financial situation in 2013, the City of Allentown, Pa., looked to monetize its water and wastewater systems through a 50-year concession lease arrangement. Nearby Lehigh County Authority (LCA), another publicly-owned water and wastewater utility, was aRead More

How Are They Affecting Green Infrastructure? Across the nation, countless cities with antiquated sewer and stormwater systems are under orders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce stormwater runoff to decrease the amount of pollution entering local waterways. When Washington, D.C., faced thisRead More

 | By Alex Williams Ensuring the safety of citizens, managing critical assets, complying with regulatory standards and eliminating unplanned downtime — these are a few of the major hurdles faced by water industry professionals. Computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) can play a significant role inRead More

Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Assess and Monetize the Condition of Water Mains By Doug Hatler & Greg Baird Asset Management practices combined with the latest condition assessment tools using artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, to assess the condition of buried water mainsRead More

By Ryan Callender & J. Wes Kerns On Dec. 22, 2017, H.R. 1 (the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among other things, reduced corporate tax rates, modified individual tax rates, eliminated many deductions, repealed theRead More

A design-build contractor is often in the best position to manage a project, so it should be assigned as much of the associated risk as possible. By Brian Adams Cost, schedule and performance risks need to be managed on all capital projects. The best wayRead More